New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-25
4 HAPPY THOUGHT.

One of the most cheering and inspiring OF the
s,do.bows of the Republican State Convention
u.os tho Meeting Of the officers and committees
Of the Republican Editorial Association Vi 'nc
State to take action regarding the cohiihs c"ih-
pagn AS reported in yesterday s lriDuhe' 'nere
was an extended discussion upon the pest "e'nou
OF disseminating political editorial Ha''e' uui
ing the campaign; the question peihs "s W no"
far this could be done in conjunction WIN 'ne
State Committee. 1t was urged by sone VI lne
speakers that newspaper writers shouu pe III
gagged by the association itself 10 prepare Ill 'icie'
10 be sent out to members of the ASSOCIATION Only
and the Campaign Committee was authorized 10
raise n campaign fund for the preparation or
articles for the use Of the association John w.
Vrooman was appointed treasurer OF the iuhu
and John l. Plat secretary Mr.. NrooWah
onnointment was in accordance with the terms
Of the resolution. which provided that the treas
urer should not be a member of the association.
This discrimination was not of course, intended
as a reflection upon members. but it certainly
seems discreet Mr. John |. Platt Is the Editor
OF 1.-The Poughkeepse Eagle. lie Is Il states
man Of great political activity in entire harmony
with the State organiZation-aS Is Mr.. \rooman
also-and Is witha n writer of such vigor ana
force that some Of his more powerful EDITORIALS
could he easily cut into suitable lengths ana
dilutcd 70 such an extent as 10 furnish leaders
for most of the small newspapers In the State.
He can be depended upon to saturate The press
Of the State during the campaign with politlcal
intelligence Of very high order.
On the whole IL was 4 very happy Thought on
the part of somebody that the plate matter and
manfolded type written editorials for the strug-
cling but very much -in-carneSt, small news
papers in the interior might he prepared by
newspaper writers-such writer's, for instance.
as Mr. John l. Platt-and that. instead Of being
Maid for out of the fund which Mr.. Thomas &.
Plat collects from the various corporations in
terested in legislation the expense be met by
means Of a fund raised by the association for
that purpose Most OF the matter which was
distributed TO the country press at the expense
of the State Committee during the session 81
the last Legislature was written. 10 be- sure. 10y
Mr. Platt's newspaper man. and did not lack
ceverness. But there was a certain samencss
about Il that notwithstanding the extreme on
ergy and vlgor of Its personalities, at length
became wcarlsome. And when half dozen or
q dozen OF these Influential Journals came to the
exchange desk In other offices the constant
repetition in them OF the same powerful lead
Ing art'lP pNtll'u u'IlSlN' f'ihih'H' anu w.
seemly mirth This will be- rcmc-i'd bv The
action now proposed 10 be taken. For we pre-
sumo the newspaper writer's who VIII be IN
gagged to do the work indeed. Mr.. Plat d"~
not discharge that duty all by himself VIII take
pains TO vary the editorial matter In some de-
gree. so that all the small newspapers In the
interior will not blossom ont with the same
brilliant leader on the same day.
And yet. after all. we confess that we rather
like an occasional original leader In the press II
the Interior particularly when the editor seems
to have thrown his whole intellectual hcft' on
It, We call to mind one such that appeared In
a newspaper the name Of which escapes us Mt
the moment. wherein the editor who had NJ
his own solicitation been permitted 10 offer
The Weekly Tribune in connection with his
own publication nj a slight discount as an in
ducement to his subscribers announced in the
most solemn and impressive manner that on
account OF the desperate wckctlness OF The
Tribune he could not AMI would not, upon any
conditions continue the arrangement. The arti-
| Gle struck us at the time as being in clcarness
and precision, rs well as In literary style, gen
orally far above the average article or that sort
which had been distributed through the State
| by Mr. Platt nj the expense OF the state Com
mttee during the last year. We quite enjoyed
1t on that account That 1t was really good was
presently shown by the fact that "The Albany
Evening Journal printed it in full with APP
proving comments as the uttcrance OF "the lead
ing Republican Journal Of the-we forget just
now whether 1t was the county or the village
in which It was published. 1t Is Of course i'm
possible for these able editors Of influential
newspapers to get time from their arluous duties
as political teachers In the corner grocery the
village inn to compose pieces every day or even
once week, and in that view Of the case the
action Of the association In providing for the
dissemination OF sound political doctrine through
these vehicles, without subjecting the editors to
exhausting drafts upon their intellectuals. is
| both phlanthropic and wise