The herald., 1897-08-10
THE PENCIL PUsHERs
IN ANNUAL SESSION AT ALR1N1
TAVERN
Election Of officers and the Beading
of Papers, Followed by Inter-
esting Discussion

The Editorial association Of Southern
California held its annual meeting at
Alpine tavern at the mountain terminus
of the Mount Lowe railway yesterday
afternoon and evening. The novelty Of
the place of meeting made the gathering
very pleasant one, as most OF the
members visited this mountain resort
yesterday for the first time. Prof. T. 8.
c. Lowe was on hand to extend cour-
tesies to those present and make them
all wish that they could stay longer and
come again soon.
The electrical railway, some four miles
in length from the Echo Mountain house
at the top of the great incline, passes
through one of the most rugged stretch-
es of mountain scenery to be found on
any line of travel on the Pacific coast.
Prof. Lowe says that there are 148 curves
in that short distance, but one OF the
members of the party suggested that he
saw but one curve and that was one long
complex double and twisted curve ex-
tending from start to finish.
Alpine tavern is located In a mount faiW
canyon surrounded by forest trees and
is we'll patronized, the dining room be-
ing crowded with guests at dinner last
evening. There are also large number
of guests at the Echo Mountain house.
but Alpine tavern seems to be the pop
ular resort at this season of the year.
Manager Brown of the Echo Mountain
house is east on visit, but Fred Hawes,
who is in charge, seems to be managing
the hostelry like veteran in the bust-
ness.
The editors left this city at o'clock
and arrived at Alpine tavern at about
$780,
The regular annual business OF the
association was transacted at the after
noon session, including the election OF
officers for the ensuing year, which re-
suited as follows:
President, J. P. Baumgartrer OF the
Riverside Press, re-elected; first vice
president, Hor. W. S. Melick Of the Pas
adena News; second vice president, r. G.
HARRISON of the San Bernardino Sum-,
third vice president, Miss S. M. Case OF
the Winchester Recorder; secretary. =,
F. Smith of the Los Angeles Hotter ia
zette; financial secretary ana treasurer
LYMAN Shaw of the Santa Ana Herald.
executive committee, J. P. Baumgart-
rer. C. H. Smith, c. D. Willard Oh the
Los Angeles Evering Express, Chae..
A. Gardner of the Pasadena Star ard
Scipio Craig of the Redlands Citrograpn.
New members were elected as follows:
c. D. Willard and Fred L. Allies. OF the
Evening Express, w. A. Spalding ana L.
M. Holt of The Herald, r. c. HARRISON
Of the San Bernardiro Sun, H. S. Adney
of the Lancaster Gazette, w. s. Gilmore
of the Pasadena Town Talk, and VIM.
Caller of the Long Beach Breaker.
Prof. T. S. c. Lowe was elected an
honorary member and responded IN q
neat little speech thanking the associa-
ton for the courtesy.
An able paper on the Ethics OF PARTY
Journalism" was read by c. d. Willard.
and Hon. w. S. Melick discoursed ably
on 1.-The Editor in the Legislature, on
which subject he could speak intelligent
ly and feelingly. Both papers were well
received and were discussed at length.
]. P. Baumgartner, president of the
association, made an informal talk on
advertising, which elected much discus
sion.
EVENING SESSION
"A =
bled for an evening session.
L. M. Holt presented carefully pre-
pared paper on the Coming Boom" re-
viewing the ups and downs of business
and predicting the approach of another
period Of business activity in the near
California being now
upon the very Threshold of great de-
which have never been sur
passed in the past.
W. A. Spalding, not being able to at
tend the session, but being on the pro-
gram for a paper on "How to Incre ase
the Circulation" sent few thoughts on
the subject, which were made the basis
for discussion by many of those present.
Instead of suggesting how to increase
the circulation, he pointed out some
points Of how not to increase 1t. One
idea was not to stuff the circulation-not
to print any papers for which the pub.
Usher had no legitimate market. An
other idea, was to fix the price OF the
paper at a point that would pay profit
to the publisher A paper had two things
for sale, the paper and its advertising
columns. A publisher must make
margin of profit on both of these sources
of revenue. No paper could succeed on
any other basis unless published in some
large city surrounded by dense popula-
ton so that it could secure large circu-
lation. No paper with nominal SUBJ
scription price could succeed on the
Pacific coast, because there was not the
advertising patronage here sufficient to
make up the loss sustained in the SUBJ
scription department.
The session was very interesting one,
and at o'clock an adjournment was
had and the members returned to this
city.