Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-15
REFORM PRESS ASSOCIATION
Editors Elect Their officers After the
Customary Debate.
DEATH TO FUSION THEIR BATTLE CRY
Undying Hatred Of Democracy the
Mnin sentiment Expressed In the
Commcnt-Not nm ola servant
of n Society Turned Down.

The first thing taken Up by the Reform
Press association when 1t reconvened, was
the election OF officers. Abe Steinberger
made an effort to have all the old officers
omnibussed through by just one ballot. lie
said the association had passed through a
stormy time during the year, and that a
rival press association, which the anti
fusionists call the Rozelle association, had
practically ceased TO be %populist, and he
gave the old officers the credit for wise
steering.
Objections came from James II. Ferris OF
the Joliet, Ill.,, News, w. o. Atkeson of the
Butler, Mo-, Free Press, and others. They
feared that to omnibus all the old officers
through in this way might establish a bad
precedent, though there was nothing that
could be said personally against them. A.
c. wicks of the Winterset, Ia, Sentinel,
who had seconded Mr.. Steinberger's motion,
and w. S. Morgan OF the Louisville, ny,
Buzz Saw. were in favor of the omnibus
n,ethod, because of the peculiar circum-
stances attending the association at the
present time. other objections followed
from N. II. Motsinger, of the
Shoals, Ind, Referendum, and w.
p. Blake, of the Clarendon, Tex,
Industrial West. Mr.. Blake said there was
one thing in particular and that was that no
fusionist would be reelected TO Office in the
association Mr.. Ferriss named 10 A.
Parker of the Louisville, KY, Free Republic,
the present recording secretary, as his choice
for president. Either Parker, Steinberger,
Morgan or Paul j. Dixon of the Chillicothe,
Mo-, World, he thought, would make a good
president for the association. Seeing SO
many objections, Mr.. Steinberger withdrew
his motion.
nominations Came Fast Enough.
Ex-President Paul Vandervoort then
formally nominated Colonel Frank Burkitt
of the Okolona, Miss, Peoples Messenger for
re-election and Mr.. Ferriss renewed his
nomination of Mr.. Parker. Mr.. Ferriss be-
lieved the association should stick to its
policy of changing its president every year.
Among the numerous seconds for Colonel
Burkitt, W. r. Haughawout of the Carthage,
Mo, Labor's Tribune struck a parallel be-
tween the fight upon Colonel Burkitt and
the movement to change the president Of
the United States in 1864. "1f they
had then changed the president of our coun-
try where would our nation have been?" he
asked. So far as Mr.. Parker was concerned
Mr.. Haughawout would be pleased to see him
nominated for president Of the United States,
but IL the Reform Press association wanted
to stay clear of the breakers it would have
to draw its support mostly from the south.
Look at your northwestern states,' said
Mr.. Haughawout, their populist papers have
all gone over to the democracy" N. II.
Motsinger then nominated Paul ]. Dixon,
whom Mr.. Butler of DlXon's state seconded
in the hope of getting Missouri out of the
.lN,-l 81 ,in Il, lit a t. A,- .-r ~
Mr.. Parker's name was withdrawn by Mr..
Ferriss in favor of Mr.. Dixon after Mr.. Alike
sons speech and some observations in the
same tenor regarding Missouri's condition
were made by Mr.. Houghawout, who had
hitherto been a warm supporter of Colonel
Burkitt. A vote was taken after considera-
BILE discussion, H.. F. Jones of the Comanche,
Tex, Pioneer Exponent, and Mr.. Ferriss
were made the tellers. Colonel Burkitt was
easily reelected, receiving twenty-six votes,
while Mr.. Dixon got only seven.
All the Others Get Back.
All the other officers were reelected one
by one as follows: Vice president, f. W.. ID.
Mays Of the Pomeroy, WASH, Independent;
secretary-treasurer, 10 A. Parker of the
Louisville, Ky, Free Republic; correspond
ing secretary, John H. Boyd of the Cooper,
Tex, Peoples Cause, and w. S. Morgan OF
the Louisville, KY, Buzz Saw, ready print
editor.
The executive committee was reelected
In a bunch; likewise the organization com
mittee. These are:
Executive Committee-James II. Ferriss OF
the Joliet, ILL.,, News, chairman; N. II. Mot
singer of the Shoals, Ind. Referendum; G,
Ed Kestler OF the Concord, n. c., Vestibule;
u. S. Peters Of the Calvert. Tex, Citizen
Democrat, and Paul j. Dixon Of the Chilli
cothe, Mo-, World.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES II. Ferriss, chairman
b. S. Calvert, Pau Vandervoort of Omaha
Abe Steinberger of the Girard, Kan, World
and B. G. West of the Memphis, Tenn, Me
chanic and Farmer.
A paper on the 'Populist Daily" and on,
which contained a great deal of dry humor
was read by James H.. Ferris of the Jolie
(ul) News. Some If its bright things were
Public opinion is not a divine institution
II is not a positive force. Rather, it knows
no law, has no set rules, knows no con
%straint. and 1t is the work of those VIII
have a purpose in life. of those who recog
nize rules and deal In causes and effects. Il
round up and make a public opinion.
Both astronomers and populist editors dea
with facts, and one Is In duty bound to b.
as scientific as the other.
Our paper is not the organ of its editor
nor its proprietor. nor its advertisers. no
Its friends.
AS to sensationalism, we positively refus
10 be led into that trap.
After this a recess was taken at IL o'clocI
until 2 p. M, to give the national organiza
lion committee a chance to meet in tn
hall.
Some Journalistic Experience.
The afternoon session of the Reform Pres
association was attended by about a scor
only OF the members, The remainder wer
out to the exposition to hear w. ]. Bryan
Notwithstanding, the meeting was quite a
Interesting one, because of the numerou
curious experiences related by the editors
their efforts TO make a populist paper a sue
cess.
w. j. H~cnning Of the Augusta, Ga, Woo
Hat and Daily Tribune told how he starte
the Wool-Hat in 1891 with only a ''tc;oac,
box press and described its graz an, evon
ton from a slip about the size of a han
until 1t reached a seven. column four nag
lie had copies at land to demonstrates ocr
lariy the ucvessive stages Of growth. Son
" ms education lin daily newspaper wor
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