The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-07-04
THE VIRGINIA EDITORS.

We are glad TO hear from President \.
L. Rowe. Jr.. of me Virginia Press AssO-
citation, that there is prospect OF a
large attendance and good meeting OF
the association at Luray, on July 10th.
The Virginia Press Association is com
posed largely of editors OF the weekly
papers throughout the State, but we
hope that the time is not distant when
the city papers. one and all, will be rep
resented in this association and wiiltake
a lively interest in its work. The editors
of Virginia O ght to know each other
better, ought 10 meet regularly, once n
year at least, in conference and exchange
views They have common interest
and they ought to work together for
their mutual benefit as well as for the
benefit of the public.
There ought 10 be no distinctions be-
tween the country paper and the city
paper. They all have n common pur-
pose and while we would not appear
to bestOw compliments upon our own
craft. it must in fairness be conceded
that the newspapers of Virginia do more
gratuitous work for the general public, for
the cause of charity, for the cause of re-
ligion, for the cause of good government,
than any other craft. Each paper has it's
influence in It's own particular sphere,
however narrow that may be, and
when taken altogether the influence OF
the Virginia press is powerful. 1t isaa
influence for good and we believe that
the greatest good will be accomplished If
all the editors in the State join this as
ISOLATION and in the annual conferences
that are held do all that they can to
stimulate each other 10 good works and
TO elevate the tone of the press, as well
as To promote their own material pros
perity.
The greatest trouble with the Nir-
GINA newspapers is that they are poor
in purse. They do not get the pat
rOnage that they ought TO get and it is
hand TO make the mill run without
grist. There is power in prosperity
and the more prosperous the Virginia
newspapers become the more powerful
will be the influence of the Virginia
press. the more able will the editors be
to do good. We believe that the material
prosperity Of these newspapers may be
promoted by a proper cooperation be
tween them and it seems to us that
apart from the social pleasures OF these
annual reunions aud apart from the
discussion of questions OF public interest
the editors should try to devise some
means by which through cooperation
in business they may increase their rev
enues.- Richmond Times.
Whilst approving the views ex-
pressed in the above article, we must
demur to the injustice done the Nir-
GINA Press Association by the init
nation that but few of the Virginia
dailies are represented in the associa-
ton. 1t is true that a majority OF
the membership is composed OF edl-
tors of weekly and semi-weekly pa
pers, because there are more OF these
than there are dailies; but it is a Tact
that nearly all of the daily papers OF
the State-certainlya large majority
of them-are represented in the asso-
citation, including papers in Rich
mond, Norfolk, Lynchburg, Danville,
Newport News, Charlottesville, Bris-
toll; and three of the seven members
OF the present executive committee oil
theassociation are representatives OF
daily papers, viz: W. S. Copeland,
Richmond Times; r. p. Barham,
Petersburg Index-Appeal; J. H. Lind
say, Charlottesville Progress.