The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-21

it was not out of place to specially name Col. J. M. Falkner, who as the representative of the l.. and W. Rail- road, had conferred so many favors upon the association. In conclusion he said he hoped that Montgomery would be as pleased to have the newspaper people of Alabama here. as they were to be in the beautiful Capital City. President Rhodes said that 1t waH usual for the President to make an ad- dress going over the past years work but that he had prepared nothing Tor this meeting. He paid eloquent tribute to the members of the association who have departed this life during the past twelve months. and hoped that suitable memorials would be prepared and in- corporated in the proceedings. He said that he becomes more and more con vinced each year of the great respon- sibility resting upon those who put into print their thoughts upon public and private questions. The influencr
 was co-equal with the responsibility, and in elaboration of this thought said:
 "The Constitutional Convention would not now he in session in the State Cap itol but for the press of Alabama. II
 it a remarkably strong body of men who should rise to the loftiest heights
 of patriotic performance of duty. To do this-to formulate the soundest and
 wisest Constitution possible-theY should not longer permit themselves to
 be embarrassed by the late Democratic platform, a hastily considered and un-
 wise pronunciamento. If the Con-
 vention was charged with promulgat- ing a Constitution without submitting 1t to the people, they might hesitate to depart from party pledges. But the Constitution is to be submitted to the people for ratification, and the Conven- tion can before adojurning issue proc lama ton, setting forth the difficulties encountered in the task of making tha best possible organic law in compli- | ance with platform pledges. and sub- | init their work for final ratification or | rejection to the people without subject ing themselves to just criticism. The | Convention must do the very best 1t | can with the lights before 1t today. I believe it will. and that it's work will | be overwhelming endorsed at the polls. In referring to the affairs of the Press
 Association, Mr. Rhodes urged that there be greater scrutiny into the personnel of those who enjoy the priv | ileges of the Association ,the hospital | ity of individuals and communities and | complimentary transportation from the | railroads. To preserve its own self-re-
 spect and protect its friends, the as-
 sociation should see that on It's pleas-
 ire jaunts only those go who are en-
 titled to do so. The presence of so
 many outsiders as went on last years
 excursion to Pike's Peak came very
 nearly creating a scandal.
 1 Col. Rhodes's remarks were frequent
 ly and vigorously appIauded.
 Secretary's Report.
 Secretary Rountree read the follow ing report:
 To the Members of the Alabama Press Association:
 In discharging my public official duty
 as Secretary of the Alabama Press As
 sociation by submitting to you a re- port of the affairs of the Secretary s
 office, permit me to again tender tc
 the members of this organization the
 assurance of my appreciation of the | high honor which you have paid me l for the past ten years in electing me | to the honorable and important posi- l tion of Secretary, and to record my | grateful acknowledgement of the un- failing courtesy and valuable assist ance so freely accorded to me by the | individual members of the Association
 and if I have in any measure met the
 expectation of those whose generous
 confidence and support to whom I am | indebted for an honor so far beyond
 my deserts, it must be attributed to
 your patient forbearance and prompt l intelligent aid.
 The Association is in the most pros- | porous condition ever in its history
 There are on the rolls of the Associa- | ton 132 members. and of that number
 twenty-seven new members have been
 received and added to its rolls this
 year. There is more enthusiasm and
 interest manifested in the Association l than ever; this is evidenced by the
 large attendance of this meeting. From what your Secretary can learn, the newspapers are doing better from a
 material standpoint, and the editors
 are putting forth their best efforts tc
 make their papers credit to them- | selves and an honor to the profession.
 But while we have been growing. it
 is with much sadness that l chronicle
 the fact that death has been busy in
 our ranks since the last meeting, and | taken away eight of our honored and | faithful members "to that bourne from
 which no traveller has eer returned. ' | Of that number two were charter mem bers: pr. L. Hensley Grubbs, and w | O. Monroe; the other six were, H. c
 Mccall, one time. President. w. c. Jem- ison, I. A. Levy, M. B. Mayer J. c. Pope and R. A. Moseley, have been
 members for a number of years and have taken an active part in the af-
 fairs of the Association.
 The minutes of the past year were greatly delayed on account of secur- | ing the reports of the committees and | the photographs of the different offi- cers. Your Secretary departed from
 the usual custom in printing the min utes. by securing advertisements from leading firms which solicit patronage
 from the fraternity; this paid every expense connected with the beck, print | ing, cuts and postage, without taking
 A cent out of the treasury. The book
 has been highly complimented and re-
 quests for a copy have come from the | leading newspapers throughout the United States. I desire to recommend and urge the members of the Associa- | ton to patrcnize the advertisers who
 have SO generously placed their adver- tisements ir the minutes of 1900.
 The Association enjoyed very agree
 able and profitable trip of twelve days
 to Denver and Pike's Peak last year 1 Every courtesy possible was extended
 by the railroads hotels and citizens. 1 It was indeed a grand trip, and one never to be forgotten.
 My correspondence with the railroad people has been most pleasant and en- tirely successful. They have extended to us many courtesies, and I feel sure that all the members feel very grate- fuI for these courtesies.
 Your Secretary desires to return his sincere thanks to President Rhodes for
 . NNv aaP