Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-29
Begins Its Fortieth Annual
Session in This City.
A Large Attendance and Much Inter-
est Shown by Members.
Massachusetts, Libel Law Now Pend
4 ing Unanimously Endorsed.

| HOUSE, yesterday, the occasion Delne
the fortieth annual meeting of the
Maine Press Association. There was a
| preliminary meeting at 2 o'clock, de-
voted to a somewhat informal discus
sion of various business questions and
methods of interest to the members
The regular opening session came al
730 o'clock. in the Senate chamber
| President Charles A. Pilsbury of Bel
fast, was in the chair. The following
| members We're in attendance: Frank
u. Rich, Bangor; Joseph Wood Port
| land; John F. Hill, Augusta; A. E.
Chase, Portland; Howard Owen and
5. w. Lane, Augusta; E. W. Morrell,
Gardiner; Geo. S. Rowell, Portland !;
Kendall M. Dunbar, Damariscotta !;
Geo. E. Bracket, Belfast; Geo. w.
Vickery, Augusta; A. E. Forbes, South
Paris; c. b. Haskell, Pittsfield; c. w.
Robbins, Old Town; C. F. Flylnt and
j. V. Lane, Augusta; G. NJ Donham,
Portland; John M. S. Hunter, Thomas
ID. Sale, Portland; Anna S. Hunt, Au-
gusta; o. r. Wish, Portland; Jesse H.
Ogier, Camden; w. H. Gannett, Au-
gusta; H. c. Prince, Waterville; L. o.
Haskell, Pittsfeld; F. w. Sanborn,
Norway; l.. P. Evans. Dover; Geo D.
Loring, Portland William A. Pidgin,
Lewiston; E. A. Merriman, Madison;
Alexander Speirs, Westbrook; Grace
E. Burgess, Belfast; Ernest c. Bowler,
Bethel; w. F. Marston, Hallowen; d.
HI. Knowlton, Pennington; C. B. Bur-
leigh and w. A. Newcomb, Augusta.
Many of the members were accom-
panied by their ladies.
In opening the meeting President
Pilsbury delivered a brief and in
teresting address reviewing the
changes that have occurred in the life
of the association, and urging the i'm
portance of devoting more time to
matters specially pertaining to the
work and interests of the members.
He suggested that people outside of
the association might, with profit, be
invited to address it on matters of
common interests.
Mr.. Geo. w. Vickery, who had been
appointed treasurer pro tenn to sue
coed his brother, the late P. o. Vickery,
submitted d report of the financial con-
dition of the association.
E. A. Merriman, chairman of the
committee on advertising, submitted
an able report, in which he advocated
the advantages that would come to
the papers of the Subsequently, it's
weeklies-by an organization which
would enable foreign advertisers to
deal with them as body.
Howard Owen from the committee to
nominate officers for the ensuing year
reported the following list and the gen.
tlemen named were unanimously elect
ed, the secretary casting the vote of
the association:
President. C. A. Pilsbury, Belfast;
vice presidents, Jesse H. Ogier, Cam
den; Liston P. Evans, Dover; William
II. Dow, Portland; secretary, Joseph
Wood Portland; treasurer, Geo. w.
Vickery, Augusta; corresponding Sec
rotary. Samuel l.. Boardman, Bangor;
executive committee. Charles A. Pills
bury, Belfast (ex-officio); Howard
Owen. Augusta; Frank G. Rich Ban
gor; Fred w. Sanborn, Norway.
The committee on neurology reported
five deaths during the year in the men,
bership of the association, viz: H. K
Baker. Hallowell; Theodore Cary, Houl-
ton; l.. H. Murch, Belfast; p. o. Wick
cry, Augusta; M. N. Rich, Portland.
1t was voted that suitable memorials
of each be prepared for publication In
the next annual report.
Secretary Wood read letters from
Judge Rowell and Orrin o. Dickey,
both of whom are absent from the
State. and were unable to attend the
meeting. j. M. S. Hunter of Farming
ton, made an interesting report on the
excursion to Kineo, last summer.
The following resolutions, presented
by George S. Rowell of Portland, were
unanimously adopted:
| Whereas the present libel laws of
Maine were adopted more than three
fourths of a century ago, when the
conditions of newspaper publication
were entirely different from what they
| are at the present time. AS a result
these laws are today inequitable and
Iburdensome. Moreover they single out
publishers for the imposition of harsh
and unjust rules of law that do not APP
lply to other interests of the State
These laws were inherited from Mass
achusetts. which has since repealed
| them and substituted statute provis-
ions more just and equitable in their
application, therefore be It
| Resolved. That the publisher OF
Maine have a right to stand upon a
basis of equality before the law with
/ the rest of their fellow citizens.
| Resolved. That we heartily endorse
the bill-an exact copy of the present
Massachusetts law-now pending before
the judiciary committee as a measure
whose just purpose is to bring our
ancient laws into harmony with mod.
ern conditions. 1t is conservative and
fair in all it's provisions, and embodies
nothing that is not already in force ir
leading states of the Union.
/ We are fully. convinced that it's pas
sage will be simply an act of justice.
o. r. Wish of the Portland Argus
callsJ attention to2the fact that tn,
pres9nt .4@es for distributing the law.
lwerE est6bished years ago, when thei
fvoftfme was nowhere as great as at tn,
present time. AS result these prices
do not now cover actual expense. 4
COMMITTEE was appointed to TAX
charge of the matter and see if SOM
arrangement could not be made to Sc
cure the papers fair return for thi
service.
There being no further business tn