The Republican journal., 1903-01-29

opment of Maine as summer resort
and how the press of the State may aid
in promoting it. A clergyman might
say something that would encourage
efforts to promote the moral welfare
of community; teacher address us
on educational lines, or business man
talk to us ON the relation of sales to ad-
vertising.
There is one topic which might be
discussed with profit by this Associa-
ton, and that is machine composition
for the country weekly. We must all
come to it eventually. My own expert
ence is that while the cost of hand
labor is increasing the quality of the
labor is deteriorating. There are no all
around printers coming on the stage.
There are no boys, and few girls, eager
to learn the printing business. They
all 60 to the factories The idea has
got abroad that it is of no use to learn
trade which is soon to be superseded
by machinery. But the opportunities
for first class compositor or all-around
printer were never better than they are
to-day, and do not believe they will be
any less when the type setting, or type
casting, machine comes into general use.
The present high cost of these machines
keeps them out of the reach of the
average country publisher; but, as in
the case of the sewing machine and the
bicycle, they will eventually come down
in price. 1t is safe to say that the ma
chine which is sold today for $780, or
one as good, can be, and will be, Sold
later for $500, or even less, and then
yield handsome profit to the manu-
facturer. 1t may not, however, be
economy to wait until that day comes;
and meanwhile those of US who realize
that we must have machine compost
tion would be glad to profit by the ex-
perience of those who have already in
stalled machines.
We ought to have something at each
meeting from our standing Commit
tees on Advertising and Job Print
ing. Give them something to work
upon by referring to them some
practical question on which they
may report; or let them draw from
their own experience, as did Bro Mer
riam. chairman of the Committee Oh
Advertising, in the excellent report read
at our last meeting He we'll said that
The question of advertising and the
proper charges therefor is of great i'm
portance to the county publisher" 1t
is indeed Of vital Importance. Then
there is the free advertising. | see
that many of the Maine papers are
charging for notices of entertainments
where there is an admission fee, and
cards OF thanks and resolutions of res
pect are no longer on the free list.
This is as it should be. 1t had come to
such pass that what had been conced
ed as a courtesy was demanded as
right, and in many cases the reciprocal
courtesy of complimentary tickets was
ignored But couple of ten cent tick
cts are poor return for a quarter of
column reading notice, when brought
in at the eleventh hour to displace
some more important matter. There
is good deal that might be said on this
subject; and if any doubt it they should
interview foreman who is not a
church member
l have always looked upon our annual
reports as installments of History of
the Maine Press. If not that. they
should at least furnish data for the
coming historian. To this end the
county historians should keep up their
records of newspaper changes. Give
us all the important facts, and omit the
trivial details.
It's surprising how many good fellows
there are who have not availed them
selves of the privilege of becoming
members of this Association: for it is a
privilege to meet with the men and
women of the Maine Press Association;
and we should be doing missionary
work in bringing these outsiders into
the fold. With increased membership
would come increased usefulness, both
to the members and the public, and that
is something worth striving for.