The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-09
EDITORS AT LAWRENCE.
The Day Given Over to the Dis
cussiOn Of Newspaper Topics.

Lawrence, Kan, Feb. 9.-The Kansas
Editorial association began two days
session here Monday.
The officers Of the association are:
President, D. r. Anthony, Leaven-
worth Times; vice president, S. w. Nc
spending secretary, J. E. Junkin, Ster-
ling Bulletin; recording secretary, o. W.
Little, Alma Enterprise; treasurer, Mack
2. Crutcher, Sedgewick Pantag graph.
At the mornings session President
Anthony appointed his committees and
the reports Of officers were submitted.
Business matters only were taken up at
the forenoon meeting. Twenty-four new
names were added to the rolls of the
| association.
The afternoon session was given over
to the reading and discussion of papers
and to general discussions. The first
paper presented was by Thomas Charles,
BeIleYllle Freeman, entitled, DO Piano
Contests Pay?" Mr. Charles pointed
out two advantages of such contests:
the collecting of back subscription and
the obtaining of new subscribers. The
speaker said that he had tried the ex-
pertinent with success, but inclined to
the belief that the same results might
be obtained at less expense by hiring
a bic solicitors. On the whole Mr.
Charles did not think the plan a good
one, although it accomplished it's end
as a rule. The paper was discussed by
VIII TOWnsley, Great Bend Tribune and
J. E. Junkin, Sterling Bulletin, both of
whom related their personal experiences
with piano contests.
The second paper was on 1.-THE Edi-
torial Page" and was read by c. S.
Finch, Lawrence Gazette. Mr.. Finch
spoke in favor of short editorials. He
maintained that readers of country
pagers do not care to read long edi-
tOrials. but are always glad to find the
editorial page filed with short para
graphs written about current issues.
t a. 1c mo ~. u,
should be written in the most concise
manner and should contain only one
thought. Mr.. Finch also recommended
that the paragraphs be written offhand
and that no great amount of time be
spent upon them. The paper was very
well received by the editors. The men
who were on the programme for a dis
cusslOn of the paper were not present,
and Ewing Herbert, Brown County
World, was called for an informal dis
cussion. Mr.. Herbert approved Mr..
Finch's ideas
c. c. Thomas Moran Herald who
was on the programme for a paper on
Should a Country Newspaper Man be
Practical Printer" was not present,
and the question was discussed by sew
eral of the editors present It was held
that the country editor would receive a
great many benefits from being a
printer. Proof sheets could be made
more ineligible to the compositor and
the paper would be saved a great deal
of money if the editor understood print
ing and could use his knowledge as a
basis for space rates, wages and mat
tiers connected with the business end of
the sheet
Following this discussion was a gen
eral discussion Of newspaper business
and period of informal shop talk"
W. L. Stahl, Emporia Republican. en-
phaSiZed the need of concentrated ac-
looking to the maintaining Of profit
able rates for advertising and n suit
able subscription rate. Mr. Stahl spoke
of the competition which country news
papers had to enter into with the metro
pOlitan dailieS and made an appeal to
the members of the association to stand
by each other A. H. Turner, Chanute
Times, said he believed that each
country editor must work out his own
salvation as best he could and let his
rivals make any prices they pleased.
He could see no way to combat the in
iuence of the larger papers. His talk
President Anthony, who inclined to the
same opinion. I'VE must grin and bear
it." said the old Leavenworth warhorse.
Colonel Anthony pointed out the fact
that it was impossible for paper in a
small town to put out a paper which
could in any way compete with the
larger papers except in the way of fur
niShing local news.
Ewing Herbert, the next speaker, ad-
vocated fighting the matter out. He
country papers to make a good living
if they stood firm. Mr. Herbert made
9. plea for harmony between editors of
country papers. He condemned petty
quarrels and assured his hearers that
he spoke from experience. Never say
anything about a man in your paper
that you would not dare to say to his
face" said the Hiawatha editor, for
it is coWardly, and by doing so you
harm yourself a great deal more than
you do your opponent. The very best
way to humiliate the author of an
attack upon you is to pay no attention
to his writing" AS an example for TINS,
Mr. Herbert spoke of his experience
with the Atchison Champion in its
struggle against the Atchison Globe.
at is a lesson that cost me $1,000 or
SO 0O0" said the speaker, and give
it to you free of charge"
Secretary Junkin read a communica-
ton from the officials of the Frisco rail-
road system, extending to the members
of the association an invitation TO use
the Frisco road for trip to the 81
Louis fair in May. The road offered the
service of its regular trains free ana
further offered to furnish special
train to start from any Kansas point
upon which the association might de-
eide The association unanimously
voted to accept the invitation The
week beginning May Is is to be newspa-
per week at the fair and the excursion
will land the Kansas scribes in the city
in time to attend the exercises OF the
week.
At the night session Mayor Selig de-
livered a formal speech of welcome to
the editors and President Anthony re-
sponded upon behalf of the association.
J. A Atwood of LeavenwOrth, then ad-
dressed the association and following
him Prof. Carruth of the faculty Of the
university spoke on The University
and the Newspaper"
This forenoon's session will be held
nd 9f
tors will go to Haskell Indian institute
where they will be the guests of Super
intendent PEARS. The afternoon session
will be held at Haskell. The meeting