The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-16
EDITORS ARE HERE
President Herbert Delivers His
Animal Address.
Wants Newspapers to Charge
for Political Advertising.
DON'T GIVE 1T AWAY.
Says That the Editor Has
Printing to Sell.
Insists That the Newspaper
Should Be Honest.
DON'T GIVE 1T AWAY.

/ The Kansas editors, members OF the
Kansas Editorial association, are gath
ering in Topeka for the annual meeting
of the association today and Tuesday.
The United States postoff1ce depart
ment put a temporary stop to the
meeting of the association for Ewing
Her bert, president of the association, is
postmaster at Hiawatha along with his
duties as president of the association.
editor of the Brown County World and
Herbert's Magazine.
1 Postmaster General Wynne, or some
one else, not knowing that Herbert was
president of the Kansas Editors assoc
citation and that the annual meeting
was to be held, issued an order for the
examination of rural free delivery car
riers whose routes will radiate from
Hiawatha, and that the postmaster
should conduct it.
Postmaster Herbert conducted the
examination. That is what delayed the
meeting from 9 this morning till this
afternoon. Mr.. Herbert arrived at /
o'clock and the proceedings started.
Herbert bolted some dinner, used
the long distance telephone and rushed
up to the Commercial club rooms and
at once began delivering his address,
In his address Mr.. Herbert said:
Kansas is a newspaper made state.
From territorial days-frOm birth-no
newspaper-east or west, north or
south-has failed to pay tribute to
Kansas. Some of the advertising has
been good-much of it has been bad,
but all Of it has been of some ac-
cOunt-al of it better than no adver-
Using at all. The newspapers of the
state are notable-some notorious
and many of the publishers seem to
be better known and more discussed
than the newspaper men of other
states. There is a freedom of thought
ana expression in Kansas newspapers
which is uncommon. No one seems
/ 70 4 hat +1,x,
haven't any They have a way of
saying and feeling what they think
if they think at ALL This may be lack
of culture-it may be lack of tact but
it is natural and wholesome-better
than to think one thing and say some
thing else. The keen interest taken in
Kansas affairs, from school district to
state matters, is evidenced by every
sas is something fine. 1t is the mark
of intelligence, of sterling patriotism.
Each newspaper is read by at least
five persons, and this means that 90
per cent of our people read newspa-
pers and little else. The editors
words invade every home. The
preacher and lawyer and teacher and
politician say much that no one can
recall, but the editors phrase is on
record in type which all may read.
The Kansas papers seem to share in
the general advancement and prosper
lty. Although your president has the
newspaper lapses and shortcomings so
often complained Of he humbly pleads
for better things. For instance, why
not stop forever petty quarreling with
one another? The roast is no credit
to any editor and of no interest to
peace-lOving readers. The way to re-
spect our great calling and power is to
respect one another. Men of average
intelligence are partly right in their
difference and party wrong. Impair
tial discussion of differences of opinion
on public matters may have some in
f.rrf II e. IL
to the enemy down street strengthens
any cause a war of words lacks both
sense and dignity. No newspaper man
of experience has any pride in his per-
sonal quarrels. They are usually a
source of shame and will always cause
regret to any but the conceited and
immature.
The newspaper that attempts to give
all a square deal, including competi-
tors, is the newspaper every editor
should desire to produce at any cost
and he shouldn't be connected with any
other kind even by a mortgage. His
ideal better self should always be free
although for all business dealings he
should adopt the practical cash policy.
Pay cash and exact cash. Don't give
away printing. Don't trade printing.
Make prompt collections. Pay your own
way like a gentleman. Never notice a
paid entertainment unless paid to do
so. Never owe any one anything but
goodwill. Pay that and keep on pay
ing it
Everything else should be cash. If
he will not pay in advance, trust any
gentleman for your paper one year
If he does not pay then, say in your
editorial columns that a blue mark on
his paper indicates subscription due.
If that doesn't bring him around,
courageously put on the mark. 1t
does the work. Any subscriber who
can stand it and continue to owvs
isn't worth sending the paper to and
should be stricken from the list
And why not quit working for
nothing, Just to beat the other fell
low? Wouldn't it be wiser to cooper
ate with him than to compete with
him? Labor, equipment, stock, CAPT.
tai, brains, are necessary to successful
printing. and publishing. Work
should be done at a fair price, for
work is for the worker and good
work depends on the amount of hui
man energy and human life put into
it, and there should be some thought
of the worker. and not so little thought
which benefits none but the consumer.
The newspaper man works all the
while. His mind and body are chain
ed to his work. He is poorly paid in
money and if he deals unjustly with
himself and his fellow workmen, he
is a pitiful and culpable failure. The
cheap labor in the country printing
Offices is made cheap by foolish and
unreasonable competition. The dead
beat editor is another product and so
is the newspaper hold-up and news
paper bust-up.
A master printer should say, Good
work is seldom cheap work and / will
do good work and pay my helpers
good wages, and by my example in
duce my competitor to do as much"
Better, far better. have it said that
yours is the best printing shop than
have it said that it is the cheapest
one.
And why not insist on legislation
fixing the price of public printing by
the line, which all can count, instead
of by the square, the measure Of
which printers differ2 Wouldn't 1t be
better Arrangement to have 2 fxed