The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-22
Recalled by the Address of Geo.
Il. Peck to Kansas Editors.
Former Topeka Attorney In q
Reminiscent Mood at Emporia.
A BANQUET TENDERED
Governor Hoch, ]. L. Bristow
and Henry Allen Speak.
Topeka Is Decided Upon as the
Next Meeting Place.

EHporia, Kan, April 22.-With two
ousy sessions. the election of officers
!or the ensuing year. and a banquet
last night at which George r. Peck OF
chicago. formerly United States dis
.rict attorney for Kansas. Governor
Hoch. Ida M. Tarbell. ]. L. Bristow
and Henry J. Allen spoke, the kansas
State Editorial session closed its an
nual meeting.
follows: President, Sheridan PIouel1e-
Hutchinson independents; vice presf-
oenl. II. c. Sticher, Alma Signal; re-
COZ, cosrolng secretary. A. @. Miller. Belle
tary, J. H. Junkin. Sterling Republi-
can; treasurer. ]. Byron Cain, Belle
Rialns News; executive COMMITTEES,
Elrst district, Charles Brown, Horton
headlight; Second. w. D. Grearson.
Paola Republican; Third c. A. Couley.
Independence Tribune; Fourth. w. IL
Feyton, Burns Citizen; Fifth, c. E.
Nlgais, Washington Republican,; Sixth.
enth. Clark Conkling, Lyons Republi-
can; Eighth, Mack p. Gretchen, Sede-
wick Paragraph.
Topeka was selected as the place OF
during the session of the legislature.
Two Busy Sessions.
| At the morning session, Mrs. F. M.
Amrlne Of the Council Grove Repub-
| ilcan delivered an address entitled
Newspapers and Husbands" which
was discussed by Mrs. L. A. King of
| the Plafnville Gazette. Mrs. Ida Ward
| of the DeSoto Eagle Eye and Mrs.
John Mack of Newton
| Ewing Herbert followed with an ad-
| dress on "Postoffice Order No. COT. and
Some of Its Effects" The discussion
was participated in by w. P. FEEDER of
| the Great Bend Democrat, c. e. In
gals of the Washington Republican
| Tribune.
THE Newspaper and the Candidate
| Under the Primary Law was discuss
ed by Sheridan Ploughe of the Hutch
lnson Independent, and rediscussed by
/ Z. 1. Simons of the Caldwell News and
Tom Morgan of the Ottawa Republic
The afternoon session was opened by
Walt Mason's paper, "The Uses OF
Rhyme on Local Paper" John Gill
Wassar of the Girard Press and w. T..
Yoe of the Independence Tribune talked
OF old times. Later in the afternoon a
reception for the women of the party
was given by Mrs w. A. White at her
4 home.
/ The big time of the meeting how
ever, occurred in the evening at the
state normal, when the visitors were
rendered banquet by the citizens of
| Emporia and the Kansas state normal
| school
At $50 an invocation was pronounced
by President Joseph H. Hill of the nor
| NAL. Toasts were responded to as fol-
| lows:
THE Editor in Politics." ]. L. Bris-
tow, Salina Journal.
1.-The Editor in Office" Governor E.
w. Hoch, Marion Record.
| "The Old Familiar Faces" George r.
Peck, formerly from Kansas.
1.-The Younger Crowd" Henry ]. AL
len, Wichita Beacon.
kansas and the Nation Miss Ida
| M. Tarbell.
| A reception was held at the home of
Judge Charles B. Graves on Highland
| Place by Mrs. Graves in honor of Mrs
Henry Mason and Mrs. A w. Benson,
wives of the associate justices on the
| supreme bench with Judge Graves.
The ladies were in attendance with
their husbands at the editorial meet
ing.
Charley Barnes had better time
than any editor present. This was his
| old home. 1t was here that he wrote
the first personal for a newspaper. and
nearly everybody he met said, Hello.
Charley, when did you blow in, and
how long are you going to stay! Come
| up to the house and see the folks be-
fore you go away, won't you?"
| George r. Peck while in Emporia was
the guest of Major Calvin Hood and
family. Mr.. Peck came in his private
car and was compelled to put in con-
| siderable time in the car while here.
| attending to business transacted by
wire.
The speech of Mr.. Peck follows:
The Speech of Geo. r.. Peck.
i 1t is a privilege not measureabis in
words to breathe again the air of
Kansas, and to enjoy once more the
communion of the Saints.
| There was a time wnen meadow,
grove and stream,
To earth, and every common sight,
Il To me did seem
Apparelled in celestial light,
The glory and the freshness of a
dream
!. Once 1 knew by actual contact. the
life, the aspirations and the faith,
that made Kansas what she was. The
spell of it is still upon me; and will
be until the end comes in that sleep
which is the balm of hurt minds.
| When I was invited to come here,
I felt a distinct thrill of happiness.
But it was only momentary, for / had
hardly accepted before the heavy
| thought began to weigh me down that
you would be disappointed if I did
not settle for good and all, the ques-
tions which from time immemorial
: have troubled Kansas newspapers and
their editors
: In my distress wrote to William
Allen White. from whom my invita-
tion came. explaining that was en-
: barrassed by the obligation, which
perhaps I had unwittingly assumed.
of uttering the final and conclusive
word on every problem that vexes.
what Walt Whitman called. the Cos
mic Intellect. Of course, took pains
to assure him that it was not fear
: which influenced me; for had lived
too long in Kansas to hesitate mo-
ment in the presence of any prob
lem, political. economic, social or
: financial. That was never our way
a in the old days. and It does not seem
: : = ~