Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-23
Associated Press and Pub
fishers Dine Together.
Every Slate and Territory IN
The Union Represented.
Senator Knox and William ]. Bryan
Among the Guests.

New York. April 22.-There was a
notable gathering of editors and pub
fishers at the Waldorf-Astoria tonight.
. the occasion being joint banquet of
The Associa ted Press and the Amerl-
can Newspaper Publishers Associa-
ton, both of which organizations are
holding their annual meetings in this
CITY. Every state and territory of the
United States was represented by per-
sons who have earned distinction in
the newspaper profession, while their
guests included William Jennings Bry-
an, United States Senator Philander
c. Knox Of Pennsylvania and others of
public influence.
The grand ball room was filed to the
limit of comfort when the 600 diners
had found their places The boxes
which were half hidden by a wealth of
carnations and apple blossoms were
occupied by the families and friends of
the banuuetters. The scheme of deco
rations was as beautiful as it was elab-
crate, the national colors, Of course,
predominating.
At the presidents table were Gener-
al Charles II. Taylor of the Boston
Globe, the POSTMASTER; Herman Rid
der, editor and publisher of the New
York Stats Zeitung, and president Of
the American Publishers Association;
Frank B. Noyes of the Chicago Rec
ord-Hera!d, ard president Of The As
ISOLATED Press; Senator Knox, Mr..
Bryan, Bishop Frederick Burgess Of
the Long Island diocese, Rabbi Stephen
S. Wise Of the Free Synagogue; Fat
rick Francis Murphy, officials of the
two organizations. and others.
The souvenirs Of the banquet were
daintily printed little volumes, bound
III Japan velluni, one containing a his
tory of newspaper printing from the
earliest times and the other a list of
members Of The Associated Press and
the American Newspaper Publishers
Association.
Mr.. Ridder started the ball rolling
by proposing the health of the Pres
ident of the United States The toast
was drunk standing, while the orches-
ira played the "Star Spangled Banner"
'In the name of Frank B. Noyes, the
president of The Associated Press"
and "in behalf of the American News
paper Publishers Association" said Mr..
Ridder, 1 bid you all. tonight our
guests. a warm and hearty welcome.
Mr.. Ridder then explained jokingy
that he had promised not to make a
speech. Accordingly he was obliged to
bluntly introduce lone of the most dis
tinsuished journalists Of this country,
tho editor of the Boston Globe--Gen-
eral Taylor" This. gave General Tay-
Tor, who was received with tumultuous
applause. an opportunity to say II do
not think that the committee need to
have tied Mr.. Ridder down in such
way that he could not give me some
complimentary praises. for I own to
you that l am one of the ordinary sort
who would rather have an ounce Of
taffy while / am alive than ton of
epitaphy after / am dead"
In more serious vein, General Tay-
Tor replied to the charge that a tinga
of commercialism had come into the
press in the last quarters of CEN
tury. He pointed out that where an
eisht-page pap"r IS years ago was
sold for four cents a copy, the readers
row receive from eight to "a pages
Tor one cont, tte added that there was
not cent paper in the country but
That was worth two cents What Jour
nal'sts really needed. he said. was q
carner half ceat in order that thew
tnight go the liin't and give a two or
thrce-cent paper for half the present
price. General Taylor continued:
JOURNALISTS are criticized fairly and
unfairly and we are criticized as other
people are because we are human.
want to say this of my brethren Of the
press. that they have just as high ideals.
they are just as anxious to promote the
greatest good of the greatest number.
they are just as eager to build up the
best institutions Of their community. they
are just as anxious to carry as much sun
shine and as little trouble as they can
to the homes Of the American people as
are the men of any other profession or
any other business in the United States"
General Taylor then explained the I'M
avoidahle absence of Gov. Hughes, whose
presence had been hoped for. He read a
letter of regret from the governor.
Rabbi Wise addressed the diners as fell
low much rakers and for a half hour kept
them In roars Of laughter as Re related a
series Of pointed incidents. In a moro
serious vein Rabbi Wise discussed the in
nuence OF the press saying that he
would venture to say tonight that the
man with the greatest power, the man
who perhaps does more to shape things
in the United States than any other is
the manager Of The Associated Press"
Rabbi Wise further said:
The press must be the greatest SER
want, the great protagonist of freedom
ever and every where. but gentlemen,
note this: The press cannot be a real
servant. real furtherer of freedom. I'M
less itself be free. One thing want to
lay upon your hearts tonight. It is to
adrire you to free yourselves from the
enslavements and the tyrannies of power
of partisanship of sectionalisin and of
prejudice.
What do I mean by freeing yourselves
from the enslavement of power? mean.
for one thing. the money power. Granted
that money is needed in very large guam
titles to conduct a great modern newspa-
per, still the press must say to the power
of gold: thus far shalt thou go and no
further; thou shalt not dollarize my soul
am not afraid of the menace of privi-
lege in America, provided you are earn
estlv and solernnly resolved that you will
resist the bondage of the press which
fhrSafe