The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-07-24
WASHINGTON PRESS MEETING
Address of Lieutenant Governor Coon in
Regard to Legitimate Advertising

Association at its annual meeting at
Vancouver, Wash, last week, a short
address was delivered by Lieutenant
Governor Charles E. Coon which at
tracted such favorable comment that it
was made part of the records of the
Association and a request was made
that it be given publicity by the state
press. Immediately following this adj
dress, the Association adopted resolu-
tons declaring in favor of certain
legislation in the interest of newspaper
publication of certain lines of legal
notices, and a legislative committee
was appointed to take the matter up
through the press and otherwise, with
legislative candidates turnout the state.
The address of Lieutenant Governor
Coon was as follows:
The State Press Association is in
position to accomplish more in its own
interest than any other organization in
existence. If this association will
assert itself and work along intelligent
lines, the legislature will meet any
legitimate and honorable demand made
by the press association.
We have all heard a great deal
about the power OF the press And
certainly the press can be made a
power if an organization of this kind
will take advantage of the opportunity
before it. We often hear cheap poll
ticians speak of newspapers as grafters.'
And yet these same politicians use all
sorts of methods, by subterfuge or
otherwise, to get themselves advertised
without cost in the columns of these
same newspapers.
Now, we all recognize that legit-
innate news matter should be published
in the newspapers as such, and without
charge. But the candidate for Office
is sometimes unable to distinguish be-
tween what is legitimate news matter
and legitimate advertising matter. The
public is entitled to the news for the
price OF subscription, and on the other
hand the newspaper is entitled to space
rates for advertising matter that is
printed in its columns.
1t would probably help the candi-
date for Office if the voters were sup
piled with newspapers which advertised
and proclaimed the virtues and quail
fcations of the candidate for the office
he seeks. Likewise, it might help if
he supplied every voters family with a
barrel of -four, or distributed several
thousand pairs of shoes among the
people OF his district. But the same
man who would charge the newspaper
with grating when demanding pay
for its advertising space, would not ex-
pect the grocer or the shoe dealer to
supply him with flour or shoes free of
charge.
And yet the newspaper publisher
depends for his livelihood upon the
sale of his advertising space, just ex-
actly as the grocer depends upon the
sale Of -four and sugar, and as every
other merchant depends upon the sale
OF his stock. Who, let me ask, is the
CRATER, the man who demands legiti-
mate pay for his goods, wares and mer-
chandise, be that merchandise flour,
shoes or hardware, or advertising space
in his newspaper, or is it the man who
tries to get some of this merchandise
to help along his own cause, without
paying for it? 1t seems to me when
the the public generally come to take
the right view of this matter, there
will be much less inclination to criticise
the newspapers and nespaper men for
asking and demanding only what is
Justly due them in exchange for what
they have ON the market.
"On the other hand, no newspaper
ought to sell its news or editorial col
umns. We all know the opprobrium
that attaches to any charge of news
paper black-mail or even a hint of it.
And in my opinion the newspaper that
sells its news or editorial columns is
guilty of obtaining money under false
pretenses, and it out to be without in
fuence in the community. And be-
lieve such newspapers are practically
OF no influence in any community.
But the publisher has a hard row to