The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-22
Democratic Newspaper Owners
Meet in Topeka.
Discuss Plans for Their Mutual
improvement.
FEEDER is PRESIDENT.
GartOn County Representative
Delivers Annual Address.
Editor Honey of Mankato Scores
Uses of Premiums.

About fifty of the Democratic editors
or the state met in the parlors of the
Hotel Throop this afternoon to attend
the annual meeting Of the Kansas
Democratic Editorial association which
Is in session, as one of the side issues
Of the big Democratic banquet and
Washington birthday festivities.
The programme is one of the best
ever heard at any editorial association
and from the standard of the papers
and speeches which were heard this
afternoon, it is easily evident that the
Democratic party can boast of some of
the ablest editors of the state.
The first number on the programme
was the annual address of the presi-
dent, w. P. FEEDER, editor and owner of
the Great Bend Item-Rustler who is
also a member of the state legislature.
Mr. FEEDER is one of the states most en-
terprising editors and in his annual ad-
dress. he talked at length on the Demo-
cratic press. landed the editors for their
efficient campaign work and advocated
still greater standards for the Scribes.
He reviewed at length the work of the
Democratic press in the past, and was
strongly in favor of some plan by which
the Democratic press could better work
in unison.
Considerable time was spent in the
reading the minutes Of the last meeting
and reports from different committees
eraI of the Democratic editors of the
state who had hitherto not been mem
bers of the association were voted in,
as were also several whose member
ship had expired and who wished them
renewed. The state Democratic asso-
citation at the present time has the
largest membership in its history, eX-
ceeding that of the old days of Popul-
ism fusion with the Democrats.
One of the interesting papers read at
the association meeting was that of
Henry Honey. editor of the Mankato
Advocate. Mr.. Honey's subject was
1.-The Subscription List-How to Build
1t Up" Mankato is one of the best
newspaper towns in the northwestern
section of the state The other paper
in that town is the Monitor, which is
edited by Z. D. George. Both are among
the states ablest newspaper men. The
Monitor has recently adopted a piano
contest, with a view to increasing its
circulation. Mr.. Honey took several
minutes during his paper to score such
fake schemes for raising circulation,
and branded the piano contest and
premium business as an enterprise
which is diametrically opposed to the
interests of the advertisers, without
which any paper would go to the walls.
Outside of this feature Mr.. Honey gave
some valuable suggestions on how to
build up papers list of readers.
THE Kansas Democratic Press" was
the subject of an interesting address
delivered by c. ]. Peterson, of the lola
Index. Mr.. Peterson is an old newspa-
per man, who is at the presents time not
actively connected with his paper. But
he is a Democrat of the old school, and
his address, although eXtemporaneous
was full OF interest, and instructive to
the other Democratic editors. Mr. Pc
terson is in favor of the Democratic
editors getting closer together and get
ting in harmony with the interest of
the party in general.
H. A. Lill. of Hutchinson, editor Of
the Gazette, was one of the best
speakers of the meeting. 1.-The News
paper and the Community" was Mr.
Lill's subject. According to the speak
er, any newspaper can be of great in
fluence in a community. 1t has a
place all its own in shaping and
moulding public opinion. The con-
servative paper conforms with Mr.
Lill's idea of what a paper should be,
and he has no use for a paper, radical
in its statements, and one which is too