The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-01-20
THE NEWSPAPER MEN0 the STATE OPENED
IMPORTANT AND ENTHUSIASTIC SESSION
Started Work With Rush Like Late Edition Going Press
And Enthusiasm Like Having Scooped the Opposition
--Quoin Was Left at Home and almost Food
Was Substituted for Pi

The North Dakota Press association
convened in this city this morning in
semt-annual session. A goodly num-
Der OF the editors were present when
the session was called to order by
the president, Jesse Burgster of the
jamestown Capital, in the CONNER
cial club rooms where the sessions
are being held.
The morning session was largely
devoted to business Of serious
character. In fact, the entire two
days of the meeting will be strictly
concerned in the consideration of
practical questions relating to the
newspaper and printing business in
the state.
The minutes of the last meeting
were read and approved. The an
nual address Of the president was
postponed until the afternoon ses-
sion.
/, At the morning session the report
Of the legislative committee was
made by N. B.. Black, chairman of the
legislative committee. 1t recommend
ed such changes in the laws of the
state regulating to printing and prices
as would make clear the intent Of the
law and obliterate the uncertainties
which now exist. An interesting dis
cussion followed in which the editors
endorsed the recommendations con-
tanned In the report and pointed out
many Of the troubles they encounter
in trying to comply with the law I'M
its present form. It was found that
different interpretations Of the law
are made by different ofiicials for the
same work, so that often one county
pays more for the same work than
another. The purpose Of the pro-
posed changes is to make the law 80
specific that these things can be
avoided.
There was q supreme amount of
good fellowship in evidence in the
meeting today and every one present
was bent on giving his best efforts to
the profession In order that tho busi-
ness Of printing may be firmly es-
tablished on a business profit basis
\ the same as any other enterprise.
i When the convention convened this
afternoon, the annual address OF
j President Burgster was delivered by
that official.
Burgster's Address.
l President Jesse B. Burgster in his
opening address said in part: ..
From the expressions of members,
take it that this has been the most
remarkable year in the history of the
association and that it has been of
greater tangible benefit to its member
ship than In many years which have
preceded 1t. The members have aided
greatly in the work that the officers
have undertaken and correspondence
has been answered quickly, evincing
the keen interest that all Of the
newspaper men of the state take in
the work"
Mr.. Burgster then went on to say
that from reports received from vari-
GUS parts Of the state, that there is
not much uniformity as to rates and
policies In the various parts, and that
there is great conflict of ideas in
regard to the state laws regarding
printing. The state laws in their
present form are inefficient and con-
flicting and do not conserve the best
interests Of the printing and publish
ing houses Of the state.
As an incident Of the way that the
laws conflict, one of the state laws
provides that all of the county print
ing, binding and blank book forms
blanks and other printed stationery
must be done only by established
and qualified printing and publishing
houses that shall have been in bust
ness for year or more and where
practicable shall be awarded estab-
lishments and institutions in the
county where such printing Is re-
Quired.
/ To- 30 a. &.
ton 2400 Of the 1905 code which re-
quires the auditor. treasurer and
chairman of the county commission
all blanks, books and stationery fol
requires that the printing be award
ed" which implies competition and
bidding between concerns in and out
of the county.
In many counties Of the state. com.
petitive bids are asked for on general
county printing but In the majority
of the counties this is not done
Where bids are asked for the sched.
ule presented Ia 80 incomplete that
it is almost impossible to present q
definite and competitive bid.
Some Of the counties Of the state
live up to the keep the work in the
county doctrine" but in some Of the
counties practically mono Of the 'coun.
ty work IL done that should and car
be done In the county, except some o1
the small stuff such az letter heads
envelopes. etc. There 10 hardly q
county in the state which has not a
least one printing ONCE whore the
election supplies. outside Of the ruled
! forms can be made and It Seems
| strange that the county ofiicials will
| go to 80 much work as sitting out
bids when they do not consider othel
expenses with the same serious at
tention. One of the counties of thu
state is exceptionally active in getting
the lowest price possible in theil