The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-10-05
syland Press Association Is
Am Unusually Active
Organization.
TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE
Members Always Ready To
irafe" Politicians And Others
gainst The Common Veal.
BY JOHN e. RAINE

HMM New Era. Towson, and President of the
%i Maryland Press Association
l9ery day the readers Of The Balti-
8e News hear of The activities of
Merchants and Manufacturers
HAciation, the Advertising Club, the
Fry Club, the City Club and the
HJV other organizations which help
Deed MaryIand's industrial prog
but one little association which is
Rpm heard of but which is con-
sntly hewing at the barrier which
ID the State back and which Is
htly and energeticalIy boosting
5resources Of the State and the
aective localities of it's members is
HAhMaryIand Press Association.
Replace Town Meetings.
lie editorial and news columns of
FOCAL weekly newspapers through
1the State are to the community
IN what the town meetings used
MD in the old days. In the county
NElies the rural citizens meet men
a and discuss matters relating to
81 common welfare. The country
5pr is made the presiding officer or
prtant local gatherings. He is GUS
In and protector of local inter
# the interpreter of Statewide,
Abnal and international events. He
lille school teacher for grown-ups,
IMAM who uses his eyes, his ears,
knowledge, his powers of observa-
I'M for the benefit Of the people of
4nounty, whom he knows and who
az him.
his said that it would be impossible
RY eep this Government going-im-
45ible, at least, to keep representa-
II and democratic government alive
Ehis country-were it not for the
Nsands of weekly newspaper edit
VI scattered throughout the land
In one of them a watcher and an
1Hrver, q vigilant policeman in poll
REand public affairs.
Editor Is The Waterman.
Wherever two railroads cross in the
He'd States and there is n town or
Mge, there is, fortunately, a local
3br.
Ne editor watches the railroads. He
thes the affairs of his township,
#ty, State and nation. He talks
ky to his fellow citizens concern
#the affairs which interest them
most.
Y metropolitan dailies with circu-
ms running into the thousands
HIN a peculiar power of their own,
w with all their readers there is
1.-THE personal touch characteristic
'he weekly newspaper. The local
Dr speaks to his readers as one
Id speaks to another. His readers
IN him by sight. They know his
4rd. They know either the hard
VIZ. he is making for their interests
hey know how hide-bound lie is to
iii san interests. A word from their
1l editor means more to the cOun-
v folks than many columns read
n some anonymous and unknown
stor in the big city"
NJ man writing fearlessly in some
CHEESEMAN'S or some Senator's
lie town can do more to keep that
,tic official straight than all the
Y -opolitan newspapers put together.
Press Association Formed.
was knowing of the power of the
tltly newspapers that gave Col.
lam S. Powell, then editor Of the
,:ott City Times, the idea to or
i-ze an association for the mutual
lift and welfare Of the weekly
.spapers of Maryland, and on jan
IL Is, 1910, a number of the county
l9rs gathered together in Balti-
IL and formally organized the
lyland Press Association.
nee that time the Maryland Press
fpciation has been quietly at work.
las made no attempts to add new
,lbers to it's ranks, as all papers in
yiand are affiliated with its Or
Ilzation. Its meetings are held
.:e year, generally in Ocean City,
ire plans are made, committees
.ointed and the work for the fol-