The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-27
TOPEKA JoURNAI-sATURDAY EVENING JAM

LY STATE JOURNAL
certain merchandise. that print news
| of election bets. The Ownes corruot
| practice bill now before congress sub
1ectS editors to prison sentence and
large fines for publishing in cam
paign political matter without the
| name of the writer or paid adyertis-
| ing affecting votes that is not labeled
| advertising, for refusing to publish at
| commercial rates advertising for all
| candidates, and for soliciting or ac-
cepting promises of payment for edi-
| torial support. Dean Williams of
| Columbia demands a state license for
| every reporter.
| Is Press in Danger:
| rs the constitutional guarantee Of
free press being stretched in all
| this? 1t is an easy step from the LOSS
of a portion of u right to the loss of
all of it. Some New York papers con-
tend that newspaper is public
service institution. CORTLAND Smith,
of the American Press association,
says if this is true their advertising
rates should be fixed by law. This
opinion makes the press subject to the
| interstate commerce commission as
well as postal control.
| The rule of the ballot continues
because this country and the press is
free The headlight of bureaucratic
press control can be seen down the
track. 1t is up to US 10 soap the track
and get the train or be run over. We
have spread the mantle of state regu-
lation over others, but if we would
i heed the code, we would need no regU
lation. The success of a newspaper
| depends upon its editorial independ-
enee and the prosperity of IS invest
mentS. If the state regulates our
business we can give her the respon-
sibility of a living wage for our labor
and return for our investment.
Mr.. Miller closed with plea for
less entertainment and more serious
business at the editorial meetings
CONVENTION NOTES.
Clark Conkling of Lyons, is the only
editor with nerve enough to wear an
old fashioned goatee. But the posses
sion of a good looking daughter, a
student at WaShburn, overcomeS the
| shortcomings of the Lyons news
paperman. She spent most of the
morning visiting her father while he
raked in the hard earned dollars of
the visitors. Conkling is treasurer of
the association.
w. E. Blackburn of the Herington
Sun, who became famous in ten min
utes when he sat down and wrote a
150-Word story on October in Kan
saS' just to fill space so his paper
could go to press, is attending the edi-
tOria1 meeting is usual. Blackburn
has a son, Tom, who used to be a
reporter on the State Journal, and this
son is the only one who has so far
criticised the descriptive paragraph.
which has been copied by more than
5000 newspapers. Tom tells his faith
er some of the words in the story
are trite. Mr.. Blackburn edited an
Anthony paper for years and then de-
cided to brace up and went to farm
ing. But he missed the ink in his
fingernails and a few months ago pur-
chased the Herington Sun. 1t is a
paying proposition now since the rival
editors got together and raised the
price of subscription and advertising
in order to offset the high cost of
printing paper.
and subscription rates?" seems to be
the favorite question on the lips of all
editors.
A wife and six children are respon-
Slble for the advent of Z. E. Kelley of
Toronto into the newspaper business.
Kelley was at one time president of
the Editorial association. Kelley
promised well in his younger days
when he began teaching school One
baby followed another and the teach
ing profession, financially, didn't keep
pace with the baby business Finan-
cial demands sent him to the pillow
and he plowed, harvested and fixed
to enter the newspaper business and
he has made a financial and editoria
success of it.
Ewing Herbert, with the flowing
artist necktie, denies the statement
that he is the only out-of- Interstate
speaker. He's a Kansan still, he de-
clared today, and keeps one foot in
Kansas and the other in Missouri
Nearly fifty Kansas editors became
members of the association by paving
the initiation fee today. The are: w
n. Nelson, Russell Record; Eliza be. II
Schafer, Meriden Ledger; Charles F..
Mann, Downs News and Times; Geo
w. Marble, Fort Scott Tribune Mont
tor; Minnie A. Lawless, ST. Francis
Herald; William Burkholder, Anthony
: Bulletin; G. A. McNay, Anthony Bull
letin: Paul K. Cowgirl, Western News
paper Union, Kansas City, Mo-; G. B.
Hale, Formosa New Era: F. A Web
ster, Colby Tribune; N F. Hill, Stock =
ton Review; w. S. Wooster, Glasco
Sun; w H. Holmes. Dorance Star;
Emmett George, Council Grove; ]. s.
Goodwin, Gypsum Advocate; Arthur
j. CarTuth. jr., Topeka State Journal;
: A. A. Cochran, Pratt Republican; +.
NJ Davis, Lewis Press; Mrs. Alma
Beale, Burlingame Enterprise; H. z.
Brown. Natoma Independent; B. A
Belt, Tescott Press; Perry Coler, Nor
ton News; Anna Mallons, White Cloud
Globe; w. B. Ream, Preston News
Lester Combs, Anthony Republican
z. B. McConverse, Hugoton Hermes,
Flora o. Harrington, Washburn Re
view; p. Casper Harvey, Golden Bell
! Teacher.
Jay House, in addressing the editors
, told of the sadness which filled his
heart 1t wasn't the high cost OF
paper 1.-The reason" said the mayor
sis that I feel that two years hence
, another mayor will be delivering the
= address of welcome"
Four Below at Chicago.
Y Chicago, Jan. 26.-Four degrees be
low zero, the coolest day this yeal