The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-08-30

~ avail myself OF the opportunity to
write a few words regarding my
press and with my sincere Fluctuations
to the Montana Press association on the
occasion of its 50th birthday. 1t so
happened that I was one of the few
gathered in Helena in 1885 to form
ulate the constitution and bylaws of
this institution. and to set the date for
its first formal annual meeting. This
was held in Butte, a city then notice.
ably composed of tents. Indeed. the
sions. was but half done. We were &C,
corded a most h%ospitable welcome and
were royalty entertained by the citizens
of Butte.
I wish it were possible for me again
to have access to the volume of pro-
ceedings which I engroSsed during the
years I vas secretary of the associa-
ton. but it too has disappeared with the
relentless ravages of time With this
book I could recall whether or not
Joe Widmyer attended the first meet
ing. However. I do know that he at
tended all the others held during my
membership and had intimate interest
in the organization. Joe. you may
know, came to Montana territory two
years after my arrival in May. 1880. to
take a hand in the publication of the
Yellowstone Journal.
In those early days of the Press as
ISOLATION. I looked forward to the an
nual meetings with an enthusiasm al
most as keen as that rapturous exper-
fence with which, when a small boy. I
was transported to the county fair.
However, it was the contac cts with the
press meetings which now touch my
tender emotions. Nearly, if not all,
have gon IN. I should now miss them
most keenly were I to again attend
your meeting.
The Montana press came into being
at a time when politics in the territory
was taken with deadly seriousness. The
Civil war animosities were still slnold-
ering. AS a result the controversies
between editors were often bitterly
acrimonious. 1t was an era of personal
editorial accountability. There was no
innocuous anonymity. They served a
public that was either for or against
in no half-hearted manner. 1t was the
day of serious political convictions: the
day when the butcher. the baker. the
blacksmith and the barber freely ex-
pressed himself and was on familiar
footing with the banker. There were
no financial or intellectual division
lines. There we're editors who gave to
their ives" the color of a virile in
dividuality. And I am proud to have
ing group, whether I measured up to
it or not.
It was confidently predicted at the
preliminary meeting of the Press as
ISOLATION that we could never succeed
in our efforts to organize an effective
membership. But it was done. and the
: tone of the press at once responded to
the cordial relationship and warm
friendships of these yearly contacts. l,
myself. for instance. had long been IN
conflict with my competitor. the in
! Avant Courier. at Bozeman. until it
seemed that we should drop h pen
and take up the sword. But under the
CAV banner of the Press association we
became bosom friends. referring to n
another when occasion required, In
terms of respect and gentility.
The two meetings of the association
which left the deepest Impressions on
my mind were the n held at salt
Lake. and the other in Yellowstone Ma
tional park. The Salt Lake meeting
was largely attended and greatly enjoy.
ed, the high light of the occasion belng
our contact with that grand old man:
the late Judge Goodwin. then editor OF
the Salt Lake Tribune. Busy as he was
until midnight, he sat up with us until
daylight. to cordially and conVlVlally
relate his early Journalistic experiences
in Salt Lake. He pressed upon me the
necessity of learning to speak while on
ones feet. which regretfuly. 'tnougn
I have no need to confess it, I did not
heed.
On this occasion we were well pre-
pared to meet all corners in the speech
making line, in the person OF John
Quinn of The Miner. who could make
the welkin ring while on his feet and
with his pen do ample justice to any
subject that demanded caustic de-
nunication. He and John Reed OF the
Inter Mountain. when brought together
at the press meetings could engage IN
as brilliant a set-to of repartee as has
ever beer my privilege to hear. At the
press gatherings the two were irsep-
arabic, in Butte. as far as the public
was concerned. they were as far apart
as the north and south poles. We had
a great many stOrytellerS. too. Capt.
Mills. dean of the newspaper profession
in Montana. I still think was at the
head of the class in this contest.
I should like to say a personal word
about every one of that gay and genial
"press gang of my day. and Of those
bright young men who came from Sy-
racuse to man the Anaconda Standard,
The Federal Reserve boards report
states that bank failures have prac-