Year: 1873




The State Press Convention meets at
Lebanon on the Sth inst, and from present
indications will be largely attended by ed
ilors and proprietors of the daily and week
ly papers. Thus far these meetings in our
State have not been so fully attended as
the important obj cts in view would have
suggested, nor can we point TO tangible re-
suits Of consequence. But the members Of
the Association and others have been led
20 see that their union and annual gather
ings may be made mutually beneficial in a
business way as well as socially a rare
pleasure. The address of Gen. Jones de-
livered at the last regular meeting, was pub
lished in whole or in part by nearly every
paper in the State, and as it contained SO
Inuch valuable Information, sound sense
and business wisdom, it must have given
the public, as well as the members of the
profession of journalism, an increased de-
gree of respect for its dignity, power and
capacity for usefulness. By concert of
action and a determined effort the
business o. editing and publishing
newspapers can be made more
profitable and be utilized TO higher
ends Of material and moral success. The
abuses which creep into the press from
within and from without can be corrected,
and its true and high mission executed
without fear, favor or affection. We trust
that sore steps will be taken to draw
broad line of distinction between the quasi
or ornamental members of the press and
trained journalists, who conscientiously do
their duty, without the hope of subsidy or
gratuity, from any source. Such distinc-
ton is often as essential as between law
yer and shyster, for the public often make a
sad discrimination, because thrown so little
in personal contact with journalists, and
having but limited opportunities for FORM
ing Judgment. Another important result
can be accomplished in due time If the
press of the State will make the issue, and
this we have urged With some zeal hereto
fore; and that is, to secure the repeal of the
present unjust law, only allowing one half
or one-third prices for legal notices. The
limit should be removed absolutely,
aud the papers allowed to charge
regular rates for all pub
lie work. There is no justice or reason in
requiring printer TO work for nearly moth
ing. The wrong has been perpetuated for
nearly two generations, simply because the
papers have submitted to it. If every pa
per in the State will exact a pledge from
euo ucAG CAHOtuatSs loI lno LcSLSiaILe W
vote for repeal of the present law, leaving
the common rates of business to regulate
the question hereafter, it will be done. The
papers make and unmake legislators, and
often out of very light material, and while
they should discard the cheap faVors ten
dered often like pittance of charity, to se-
cure the support of men, measures and cor
porations, they should assert and demand
ytheir right to full pay for full work. Let
that be the motto of the Tennessee press at
the next eli ction, and in less than two years
the benefits of such policy will begin to
be realized. The Ledger hopes to have a
representative at Lebanon in full harmony
with the main objects of the convention,
but these suggestions are thrown out in ad-
vance for the consideration of our editorial
breth. en-,