Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Ii i i\oi> Ni wspaper Directory and History"Gratefully following Mr. Walsh's suggestion, I wrote to Mr. Clinton who is nowthe President of the Polo Historical Society, who replied as follows: 'Ogle County hada press association in the late 80's and early 90's which brought the editors of the countytogether and helped them to agree not to slaughter each other, and to get them togetheron legal rates and reports. Then it was dropped, but its good effects were not all lost.The Military Tract, Republican, Democratic, Woman's of Chicago and Southern IllinoisAssociations are in some sense children of the Illinois Press Association. DeKalb Countyalso had an association, as did Jo Daviess County.'"The most sturdy and robust child of the State Association is the Military TractPress Association. The Tract comprises all territory lying between the Mississippi andIllinois rivers to the north boundary line of Henry and Bureau counties, includingnineteen counties. Its membership represents about 200 papers. In spite of its presentsufferance of petticoat rule, it is in a flourishing condition. Meetings are held semiannuallvin January and July, at which times programs rich with theory and practiceare presented. The summer meeting generally includes a pleasure excursion of somenature. In the past history of this organization valiant action on legislative reforms forthe country press was undertaken. There is a tradition that this Association assisted theLegislature to pass the bill compelling township officers to publish annual statements.This Association was active when the newspaper libel law was amended. Certain newspaperstaking an unfair advantage of this amendment, it stood for two years only.A committee also waited upon the Legislature to see that it did not repeal the lawrequiring the assessment roll to be published each year. The Tract Association hasa history replete with thoughtful discussions of journalistic topics, a general broadeningof all members along professional and ethical lines, to say nothing of delightful socialfeatures."While there is opportunity in these associations for a gratifying development ofskill in strategic movements for the good of the cause, there lurks also the hazard whichmay, in the twinkling of the eye, cast such an organization from the sublime to theridiculous."A few years ago, Hancock County assayed a county press association. The pressof the county was called together at Carthage to organize and to deliberate on matterspertaining to the welfare of the craft. The call appealed to the Hancock members ofthe Tract Association to get the other county editors interested and see that they wereat the meeting. Our paper being the only representative of the Tract Association inthe city, it devolved upon your orator to get our six contemporaries, job printers andnewspaper men in line and make a good showing for the town. I record with somesorrow, that the state of affection existing between these aforesaid contemporaries, wassuch that water and oil would be a simple soluble compound compared to getting thesegood friends of ours together in a common cause. The meeting met. The press ofthe county was well represented, Chadwickian pressure bringing out a full delegationfor Carthage. After election of officers, the first official act of this august body wasto impose an initiation fee of $1.00, payable upon the passage of this act. After eachpresent had become enfranchised by a grim performance of this duty, the business proceeded.It developed that the press of the county had been deliberately defrauding itselfof a rightful and equitable remuneration for publishing the annual assessment roll. Thelaw says, in short, that newspapers shall not receive to exceed three cents the name, butif impossible to secure publication at that price the publication thereof shall be let tothe lowest and best bidder at a price not to exceed five cents the name. Hancock Countypublishers were accepting the three-cent rate. Why not get together and demand the169