Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Illinois Newspaper Directory and Historythe ceremonies of opening the first Leland Hotel in that city. The organization grewmainly through the efforts of the late John W. Bailey of the Princeton Republican, whowas an active and honored member up to the day of his death. I find by the recordsthat in the early days of the organization the principal business was arranging forexcursions about the state or to other states, the members going twice to Canada andonce to Mexico. That was in the days before the Inter-State Commerce Commissionwhich shut off the exchange of transportation for advertising. On one of these excursionsthe members attended the ceremonies attending the driving of the gold spike whichunited the two sections of the Union Pacific Railroad. When the Association went tothe city of Washington, D. C, the address of welcome for that city was delivered bythe then Senator from Illinois, John A. Logan. Finally the members turned their attentionto their own interests and a committee was appointed to look after legislation eitherto prevent that which would injure the country editor, or assisting to get some thatwould benefit. This committee would go to Springfield when the legislature was insession and remain there for some time, at considerable cost to the Association, but therewas no real beneficial legislation passed till Mr. E. A. Snively was, in 1888, made LegislativeCommitteeman, a position he has held ever since."The President then called for "Reminiscences" and "Talks bv the Older Members."E. A. Snively of Carlinville and Springfield was the first man introduced, a memberwho was present at the organizing of the Association. Mr. Snively said in part:"There is one thing in connection with my occupancy of the office (Clerk of theSupreme Court) that I might refer to. I have told it to several members, but I don'tknow as I ever made a statement to this Association. It is one thing that I take a greatdeal of pride in but it was started before my successor, Mr. Holt, who was elected at theFebruary meeting in 1881. That was a report of law requiring the township officers topublish statements. I had been something of a crank on that question. I had writtenan essay or a paper rather and it was read before the Association in their meeting of1877. In 1878 there was no meeting."In 1879 I was elected Clerk of the Supreme Court. That year I got a bill introducedsomething similar to the one which is now on statute books; but I did not knowanything about the Supreme Court. I had seen it in session and that was all I knew.And I took a good deal of pride being a newspaper man, in trying to make a good clerkand in trying to know my business. I didn't pay much attention to the business of thelegislature during the session of 1879, but when the session of 1881 was had, I knewI was the best clerk that they ever had. I knew all about it. I knew more than thejudge did. Then I determined, if possible, to get that law passed."I selected Mr. Cowan of Macoupin County as the man whom I thought was thebest to introduce the bill. He introduced it. 1 corresponded as well as I could withthe newspapers. I had a good deal of trouble in getting any help from the newspapers.I don't know whether they were opposed to the law or whether they didn't see justwhat the law meant or whether they didn't care, but finally after the bill had been readthe second time and was on third reading I b;gan to get worried about it. 1 was afraidthat it was going to be defeated. Any estimate that I could make did not give morethan 67 or 68 votes and it required 77. And I did everything possible to get the lawpassed. I was fortunate in one respect, that there was a young lawyer from Tuscola bythe name of Bundy. He was a Republican but a very warm friend of mine. He cameinto the office nearly every day and he would do nearly everything that I asked him to do."In that legislature, and as it is now in fact, and I suppose it always will be, therewere little coteries consisting of four or five or a half dozen men to have one leader.That is to say, they looked to one man to sort of lead them. I found that there were191