Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Illinois Newspaper Directory and Historyroads get so much free publicity. The newspapers can't afford it. The railroad-.should pay for space in which to tell the people of the changes and they shouldpay just as a manufacturer has to pay for advertising to tell about his products."The newspaper is not a servant of the public. The old fallacy that the newspapershould unselfishly give away valuable space to all sorts of purposes shouldbe exploded. A newspaper is a business just as much as a shoe dealer's business."In another part of his speech, Mr. Smith said the country newspaper does notrealize the value of its space and has failed in most cases to take advantage of the goldenopportunities that await the editor or publisher who adopts rigid business methods."The country newspaper doesn't make money on foreign advertisements becauseit is so hard to get in touch with the average country newspaper," he said."Why don't the big manufacturers advertise in the country newspaper instead ofthe big magazines? Because the big magazines get in touch with them and it iseasy for the manufacturer to put an ad in a big magazine. There is so much redtape and correspondence necessary to get foreign advertising in the country newspaperthat the advertising agent is opposed to dealing with them. But the advertisingagent would be only too glad to deal with them if the publishers would geton a business basis with the big manufacturers and make it easy to reach them."Mr. Smith's talk was followed by five minute discussions on the subject by members.George W. Harper, editor of the Robinson Argus, told of the change he hadwitnessed in the newspaper business since he started fifty-six years ago. Mr. Harperhad been a member of the association for fifty years and was one of the pioneers inthe organization.The newsprint problem was then taken up as the subject of a Round Table discussionand some of the members talked on the situation, and what should be doneto relieve it. Courtland Smith spoke again on this subject, saying that there was ahide-bound trust on newsprint and that the only solution was in Congressional actionand in co-operative buying.Jason Rogers, publisher of the New York Globe, who was to address the association,was unable to come and telegraphed his regrets. The Franklin price list wasdiscussed by several of the members. J. C. Leonard of Decatur gave his views on thesubject and stressed the benefits of a uniform price list. Barney Mulaney of Chicago,of the Illinois committee on public utilities information addressed the meeting.According to the custom of the association the Democratic faction had the privilegeof naming the president as the retiring president, James E. McClure, Carlinville Democrat,was a Republican. Paul R. Goddard, Tazewell County Reporter, Washington, wasnamed in the Democratic caucus and was elected to the presidency. Other officers were:Vice Presidents, Benjamin Herbert, National Printer Journalist, Chicago; Fred Rolens,Murphysboro; Miss Lillian Wright, Lexington Unit; Secretary, H. L. Williamson, Springfield;Treasurer, W. Smith, Waukegan Sun; Executive Committee, S. P. Preston,J.Gillespie News; Charles Mead, Geneva Republican; John H. Harrison, Danville Commercial-News;John M. Sheets, Oblong Oracle; L. R. Murray, Chicago MercantileCo-operator; Legislative Committee, J. M. Page, Jersey ville Democrat; H. U. Bailey,Bureau County Republican, Princeton.The two-day meeting closed with a banquet at the St. Nicholas Hotel at whichPresident McClure was toastmaster. Seated at the speaker's table were the past presidentsof the association. Mr. McClure gave the annual president's address at this time,making a plea for organization of editors and publishers in view of the serious problemsof the time, namely the ever increasing cost of materials, the print paper situation andothers. Owen Scott, Decatur, spoke for the past presidents. He told of the progress2 09