Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Illinois Newspaper Directory and History"There ever has been and ever should be a divergence of opinion in public life.That is to be expected. The burden of responsibility which rests upon the press inreflecting both sides of this divergence, in setting the people right on the issue, andin educating readers on public questions and the affairs of the government, is enormous.It is not always possible to be entirely right. The facts as they reach you are not alwayssuch as to enable you to arrive at the right conclusion, in your efforts to present a clearand concise statement to your readers; so if some acts of a public official are misconstrued,he should bear in mind that it is not intentional."Politics is the daily avocation of the average citizen. Through the press his opinionsare formed, and if this country is to endure as a republic and a standard of governmentfor the rest of the world to measure by, it shall be because you uphold theform of this government and respect its constitution, and teach that respect to yourpublic."H. E. Bell of White Hall, president of the Illinois Press Association, introducedThomas Rees, publisher of the Illinois State Register, Springfield, as toastmaster. Arising ovation was accorded each of the principal speakers, and H. L. Williamson, statesuperintendent of printing, was likewise honored for his untiring and productive workas secretary of the organization.President J. Paul Clayton of the Chamber of Commerce spoke for Mayor J. EmilSmith, who was unable to attend, in welcoming the association to Springfield. He deliveredan address on the subject, "Know Illinois." Springfield was further representedby Senator Earl B. Searcy and Representatives T. J. Sullivan and Henry H. Mesterof the 45th district and Charles W. Vail, clerk of the Supreme Court. Other membersof the state legislature to appear on the program were: Speaker Robert Scholes of theHouse of Representatives; the Honorable Reed F. Cutler, Republican floor leader, Houseof Representatives; Representative Carl E. Robinson of Jacksonville.Lieutenant-Governor Fred E. Sterling, then editor of the Rockford Register-Gazette,spoke briefly and Vincent Y. Dallman, managing editor of the Illinois State Register,Springfield, explained in an amusing manner how he acquired his title as "Admiral ofthe Sangamon River Fleet."The entertainers found a most responsive and enthusiastic audience. Music wasfurnished during the serving of the banquet by Hodalski's eight-piece orchestra. ScottyAndrews, superintendent of the Messinger Paper company of Chicago, entertained withScotch songs, in costume, and Charles Hitchcock, Waukegan, made a hit with hisimpersonation of the famous Jiggs addressing the ward voters in his campaign for aldermanon the "Dimocratic" ticket.It is probable that never before in the history of the association had so many menof prominence in national and state affairs appeared at a single banquet and the editorsappreciated to the fullest extent the honor paid to the fraternity by these men.The following article which appeared in the United States Publisher of September,1927, tells how the Illinois Press was sponsoring the Illinois Journalism Schoo' and howthe school was building its program."With $30,000 in the treasury and $30,000 available through legislation, the schoolof journalism at the University of Illinois is off for a big year. That prospects are sofine for a successful term is due to the efforts of the "fathers" of the School of Journalismbill—W. J. Smith, Waukegan Sun, and John H. Harrison, Danville Commercial-News; and to the many friends of the school in the Illinois Press Association; and tothose members of the legislature who saw to it that the bill went through the House.249