Michigan Press Association

Tueslay last opened up like a mild May tnorning, and all nature sccined to conspire t make thing.s ile:i.-ant for the second recular meeting of the Michigan Pres Association which was duly a-seuibled in the court room, at 11:30 A. M. The following embraces a list of members ofthe press. who, previous to the meeting, rep'Tted they were coming, and the name of die citizen to whnin tlv-y werc Uftigoi i as gue-ts, t ■gi'ther wiih 'h ■Hit who failed to report their intention of being procent, as far as could be acertaiaed, also the press of this eity : "me. Ppr. Oucu of F. S. Abbott Itichm'd Rcview.A V. Robison. A. L Aldnch Coldwatïr Rep'n.Prof Adams. J M. Arnold Detroit Advocate. Prof. Kou. C. C. Allison and ter Coiaopolis Dem...Mr$. M. E. Fostcr Mr. T. S.AppkgMe and wife Adrián Times ....Prof. Maclean. 0. Arnold Throe Rivers Herald.Dr. Douglu. G. M Rucklcy Battle Cr'k Trib .C H. Richmnnd W. S Benhain G'd Havi-n Her'd Mayor Simth. A. Bill Spring Lakc Republican.J. A. Polhemus CA. Blood Marine City Reporter..Aïpheus FeJch. B. B. Risscll Albinn Rcpub'n...A. V. Robison. 1. N Baiky._ A. Arbor Argus_ R. A. Beal A A. Couricr... W. H. Brearly Detroit Newj Hotel. I.. B. Clumer H;iptist Herald. T.Croi Adrián National S. Dean. Dr. Coirshall Flint Democrat.J. II. Brown K. MCdIIilt (irass L. News.D. McMillan. I. W. Canna Oxford Globe 11. Córnwell. A. L. Chandler Vernon Herald... A. L. Noble. T H Clark Pontiac Com'cial.. E. W. Cottrell Detroit Michigan Farmer H. S.'Dean A. A. Register... I. H. Dennis Hastings Tourn'l. Geo. M. Dewey HaKtings Hanner.Prof. Cocker. Chas. V. Deland.... Saginaw Herald. L. A. Duncan Nilea Republic'n.. IC. Kgabroad Dundee Report'r.Wm. Noble. L. H. Egabroad... Coldwatcr Reporter... E. B. Pond. L. B. Fox and wife. Rochester Era Theo. Taylor. O. Fuller Mason News Prof. Ford. E. Foster._ Gladwin Record. C. H. Worden. E. F. Grabill and wife Greenville Ind'nt.B.Brown. W. S. Gwrg, ,w4 wife ....Lansi'if Kcpubn..Cook HoiUlA. II. H. Green.. ,,_.... Cl. Greenleaf...... Dowigac Repub,, H.C, Cornwell J. Gruesel Dct. Free Pres... Don Henderson Alleman Journal. ..Hole! I. W. Hine I.owell Journal... .11. W. Rogcrs. 1. G. Holmes Kuchan'n Rec'rd Prof. Jones I. S. Holden Furwell Keglster N.R. Waterman John A HopVins... Sa. lilac Reporter. James Clement E. S. Hnskins Hrllrvue (inzette. II. S. Dean. M. D. Hamiltim Monroe Coro'ial...R. A. Beal. Tohn N. Ingersoll...Corunna Amcr'n..H. E. H. Bowcr L. B. Kcndali KalamazooTel'h.Dr. Breakey. J. W. Keating A. A. Physici.ui and Surgeon.... K. I. Kelley Pontiac Bill Posier. J. W. King Geo. F. Lewis and daughter Saginawian Prof. Coolcy. S. H. I.ittle Northville Rec'd..Ruru$ Cate. Charles Moore and wife Ypsilanti Com'al Prof. Prescott. L.C. Millrr Howell Repub'n..P. Bach. A. McMillan Ilny City Gazette.Jas. elementa. W. H. Marvin Utica SenUnel John Moore. H. E. Nellil Mt. Clemens Monitor. ,K. E. Beal. Wm. P. Nesbett.... Pontiac Bill Poiter..Hotel. G. W. Owen Wyandotte Herald ..Prol. Demon. Gil. R. Osmun Detroit News H.E.H. Bower. C. R. Pattiion and son Ypsilanti Com'l... E. E. Beal. Hiram Potts Spring Lake Courier.D Cramer. H. Pratt and wifc.Wayne Tidings.Prof. Steere. A. V. Phistcr Hubbardston Advertiser J. N. Bailey. C. V. R. Pond_ Quincy Herald....Pres. Angelí. I. G. Prutzman Three Rivera Tribune.C. H. Worden. E. O. Rose Big Rapids Magnet E. J. Knowlton. H. B. Rowlson Hillsdale Standard „.Hotel. D. T. Sutton Homer Index J. N. Bailey. J. H. Steere Wayne Review. ..Louis Taylor. T. S. Sprague and wife Rochester Spectator C. H. Millen. Robert Smlth Ithaca Journal Prof Frothingham. Fred Slocum Holly Advertiser.Joe T. Jacobs. J. Saunders Detroit Society News..Ed. Sumner. Geo. P. Sanford and wlfc Lanslng Journal. .Prof. Perry. O. Strong NashviTlc News...Wm. McCreery J. M. Sheppard Cassopolis Vigilant. Mrs.C. Freera'n J. E. Scripps and daughter Detroit News R. A. Beal. W. E. Savage. Detroit Home lournal G. W. Cropsey. J. C. Stone Laingsb'g News.Hotel. G. L. Stone. _ Detroit Post and Tribune Hotel. L. C. Taylor ...Charlotte Republicao H. S. Dean. S. Haakell Detroit Christian Herald Rev.S. Haskell C. B. Turner Pontiac Gazette... W. M. Wooter._...Dccatur Republilican P. Bach. R. Worsch Jackson Volksfreund.X. Gruner. G. L. Woodward...LitchfidGazette..Mayor Smith. M. T Woodrufl and wife Ypsilantian „..W.D.Harriman The Asíooiation was called to order by the Hon. Geo. P. Sanford, President, who introduced Rice A. Beal, of TnE Ann Arbor Coubier, who made the followi.ig address of welcome : Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,- In behalf of the press and citizens of Ann Arbor, I have the pieasure of biddiog you welcome to this city. Nene of us knew (bat you were to coaie heie until we saw it announced ia the Detroit dailies. We canoot therefore be accused of a conspir&cy to get you bere for the purpose of showin you our city, io which we take so much pride. Had we been consulted, we might have askt'd you to deler your meeting bere until next year, hen the new museum building, soon to be the finest building on the mm] u.-, will be fioinhed, and what i.s dcBtined to be the most complete collection in the Northwe.-t placed in it. And not only these, but also the nruiy other improvciuent, fur whicli the Univer."iiy is indebted to the last Legis. lature of the State. Ihat noble body of men loved our institutions, acd feit that our great and wealthy State was perl'cctly able to extend a generous hand to them, and through thun it has done so. But in.-tcud of waiting, you have decided to come this year, and we all rejoice that ycu are bere, for we now have an upportu nity to show the strong and powerlul men of this commonwealth the people's University, the crowning jewel of the State, as well as of the city. I say strong and powerful, for you have ten - yes, one hundred times more influence and power than the same number of men in any other profession, uuless, perhaps, we except the clergy. As your influence is eo great, and knowing as we do that many of you, when you are in the right, will stand there, and, if necessary, fight even afïer all others by your side have liilk'D or deserted, and say, if you must fall it will be with your face to the enemy, feeling that it is better for you to die then than to drag out a miserable existence, hatiug yourself because you did not stand to your post when the hour of danger came ; we say, knowing these things of many of you, our people are anxious to make youracquaintance. They saw no other way to do this except to invite you to their homes, where they could take you by the hand, look into your faces, and enjoy your compamonsnip. What would be the condition of this country to-day without the newspaper? Take away the printing press, science would have little incentive and could but decay ; scholars would meet so many difficulties, they would desert our halls ot' learoing, and all the industries would be paralyzed. Then suddenly start our prenses, and scnd the silent, white-winged messengerti to every home and fireide, and everything would again teem with lif'e and ui niation. The press is the lever whieh moves the world ; it is the ecliool nia.ter of the people, the leader of' the learned ; it makes and unmakes our public men. At this very moment hundreds of politicians in every part of the State are anxiously watching this meeting, fearing tlieir prospect may be blighted by something that may bo said or done liere. But, we think, they may dismiss their fears, lor there is no dangcr that any of' them will be hanued. Coming as you do from all parts of our península, you have laid aide yuur politics, the 1 i k cm and dislikes and personal aniwosities tlmt you may have while engaged in the aftairs of life, and have come here to enjoy yuurjelves for a brief season, free frum care and anxiety. We have iovited yuu to our homes, not because we have poot hotels, (torno city in the State of the Mime r-iz ha.i better,) but btcause, knowing as we doynurgreat power and influence, we wh to get aequaint"d and to have you see our grand Uuiversity and her professors, of world-wide reputation, who have by their arduous laboM placed it on a level with the oldest and strongest of our Amerieau Universities and colleges. Others before you have seen Michigan' Univensity and the talented men connected with it, and have returned home and told but & few, while each of you will speak to hundreds, and some of you to thousands, oonoerning our institution of learning and our beautiful college town. We wish that this visit could have been made at a more pleasant time of the yeitr, but we are glad to see jou all, and again I bid you welcome. The President then called upon Ilon. Seo. F. Lewis, of the Saginawian tlerald, 3aginaw, who had been selected to respond lo the address of welcome. Mr. Lewis, wlio s a fine portly looking gentleman, .-aid that tt iliis .-e:it of educition wu must ezpect to iud all the culture and intellii;ence and earning for wliieli such institutions are naintained. He aid we have already had ividences of the cordialily and hospitaliiy )f the people of Ann Arbor. The speaker thought it hardly right to ,ake a iSaginawian so fur remote from the leat of learning, to make the response ; but íhat ifthey propose to sit down upon the people of Ann Arbor, they had selected the right wan, (his weight is much,) but if (bey want a man to do justice to the occa sion, the selcction was bad. He then spok ot'the press and its needs, and stated tha the press noeds moro Univerity and tl) Uoiverity more press. Ilefering to bis fornicr life, he said tha the gentleman was present in whose offie he wurkcd, in this place, a9 compositor 4 years ano. The time was so long, and in proveniente so great, that he could hardl tind a familiar landmark. That wc tin njcn here who would grace any land, am when a.sked the principal attraction in th State of Michigan, they always, with pride pointed to the University. The tendeno of the people i to be educated by the press therefore we need more scholarship in th pres and we need 3 University to educat them. He said they feit grateful fur thei welcomo, and if they appreciated the hos pitality were the greatest men on the con tinent. The people of Saginaw though this the best State to live in, and Saginaw the best city. and when speaking alway said Saginaw first, and Michigan afterwaid He spoke of an articlo in the University - a college publication - critieisingthe Stat press, and ran off into poetry to say that the bearded the lion (the student) in his den The President then read an invitatio froui President Angelí, who, in behalf o the faculty, extended to the Association most cordial invitation to visit the Univer sity that P. M. He also extended an invi tation to tei at 6 o'clock, and in behalf o the law faculty, tendered the Association the use of the law-lecture iroom for thei evening session. All the invitations wer accepted in due form, It was then expressed. as the sense o this meeting, that all gentlemen of th press, cou!d bccome members of the Asso ciation by paying $1, and handing thei nataes to the secretary. The reading of the minutes of the las moeting were dispensed with. It was decided to commence the evenin session at 7:30 o'clock. They then adjourned to meet at 2 o'cloc p. m. AFTEUNOON SESSION. Upon the reassombling of the Ass ociatio on niotion, a committee of five wasselectet by the chair, to present the natnesofgenlle men, at the evening session, for the officer of the Association. On motion, the chair appointcd a com mittee of five to present questions for dis cussion. THE UNIVEH8ITY. The Association then adjourned, and in body proceeded to the University, to viet0 this instituí ion, agneable to invitation They first visited the library, next the law lecture room and listened for a few mo menta to a lecture being delivered by Judg Cooley. Then after gazing at the law library hut not absorbing much legal lore, the lin of march was taken for the dental school where the operations from the manufacture of teeth to fiiling and placing them in th mouths of patients was witnessed. Afte going throujih the hospitals, the horneo pathic lecture room was visited, and a por tion of'a lecture, and then an address o welcome by Prof. Wilson, in which the needs of a hospital were duly set forth, wa listened to. Next thu museum and main hall were visited ; when the the celebrate labiratory was inspected. In the medica department, which was then taken on the tour of inspection, a lecture on the hear was listene] to as delivered by Prof. Ford. Next an interesting lecture on electricity, by Prof. Langley , was listened to, after which the whole corps repair 'd to the tea table with bccoming alacrity. 8PEECHES. After tea, President Angelí, having attracted the attention of the assoeiation, referred, n very coinplimentary terms, to the fraternity of which he was tor eight years a member. He called attention to the painfully evident needs of the University for a larger library room, and a larger library. Although they liad but 28,000 volume?, and such a limited place for the students to occupy wbile ïeading (whieh must be done in the library room), he was proud to state that more books were drawn than in the Eastern colleges, whcre they had five or sx times as tnany volumes, and ampie room. He referred to the fact that the University had 1,415 students, which was some sixty more than Harvard, and 350 more than Yale had. He then called upon Mr. Sanford, who saia ne cnougiit. uie ft iw ulij wuuia appreciate the needs of the institution af'ter their journey through it. Once it took hiiu four years to accomplish this fcat, but this time he had, by the assistance of the President, done so in a short time. All acknowledged that knowletlge is power ; it is the sub-basis upon which we build our institutions. He thought the press were superseding the schools, and had almost said the clergy, in educating the people. He gpoke of the iucursions of the vandal Groths and Huns, and compared it to the present pross gang, but said the people endured the incur.-ions of the press gang uiuch more peaceably than did our förefathers seveoty-five years ago. In going around the University he obscrved that Prof. Ford carried his heart on bis sleeve, as it were. With bis views that the press mouldud the ideas of tbe country, he thought the editors should, and many did, put their best thoughts on editorial work. If the editors undertuok to induce the people to ertct a librury, they could do it. The people had dealt liberally with the University, and the turning point was when they, through the influenee of PreÑdent Haven, gave the uioney duo from the University. The press appreciated the hospitality extended to (hem by the faculty, and would carry horue with them a 8tronrer purj ose t wirk fr their intercsts. Mr. Scripps beiiiK called upon, aid that he hoped they would not do hiui the indUnity to strip off the lion's skin and i-how what a tupid man the News editor was. His retnarks, however, failed to sustain his disparaging insinuations. He said: " If I were a Webster- but I am not." [Laugluer]. Ho feit abaghed before so much learning, but would say sub rota to Prof. Cooley that if he would only fix that libel law regarding newspapers, they could cali on them to raise $100, (XX) fora library. In calling upnn Col. DfLind, the president hutnorously dubbed hiui L. L. D. Thecolonel said hedid not like to be called mok hard names, and have theiu put upon hitn with o short notice. He had always voted to give the Univerity all she asked in the way of appropriations, on the ground thut she could not get too much. He had lult the want of an education for fifty-five (-:irs. He recalled the time when it was a mooted qucation as to the advisability of maintaining the University. He recalled the time when Dr. Cocker paraphrased the report of the committee of which he was a member, who were investigating the religión of the institution, by saying that medicine was taught in allopathic and religicn in homeopathie doses. He advised the University authorities to cultívate more check, and they would then be more apt tu get the appropriations desired. In ealling upnn Mr. Stono, of tho Post and Tribune, President Angelí referred tn kïa ability in luaking ri-mrirks, and eertain "tender attachments." In rcspouding, Mr. Stone referred to a character in ono of' Mrs. Elliott's stories, who was good for notliing else cxce.pt to tiiake remarles. The unexpected and tmbarrasMtig position in which he iound hituself placed reminded him of an old lady who lived in Vcriuont, who brought her sons up so carefully that they had few faults, and seldoui did wrong. One day she overheard one of thetn M] "devil," when slie pathetienlly called out, "Samuel, don't make light of sacred things." After expressing his good will toward those assembled, he called to mimi a few tainous, or infamoui lines, that read about as follows : A fee simple or a .-imple fee, a fee of fee or a fee of fees, of all the fees there is no fee to be com pared to the fcmale. A ohoir of students, composed of Messrs. Loouiis, Goodrich, TfaompêOü, Schaffer and D'Ooge, entertained the guests by ty pical college songs, which were most heartily received. They then repaired to the law lecture room, where Mr. Gil. It. üsmuii read a very interesting papar, subjeot ; " WildCat Newspapers " which i as follows : Gentlemen of tuk Press Association Of Michigan. - I am aware of the fact that in the careful consideration of the subject of newspaper wildcats one cjuld profitably use up more than tKe alottment of time given us to-day, and therefore the matter eau be treated but superficially and not half so carefully as its best interests dematids. We dwellers in the Península State are not unfamiliar with the term "wildcat" as Oted to denote something other than the short tailed uncivilized felines which roam our forests. We have had our "wild cit banks," ojr "wild cat money," a wildcat railway or twn, and have grown measurably familiar with the idiomotic though perbaps untranslatable torra, and henee may have come to apply tho teriu to certain irregular hangers on abiut the ranks of Michigan journaüsm. 1 will not t&y in the ranks lor that would imply a concession I aai not willing to make. These tvpographical guerillas and the promotors thereof are very numerous now, thanks to the cheap ready print busi ness and other caes, ([ do not BuppoM the ready print for, for 1 think it a u-eful adjunct to county publishers but it makes the wild-cats existence more easily posible al.so) and are by no means c nfined to special localities but are Ksattered all over the State, taking root as easily as does a Canada thistle, and suon proving to be as great a pest to the journali.stic craft as does that noxious weed to the careful husbandman. By "wild-cat nowspapers" we mean thosar which have no legitímate field and the merest excuse for an existence at all. Papers, the editors whereof have no settled convictious about working an honpst field already attained or striving to attain one, Kight here al;ow me to say, geutlemen, that there are too many of them in this State already. If we come down to facts and figures I will say that from my place of observation I regularly see at least 22 of thiss clas of papers in our State and I have no doubt that there are niany more. Indeed I am toletably sure of it. Do not under.-tand me as ying there are too niany newi-papers in the State. I think ihrre are, but I am not prepare J to figure out the inexorable balince ot supply and demand. Jjoculities and individuéis most settle that question. Neither do I think Detroit, Jaekson, Saginaw, Bay City, Grand liapids, Kalamizoo, nor any duzen p'aees in the State bifold letters patent on ili the newspapur business. I believe in the 'county paper" - twi of them if necoasary, and an extra one for every locality that ill siipp'iri it; but ot' eourse I tliink the true principie is opposed to overcrowding the fields to sueh a rate as to lead to st.iraii ■■n rutes of rumunuration, slip-shod work, neighborhood new? paper fights and general dissaiisfaction all around. We should also believe in and encourage the pioneer pres, and must not for a moment cnnsiderthe pioneera wildcat, even thouirh he does live in the woods. He is usually no suuh a thing. For my part I respect a yi'Utig man who baíing uhosen a location, will put a bundie of paper, a ca-e or two of type, an oM hand prosa, etc. upon a sled and head his cattle towarj the north woods, where, by pluck, bard work, low diet, and the fostering care of the man who (inlos out the tax sales advertising, (pity both pirties could get at s:ine of it;) he hopes to bod the fort untii emigiation and the work of' the district schoulmarm has given him a fair share ot' eaithly competeuce. He is no wild-cat. But gentlemen, about the time one or two gooi newspapers have got a firm ho!d in a field that promises a decent living for the nronrietors, the wild cat makes his appearanoe. Nine times out of' ten he comes with no design of making an honest effurt for peace. Soiuetimes he does not eonie trom without the fold, but has been warnied nd nurtured at your own office fire, has set type in your own establishment and occasionully struik off election (ickots fortheopposition at uiidnight u-ing your materia! lo do it with. Sometiincs hi.- umi l..,.to uunQgg leads him to set up in business, but 1 have seuiu,-. nhserved him showing so much enierprise. (ïeu erally he is backed by some shygtering small politician who has been spewed out of' the mout lis of a few nooiinating conveotions, and has a sore head, and an axe to grind. Ifnot tbus encouraed be gets his moral and perhaps more tangible financial support from a rea! es'ate dealer with town lots for sale or some one tl.se who wants a cheap organ sueh as the legitímate trade did not have for ale. Thure are plenty of ways for him to get a foothold, and onee established he soon gains a limited friendshipot asort no one else hankers after, and there he sits grioning at the place he soon expects to f'orage in. He will exist for an astonisbing length of time on protnises, senips and a ghoulish hope of getting enough of tlie legitímate patrun age bestowed on the original tcnants to ultimately forcé thrni into a concession of a división of patronage, or netter yet, driving them nway from the official ani busi ness patronage they have f'airly won and are partly entitlcd to. The wild cat editor.s of the wild cat ncw.p-ipcr is seldom better than the meraat tyro in the practical part of' the business, bas n itlier brains, eiiucalion, nor honesty- at least no startling amouiit of thei-e deiderata. Nature cut him out for a botcli and even ilighie 1 tb work of tnakinghiui up. butshe was liberal in measuring off his al'otttuent of cheek and tbat seldom f'ails to for the other things fora time. If you well think a moment you can recall some of the species, and older men thun myself have toid me .-oiuH iotenstMl tales of tiie ultímate lab of thre abotions. Thev are not long lived but they are baj neighburs whil they do fl uri.-h. I recall ut this time one conspicuous memberof the wild-cat taiuily.who say he is making a good living. Tliis alleged editor luaaent me his pub.ieation regularly for about a yt ar, and l have often looked it over with eyes greedy to see some token that it was legitimaiely sui ported, or was in any manner worthy of such support. I never saw it. The week before the holi davs l Ie ked at it with especial care, and saw not fif 'ty lines of loc d, le-8 than a quartur of a column of county and neigh boihood news, not one wjuare of new advertisemunts, and a total of less than $175 worth of home or local advertising, fijiuiing on the basi. of his own paMished scheduie nf priees. The uearest approach to local news of' any note Wds a column of' fulsome praise of a man l have long thought was the paper'.s backer, whom 1 know to be a sealawug, that coulJ not get sueh a notice in any other paper in the county unless paid for at advertising rates. This office has no job dupartmeat, and the paper has a liniitcd circulation. I suhmit that on such a showing it is not doing a a legitímate business. It is a wild-oat office, and is not yet up to the poiütwhere the expected good feeding comes to hand. l rememberanother concern of this kind. A young man who had aoquired almost a coimn n M-hool education, a smattering of local politica! knowledge and a superficial insight in the mystery of standing type up in rows, was permitted hy a cunning attorney (who very much necded au organ) ti stablish a newspaper in t town wliere MTC were already three. He soon saw hat hu b luid have been before he barked in the enterpriHe, tliat he had no eartlily t-hüw of pu-hing to Buocess by lion est effort. He lias ma ie a living, bu another who recently vi-icil hin) with the dra rf pwchaMOg li i olhee, lias told m tliat the shilts and sohetnea ihis man lia resor'ed to in order to Ihe and get inppor wuuld mako the oold type metal bttsl o Ben. Frankl'n blu-h to a chwry red. N( hmii'st editora eould live there. Kvery dollar he gets is won by litt:e short i blaokmail, being paid to keep the wild cat's niouth olosed. At the risk of beiog tedious I will refor to another. In a town tliat cannot suppor two publisuers thia one shinea along as the third. His olfiee, has liad aourioua history [t was establiahed to boort t lo-al eharao ter into respectability, but even i he rnn jl'tlie pK88 0OUld DOt do thal, and llie mau who was to be boCMtsd toon absorbed tlit concern, hired a príoter, imaginad b i ai tel an editor, and for two years bas be B t iy ing to keep the paper alive. It is nuw advertised inan Kastern pubiUher's jouinu U heilig ''tbr sale ebeap, tile proplieto not being fitted by nature lor tlie bu-nn Si. ' Tho-o wtii reoognize the piot ure will hoix ti e Kast will not aend us a nian who il Dt ted to till that particular niolie. 1 have taken pains to learn something o the status ot' otbers of' my ohoten tuciity two, hut will not weary jou with the iea tion of' the excuses they have f'ur existing Suffice it to say that they do exist ; and now the queslion cuiin s, Wbal are wc going to do about it' Personal ly, I (rive il up There are tliose, hoWaver, who think tha too often the legitímate newspapi ra art responsible for the wild-cat. Tlie crcatuit aeea two readable, prosperóos newspapert fighting eaeh other's interest - "cutting throats," as you cali it - and act ing in ai utterly unreasonable and indefensibie man tier, pursuing a e sueh as no othe business mcu indulge in, umi wh.ch is no creditabie to the partij en'gaged or the locahty ot' the duchtig gioun I. Satan in the guise of the man wno wants an organ wliHpurs, " NoWl your time, Mr. vV 'iM oat, and with tharpened fsng he furtively sneaks up tu the edge of the hattle-groum and eagerly watohes the (Yay, ready am anxiouM to piek the bones aft r the conflic is over, or tveti to feast on the grill living wounded vietim. i uiay be a little sbakj about my natural history, and do D 't wisl to htake my reputatiuti on a statement tha four-lfgged wildcats tratoh battle tields, or piek bones but tho two-legged bca-t does it. In these cases we cannot blatijC the wild-cat much. It is the mhsfbrtune ui tbe business that leavea such an opening for hiu). The remedy inay sugge-t itself. It is on record in the experiences o those who have feit the claws of the wild cat, that you cannot tight hiin with paper scarecrows. He has got to be met by a competition he is not able to cupe with. First let him severely alone. Half bis object is gained when you recognize him You mut make a better, oleaner paper tlian be does or om make. Don't splurge or wabble about Stcadiness is what wil float you best, bat there must b:: no drones in the hive. There must be hard, steady work, with the eye firoily tixod on the aim in life. Sbow your patrons that they get their money's worih, and that all you get is earntd. If this is kept up, the warmth may all be drawn tu the legitímate .-hop and the wild cat frozen out. It does noi take a community lung to see the difterenee betwecn a pound of steak and a pound o ham- an hoiiet man and a rogue. One of the best safeguards against the ravages of the wild-cat, as well as against uiany other things that harrass the pub lisher, is excellence of work in the job room and on the newspaper. The patrot is usually a discriuiinuting person ; or il he is DOt, the woiuen and sharpeyed youngsters in his family are; and few men whose patronage is worth Inving, wil, desert a well editad, well proved and wel printed newspaper. The man who bringa your job woik usually knows a good thmg whea he sees it, and, all things beinji eiual, will stanl by you. The wild eat wdi eventually find poor picking in a well tilled tield, but it' it begius to look like a prospeetive barn yard, look out for the critter. II. has his eye on you, and will stand huneer a long titue wlnlt; ra hopes of the leail you are preparing for him. He may be kept away trom your bailiwiek by abiiicy , henee work, or Letter s ill, by both combined wilh prudence. It is a que.-tion of the survival of the fit lest ; and, gentlemen of tbe press of Michigan, l make buld to assert that the newspaper wild-cut has no rightful place in the social or business eeon'iiuy ot' this Sute. Lst us stand by the pioneer press and all the workers, but let us fight to the bitier end these interlopers, and this whole brrtd of half-laked editors, half taught ruüaway-appiviuice botcli printers, and other uuple -isant parasites they carry with theiu. Tliey prdsti luie the profession, bring it into soc;al and business disrepute, and rob it of all is dignity and halt it present menger protits. When we load for wild cat we should gtease the patch wiih br.iins, ram it down with stiff common sense, tako plenty ot time in aimiog, tnd we can knuck him over. There is n bounty on his nalp, and every bonest journa ,ist bhould go gunning for bim oceasionally. In the ab?ence of Mr. George Wiilard, of' Battle Creok, V. S, Georgu, of Laamug, made an hand tive minute speech on " Newspaper Make-up." He tlupght that a newspaper, the same uan individual, was far more acceptable to the publio, if neat and clean in the make up. In reference to news andeditorials hc always gave the for mer the preferenee, and would alwiiys iwd out editorials for news. As regards persinal notiees he pret trffl l mtxtng b. ... with other items, atidgivinu; thema speci.il place. He would always have a special place for news and general reading matter, and would make each page so attractive by an equitable distribution of matter as to make it ad;sirab!e advenUin; medium, for advertising u the lif'e blood of newspapers. He did not believe in idverti-ing quaek, patent medicine ; did not believe it paid, to cay nothingof the shamo-faoedness with which a publisher mut meet his patrons to whora he is constantly announeing quack medicines. Mr. George Uostrated what he meant by tuakiag eae'i pa?e of a paper interesling by takinij a modo! sheet and tellins; what each pagecontained. showing that not a page would be disoarded by the general reader. On extraordiuary occasions the regular make up of a paper would be destroyed, but as a rule it thould always be uniform, having a place for everything and everything in its place. Mr. Mc.Millan, uf Ba, City, aid that different readers were intere-ted on different Subjecta, for iostaooe, the commercial men look for the market report-, and if always found in one place and cirrect it val the paper he desireJ. He observed that the ladies were f ind of go -si pand local news, and if this was to ind ia a pir ioular place they becnno attaehed tothe paper. Re.ference having b;!en made to 8m. Bowles, Mr. Greorge said he rooolleoted that he personally supi rint. nd.d ihe make-up of his paper, and he, Mr. George, thought no man should ncglect this impirtant step Q running a paper. Mr. Scripps was very emphatio in bis remarks ooncerning the necessity of publi-hirs personally superintending the makeup of their papers. He personally superintended the make-up of every issue of' his weekly and as many issues of ihe diily as he possibly could. The President (hen culied up the subject of' newspaper libéis, and in tho ahsenee of the gentleman who was to have prerented a paper on this subject called upon Mr. Scripps. Mr. 8. thouüht' that the l;uv of libel as interpreted by the supremo court ws barbarous, because they, the newspapers, were not allowed to make a detraction or explanation a fier a suit had been commenced, that would be alliwd toeoaat, although it tuight be made at the earliest possible moment. The newspaper of to day is really the creation of the last fif'teen years. Fifteen years ago the London Times fulaently had not more than two sticks full l' tdegraphia nuws, and eould not for a moiiieut compare with the BrenkDS tïanf [Coutlnued úu SU page.] State Press Assoclatlon. [CoDtlDued from 2d page.] ol' today, n regard to oews and telegraph difipatches. The newspaper business has taken advanoed ground while the supreme court continúes to interpret the laws regarding newspapers, accordinu to the oíd English law of 50 years ago. They could with as much propriety interpret the laws regarding railroads the same way. Thcy had been pestered with 12 or 14 libel suits that had cost them fully $10,000, and some of them had been on the most frivolous pretexta. There are men who watah for their names to appear in a paper so that they can ru9h off to some shyster lawyer and start a suit for libel. Everything in the courts is ruled against the newspaper and for the complainant in a libel suit. The former is taken as tho guilty because a suit has been oommenced the burden of proof resting with hitn in.stead of the complainant. In New York there were cases where it had been decided that if there is no intent to do injury and no injury is doDe, the complainant cannot recover. While he respected the supreme court and thought t embraced come of the ablest jurista in the country, he did not think their decisions in regard to libel suits equitable. He wanted a ncw law regarding libel ; he did not desire any unfair advantage or protection, but simply the same protection that the merchant, the lawyer and men engaged in business are accorded. In order to meet this much desired result, he offered resolutiona which, as amended and adopted, are as follows : Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed by the chair of' which J. M. Shepard of Cassopolis shall be chairman, whose duty shall be as follows: lst, To correspand with a large nuniber of the leaditig publUherd oí' the country and ascurtain their views as to what legal protection the press needs in the matter of' the increasing frequency of frivolous and vexatious persecutions for libel. 2d, To employ legal assisiancc and draft a bilí (o be subinitted to the next lecislature embodying Mn-li provisiuna as chalí at the sum' time protect the public against the really reckless and scurrilous publishers, but at the same titue protect legitímate journalism from the annoyances of a prosecuiion every time a harinless and unavoidable error creeps into a newspaper and to prevent sueh accidenta from being made a mcans of blackmail. Resolved, Th it the committee are authorized to exieod a sum not to exceed $100 in the prosecution of this duty. These resolutiona were passed ar.d the following committee appointed: J. M. Shepard, R. A, Beal, Nathan Church, J. E. Scripps, Geo. P. Sanford. Previous to the passage of the resolutions Mr. Ingersoll, of Corunna, said he had publuhed a paper fr 42 years, and that the law of' libéis as now interpfeted had no terror for him. He had been sued for libel several times and the results were that they always redounded to his interests, for he never falcd to get additional subscribers. To have a $10,000 libel suit on hand sounded big and tends to raise the editor in ituportance, in the eyes of the p ople. He thoupht the Evening News was more sucoessful because of its libel suits tlian it would othoiwi.se have lieen. [f there was any amemimeut of the law he wanted it amended so that in case the complainant did not recover damages the defendant could. Col. DeLand thought the law of libel was very unequal. When trying a case in court the lawyer was afforded unlimited privileges to libel witnesses and they had no redress. Had the same languaire and inferences been made on the street it would be a libel of the worst kind, he thought a change should be made in this respect. Mr. T. S. Applegate, of Adrián, then read an interesting biographical skecch of the late Thomas L. Grant, prepared by L. D. Sale. Mr. Silas Farmer, of Detroit, read a very interesting account of the "Early Newspaper History of Detroit." The first paper published in Detroit was in 1809, and since that time 157 district papers and periodicals that have been commenced have died. Aa they walked among the honored dead the Michigan Observer claimed the precedonce of all others. The preas upon which it was printed was taken to Detroit by Gabriel Richard, and it was printed and edited by J. M. Miller. One-half of a column out of 16 was in French. The price of the paper was $5 per year to Detroit patrons and $4 to those outside. The second paper, the Detroit Gazette, was sued september II, 1818, by Welden & Read. In 1828 Mr. Ruad was imprisoned n jail for refusing to pay a fine of $100 imposed for criticizing the action of tbe supremo court. who granted a new trial to a man guilty of larceny, beaause his challenge ■■r one of the iurnrs. whr. ii uta not set on the case, was not respected. His fioe was paid by the citizens who gave him a grand dinner and reception in the jail. The entire history was very interesting and a vote of thanks was given Mr. Farmer, who is not a member of the association, for his paper. Tliis gentleman is engaged in writing a history of Detroit upon which he has been enaged for several years. On motion of Mr. Lewis, of Saginaw, a committee of five, as follows, was appointed by the chair, who, with the executive coin mittee of the associaiion, will decide upon the advisability of having an editorial excursión next sumiiier, and make all needed arrangements. The committee on officers for the ensuing year made the following report, which on motion was accepted and adopted: President, Rico A. Beal, of Ann Arbor ; vice-pre.-idents, L. A. Duncan, of Niles, Geo. F. Lewin, of Saginaw, M. D. Haniüton, of Monroe ; secretary, E. S. Hoskins, of Bellevue ; treasurer, E. F. Oraybill, of Greenville. CA8H 8HORT. It appearing that Mr. A. L Aldrich, of Flint, had neglected or refused to pay over to R. A. Beal, treasurer of the association, some $50 or thereabouts which he held as former treasurer, the following resolution, introduced by Mr. Lewis, of Saginaw, was unanimousiy adopted : Whereas, A. L. Aldrich, lato treasurer of this association, has in his hands souiething like $50 of the association, which, notwithstaoding he has been frequently and persistently requested eo to do, lie has refused to pay over to his successor, therefore, Resolved, That while we regret therc has been a brief and inmaterial lapse in the progress of' this association, we wou Id most regretfully regret to confesa a material collapsü in the honesty of any of its uiembers. A committee appointed to return thanks to our citizens and the faculty for their hospitality, presented the following : In closing our animal reunión, we are not unmindful the hospitality and kindness shown us by the president and faculty of the University, and the citizens of Ann Arbor, and we can assure theni that their kindness will ever be held in grateful remembrance. Resolved, That we look upon the University of Michigan as a great adjunct with the press, and our tree school system in the great work of popular educatinn ; that the growth and prosperity of our University is one object of State pride, and that we as journaliste pledge to this great educational institution our aid in securing for it all the necessary appropriations. D. C. HKNDER8ON. T. B. APPLEOATE, U. . SANFORD. The following was added by D. C. Henderson and T. S. Applegate of tha committee : Resolved, That to our retirirm cfficers we extend our sincere thanks, to Col. Sanford, whose labore as Pre-iilent have done so much to secure stability and permanence to the association, to Mr. Elo.skins, whose services as secretary have heen f'aithful and ardurous, and to Mr. Beal, who has comjilitnented his custody of our funds with h.ird and fiithful service to secure the great success of the present gathering. An adjournment was made subject to the cali of the exeoutive committee.