The State Publisher's Convention

Pursuant to a general cali, tlie State eonvention of newspaper publishers met Ín Merrill Hall, at 10 o'clock, A. M., Friday, July 8th. Tho followiug uewspapers were representcd : Detroit Pree Press - Jacob Barns. Detroit. Advertiser and Tribuno - Jas. E. Scripps. Port Hurón Commercial - N. E Kendall. Monroe Commercial - M. D. Hamilton. Pontiao Jacksouian - C. Peabody. Grand Haven Union- L. S. Suiitli. Ingham Couuty News - D. B. Harringtcn. Grand Traverse Herald - M. Bates. Lansing State Republican - N. B. Jones. Nowaygo Republican - J. H. Mazo. Thunder Bay Monitor - D II. Joslin. Pontiac Gazette - C. B. Turner. Marshall Expounder - C. Mann. St. Clair Republican- G. W. Hough. Hurón Couuty News- O. T. Harrington. Bay City Press and Times - Wui. A. Bryce. Romeo Argiie - IL J Akin. Vau Buren County Press - I. W. Van Possen. Michigan Farmer - Wm. S. Bond. Clinton County Ropublionn - H. S. Hiltou. Sliiawassee American - John N. Ingersoll. Ann Arbor Michigan Argus - E. B. Pond. Jackson Citizen - James O'Donnell. Ypsilauti Tiue Demourat - C. R. Pattison. Jackson Patroit- T. P. Bouton. Charlotte Republican- J. Saunders. Detroit Commercial Advertiser - R. P. Johnstone. Detroit Trade Circular - George L. Whitney. Thü meeting was called to order by Mr. Couover, who nominated Morgan Bates, of Grand Traverse, as temporary Chairman, and N. B. Jones, of Lansing. as Secretary. The meiubers entitled to seats in the Conventiun then reported their ñames, and, on raotion, each paper was entitled to one vote ouly ia the Convention. On motion, a comiñitteo was appointed on permanent organization, :is follows : Messrs. Harrington, Iugersoll, aud Maze. On motion of Mr. Ingersoll, a com mittee whs appointel on order of business, consisting of the following gentlemen : Messrs. Pond, Scripps, and O'Donnell. The Committee on permanent orgauizatiou then presented their report, recommending the following a s permanent offioers of the Conventiou, who were unanimously elected : President- John N. Iugersoll, of thc Shiawasscc American. Secretarles - Jacob Barns, of the Detroit Free Press, and N. B. Jones, of the Lansing State Republican. Mr Ingersoll, on taking the chair, made a few pertinent remarks, suggesting that as the Convent on was a workiug instead of a talking ono, he would not set the example of making h speech at the very outset. He thauked tho Convention heartily for the honor eonferred in choosing hiin to presido over their deliberatious. A motion to appoint a committee to report resolutions expiessive of the seuse of the Convontion, was lost, as t was thought better to wait until the eommittee on order of business should fully state the objeots and purposee of the meeting. The committee on order of business, through their chairman, Mr. Pond, submitted a report, recommending the appointment of the following committees of three each, which was adopted, and committees were so appoinled as followe: First - On advertising rates, ineluding legal rutes : Messrs. Bates, M aun, Peabody, and D. B. Harrington. Second - On subsenption rates: Messrs. Barns, Smith, and Hamilton. Tiir-d - On ad"mee paymentsand the systematizing of newspaper business : Messrs Pond, Seripps, and O'Donnell. l'ourth - To report a plan for the organizution of a permanent State Press xVssociation : Messrs. Bryce, Maze, aud Van Fossen. The Convention then took a recess until 2 o'clock. Al'TEKNOON SESSIOX. Tho convention assembled at 2 o'clock and was called to order by the President, and proceedcd to receive tho report of conimiUecs. LEGAL RATES. Tho committee on legal rates of advertising and advertising generally, reported through their chairman', Mr, Pabody, as follows : The cpminittee, after eareful invcfiigation and coinpnnson with tho piice of labor and materials, iind that the present priccB allowed by law for legal printing are at least 80 por ceut too low, and reciniimcud an mcrease in the scalo of legal printing as follows : First inseï'tiön', per folio, $1 ; for each eubsequent iusertion, per folio, fifty couts. ïour oommittee would further recoiumeud that, inasuiuch as legislatiou will be necessary to permit publishers to charge the above prices, the foregoing eoalo of rites be j eubcjitted with proper explanaron to eaeli nominee for either branch of the next State Lcgislaturo, and their as3ist;niee iu the passage of a bilí to accornplish the ab.we object be respcctfully solioited. Your committoo also recommend that the price for advcvtisiiisr generally be raised to porrcspond with the rise in the price of labor and muterials as far as practicable. After èoirie discussion the report was adopted as above. NKWSPAPEK SUBSCR1PTION8. Tlie committoe ou proper rates and terms of newspapcr subscriptions, reported througb tlieir ehairman. Mr. Smith, as follows : The subject s one of some difficulty, not in the inherent merits of the case, but in the practical applicatioii of a remedy. Thcre can be no doubt that, as the matter now stands in refetvnee to the price of printir;g matcrials, tlie subscription ratcs, espccially of the weekly papers are ruiuously low. Within two years the price of paper has advanced more than 100 per oetit. and that of other materials and labor ne;irly ia like proportion, while souie publishers have advanced their ratcs 25 and 50 per cent, and some not at all. If i publisher is compclled to pay 20 cents per póünd for paper whioh two years ago oost but 10 cents, aud lf a barrel of üour now conti 810", which could then be bought for $5, it is clear tbat he must increase the pnce of bis produotions correspondmgly, or he must ruu behind and ultimately fail. It a newi-paper is worlh having, it is wortli paying for. lts vocatioh is the educa tion of the world, and as this is one of the highest callings of uien, it should be the best paid. The merebant Luys and sells at a protit ; the mecbanic will soon cease to produce, if his produutions bring no adequate return. If a farmer sells a ponnd of butter or beef, it must bring hiiu the highest piice. One year ago fifteen pounds of maple sugar wcre equal to ono yoiir's subscription for a wcekly paper ut SI 50. Now ten or even eint pounds are equal to the anino amount, but will not s..rve a family so long. The faut is there should be an equality - reciprocity is tbc word. We should alwuys give as good as we get. - If in one year five subscriptions at one dollar each would buy a barrel of flour, and the next flour advances to $10, subscriptions should ilso advance to $2, or there is no reeiproeity, no equality. Paper must be paid for in cash at the time of purchase. Presses, types, ink and all the material of a prmting office mu.at be paid for down, Journeymen printers must have their cash on Saturday night. The editor and publisher must plank his cash for every pound of flour, meal, sugar, and butter he consumes. How is he to do all this ? Only by adopting and adhering to the system of advance payments. íle cannot rtlr.kc his business pay otherwiso, and a business that will not pay had bettcr be dropped, and the sooner the better - Tlie committee recommeud the adopüou of the fnllowing : Rssohed, That this convention recotnmend to the publishers of the Siate that they should advunce the subseription rates for weekly papers to $2 per year, as tho lowest sum tbat will give them a reasonable remuneratiou for their services. Resolved, That the system of advance paymeuts ia the ouly one upon which newspnpnrs can be successfully published, and wc earnestly recommend to publishers to adopt and rigidly adhere to that system. After a thorough discussion of the matter of increase of rates of subscription, the report and resolutions Wero uuaunnously adoptod. SYSTEMAT1ZING NEWSPAPER BUSINESS. Mr. Pond, in behalf of the committeo on advance payments and systematizing the newspaper business, submitted the following report, which was unanioiously adoptud : That, from their own knowledgo, the lack of business system in managing newspapers, and the custom of long aud never endiug credits, are de;ul weighth upon too many journals. Sub.scribers have taken papers to ''patronize" them, without any idea that naynicnt wns necessury, and politiciniis have sought tó edit and control tht-in bccausc thoy werc callcd republican, democratie, or by smne other name, while business men wc ad vertised becnuse they were "begged" to do so, and with au air of conferring a favor upou the publisher iustead of upon themsclvcs. To remedy these evils, and plant the prefs of our State upon a (irm business fnui'dntion, youreominittne would recomnicnd thnt editors and publishers actupon legiticiiiite business principies; that while gewna tho pub'ie, and perhaps servants of tho public, 'hoy give tlie public to understand that tboy an; owned by neither palies, diques, nor subseribers, but that for their labor they are entitlud to pay at regubir and remunerating ratos. Your committee would, therefore, sub init for the guidance of the presa of tbiá Ktate the following general principies, leaving oach to amplify the samo for hinielf : lat. That it should be a rule with cvory editor never on any account to insert an artiele or comtnunication, nnirly to piense the writer, or whero if left to his judgmeiit ulgut', it would berejected. 2nd. An ed.tor should alwayy feel at li'ucrty to use material that way come into his hands in any manner he muy tbink best, even to eulling out the interebting parts, nud presenting them is bis owu langutge. 3ïd. As a rule we believe a paper inI creases in interest and populariiy directly in pri"prirt'on af a" mittor it owt tains, is prepared cxpressly tor lts colUlllllf. ; 4th. The strnngth of a local newspa]er is itfl looal news, and wc recommend ■ (bat cvery publisher mark out for hituself a field, and m;ike sysicmatic arrangoments for procuring every tem of iutt-lligeuce tluit muy transpire within such field. 5ili. Tire system of giving '; puffs" in our local columns ia detrirneDtal to our advertising. 6th. In the case of notices of literary, patiiotic, and charitablo organizatious, such is 'f Soldiors' A;d Soeieties," ':fc'reedmen's Aid Oommissions," etc, we reeommeml tliat a nominal cliarge be nlways made, and that the somt policy ba fiursucd in ragar.ó to advertising done for political orgauizations. 7 1 h. That cvery publisher should have an unvaryiiii scalo of prices for advertísinr, and as í'.ir as practicable, local publiblu'rs should adopt a uniform scale. 8ih. That. all trniisiont adverusing should bo paid for vrhen ordei-ed in, and that bilis advertising by the quarter or the year should alwciys bo settled, at least, at the expiration of each half ycar. 9th. No " till torbid " advertisenieuts should ever be adiuitted into a nowspaper. lOth. Marriages anddeatb notioes are proper objects for charges. llth ubscriptions should alwaya be paid in advanco. It would be well to notify subscribers a few weeks bofore their subscriptions expire, but a paper shou'd never be sent a single day over the time for which it is paid. By rigidly adheriug to this rulo in exery case, tli e publiwher will give no cause for offense in stopping a paper. 12th. In general, the editorial management of a paper shou'.d be with the editor, and not with Lis correspondeuts or contributors, or the public at large; he should iusert just what, in hisjudg ment, is wanted by tho majority of bis readers, of what ho himselt conoeivcs to bo right, untrammeled by personal consideratons ; and in ita business management, a newspaper should be conducted like any oí her business, and where any consideration is rendered to individuals, it sh-ou'd be paid for at the tiiuo, aud at au ostablished price. PERMANENT ORQ ANIZATION. The committee on permanent organizatiou of a State Press Assoeiation sub mittod, through their ehairman, Mr. Bryee, the followiug eonstitution : Article I The name and t it Ie of this organization shall be the " Michigan State Press Association." Art, II Publishers of newspapers and periodicals in the State of Michigan- and no other persons - shall be entitled to membership in this association by siguing thi.s eonstitution, and paying such ducs as may be assessed agi.inst them. Art. III The officers of this asoeiation ahall consist of a president, two vice presidenta, a treaurer, and two secretarles, whosa term of office shall be one year, and uutil their euccessors are duly installed. Akt. IV. An executive comraiitee, conaisting of five members, shall be appointcd by the ussociation at the time of the eleetion of officers, whosc duty it -hall bü to cali all regular and special meetings of the association, and transact such business as may be a.signed to tliein by the action of the asaociation. Art. V. Tho officers of this association shall bo elccted by ballot at each regular annual meeting, a majority of all the votes cast being necessary to a ehoice. Art. VÍ. Tho annual meetings of the Rasociatton shall be b.cld on tlie first Tucsday of June, at such place as may bo designated by the execuiive cummittee, or by the associa'ion. Art. VII. This constitulion may bo aniendod by a majority vote of all the members present at any regular meeting ot the association. The eonstitution was adopted, and tho associasion proceeded to the electiou of officers by ballot, Messrs. Bryce and Maze acting as tellers. The following offioers were eUetcd : President - Elihu 15. Pond, of the Michigan Árrux, Aun Albor. Fice l'reside?ifs-J()hn N Ingcrsoll, Shiawassee American, Coruniri ; M. D. llamilton, MoBídá Commercial lre"urer-Yl. 13. Harrington, Iiiihiiit Counti dmv) M-i.sou. Secretnrim - J-ameBÜ. Soripps. Detroit Advertissr and Tribune ; I. W. an Fossen, Van Huren Cawdy Noivs, Paw PíllV Exccutive Ccmmittee - Geo. V, üougii, St. Oliiir, Republic ,n ; Jacob Barns, Detroit Freo 1'rens ; L. M. S. Smith, Grand Haven Union; James O'Donoell, Jackson Citizen; C. Peabody, Ponliac Jacksonian. On rnotion, Ilon. John N. ípgefsoil was invited to deliver an address at the next annuul meeting. Tho President elect wís, on motion, reoyesteíl to prepare an address to be do Hvered at tho next meeting. A voto of thanks was tendered to the nn'tnbers of the Detroit press for procuriog tho hall for the use of the convent ou. Tho President, in buhalf of Mr. Hough, manager uf tho Detroit AtlieaBQÚai, proBoiited a formal invitation rq the members of tho ussociatjon to visit that place of amusement. The invitation was accepted, and a vote of thank.s was tendered to Mr. Ilough for bis kind iuvitation. Mr. Brycc ofiWed a resolution whioh was idopted, that tho press of the State bo reposted to publisS the proccodings of this cn runfian, On moÜOfl a comniittee of five was appointod to arrange a soalo of pricea for job work, aa follows : Jacob Barns, Ja. Ó'Döaneil, John N. Ingersoll, O, Mann, N. C. Kondall. A vote of thanks was then tcndered to the officers cf the convention, after which the assooicktion adjourned to meet at Ka'aiuazoo, on tho 21st day of Sept. ueit.