Cedar Falls Gazette

At two o'clock on the 23d inst., the several editors of the State who had been called together in part by the assemblage of the Republican State Convention, convened at the Court-house in this city.

The Convention was called to order by C. S. Wilson, of the Hawk Eye Flag, Winterset, who, as chairman of the committee who had issued the call, stated the objects of the meeting.

On motion, Hon. C. F. Clarkson, of Grundy, was elected President, Gen. Wm. Duane Wilson, Vice President, and F. W. Palmer Secretary.

After brief remarks by the President and Vice President, on motion of J. L. McCreery, of the Dubuque Times, a committee of five was appointed to report a plan of business.

The committee as appointed by the chair, was constituted as follows, viz: Messrs. McCreery, of Dubuque, Hildreth, of Floyd, White, of Davenport, Mahin, of Muscatine, and Wilson, of Winterset, Madison county.

While the committee were absent to deliberate, Senator Moore, of Davis county, was called for and entertained the Convention in a most happy, satisfactory manner, detailing the results of his experience as Printer and Editor. Messrs. Hollis, Clarkson, and others were also called out, and made brief but pertinent remarks.

Mr. Hildreth, from the committee appointed to report a plan of business, presented the following report:

REPORT.

1. Resolved, That we deem it imperative, and that we will require payment in advance for all newspaper subscriptions received hereafter.

2. Resolved, That all transient and foreign advertising should be paid in advance, or secured to be paid by a responsible party, and at the same rates paid for other advertising.

3. Resolved, That we deprecate the practice of employing inadequate journeymen and runaway apprentices, believing it is the cheapest and most honorable to employ only good workmen at fair and living prices.

4. Resolved, That we recommend to the craft in different localities the adoption of a uniform scale for advertising.

5. Resolved, That the editors of the several journals in this State are invited to forward to the Recording Secretary as complete a history of the press in their respective counties, with such other matters of interest pertaining to the craft, as they may think proper.

6. Resolved, That the practice now very frequent, of inserting quack medicine and other advertisements in the reading or editorial columns of the country press, is one calculated to perpetrate a fraud upon the reader, is a growing evil, and that we will abandon it.

7. Resolved, That all Publishers and Editors in this State, are requested to publish the proceedings of this Convention, and those not already members are requested to authorize the Secretary to enter their names as such.

8. Resolved, That in the opinion of this Convention the employment of personalities in the discussion of public topics is improper, and should be discouraged: and that the usefulness and dignity of the press are best secured by preserving its impersonality.

On motion, C. S. Wilson was appointed Assistant Secretary.

Article No. 1. was adopted without debate.

Article No. 2, gave rise to much debate.

Mr. Mahin, of Muscatine, moved to amend by adding at the end of the Article: "and that we deprecate the custom of advertising sewing machines, stereoscopic views, gutta percha roofing, &c., agreeing to take pay in the article advertised at half the price in cash."

Mr. Holladay moved to amend by striking out the words relative to responsible agents.

Mr. Sanders moved to substitute the words "responsible parties" instead of "responsible agents." Both amendments, together with the original resolution were adopted.

Article No. 3 was adopted without debate.

Article No. 4 was referred to a select committee, consisting of Mahin, Hildreth, and Palmer.

The committee, after brief consultation, presented the following report as a substitute for Article 4, viz:

Resolved, That we recommend to the craft in different localities the rule of charging for legal advertisements, $1.50 per square of ten lines in Brevier, or its equivalent in other type, and 75 cents for each subsequent insertion.

Mr. Hollis submitted the following, which was adopted:

Resolved, That the General Assembly be requested to pass a law requiring the publication of the proceedings of the County Supervisors in one or more papers published in the county, and that the said papers receive a remuneration equal to the whole amount which any one paper would receive at the established legal rates.

The business topics of the Convention being thus disposed of, on motion the members adjourned to meet at the parlor of the Savery House, at 7 o'clock in the evening, to listen to an address by L. D. Ingersoll, Esq., (Lincoln sale) of Washington. At the hour designated the room was filled by an appreciative audience, who listened with much delight to Mr. Ingersoll's excellent address. At its conclusion, the thanks of the auditors were cordially extended to the speaker, with a request that a copy of the address be furnished for publication. Impromptu speeches were then called for and made by F. W. Palmer, Governor W. M. Stone, C. C. Cole, D. W. Kilbourne of Keokuk, J. L. McCreery of Dubuque, Senator S. A. Moore of Davis county, T. F. Withrow, and the President of the Convention, Senator C. F. Clarkson. Both sessions of the Convention were full of interest to the members of the Press in attendance and will be long remembered with pleasure by them.