The electric conductivity of the developer is measured every constant
period, a development replenisher is replenished every constant time as a
time lapse replenisher in an amount based on a set value of a time lapse
replenishment rate, a development replenisher is replenished every
processing of a constant area of a photosensitive lithographic printing
plate precursor(s) as a processing replenisher in an amount based on a
set value of a processing replenishment rate, a calculated value of
electric conductivity is calculated from the amounts of the time lapse
replenisher and the processing replenisher, the set values of the time
lapse replenishment rate and the processing replenishment rate are
increased or decreased according to the result of the comparison of the
calculated value with the measured value, and the value of the difference
between the calculated value and the measured value is displayed as a
degree of a developer activity.