The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-11
GEN. GRANTS WAR ARTICLES.
The Alleged Trouble Between the General
and the Century People.


New York Special.
The appearance of the March number of the
Century magazine without a war article from
Gen. Grant led a morning paper here to print a
story announcing that there was falling out be
tween the Century people and the dying hero.
1t was also said that no further articles from
Gen. Grants pen would appear in the Century,
and that the trouble had arisen from the refusal
OF the former to permit the Century Company 10
publish his forthcoming volume on the of
the rebellion. Referring to the fact that Gen.
Grant has decided on a Mr.. Webster as his pub
Usher week ago yesterday member of the
Century Company, who was quoted at that time,
said to your correspondent to night:
There never has been any trouble between
Gen. Grant and ourselves; it never was the in
tention Of the magazine to print Gen. Grants
articles consecutively. In the natural course of
events 1t would be several months before another
paper from him appeared"
What is the truth of the story about the pub
LEGATION of General Grants bookp
General Grant, of course, came into our
ONCE very frequently, and, in conversation
about the papers we were printing, naturally the
subject of his book came up. While the Century
Company very seldom do any publishing, we are
getting out one of his books, like the Life of
Samuel Bowles, and we would have been glad to
have handled General Grants memoirs. We
would have published both in the same general
style. 1t would, doubtless have been a profita
Ole investment. No contract was ever entered
to take his volumes to Charles L. Webster g.
Co., OF which firm his son Jesse is q member,
the matter dropped and nothing more was
thought of it,"
''You think the book will have a large SALE
then2"
Undoubtedly it will. The number of Grand
Army people alone who will buy the book will
make it success"
Mr.. Charles l.. Webster of the firm of Charles
l.. Webster & Co., said to-day that the contract
f0T rT1hl ichi fto haa& ha5 h.1v>
obtained by his firm, of which, he SAID, Mark
Twain was member.
The contract was given TO me-" said Mr.
webster, because our terms were probably
more favorable than those of our competitors.
OF the latter there were several This is all
there is IN whatever has been published on the
subject
Another well-known publisher said to- day that
he thought General Grants action in publishing
his own book-as that was what he was prac-
tlcally doing-was the wisest thing he could have
done.
Whatever terms the General would have
made with other publishers" said he would
have given rise to doubts as to who was making
the most money out of it, and he is probably
better off with the matter in his own hands"
An old and ell-known friend of General Grant
said this morning:
THE reports of the Generals physical eondi-
ton are not encouraging He is evidently
very i'll man. and probably in worse health than
appears to the people about him, for his endur-
ance and patience are SO unusual that it is diff
cult to diagnosticate exactly his bodily condition.
Like the Morse chieftain in the story, General
Grant would be likely to die standing without
allowing suggestion of physical weakness to be
seen. In this quality of patience and staying
power resides General Grants marked SUPERIOR
ty to most men, making him high type of the
best quality of our race.
I'm respect to the Generals financial position,
| can say that he possesses first, the income
from the Grant fund, amounting to $15, 900
year, which is guaranteed in perpetuity by the
Morgans and is good as gold; next, his retired
pay of some $12 o00 These are his principal
sources of income, for the house in Sixty third
street is mortgaged, and he considers his col
lections of bric-a-brac and relies as pledged for
his debts. The retired pay, of course, will cease
with his life, but it is probable that Congress
will pension his widow General Grants sons
have had the misfortune to be the sons of dis
tinguished fat Ter, situation which, it is notice
able, has generally worked against success.
Still they possess good degree of their fathers
astience and endurance and will probably work
themselves into positions OF usefulness and
profit"