The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-03
uov GRANT BECAME AN AUTHOR.
The President of the Century Com
nanv talks About the Magazine.

THE President of the Century Com
r,anv alks About the Magazine.
NEW YORK, April 29.-"Yes. we had
considerable difficulty in getting Gen. Grant
~ write for US said Roswell Smith, as he
leaned back in his chair in the cosy offices
Of the Century Magazine on Union square.
III. visitor had caught him in a spare
,,,on,ent when he felt like chatting about his
~ Mr.. Smith is an old-fashioned look
;ng man. of judicial aspect, having massive
head. nigh forehead, and prominent
nose which phrenologlsts would
sav indicate strong moral and
raiipious tendencies, with general
strength of character. The merry twinkle
~ the large brown eye somewhat contra
ACTS his otherwise serious aspect. Mr..
Sn,ith likes simple modes of living, dresses
oiainIv rides in an old-fashioned carriage
Drawn by two fat bays, and spends some
weeks at Saratoga every year. He is, Of
course. intimate with most of the leading
IIrIters in the city, ard the leading clergy
men also, and is President of the Congrega-
tional Club.
no continued, ''at least very difident about
toooninp an author. He PROBABLY felt
+bat he had not been trained to any of the
craces of literary style, and 40 also felt
4 Uncertain about the demand for his work
4 After some correspondence it became neces-
4 sarv that | should personally visit him and
Il desire him to write. You viii Imagine it
4 yas no irksome duty for me 20 take sail
Il down to Long Branch to cal on the great
General.
II asked him in the best way could to
Il contribute to the Century, and told him
81 THAT a welcome we thought awaited the
j onening chapters of our Civil War articles;
& eineciallv the first ones, which we hoped to
get from the victorious commander him
self" 49,
4 ''Are you quite sure my articles would be
4 a snccesS?n he lsked.
~ laughed. General said I, let me an
swer YOU in Yankee fashion, by asking you
another uuestic. If we could publish now
history of th,battle of Waterloo, written
by the Duke ofWellington and Napoleon,
would that be asuccessF
Eyes, thlnkt would" he said, and his
eyes kindled.
"Wel,n l sal, ''your articles will be
much greater success, for there are still along
toward milliolof men living who fought
under you or agnsi you"
4 "WeA. convlcea him, and he began to
write for us. VI probably never had
contributor whoga read more closely and
4 eagerly, and to ny mind his clear, simple
style was as successful in a literary way as
! his military tactics we're in the field"
81 presume, Mr.. Smith, that the civil
war articles mace a Ireat success for the
magaZinem
Eyes, and yet thatwas not our object so
much as to heal overhe old wounds. You
know people who hive had difference
never get entirely Ger it until they sit
down and have an bnest talk about it.
We offered that opportunity to the leading
generals Of both side and the result has
been most pleasing. Is rule the articles
have shown the most scrupulous desire to
be fair-minded, and t treat the opposing
side as gallant men.
Then we have SO Increased our circula-
ton at the South as t,have a large audi
ence there assured usand we shall give it
full representation b enlisting the best
Southern writer's we an find, such as G.
". Cable, Joel ChaIller Harris, Thomas
Nelson Page and othes.
1T has been the saae in regard to the ar
tlcles on Siberian priOn life by Mr. KEENAN,.
We hold that there Is the greatest moral
reason for our ppsenting this tale of
wrong and suffering to the world, whether
we make money by he venture or not Of
course we do not propose to neglect the
other features that lave made our success,
the fiction, editorial departments, descrip-
tive articles, open letters and illustrations.
when DR.. Holland and | bought the
magazine from the Scribners l told him
that there were just two things that the
American people card for-religion and
politics After | had seen the Centennial
Exposition, and had sen how the masses
were interested in the art gallery, had to
modify this. / came back and told DR..
Holland: Now you can go ahead and write
about art, for the people are ready for it
and interested in it,
II think we can attribute our success to
Distinct moral purpose, to conscientious
editing, to the desire to enlist the best
writers, whether Known or unknown, and
to keeping our illustrations abreast with the
highest achievements in that line of art
Ot course DR.. Holland was an excellent
editor, as well as wonderfully fine man.
he deserves great credit for his part in
establishing the popularity of the maya
zine Still | think the magazine, under Mr..
Glider and his assistants, is better edited
than 1t ever was. DAVID WECHsLER.