The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-18
-..N--, .sNo LITERATURE.
Professions Writers Now insist Upoh
Their Rights.

Professions writers Now insist Upol
Thetr Rights. z
lEpecial Correspondence
NEW York, Nov. 1S.-Willism d.. How
ellis, in a recent magazine article which has
attracted much attention, calls to notice
The relations of writers to the bushes:
world and indicates to them some Of the
ways in which they may be able to secure
better market for their work, although ex'
pressing the idea that real literary art, like
any other art, ought not to be measured OF
inspired by any pecuniary rewards. The
ihtimation in the article is chat the writers
of the present day have become so much oil
professional men that they have learned
business methods and are carrying on their
wocations with very much better results
American literature.
Yet the most famous of the earlier Amer.
lean authors were quite shrewd business
men. Fenimore Cooper, who was wealthy
when he first took up the pen of the novel;
ist, was a vc.y sharp business man, dealing
with almost Shylock precision with his
publishers, and going SO far as to Il q
number of newspapers for libel because
NutN Ilta SEiliti3SAA HIS hcNNio ~ bSASAeh
impaired their market value, as he thought.
Washington Irving, who came from q race
of business men, was, Notwithstanding his
gentle habit, very keen in the driving of a
bargain with his publishers, and he re-
ceived such a handsome sum for his Life
of Washington as enabled him to live in
comfort in his old age.
James X. Paulding had the repute Of be-
inp "a charm hIlSlDpSc m1p and Hf chnxviNO
quite as much executive capacity in arrang-
ing for the publication of his stories as he
did when he was a member of President
Folks cabinet. James Russell Lowells
business habits We're not of the haphazard
kind. George William Curtis, who earned
nearly 100000 upon the lecture platform,
devoted every penny of it to the payment Of
debts for which he was not legally respon-
sible. but which had been incurred in an at
tempt 20 establish a magazine with which
be was associated.
Wendell Phillips was a most cautious
and prudent man in his business relations,
although he ave much of his money to
charitable purposes. When they asked him
the price of Il lecture, he said: IF l lecture
in behalf of the slave, nothing. If l lecture
upon any other subject, 500 and expenses"
DIR. Chaplin. who in his day was one of the
most popular of American platform lee
Lurers, had one invariable reply to any re-
quest for his terms. 1t was F.. A. NJ. f.,
meaning By that 800 and my expenses"
and after he received his fees he invested
them with great prudence.
But these were the greater writer's of an
day, some of whom learned to be
businesslike after some unpleasant expert
ences. The class of professional writer's
who are nowadays earning comfortable in
have already learned what Mr.. How
ellis suggested in his essay, and that is that
the newspaper and syndicate have espe-
cially taught writer's first class business
methods and shown them how to protect
their own interests. OF the popular writ
ers of today it is not easy to find one who is
not esteemed by publishers an accurate and
prompt business man, and many of them
have shown great skill in making business
Investments.
Mark Twain's business habits are almost
proverbial, and with the exceaSon Of one
or two unfortunate investments, in which
even ADLER business men than he were
caught, he has shown unusual capacity
not only for getting all that his works were
worth, but also in the investment Of the
wealth thus received. Mrs. Burnett was
trained by experience to excellent business
habits so far as her relations with her pub
fishers were concerned, but it is said by
her friends that some of the investments
made with the money which she received
for the book and play of Little Lord
tAuntleroy' were not very successful.
General Lew Wallace, who has written a
book which has probably had a larger sale
than any other story written by an Amer
Jean, excepting Uncle Toms CABIN is
one of the most careful, shrewd and prompt
OF business men. and his manner in bust
ness circles is that of a person whose entire
experience has been in business life. Mr..
Howells himself is earning Il repute for
business shrewdness and insistence upon
his rights which is almost equal to that
which Mark Twain has obtained.
Rudyard Kipling is quite as forcible, en-
and nervous in his business rela-
as he is in his stories, and the pub
Usher who gets his tales is very sure that
he is paid the highest price that the market
las offered for them. Donald G. Mitchell,
Who nowadays does not write much, was
a business lesson years ago by a
publisher TO whom he offered the manu-
'cript Of his Dream Life" The publisher
cid bin that he would pay him a lump
lrn for the manuscript, but advised him
o accept instead a royalty-advice which
Mr.. Mitchell accepted, and which made
many thousands of dollars difference in his
aTor. He was supposed not to be a good
business man because he invested Il consid-
sum OF money in real estate in the
suburbs of New Haven, but time has proved
hat he was right, although perhaps Il little
90 early in the Investment, for after a de-
.ay of some years the city OF New Haven
las grown up to his place, and the value OF
1le real estate has very greatly Increased.
Edmund Clarence Stedman is more of a
business man than n littcrateur, and in the
hours beCween 10 and 2 may he seen in that
throns of brokers and spectators
who crowd the New York Stock Exchange.
Smith is not only a charming
teller and an artist Of some talent,
but as Il contractor he is regarded very high
~ by business l:len, many of whom do Dot
that he is also Il litterateur.
The truth is that the majority of writers
at the present time who are successful are
business men, and the old stigma
that a man who wrote was good for nothing
cise has no longer any truth in it.
E. j. EDWARDS.
|