The morning call., 1893-10-23
Mr.. CABLE ON MAGAZINES.

Mk. (ADLE YIN NAOAkANESs
Mr.. George W. Cable, who is delivering
a most interesting course of lectures in
this city. has furnished reporter with
his views OH that anomaly in modern
literature, the monthly magazine. He
thinks the evolution of the modern maga-
zine is the most encouraging sign OF the
maturing literary taste of the country. AT
the same time he admits that In conse-
qnence of the enormous sum OF money re-
quired to start a magazine the NUMBER Oh
those periodicals has not kept pace with
the literary product; which he illustrates
by observing that every month HdrperS
Magazine rejects twice as much matter as
it prints, the quality of the rejected matter
being equal to that of the accepted matter.
For this remedy might be suggested by
an increase in the number Of monthly
magazines. II American writers supply
Franklin Square with three times as much
matter as the magazine will hold there
ought to be three magazines instead Of one
to hold il, or the world will lose valuable
instruction and entertainment But the
constituency TO which magazines appeal
is limited; the rank and file of mankind
are content with a daily paper; thus
magazines established for the purpose OF
consuming the surplus matter which. from
no lack of merit, fails to find admission to
the established monthlies rarely attain an
income which rewards their publishers.
In an attempt to solve the problem MI.
S. S. Mcclure of New York some time ago
started a magazine of the usual size to be
sold at 12b cents, and j. Brsbin Walker
of the COSMOPOLITAN followed suit. These
publishers undertake to supply readers
for 12b cents with monthly equal to
Harper's and the Century, which cost 30
cents. Mr.. Cable seems to fear that the
cheapening process will lead to deterio-
ration of quality, and at first blush that
would seem to be a danger. But If a
magazine which sells for bit or York
shilling attains a circulation of 100000 or
more it will command advertising patron
age which will enrich the publisher, even
though he supplies subscribers below cost.
Bow the experiment of 12Ra cent
magazine is turning out the public are not
informed. There is story current that
the Christmas issue of the Cosmopolitan
is to be 100000 copies. A circulation so
large would, of course, enable the pub
Usher to raise the price of the advertising
pages and to increase their mum ber till he
could purchase the best matter in the
market. And though magazine is a
luxury and not necessity, and its price is
therefore q matter of secondary moment
to the buyer. yet still, all other things
being equal, sales must increase as cost
diminishes. 1t needs no argument TO
prove that there will be more buyers for
12b-cent commodity than for 25-cent
commodity. il they are equal in quality,
and under the working of the law of COM
petition the cost of all such products must
fall to the lowest level compatible with
excellence and viabiiity.
Within the last ten or fifteen years the
daily newspaper has encroached upon the
domain of the magazine, while the mag
azne has not invaded the territory of the
daiIies. The newspapers now contain IL
Illustrations, fiction, travel, science and his
tory, which used TO be a monopoly with
the magazines. But the latter have never
undertaken to give the news of the day.
They have tried 10 retain their ancient
province by publishing better article of
letters and art than their daily rivals.
Where they have done so they have held
their OVID. They could not expect to do so
if they became mere picture books or col
lectoas of gossamer fiction from the
Minerva press. Though fiction is and
probably always will be the most popular
branch of letters. 1t is what the Germans
call deiicatessen. 1t will not sustain life
unless il is supplement ted with more SUBJ
stantlal food. The N gazine of the future.
whether it cost bit or two bits, will have
to serve up at the en1 Of the table piece
de resistance on which healthy appetite
can feed, as well as light salads and deli
cate confectionery for the consumption of
the young and the idle.