Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-02-25

DEAN HowELts' BrRTHrLAoE.
orous and its tone is elevatIng. The
originator OF the American storYpaper
proved conclusiVely BY his success that
the masses would read and could APP
preciate coed work. 10 employed men
like Dickens, Beechor, Longfellow,
Tennyson, Bancroft. Everett, Parton
and other men OF acknowledged a6ili-
". paying them prices greater than
they received from other publishers
aud. as a consequence when our,
population was not half what II is az
present, his periodical reached a circu-
iation that was phenomenal, aud ne
wen a fortune. The imitators OF this
publication worked on far lower Lowell,
aud nearly alt OF them have become i'm
mensely wealthy
Mr. Howels thought the conditions
to-day were different Writers OF os-
tablshed reputation could not lend
themselves 10 this work, that is they
could not violate the canons Of art, as
they understood them, nor cater TO this
depfaved taste, no matter what the
inducement IN the way OF componsa-
ton. The readers OF these publications
regard story as record OF
facts, the characters are 70
them real and oil the incidents actual
All things are possible 20 the credulous.
They would. therefore, regard as tame
tho best work Of our best writer's, and
would turn for excitement 20 the sensa-
tional stories OF their iavorite authors.
IL is startling 10 think that millions OK
our people regard as famous, men aud
women who are never heard OF outside
this constituency, and whose characters
are being formed along such entirely
different lines from those Of people OF
Acknowledged culture.
Surprising, / said, that ono OF these
papers. the lowest, and that would
mean the most prosperous OF them. was
to ask men OF recognized standing IN
the literary world TO write FOR them,
would they do IL?
Mr.. Howells could only speak for
himself, without hesitation be said that
II such a publication paid the same
rates as the higher magazines, he
should not hesitate, and be thought
that men like Mark Twain, Mr.. Gable
and Others would do the same lie did
not think, however. that such pub
Usher would be likely to make any such
proposition.
This Kind OF publication was not pc
cullaT to America; II was 20 be fouod
fiourshlng TO England and on the con-
tlnent, particularly 10 Germany aud
France. In the United States, because
Of the greater taste for reading and tDe
higher wages OF the masses, these story
papers had found more prO6table fields
than abroad.
Mr.. Howells thought 10 important 70
decide which was cause aud which effect
in considering this most important sub
iect. Have the publishers Of ibis sub
cellar fiction produced the taste 70
which they cater. Ike the brewer and
dlstiller, or do they supply tho matter
10 fll an existing demand? In reply
70 this 10 must DO conceded that the de-
sire 20 hear stories reclted, or TO read
them. is 30 continuous aud wide
spread. az % seem Instructive, n
not Innate. But there are stories
and stories. This craving can be graft
6ed and cultivated so a. % elevate or
degrade the character. 10 early life
the taste Is pure, aud 10 could be kept
so without doubt 10 parents exercised
hall the care over their children's read
ing that they do IN regard 20 thsir food
and clothing. No man would willingly
let his children eat sd1lterated or
poisonous food: yci without thought,
he permits their minds % become poi
soned. their intellectual tastes de-
urayed. and their characters ruined By
the false or psrnicl0us models pre-
sented By the heroes and horoiDes Of
these sub-ceilar authors.
Taxing this view % the case ~ can
not draw PARALLEL between The brewer
and dlsilllsr and this class Of pub
fishers. There IL no natnral craving
for alcoholic stlmulants that a. All
corresponds with the desire for story
which manliests Itself with the hrss
llsplngs Of the child. Is u then un.
Just 20 change the prostitution Oi this.
10 Itself most benshciai desire, 90 1he
readers? Most decidedly, not Stlmu-
lated by the hope Of gain. these story
papers, each q rival % All others. per-
verted Z whOlesOms and natural taste
I'LL Il has become entirely DEPRIVED.
Children and people not trained %
methods ~ analysis and who have 20
concs Dtlon OF art, IS applied n iciion'
all Ike stories full OF action and move
ment. To them descriptions are tedioas
and character analysis a. incom pre-
henslbIe bore. But there Il no reafon
WHY this desire canaot be grauted ~
stories that will suit their taste, and oe
AZ the same tine utterly wholesome ~
Is this quality that gives perpeinai
charm and freshness 20 Robinson
Crusoe. Bat DO rot Jet a boy read t.oo'
Inson csuse liil altar BIZ taste has oesa
vltlated By sub-csiiar Gcti0D. aoo 20
would regard the great classic e. stslo
and fas, n not entirely unprohlses
Rat tho boy az Eirl WhO Tsisnss
Grimm's Fairy Stories, Hans ChFis'iAa