The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-10
THE AUTHORS cIU5.
SENS OF Its Members Favor an A,asrtssss
Academy.
rsneciaI Corrvsrondenee. !


rSpeciaI Correspondence
NEW YCRK. May 2I.-The Authors club
!. Of New York city Is probably the only ~
cial organization in the country where
the chief qualification fer aGmiss;o-. Is ths
writing of a book Al writers OF books
are not admitted 10 the club. SSt every
person who IS a member must have writ
ten book or furnished literary work
which would be regarded a. equivalent 10
the writing OK book. This distinction
has made some occasion for criticism. Is
pecially in view of the fact that recently 10
was announced thai a very successful writ
err Mr. y {. Gunter. had been compelled
either By himself or through his friends -
withdraw his nanae from the list Of pro-
posed membcrs
With the exception OF Frank stockton
perhaps, there l. no member ~ the Authors
club who has written any book conpara-
bic il popularity or general sale with SONS
Of Mr.. Guater's. Yet as the publishers
would not accept his manuscript when he
oticred the story Of Mr.. Barnes % New
York, 50 the Authors club has declined
70 receive him into mem Aership not on nc
count Of any personal objection to him.
but because it i claimed that h. writings
are not real literature,
4al ltisaN same ~tliNsArfl I1ere HrN several
men now writing who would IL rsgarylcl
As ineligible, because although the stories
they have written have obts ine,l Crat sale
yet by the estimate of the club the Htcra-
~ quality in Them Is noe sufficient 10 JUS,
tify recognition by literary men. PrJha-
by the most successful Of all rccent au-
thors, a young man who writes over n
nom dc plume. and whose books have
reached, cccordiuc To the publishers, a sails
OF very near I. 600 0u0 copies would - TO
icctcd II 10 werc proposed
y few years after the organization e
the Authors club there came 20 New York
number Of authors from other cities
Joe jefferson, who had written a charm
ing autobiography, was by virtue ~ that
book admitted 70 member ,hip. and VIII
liam ID. Howells, who had removed from
Boston u New York, taking an apartments
which overlooked Central park. was also
pleased - Join tho club Arthur : Har-
dy. because OF ms two novels and his po-
ems and not because he hid become a mag
axino editor in New York, beoafae mem.
Der. John kendrick Bangs. whom mary
regard rs the rising humoriSt of the day.
even though he was adcfcatod candidate for
mayor o. the city of fonkcrs> Joined tho
club, and John Burrows, William H. Nc
Elroy and Richard Henry Sxoddarl. tho
poet, were also named among the new
members These acccsSions, while they
did not lessen the charming informality
OF the club meetings, gave the associa-
ton greater influence and promiuencs
than had at first been thought likely
Therefore at tho annual melting Of tho
club, which was held recently. there was
some informal discussion among the mem
b-arS aE flrs Of n
lace, himself member, ar others re-
specting the creation by congress % IN as
ISOLATION resembling IN many respects thu
French Academy. General Wallace b.
heyCs that the time has come when IN the
United States there should he some formal
recognition Of the men Of great intellectu-
El achiCvencut-at Toast In literary, dra-
matte and scientific fields Of energy. Itis
his notion that II BY act Of congress an
American academy, called by whatever
name seems best could be created with
power 10 elect successors TO members who
have left vacancies by reason ~ death or
resignation, then there would be splendid
stimulus 70 intellectual effort
II this should be done, some Of the orig
inal members Of that association would
undoubtedly come from the merbcrshIp
of the Authors club. Mr.. HOwtlis would
probably ho chosen. General Wallace and
very Likely Edward Clarence Stsdman,
probably Richard Henry SJoddard There
fore IL seemed THAI it would he well 20 take
the opinion Of the club as a whole respect
ing the feasibility OF this prolect OF Gen
,ral Wallace. 10 may lie said that while
20 formal action has been take BY the club
on the matter, the opinions gathered ss
ihe annual meeting indicate that al tho
tropcr time this influential association viii
b. found giving n hearty support before
soogrtss 70 Gsrasl WAllace's plan
l.. J. EDwAHDa