New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-02
ENGLISH LITERARY NOTES.
THE AUTHORS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
JOIrRNALIsM-POLITIC CARTOONS.

| cause there was general expectation VI eo"'s'
| thing like a bear garden. The quarte's Oh au'
| thors are OF unfailing interest to themselves
not to the public. and the prospect OF hVe'y de-
bate over the Christmas address 70 the literary
brethren in America, and also Of fierce invectvs
| against the so-called oligarchy whicn EXERCISES
despotio control over the socie,ys supplies OF sta
t,onerv. sufaced to fill the house But happily
| there was an armistce in place of hostilities.
| erd those who had been attracted by the rurnors
| ., dreadful war in tie literary camp were dis
appointed
| One Of the malcontents gives expression 10 hls
| chagrin and unnappiness In to-days Stahuaiu'
| He describes the meeting as most uhsa''siac-
tory" because the mover OF the resolution co''-
! demning the peace message opllgnsiy co"se"'eo
| 70 withdraw 1t at the request OF the c"a'f'an
| and because "a natural disposition on the part OK
| less plant members t. speak their minus "ss
| adroitly stopped by an inquiry as 70 "hether any
resolution was before the meeting. lie asserts
| the members who vehementy dissent from inc
| address and no less strongly condemn the man
| ner in which 1.-The Council have juggled with ana
| nrdoo vored 10 shrk their responsibility" have
| m resource except to write letters 10 the news
naners Certainly they have shown phenomenal
| energy in making Of their one resource Inc
nrospect OF the reopening Of this silly controversy
T., tho newspa pers would be disquieing II 1t were
not q nnarent that a majority OF the members are
| or,,,nced that there has been much ado about
ro,hino The peace message was honorable 10
| nil who were concerned in preparing and signing
i, and IL was In accord with the addresses OF all
political leaders and with the pacinc tehde"cies
OF public opinion. The contemplate cohtro|eises
over stationery and phrasing 10 which II mas
g,vep rise ha We been discreditabe TO Enghsn au'
thorship.
T, must be admitted, however that there has
been unnecessary mystery in connection Win the
affair and that for inscrutabe reasons the MAMA
gers NJ the society still seem unwilling 10 dispel 1t.
Mr. Rider Haggard the new chairman al yes'er'
DAYS meeting is reported to have protested entire
ignorance Of the name Of the person VINO had
drawn ND the address; and Sir Martin Conway
the retiring chairman. in reply 70 an assertion oy
AR Morley Roberts that Mr.. Hall Game was the
author remarked that he had not stated who the
writer was and that he had taken oil the RESPONSE
hir,v on himself SO that while the matter mas
been dropped largely through the tact ana good
sense OF Mr. Rider Haggard, the mystery mas Deeh
maintained TO the end. Why this should nave
been done am at a ,oss to understand
The facts are simple enough. Sir Walter
Besant suggested the idea Of the authors su'
dress to Sir Martin Conway. who asked MN U
prepare the address. When this was DONE Sir
Martin Conway requested Mr.. Hall Game 10 re-
wise II. which he consented 10 do after cohier'ihs
with Sir Walter Besant. The revised aouresS
was sent ont with the approval and at the ex-
pense Ct Sir Martin Conway. and was signed ny
coo authorJ While persistent efforts have been
made to cast aspersions upon the motives CT TIE
orginators of the address and 10 represent tas
method of circulating 1t something OK me
"hole-and-corner" order. there has been lack
Of frankness In the explanations given OK what
was an entirely honorable and commenosoIe
proceeding Inadvertence there was uhquesuo".
ably In the made Of the official stationery o'
the society. but otherwise there was nothing 20
which exception could he taken. Yet the "hoie
transaction has been enveloped with mystery, az
though IL were a conspiracy against the honor
and patriotism Of English authors
Indeed this controversy. which has been IN
progress for two months. over the authors cd
dress IA a striking proof Of the ncapacity or tho
literary class to take practical view Of what 10
going on In a prosaic world. When there was q
menace Of war between England and the United
States other associated bodies exchanged
friendly greetings across the sea without DIM
Guilty or misunderstanding. The stock exchanges
had their little jokes, the commercial associa-
tions received and returned cordial messages,
tho rauo,ous bodies interviewed in the interest OF
peace and there an interchange or friendly
feeling between the two countries winch rendered.
the outbreak OF war impossible. The Enghsn
authors alone have seemed unable TO take Ju-
dicious action in the direction CT International
comfy No sooner their address signed De-
fore there was a revolt against II because 1t was
TOO afYectonate or not sufficiently patrotc, or
lacking in sef-respect or. in any event, because
II had been sent out to the sgners on the Official
letter-paper OF the Authors Society. After this
exhibition OF lack Of practical intelligence in adj
dressing their American associates IN crisis OK
the relations Of the two countries, II IS not ol-
fcult 10 understand that literary men are IN
CAPABLE OF managing their business AFFAIRS, anu
reouire the services Of agents like Mr. Watt or
the official functions of the Incorporated Society
OF Authors
Mr. Rider Haggard in his excellent address at
yesterdays meeting remarked that one OF the
great objects OF the Society was the establish
ment OF an esprit de corps. better FEELING, a
sense Of fellowship among authors. In the past,
he added. those advantages had been "a little
wanting amongst them: hut he had never been
able TO understand why authors should not be
connected by some such ties those that bound
together the members of the bar and he hoped
70 live long enough 10 see bonds OF that sort es-
tablished That was well said; and. although
Mr.. Haggard was not referring at the moment 10
the controversies over the peace address and the
management of the Society. II was the moral
which might proftably have been pointed The
objections raised against the phrasing OF the ad-
dress and the procedure Of those who prepared.
revised and circulated II have been trivial and
artificial II there had been the proper esprit de
corps. the address would have gone 10 America
without a censorous word That feeling was
lacking. There were jealouses. envyng. back
biting and strife and the little men Of letters
could not refrain from intriguing against and at
lacking those who had become eminent In the
profession.