Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-25
SHE STANDS BY HER GUNS
Author Of The Spellbiudern Insists it is
Based on Facts,
OCTAVE THANtT TELLS WHAT SHE MEANS
Only wants TO show Nebrnskans the
True Way to DO Business and
to Evoke Eastern SYM
pnthy for Them.


Recently The Bee editorally called atten-
tion to the misstatements made by Mise Alice
French Of Davenport, Ia, who, over the
pen name of Octave Thanet writes OF this
state in very uncomplimentary language in
a story called "The Spelblnder." The story
was published in McClure's Magazine, and
was widely and adversely commented on.
Mr. s. S. Mcclure, editor OF the magazine,
writes to the editor OF The Bee as follows:
NEW YORK, April 21.-To the Editor of
The Bee: story called "The Spellbnder,"
which appeared in the April number of our
magazine seems TO have aroused a good
deal of interest in Nebraska aud to have
been condemned by many as msrepresent-
ing the facts and conditions of life. OF
course, Miss French did not say In the
story, nor could she be Interpreted as say
ing, that the whole state of Nebraska was
In the condition described In the tale or
that these conditions were permanent even
in the smallest and most unproductive
certainly was not our intention to do any
harm to prosperous state or its intel
lgent, cnteiprislng and law-abiding citi-
zcnS
/ have had some correspondence with Miss
French about the matter since the edi-
just received fIom her the enclosed letter
l may say to YOU as l have said to sew
eral correspondents who have alluded to
could not bring 1t out earlier than July, as
our magazine is made up that far in ad-
vance. Perhaps you would like to publish
II In The Bee at once. We wish to make
all reparation possible for the damage
which the publication may have done to
'O"' ''''s' '''' 1' S. MCCLURE.
LETTER FROM MISS FRENCH
The letter TO which Mr. Mcclure refers fol-
lows:
DAVENPORT, Ia, April ls.-I have had
only from Npbrl ska which 20
tainly gave no hint of any bitter feeling;
since the writer recognized the spirit in
truth of the picture and the right of writers
to use such motives If they used them in a
fair-mnded way. There Is no doubt in the
minds of any of us who live near Nebraska
and have occasion to pass through GER
tain section of the state as to the truth of
certain most painful facts which 1 have
carefully avoided cXaggerating. The reason
that the story was laid in Nebraska was
that l did know about the facts in Ne
braska "a certain part of the western por-
ton of the statc) and | had only hearsay
evidence of other states. If you wish any
detailed proof of any incident in that story
l can furnish IT to you. | know millers in
western Nebraska who can tell sadder tales
than mine; l know agricultural dealers who
Will not sell implements in the arid lands
of Nebraska; ] know lawyers who will not
loan money there; | know of agents who
collect Interest or force lose mortgage. l
have a letter from Nebraska woman de-
scribing with fire | should not dare to use,
crimes and suicides and wrecked homes.
know we have had Nebraskans begging aid
of our people: and l know the aid was
on an abandoned Ctotally, not partially as
in the story) village in Nebraska. We in
braska schooners. drifting through out city
streets. The language which the Nebraska
braska farmers. There is not, in fine.
sentence of that story that L cannot give
you parallel fact to support, if you or
any one wishes 1t: But, 1 never for a
moment supposed that the story would be
considered to represent any more than
every easterner understood it to represent,
Just as you yourself understood it.
HER APOLOGY TO THE STATE.
The greater part of the state of Nebraska
It is not The people of Nebraska edu-
Gated Intelligent, indomitably courageous.
as the others. When the whole story of
these sorely tried farmers Is written with
their sufferings their heroic toll, their
genuity and invention in the face of
poverty and cruel nature, their patience,
marvellous hope, 1t VIII be page that Ne
braska will read with tears and pride. That
they should lose their heads sometimes
under the pressure of such misfortunes and
such betrayal as they have suffered is
part-not of Nebraska, but of human nature.
This, have tried to show in the story.
And letters from eastern readers show me
that they understood 1t you understand
1t. There is one thing which wished |
could have properly brought into the story;
namely, that three-fourths If not nine
tenths, of the losses in western lands in
VestmentS have been of money loaned to
companies with headquarters in large cities.
and not through local lawyers OF good
repute. Another thing / think it Is only
fair to add-it Is In the story-these dry
lands In time may become fertile as the
best lands in the country, But the money
to make them so will not come by Nebras-
kans denying there is anything the matter
with them. The christian science method
always has fallen down in political econ
omy. 1t seems to me that the east would
much better understand that a part of
Nebraska needs irrigation than suspect the
honesty OF the whole state. Money loaned
on the great proportion of Nebraska
curity Is safe money, so safe that II ought
to be loaned at a low rate but it is loaned
repute of part of the state To explain that
III repute and to confine it to its own
bounds is surely not ''slanderng" Nebraska.
ADVICE TO NEBRASKANS.
limitless possibilities. but she will never
realize her own chance until she takes her
stand on the truth and rejects boom and
boomers as the devils edged tools The
a manly and modest fashion, the sooner
they will have help from outside, as well
as from their own splendid pluck and
energy. l have, received number of east
ern letters on the subject which bear me
out in my opinion, since the writer's,
strangers to me, express themselves as hav
toward the state And am quite sure that
there is no NebraSkan who has a irmer
faith In the great future of the state and
the ultimate triumph of its staunch and
feeling toward them than l have. OF
course, you are at liberty to make any use
Of this letter that seems best to you; Very
sincerely yours, ALICE FRENCH.
Collector Arrested.
w. j. Morrison. collector for the Omaha