The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-10

able, there would be fewer book writer's,
think
GOOD WORD FOR THE CHRISTIAN
1 asked Mr. Crawford if he had seen any
thing in tire dramatic world recently which
interested him.
1--WE do not see much in Italy hut since
1 came over I have seen Miss Allen in The
Christian Irving i'm Robespierre' and Mr.
ZangwilIs play. l do not know what YER
sion of The Christian was produced in
London. / confess that | went TO see the
play here without much prejudice in its IA
vor. l found it, however, TO be a play with
a human interest which not only accounts
for its success here. but will keep it alYe
for many years. Zangwill's play l found
interesting. 1t is differently constructed
from any other play. l am not competent
to pass on the problem it proposes, but
found it interesting because it contained so
much that was instructive about Jewish
customs"
Concerning the reduction in price of the
magazines, which has been going on for
so many years, Mr.. Crawford said that ii
was simply a question of the commerce
of country supporting a free literature
for the people
1T is a fact, is it not?" he said that
the 10 cents you pay for a magazine do
not pay for the cost of the paper and
printing? Then the magazine is practical
ly given away-that is. you get the litera-
ture that it contains for nothing. May
it not be that i'm time the advertising will
make it possible actually to give maya
zine away and that there will be no charge
for it? Publishers are seeking TO increase
circulation a basis for an increase in
the rates for advertising. The man who
will give his magazine away will gain the
greatest circulation.
but will not that cheaper the character
Of the publication
ION the contrary. he will have TO keep
up the quality of the publication if he is
to make people read it,"
us it not possible. however. that the fact
that magazine is given away will injure
1t in the eyes of readers so that they will
put it aside without reading it?
THAT might be the difficulty in the way
of an absolutely free literature supported
by commerce. Such literature is not by
any means impossible though
do you find that the cheapening of
magazines has hurt the contributors"
81 believe il has not.
i asked Mr.. Crawford if he would COM
pare the magazines of England and the
United States. He said there was no doubt
that the magazines of America were better
illustrated. He said that the rates paid for
fiction by English publications were high
er than those paid in America
OF the newspapers of the two countries,
he said that there was this fundamental
difference between their positions in the
COMMUNICATED the American reads his
newspaper very largely for the sake of
amusement or interest, while the English
man reads his from a sense of duty and
to learn it's opinions on current questions
before he forms his own.
do you think a certain kind of news
paper literature in this country is created
to cater to a Initiated taste or that the
newspaper vitiates the public taste by what
il publishes l asked.
THAT is very wide question" said Mr..
Crawford. ut is certain that the news
papers are created TO meet a popular de-
mand and that they meet it. Whether they
make public opinion or merely follow it I
In matters concerning literature 1 find
them remarkably able. fair and interest
ing"
Incidentally, do you think the publica-
ton of criticisms which tell at length the
plot of book are helpful or hurtful to its
SALE
II don't know about that; but l do know
that we would rather not have the stories
which we write given TO newspaper readers
in that way"
OF SERIAL PUBLICATION.
Mr.. Crawford has also feeling. in COM
mon with other writer's, that the man who
reads a story in serial form Is not the
authors best friend. because he is not likely
TO buy the book. Some of his books have
been written particularly with a view to
serial production.
Some books are not we'll adapted to serial
uses" he said. MY last serial. Via Cru
cis,' was one Of these. 1t was intended to
be picture of the times of which it told.
and 1t was not written with series of dra-
matte climaxes coming at the end of each
installment, 'Corleone' was, for example.
/ asked Mr. Crawford If he saw any new
literary light on the horizon. He answered
that he did not keep so closely in touch
with current literature that. he would be
sure Of seeing one if it arose. He spoke
with great warmth of Kipling's short
stories. IF you had lived in India as
hay-. YOU would appreciate how wonderful
they are he said. OF Kipling's poetry he
i'd not sp"ak of his own accord, but in
answer to direct question he said that
II did not appeal to him as much as Kip
ling's prose writings did. Poetry was Mr..
Crawford's favorite form of literature when
he was younger. He sees nothing of ex-
da-.
had taken up nearly an hour and a half
Of Mr. Crawford's working day when left
! him. But if l trespassed on his time that.
L told him. was one of the penalties of be-
| ing entertaining.
While Mr.. Crawford has readers all over
the world. his greatest audience is in
America. The most popular of his books
has been "Saracinesca." OF that more than
100000 copies have been circulated in this
country. OF his first book. "Mr. Isaacs >"
more than 100000 have been sold and it is
still In demand. His latest production. Via
| Crucis," promises to exceed even "Saraci-
nesca" In popularity. 1t is selling better
than any of his books as yet. and at the
same time ii is meeting with very favor
able criticism. This is unusual as Mr..
Crawford has found that the most favor
ably noticed of his books sell less well
4 than those which aDneal less IN the or;,ioS