The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-12
PUBLISHERS TO GO SLOW.
Not TO Print So Many War Books
This Time

NEW YORK, Aug. u.--with the shift
ing OF the centre of the worlds interest
from South Africa to China. after II had
fingered for some time in Cuba and the
Philippines it might be expected that pub
fishers would be eager 70 put forth works
on the great unknown Celestial Empire.
Such, however. does not appear to be the
case. Books on China Will be published,
a goodly number OF them beyond a doubt,
because OF the ominous looming up of the
middle kingdom in the field of world poll
tics. Nevertheless, 1t appears to be a fact
that publishers are chary about undertake
ing to issue new works on China They
have learned lesson.
Il have on my desk now" said man
that holds high executive position in one
Of the largest publishing houses in the
city. propositions for a number of works
on China | shall not consider them One
for instance, is made by a very scholarly
man. who has spent his whole life in the
study of Chinese history and literature
He wants US to publish a book on the
life and teachings of Confucius. Now the
present crisis has created absolutely 10
demand for such a book. And the other
propositions are CT a similar sort. There
is no doubt that there is a tremendous
interest in China. A glance at the rews-
papers is sufficient to show that. But we
are obliged to look ahead. Nothing is
worthy to be put in a book that has not
some permanent value. and We are not
inclined to publish any book about China,
the publication of which would not have
been justified IL there had been no crisis at
all
For instance, look at the literature of
the South African war. The English
newspapers are complaining that 1t has
been oyerdone, that more has been written
about the Beers than anyone could want
to read and that people are tired OF read
ing about the subject. anyway With
few exceptions the books about our own
war disappointed expectations. The books
that succeeded owed their success chiefly
TO the personalities of their authors.
Rooseveit's books were certain of success,
for instance. because he wrote them. Rich
ard Harding Davis books sold well for
like reason. though it may be said that in
his case power of description counted for
considerable. But 1t is safe to say that
very many Of the books about the war with
Spain did not pay even a part of the *
pense OF publishing them. Especially was
this true of books about the war in the
Philippines. The demand for these books
stopped almost entirely and very sud ienly.
No, it was not because OF the new interest
in the South African war, because the
demand for books about the Philippines had
stopped some time before the Boer war
began.
THE subject had lost interest, that was
all. Perhaps in the case of the Philippines
there was another reason why the de-
mand ceased As long as there was any
doubt in the minds of the great majority
of the people as to the wisdom or neces-
sity Of keeping the Philippines. just so
long was there a demand for books about
them. But when the minds of the great
majority of the people were made up.
as they were after g while that whether
it was a good thing for US or not land
on this. point they were not agreed. the
Philippines must be kept as a matter OF
duty. then the demand for information
about them ceased The public seemed to
regard the question Of expansion as set
tied. and that ended their interest in the
Philippines
But you ask. is there not a demand
for information as to the resources of the
since they have got TO be ours?
Well that is question that interests
chiefly merchants and capitalists, ald they
do not get their information from books.
When they want to know facts they en-
quire of their correspondents or send men
to examine the ground.
LAS to China. there are already some
200 books about. book accepted now
could not be published till fall and who
knows what Will be the centre of interest
then"