New-York tribune., 1900-12-02
4 CoUNTERCHECK QUARRELsoME.
HORRIBLE EXAMPLE TO YOUNG AUTHORS
WHO WANT TO MAKE GOOD impress
sIoNS ON EDITORS.

The editors of every publication of any standing
have the never ending task of examining countless
| manuscripts which sent to them for puoica-
tion At least nine-tenths Of these are wholly un-
| suited for one another, for the pun
! lication to which they are sent At least three
| quarters utterly unfit for any publication
When stamps inclosed for the purpose 1t is re-
| garded point of courtesy and fair business
| dealing to return manuscripts which cannot be
| used TO the writers.
If the editor always wrote special note to thu
author of a rejected manuscript it would take a
large amount of his time and it would result In no
good TO himself, to the author or to anybody eise'
unless, indeed, he point ont why the work
was unavailable, that the author might profit
| by his advice. Editors have beer known TO DO
that in the cases Of manuscripts Which they nked
almost, but not quite, we'll enough TO print But
an editor is not schoolmaster. his time is OF value
and his business is making a publication, not IN
structing would be authors.
So it has become the custom in all large publica-
ton offices TO return manuscripts accompanied by
printed slips. They might well be printed. for
If they were written they would all be alike, and
the printing trouble. In composing the print
ed slips it is the eim to the feelings of the
author much possible. Therefore IL is the
custom TO use some polite phrase indicating that
although the manuscript is not of use to the editor
TO whom it has been sent, it may be good manu-
script for all that, and the editor does not wish to
be understood saying that it isn't. The slip used
in this manner by The Tribune reads as follows:
THE TRIBUNE. go.
This is returned with thanks for the courtesy of
the offer. and regrets that with the the pressure on
exactly available for the uses OF The Tribune
spectfuily THE EDITOR.
This would be regarded by any editor as the
''retort courteous" and it ought to be regarded so
by any author 1t would be regarded so by almost
any author. but and then there is one who
believes because his return mail brings him more
printed replies than checks that the editors in
a conspiracy against him, and that there ought to
be law to compel them to buy his goods. whether
they want them not The other day one OF these
slips came back to The Tribune, accompanied by
another printed slip. which read follows:
Editor Of New-York Tribune.
.. The Author greatly regrets that he is compelled
to return to the ineosed Slip His refusal does not not
polite (but insincere) missive. on the contrary, his
action is largely influenced by the receipt of numer
Gus similar slips; and as he is not making a coliec-
ton OF these, those in his possession are quite suf-
While the slip is no service to this author. he
would suggest to the Editor that it might be avail
In conclusion the Author desires to present his
the privilege CD of examining this slip
Now. isn't that a funny burst Of childish temper
cyrstallized into print? If this person sends
another manuscript 10 The Tribune it will be
treated just if he had this slip all
the editors of The Tribune have a good sense of
humor and not of them would ever think of
treating this bit of frespitting as other than
amusing, with a touch of the pathetic because of
the helpless little temper which II shows But edi-
tors are only human. and If the sends this to
some of them he is liable to get himself disliked
And why should who wishes to make money
by selling goods go far out of his way to make
his customers dislike him?
The slip is likely TO create a prejudice against
the sender Of it, quite aside from this considera-
ton He says in it that he has received "numer-
Gus similar slps"-that is, similar to the one sent
by the editor 1t is reasonable to suppose that he
would not have his own slips printed unless he ex-
pected TO have occasion to use a good many of
them. In other words, he has received many printed
replies and expects to receive many of them.
To simplify the thing, many of his manuscripts
have been rejected and he expects that many
more OF them will be. He has made many unsuc-
cessful attempts at authorship and expects
make many more unsuccessful ones. 1t is true
that many good authors have experienced and
overcome these conditions. but these wise dis
closures to make TO edi,yr to whom he hopes 10
sell his work? Moreover, his sending the Slip at
all shows that he is not successful author, for
successful author has respect for the dignity
| of his work; he is glad 10 sell manuscript when
he can, and when he cannot he accepts the failure
| calmly and does not give way to pettishness if
| every window in the street does not fly open the
minute that he begins 10 hawk his wares
The writer of this slip calls The Tribune's slip
insincere. If it seems to be So 1t must be because
| it may be read so to imply, though it certainly
does not say, that the manuscript is rejected be-
cause of lack of space. Now. vast numbers of
| manuscripts rejected by The Tribune for lust
hat reason, and other. There are others of
course in returning which the truthful reply might
be sent, This is worthless and do not want it,
| But why should the authors of such MANUSCRIPTS
| demand this answer? Why can they not be con-
tent with the same which is sent 10 their bet
ters?. 1t has been forgotten now what the work in
| this case was The author is himself the only
| Judge Of it, and he says that The Trbune's slip is
/ insincere
! And does he come into court with clean hands2
Is his own slip sincere: It says that he .greatIv
regrets that he is compelled return the nclosed
! Slip What does he mean? He is not compelled
! to return the slip, and he knows that he is not
| Then is this word compelled" sincere? And what
about his regrets? If he regrets il. why does he
do it, Nobody wants him to do it: no other author
ever did it. Are these regrets sincere? Are the
| thanks which he expresses sincere? The tone of
/ the whole note does sound So And at last does
/ he not confess his nsincerity by putting an
! Interrogation mark after privilege?
On children, what lesson this should be IN vou,
/ II you want to be good authors or good ANYTHING
! else let not your aErry passions rise Read DIR
WAITS songs for the young and when YOU are
| angry with an editor because he does not ask Won
| 10 conduct his business for him, count a hundred
| before you send him printed slip
HRS. VAN LEW SAFE IN PRISON.