Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-12-20
Literary Slush.

Recently compiled statistics show the
remarkable fact that during the three
autumn months just passed, no less
than two hundred volumes of fiction
were issued by the various book-pub-
fishing houses OF the Atlantic, Pacific,
and middle States cities. All these
we're substantially bound books, Who'll
ly distinguished from the paper COW
cred novel and magazine serial trash
which loads the tables and shelves of
every newsstand in the land. These
cheaper publications can be estimated,
of course, only by the ton.
During the same period of time,
barely ninety-one days. the publishers
above referred to received six thOus-
and manuscript novels, only about
five hundred of which were accepted
and paid for, and which are now
awaiting publication.
One curious feature of this affair is
the fact that both the successful and
unsuccessful writers represented about
every walk of life from the, extremely
impecunious to the vastly rich and in.
dependent classes of society. The
great majority of these writers might
be listed as unsettled clergymen, grad
yates fresh from college, including
both sexes, the younger class Of
widows and confirmed old maids.
Few if any of the writers gave evil
dence OF being ripe scholars or literary
adopts.
Now these statements afford Curl
Gus study for the moralist aud the
student Of social and political econ
omy. As one intelligent and far-see.
ing publisher exclaims, "No wonder
that our national standard of litera.
ture is so rapidly degenerating. A
morbid public taste is encouraging an
army of imbeciles and crowding to the
wall what few Of our vigorous writers
that are left and compelling them to
exc out a precarious existence in the
broad field for which naturally en-.
dowed talen: and laborious education
have so admirably fitted then."
Now it is q foregone conclusion that
our princely publishing houses would
much rather give the people good
books than bad ones, but like other
great institutions in the commercial
marts OF our land, they are money
makers and, Of course, are not dis
posed to manufacture and thrust upon
the market an article they cannot sell
for enough to pay the cost of produc.
ton. New York alone sends out into
the length and breadth of our land
one hundred tons OF literary slush
every day in the week, Sunday barely
excepted and that only on account of
lack of transportation facilities.
Our general government, as we'll as
almost every State and Territorial
Legislature, is doing a good work in
stamping out the widespread evil of
food adulteration, and the present un-
canny outlook would seem to demand
that it Is quite in order that statutory
steps should he taken to stamp out
the hundred-fold greater evil of men.
tai food adulteration.
The ancient Srartsns believed that
national integrity depended upon the
physical and Intellectual integrity OF
its rising citizenship, and enacted
rigid laws requiring every freebooter
to make his home Q miniature repre-
sentative OF the commonwealth, and
the history OF that little nation is to.
day an acknowledged beacon-light TO
the Republics, the Kingdoms and
Empires. that dominate the world in
this our boasted twentieth century.