The age-herald., 1902-04-06
BOOKS
By Paul Dry

An interview in Q recent issue of an Atlanta paper gave an outline of the pro- I-osod Southern movement to fostor edu- catioBd and general literature. The de- termination to make the South the center of literary energy is assured by vast enterprise inaugurated by Southern men. and the perfection of plans is now being made.
 MT. William c. Chase is chairman of the general committee on organization, and he said recently: "There Is a gen. eral population in the South of twenty five millions and, nine millions of school children. Over ninety-five per cent of the school books used are written by persons who apparently are ignorant of or indif- ferent to the requirements of educational interests in the South. Less than one per cent of the books are manufactured or published in the South. About thirty millions are appropriated annually to maintain the schools. Estimating books at one dollar per pupil (and many expend nearly ten dollars per year for books) you can estimate the amount paid out for books.
 We propose to correct this evil by hay ing such books as our ablest teachers and educators can write, manufactured Tn the South and placed in competition on their merit as to contests, constructor and price, and such books VIII Win. After discussing at some length the needs in this line, the possibility of success and the already assured cooperation on the part of educators and authors as well as peopl. of means. Mir. Chase continued; i; "A convention of Southern men was heId recently in Charleston, s. C., where the movement was inaugurated and the ap- pointment authorized of a general com n1ittee on organization, consisting of sev- eral Of the foremost men of each South ern State. ,Slis committee will communi- cate with the citizens of their several States and will be called together in the near future to regularly organize vast corporat!on to manufacture and publish books" Atlanta was chosen as provis- ional headquarters, although the city In which the factories and corporation will be established will be decided upon by the general committee at the proposed meet ing The capital Is limited to five mill lions operations to begin when ten per cent Is paid in.
 Not only will text books be published but all kinds including subscription and trade books, of which millions of dollars worth are sold annually in the South scarcely one per cent of which are writ ten by Southerners or printed in the South. Southern writers, teachers and authors are capable of writing text books equal to the best, and far superior to the generality of books generally in use, and Southern men want the literary talent of the South developed It Is proposed to have the South known and properly represented and no longer looked upon as an indifferent, nondescript geographi- cal space.
 It Is stated that one of the leading sta tisticians of the South has asserted that we have today one hundred capable writ CTS in the South to one half century ago. And that, although the South has produced over 10000 writers, orators and statesmen, divines, artists musicians, lawyers, inventors, financiers and other men and women of conspicuous talent and ability very few are included in any list of eminent Americans. This persistence fin ignoring the South together with the literary lethargy existing in the South, prompts the present movement towards the founding ol a large Southern publish ing house. There is no doubt that we have in the South the necessary brains,
 
 the requirements and demands of this undertaking, and concerted action is all that Is necessary for its fulfllment. The general committee desires the interest and cooperation of every city and community in the fifteen Southern States, and it be- hooves Birmingham to take an immediate and active interest in the great under taking.
 FP. Dunne, lle creator of MT. Dooley, has sailed for Europe where, during the next few months the former will find rec reation and the latter new food for phnosophy." MT. Dunnes publishers in timate that another volume of MT. Doo- ley's opinions will result from his pres ent trip abroad.
 'The hound of the Baskervilles," by A. Conan Doyle, announces the first appear ance of Sherlock Homes' In a complete