The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13
LITERATURE AS AN ADVERTISING
MEDIUM

There is no limit to the uses and bene-
fits of literature. The man who writes
has the serene, private satisfaction of
Saying his say" if he writes fairly well
he receives a measure OF approval from
his w-citizens-always a gratifying re-
ward; sometimes he has the agreeable SEN
sation Of seeing reforms or other desirable
ends wrought a direct result of his
words; now and then-in rare instances
the pecuniary returns from his work are
sufficient to enable him to start a bank
account. But the consequences of casting
his literary pebble into the sea of the pub
lie mind do not end with the personal gains
and qualifications specified. The circles
made by that pebble go on beyond his cal
culations and create effects of which he
had not dreamed. There. for instance, is
Eugene Ware. When, as "Ironquill," he
wrote his verses and sent them out into the
world he returned to his law business and
to the preparation of briefs. Little did
he dream that because a certain young
man in New York CHANGED to read those
verses and like them he. Ware, would be
States pension commissioner, that young
man, become President. still holding him
in mind. 1t is quite possible that he does
not desire the office-it is not to be coveted
by one who loves a peaceful life; but this
does not affect the interesting fact that
ne would probably not have been thought
of in connection with it if he had not writ
ten his rhymes.
There, too, is William Allen White an
other Kansas man. Once, in moment of
evaporation with the Populists of his
State and their foolish legislation. he wrote
vigorous article telling what he thought
of them. 1t caught the attention of the
public and the applause was SO loud that
it even reached the ears of magazine ed
itors and he was invited to write for the
sacred pages of those publications. though
without his sudden notoriety he might have
spent all his substance in postage stamps
to and from in the vain effort to break in.
! advertised him, and he reaped an unex-
pected reward. But the returns are not
always to the writer himself. In the same
issue of the Journal which chronicles Mr..
Wares appointment is the testimony of
a citizen of the early capital of this State
| that the late Maurice Thompson's novel,
! 'Alice of Old Vincennes," has created a
new and noticeable interest in the town,
has brought many visitors there and has
! had undoubtedly much to do with its pres
| ent era of growth and prosperity.
There. too. is the reception to be given to
Indiana authors by Chicago club. In
/ diana authors are a modest lot and may
/ not care for glory for its own sake, and
may not look forward with unalloyed joy
to being greeted by a chorus of 400 voices,
but they will willingly sacrifice themselves
on the Chicago altar because of the honor
reflected upon their State. II they had not
written books, if the books had not been
dramatized and played in Chicago, they
would never have been heard of there, and
the credit Indiana will now get for pro-
ducing such intellects would have been
missed.
Write book, young man; write a book.
You may or may not get fortune out of it,
but you may eventually get an office; or if
you don't get that and have the luck to
belong to Indiana you may be serenaded
by a club and get your name in the papers
free of charge. There is nothing like a
book for all round advertising purposes.