The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-26

northern comments argue. it is a hui
initiating confession, but it is so far
from the truth that it is a very gross
libel on the south. Indeed, it seems that,
with such names as Joel Chandler HaF-
Tis, Thomas Nelson Page, Mary john
stOn, Ellen Glasgow, Grace King, Geo.
W. Gable and dozens of others in or
from the south high on the roll of honor
for achievement in the field Of letters,
the south is not so bad off in this re-
gard. As to other lines of achievement
it is to be doubted if the new and
growing south is prOportionately behind
any other section Of the country. There
is no more intellectual lethargy in the
south than in the west or north, and,
with the rapid advancement that is be-
ing made in commercial ways, it does
not seem fair on the part of these
southern gentlemen to speak i'll of their
own states. Let US have publishing
house in Atlanta and another in New
Orleans and in any other cities in that
section of the country, if there should
prove to be a demand for more pub
fishing enterprises, but do not cOntlne
their output 10 works by southern wri-
tiers. There should be no need Of that
X \
Whether publishers are perfectly fair
or not in their treatment of authors is
a question which viii probably be ar
gued SO long as there are publishing
houses and one of them returns
manuscript Naturally enough an au-
thor believes in himself and his work
and that is right, but the mere fact
that a publisher does not agree with
him as to the advisabihty of publishing
his matter proves nothing. OF course,
it would be physically impossible for
any publisher to print much more than
one per cent. of the manuscripts which
are submitted to him I know of sew
eral New York houses which receive
between five and ten thousand manu-
scripts every year and every one is
given some attention. It is a most dis
q
selves set for the publishers, but the
reward Of discovery is so great to the
publisher that he patiently goes
through hundreds in order that he may
seize on one. It requires a vast ma
chinery to care for all these things,
and a considerable expense, but every
enterprlsing publisher has found such
system absolutely necessary. With
such houses every new writer stands
an equal chance with any other IN
known writer It would be foolish to
say that new writer stood an equal
chance with the well known author,
The well known author has proved his
ability to write; the unknown writer
has much to do before he can claim a
like position.
X \ \
1t was as Sidney Luska" that Mr.
Henry HarIand first became known.
and SO we'll known did he become un-
der this pen name as a writer of short
stories of Jewish life that few who read
Puritan instead Of a Hebrew himself.
Edmund Clarence Stedman, the poet
is his godfather. Mr.. Harland is bring
ing out a new novel this spring under
the title of The Lady Paramount"
His first long story, The Cardinals
Snuff Box" published two years ago.
made a very fair success in the book
world.
X K
Mr.. Frederick Harrison has retired
to private life. At seventy-one a man
should be accorded this privilege with
out comment, save eulogy, but Mr.. Har-
rison has been such a useful lecturer
and writer, preaching the gospel of hui
manity, that the world should be re-
luctant to give him up.
x
Thomas Dixon, jr-. is a preacher
turned novelist Not so many years
ago Mr.. Dixon, as pastor of a large
New York city church, was attracting
great crowds to his sermons Lately
he has appeared in public only on the
lecture platform Ever since he was
boy Mr.. Dixon has wanted to write
His first book, THE Leopard's Spots. .
published this spring, is now in it's
twenty fifth thousand and selling rap
idly. AS an author Mr. Dixon bids fair
to WELD almost as large an influence as
he did as preacher. THE Leopard's
Spots as may be understood from the
title, is a study of the negro problem
and the race question from the southern
point Of view.