The Saint Paul globe., 1902-07-12


| and literary circles in the event.
DR.. James K Hosmer who Is at the
head of the Minneapolis library, has
| just been greatly honored by election
as president of the American Library
| association at its recent annual con-
vention in Massachusetts. DR.. Hos
mer is not only one of the best known
librarians in the country but is also
! the writer of books of research. He
wrote the histories of the Louisiana
| Purchase and the Mississippi Valley,
| and is now at work upon the new edi-
| ton of a history of the expedition oi
Lewis and Clark. Under DR.. HoSmer
the Minneapolis library has reached a
high state of efficiency.
A we'll known literary paper scouts
the idea that unknown writer's are dis
criminated against in the leading mag
azines and contends that it is the best
periodicals that are always searching
for fresh note, and eagerly welcome
new talent. Indeed, the editor goes fur
ther, and claims that it is old and well
known writer's who have difficulty in
obtaining place and discrimination, if
discrimination there is, is in favor OF
the unknown. Go hence, ye editor, and
tell that merry tale to seamen! How
does he get around the we'll known fact
that the same poem, story or article,
refused when the writer is unknown
(solely for lack of space and not be-
cause it is not overf1owing with merit)
is eagerly accepted when the writer
| has made even a Slight vogue? Ex-
Well-knoWn novel was first written il
went to seventy-five publishers and
back again, and finally the author
| printed it himself and sold SO, 900 in
about two weeks. But did ne nave any
difficulty after that? Nay, nay. OF
course this certain novel was not lit
| erature, but it was the sort of imita-
ton that sold and the publishers
should have known it. Instances could
be piled up without number of new
writers knocking in vain at the doors
| OF magazines until after they had made
some kind Of a name
This editor in question goes on to
| say: "The editor who discovers and
| secures new writer of ability has pre-
! sented his employers with a gold, mine.
And it is only by getting and keeping
many of these gold mines that an ed
ltor can look toward the future undis-
mayed. The greater the magazine the
less is it out of the question for new
writer's of ability. 1t does not follow,
| OF course, that any writer can at once
make his place in the great magazines
During his apprenticeship he may find
| it worth while to print where he can
Thls sounds very well, but the actual
| experience of some of the worlds
greatest writer's proves just the con-
trary.
A literary magazine says that it is
| a curious and surprising thing that
| Americans can read and enjoy the
| most dreadful aspersions on them
| selves II written by native. Tales Of
political corruption which one would
imagine should bring the blush of
shame to the cheek of every patriotic
citizen, are eagerly read and calmly
discussed as If they related to another
! sphere. But let an Englishman or
| German or other foreigner come over
/ mere and record his impressions of our
| political life, and the fat is in the fire
| at once 1t is like mother with her
chlloren, While she may see their faults
| ana speak OF them, woe betide anv
| luckless outsider who does likewise,
| With the constant and tremendous
| output of fiction the matter of finding
! Title that has not been pre-empted
is becoming a serious one. 1t takes
much ingenuity these days to name a
| book so that it shall attract attention
i and yet be unlike thousand others.
Several instances have occurred re-
Gently where writer's were obliged at
the last moment to change the title of
their work and oftentimes for names
! less to the point. Miss Van Worst
thought her story, '"The Sacrifice
| of Fools" sounded too much
IKE Mrs. Delands, "The Wisdom of
Fools" so she made it philip Long
stretch" Mr.. William Henry Babcock
had a novel called "The Claibornes" all
| ready when Mr.. William Sage publish
ed THE Claybornes," which necessitat-
ed quick change. The question arises
whether literary folk keep themselves
| posted, or are they so busy writing
| books that they have no time to road
them? 1t is strange that writer's do
not resort more to the Old Testament
Tor titles, as it is full of the most sug-
gestlve sentences and expressive COM
/ binationS of words.
So many writer's now use typewriters
/ or dictate their work that one of the
| magazines remarks that to speak of
such and such book as from "the pen
or So-and-so, is rather misleading.
| Herbert Spencer declares in his last
| book, Facts and Comments" that he
| believes dictation largely resDonsible
Tor degeneracy in literary style. In his
| own case he says that George Eliot
told him that his book on Social Sta
tlstlcs" was written in far better style
than much he did later. This he at
tributes to the fact that his first book
was written by himself and his later
| works dictated. If this is true, it would
be well for the thoroughly modernized
writer to pause and consider whether
| 1t would not be we'll to take more time
and pay greater attention to niceties of
| speech with the pen in his own hand
than to sacrifice style and polish to
haste and modern but exceedingly
| comfortable methods.
The many typical villains of history
| and tradition that have found aDolo-
gists have recently been added to by
some one who writes of ",The Gospel of
Judas lscariot," specious plea for the
arbitrator of the world This is NOT
the first time that an attempt has been
made in this direction, as many wears
ago W. w. Story, artist and writer.
wrote IN blank verse an apology for
Judas called "A Roman Lawyer in Je-
rusalem." In this Judas was made to
appear more Sinned against than sin
ming, but the poem made no impression
and was soon forgotten. This book
Will probably fall fiat and the world
| VIII nave to travel much further away
| from CHRISTIAN standards than it has