The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-09
THE LITERARY oUTLooK.
Ray stannard Baker-The Problems
of Avoiding PLAGIARISM.

Mr. Ray Stanuard Baker is better
known because Of the magazine articles
he has written than he is ON account
OF the books which bear his name on the
title page. but it is a comparative rep
utation which he is trying to reverse /
lie is now putting the finishing touches !
on his first novel story Of the great
Southwest. which he hopes viii make
him So famous as writer of fiction /
that no one viii remember him as a
writer of plain fact. Among the maya
zine editors Mr. Baker is known as the
best special writer possible to secure
ON popular scientific subjects from
which IL may be inferred that he is not
scientist yet it was a piece of fiction.
short story, that started him on his
literary career. MT Baker had been
doing reuWt0rial and editorial work for
one OF the Chicago papers for three or
four years when he ventured to send an
eastern publisher story which he haze
written around some of his fathers ex-
periences in the secret service during
the civil war. The story was at once
accepted, and more of the same kind
were asked for 1T was not long before
the New York publisher decided that he
wanted lust such a man as Mr.. Baker
to DO special work for him. Mr. Bakers j
stories proved that he saw things clear
ly and had a way of describing them
NiVldly His success in New York waA
immediate. He wrote a series of stories
Of Aremens which were so true to life
that his greatest praise has come from
the iiremen themselves He wrote many
special articles on new inventions. prom
1nent men, the prosperity Of the west
lie was sent to Europe for further ar
tlcleS and then a two years trip around
the world was given up by him only be-
cause he wanted to write his present
novel -Four books have already come
from Mr.. Bakers pen-two Boys Book
of Inventions, - "Our New ProsDeritv'
and Seen in Germany.
Mary. G. Francis recently brought out
p novel "A Son Of Destiny" in which
andrew Jackson is the central figure
me critics very unkindly charged Miss
FRANCIS with having modelled and copied
her work from Gertrude Atber+o1,,s
Inc ConQueror." Miss Francis is o1lite
ready with proof that she is Innocent Of
plagiarism. She says:
THE idea of writing a historical etr,-v-
with jackson as the central figure took
nnai form in my mind in the spring
ana summer of 1901. and in the early
autumn of that year I entered into cor
respondence with John NJ Bass. score
tary Of the Tennessee Historical socie
", and his first letter was dated Sen
TENDER 30 of that year. NV researc1e
previous to that time had been more or
less desultory, but the material now
accumulated rapidly. and I was en-
gagged in constant work on the story
until the following September when
my manuscript was ready for my pub
fisher Since The COnquerOr' was nl1h-
hshed in March, 1902. it is evident that
Mrs. Anterior was at work on the
hamilton story at the same time that
i was engaged with Jackson Tt is also
quite certain that knew nothing what
ever Of Mrs Atberton's plans. nor she
OF mine. our slight acquaintance being
limited to one or two social meetings
~ Havana Is the winter of 1900 when
literature was not mentioned Further
being engaged in my work in the Sc
clusion Of the country. and being utter
ly absorbed i'm it for months. I did not
find time to read The Conqueror' until
"a a NO CT ft.T1 ss..I--
ton when ] found it sufficiently in
teresting to keep me from my pen UNI
til had to work overtime to catch IN
But. as my manuscript was sent to nv
publisher within less than sixty davs
Rfterward. il should be obvious. even Ia
critic. that ] had not the time to iuli-
tate it, unless were a syndicate which
solemnly declare ! am not. My story
therefore. is exclusively my own. idea
form. style. and all else and ask of
the critics and Of the reading public an
impartial judgment, instead OF this en-
inently unfair accusation. which is
quite enough to ruin a reputation in
the making if one is not able to refute
time"
Miss Francis may take comfort in
the fact that she is not the only author
thus asseiled A few days ago some
charged Edna Kenton with having
hnerally appropriated from "A Princess
Or lhule, by VIM Black. in her story,
What Manner of Men" Miss Ke1ton
replied that she has never read "A Prin-
cess of Thule" and goes on to say.
woman who viii steal viii lie also
arc SO who ever is willing to believe me
piaglarist would smile incredulously
at any denial I might make"
Elliot Flower. whose recent success in
the book and magazine fields gives him
authority 10 speak says there is no way
Dt telling when and where an author
may sell a piece Of work
AS a matter of fact" he writes in
the current Critic. mo one can tell what
will be ACCEPTABLE to a certain editor,
ana any one Who assumes that he can,