The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-26

lar that is running literature. The
publishers will tell you that the
non-appearance Of good literature is
the fault of the reading world, just as
dramatic managers will inform you
that the reason so many poor plays are
put on is because the public demands
them. This is just mere sophistry.
When a man makes a success with a
novel, 1t may be after years of effort
with less worthy offerings. At last he
arrives and his publisher clamors for
something else from his pen to satisfy
the sudden demand created by his sue
cess. Either he writes some poor
trash at high pressure or else takes
down from the shelf something that
has gone the rounds of publishers
Many publisher will put out at such a
time a book that he refused and Sc
verely condemned when it was offered
him before. His greed for gain, his
desire to make money out of the favor
1te of the moment, is greater than his
love for art or his respect for good lit
erature. Thus 1t is that so many
writers, dramatists and artists seem to
deteriorate just after a great success
This is not the fault of the public, but
of those publishers who cannot resist
the temptation to make money even at
the sacrifice OF their better judgment.
The temptation to the successful au-
thor is even greater. 1t Is only the
truly great man who will refuse to
publish less than his best merely to
take advantage of the vogue of the
moment. Publishers will tell us that of
all business that of the making and
selling of books is the most uncertain
and hazardous. Every new book is
gamble; it may fail and 1t may sue
ceed, and only Providence knows how
1t will be received. 1t Is certain, how
ever, that hopeless as is the dramatic
situation, 1t is no worse in point of un-
worthy offerings than the literary mar
ket. Oceans of trashy books are born
every week, and not one In ten lives
three years. When one speaks to A
publisher OF this condition Of affairs
he will retort that hundreds Of manu-
scripts are refused weekly, and it is
only the best that is weeded out and
given a chance. This does not help the
matter much, and knowing what ap-
pears. the critic wonders what sort Of
stuff 1t is that is refused. The great
trouble is that nowadays everybody
writes. Those who have failed at
everything else under the sun do not
seem to consider literature beyond
them. Some day there will be a monu-
ment raised to a man who did not
write a book. Nothing is considered
necessary as equipment for these mod
ern writers but plenty of good white
paper and an acquiescent publisher.
So there does not seem to be much
hope for American literature just at
present.
Mr. Thomas w. Lawson, yachtsman,
millionaire and man of the world, be-
gins in the July Everybody's Maga-
zine "The Story Of Amalgamat-
ed Copper" He says in the fore
word, that in as simple and di-
rect fashion as he is capable of. he
will tell what he knows of the system,
the process or device for the incuba-
tion Of wealth from the peoples saw
ings in the banks, trusts and insur-
ance companies and the public funds.
Through it's workings during the last
twenty years there has grown up in
this country a set of colossal corpora
tions in which unmeasured success
and continued immunity from punish
ment have bred an insolent disregard
of law, of common morality and of
public and private right, together with
a grim determination to hold on to, at
all hazards. the great possessions they
have gulped or captured" This series
of articles, which have been widely ad-
vertised, are evidently considered a
card by the editors and undoubtedly
they will attract great attention. Mr..
Lawsons motive in telling this story,
is, he says, to let the public know of
his own share in what he calls a great
fraud, and to show his hatred of a
system into which he was, all unknow-
ingly. dragged.
Everybody's Magazine is very enter
prising. 1t begins in the July number
q new story by Hall Caine. entitled
"The Prodigal Son. which is said to
be much the best thing he has ever
done The first nine chapters of the
story are printed in the present in
stalIment and their perusaI will con-
vince the reader that this Judgment is
correct. The scenes of the story are
laid in Iceland. Following out Hall
Gaines usual method of naming his
books. this one should be called '"The
Iceman."
Duchess of Few ciothes-By Philip Payne.
Rand. McNally & Co. For sale by ST.
Paul Book and Stationery company.
Philip Payne viii add but little to his
prestige by this singular story. 1t
concerns the life of a very large and
supposedly fashionable hotel in Chi
cago. built by newly rich man whose
intense egotism and love of the money
that has made him, is unreal and far
fetched. Indeed, there is very little
about the book that rings true. 1t is
mainly the life and romance Of the
young woman who sells cigars in the
rotunda of the hotel and who longs for
"high life" and envies the proprietor's |
daughter. The masculine characters
are as unreal as the women and as
one reads one wonders whether there |
were ever such people as Mr. Payne |