Arizona republican., 1906-04-29

MT. Edward J. Wheeler. editor of Current Literature. and late editor of The Literary Digest, in a letter to the author, says:
 Some of the principal advantages of fered by literature as a profession to one who is passiOnately fond of liter ature (and to any one else. the advan- tages il offers are not worth consid- ering) are as follows:
 "G) A chance to live by the work one loves to do. 4 man must get happi- ness out of his work if he expects to get much out of it in this life.
 "(2) \ chance tO express ones self. his thoughts, his feelings, his whole personality. This expression of our personality is what we are all striving after in the homes we build, the busi- ness institutions we develop the pro fessionaI record we make. To the extent that they express our personal ity we rejoice in them. The oppOrtUni- ties for this expression are greater Ii the literary profession than in any other.
 "C3) Constant association with the best minds in the world. One canno- pursue the literary profession success fully without familiarity with the best that is said and done in the particular field he is cultivating. It goes with out saying that such contact is ennO- bling and stimulating.
 All these advantages are what might be called subjective. Some of the objective advantages are as follows: "G) The scope and inherent impor- tance of the profession are almost boundless. Printers ink has become the mode of communication in most civ ilized countries. Literature, in its broad sense. has become a necessity of the race not a luxury. The literary profession has a stability which is at least equal to that of any other pro- fession.
 "(2) It represents also a wide variety of sDeciaIties from which to choose. Religion, science,t politics. sociology. the fine arts, any or more of these you may make a specially of, as suits your bent.
 "t3) Then the tangible rewards for literary success never were so great as now. Writers of fiction not infre quently ea Tn tens of thousands of dol lars on 9 novel Five cents a word is not an unusual rate for the pay ment of stories. sketches, and essays, The editor of a certain yellow jour nal" made a contract a few weeks ago whereby he receives a salary of hun dred thousand dollars a year. Even in q peCunlary way, therefore, the pTiZeS of the literary profession are by no means meager.
 'The advantages Of the literary pro fession may be divided for convenience | into subjective and objective. Literary pursuits are apt to develop | a certain fondness for life. This is l by no means an inevitable consequence 1 but is one often to be observed. The social faculties are not encouraged by such pursuits as they are encouraged l in most other professions. Literary men and women are apt to appear very | far from their best in personal inter ] course. The social importance of the | successful literary man or woman is not equal to that of the successful law | yer, preacher or doctor. The work of | the reformer does not dovetail so close 1 " into the social life of the community. | This is less true today than a genera ! ton ago. but it is still true in large measure.
 1 AS a mOney-making profession literary pursuits. despite the increase l in number and value of prizes won by the most successful. are still more luncertain and hazardous than tho other leading professions Public fla vor is a highty thing. and upon it the writer is constantly dependent. The care with which the profession is en- tered too. is inviting to many who fau ] to dignify it either by their worth or
 character. There are no barriers to