The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-25
GgF THERE BE NO VISION.


EgF THERE BE NO VISION.
An event of note in the publishing
world and in the realm of public af-
fairs as well is the initial number of
the American Magazine, formerly Les
lies Monthly, which made its appear
ance the past week. The new publica-
ton has for it's staff most of the writer's
formerly with McClure's, including
Finley Peter Dunno of Mr.. Dooley
fame, Miss Tarbell. Lincoln Steffens,
Ray Stannard Baker and William AL
len White The enterprise is under the
direction of John :. Phillips, who was
for long time associated with Mr.. Me
Clure. and is recognized as a potent
force i'm the publishing world.
1t may be significant of the trend of
public sentiment or it may not, but the
conspicuous thing about the American
is it tone of optimism. This first issue
under the new regime is wholly cheer
full, wholly sane and altogether delight
full, both in its temper and i'm the quail
llN VI TIC lllCl dlNAlO II NOilNclAiio WI .
Dooleys philosophical meditations on
THE Power of the Press is one OF the
best things he has written. Newspa-
permen will recognize it's truth and it's
gentle sarcasm: some of them might
profit by it's admonitions, all of them
will see in it the voice of the man who
knows whereof he speaks.
William Allen White appears in a
new vein as a preacher-not one of the
birthstone patterns. but a man who
takes a broad. cheerful view of life and
sees in life the motive power of divin-
ity directing the affairs of men, some
times moving so slowly as TO be almost
imperceptible. yet always pressing to-
are good stories. a clever article on
some common medical decisions, and
there is not a dull line in the issue.
What the new group of editors hope
10 achieve is set forth in an editorial
foreword which is worth reproducing
entire because it embodies aspirations
which have come to all sincere writer's,
and which. too, few ever realize:
After all we live by Visions" says
the announcement. Though we have
hardly attempted to express it, we have
a vision of a magazine; it may never
be realized, or it may be realized in
part. But we conceive that in il no
great thing Of human interest would go
unrecorded; that in 1t would be some
thing Of the best of all; literature, that
in story and poetry refreshed the emo
tons and the love of life; art that
stirred anew the faculty of seeing beau
ty and truth in the world about; coun-
sci and judgment and light upon men
and public events that concern Us all;
new knowledge of mans achievements
i'm the wide ranges Of his devices and
discoveries; and all set forth with such
zest. such knowledge, such art of ex-
line and no Indifferent picture-that
some glow of truth or humor or senti-
ment would play on every page, and
that you would rise from reading with
the mind enlivened and the heart re-
freshed and a confirmed belief that it
was worth while living in this world,
and worth while living to make it bet
ter
so to the adventure! If there be
no vision the people PERISH"
1t Is one of the weaknesses Of the
profession that too many grow dis
ged when they realize the difficulty
of following the ideal in the face of the
practical difficulties that beset the writ
ten word. To be sanguine of the good
ness of men, TO believe and persist in
believing that the world has more Of
good than evil in il, TO hope and work
and retain the optimist's view is very
hard when one comes into contact with
so much that is sordid and mean in
private and public life; yet in this OPP
timistic view lies the salvation of the
people as well as of the writer. and it
is good to know that this staff Of the
ablest journalists in America, grouped
i'm one effective combination, starts out
together with eyes uplifted. They rep
resent a tremendous influence and with
their ideals and methods should WELD
It altogether for the best in every di-
rection.