The sun., 1910-05-28
SCOPE OF The MAGAZINES
MISS IDI TIRBELL DISCT SSES
THE TIMELY ARTICLE.

ture and Tells Why set % Aulea Zoe
writing = Successful Special Article.
II 10 the opinion of Misa Ida rarbsll.
who has successfully wrestlsd With many
magazine problems both AZ a contributor
and an editor. that the sO-called timely
article will for a long time 70 come bs
Que of the most popular offerings Of our
rent periodical literature.
1t has been taboo. know, she said.
with certain publications which pride
themselves on their conservative stand
ards on the ground that is has a tendency
20 develop ssnsationalism. or that az best
it makes for the uIbordination Of literary
quality 10 subject matter of more or less
transitory interest.
We hear also many horror stric ken
protests against undertaking. which is
characterized a. undignihed. generally
one sided. often fiagrantly unjust and fire.
quently a provOker Of hysteria. While
IL cannot be denied that all oG thsss things
can be charged against the magazine
special. a. Il has sometimes appeared.
there IL absolutely no reason Why a single
one of them should be tolerated by the
conscientious editor.
'NO one who keeps In touch with pub
lio sentiment can doubt for one moment
that there IL a growing demand for sin
cere and scholarly eEpositions Of the great
questions Of the day BY this l do not
mean the technical treatise which has
no place In a general magazine. I do
mean. however. something different from
the newspaper article. which must neces-
sarily magnify the episode Of the mo-
ment-
The most dificult problem In connec-
ton with the timely article from the point
Of view Of a magazine editor. Miss Tar
bell explained. was the selection of sub
ject Since the writing must be completed
in most cases two or three months before
publication. and since Il h not unusual
| for contracts 20 he arranged a year earlisF,
IL is necessary 10 have an unerring in
stinct regarding the length Of time that
any specified subject will continue 20 be
Of interest 10 the public.
A confusion Of the sensation of day
or q week with a movement or . question
that h permanently related 20 the welfare
Of the municipality or tho nation per-
manently At least 20 far a. our own Rsnera-
tion Il concerned IL Of course fatal. she
said
In reply 90 a question a. 70 what she
considered subjects Of general interest
that would surely bs alive three months
or six months or a year hence. Mis- Tar
bell unhesitatingly replied that monOpOllfs
in general and the tariff and trusts and
transportation and municipal franchises
In particular would undoubtedly supply
enough material for twice the number Of
magazines that are now in the field
The American people like to believe
that they srs running the machine, ahs
said and they are beginning n believe
IN az the concentration of wealth IN tho
hands of few persons. certain manipu-
lations of patents. perpetual franchisss
and the control of important hanks by
small groups % hnanciers are Wrestling
Il sway from them. They are eager for
detailed Information on the subject and
they look 10 the better class of magazines
10 supply a.
eff thav are Ioaing tk.air s,rip ,he,, -r,r,
to Lnow the reaso1 vb~ snJ ,hs, -,
want 20 know the quickest way 20 get II
hack They Rad the daily paners of
course but what ths busy man likes hest
of all Is 10 have his information boiled
down. stripned u all essentials and
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ielns ,sl.l 1891 IesArulns Ihs various SUD
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~ y Iy s'Clal-'s ine hI'"r are saying NAV
usi''.'.. ,'s. ~. "a. lsl,su, 1ut tne IWIher
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assef,'oh, a5,i, p, althoush tney are Wiling 70
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'i,,i.l -an.ucsI .l s..tlul.Ius. ohs ~ pefIecuy
sls ,hat ny one :. shouln u.s , ne, rec'Pe
Tsy.y; 20, nc % h.sh SopyIlig,hted "
a, W .ne W. p,''Ct ~ s-lu you must
.iNll uloIoukhiy AiuN tIle nls'oIy oI the quee-
huu YOU aIN tn uleNNN ana lts Teiauou
70 ouhe, quesuons or movements social
ana pohucal. tou must then careftilly