The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-08
Morgan & Co.'S Plan to Secure Con-
troll Of Big Papers and Put an
End to the Muck
Rakino.
! OPPOSITION ARISES
Harpers is Already Said to be Under
Morsan's Thumb While 9th
srs arc Being Drawn
Under.

York Press prints story saying that
]. P. Morgan & Co. have begun the
purchase for obtaining control Of sew
eral of the most widely circulated
magazines In the United States and
that before the first OF June others
will be taken over. The purpose, it
states, is to control the editorial
policy and to put an end to muck
raking," which has been going on in
dnstriously for several years, much
to the unhappiness of the associates
Of the Morgan house.
Thomas W. Lamont, junior mem
ber of the Morgan Arm, is said to be
the active agent in this new enter
prise. He is is said to control the
Crowell Publishing company, which
owns the Woman's Home Companion,
and the Farm and Fireside, and
which In the last ten days took over
the American Magazine These three
magazines have circulation of more
than 100000.
J. p. Morgan personally has long
been supposed to own and control
Harper Bros. and all their publica-
tions. When this firm got into finan.
cial difficulties, something like doz.
en- years ago, as result of dry rot, .
Morgan was said to have taken over
the control, paid on the debts and
placed his confidential agent, Colonel
George B. NJ. Harvey, In charge.
1t is now the intention, so the
Press story says, to combine the Harp
er Bros. house with the Crowell com
pany and print Harper's Monthly,
Harper's Weekly and Harper's Ba.
zaar jointly with the Crowell publi-
cation. The three Harper periodicals
are credited with a circulation of 40O,-
000
Later, it is said, that great tech
nical paper devoted to steel and al
lied interests, from the standpoint OF
the financier and manufacturer. will
be brought into the group. The Press
SAYS that negotiations for several
other OF the well known magazines
are now under way.
II is asserted by the Press that sey-
eral magazines have been forced to
borrow large sums of money, muc1
OF which they still owe, with the re-
suit that they may be taken over, de-
spite the wishes of the editors.
ne Press says that this ambition
OF Morgan and his partners to gain
control over the country's magazines
Is meeting with strong opposition
from unexpected quarters Rud III J
Spreckels, sugar millionaire, is said
20 stand ready to ad dyarce large sur,s
Tor the maintaining Of magazines.
Clifford Pinchot and John Wanamaker
are also said I, be supporting the in
dependents. Last week the Sucee. 5
Magazine was taker. over by W;sna
lna.ser and Pinchot, the Press sa, ;,
as first step in the contest TO- s,l-
l+macy.
The Saturday Evening Post, OF
Philadelphia, and the Ladies Home
Journal, the Collier publications, of
which Conde Mast, formerly of st.
Louis. is manager. and the McClures'
Magazine are said to be leading the
light in opposition to the merger.
Hampton's Magazine and the Cosmo-
politan, which belong to the Hearst
estate. are likewise looked upon as
strong anti-merger publications. The
Butterick publications, which are the
Delineator, The New Idea, The De-
signer, The Adventure and Every
body's Magazine, were financed by
Charles w. Morse, but since his en-
forced residence in the Atlanta penl-
tentiary. they have obtained their
financial assistance elsewhere and arc
unclassed in the new alignment.