The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-06
HoNoRING A GOOD EDITOR.

| Times have changed since Byron
marked his Bible, now Barabbas was
a publisher and sent it to John Muir
| ray, with whom he was quarreling.
There are authors who love their pub
fishers; there are writer's who kiss the
editorial hand that belabors them.
| when they know such Christening comes
from genuine interest, genuine desire to
help, and not a pompous, querulous,
irritated, editorial omniscience.
Down in New York, the other night,
there were enough of these apprecia-
tive authors to get up surprise din
ner for an editor who had been truly
kind to them and enough outside adj
mirers of the man to make a big list
of distinguished guests to see him turn
red when a monster loving cup was
given to him and gasp and stammer
and stumble about when all the speak
ers testified to his sincere and CON
tinuous- performance helpfulness.
His name is Gilman Hall, now an
editor of Everybody's, but in his time
on the staff of a number of prominent
magazines. His was the good by
stealth, the ignorance of the left hand
concerning the kind-hearted doings of
the right. By chance half dozen
writer's. now successful but once strug-
CLING, foregathered and unburdened
themselves of their various tales or
hardships. All accounts had one point
in common; an editorial good fairy VINO
had come to each, not with undiscrimi-
mating acceptances but with wise. tonic
clarifying regrets that pointed out their
present incapacities and showed how
these could be triumphantly overcome
Then these writers struck hands in
common sense of gratitude and lured
Hall to a dinner that would put their
feelings permanently on record.
Hall is not unique in his attitude,
though perhaps exceptional in his as
sertion of it. Editors are not tyrants,
ghouls or ogres. They do not live on
the flesh of infant authors. but the
brains of those matured. So many
foolish, vain, incapable people seek to
write nowadays that editors have to
be plain speakers to protect themselves
A man who has commanded success by
mastering his own trade and VINO
would think the outsider crazy who
thought to practice it without years OF
experience, leaves his logic behind when
he takes to writing and blithely dashes
off a novel, a poem, or a drama with
out one ounce of capacity for the work
When he is turned down, his vanity
cries out rings and the uselessness
of the young authors efforts to break
through them
Quite the reverse. Tons Of sadden- |
ing manuscripts are read yearly in the
quest of new talent. A fresh angle
in narration, a new slant in seeing the
tangles of the world, is as valuable as
a diamond in the blue clay. Is is eager
ly sought. too. And to continue the
comparison, as carefully polished. The
dav that promising copy is found Is
with a red letter and the
editorial force celebrates it, vinously |
or otherwise, according to the official
thirst.
New writer's are as essential to the
magazines as new parts to an auto
The old ones give out and must be re-
placed. This promising talent is nursed
and coddled. It is stimulated with
praise. for art is sensitive. 1t is chast-
ened with criticism, for the same art
is vainglorious. 1t is led step by step
till it can walk, and, walking, 1t is
taught to sprint.
Editors like Gilman Hall do this,
partly out of goodness of heart, mostly
because of business shrewdness. Where
there is genuine talent there is little
complaint 1t is vain, windy pretense
that "hollers.'