Evening star., 1915-03-21

incorporate phrase by indignant men and women one
of whom, recall, expressed the impolite opinion that
the entire publishing profession had become mysteri
ously tainted and should be suppressed by law.
But the answer, of course, is the simplest in the
world.
Magazine publishers nuck-rakcd because there was
a large and rapidly growing and finally splendidly
representative public demand for undertaking. The
people wanted to know and the time had for the
truth to be told.
In other words, civilization, finding no mouthpiece
ready for the message at hand, developed mouth
piece for its delivery. In Of the word did the
magazine devise this thing and fost it upon in
dgnant and dsgustcd public. Civilization docs not
work her ends that way. The magazine merely
her instrument. 1t sprang into and pros
porous expansion in obedience to necessary and in
evitabe natural law the law of supply and demand.
Magazine writer's found method by which the
literature of exposure made absorbngly cxcitingy
interesting. Then the public discovered that what it
had been taught to believe of its business was
very much its personal, individual concern as citizens
and as human beings
WIHEN the peoples sudden demand for cnghten-
ment upon individual and corporate grceds and
wrongs began to subsidc when, in other words, the
people at last kneo magazine circuations here and
there began to fall away undertaking lost its inter
est because in the years, it had fulfilled its destined
purpose There was nothing new to tell. The public
had become a knowing public. 1t had become wise
and gluttcd. Education had accomplished ITSELF and
the time had come for action.
Within comparatively short time the circulatons
of several magazines declined dangerously and strong
tendency to ethargy made itself universally felt de-
cline in advertising followed For year more pub
fishers failed to account for this unexpected phcnome-
non undertaking had been popular so long that it
natural to think of every other possible explanation
first. But in time the truth became generally rccog-
nized, and undertaking became thing of the past.
"One of those sudden and caprcious changes of pub
lie taste that have possible rational explanation"
growled short-sghtcd editor night a
doch-an doris.
"You wrong" replied Congressman in the party.
"'lhere is nothing capricious, nothing sudden,
about it. The public has had its fill of dinner and has
left the table. That is ALL"
But all crcrlatons did not decline. All magazines
had not been muck-rakcrs. The period of expansion
had developed, in this great self educational movement
many magazines of sound accomplishment and cndur-
ing circulation 1t had developed great and ncrcas-
ing public of interested, greedy, readers of every
kind of true and sound and sincere written product.
1t had built up splendid business almost wholly
And the sudden disappearance of the principal theme
of this period had left the entire magazine structure
little slow of speed and uncertain OF direction it had
left nevertheless vast structure plainly destined
for greater accomplishment when the order of
thinking should become established and known.
This is the situation today.
BUT what" asks my magazine owner, "is the new
= magic?'
That of course, is the supreme question.
But its phrasing, however picturesque is misleading.
Possibly this very publisher really supposed when,
dozen years ago, he devised ck-rating campaign
of wonderful potency, that he Catching" his pub
lie Possibly he is lying awake nights now trying to
think of another magic" with which to another
great public Possibly yet he is not conscious that
his of the past not of personal
power OF leadership but of following, shccpkc an
OIL hc. ha bnipp
shaper of opinion, he was merely useful tool in the
ri hand of ivilz