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134 THE CRISIS

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Copyright by Underwood and Underwood, N.Y.

OUR CHRISTMAS GREETING TO HAITI: "PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN."

"By the will of Rear Admiral Caperton there are in the capital of Haiti, a military controller and an officer in charge of the civil departments. By what means can we reconcile all this with the essential attributes of an independent nation?

"The United States of America have for some time been introducing astonishing and strange innovations in international law. Certain it is that our great northern neighbor has international lawyers of ability, and it is to their authority that we refer in order to determine in their own light the acts which are now being put into effect by the American officers in our country.

"And these things are seen while nearly the whole world is enflamed for the maintenance of the principles safeguarding the weak peoples: respect for Belgian territory and the non-enslaving of the Serbian people. Nobody wants to take the responsibility for such aggression - neither those who needed war nor those who profit by it.

"What is happening now in this hemisphere and in our own country? With the rapidity of action which characterizes the Germanic peoples, the German Legation sent an energetic protest in answer to the circular of the American Legation giving notice of the political measures taken upon our territory.

"The German Legation invokes the law of nations against this procedure unknown to international custom and employed by the guardian of law and justice in America."

OUR POLICY

Persons who send us clipping contributions and pictures often assume or seem to assume that the acceptance or rejection of articles is purely a personal matter between them and the editor. They forget the Third Person, the Reader. Now, the editor may to a vast extent educate the Reader, he may inform and lead him; he may even to

EDITORIAL 135

some extent debauch, force, and cajole him, but in the long run the Reader is the ruler. He is the one who decides what the magazine will print and what it must reject. Before him the Editor stands more often as servant than as master. He may in time gain influence and ascendancy but he must always serve to a large extent his readers' tastes.

Now comes a manuscript. Four questions may be asked:

1. Does the writer deserve credit for producing it?
2. Does the editor like it?
3. Will the readers like it?
4. Ought the readers to like it?

Number one must be ruled out immediately. The editor if he has time and secretaries enough may commend the writer for his efforts and promise, but these are not reasons for publishing the manuscript.

If the editor likes the manuscript this is not sufficient reason for publishing it. He must ask: Will the readers like it? If the answer is "yes" - the manuscript is accepted; if it is "no" - then there comes the greater and more difficult question: How far is this something which the readers ought to read despite their likes? How far is it something that they should be educated up to or become intelligent about or aroused over? How far will publication now and in this form induce them to read what they are not willing to read?

All these are serious questions. The editor who insists continually on publishing what he likes and what his readers do not like will eventually ruin his magazine. The editor who merely caters to his readers present tastes will miss his greatest possible service if he does not sink to positive dissemination of evil. To preserve that balance of judgment and foresight on the one hand which will make the magazine popular, and on the other hand make it a real force for education and uplift - this is no easy task and calls for unusual ability and clairvoyance if it is well done.

When, therefore, THE CRISIS stoops for popularity by blazing pictures and covers and "light" stories remember that the Ladies' Home Journal and McClures and similar publications got their circulation in just that way, and THE CRISIS must have circulation. If on the other hand THE CRISIS preaches and complains ad nauseam, remember that this is not a mere magazine - it is a magazine with a purpose.

A SUGGESTION

A simple and feasible memorial to Booker T. Washington may be contributed by the colored people alone.

As we said in our last number the mortgage on the Frederick Douglass Home, near Washington, D. C., must be raised. Mr. Washington was interested in this project and helped raise a part of the mortgage. Could not his colored friends and admirers raise the rest and present it to the Douglass Home as a Booker Washington Memorial Fund?

Mr. Bell, a colored teacher in one of the city schools in New Orleans, recently received the following note:

"Say, Mr. Nigger. you must move at once or we will burn you out.

"Tired having Niggers acting like white people, living in fine houses and singing and playing the piano. Last warning. Give you one month to move out. Move across the street in those small houses suited for Niggers.

"Com. of White Men."

Afterward Mr. Bell's house "caught" fire.