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Metropolitan Magazine (New York City)

For other uses, see Metropolitan Magazine.

Metropolitan was an American magazine, published monthly from 1895 to 1925 in New York City. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was editor of the magazine during World War I when it focused on politics and literature.[1] It was sometimes named, or called, Metropolitan Magazine or The Metropolitan, and its final issues were published as Macfadden's Fiction-Lover's Magazine.

Metropolitan Magazine
Cover of the September 1917 issue
Editor
CategoriesPolitics, literature, art
FrequencyMonthly
Publisher
First issue1895
Final issueAugust 1925
CountryUnited States
Based inNew York City, U.S.
LanguageEnglish

Publication history

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Metropolitan Magazine began in 1895 as a "naughty picture magazine selling sex sationalism" in its earliest issues.[2] In 1897 the Metropolitan featured suggestive photos of Nellie Melba the opera singer and of Yvette Guilbert reclined in her boudoir, which was very risque for the time. John Brisben Walker was its first editor and publisher.[3] In 1898, the magazine built a more sophisticated reputation as a magazine for theater-goers in New York featuring writings by Kipling and Conrad.[1] In 1902, the magazine was sold along with The Daily Telegraph for $100,000 to Col. George Harvey, president of the publishing company Harper & Brothers.[4] Harvey said that "in purchasing The Metropolitan I bought simply a name", and that the chief mission of the periodical should be urban life in New York.[4] He named John Kendrick Bangs the new editor.[4] Harry Payne Whitney was owner of the magazine for a time during the 1910s.[5]

The Mexican Revolution and World War I

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During the Mexican Revolution, initiated late in 1910, Metropolitan sent John Reed to Mexico to report.[6] The journalist met Pancho Villa and stayed with his troops for four months.[6] Reed was sent to Europe as a war correspondent during World War I.[6] However, some of his articles were rejected as having leftist sympathies.[6]

During the 1914 to 1918 war, Metropolitan frequently contained articles critical of United States President Woodrow Wilson. In 1918 the New York postmaster was told to be on his guard for issues commenting on Wilson's foreign policy.[7] There were rumors that the post office was considering revoking the publication's second class mail privileges, but its issues continued to be delivered.[7]

Former President Theodore Roosevelt had become an editor of the magazine in 1914 for $25,000 a year, on a three-year contract because he intended to retire from politics and writing.[8]

In the event, however, Roosevelt himself wrote many essays criticizing Wilson for his handling of the war.[8] He argued passionately against the neutrality of the United States, writing,[when?] "We earn as a nation measureless scorn and contempt if we follow the lead of those who exalt peace over righteousness, if we heed the voice of those feeble folk who bleat to high Heaven for peace when there is no peace."[9] Roosevelt worked on editorial articles for Metropolitan until his death in January 1919.[10] His last action was to write a letter to his son Theodore Jr. with the proofs for his last article in the magazine.[10]

In 1919 Metropolitan launched the Metropolitan Newspaper Service (MNS), which a syndicated content from the magazine including the column Fairchild Fashions, the writings of Margot Asquith, the comic strip Dickey's Dogs, and more. In the spring of 1920, MNS was acquired by the Bell Syndicate,[11] which kept it as a separate division. It was overseen by Maximilian Elser Jr.[12]

Decline

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Bernarr Macfadden bought Metropolitan Magazine in January 1923 on the urging of his Supervising Editor Fulton Oursler, and launched its new era with an abridged serialization of Theodore Dreiser's banned novel The Genius. The first Macfadden issue was dated February–March 1923 but it continued as a monthly. Fulton Oursler's first serious novels, Behold This Dreamer! and Sandalwood were also serialized. When the magazine's fortunes didn't improve, the title was changed to Macfadden Fiction-Lovers Magazine with the October 1924 issue.[3][13] Its last issue was August 1925.[3]

Selected contributors

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Walker, Dale. "Why this longing for life? It is a game which no man wins". Jack London: The Stories. Archived from the original on 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  2. ^ Davis, Laura (2009). "Not so Much Art as a Financial Operation' Conrad and 'Metropolitan Magazine". Conradiana Vol. 41. Texas Tech University Press. JSTOR 24635294.
  3. ^ a b c "Magazine Issues". Galactic Central. Retrieved 2009-04-08. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  4. ^ a b c Distin, William (December 6, 1902). "Plans for two publications" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  5. ^ Morris, Edmund (2010). Colonel Roosevelt. Random House. p. 396. ISBN 9780375504877. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  6. ^ a b c d e Liukkonen, Petri. "John Reed". Books and Writers (kirjasto.sci.fi). Finland: Kuusankoski Public Library. Archived from the original on 2009-03-27.
  7. ^ a b "Magazine Wasn't Barred from Mails" (PDF). The New York Times. March 10, 1918. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  8. ^ a b c Lansford, Tom (2005). Theodore Roosevelt in Perspective. Nova Publishers. p. 133. ISBN 1-59454-656-8. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  9. ^ Bishop, Joseph Bucklin (1920). Theodore Roosevelt and His Time Shown in His Own Letters. C. Scribner's Sons. p. 378. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  10. ^ a b "Embolism Caused Death" (PDF). The New York Times. January 7, 1919. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  11. ^ a b "Feature Services Merged: Bell Syndicate Takes Over Metropolitan Newspaper Service", Editor and Publisher (April 3, 1920).
  12. ^ "United Feature Syndicate Buys Metropolitan Service from Elser: Both Firms Will Retain Separate Identities, with Elser Remaining as Vice-President — Monte Bourjaily to Direct Both Organizations", Editor and Publisher (March 15, 1930). Reprinted as blog content "News of Yore 1930: Another Syndicate Gobbled", Stripper's Guide (May 4, 2010).
  13. ^ "Metropolitan Magazine". MagazineArt.org. November 17, 2006. Retrieved 2009-04-08. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Theatre Magazine". Theatre Magazine Company. February 1, 1921 – via Google Books.
  15. ^ McDonald, Edward David (1928). A bibliography of the writings of Theodore Dreiser. Ayer Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 0-8337-2328-6. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  16. ^ a b c "Miscellaneous Anthologies". Galactic Central. Retrieved 2009-04-08. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  17. ^ Nevins, Francis M. Jr. (1993). Bar-20: The Life of Clarence E. Mulford, Creator of Hopalong Cassidy. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0-89950-870-7.
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