February 6 Tuesday – In London, Sam wrote to Funk & Wagnalls Co.: “In my experience I have found that one can do without principles” [MTP]. Note: letter UCCL 13072 is currently unavailable at MTP.

Samuel S. McClure wrote from N.Y.C. to Sam.

I am constantly scheming on the new American [magazine] and am glad you like the name. I think it is the best possible name. I shall see Roosevelt and talk with him about a series of articles which might have a general title of “The American.” He is just the man to give us stuff that will make the Magazine jump.

McClure mentioned several other literary possibilities in the one page typed letter, including Paul Leicester Ford’s historical novel about Washington’s campaigns, and Richard Carvel which had sold upwards of 400,000 . “A novel of the time of Washington by you would probably be the greatest novel success of this decade and would be a tremendous feature of the Magazine. Do not mind my suggestions if they do not happen to trot in with your own ideas” [MTP].