''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. It was sometimes named, or called, ''Metropolitan Magazine'' or ''The Metropolitan'', and its final issues were published as ''Macfadden's Fiction-Lover's Magazine''.

Publication history

''Metropolitan Magazine'' began in 1895 as a "naughty picture magazine selling sex sationalism" in its earliest issues. In 1897 the ''Metropolitan'' featured suggestive photos of

Nellie Melba Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 186123 February 1931) was an Australian operatic dramatic coloratura soprano (three octaves). She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th century, ...

the opera singer and of

Yvette Guilbert Yvette Guilbert (; born Emma Laure Esther Guilbert, 20 January 1865 – 3 February 1944) was a French cabaret singer and actress of the ''Belle Époque''. Biography Born in Paris into a poor family as Emma Laure Esther Guilbert, Guilbert be ...

reclined in her boudoir, which was very risque for the time.

John Brisben Walker John Brisben Walker (September 10, 1847 – July 7, 1931) was a magazine publisher and automobile entrepreneur in the United States. In his later years, he was a resident of Jefferson County, Colorado. Biography Walker was born on September 10 ...

was its first

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

and

publisher Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

. In 1898, the magazine built a more sophisticated reputation as a magazine for theater-goers in New York featuring writings by Kipling and Conrad. 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 Harper is an American publishing house, the flagship imprint of global publisher HarperCollins based in New York City. History J. & J. Harper (1817–1833) James Harper and his brother John, printers by training, started their book publishin ...

. 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. He named

John Kendrick Bangs John Kendrick Bangs (May 27, 1862 – January 21, 1922) was an American author, humorist, editor and satirist. Biography He was born in Yonkers, New York. His father Francis N. Bangs was a lawyer in New York City, as was his brother, Francis S ...

the new editor.

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...

was owner of the magazine for a time during the 1910s.

The Mexican Revolution and World War I

During the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...

, initiated late in 1910, ''Metropolitan'' sent John Reed to Mexico to report. The journalist met

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (,"Villa"
''Collins English Dictionary''. ; ;

and stayed with his troops for four months. Reed was sent to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

as a war correspondent during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. However, some of his articles were rejected as having

leftist Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...

sympathies. During the 1914 to 1918 war, ''Metropolitan'' frequently contained articles critical of United States President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

. In 1918 the New York

postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

was told to be on his guard for issues commenting on Wilson's

foreign policy A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...

. There were rumors that the post office was considering revoking the publication's second class mail privileges, but its issues continued to be delivered. Former President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

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. In the event, however, Roosevelt himself wrote many essays criticizing Wilson for his handling of the war. He argued passionately against the neutrality of the United States, writing, "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." Roosevelt worked on

editorial An editorial, or leading article (UK) or leader (UK) is an article written by the senior editorial people or publisher of a newspaper, magazine, or any other written document, often unsigned. Australian and major United States newspapers, suc ...

articles for ''Metropolitan'' until his death in January 1919. His last action was to write a letter to his son Theodore Jr. with the proofs for his last article in the magazine. In 1919 ''Metropolitan'' launched the

Metropolitan Newspaper Service Metropolitan Newspaper Service (MNS) was a syndication service based in New York City that operated from 1919 to 1932. At first the syndication service of '' Metropolitan Magazine'', it soon became affiliated with the Bell Syndicate, and then was a ...

(MNS), which a syndicated content from the magazine including the column ''Fairchild Fashions'', the writings of

Margot Asquith Emma Margaret Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (' Tennant; 2 February 1864 – 28 July 1945), known as Margot Asquith, was a British socialite, author. She was married to H. H. Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1894 ...

, the comic strip ''Dickey's Dogs'', and more. In the spring of 1920, MNS was acquired by the

Bell Syndicate The Bell Syndicate, launched in 1916 by editor-publisher John Neville Wheeler, was an American syndicate that distributed columns, fiction, feature articles and comic strips to newspapers for decades. It was located in New York City at 247 West 4 ...

,"Feature Services Merged: Bell Syndicate Takes Over Metropolitan Newspaper Service"
''Editor and Publisher'' (April 3, 1920). which kept it as a separate division. It was overseen by Maximilian Elser, Jr."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 conten

''Stripper's Guide'' (May 4, 2010).

Decline

Bernarr Macfadden Bernarr Macfadden (born Bernard Adolphus McFadden, August 16, 1868 – October 12, 1955) was an American proponent of physical culture, a combination of bodybuilding with nutritional and health theories. He founded the long-running magazine pub ...

bought ''Metropolitan Magazine'' in January 1923 on the urging of his Supervising Editor

Fulton Oursler Charles Fulton Oursler (January 22, 1893 – May 24, 1952) was an American journalist, playwright, editor and writer. Writing as Anthony Abbot, he was an author of mysteries and detective fiction. His son was the journalist and author Will Ou ...

, and launched its new era with an abridged serialization of

Theodore Dreiser Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (; August 27, 1871 – December 28, 1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm mora ...

's banned novel '' The Genius''. The first Macfadden issue was dated February–March 1923 but it continued as a monthly.

'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. Its last issue was August 1925.

Selected contributors

Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, ; 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Poles in the United Kingdom#19th century, Polish-British novelist and short story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in t ...

Richard Harding Davis Richard Harding Davis (April 18, 1864 – April 11, 1916) was an American journalist and writer of fiction and drama, known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish–American War, the Second Boer War, and the First ...

* Larry Evans (novelist) *

Edna Ferber Edna Ferber (August 15, 1885 – April 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' So Big'' (1924), ''Show Boat'' (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), '' Ci ...

F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age—a term he popularize ...

John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include ''The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize i ...

Katharine Fullerton Gerould Katharine Elizabeth Fullerton Gerould (February 6, 1879 – July 27, 1944) was an American writer and essayist. Biography Katharine Fullerton was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, and became the adopted daughter of Reverend Bradford Morton Fullert ...

Maurice Hewlett Maurice Henry Hewlett (1861 – 15 June 1923) was an English historical novelist, poet and essayist. Biography He was born at Weybridge, the eldest son of Henry Gay Hewlett, of Shaw Hall, Addington, Kent. He was educated at the London Internatio ...

Rupert Hughes Rupert Raleigh Hughes (January 31, 1872 – September 9, 1956) was an American novelist, film director, Academy Award, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, military officer, and music composer. He was the brother of Howard R. Hughes Sr. and uncle of bi ...

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...

Compton Mackenzie Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie, (17 January 1883 – 30 November 1972) was a Scottish writer of fiction, biography, histories and a memoir, as well as a cultural commentator, raconteur and lifelong Scottish independence, Scottish nation ...

John Masefield John Edward Masefield (; 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate from 1930 until 1967. Among his best known works are the children's novels ''The Midnight Folk'' and ''The Box of Delights'', and the poem ...

Clarence E. Mulford Clarence Edward Mulford (3 February 1883 – 10 May 1956) was an American writer, best known as the creator of the character Hopalong Cassidy. Biography Mulford was born in Streator, Illinois. He created Hopalong Cassidy Hopalon ...

*Sir

Gilbert Parker Sir Horatio Gilbert George Parker, 1st Baronet (23 November 1862 – 6 September 1932), known as Gilbert Parker, Canadian novelist and British politician, was born at Camden East, Addington, Ontario, the son of Captain Joseph Parker, R.A. Ed ...

* John Reed *

Booth Tarkington Newton Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 – May 19, 1946) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels ''The Magnificent Ambersons'' (1918) and '' Alice Adams'' (1921). He is one of only four novelists to win the Pulitze ...

Henry Kitchell Webster Henry Kitchell Webster (September 7, 1875 – December 8, 1932) was an American who was one of the most popular serial writers in the country during the early twentieth century. He wrote novels and short stories on themes ranging from mystery to ...

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline, Metropolitan Magazine
''Metropolitan magazine''
at

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