Excerpt from The American Monthly Review of Reviews, Vol. 16: An International Magazine; July-December, 1897

To our readers The expanded title that appears on the cover of the review this month implies not the slightest degree of change in the plans, methods, 'aims, scope, editorship, management, or control of the magazine. It will continue to be a review OF reviews; and our regular readers are aware that it has long been a distinctively american monthly. The title review OF reviews, taken in a literal sense, comes far short of explaining the range and character of the periodical. Nevertheless, most of our readers doubtless have learned to read the thing itself into the name, rather than to consider the name as a form of words intended by strict construction to set limits upon our editorial methods. In Canada, England, and elsewhere, this periodical has always been mentioned with the word american prefixed, as if a part of the title, in order to distinguish it from Mr. Stead's English Review of Reviews. The full title, therefore, of american monthly review OF reviews would seem a natural and appropriate development. If it is found a long title for every - day use and off-hand allusion, and our readers and newspaper exchanges therefore fall into the habit of referring to it for short as the american monthly, we shall offer no objection. We are quite accustomed to speak of the Century, although the full name in large letters on the cover of that great periodical is the Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, which is certainly quite as long a name as the american monthly review OF reviews. What goes everywhere as Harper's is in full and formal language Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Those of us who are old enough can remember that the Century was called Scribner's by many people from force of habit for a good while after the name was changed; although the many loyal readers of the Outlook, who were equally loyal readers of the Christian Union, have seemed to find it remarkably easy to drop the old and adopt the new name. Inasmuch as the words review OF reviews are retained as an integral part of the enlarged title now appearing on our cover, We shall not look for a complete and prompt acceptance of new words as the familiar designation of this magazine. Our readers may continuato call it the review OF reviews wit-h the certainty that no confusion will result, for just as long a time as it may seem easy and natural to do so. The word american does not, of course, imply any exclusive devotion to American topics or interests. The range of this magazine will continue to be' international and worldwide. But there can be no wise and consistent observation that is not made from some pretty definite and constant point of View; and the point of View of this magazine will be in the future, as it has been in the past, clearly and unmistakably american. While its readers are not confined to one country, the vast majority of them are citizens of the United States, and the magazine is edited with direct reference to its American constituency. This being true, it follows that great world movements can be b7é'st presented in our pages in terms which assume American ideals and standards as the basis of comparison - the editor.

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