[HarryT]

Originally Posted by boxcorner

I imagine, leave it exactly as he wrote it, as a reminder of the past, not turn it into a story that is politically correct for the present, as "... Mark Twain did not take kindly to editing".

If it was an adult novel, I'd agree with you, but it isn't - it's primarily a children's book, and the simple fact is that it's not a book that's suitable for today's children to read. So that leaves you with the question as to whether it's better to make minor changes to it so that it becomes OK for children again (and make it clear that it is an edited version, obviously), or deprive children of a jolly good book altogether. I have no problem with such edits - it's a common practice with children's books. Times and cultural attitudes do change, and the books we give children to read have to adjust accordingly.