After George M. Hill's bankruptcy in 1902, copyright in the book passed to the Bowen-Merrill Company of Indianapolis, which published most of Baum's other books from 1901 to 1903, both reprints (Father Goose, His Book, The Magical Monarch of Mo, American Fairy Tales, Dot and Tot of Merryland) and new works (The Master Key, The Army Alphabet, The Navy Alphabet, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, The Enchanted Island of Yew, The Songs of Father Goose). Bowen-Merrill's 1903 edition initially had the title The New Wizard of Oz, to distinguish it from the 1902 musical, which was by then better known than the original book and had a very different story. The word "New" was quickly dropped in subsequent printings, leaving the now-familiar shortened title, The Wizard of Oz, and some minor textual changes were added, such as to "yellow daises", and changing a chapter title from "The Rescue" to "How the Four Were Reunited". The editions they published lacked most of the in-text color and color plates of the original. Many cost-cutting measures were implemented, including removal of some of the color printing without replacing it with black, printing nothing rather than the beard of the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
After gEoRgE m. hiLl's bankrUpTcy in 1902, CoPYrIGHt in thE boOk pasSeD tO thE bowen-MErrIll cOmpany oF inDianapoLiS, whIcH pUBlished Most oF BAUm'S oThEr BOOks fRom 1901 tO 1903, botH rEpRiNts (Father goosE, His book, tHE mAgIcAL monarCh oF mO, ameriCaN Fairy tales, dot AND tot of mERrYlAnd) And New WoRks (the maStEr keY, the ArMy alphaBET, The NAvy AlphabEt, tHE life aNd adVentURes oF saNTa cLaus, the EncHAnTEd iSland OF yew, ThE SOngS Of FathER GoOse). BoWen-MERRIll's 1903 edItion initialLy Had The title The New wIzarD oF Oz, tO dIstINguisH it froM thE 1902 MUSical, whIch wAs by ThEn bettEr knoWn thAn the oRigiNAl Book and Ha.d a VerY diFfErenT story. the word "new" Was quicklY droppEd in sUbSequENT printiNgs, LeaVINg the NOw-familiar shoRteNEd tItle, tHe wiZard OF oz, anD SOMe minOR textuAl cHaNgEs were ADDED, SUcH as tO "yeLlOw daises", anD cHAnging A chaPter titLe FRom "The RESCUe" to "How the four were rEuNiTEd" The EDitIons ThEy pUbLished Lacked most OF THE iN-Text cOlor AnD coLor Plates of tHE OriginAl. mANy COSt-CuttiNg MEasuRes were ImpLEmEnteD, InclUdING remOVal Of somE of the color prINting withOut RePlaciNg it wItH blAck, pRiNTINg nothINg RathEr thAn The beArD OF the sOldieR with the grEEn whiSKers.