The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-03-05

a CScioprdin OF Political Science.
There is much useful matter in the work
Of which tho first volume is now published
under the name OF 4 CVc'opTjm Of IUhtich
Science, P"lticai E,juon,U and the T1iHicdl ms
torn IF tie t"ji,i stairs. edited by joins j.
LABOR ,RHnl, McNally Il Coz. Exception
may nevertheless be- taken on some grounds
to the scope Of discussion and method
of treatment and also lu the sources from
viii N large part of the materials havC Hpuar-
entity been derived. So far rs the compiler
has kept in view one Of the objects indicated 10y
the title viz tho political history of the United
States. his task has been well performed. liz
has had the valuable assistance OF men spc-
cially qualified To treat the several branches OF
this topic such ~ Mr.. d. A. Wells. Judge John
Lowell. Mr.. Edward Atkinson Mr.. Horace
White. Mr. h Il. Spolord, and Mr.. Alex
ardcr Johnston. The lattcr'9 contributions
dc-crV" particular commcnda' ion, for they
are not only very numerous and COM
ccrrrd with largo variety Of themes hut they
~" almost always satisfactory and often ad-
mi,ohle. We think, however. that the aim in
dictated by part of III" tito-" Political Sci
cnco"-hns led to the inclusion Of much matter
and th" frequent adoption OF a method not
likely to prove sorNir"able to the majority Of
readers who Will be attracted to this book
Even # We admit that there is such a thing us
political science. wcuay at least affirm that il
cannot easily bc differentiated from the po'i-
cal history out OF which it t., evolved and 10y
which is formula must iucr--autly be tested
We submit that what is needed by the thought
ful SUDDEN " contemporary events il rathora
fun and accurate compond of facts relating
to political affairs than an cclrci, cNpo,i-
tiun of the theories that may have been
based upon thnm. Io will derive far less
benefit from Il comprehensive and nccc7-
Sarily ha-ty survey Of other mems opin-
ions. than from IN exhaustive sturrhousc Of
Information hy which he will hc helped t.
form. correct and verify opinions for himself
So far rs tho contributors to this book and
especially Mr.. Johnston. have undertaken To-
rlucilate American political history, they have
for the most part confined themselves to the
object Of conveying Information. and tho orig
iual work performed 10y them in this direction
deserves and will undoubtedly receive hearty
appreciation. There il, on the other hand. u
mass Ut articles in this volume written 10y
foreign publiristS which fail to offer tho in
formation called for by their theme and which
Ivy no means compensate the reader for the
drarth Of facts 10y the more or less acute dis
cue-iun Of opinions And even where the poit-
rai institutions Of foreign countries are en-
pounded in detail. il is clear in many in
stances that they Nigh. have been cx-
an American audience by an American writer
TO illustrate our meaning let Us take such u
feature OF electoral mach. cry H. TIA" srrutiH
d. II-i'. ana >uoh an element of parliamentary
procedure a. ~" ff"hch "I'lUlo. Neither 81
these political devices could u" satisfactorily
interpreted to American readers hy Cpuli-
mental writer h'rtu-" lH' latter would almost
certainty Ice ln'dpHhi" OF pointing out til"
American analo-;ur-. and marking at tn" Same
'I,.\ a ip
Parliamentary conditions under wurh "' have
recourse I" ih'-" "Nl'drhi~ IN the United
Niai'9 Another Objection I" many 81 the hiu-
r''~ drawn from l"i'IEn sources l. III" l"r' mat
t.'lf sufN'! "l u lh'M' '!)'h - 'l'- snort twenty
years ago, al'h"urh som" "i IN" most inter-
"~'inS phases 81 the subject may hay" h'"n "N-
mhii"d at later date" Their" is ground in
deed. for suNp"'tinE that the mass OF the pa
p"r7 rurportlnE /" h' contributed 10y Foreign
writer's hay" simply been translated from
French and German cyri"prdas. We might
venture t" affirm that such i the case with
almost all the articles signed Maurice b."rk
although W" have not had AN opportunity OF
comparing 'h"m WIN th''"ifr~r"nd'hS i"p"l-
IN 'hh' writer's pr u"niiIllr d" IA iol'iiu'.
Til" work, however, don" for this book by
1lr. Johnston and -'mo othrrwri"r- ON Am"ri-
can topics is 50 thorough ana excellent that we
are reluctant 10 comment in merely general
terms on any portion OF this cyrlomrdm 1t
may be- well, therefore. to attest III" sincerity
and proprcty oi the criticism l"N"ll'd AT Ger
tain parts OF II 10y particular instances, ana
this can best he done by opening the DOCK nj
random, ana pointing out IN" rang" ana mode
ot treatment which certain interesting sub
lects ro'eiv". We ma, i"r example, upward on
six columns allotted L" philosophical essay
by jules simon on Political Duty wherein,
by "a course OF I" f'"''arsum'h' from assumed
premises, lie chdcaN'rs 10 rcach DEFINITION
which 7lali commend Itself alike TO governors
ana inc governed ourh +" pee" oi abstract
reasoning nh7upH"rle" ana ADMINISTRATOR ny
single historical l'r' Is we submit out OF plhcH
III Noi"m" To Which mn" readers out OF zen
VIII turn WIN me primary OBJECT OF obtaining
information In tho hrtlcI" on DuclIlhs
ny NJ iic'lIr icHS"iu' '"''c - ~ o'-
drhr" mat IN" writer MAS ever Inok'H mo
mo bll''9h ana american "sIs"'''"" on
inc SunJ'r'' ana Haree '"tI oI ue