Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-12-08
TIE BREAD WINNERS

Inc anonymous story That has beer
appearing in the Century with the
title given above was brought sonearly
to a close in the December number O
that magazine, that it is easy for the
practiced reader o. fiction to guess the
denoument. The story has attracted
very general attention and much curl
osity is manifested as to Its authorship
That is a close secret known only tC
the author himself and the editor o.
the Century, and so carefully is the
mystery guarded that all communica
tons from the latter TO the former are
addressed to fictitious name agreed
on for the purpose.
Many efforts have been made tc
identify this unknown novelist by
comparing his work with other books
of which the authorship is known, and
in this way he has been conclusively
proven to be several celebrated writ
ers. The parentage was at one time
laid to Mr. Howel's door, but he very
promptly disclaimed it with the assev.
Grafton that he only wished he could
father so-able a production. The edit
or of the CHRONICLE affects no such
acquaintance with current literature
as would enable him to express any
conjecture as to the identity of the
author of @The Bread Winners" Cur
rent literature may afford no clue to
such knowledge and he certainly has
no other means at his control for OBJ
tanning it. The classification of this
anonymous writer, however, seems to
be an easier task. That the book is
the production of man there can
hardly be any reasonable doubt, and
proof to the contrary would effect d
great surprise. We are willing, too to
hazard the further opinion that il
was written by man who has done
service as an officer in the regular
army. This opinion is not grounded
alone on the fact of such history be-
ing ascribed to the hero of the story
but, to paraphrase an expression from
the book itself, the trail of military
ideas can be discovered throughout
the entire production. The writer
evidently believes in a strong govern
ment and deplores the smallness Of
our standing army.
"The Bread Winners" as we take it
is an expression of that conservative
reaction against republican institu
tons and liberal ideas generally that
is fast finding a lodgment with the
wealthy classes in this country. If il
is not plea for aristocratic govern
ment, it is a strong protest against
absolute democracy. The writer seems
to argue that true refinement and SUI,
perior honesty dwell only in the pala-
ces of the wealthy, while among the
poorer classes all knavery and ruffian-
ism has its abiding place. A careful
census on this point would no doubt
fall far short of bearing out the idea
but it is not our purpose now to con-
trovert the authors reasoning. He
pictures public education as begetting
injurious ASPIRATIONS among the lower
classes and as destroying the peace OF
mind of those who would otherwise
constitute a happy and contented peas
antry. The political practices in this
great nation, to his way of thinking,
are an abOmination in the sight of
God and man and on that point he
will probably find few to disagree
with him.
This new story is a well written and
strongly drawn character sketch.
While it stirs up our democratic OPP
position to its implied aristocratic
theories, it contains truths that we are
bound to acknowledge. There is food
for thought in its suggestions, but be-
fore the impartial and candid reader
could be converted by its arguments,
he would observe the old maxim,
saudi dItereB1 pdrtena." We believe a
much stronger case could be made
out for the other side If an equally
skillful hand should undertake the
making of it.