New-York tribune., 1884-11-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A nosroN RErORMER.

,,,,,o ls.. imnsIust,on and Nttlc moro ssnsc OF
Aumor lis lack Of the one quality And MS super
0ulty of tho other between thcn Got nun Inv"
many scrapes liis now book shows In various To
spects Improvement npon its prcdeoessors ~ !" o''
tipsuished by an easier grace Of STYLE better meas"
uyed moycn ent, jnstcr observation OF eharactcf
It's pictures of women arc charming. Josephine
aud syhil (so Mr.. Crawford secs ~ 10 spei 'n'S
namel although they arc not extraordinary VPos
are clearly and dehcately drawn. Individual 'to'-
es,ing and winning; the slight sketch OF Mira sam
Wvndham IA lifelike and agreeable; and the love
making 10 which the pleasant figure OF Ronald
Snrbiton adds a good deal. is controlled by prac-
tical feeling In short MIR. Crawford introduces us
10 circle of int lgent ympathetic wcll-bred and
Com,auionabe people, who are always natural ana
never duh. We see sufficient reason for import
ing Josephine from England, since there 10 nothing
distnctively English in her manner and the action
and interest of the story lie in Boston; out tnis Is
O matter about which the novelist may we'll nave
claimed the right to please hunself; and Josephine
at any rate is noble and spirited creature WIZ
takes a sure hold npon our affections
But with his American Politician Mr. Craw-
ford is far less happy than with his
ladies and gentlemen of society," John Harrington
is lion-like Bostonian with powerful intellect,
lofty ideal of virtue, splendid frankness' an un-
assailable honesty, q supreme devotion to country
and n determination to sacrifice himself and all
tina, he Possesses in the cause of reform He makes
an Grafton in the Music Hall in 'ehalf OF hxed
Civil Service and the repeal tn NavigationLaws'
treating this latter proposal great moral ISSUE
and Mr. Crawford tells us that the Grafton was an
extraordinary cfiort-which we shonld not have DIS
covered by our unaded intelligence, since the Civil
service portion is only a repetition OF what mas
been often and much better said by orators of varl-
ous shades of opinion and the denunciation apro-
pos Of nothing hurled against the Navigation
Laws as "yilc enactions of fools and worse than
fools" provokes a smile. John Harrington becomes
q Democratic candidate for the United States Sen
ate and is defeated by the Vaccinations of an Irish
boss, because he will not promise TO oppose free
trade: although he does describe himself as
q very moderate tariff reformer. and assures
Boss Balymolloy (who is in Interested In the IRON
industry that in a reformation of the tariff, iron
would be one of the things most carefully provided
for: that the interests of tho iron trade stand
high with the Democratic party. and that 1t is
highly improbable that any law will interfere with
iron for many years." This sounds like great deal
of the fast and loose phrase-making OF which we
have he ard so much from Democrats who would
hold with the hare and run with the hounds, whose
tarif-reform free trade at Yale College
and protection in Pennsylvania but Mr.. Craw-
ford presents il as the courageous avowal of man
sentiments. So John Harrington becomes for
while martyr TO his honesty. But after he has
been brought to realize that in his stern devotion
10 truth reform aud aud political purity he has
neg ecte' "somethlng bcvond mere greatness, be-
yond the pursuit OF even III highest worldly aims.
namely, "an inner sympathy Of hearts and souls
and minds, pc Get union of all that
is most wOit In the natures
of man and woman '-after he has repaired his
mistake by marrying Josephine Thorn, and 50 get
ting a fresh impetus in the career Of reform. no is
elected to the United States Senate, and makes an
other great speech with which the novel comes to
an end The country IS in state of unparalleled
agitation. Three candidates have been running
for the Presidency and no one of the three has re-
ceived majority of the electoral votes. / choice
is thrown into the House of Representatives, There
Is imminent danger of n secession OF the West
John Harrington addresses Congress on the day set
for the election. and adjures them IN the most I'M
pressve manner TO cast off the wretched CHAINS oi
party slavery, and save the country by rejecting
party candi atcs and choosing a chief magistrate
out of the many great aud honest and disinterested
Inen who adorn the country. " Having it in our
power to agree upon the very best man, would any
of us remember this day without shame
if we disgraced those who trust us by
giving our votes TO a mere party canddateT Sen
ator Harrington seems TO have forgotten that when
an election is thrown into the Ieuse of Representa-
tves the Senate has nothing to do with it, and that
the House. instead of being free to choose where IT
will, is restricted to one of the three leading
party candidates" already voted for by the peo-
pie
But we have said that Mr.. Crawford has too much
imagination and too little humor. These
defects are exhibited In the invention
of q tremendous Secret Society, which
has existed from the earliest days of American IN
dependence, and which took its rise before that
PERIOD; society of the very best. and noblest,
and ablest men in the United States, frequently
commanding vast financial resources; society
whose inner council has comprised Senators, Sec
retaries of State, and more than one President,
society hose aims the highest and most patri-
otic whose work is the most far-reaching, whose
truth is as white as snow, and whose Or
ganization Is as dark as night 1t operates upon
Administrations, CONGRESSES Legislatures, orators
Reformer's conventions; but it has no prejudiced
party views" although 1t owns men In every i'm
portant post. We are presented to tho supreme
council Of three who govern this mighty engine
They seated. not in Boston back paror but
in an apartment in London, whence they are i'll the
net of ruling the destinies of America by cable
Their identity is such profound secret that not
only are they unknown to their followers. but Mr.
Crawford declines to trust with their
names; he desglates tnem as A. l. anu
z. John Harrington is member Of the order. and
when dies John summoned peremptorlly To
London 10 take the vacant place In the council.
Now remembering the majestic proportions OF
Johns virtue and the heavenly beauty of the soci-
ety's purposes. what will our readers think when
they learn that these mysterious high priests OF
patriotism buy politiciansi That is what Mr.. Craw-
ford means when he speaks of the men who are
owned by the organization. The president
of the council lays down the code for his
associates in the course of discussion
about bnbng Boss Ballymolov 10 make John
Senator from Massachusetts,: 1--WE do not like brib,
iu.,. and only do II In very urgent cases. and