The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-03-03

The Magazines of the Month.
President Seelye, of Amherst College,
has made a study Of "Our Political Pros
poets" to determine what large moral prin.
ciples the political party that hopes for
permanent success must now build itself
on. This essay will appear in the Forum
for March. In the same number Repre-
sentative William NJ. Springer explains
the "Hindrances to Surplus Reduction, "
and Mr.. William II. Morrison points out
from revenue point of view, who Is
Benefited by Protection
The Magazine Of american History Is
interesting, as usual. The leading article
entitled Historic Cannon Balls and Hous-
es," is an animated description of the in
vasion of Connecticut by the British in
1777 and the bold resistance of the inhab-
itants of the town of Ridgefield, by Col
Ridgefield, A. II. Bartlett, l.. l.. B., and
the paper is superbly illustrated, thus add
ing greatly to the charm of the narrative.
The portrait of General David Wooster,
who fell in this encounter, forms the front
ispiece to the number; 1t is from rare
and handsome picture made in London In
l776. The second article, "New York and
Ohio's Centennial" by Douglas Campbell,
is stirring account of New York's rela-
ton to the territory now occupied by the
states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan
and Wisconsin. General Alfred Z. Lee
writes delightfully."- readable paper on
Central Ohio Seventy Years Ago" John
J. Morris sketches incidents in the life and
times of Captain Sylvester Salisbury"
who figured in the conquest of New York
In 1864. Rev. William Barows, d. D.,
contributes valuable paper on The
Methods of Teaching History" r. s.
Robertson, lieutenant governor of Indiana,
tells of the Escape OF Grant and Mead
from riding into the enemy's lines in 1864
The Popular Science Monthly for March
comes to US richly freighted with the re-
suits of thought and investigation in the
important field which it represents. The
series of papers by Hon. David A. Wells
on Economic Disturbances" Is continued
by one In which he combats the notion
that the displacement of hand.labor by
machinery is disadvantage to the laborer,
and points out that, as fast as men lose
their employment in the production of the
necessaries of life, they find demand for
their labor In occupations that minister to
comfort and culture. Professor Andrew
d. white contributes another of his Gu.
rious New Chapters in the Warefare of
Science" dealing with the period of at
tempts at compromise between geology
and Genesis, In which Luther, Voltaire
Gladstone, and other famous personages
have taken part. In "Glimpses at OAR
wins Working Life" MIR. William H. Lar.
rabee presents some of the most striking
characteristics revealed in the Life and
Letters" of the great naturalist "Evolu-
ton What it is Not, and What 1t 1s,'
though anonymous, is plainly from the pen
of one of the leading writer's Of popular
scieuce. Under the title "The Antecham-
Der of Consciousness" Frances Spier, Jr.
reports the results of his inquiries as &c
whether mental action goes on during I'M
consciousness. In "Our Supply and Its
Dangers" T. Mitchell Pruden, M. D., de-
scribes In an especially readable style the
harvesting of ice near New York, and
shows that the pure-looking blocks may
be charged with germs of disease. "Un-
derground Waters as Social Factors by
Professor G. A. Daubree, gives an idea OF
the influence which water-supply has had
on the distribution of population. "The
Indians of British Columbia" Is record
of personal investigations among those
tribes made by DR.. Franz Boaz. "Weath-
er- Prognostlcs, by the Hon. Ralph Aber-
cromby, shows how far popular weather.
signs are of use for scientific predictions
An illustrated article on "Flamingos a
Home" by Henry A. Blake; Spurious
Facts of Inheritance" and sketch, witt
portrait of Henry Bradford Mason, make
up the body of the number. In thu
Editors Table, "Darwin's Education" ant
"The Contradictions of Science" ar,
discussed. The other departments ar,
full, as usual. of interesting matter.
A press telegram of Saturday last say
that the discovery of natural gas abou