Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-09
THE CRITICS REVIEW.
Current Articles By Messrs. Westinghouse
and Carneaie-DIvOrce, By Gladstone
Other Magazine Contributions and the


The Critic, as loyal Pittsburger. begins his
reading of the December magazines with the
North american ReUtelO, and cuts the pages
first at the articles by Mr.. Westinghouse and
Mr.. Carnegie Mr.. Westinghouse contributes
"a Reply to Mr.. Edison;' Mr.. Carnegie sug-
gests 1.-The Best Fields for Philanthropy"
Mr.. Edison contended in the Review last
month that the only way to secure safety in
electric lighting is to prohibit the use of the
alternating current. This prohibition would be
extremely interesting to Mr.. Edison, for his
plants are constructed with reference to the
continuous system. 1t would not, however, be
nearly so agreeable to Mr.. Westinghouse, for
the alternating current happens to be
exactly the current which he uses. Mr.
Westinghouse, accordingly. comes to the de-
Tense Of the alternating system. He says that
by the Edison system, which is patterned after
the manner of gas distribution, the same ten
sion which lights the streets lights the houses
also. This tension has to be pretty strong. It
is so strong that tension of less than half the
number of volts, if it happened to be turned
into good-sized piece of beef would roast it
completely in less than two minutes. By the
alternating system the voltage in the sire ct
mains and in the house mains is quite differ
ent A high voltage can be used in the street.
and an absolutely safe'' voltage in the house
As a matter of fact, the extension of the alter
mating system as compared to-day with the CON
tinuous system is in the ratio of five to one.
Mr.. Carnegie suggests several excellent uses
to which rich men may put their money They
can establish orEmaintain observatories, as Mr.
Thaw did, making possible such good work as
Prof Langley's and Mr.. Brashear's. They can
found or extend universities and technical
schools. They can provide libraries, like Mr..
Carnegie himself. They can build or furnish
hospitals medical colleges. Laboratories. schools
for nurses music halls, swimming baths. They
can provide parks like Mrs. Schenley, or con-
servator1es, like Mr.. Phipps. They can build
churches in poor neighborhoods. There are two
things which Mr.. Carnegie objects to- He has
small regard for post mortem benefaetions &C.
counting as of minor value what man gives
away because he has no further use for it. And
he decries the kind of giving which leaves
nothing for anybody else to do. Let the man
of money give the start and then let everybody
who is interested help.
The "Question of Divorce" is still under fruit
full discussion in the RevielO, Mr.. Gladstone con-
tributing a brief but weighty article. "The
New Method of Voting is considered by Sena-
tor Saxton, the originator of the Saxton bill by
the Governors of Massachusetts, and Connecti-
cut where the plan has been tried, and by GEN
eral Malone Marion Harland has a sensible
paper on the "Incapacity of Business Women"
There is defamation by Colonel Ingerson
upon the same old subject. set forth in the
familiar phrases, and accompanied by the usual
gestures. Mr.. IngersolPs utterances are getting
to be like the soup at seeond-class hotels, where
tle cook is said to have barrel of ''stock, to
which he adds spoonful of this and calls it
vermicelli. and spoonful Of that and calls it
consomme.
The Atlantic begins in Boston, with Mr..
Bynner's pleasant and sketchy recounting of
the history of 1.-THE Old Bunch of Grapes
Tavern" where Governors and parsons, patriots
and Puritans dined in days gone by. Bradford
Torrey, who reads his last years diary of de
cember out-of-Doors," does not venture be-
yond the sacred boundaries of Massachusetts.
But presently we get as far away as Delphi,
whose scenery is graphically described and its
historical associations noted by William Gran
ston Lawton, who tells how the ancient fight
between q new and an old religion fingered in
the legends of the place. John Fiske tells the
stories of the massacres at Wyoming and
Cherry Valley, and notes the important posi-
ton which Fort Pitt occupied, as the key to the
Ohio. N. s. Shaler thinks that summer schools
Of science make the best way of spending the
long vacation. Henry Van Brunt has thought.
full paper on Architecture in the West" The
''vernaculaT'' art of the West is in transi-
tional state at present, he says. He looks for
distinctive American architecture. We are in
a position here to appreciate his comments upon
the attitude of the United States Government
toward architecture. "The profession of
he says, sis not recognized by
the general Government" The characteristic
Of Government buildings is that they are
easiest to design and most costly to execute"
E.4
Tolstoi's Shoemaker Martin finds a counter
part in Sam Kimper, the hero of Habberton's
'An He Knew" which leads in Lippincotrs
for December. Sam Kimper learned shoe
making in the penitentiary, where he also
picked up "aIl he knew about the Christian
religion. The story shows how he knew
enough to keep him in the path Of good life,
TO reform his family and finally to ''revive'
The whole town, even the deacon! William
Henry Bishop, in the same number, describes
his visit to Avignon. where the literary present
attracts him more than the ecclesiastical past.
Leon the Exile" is little contribution to
he literature of the Siberian banishment
iystem. Charles Morris, in paper on 1.-THE
Power of the Future" believes that we will get
/ deal more work, one of these days, out of the |
Jun, the moon, the water, the air, and the |
tories by Robert Grant and Roswell Page.
An excellent engraving of Devile's bust of |
Chackeray aged IL prefaces the charming pa |
,er which Thackeray's daughter, Mrs. Ritchie, |
contributes to this months ST. Nicholas. Let |
ers and drawings, reproduced from photo |
.raphs, Illustrate the article on 'The Boyhood |
If Thackeray." 1.-THE White and the Red" by |
Alice Maude Ewell, Is a Christmas story sup |
,osed to be told in the light of Virginia |
learth-hre Cd Christmas eve in 1852. There is |
pretty picture by Birch of the Indian Simon |
carrying the little girl Lillian across the brook.
Little Avilda" is a Morse nursery tale told by |
Prof. Boyeson. "By-and-By" and "An Autumn |
aevel" are delightfully."- illustrated Frederick |
Remington makes the pictures for Theodore |
Roosevelt's article on Buffalo Hunting" |
Nora Perry's serial story makes q good begin
ling.
Outing is as breezy as ever, and carries the |
eader into many latitudes. The amethystine |
rout of Mackinac and the gentle alligator of |
florida, bicycles, cameras, guns, sails and snow
hoes claim readily-given attention. Sly |
catcher" is proving an interesting serial |
'Wabun Anung" is the name of a capital |
,uide up in the Georgian Bay regions. W..
discusses the Merits and Defects of |
he National Guard" "The Game of Curling'' |
) sttractiveiy set forth by James Hedley. r.
4. Hurd reviews the history Of scientific row.
ng at Yale. Margaret Bisland has practical |
paper on Women and Their Guns"
80
Two fine portraits Of the Duke of Yelling
on are given in the Century, with Selections
rom Wellington's Letters" The Iron Duke"
.ot his name, it appears. from an iron steam
,oat, which was called after him, and not from
ny severity of character. The letters here
,iven are pleasant revelations of the familiar
nd social side of the great captains character
His fondness for children and theirs for him
eem to have been strongly marked. "When
hev become familiar with me-" he writes
they consider me one of themselves, and |
make me a sort of playthingl They climb upon
ne and make toys of my hair and my fngersp'
Arlfnhincrarnnn .