New-York tribune., 1893-10-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
GOVERNMENT AND LAW.

d. Appleton a. Co.
POLITICS IN DEMOCRACY. BY Daniel PANEL Green ieer
leaf Thompson. Svo, PIP. 176. New-1ork: Long
mans Green e. Co.
df he
and Local. of the United States, Englahu
France and Germany by Frank j. Good9oW iw1 a~G
London: G. p Putnam's Sons
II in the multitude of tounsellors there be
safety the liberties of the coming generation OF
American citizens will be secure. The publishers
presses groaning under the weight Of homi-
lies, dissertations and commentaries on public
questions and the privileges and obligations OF
citizenship. With chairs of political science In
the great colleges with winter courses of popular
lectures on economics and applied sociology and
with rapidly increasing body of literature upon
the science Of government. there is no lack OF
educational facilities fer the training of Ameri-
can citizens. This unceasing industry Of the col
lcge professors, the magazine essayists and the
book writer's is rot without encouragement as
sign Of public interest in current political ques-
ticns. 1t also tends to excite apprehension lest
the work of enlightening the public may be over
done. A boy who now undertakes to study Latin
or Greek has a thousand artificial helps and
aids which his father had to do without He
has translatons copious notes by the editor
and elaborate explanations cf obscure and intri-
cate passages: but possibly the pains taken to
enable him to become finished classical scholar
hamper and paralyze the Independent and orig
inal action Of his mind OF the making of books
on government and politics there is ro end but
the best education which the citizen can acquire
will always be practical rather than theoretical
Samuel Adams the clearest thinker OF the
earlier period of the American Revolution. and he
trained himself for leadership. not by library
studies but Sy attendance at town meetings. and
by doing whatever lay nearest to him. Much of
hat
economic treatses would be employed to more
practical advantage in primary meetings and
ward associations and in painstakng. intelligent
study of the precise conditions of local govern
ment.
Professor Hart's book is designed to illustrate
the sctual working of government in the United
States This is the promise Of the title, and
it is supported by the authors explanations in
the preface. But when the pages are turned
1t is found to be a collection Of eleven essays on
various subjects contributed to eight periodi-
calls. The topics The Speakershp as Pre-
miership, the exercise of the suffrage. Presi-
Dental elections, Civil-Service reform, the
Chilian controversy the colonial town meeting
and shire the rise of American cities. the "bi-
ography" of a River and Harbor bill, the pub
lie land policy. and the American Civil War as
a struggle Of population and economic resources
Studies so detached these are without unity
of design or organic connection in thought. Each
served temporary purpose when 1t appeared
in magazine review but the motive OF their
republication is not easily understood. AS prac-
tical studies of the operation Of American gov
ernment, they have no permanent value
1t is mere tumble Of magazine pot-boilers,
handsomely bound with wide margins and a
good binding and we'll hung for public nspec
tion-t is pity that the exceedingly partisan
essay the Chan controversy was not skied
out of sight-but without utility as a practical
aid to political education. Even the style Is
hard, metallic. and without fexibility and grace.
Factors in American Civilization" embraces
a series Of popular lectures and discussions be-
fore the Brooklyn Ethical Association. collected
as contribution to applied sociology. The writ
ers include Charles de Garmo. the Rev. John {.
Kimball, A. Emerson Palmer DR.. Lewis q.
James Robert W. Tayler, William j. Coombs, j
the Rev. John w. Chadwick, Caroline b. LIE
Row. James McKecn, Amos c. Warner. Dr..
T. d. Crothers, Nicholas Paine Gilman. J. w.
Sullivan, and Edward p. Powell The topics
have wide range. comprising studies Of Amer
ican civilization war and progress, interstate
commerce. foreign commerce, the status of
woman, penal methods and institutions, public
charities the drink and labor problems and the
rhilosoI by OF history Some Of tie writers,
notably the Rev. John w. Chadwick and
Nicholas Paine Gilman, were undisputed masters
Of the subjects which they discussed but oth-
ers spoke without recognized authority, and
some Of them, like Mr.. Coombs, as partsans' IN
capable OF broad. impartial ana cpnprehenSNc
treatment Of their themes. Such volume, Ike
every course If popular lectures, contains much
that is instructive, but along with the good wheat
there is a cloud of chaf and dust. The dis
cussions which accompany the papers bear all
the signs Of haste and crudity in extemporaneous
cnaoLipo Tho educational value OF Such q VOL
ume Is not great.
Daniel Greenleaf Thompsons essay on POLL
tics in a Democracy may tend to reconcile
a,a,betic citizens to the misgovernment Of
American cities as an evil that is inherent IN
the political conditions and virtually inevitable
in the operation Of republican institutions; bur
1t will not encourage them to place any conf
dence in reform movements or to attach any
importance to their own responsibilities IL Is
q thoroughly pessimstic book, starting with the
assumption that the progress from monarchy to
democracy has been marked by a decline In
the sentiment of loyalty to duty, and ending
with the misty generalization that 'the ideal
Of the perfection Of democracy form of
government merges in that of a situation where
there is no government at all" There are in
termediate chapters party government, with
its concentration of power, by which rings are
formed and bosses created. with organiza-
ton behind them constantly becoming more
military and less democratic on government by
syndicate in Tammany Hall, with good prepon-
derating over the evil; and on general remedies
and ultimate tendencies. the apathy of the most
Intelligent citizens and the low standard Of
political administration and action being re-
garded as symptomatic of IAN evolutionary
movement of progress toward point where
government will cease because unnecessary"
The four chapters Tammany government
contain the only display Of optimism to be
found in the book. 1t is amazing and disheart-
enng to find writer Of this class writing about
the misgovernment of New-York in the same
od To th1