The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-21

! shall be avoided A war between Great
! Britain and the United States would cost
a vast number Of lives and a vast amount
Of treasure. Neither would yield until the
point of exhaustion was reached.
Lord Russeu's address was a timely one.
II will help to strengthen the sentiment in
favor of international arbitration Nation
al pride and patriotism are good things
and should be cultivated. but their exis-
tence is not dependent upon war concern
ing matters that can be settled with great
er justice and fairness by peaceful means.
Watson's "story of France"
The publication of advance extracts
from Mr. Tom Watson's STORY Of
France" shows us the populist candidate
for the Vice Presidency in a new eharac-
ter. Just the nature Of that character is
somewhat in doubt. 1t is hard to tell
whether Mr.. Watson wishes to be taken
seriously or in fun, as a historian or as
humorist.
1t is hardly necessary to say that Mr..
Watson's literary style is unique. If it
were Motif he were not unique in almost
everything-he could not be a populist.
For it seems to be one of the leading
tenets in the populist partys articles Of
faith to kick against all of the conven-
tionalties. Mr.. Watson's book is decid-
edly unconventional 1t abounds in slang,
and sometimes one almost expects to find
him "eussin in the next paragraph. Mr..
| Watson's purpose so it is understood. is
to present to the people of the United
States a wholesome lesson from the his
tory of France. Yet he goes about the
task with a degree of fippancy which
creates the idea that he is trying to take
away whatever laurels Bill Nye may
have won by his Comic History of Eng
land"
The first volume of Mr.. Watson's book
the only one that has yet been completed,
ends with the close of the reign Of Louis
XI. Running through a sketch of the
history of the barbarians, Gauls. Druids,
bards, etc, he gets down to Caesar. whom
he proceeds to roast in the orthodox pop
ulist style. If Watson had been contem-
porary with Caesar, it may be doubted
that Brutus would have been as big a
man as history makes him. Watson
would have run him out of the country
with his pen before Brutus could have
whetted his dagger. Nero also falls I'M
der the displeasure of the populist candi-
date for the Vice Presidency. and gets
this for his meanness:
Nero seemed to care little for the accu-
sation that he had killed his mother, but
the indictment that he was a sorry fiddler
broke him all up. He called a great meet
ing of people in Rome, made them a
speech, denied that he was sorry fiddler
and played a tune or two TO prove that
he could tickle the catgut with skill and
ability.
That is decidedly supplementary Ian
guage to use in referring to an emperor s
playing of the violin. But Watson hates
royalty Speaking of the coming of the
Franks and the mode of government they
set up, he says:
Murder was considered a trivial Of
Tense. A scale of prices fixed the amount
, which the offender should pay for killing
his foes. The fine varied with the digni-
ty or Importance of the deceased. To kill
5 one of the nobility cost 81, 700, TO kill a
priest or judge cost the murderer 81 .0S0 to
smash in the head of a deacon only cost
$20 to STAY a common freeman cost $500
and you could kill as many slaves as you
pleased at the moderate price of about
500 each.
Z In a further elaboration of this code OF
the Franks Mr.. Watson makes an appli-
cation that is especially worthy of his
- party. and reads as though it might have
/ been suggested by Senator PETER. He
says:
, 1t certainly was a very free and easy
state of society when an angry Frank
suffering. perhaps, from a fit of indiges
ton, brought on by eating too much raw
y COW and sour aCorns. could march out
into the neighborhood. split the skulls OF
all his enemies, fill a respectable grave
l yard before dinner and then go free by
e paying a smaller sum of money than oul
, taxpayers have to pay for the burial Of
one very common congressman.
Mr. Watson's belief in the doctrine Of
retributive justice was rudely shaken by
the fate of Fredegonde, who led a mos
disreputable life. and yet died as peace
fully and calmly as a saint might have
done. Referring to the political pageants
4 of the time of the "long-haired kings.
= Mr. Watson draws this graphic picture o.
Z a parade through the streets of Paris:
The people rarely saw their sovereign
He lived slothfuly in his rude palace
among his wives and his concubines, los
y ing all strength and ell influence. Occa
v sionally he came forth, surrounded by hi.
grandees, and made formal parade
- through the streets Of Paris. Seated in Z
e heavy OK cart, pulled along by pair o,
d huge oxen with all the majestic leisur,
for which that kind of team is celebra
ted, we can fancy that the royal parad,
made an indelible impression upon tht
"tag-tag and bobtail' Of Paris Bear il
S mind that the streets in those days wer,
r. mere dirt roads, full of mudholes: renem
/ Der that the cartwheels were solid, anC
felt bound to 80 TO the bottom of every
G soft place they struck; recollect tina
n when a cart tilts to one side no morta
man, even though a king with hair a yarC
. long, can stay inside the pesky thing
l without era bbing hold of the other side