The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-27
CURRENT PERIODICALS.


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In Current Literature for April Hamilton
W.. Mabie continues. his excellent series of
articles on literary criticism with a paper
on Excessive Newspaper and Novel Read
ing"
Gen. Horace Porter's articles in the Cen
fury. Campaigning with Grant. are being
translated into Spanish by of
General Weyler. fer his benefit, month by
month, as they appear.
Mr.. Hazlett Alva Cuppy. formerly of In
diana. but for some years connected with
the Altruistic Magazine. the Baptist Union
and other periodicals.. has become the edi-
LEGATION Of Chicago University.
A story of Western life, by Octave Tha-
net. a Drumtochty story. by Ian Maclaren,
a group of true railroad stories by Cy War
man. a romantic sea story. and instruments
of Robert Louis Stevenson's last novel, st
Ives and of Kipiing's fine tale of the
Grand Parks make up the supply of fiction
i'm McClure's Magazine for April.
In an interview in the Strand Magazine
with Mrs. Beerbohm Tree, the actress. she
speaks of her young brother-in-law Max
Beerbohm. as IAN amusing boy and evil
IDENTIFY does not take his writings seriously.
The public. therefore, may be excused for
taking the same view. i'm spite of the effort
his publishers are making to dignity his
crude productions as literature of conse-
quence.
The April number of the Ladies' Home
Journal has a cover design representing
two young ladies in aesthetic gowns and
with bare feet out gathering Easter lilies.
Among the literary features of the number
are an account Of the curious Easter OBJ
servances of the Moravians at Bethlehem,
Pa, a chapter on the social life of the Pres
ident of the United States, by Benjamin
Harrison. a sketch of Jenny Lind's daugh-
ter and the story of Lafayette's visit to
Philadelphia.
In the Cosmopolitan its editor. John Bris-
ben Walker. discusses the question as TO
whether the present college curriculum
covers the best education we can offer to
the youth of the twentieth century. He
outlines the character of the work done at
the higher institutions of learning and
reaches the conclusion. through reasoning
and observation. that the student Is not prop
erly equipped for practical life after grad
uation. He has too many problems to meet
and solve which should have been pre-
scented to him while in school. MY exam
nation Of the methods in vogue in educa-
tional institutions" SAYS Mr.. Walker, has
brought me TO the belief that the most la
inevitable gaps in existing systems arise
from this false hypothesis, that
in previous or in subsequent condltions I'M
portant omissions have been. or Will be in
due time. made good. The actual facts
should be confronted fairly and squarely.
and college education should be provided
upon q basis of not what ought to have
been taught. but what has been
taught. in the case of the average
young man, and not what the graduate
may with effort acquire in the world. but
what he actually needs for the immediate
battle of life, and yet. in the majority of
instances. only attains when too Old 10
avail himself Of" The article Is a fair and
candid presentation of one of the most i'm
portant problems now confronting the edu-
cational world.
The Atlantic Monthly for April opens
with a very interesting article on present
conditions in the States comprising the
"Old Northwest namely. Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois. Michigan and Wisconsin. 1t is
written by Frederick j. Turner. professor
of history in the University of Wisconsin.
as the first of a series of papers on the rise,
growth and future of TIM Western States,
and shows the result Of much research and
close observation. Professor Turner says:
1.-The Old Northwest is a name which tells
of the vestiges which the march of settle
ment across the American continent has
left behind it. The new Northwest fronts
the watery labyrinth of Puget sound and
awaits it's destiny upon the Pacific. The
old Northwest, the historic Northwest Ter
ritory. is now the new middle region of the
lltt otoN1es n III 80 1 -
wilderness To-day ii is the Keystone OF
the American Commonwealth Since 1860
the center of population of the United
States has rested within its limits, and the
center of manufacturing in the Nation lies
eight miles from President Mckinley $ OHIO
home. OF the seven men who have been
elected TO the presidency of the United
States since 1860. six have come from the
Old Northwest. and the seventh came from
the kindred region of western New fopn,
The congressional representatives from
these five States of the Old Northwest al
ready outnumber those from the old Middle
States, and are three times as numerous as
those from New England" After tracing
the origin. settlement and growth OF THESE
States. he shows the effect on the character
immigrants. the effects of the slavery
struggle on all these ~contending elements,
and how the Northwest finally gave the
casting vote for freedom. In conclusion he
adds: To-day the Northwest, standing be-
tween her ancestral connections in the East
and her children in the West, partly ike
the East, partly like the West. finds herself
IN a position strangely like that in the days
of the slavery struggle. when her origins
presented TO her a divided duty. But THESE
| issues are not put with the same imperlouS
which, as were the issues of freedom or
slavery. Looking at the Northwest as d
whole. one sees that. in the character OF its
industries and in the elements of Its popu-
lation. IL is identified on the east With the
zone of States including the middle region
and New England. Cotton culture and the
negro make a clear line OF division between
the Old Northwest and the South. And yet,
in important historical ideals-in the move
ment of expansion. in the persistence OF ag-
ricultural interests. in impulsiveness. in i'm
perialistic ways OF looking at the American
destiny, in hero worship. in the newness OF
it's present social structure-the Old North
west has much I'm common with the South
and the far West. Behind her Is the old
pioneer past OF simple democratic .condi,
tions and freedom of opportunity for all
men. Before her Is a superb industrial de-
~velopment. the brilliancy OF success as
evinced in a vast population. aggregate
: wealth and sectional noWer.'