The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-17
IS RUDYARD K|PL|NG
ON THE DOWNWARD TRACK}
From the San Francisco Examiner.

FROM the San Francisco Examiner.
kipling knew more about the ways
and means by which the Anglo-Saxon
had been spreading than any other
man; and when he began singing and
storytelling, while Rhodes was pros
pecting, and Gordon and Kitchener
were fighting. he was really an author
lty. All that was best in conquest and
expansion he saw and said. Then he
went to England and there, by act
of genius he acquired the truly British
religious note. He not only struck it
but he struck it true. The Recession
al is the finest piece of deeply felt
British sentimentalsm that ever has
been struck off. Thr timidness of this
poem illustrates the wonderful recep-
tivity and sympathy of Kipling. The
Venezuela trouble, the African trouble,
the French trouble had thrown Eng
land on her launches and made her
realize what was at stake. Not since
the time of Chatham had she felt so
much alone. Then she was triumph
ant, but now she is reflective. The
man who could express this was to her
a poet-a great genius-a great spirit.
The "Recessional' is in reality a good
bit of reflective verse tinged with that
deeply human and very familiar super
stition, that pride goes before a fall
and the gods must be worshiped or
some disagreeable thing would happen.
1t is much too sef-regardent to be
great or permanent. 1t is not strong.
But England was not at her strongest.
In fact she had recently been very
much afraid. Inasmuch as everything
that England has of value is as import
ant to US as 1t is to her, we did we'll
to give her all sympathy, and her sup
port of us in the Spanish war made
us more than grateful. AS a piece of
politics the "RecessiOnar was a ten
strike. 1t is perfectly sincere and yet
perfectly acquired. From this moment
Kipling was an Englishman. He be-
came the Pindar of the Pan-SaXon for
ward movement and it is not only his
license but his duty to write verses
whenever all the world looks one way
over an international episode. His
philosophy of imperialism provides him
with his attitude of mind, and his
swinging rhythms, filled with Biblical
words, give him an excellent popular
vehicle.
The compass of Imperialism is, how
ever, limited and perforce he sometimes
strikes false notes. "Adam-zad the
Bear is a bad-hearted foolish poem
which brings out the seamy side of
British Imperialism, that is, its hostil-
ity to Russians, its disbelief in human
nature. Take Up the White Mans
Burden is sloppy and senseless lyric.
1t is wonder an American household
er does not laugh at it. The truth is,
we have been so pleased at the idea
OF taking part in the worlds history
that we do not know the difference
between Cecil Rhodes and Livingstone.
"Of course" we shout. "our duty right
or wrong!" When the Princess Eulalie
of Spain was in Chicago in 1892, We
stood her on a platform, and walked
round about her, like countrymen at
the Eden Musee. So with this Philip
pine affair. 1t is the novelty which eX-
cites us. I'VE killed four thousand of
them yesterday. White mans burden;
glorious; more tomorrow! Kipling was
born in India and understands these
things!"
Since Kipling left India he has done
nothing first-rate. Even the jungle
Book which is about India, is not as
good as plain Tales" and Soldiers
Three" The Days Work. is a series
jeux d'esprit, with some touches Of the