Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-08

prosperity OF the world was increasing by
leaps and bounds. But the proportion
which America and Germany were supply
ing In the worlds production was increas-
ing much more rapidly than England's. II
the British were to uaintain their position
as the greatest commercial empire the
world had ever seen they would have to
spend money not only upon fleets and
armies, but also to make their commercial
warriors better able to bear the strife and
neat OF the day. He quoted the testimony
or the chief proprietor of the greatest dye
ing works in Great Britain to the effect
that he had to buy all his aniline dyes in
there came to Britain for their coal tar5
Mr.. carnegie had personally told him that
inc secret OF success in the American steel
INDUSTRY lay in the fact that expert chem
reported upon every consignment of ore,
ana contrasted that with the case of a
Scottlsh ironmaster who had made a great
LOT tort9 1h Dy mis- works, but who could not
yen the process of making Bessemer steel.
ne was averse to leaving the necessary in
struction to be provided by private enter
prise! Prise; as experience ohad shown that it
would never be done in that way He main
tanned that as the state had taken charge
OF elementary education, had already taken
the Hrst steps in organizing secondary edu-
catlon and through the science and art de-
pdrtment was responsible for laying the
foundation of technical education. It was
only natural that 1T should proceed to give
the 1uil instruction. which was SO much
SeuSo "A 1cFIldu manufacturer had de-
clared to him that british merchants were
50 weaohy, SO enterprising and SO ener-
Setc tnat no German firms could compete
put 1or the fact that the British govern
tney would not gtue their merchants that
laSihsy Tor getting information which
Woulo leaVe them masters of the field The
speech is causing no little interest. 1t is
possible that the question will he brought
up in parliament,
Huskin Reminfscence.
In the death of Mr.. Ruskin the world has
lost one of its great men. His day is past.
but his ideas have Influenced artists and
writer's more than they themselves have
always been aware. Mr. Ruskin was q
name rather than a personality in London.
Naturally enough. ordinary society did not
appear 10 him. and modern society, peopled
with mfilionaires and devoted to the wor-
snip OF mere wealth, he hated with his
ences and prejudices OF Mr.. Gladstone
ne never made an idol, believing as I am
TOLD that the deceased statesman spoke
WITH much greater frequency than the i'm
Gated to the public justified. The portrait
OF the great writer in Mr.. Mallocks New
Republic where Mr. Ruskin is depicted
uhoef the name of Mr.. Herbert, has always
been acknowledged to be the hit of that
clever and too little remembered book Mr.,
Ruskin himself said that there was not an
opinion ascribed to Mr.. Herbert in the
pages OF the New Republic" which he
would not have been proud to ut
ter. Notwithstanding his medieval SYM
pathies Mr.. Ruskin was never much at
tracted either by Catholicism or by the
Catnollc revival, which, In view Of certain
Oh his most cherished ideas, was curious
and almost remarkable. but from other
standpoints most explicable. 1t is rather
the fashion to speak of him as having sur
vived the days of his greatest fame, and
extreme old 90 af,Iro h
he should claim less of the public atten-
ton than formerly. but it is surprising to
find how many more extreme Ruskin devo-
tees there are still than one would have
perhaps imagined.
The house in which Mr.. Ruskin was born
is still in existence. 1t is an unpretentious
building in Hunter street, Brunswick
square, London, quiet locality, which was
one time rather favored by well-to do mer-
chants, but which is now largely given over
to lodging houses and nursing homes. 1t
was at No. in the same street that the
famous Marchoness Townsend lived. An
other London house even more closely asso-
ciated with Ruskin is the villa at Herne
Hill, in which he resided for many years.
This is in much the same condition as it was
when he left London to live in the Lake
district, but all around the land has been
built upon to such an extent that the neigh
borhood has lost the rural charm which SO
endeared it to Ruskin.
A Novelist's Death.
Lovers of good literature all the world
over will hear with deep regret of the
death OF Mr.. Richard Doddridge Black
more, the well-known novelist. Born in
Buckinghanishire in 1925, and descendant
of the once famous DR.. Doddridge, he was
educated at Tiverton and Oxford Univer-
sity. Starting life as barrister, and prac-
ticing as a conveyancer, he began to write
novels when just under forty, and in the
course of over thirtyTyears he has poured
out, not in too swift succession series Of
thirteen or fourteen, sin addition to many
poems and TRANSACTIONS. Later he devoted
himself largely to market gardening in the
beautiful neighborhood of Richmond, and
distinguished himself 9for the excellence Of
his growth of small frlits-a rather curious
mixture of occupations for an undoubtedly
great literary artist The one brilliant
novel by which his reputation is firmly Sc
cured is, of course, Lorna Doone'-that
wonderful tale of romance and adventure
among the outlawed Doone family of Elk
more, written with a touch of antiquity, in
the style which is amazingly preserved
throughout, and adds greatly to the charm
of the book. 1t is said that when it was
lay upon the publishers shelves unasked
for. But a couple of years later the mar
riage of the Marquis of Lorne with a
daughter of the queen led curiously enough
to a demand for the book - probably
through popular idea that there must be
something in common between Lorne and
Lorna. 1t is unnecessary to say that Wnen
once Lorna Doone" was read its fame
was assured, and it has grown to be one Of
the most popular books of the century.
over ninety separate editions of it have
been published
War Sets New Styles.
"Khak's the only wear seems to be the
sartorial order of the day. Not only are
many Of our young men attiring themselves
in dirty browns and yellows, which are
colorado imitation of khaki, but so also
are ladies choosing the popular hue-one
can hardly call it color-for their dresses.
Unfortunately, 1t is the saffron-complex-
toned people who are taking the khaki and
the effect is CHASTITY. The sad-hued ma
terial reflects a yellow tinge in the faces of
those who wear it. A khaki, by the way
wears abominably. Either the dye rots
the serge or the government have had the
worst shoddy imposed on them, and the
word comes from South Africa that the
uniforms are rotting off the men there.
and that unless relief is sent they will
soon be an army of scarecrows. The war
office is however, rising to the occasion,
and large shipments Of clothing are being
made. The urgent demand for boots is
shown by the fact that the government
have commandeered all the available army