Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Seldom does an official publication possess
the historical, almost the literary, interest
which this census report holds for the aver
age reader. 1t is a record Of Cuba from al
most every point Of view. 1t tells Of its
struggles with poverty and with adverse
political conditions. 1t describes its re-
sources and opportunities. 1t analyses its
people as have few writer's on the subject
Its statistical features are, Of course. less
attractive in the mass than are the chap
tiers on special subjects and the detailed re-
ports of some of the enumerators who
were obliged, in order to count sparse and
widely scattered population. to penetrate
the bayous and to traverse the keys and
iSletS off the shores of the main island. to
fight with crocodiles for life and to strus-
gle against the lack of good water and
food. Probably never before was the popu-
lation of Cuba SO thoroughly enumerated
| and classified. There were many sociolog-
ical problems to solve. many questions to
answer. Great difficulties were in the way.
The island had just been riven by war and
devastated by famine 1t was not normal
popula ton which the representatives of the
provisional government found and sched-
uled, but demoraliZed people. with many
abnormal tendencies in the aggregate. Thus
the number Of widows is shown to be ex-
ceSSively large, due no doubt to the deVaS-
tations of the war and of the cruelties of
the Weylerian rule. The generally upset
condition of society is shown now in this
report DS the excessive NuIIDeT u iiIOSe
who lack gainful occupations and in the
large percentage of illiterateS among GER
tain classes and in certain sections.
The report was prepared under the super
vision OF Lieutenant Colonel ]. p. Sanger,
who was director Of the census and of Hen
ry Gannett and Walter +. Wilcox. statis-
teal experts. 1t contains many Illustrations,
showing views of the principal cities of Gu
ba, coiored maps indicating some of the
general results of the enumeration and &
large number of colored diagrams, giving
graphic representations of the census ac-
cording to selected topics, such as educa-
ton, occupation. marital relations. citizen
ship. age and size of families General ar
ticles on agriculture education etc, sup
plement the formal statistical work. and an
appendix contains many valuable pages OF
descriptive matter forming guide to some
of Cuba's less accessible regions and a
thorough description of the people and their
resources. A comprehensive index gives
value to each part, however small.
THE ANGLo,sAXoN REVIEW: Quarterly Mis-
cellany. Edited by Lady Randolph Spencer
Churchill MRS. George CORVALLIS Vest. Vol.
VI. September, 1900. New York and London:
John Lane.
ton de luxe quarterly, which is said to
have marked an era in modern periodical
literature, is fully up to the high standard
set with the first issue. 1t has perhaps the
richest binding of all the series, the covers
being a mass of red and gold filet work,
copied from book bound probably early in
the seventeenth century by lie Gascon,"
the sobriquet of noted French binder of
the period. The magazine features of the
issue include articles by Andrew Lang. Max
Beerbohm, Richard Garnett, c. B., George
Whale and Judge O'Connor Morris, story
by R. b. Cunninghame Graham and a poem
by Stephen GWynn. timely word of adj
vice is offered the subject of the best
method of preserving the beautiful bind
fngs of the numbers of the Review already
issued, which shows how highly they are
regarded by their producers.
WITH ECTH ARMIES IN SOUTH AFRICA. BY
Richard Harding Davis, F. X. q. s. Illustrated.
New York: Charles Scribners sons Washing
ton: BIeEtanos.
From time to time since the war in South
Africa ceased to attract keen interest arti-
Giles by Mr. Davis have appeared in the
magazines valuable as impressions rather
than reports. His growing antipathy
for the British cause early became mani
fest 1t is in glaring evidence now that
the articles have been assembled in book
form. 1t is frankly acknowledged and ii be-
comes rather tiresome in fits con-
slant iteration in almost unvarying
form. Mr.. Davis did not preserve his lit
erary proportions when he assembled the
chapters. He might have made more per-
the key of his protest occasionally and
given more space to scenes of war. His
real experience at the front was brief, on
both sides, much of his time being occupied
in making a detour from Ladysmith to
Pretoria. The two battle scenes he does
give are vivid and his description of Lady,
smith, after its relief, is affectingly dra-
matte.
CHINA'S OPEN DOOR; a Sketch of Chinese Life
and History. BY. Rounsevile Wildman MA,
consul general Of the United States at Hong
Kong, author OF Tales OF the Maayan Coast"
etc With introduction by Charles DENLY, for
mer United States minister to China. Illus
trated. Boston: LOthrop Publishing Company.
Mr.. Wildman possesses exceptional adj
vantages for the preparation of such a
work, his years of consular service having
brought him into close contact with the
Chinese people and officials. His sketch
reaches more commanding proportions than
the word indicates, despite the small size
of the volume, for it comprises history
OF China, summary of recent events and
an estimate as to trade opportunities. 1t
deals comprehensively and understandingly
with the Chinese character which must
be closely studied before an intelligent idea
Of the country and its future can be
formed. Mr.. Denby's Introduction lauds
the book highly. comparing it with the
much-quoted Middle Kingdom" of DR. S.
thorlty on China in existence today This
commentator, however holds that Mr.
Wildman has prepared a more readable
book than the Middle Kingdom" mas
much as his style is intimate and
chatty. There are abundant anecdotes il
Illustrative Of Chinese methods and customs
and some hard, unavoidable facts for the
merchant to digest before he can hope
to conquer the Chinese prejudices against
foreigners.
THE LANE THAT HAD NO TURNING: and Other
Tales Concerning the People of Pontiac together
with Certain Parallels OF Provinces" Nv GIL
bert Parker. New York: Doubleday Page &
Co. Washington: VIM. Ballantyne q Sons.
Mr.. Parker's pen has been at rest for a
couple of seasons. These short stories-al-
most consecutive in their mutual relation
ship-are redolent of his most familiar
theme, the French-Canadian life. The viii
lage of Pontiac is peopled with striking
| characters, the cure. the little chemist, the
auctioneer, the avocat, the doctor, the
miller, the seigneur and perhaps most in
teresting of All, Parpon, the dwarf. 1t is
difficult at times to realize that Pontiac
Is within call and that the period of most
of these tales is fairly cotemporaneous so
foreign and so remote in point Of time and
place are the situations and the perSonap