Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-11-16
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
THE NEXT LITERARY CENTRE.

Discussing In the current NUMBER OF
the Bookman "The Future Literary Cen
ter of the English language" Prof
Brander Matthews makes the prediction
that within fifty years this literary CEN
tire will be transferred from England to
the United States, from London to
well, that is another matter.
Prof. Matthews notes that as the CEN
ire of population in the United State has
been moving westward, so also the CEN
tire of population of the English-speaking
race has been steadily moving toward
the Occident. Inevitably this latter
change will be accompanied by another
change of almost equal significance.
London will cease to be the literary CEN
tire of the Euglish-speaking people. 1t
has held the position for six centuries {;
and even now there are visible very few
signs that the days of its supremacy are
numbered. One of the signs, observed by
Prof. Matthews. is the circumstance that
the two most widely known authors of
the language are an American and Brit
ish' colonial, Mark Twain and Rudyard
Kiping.
The time will come. and probaly long
before the close of the twentieth century
we follow Prof. Matthews very closely
when there will be in the United States
not only several times as many people as
there are in the British Isles, but also far
more literary activity. Most of the lead
ing authors of English literature will be,
not English. but American, in training,
thoughts and ideals. The British in the
mil hfAlI
to the Americans about the same position
that the Americans held toward the Brit
ish in the middle of the nineteenth CEN
fury. The British writers will probaly
not lack striking individualities but, as
group, they will probably be surpassed
by the American writers. "The largest
portion of the brain. as well as the
largest body of the speaking
race, will have its residence on the west
ern shore of the Western Ocean,"
We have not the space to follow Prof.
Matthews into his representations re-
garding the effect of this transfer upon
the English language. It's wide ground,
giving room for much conjecture and
fancy as well as for much logical deduc-
ton. The main point of the article was
to denote some reasons for the prediction
that some time during the century about
to be born the literary centre of the Eng
lish language will move from Engl land to
this country. As predictions go, this
seems extraordinarily safe.-Boston
journal.
DON'T RUSH INTO CITIES.
1t has long been the belief of Mr..
Stickney, the president of the Chicago
Great Western railroad, that the farm
life of America has been needlessly SOM
bre, according to Ainslie'S. lie is very
earnest advocate of complete change in
the methods of farm life. He is in favor
of creating little community wherever
there are even a half dozen farmers. lie
would have these farmers come into a
common community. not in any sense
theoretically communal. but commu-
nitv for cultivation, for mental advance
ment, for social progress, for the foster
ing of the finer and the iolier features of
life. He advocates the union of these
farmers into such town or community,
each one going out from his home
in the morning to his field as city
laborer goes out to his work. The
houses he would have built at some in
tersecting point, which would at all
times leave the families of the farmers in
immediate cOntact. Not only would
there be a great increase in the satisfac-
ton of living, but protection would be
insured in the emergencies of sickness.
fire and tramps. He would oblterate
the insulation which separates the farmer
from the world, and which. if we are to
believe those who have made study OF
the subject. does much to increase nsan.
it'll in rural regions.
Yet on no point is he more strenuous
in his writings than on the foolishnes;
shown by intelligent men in dockng tC
the cities for employment in already
overcrowded quarters, when the oppor'
tunities in the country are so large and
tempting to the man of clear vision
Here Is quotation from an address
which Mr.. Stickney gave some time age
ITO the dogs with the sentimental
nonsense that the examining process OF
the city schools and the adv antage OF
city churches, which you seldom enter
are all that make life living and thai
to remove to the country is to rob your
children of these advantages. Let labor
ing men examine the pedigree of the sue
cessful business men, the distinguished
lawyers, the leading physicians, the
most eloquent clergvmen, and almost
without exception they are country
born, reared and educated.
>OO>
THE EXPECTED HAS HAPPENED.
The result foreordained at Kansas City
has come to pass. President Mckinley
Is re-elected.
When the l6 to plank was separately
re-afiirmed, upon the direct demand OF
Mr. Bryan and with the complacent as
sistance of Croker, though against the
clearly expressed judgment of the dele
gates, the fate of the ticket was sealed
That plank became milestone arounC