The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-05

Stevens; a discussion of THE vital Ques-
ton of Pure Food" by Harry b. Mason,
poets Of the Kiondike, by Jack London.
In this number appears the full text OF
the arbitration agreement signed at The
Hague and now awaiting ratification by
the United States Senate prefaced with a
statement of the purpose and intent or
the treaty, by Prof. John Bassett Moore
The editorial department, 1.-The Progress
of the World reviews the Boer war to
date, the political situation at the opening
of new Congress. recent municipal prog
ress in American cities. and many other
topics of the time.
The New England Magazine contains a
history and description of the Massachu-
sets Prison for Women. at Sherborn,
Mass, together with biographical sketch
of the late Ellen Johnson. who was its
superintendent for many years No al
fusion is made in the article to the fact
that the character and methods of the
institution were modelled upon those of
the Indiana Womans Prison, which was
the only one of the kind then in existence.
"A historical sketch of Faneui Hall is a
feature of this number of the magazine.
There is a description of the town of
northampton. Mass, which is the home of
number OF well-known literary people.
Whites Selborne Revisited" Horace
Greeley's Early New England Home" and
France and England in North America %
are the topics of other contributions to
the number. There are also several short
stories.
The supposititous parsonage known as the
average reader" is likely to find many
things beyond his comprehension in the
magazine called Mind. This passage from
an article on THE Omnipotence of Human
Life is, for instance likely TO puzzle
him: Evil is, only because we believe
that it is. 1t has no reality beyond our be-
lief In ft-nO power save such as our be-
lief invests IT with. Evil exacts tribute
because We are stupio enough to come to
terms with ii. The devil exists because we
unconsciously worship him as the real pow
err when we think We are worshiping God.
We have strife, competition, and struggle
because We believe in them. We have the
palace beside the sweatshop, the wretched
tenement behind the church, the mon
strous lobby in the legislative hall, swarms
of political and commercial parasites on
the social body, because we believe in all
this hideousAess and tyranny as real and
potent; as having always been, and as
. therefore always to be. But there is no
evil except our belief in evil" But per-
haps the lucubrations of Mind are not in
tended for the average reader.
The Chronicle and Comment of the
January Bookmansare of unusually varied
interest The department opens with an
estimate of the character and work of
Mr.. Godkin, until recently editor of the
New York Evening Post Among the con-
tributed articles is one on German news
papers, which contains much information.
The last installment of Janice Meredith
appears in this number, and is to be sue
ceeded, IT is announced, by a novel of
American life, ''Stringtown on the Pike -
by John Cri Lloyd. The publishers neg
lect to mention in their very laudatory
comment on the work that Mr.. Lloyd, who
Is a business man of Cincinnati, first at
tracted attention through the publication
OF a remarkable book. with the equally re-
markable title, "Etidorpha." ''Stringtown
on the Pike has it's rise, progress and
close in one little obscure Kentucky vii
| lage. 1T does" says the publishers an
| nouncement, all that Mary Wilkins and
others have done for a narrow circle of
American life, but it has a significance
and sweet and human intensity which
| takes in the universe by touching life at
| the base"
In an article in the January Forum on
| State Historical Collections in the Old
Northwest" the author. johnson Bingham,
state librarian of Iowa, has this to say
| of Indiana's work in this line: Indiana
| has state organization which, unaided.
has done good, but far too little work.
Though Indiana has not yet created
historical department, popular interest
making itself felt at the State capital:
and 1t is safe TO predict that, with char
acteristic Hoosier liberality, this measure
| of protection against the ravages of time
Will soon be taken. The last Legislature
| OF Indiana voted a small appropriation as
| a printing fund for the State Historical So
| ciety, thus recognizing the value of his
| torical publications and encouraging the
| hope that the next Legislature may make
| provision for the preservation of the col
lections within reach of a State so rich
| in history and tradition" The outline of
the work being done by some other States
| notably Wisconsin, given by Mr. Bling
nam, should stir to action those Indian
| ianS who are or should be interested in
the gathering of historical matter which
the passing of each year makes more diff
| ficult to secure.