New-York tribune., 1900-08-19

ms iS04iIilent Of Professor McMasters his
foTy brings The narrative down to the second
se-F OF JacksOn's first term Of office The period
Covered 'Io-I-oO is eninently one Of transition
q period marked less by striking events than
by the disappearance Of old and the apnearancA
O ne" conditions, political, Industrial social and
intellectual It offers. thus, a particularly good
opportunity for the application Of Professor
McMaster's method; and, in fact in none Of the
earlier volumes has he applied it to better effect
his aim Is 10 draw from contemporary sources
picture Of the actual life Of the people. and he
mas produced one that is certainly very distinct
aEc Aiehke- One is. it is true. sometimes in
cHTed 10 think that the details with which il
Is enlIVened are not all precisely serious history;
but one is obliged TO admit that they contribute
10 a general effect which is uncommonly inter
esting.
u The new conditions 10 which the time gave
ilT-h the most important were the economic
and industrial The rapid growth Of manu-
= factures in the Eastern and Middle States the
great increase in population, the vast extension
. OF the National territory westward, and the
b Fbuilcing Of canals and railways effected
change that was literally a revolution. OF its
character and extent no better account has been
written than that by Professor Mcdaster. The
opening chapters, in particular. on -SociaIistic
ard Lab-r Reforms" and The State Of the Coun-
try from 1875 TO 1929" may be cited both as good
examples Of the excellences and the defects of
his method OF writing history and for their
charm from the point OF view Of the non-Critical
reader In the former he points out the fact
that one Of the first results OF the new order
cf things was the formulation Of the Tabor
problem" and the birth OF the labor party.
The workinguan had. indeed been in evidence
since the earliest days OF the Republic There
had been strikes Of jOurneyman shoemakers
jGuTneyIuan taiIors and carpenters, now for this
object now for that: TO prevent the employment
or non-union men, TO raise wages, to shorten
tI= working day, but they had amounted 10
little. II was as he says, the immense increase
II the number Of workingmen and working
women which followed the rise of the new in
dustries and the development OF old that brought
70 he Iaboring class the full consciousness Of
lis desires and its power 1t is interesting 10
r0te that the earliest manifestation Of this new
social and political force cited by him was con-
nected with the tariff A tariff bill was before
Congress in 1924. and ''New-York, as a great
commercial city, was full Of anti-tarih men,
and by them q meeting was called and held in
the City Hall But q band Of weavers from
Paterson from Westchester. and from the
mills IN the city marched TO the hail. took pos
session. interrupted the proceedings with cries
of No British goods" Tariff, tariff" American
r-zrr1fs o+11rers~ Protection to domestic indus
triesr smashed some chairs tore UP some
benches broke lamps and windows and went
avav" II Is significant, also that they were in
the most part aliens. recent inportations from
Great Britain. OF the lot which the working
man ssuzht 10 better the following quotation
gives an excellent idea; it may serve also as an
il-ustration Of the graphic quality Of the
thl-s style:
The condition Of the wOrklngman stood in need
Of betterrreur II the general advance made by
society in fifty years ne had shared but little.
Many old grievances no longer troubled him, but
new ones more numerous and calling than the
"a were pressing him soreIy. Wages had risen
within ten years. but not II proportion TO the
increase in the cost Of living. In some States
ra was no longer liable 10 imprisonment for
5anr unless the amount was larger than SD
and in others than 50. IF ne was 50 fortunate
- 70 save z few cents out Of the pItJance he
ea-DAd and lived in either OF the four great
~=-5=s rhere We're savings banks N which he
might with reasonable safety deposit The fruits
~ his economy and receive interest thereon.
These were decided gains Nevertheless, his
lot was hard. The hours Of labor We're SUI from
-----5sa 10 sunset Wages were not always paid
--aaZI,- or monthly but often al long and rregu-
rar Intervals and frequently in bad money His
ir5r.r-arce Of finance and Of the tricks OF busi-
--azs men made him the recipient OF cOuLIerielt
-r-ae and bills Of broken banks, or OF InSIitu-
tons of such doubtful soundness that the paper
he was forced TO receive a its 1ace Nalue "puld
- -ase with The butcher baker save al q
E1srv discount When his employer failed no
T5z- 70 a gave him a claim on the product or hls
-rF.1r In many States he was still dIstran-
-Lsgaz n all he was liable under the com
--o- lay 0f England TO be punished for con
Trslly y-r7~s or D sgrr1f4F