Evening star., 1901-02-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THE COLOMBIAN AND VENEZUELAN REPUB;
Lies; with Notes ON Other Parts of Central
and South America: By William L. Ssruggs'
Tertiary of the United States to Colombia and
to Venezuela. With maps and illustrations
Boston: Little, Brown and Company
Ex-Minister Scruggs has spent cons1dera-
BILE time in South and Central America, and
is personally familiar with various phases OF
its life, social and political. Having rep
resented this government at two capitals
on the north shores of the southern conti-
nent, he was called upon then to study the
political and commercial problems present
ed there at first hand. His work now re-
fleets the net results of his observations,
and is chiefly important at present because
of renewed agitations in both the countries
he describes South America is being view
ed with increasing interest by several Of
the great powers, for it is recognized that
therein lies a vast field for exploitation
and perhaps for political colonization. Mr..
Scruggs, in this book, discusses such queS-
tions pertinent to this new thought as the
Monroe doctrine, the rights of citizens IN
the southland, the race question, the canal
problem and the relations of these repub-
lies to the European governments His re-
view of the Venezuelan-British boundary
dispute is timely and interesting, in view
Of the difficulties just now precipitated in
Venezuela over the asphalt grants. which
may cause official friction with the
government at Caracas. This review jndi-
Gates how difficult Is the process of diplo-
matte negotiation with these organizations
to the south, and how essential it is that
the greater powers maintain themselves to-
ward the republics with strict care for the
proprieties as well as for their abstract
rights. InterSperSed among the political
chapters of the book are many pages Of
valuable information about the people, Gus
toms and resources of the two republics
specially considered. There is much prac-
tical advice to the prospective settler, both
as to the best way to avoid ill-health and
as to the smoothest social and commercial
paths to pursue. There is incidentally
great deal of historical information in the
book, and an analytical consideration Of
the South American revolution as an inSti-
tuition.
PIE; Social and Territorial. By Edwin Erie
sparks; ks;. ph: D. assistant professor Of Ameri-
Scott Foresman and Company.
Inspired by recent events the author has
in this book traced the tendencies which
have steadfastly drawn the people of the
United States toward a broader sphere of
action. His historical review is compact
and in the main dispassionate. 1t is given
unique interest by the insertion of a num-
ber of reproductions of contemporaneous
prints, cartoons and illustrations, suggest
i've of the rise and fall of party spirit on
issues affecting the expansion of the repub-
lie. Respecting the latest phase of this
development the author concludes:
"That the United States will succeed in
every respect in this new role no one ex-
poets. She has not succeeded in governing
perfectly her continental home possessions.
Indeed, that a republic with It's frequent
change of administrations and petty Off
cials, with it's necessarily large proportion
of incompetent servents, with Its constant
danger from spoils-seekers and patriots for
revenue, with its invested interests seeking
q colonial market, that such government
Is at all fitted for holding colonies has not
yet been proved. But the success of the
past Is the hope of the future"
ELIZABETH AND HER GERMAN GARDEN. By
?. Special American Edition. Illustrated
Chicago: Laird and Lee.
This is an extraordinary presentation in
at least one regard. This book. which at
tracted attention upon its first appearance
some months ago as a charming rendering
of the nature love of an intelligent Ger
man woman of wealth and refinement, who
remained unnamed. is now published anew
with the authorship indirectly ascribed on
the title page to Princess Henry Of
Pless The publishers choose her from
the three who have been most conspicu-
ously mentioned as the author. the others
DelnR Ir1QCeSS I1tuTy VI IIuSSid duu Tie
Countess of Arnim. Evidently there Is
either some doubt on these shores, even in
the publishing house, or else this device Is
chosen as an easy method OF letting the
identity Of the author slip out to the public
mind. A portrait Of Princess Henry of
Pless graces the volume.
SANDS OF SAHARA. By Maxwell Sommeryille
professor Of giyptoiogy, University of PennsyL
v.nia, author q siam" etc: Illustrated, Phii-
ton: WIN. BaIlantyne Sons.
This book corrects some popular miscon-
ceptions of the great African desert. The
author went into the Sahara searching for
tokens Of native superstition. amulets.
charms. etc, and while collecting many