The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-22
a visit to England where he had proba-
bly, seen the picturesque name.

visit to England where he had proba-
bly, seen the picturesque name
1t is doubtful if any writer was ever
better prepared for his work than Miss
Ida NJ. Tarbell was for her History of
the Standard Oil Company which is
! just beginning serial publication and is
| to be brought out in book form next
1 fall. The task of writing an interesting
history of this great trust was difficult
enough to keep most writer's from the
attempt. Very little, at any rate. has
been written about the matter; very lit
tie is known of the struggle between
competition and combination which
brought this most perfectly organized
business in the world about: few re-
member now the old South Improve
ment company under whose very liberal
character the Standard worked-and yet
there is a remarkable curiosity on the
part of the public as to how the present
power of the oil monopoly was attained
Miss Tarben was peculiarly fitted for
this task of revelation. She was bora
and brought up in Titusville. Pa, the
very heart of the oil country. Her
father and brother have been engaged
in the industry for years. She has made
most painstaking search for all sorts of
hidden records. in and out of court
room proceedings. Ever since its organ
ization the Standard Oil comaany mas
been under one OF another form of legal
investigation and the newspapers for 80
years past have been filed with stories
of its dealings.
What this wonderful combination
has cost the independent oil men-the
body of men who at the opening of this
history are introduced to US as the
founders of the oil business says Miss
Tarben, is an integral part of the
story. Steadily, year after year, they
| disa DDeared from the business as the
Standard grew. Refineries which had
begun at the opening of the industry
with one little STILL and under the ener-
| obi Of hi. l. i
grown to prosperous plants, slowly but
surely succumbed TO combination
sometimes their owners sold out to their
great rival, but sometimes they strug-
gled on, each year doing a little less
business, until finally the fires under the
last still went out, and the owner began
life over in another business- 1t was
combine or die in the oil regions. and
| there were men who preferred to die
| Their stories lie in SOmbre accusing
lines across the path of conquest which
the Standard has followed These stor-
les are not hearsay, not the legends of a
hardluck community: they are legal
records, life histories brought out in the
| questions and answers of examiners in
federal and state Investigations. told
In affidavits filed in civil courts in var
ious cities of the country
1.-The Reader" a new literary publica-
ton makes d very favorable impression in
| it's first issue-that for November. ana
if the same standard is maintained, there
will be no doubt of its success.
What promises to be an amusing series
of articles, is The Literary Guillotine, i'll
which popular authors are tried for liter
arv crimes before a tribunal composed of
| Mark Twain. Oliver Herford and the
known author of the articles, with Chas
Battell Loomls as chief prosecuting Off
GER The first case is that of the people
against Richard Harding Davis. Mr.
Davis is convicted of lese majestic against
the cause of letters. In the course of the
trial it is proposed by the prosecution
that Soldiers of Fortune be read aloud to
the jury.
with your honor's permission" cried
the foreman. springing to his feet. -as
spokesman of this jury I must vigorously
protest against this injustice We are
peaceful, unoffensive citizens, who arc
sacrificing time and interests TO the
| state yet here it is proposed to force us
to listen to Soldiers of Fortune We
throw ourselves upon the mercy of the
court to protect us against this cruel and
| unusual punishment" 80
After some discussion among the judges,
Mark Twain delivers the ruling.
in view of the appeal of the foreman
and of the fact that one of the jurymen
has heart disease. we have decided not
to compel the jury to hear the book"
The idea of court of literary inquiry
is a good one, but of course the plan
| could not be carried out If. however the
errors of authors be called to their atten-
ton frequently, they may exercise more
care in future writing. Naturally enough,
more errors creep into translations than
appear in the original work TIL old story
of the French translation of one of Cooper's
novels illustrates the matter-Cooper had
one Of his characters hitch his horses to
a locust-meaning of course tree. The
| translator knew locust only as insect
and his version had the man hitching his
horse to a grasshopper, with the follow
ing explanation in a foot note:
I'm the United States graSShOpperS oc-
casionally grow to enormous incredible
size When a particularly gigantic speci-
men is met with, it is customary to stuff
it. weighing it down with lead for greater
solidity The animal is placed in front
of the outside door and used for hitching
horses"
Perhaps the French critics may point
out glazing errors in our translations
of their works but doubt it.
There is, however, too much looseness
in writing nowadays. Even Kipling's last
short story Wireless" was severely crit
: icized by the scientists, and from Kipling
down there is much need of greater care.
/ Not long ago q popular author had the
fun moon rising at midnight mistake
which a school boy could scarcely make
! in first composition.
HERBERT BREWSTER.
BOOK NOTES