New-York tribune., 1902-03-14

diplonnatists OF Japan are more entertaining
than the condensed abstracts of industrial and
commercial progress. The Emperor is described
as the supreme factor in Japanese affairs-the
all powerful leader of the nation, although he
spends nearly all his life in the seclusion Of his
palaces. No other country owes so much to It's
ruler. Since the Restoration, when he perceived
the necessity for meeting the foreigner on his
own ground and lifting Japan TO the front rank
among nations he has exercised benefcent
influence upon the development of the country
He is far above the constitution which he gave
TO the nation. His word has more effect than
hundreds Of laws. There may be a majority Of
four -ffths Of the legislators against tax meas
ure and the Opposition will vote for 1T as one
man if he expresses a desire to have it passed
Everybody reveres and trembles before him;
school children do obesance at stated periods
before his portrait; one of his speeches is the
basis Of all elementary education; if he smiles
the nation is happy, and if he frowns his people
are troubled The authors tributes TO the great
men of ia pan are equally sympathetic. and his
account of the political progress of the people.
with the species of fatalism with which assas-
siuations and police precautions are regarded
and with the facility for press manipulation Of
public opinion, is most interesting. The masses
hate the Russians and the French without
measure, and the Germans come next, but the
English and the Americans are regarded with
great favor Japan for the japanese is, how
ever the supreme policy Of masses and classes.
Foreign progress is assimilated; Japan is not
handed over TO the mercies Of foreigners.
Mr.. George Howell is rounding out an active
career by writing a comprehensive history OF
the labor movements of the last fifty years in
England with the chief actors and the prac-
teal results in legislation and permanent re-
forms. The book is published here by Mr.
Unwn, and. since il deals exclusively with Eng
lish progressive legislation from the first repeal
of the combination laws in 1874 10 the present
time it will NOT be reprinted in America. The
veteran. whose life has been spent in arduous
service for the working classes. feels that this
is the last work that remains for him TO do. He
knows the story of the struggles. victories and
defeats of organized labor during the last half
century, and he believes that something useful
will be accomplished, if the facts told with
out partisan bias by one who has passed the
heat and burden OF the day. II is a diffuse and
painstaking record rather than a philosophical
treatise on English labor movements for the
authors heart has been in his work, and no
detail has seemed unimportant to him, when
there is a lamentable lack OF knowledge Of in
dustrial history in current discussion and Par
liamentary debates Mr.. Howell may have been
a party zealot in his prime, but with the
serenity of advancing years has come impair
tialty of judgment. For this reason it is to be
regretted that he has not allowed himself larger
reserves of space for mature reflection. instead
of accumulating SO unmanageable a stock of
facts.
Mr.. Howell has been intimately connected
with the trades union movements of recent
years. and has drawn his facts at first hand
from personal knowledge of the leaders and
their policies. He writes with studied i'm
partially, yet critically, and with cheerful
optimism Fifty years have witnessed an ad-
vance all along the line. All trades have shared
In material prosperity; the hours of labor have
been reduced; employment is fairly plentiful,
and wages have risen Workmen's dwelling
houses have been rendered sanitary and i'm
proved in many respects. Cheap transit has
been provided for vast hives of workers in
cities, and all the conditions OF working life
have been softened and improved. Mr.. Howell
sums up all these results and credits trades
unionism with a large share of responsibility
for them. He does not leave the Taft Vale and
Belfast decisions out of account, yet refuses TO
take a despondent view because the House of
Lords has ruled that a trades union is legal
entity, and be sued a corporate body for
abuses of picketing and interference. He can
didIy describes the decisions significant pro-
tests against the intensely militant spirit of
modern trades unionism, and he contends that
organized labor must meet them by setting It's
house in order Mr.. Howell has no faith in the
new labor gods-collectivism. socialism and an
archy. He is an old fashioned reformer who be
lieves that cooperation is the best remedy for
the grievances Of labor. and that trades union
ism itself is palliative not panacea.
I. n. F.