The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-24
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
The LeOpard's Spots.


This novel sets its title from the scrip
tural inquiry. "Can the Ethiopian change
his skin or the leopard his spots?" It's sub
title designates il as "A Romance of the
White Mans Burden-1ss5-19Oo" As may
be inferred, it is a purpose NOVELETTE,
purpose being TO set forth the negro prob
lem as it has presented itself TO Southern
ers since the civil war. The author,
Thomas Dixon, jr.. was born in North
Carolina in 1864 and is still a resident OF
that State. He was educated for the law,
but later was ordained as a Baptist min
lister. In n brief biography, presumably
authorized by himself, i'm a recently pub
hshed biographical dictionary, he is set
down as a Mckinley Democrat This,
Judging by certain statements made in the
story concerning the political attitude of
many Southerners, means that he is in ac-
cOrd with the Republican party on all
points save that of negro suffrage.
Inc most OF the events of the story take
place at 'Hambright,' q village in North
carolina, the first of these events being the
return of the Confederate soldiers after
Lees surrender. Nearly 200 pages of the
volume are given Up 10 history OF the
reconstruction period in so far as II
affected the people OF Hambright, the
wrongs and Outrages perpetrated upon
Ihem serving TO make the tale much more
Iorclble than when told in ordinary his
torlcal chronicles and without such con-
crete illustrations. Mr. Albion Tourgee, IN
Bricks Without Straw, once told the eX-
periences Of a Northern settler, carpet
Dagger in the South during that critical
period. Mr. Dixon's story is of the OBJ
verse side of the shield. No one in these
days, North or South, but is ready TO ad-
init that mistakes were made by the ma
tional government in that troubled time
and that the Southern whites suffered
much therefrom. Possibly Mr.. Dixon
whose style is of the dramatic order, paints
a somewhat exaggerated picture of their
wrongs, and undoubtedly he fails to give
the government credit for its good inten-
tons, but. on the whole. these 200 pages
tell the story with all the accuracy that
can be expected in a work of fiction by
writer with the capacity TO sieZe upon and
make prominent the most effective points.
Inc narrative is not pleasant one 10
read, and il will perhaps arouse contro-
versy, but it is worth reading by Northern
ers. if only to have the Southern side. The
love story which is woven in does not begin
until the second part OF the book Is
reached The hero, Charles CASTOR, is a
ohild when the tale opens and figures only
incidentally in the early chapters. He Is q
man beginning the practice of law when
the second series of events begins to IN
fold. His part is to enter politics and help
state politics which have come about
through negro suffrage-in other words, to
deprive the negroes of their votes. This he
eventually succeeds in doing and is hailed
nominated for the office of Governor by
acclaRation. This second part of the vol
ume, so far as it relates to politics, is by
no means convincing the first. The
author grows hysterical at times and at
other times oratorical, conveying the i'm
preston that he is not himself entirely
convinced of the righteousness of his
cause and is permitting fine writing" and
Incorporate words to take the place Of
argument. He assumes as true what every
Northerner knows TO be false, namely, that
social
and dwells with tiresOme iteration upon the
idea expressed in the time-honored query
with which SOGtherncrS are wont TO meet
argument, Would YOU have a negro marry
your daughter Mr.. Dixon sees no place
in the Nation for the negro except one
wholly subordinate He does not say that
he would have him a slave again, but that
is the natural deduction Apparently he
would not permit him to be educated, and
yet all the evils he depicts as a result OF
the black mans participation in politics
came from his ignorance and the conse-
quent ease with which he fell under the
sway of white rascals. Undoubtedly there
is a negro problem yet TO be solved, but
this author offers no key to its solution.
Mr.. Dixon has considerable ability as a
writer, but lacks the constructive power OF
the novelist. There are many crudities in
the book, the love story in particular being
weak There is no reason, for example.
why the lovers should not have been
united within one year instead Of at
the end of five, after being separat-
ed by obdurate father, and no rea-
son is given for the fathers willingness
to marry his daughter to Allen Mcleod.
whose poor white antecedents were well
known, or for bis objection to CASTOR on
the ground of a rumor that he was not
well BORN" when his honorable ancestry
was matter of common knowledge in the
community. But for all its faults, and
although the theme of the tale is not an
it unfinished. Doubleday, Page & Co., New
York.