Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-25

hymns and dlatribes almost invariably
fulfilled their aim Few writer's have
been able so surely and so continually
TO hit any mark at which they aimed
as Mr. K!plng Frequently as with the
majority Of his political poems, ms
weapon has hardly been finer than
blunderbuss but he contriyed to MT
the mark an the same, and there are
few Of his topical verses "hlch nave
not made the desired stir eXerted some
thing Of the desired influence, or soWn
the seed Of the writer's ida IN some
lasting phrase There was nothing III
"'rhe White Mans Burden except its
title-but there I'm the title was a whole
philosophy whole attitude so pic
turesquoly flashed upon us that me
phrase was q proverb ere II was day
old. Verse happened TO be the vehicle
but the phrase might Just as well have
occurred I'm one OF Lord Rosebery's
speeches The "naunelIed fools NJ the
Wicket again went swift and smartly
to It's mark. and though The English sol
dier may not Ike a. he IS not going 90
forget II. and iusansibly. the English
army will he the gamer bv the singing
sheer. When % man is able 90 use verse
TO such practical purpose as this, 10 Us
not only pedantic but irrelevant TO dis
cuss the quality of the verse, Nh WI
liam Watsons political verse as ! was
saving the other day, is beyond an COM
harrison finer than Mr. kipling'e-as
poetry. II Win not unlikely give pleas
ure TO our descendants. when they have
long since ceased 90 comprehend Toe
appeal OF Mr. Kiplng 10 his own day.
But alas &C has never got there Ike
Mr. Kipllng's. II IS an exquisite Weap-
on but 70 never does any damage. Mr.
| Watson. like the true poet ana patriot
| that he Is, tried 20 combine Two sue
cesses--a pocucal ard "a political sue
cess. His political thundorbOits should
| be poems as Well Unfortunately they
| have failed as thuuierbllis. but foriu-
nately, they have succeeded as poems
| and therefore. such 90 volume as Mr.
| Watson's year of shame the Ar
| mcnian sonnets. VIII remain among the
| finest utterancos sol poetical mind APP
| plying itself 90 national anairs.
And. indeed some of ms may think
| that Mr.. Watson failure 10 win the
temporary success is rather 10 his cred
| IL than otherwise. His political verse
] has always been inspired by "a deep
! sense ~ lofty national ideals For him
/ the greatness OF England has been a
| moral greatness and II has been h's
| aim 10 recall hs fellow countrymen to
the sense Of their spiritual responsible
| tiles rather than to fan their military
| and commercial ambitions. Mr.. kipi-
| ing has been O political opportunlst-a
| perfectly honest one. OF course-and n
his voice has found a hearing beyond
| finer voices with better messages 30 Us
| largely because he said what people
We're wanting TO hear at the moment;
whereas. Mr. Watson persisted in say
ing what people did not want to hear
bat rather wished 10 shut their ears 20.
II was no use telling Englishmen That
the Boer campaign was am uur.ghte0us
war, an infamy OF tyrannous brutality
No voice crying In the wilderness was
ever more lonely than ~ Watson's
when h. undertook 20 awaken England
to the shame OF the whole wicked busi-
ness The only thing Wa to hold ones
peace. or write the soul-stirring ditiy-
- y g s.lrrirg. mind yeu-'rhe Al.
sent Minded Heggar'
OF course Mr.. Kipiing too, makes Q
shcN, again undoubtedly sincere, OF
singing the spiritual destiny the mora
obligation. Of England but. unfortu'
nateiy, his method Is TOO much that Of