The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-05
Henry WattersOn's Book Has
Been Published.
"COmpromises of Life " Con.
tains Lectures and Addresses.
WORK is INTERESTING.
Best Things Emanating from
Famous Editor Included.
Other New Things Which will
Interest Book Lovers.


Not alone the members of the profess
sion known as the fourth estate but all
Americans who take an interest in
their country's history and pride in
her distinguished sons will find pleas
ure and profit in the recently published
volume of the lectures, addresses and
speeches of Henry Watterson, the Ken
lucky editor. For thirty years Colonel
Watterson has been one of the most
noted writer's and popular public
speakers of this country. After a thor
ough journalistic apprenticeship as re-
porter and correspondent he became
the successor of George Dennison Prem
tice as editor of the Louisville Journal,
carried on the work of that brilliant
journalist and succeeded before he was
thirty in consolidating the leading
newspapers of the Kentucky metropolis
and creating out of the union a virile
and influential paper of national rep
utation. In addition to his remarkable
work in journalism he has found time
to play an active and important part
In politics, leading the southern wing
of the Liberal movement in the early
seventies and occupying a conspicuous
position since that time in the councils
of the Democratic party. He presided
over the national convention which
nominated Samuel J. Tilden, his close
personal friend for the presidency, and
afterwards became the personal repre-
sentative of the Sage of GreyStone upon
the floor of the lower house of congress
accepting the seat at Mr.. Tilden's
urgent request and against his own in
clination. This single term in congress
is the only public office he has ever
been persuaded to accept preferring as
he has the untrammeled freedom Of the
writer and speaker who can express
himself without fear or favor. And
undoubtedly his choice has been the
wiser one. Few men in public life have
been able to exert SO potent an in
fiuence with their party and the nation
at large as Colonel Watterson. Always
a notable figure, his speeches, editor
falls. and all his public utterances on
national questions have commanded at
tention and respect both at home and
abroad. Even his lay sermons on the
fashionable follies of the smart set of
New York and Newport, published in
the Courier-Journal in the summer of
1902, attained fame entirely unex-
pected by their author and have been
translated into French and German
and made the text in London. Paris
and Berlin for a critical revival among
both the lay preachers of the press and
the leaders of the pulpit.
These articles, the first of which was
written in comment on the lamentable
Remington suicide and which grew into
a series through the comment and con-
troversy aroused by It, are published in
an appendix to the Watterson book,
which takes it's title from one of his
most popular lectures, The Compro-
misses of Life" Other lectures includ-
ed in the volume are 1.-THE South in
Light and Shade" study of southern
character types as drawn by southern
writer's, Money and Morals a stirring
plea for another standard than the
money standard for Americans, "Abra-
ham Lincoln" an inspired appreciation
of an inspired genius, and John Paul
JONES'" a Just tribute to the memory of
the first American naval hero.
The addresses are: 1.-THE American
Newspaper" "A Plea for Provincial
ISM" 1.-THE Nations Dead" a. memo
cemetery, Nashville. Tenn, Let Us
Have Peace an address at the annual
banquet of the Army of the Tennessee
in Chicago. 1891, Our Expanding Re-
public" the dedication address at the
Worlds fair, Chicago. October 81, 1892,
the welcome to the G. A. r. at its an
nual eneampment in Louisville in 1895,
THE Puritan and the Cavalier 1.-The
Reunited Sections" q response to a
toast at the Grant birthday banquet in
New York in 1898, Francis Scott Key
delivered at the dedication address of
the monument over the grave of the
Frederick. Nd, 1885, THE Man in
Gray Heroes in Homespun,' 1.-The
Ideal in Public Life" the Emerson GEM
etery address of the present year, THE
and America Blood Is Thicker Than
Water" Reciprocity and Expansion
and the Farewell to the Kentucky
Troops delivered before the volunteers
of his state who enlisted for the war
with Spain.
None of his editorials. with the ex-
ception of the smart set" series. and
only one of his congressional speeches,
1.-THE Electoral Commission BILL" Jan
uary 26. 1877, have found a place in this
volume. Watterson, the politician,
Watterson the fighter are only suggest
ed in outline in these addresses and
speeches. most of which carry a mes
sage of peace and Cancellation 1t is
Watterson. the scholar, the man of af-
fairs, the hero worshipper, the humorist
and the poet whom they reveal And
as a critical review of the last forty
years Of American history by one who
knows his subject throughly and init
mately their value can hardly be over
estimated.
The Compromises of Life. by Henry Wat
terson. Published by Fox, Duffield &,
Co., New York. Price, $50.