New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-06

& co.
Despite its title. this new summary OF know,
edge is essentially American; one might De al
most tempted TO say, essentially Fah-Aiieii
can" Looking over the partial list OF cohtiiO
ufors" one notes scarcely name of other imam
American scholars and writers. In Ike manner
rho treatment of subjects is American, lllustrat
inc the tendency to condensation and the tend
enc,- to ,ltilitarianism. The work will thus ap-
peal 10 the practical man rather than 10 Tue
student OF its usefulness to the farmer tnere
can be but little doubt.
Take the farmer. pre-eInlneniiy pIa0't0
man. He will find here adequate and authorize
tive articles on agriculture and all It's rahiiliC"
lions in the light of modern knowledge he
lii learn how, chemistry has benefited agri-
.,,l-ure and will have access TO accounts or the
exneriments conducted during recent years TO
discover what are the best foodstuffs, the feru-
lizer requirements of different crops ana So
forth Should he desire to build new oarn ne
will have an elaborate description of barns TO
aid him in drawing up his plans. His animals
and their diseases are given careful attention
Rinderpest and the dread foot ana mouth
plague of cattle arc not forgotten. He is shown
how Gairying has advanced by reason OF the
invention and introduction into general use OF
labor saving and sanitary dairy machinery Ii
he be of a botanical turn of mind and nave
leaning toward horticulture. he viii be delght-
ed at finding that the various flowers are not
only described in detail, but that minute dlrec-
tions are given for their cultivation and Tor the
prevention and cure of the different diseases 10
which they are subject. Forestry and all that
il implies is unfolded before him. If he have an
apiary he may learn from the article on pees
how 10 improve it.
Through all these articles the American note
prevails 1t is the results of American inVest-
cation and research with which we are favored
and not unnaturally, since the work is designed
for American consumption. With this we have
no quarrel. But we must protest against what
at times seems Americanism run riot especially
In an encyclopedia termed international we 90
not believe that the dignity of the work is sub
served or its usefulness increased by the inclu-
sion Of the names of certain Americans whose
chief claim TO fame rests on the fact that they
are actors or ministers or fired the first gun IN
a battle in Cuba. True the paragraphs relaf-
ing TO them are conspicuous examples OF the
fine art Of boiling down" But how much bet
ter it would have been to have boiled them
down to nothing and given the resultant space
10 vorthier subjects Further to be noted as
emphasizing the American tone of the volumes
10 hand are the papers on military matters
American Notifications ancient and modern. are
depicted at great length. iery is described
in detail and copiously illustrated. while the
minor branch. coast artillery. boasts an article
Of its own. In connection with cavalry we have
"A long account of the cavalry of to-day and It's
evolution In all these the American army pre-
pondorates. which is perfectly satisfactory TO
us as Americans, but does not seem altogether
in keeping with the international idea This
idea is well exemplifed, however, in the notable
article on civil service reform.
1t is also well preserved in tt Important con-
tributio-.s on the Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution of the United States. In
the case Of the latter the writer points out that
the Constitution is not, il is conceived by
foreigners A complete scheme of government for
the people OF the United States but only part
and that the smaller part, of such a scheme. 10
i'll out the outline the constitutions and laws
of the several States must be taken into account.
These provide by far the greater part of the
machinery Of government the securities of life,
liberty and property. and the political rights OF
the citizen" 1t is also shown. not alone for the
benefit Of foreigners. that the Constitution
must be looked for in the decisions of the courts
and in the political practice Of the people, as
well as in the text OF the original articles ana
their formal amendments On the other hand
in the article on consuls. once more find the
international idea sadly lacking where il might
have been admirably expressed The functions
and powers OF an American consul are detailed,
but no comparison is made with the functions
and powers of a foreign consul, which are dis
missed thus: The exact nature of his activities
and the manner in which he is perform them
are determined mainly by the regulations of the
government appointing him
Turning to scientific subjects have small
grounds for complaint. that the value
Of the work as a supplement to the Britannica
is most apparent All the latest additions to
scientific knowledge the newest scientific in
struments. the most recent scientific achieve
ruents are described The ''up-to-date'' note
reigns supreme. The same is true when industry
is the theme There is more complete article
in these volumes than that coal mining. Not
alone is much space devoted to it. but II is well
illustrated with plates showing the old and new
methods of mining Another instructive article,
though much less exhaustive than that dealing
with the same subject in the Britannica. is that
on canals. showing. as il does. the giant strides
forward in canal construction and management
made in the last quarter Of century. In con
nection with this should he cited the papers on
engineering and dams, both of which ex-
cellent. Biology and lis ally. physiological
chemistry. receive due consideration, both in
general and in particular Darwin, evolution
and creationisn-the term recently applied to
that theory Of the origin of which is op-
posed 70 evolution-are among the subjects most
inteHgently discussed. The writer on evolution
holds the view that, far from tending to de
stroy a belief in God. the evolutionary theory
and its implications UNNECESSARILY enhance our
conception of Deity and suggest most strongly
that there is a divinity which has shaped our
ends. The outcome of the whole is OPTIMISM
hope giving the Gertrude that mans future
Viii brighten. and that the ages roll life
viii be far more worth living than even now"
This view hinges the assertion that natural
selection alone or the action of the primary
factors cannot entirely account for evolution.