The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-27
SOME OF THE new BOOKS


Probably no other American woman OF
her age has been more written about than
Helen Keller and always with admiration
Of her beautiful character and amazement
at what she has made of herself and has
accomplished under the greatest difficulties
imaginable. Miss Keller is now twenty
two years old. Left deaf. dumb and blind
by mysterious illness at the age OF nine
teen months, she has in the last sixteen
years learned to communicate with friends.
to read, to see statues and works of art
by feeling, to speak French and German as
fiuently as English, and to write beautiful
and womanly letters. She corrected the
chapters in this book when her teacher
read them to her by means of the fingers.
THE Story of my Life" relates with much
feeling and with a surprising faculty for
expression how she received her triple af-
Fiction OF bereavement OF three of her
senses, and how by patient work on the
part of others and heroic effort on her owr
part she was gradually educated until she
mas become an accomplished woman. MISS
Keller tells the story OF her souls sudden
awakening at the age OF six years, after
nearly live or utter isolation, when MISS
Sullivan came to live with her as teacn-
er. From the time when she learned 10
spell doll she was transported into a
world OF JOY where before all had been
black night. Each step towards intellectual
light and knowledge OF things around her
was filled with new emotions and wonderful
development. She loved everything that
was new to her, and her desire TO do what
any one else could do spurred her on in her
EFFORTS and studies until she mad conquered
what would seem TO have been insuperab bic
difficulties. Mathematics always puzzled
her, for there was no adequate way OF eX-
pressing 1T in her code, but even this she
surmounted and finally passed her examina-
ton for admission TO womans college,
where she is now pursuing her course. she
composes well and writes bright and in
teresting letters TO her friends, including
many noted persons She is fond OF ltera-
ture and says:
Il am afraid | have written too much
about my book friends, and yet have men
toned only the authors l love most; and
from this fact one might easily suppose
that my circle of friends was very limited
and undemocratic which would be very
wrong impression. L like many writers for
many reasons-Carlyle for his ruggedness
and scorn of shams; Wordsworth, who
teaches the oneness of man and nature; l
find an exquisite pleasure in the oddities
| and surprises of Hood, in Herrick's quaint
ness and the palpable scent of lily and rose
| I'm his verse; like Whittier for his en-
| thusiasms and moral rectitude. / knew
| him, and the gentle remembrance of our
| friendship doubles the pleasure l have In
| reading his poems. / love Mark Twain
who does not? The gods, too. loved him
| and put into his heart all manner of wis
dom; then, fearing lest he should become
| pessimist, they spanned his mind with a
rainbow of love and faith. l like Scott for
| his freshness, dash and large honesty.
! love all writers whose minds, like Lowell s.
| bubble up in the sunshine of optimism
| fountains of joy and good will, with occa-
sionally a splash OF anger and here and
there a healing spray of sympathy and
pity. In a word, literature is my Utopia
| Here L am not disfranchised. No barrier
gracious discourse of my book friends
| They talk to me without embarrassment OF
| awkwardness. The things / have learned
and the things l have been taught seem
| of ridiculously little Importance compared
with their large loves and heavenly chart
| ties. 4"
| Miss Keller's book is as unique as her ex.
perience has been, and 1t presents very
| markable cases on record. 1t is dedicated
to her friend DR.. Alexander Graham Bell
abled the listening ear to hear speech from
| the Atlantic to the Rockies" New York
Doubleday. Page & Co.
Political Parties and Party Problems
Prof. James A. WOODBURY., of Indiana
University, whose 1.-THE American Republi,
and It's Government" was we'll received
has made another valuable contribution I,
political literature. Political Parties ant
Party Problems in the United States il
designated in subtitle as sketch o
American party history and of the develop
ment and operation of party machinery, to
gether with consideration Of certain part!
| problems in their relations to politica
morality. The book has to do, not witt
| forms of government and the duties an,
functions of public officers. but with tn
party spirit and forces that underlie am
| operate our government. 1t Is study, no
of government in general nor of the gov
eminent of the United States in particular
but of party politics and the history, ma
chinery and morality of parties and
what might be termed their uses and thei
abuses The subject is treated not from
partisan. but from philanthropical poin
of view The author treats politics as tn
science and art OF government, and not a
a means to the end of getting office or dis
tributing political patronage. In a prefac
he says: Whether looked to as a field o
study or as field of practical endeavoI
politics is a noble sphere of manly thought
energy and enterprise. 1t is a fiel
which a great teacher, Thomas Arnold, ha
called the most important for the ripene
| human mind that one may become facto
in the greatest problem in human history
the problem of governing men,. Treating
the subject from this point OF view an
parties as an essential feature or polite
in popular government. the author trace
their history and development from tn
revolutionary period to the present tim
and portrays their aims, objects, spirit, anC
to some extent. their achievements an
their failures. Beginning with a brie
sketch of political parties before the Con
stitution, successive chapters are devote
to the HamjltoEian Federaiists and tn
Jeffersonian Republicans; the Wings an
Jacksonian Democrats; the Abolitionis
and the Liberty party; the Free-soilers; tn
early Republicans; recent party history
minor or third parties. Three chapters ar
given to an account of the origin and ris
of the convention system, eliminating ]
the national convention of to-day. Othe
chapters treat of political morality, an hor
| est ballot, rings and BOSSES the Spoils sys
tenn, party assessments, the gerrymande
| independence and party loyalty. From thi
| outline of the contents OF the book 1t wi
be seen that large part Of the ground
| covers has been traversed by other writer
| and largely discussed in the press at differ
ent periods. In treating Of the origin, ris
and growth of parties the author does nc
draw from original sources nor add ma
terially to existing information on the sui
ject but he has made thorough compile
ton of the matter and condensed it in
convenient and readable form. The char
tiers in which he leaves the field of histor
and discusses political ethics, in thos
on our political morality, an honest ballo
rings and bosses. the spoils system, part
assessments. he is instructive and present
views that make for good government. Ne
York: G.. p. Putnams Sons.
Winter India.