Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-10

ceived visitors from outside territories. 1t
closes with the failure of the negotiations
between Japan and Russia and the opening
of the present military campaign in Asia.
1t Is a work deserving of study. In view OF
the political importance of these relations,
and it is founded upon a close scrutiny and
careful analysis of great volume of books
and manuscripts by one who is recognized
as an expert orientalist.
A JAPANESE ROMANCE. BY Give Holland. au.
thor of MY Japanese Wife" &c. illustrate ted
In Colors by Arthur @. Dove. New York: Fred
erick Stokes Il Co. Washington: Brentano's
The innocent. pretty Japanese girl, the
handsome Englishman-or American-the
| love-making. the parting. the tragedy.
There are the usual elements of the Jap
anese love story. Mr.. Holland uses them
in this tale quite in the customary manner.
with heart throbs at the expected places
and floral effects throughout. For this is
typical japanese Romance such as
must be expected once or twice a season.
BEETHOVEN AND HIS FoRERUNNERs. BY
Daniel Gregory Mason. author OF From Grieg
TO Brahms' With portraits New York: The
Macmillan Company. Washington: Brentanos.
Lovers of Beethoven's music will welcome
this thoughtful critical work, which is
written In a spirit of sincere sympathy with
the sufferings and sorrows of the great tone
master. He discusses. as a preliminary to
his main theme, the periods of musical his
tory, tdleSlrlTa ana music OIL mysticism,
the modern spirit the principles of pure
music and the lives and works of Haydn
and Mozart His analysis of the work OF
Beethoven is based upon study of the cir
cumstances of his life, which during his
latter years became distressing and I'M
questionably eXerted an unfortunate influ-
ence upon his creations.
THE RUSSo-JAPANEsE CONFLICT; Its Causes
and Issues. BY X. Asahawh. D., lecturer
on the civilization and history Of East Asia at
Dartmouth College. author OF The Early Intel
lectual Life of Japan" &c. With an introduce
professor of modern oriental history in ale
University. illustrated. Boston: Houghton,
Mifiin * Co. Washington: Woodward & 10th
There is some danger that the western
world may forget the real issues involved In
the conflict in the far east. in consequence
of the intense interest that ii Is displaying
in the fighting itself There is value, there
fore, in such a work as this corrective
of the tendency to lose sight of the main
objects of the Japanese while intent upon
their process of attaining them Prof.
Asakawa. in approaching his subject does
so in a spirit of regret that his unfamiliar
ity with the Russian language has pre-
vented him from entering as fully as he de-
sires into the Russian side of the case. He
takes his materials as he finds them and
seeks to offer a dispassionate statement of
Japans contentious. He is addressing a
strongly sympathetic audience in this coun-
try and will not be broadly accused of par
tisanshp. His view of Japans propositions
and claims is the view of a great majority
of the people of the United States. His
doctrine, that Japan needs the freedom of
the continent of Asia from Russian agrees
sion for her own advancement, prosperity
and security, is true in 4 measure of those
interests of the United States which are in
volved in the quarrel, interests no less
distinct because not expressed In precise
political terms. The authors recital of the
diplomatic record, covering the negotiations
between Japan and Russia, Is clearly In
dicative of the clear. logical mental process
of the japanese. His arrangement of de-
velopments and facts and arguments is ex-
ceptionally lucid and instructive. The maps
and portraits printed in the work add to
its interest and value.
THE NEGRO; the Southerner's Problem BY
Thomas Nelson Page. New York: Charles
Scribners Sons. Washington: Woodward q
Lothrop.
Mr.. Pages essays on this subject. which
have appeared in magazine prints, have
excited interest chiefly because Of their
showing of the results attained by the at
tention paid by a strictly literary student
to a strictly political question. 1t cannot
be said that he had contributed anything
of substantial value to the discussion other
wise than as his presentation Of the case
of the south has, In general. been calm and
well tempered. and, above all. couched In
delightful style. His Is the view OF the
great majority of southern men. He rather
begs the question when he declares that
the southern View OF the negro Is generally
discounted by the north. and rejected as
prejudiced. There Is no doubt whatever
that the south knows the negro. and equal
iy no doubt that IL the question were not
SO complex the southerner's view OF the case
tba eolr,fiou 1,ogQihia-
But the fruits OF the war and the errors OF
reconstruction are yet to be considered In
every treatment of the case.
Mr.. Page does not admit that there II
ANYTHING wrong In law or logic In the
acknowledgements of the negroes OF GER
tain southern states. He does not salts.
fsctoriIy dispose Of the fourteenth and
fifteenr5 amendments, although he assails
their rlghteousness and seeks 70 indict thetr