Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
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CITIZEN. BY Robert HerrIck, author
ON

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of The Web of Lille" sc. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
In the course OF its serial publication dur
Ing the past few months Mr.. Herrick's lat
est novel attracted wide attention, both be
cause Of its striking evidence of growth on
the part Of the author and because of its
touch upon certain vital questions of today,
Questions that affect virtually every citizen
or this country. In both private and public
relationships Indeed, If a single perform
ance were needed to establish this writer
permanently in the front rank of the
American novelists of today this work
may ne regarded as meeting the case
II Is possibly to be considered as
forecasting the production of that
long-awaited, never fully realized ideal
of the great American novel" dealing with
indigenous problems and reaching to the
roots of the western civilization II is not
itself such work. II lacks some of the
elements of cons ruction to place it in that
category. 1t Is too distinctly a personal
document. Yet ii thrills with the life force.
II IS stamped with personality. 1t develops
along the accepted lines of man-and- woman
problems. These problems, however, are
distinctly apart from the main theme the
broad question OF morality in business. Ed
ward Van Harrington. who tells his own
life story, holds to the view that the neces-
sity for bribine legislators. judges and trus-
tees, forced upon the man of big affairs to-
day by the corrupt practices of others and
the reuality OF these same legislators
judges and trustees constitutes an excuse
Tor the man who corrupts the sources of
law ana the agencies of commercial deal
tnCs. As a Wild young man down In Jason
vile. md. Edward had been in series of
scrapes because Of his disinclination to re-
gard the law OF property He was punished
by being compelled to work one summer on
farm to earn the money for restitution.
He says:
Perhaps II it hadn't been for that duck
Ing In the river and what followed / might
nav" come out just plain thief. While |
was sweating on that farm ] saw the folly
OF running against common notions about
property. | came to the conclusion that if
l wanted what my neighbor considered to
be his ! must get the law to do the bust
ness for me For the first time il dawned
on me low wonderful IS that system which
shuts up one man in Jail for taking few
dollars worth Of truck that doesn't belong
70 him, and honcrs the man who steals his
mililnuS-if he ronS in the legal WAY"
Thus equipied with a doctrine Edward
went at his life work He drifted to Chi
caso and had "a narrow escape from serv-
ing time for stealing purse which he had
not taken. He became butcher-shop
clerk, then driver for big packing house,
next a confidential clerk. and finally.
OF scheme which startled the business
world 10y its daring and its success. He
closes the story as ne takes his seat as
senator in the national Congress. a seat
bought ~ he had bought legislators and
judges and trustees. In his wake he left
the wrecks Of friendships affections ca
reers. moral natures, ideals. homes.
Mr.. Herrick has powerfully dissected the
conscience Of such man. showing him in
his moods Of -lf-condemnation and self
e Cuse showing the tricks of speech with
y mich he evadeS the issues showing the
steady degeneration of the higher instinct
IN the face of attractive opportunities and
baking obstacles.
Is this a typical portrait Of the successful
men OF our land today? If so. il is forbid
ding. frightening 1t is a human likeness
look well in the national gallery. but II will
serve there as a valuable object-lesson.
on THE FIRING LINE; a Romance of
South Africa. By Anna Chaplin Ray
author of by the Good Sainte Anne"
&c, and Hamilton Brock Fuller. Bos-
ton: Little Brown * Co.
Some interesting questions arise in con-
nection with this entertaining story of
South Africa: When does an historic cpl
fode cease to be material for the timely"
story: when does # become a proper sub
ject for the strictly Historical novel," and
at what stage. or at what length of time
after completion. does it supply the local
color" for d piece of fiction? This tale of
the fight between England and the Beers
belongs distinctly In the Iast-naned class
The B0er war episode is apparently chosen
hy The colla5oratJrs because it fits the
motif" There is no attempt to describe
tie development Of England's struggle to
establish suzeraiDty over the Boer states.
Indeed. the young man upon whom the
las. V-s-ar ~.
when the war is practically over and there
IS left TO be done only the work Of clearing
the country of Shippers" and the final
rounding up Of De Wet and his command
Prom the start the love story is the thing
j. is well sod with dash and briiliancv
and there Is enough lighting 20 develop the
qualities of the men in uniform and the
women no await the news from the front
y Young Harvard weldon, Canadian Is an
eustz .g figure and Miss Ethel Dent is a
charming girl Fate has written that they
shall meet and love, but before they con
-1r-s mutually there are many troubles and
q .E-'-. There is 100 recent bit of writing
more ,E.dy dramatic than the description
OF the capture ut be Wet, in the final mo-
nHlts 81 which a Euer bullet Laws low Vel
dau's commanding officer. a man Of mon
There are heNrJtcHes and laughs. surprises
ana iI-r.ls Ia these chapters. and the book
ends .e3 soon
TIuFTEEN CHAPTERS OF AMERI-
tAN HISToRH; Represented by the
Edward Moran series Of Thirteen
Historical Marine PaiutinCs BY
Theodore Sutro. New York: The
Baker Taylor Company.
THIS attractive volume is a contribution
-o both the art and the historical literature
o. lhe country, being 10, only reproduc-
ton Of the celebrated marines by Ed
ward Moran. but an Instructive essay upon
The historic events whigh that great painter
has chosen to Illustrate the development Of
Tie western commonwealth. Mt Theodore
SufF9 a distinguished member Of the New
York bar, has entered upon the task of
preparing the letter press with discrim-
mating zeal and enthusiasm when reflect
Infinite credit upon his taste and patriotic
el.-Hu prise. The original paintings have been
f.t some time on exhibition In the Metro
ToIttn Museum Of Art in New York city
U Is the first time that any reproduc-
t..us OF them haye been accessible to the
Iahae. AS they are all copyrighted. They
represent the following epochs:
J. TEe Oyeau-The Highway Of All Ma
tons represeuting the period before the
discovery OF America. . Landing Of Lief