Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-07

49, -
James Gillespie Blaine, by Edward
Stanwood. Lift d. (BowdoiD; cloth:
PIP. S7. Price $1.25 net. Boston:
Houghton, Mifflin & Company.
The American statesman series, UNI
der the editorship of John T. Morse. Jr..
has given us. in form for easy reading
and convenient reference. the salient
points in the careers of number of
the great men who have achieved ma
tioral and international distinction i'm
the public life of our country. From a
practical standpoint it is by far the
best series of biographical works ever
published in the United States. and
has, from the start, enjoyed a merited
popularity. No public or private Ii
brary could well afford to be without
these books. and the reading public
will be pleased to learn that second
series of them is to be put out by
Houghton. Miffiin & Company. The
initial volume of this new series is the
life of James G. Blaine. by Edward
StanwoCd. author of "a History of the
Presidency" american Tariff Con-
troversies." and present editor of the
youths Companion" native of
Maine. and graduate of Bowdoin
College. A relative of Mrs. Blaine.
and OH excellent terms with the great
statesman and his family. familiar
from long editorial service with the
great public questions that engrossed
his attention, Mr.. Stanwood had excep-
tiOnal opportunities for knowing Mr..
Blaine both in his private and public
life. and in forming a clear cut ana
well defined estimate of him both as
private citizen and a public official. Mr..
Stanwood also enjoyed the chance to
become more thoroughly familiar with
the field of Mr.. Blaine's activities than
has been afforded any other writer.
AS a result Of this thorough familiarity
and the conditions surrounding him,
Mr.. Stanwood has been able to write
most interesting and valuable work.
one which will constitute an important
addition to the historical and biographi-
cal literature of our country. Mr..
Stanwood brought to this task the
same qualities that are characteristic
of all his wOrk-the accuracy that
comes from patient, painstaking re-
SSdICIIs anu d CiSdlISo anu
grace of diction. His theme, too. was
one eminently worthy of his pen. The
life and public services of James G.
Blaine will ever constitute one of the
most important chapters in the history
OF our country. No man made the i'm
press of his personality so deeply
upon his day and generation. and none
had SO strong hold upon the hearts
of his countrymen. No more forceful
or picturesque figure has ever APP
peared in American public life. For
nearly two decades he was the recog-
nized leader of the Republican party
at period in our history when parti-
san bitterness ran high, and no politi-
cal leader could hope TO escape it's at
tacks. Mr.. Blaine, however. knew how
| to give as well as, take hard blows. He
had. moreover. a singularly happy
faculty of winning to his support near
ly all who came under the charm of
his personality. He led strenuous
life, full Of varied activities, and
Astounding in many notable and dra-
matte scenes. The story of his candi-
dacy FOR the presidency, an office to
which thousands Of his countrymen
believe he was honestly elected, is one
of the most interesting chapters in re-
cent history. His public career is es-
pecially valuable from an historical
standpoint owing to the fact that it
covered the period of the Civil War
and of Reconstruction. The biography
which Mr.. Stanwood has written Of
him is. therefore, not merely an inter-
esting presentation of the leading
events in his distinguished career. but
is. also, condensed and valuable his
tory Of the great political movements
in which he bore SO prominent and
| honorable a part.
The Modern Trust Company. by F.
B. kirkbride and J. E. Sterrett c. P.
A. Cloth. Svo: $500 net postage Is
| cts.) New York: The Macmillan Com
pany.
In this period of the country's. in
! d,Istrial development the Trust Com
p1ny has come to occupy u large place
in tine public mind. and to be a subject
of very general discussion. Notwith-
| standing this fact the investigation of
this subject will find the reliable in
formation at hand exceedingly limited.
| &c Il correspondent ASKING, w nat
book or books will best give me a
working knowledge of trust company
and banking methods. particularly re-
| garding the work of the various de-
partments of the trust companies, y
the New York Evening Post recently
replied that so far as it was aware no
such book had been published.
| Undoubtedly the development of the
trust is so comparatively modern. that
practically the only literature which
we have concerning them is that which
has trickled into the newspapers from
various Investigations and which be-
sides being in many instances distorted
by editorial bias. growing out of the
political conditions which usually sur
round such hearings. is seldom of a
character to throw any light upon the
Trust per Sc. 1t is not surprising,
therefore, to find that a search in IL
brary catalogues confirms the almost
equally discouraging statement of the
Chief photographer of the Library of
| Congress that there is not much liter
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