The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-14
Inme. Henrx stoddart.

II was nv EOOa "
actor, James Henry Stoddart, who died on
Tuesday, after several years of complete
retirement from the stage, that the last
play in which he appeared was his best.
1t was 1.-THE Bonnie Briar Bush" and his
representation of the old elder, Lachlan
Campbell, which was seen here in Provi-
dence for almost its first time in public.
was remarkable indeed for exceptional
beauty of feeling. for sincerity, power and
pathos. Before that, however, in his more
than half a century of acting he had APP
peared in a great variety of parts, as was
the useful custom of actors of his school,
and had acquired with earlier theatregoers
a high and richly deserved reputation for
character ~delineation in comedy and farce,
in romantic melodrama and the home tale
Of humble life. In the intellectual dryness
of his humor he had hardly any rival in
his time; and there are, of course, none of
the younger generation now conspicuous
who at all approach him in solidity and
breadth of training and In delicate finish
of mimetic art.--Providenee Tribune.
May BE Good Training.
President Roosevelt, having accepted an
invitation to visit San Antonio, Tex, next
spring, has been invited to join in a hunt
of ferocious wild bears. As the animals
frequently drive their pursuers into tree
tops to escape wounds from their tusks, it
is regarded as the most adventurous sort
OF hunting in the Southwest. 1t ought to
put the President in good fettle for any
part he may wish to play in the Chicago
conventlon.-springfeld Union.
-
The Dick-Law Militia.
The Dick militia law represented such
radical changes from previously existing
conditions within the militia of the States
that Ave years nave been too short a time
to adjust all differences and create uni
formity In organization and efficiency. Con-
gress should. therefore, amend the law so
as to permit a further period of grace,
and at the same time render the strength
of military units somewhat more elastic
than seems TO be the case under the law
as it now stands.
The effort to make of the militiaman q
regular soldier, or at least q reservtst, has
failed, as 1t is certain always to fail. Men
who receive no other compensation from
military service than the pleasure 1t affords
them naturally tire OF such service when
it becomes irksome. The War Department
has expected too much of the National
Guard in the way of drill and military eih-
cheney, hence it is somewhat disappointed
at the results OF the Dick law. II too high
a standard had not been set there would
have been no room for criticism, as there
can be no doubt at all that the militia
has made steady progress towards greater
efficiency during the past five years, and
will continue to progress under anything
like reasonable conditions. Congress should
by all means intervene and modify the ex-
actions Of the Dick law.-New Orleans
Picayune.
General Stocssel on Trial.
The commander who was once hailed
as '.the hero Of Port Arthur is now on
trial for his life before a Russian court
martial for the surrender of that fortress.
There are numerous charges against Gem
eral Stoessel designed to prove that he
was unfit for commando that ne disobeyed
orders. and that he acted in a selfish and
cowardly manner.
Even IL General Stoessel was incom-
petent or worse. he probably behaved on
the whole with as much efficiency and
loyalty as many of his brother command
ers in the Russo-Japanese war, and GER
tainiy with no less devotion than Admiral
Alexieff. who scampered TO cover when the
conflict came which he had done so much
to provoke.
General Stoessel is only one comparative
w unimportant figure in the vast system
of ~ineapacity and corruption which was
responsible in so large a degree for the
memorable defeat and humiliation Of Rus
slain the war with Japan.-Boston Globe.