Evening star., 1909-06-26
BOOK REVIEWS.


"
RANDOM "REMINISCENCES OF MEN
AND EVENTS. BY John d. Rookie
Teller. New York: Doubleday, Page
& Co Washington: Woodward IL
Lothrop.
Ohm ID. ROCkEFELLERS trans
formation from man of extreme
reticenre and retirement into an
attitude of public geniality is one
of the most interesting per-
sonal developments recorded within re-
cent wears For decades Mr.. Rookie
felier was man of mystery, a quiet
worker. unapproachabl BILE land of eluslV"
personality It is not to the present
purpose to inquire whether the attacks
unon him caused the change or not. but
il is interesting to know that after he
had been the target of critics he sud
.ienIv came into the limelight and IN
,roduced himself to the country. NOT
only in newspaper interviews, but final
Iy in a series of autobiographic papers
which were printed in the columns Of
the worlds Work These and ON
"Reminiscences" proved particularly in
teresting reading because at the time
OF the publication the Standard OH. the
creature of Mr.. RockefellerS genius for
organization. was conSpicuously in evil
dcnce The printing of the papers II
book form presents a volume OF sub
stantial value as bearing upon the in.
dustrial development Of the United
states Mr.. Rockefeller's story of how
nc came to create the Standard On
Company and the processes by Whlcn
its scope was extended and It's orSan-
ization perfected is told simply and ef-
fectiveIy. with conspicuous modesty and
without boastfulness. 1t is the PLAIN
tale OF man who has done things and
who now sets forth the record-as far
as IL is eXpedient to present ft--with no
pretense to literary style. but with 4
powerful appeal to the imagination
THE COLUMBIA RIVER, It's History:
Its Myths. Its Scenery. It's Cora
mcrce. BY William Denison Lyman,
professor of history in Whitman Col
Iege Walla Walla. Washington. II
Illustrated. New York: G. P. Putnams s
Sons. Washington: Woodward *
Lothrop.
This is the ninth volume of the Amer
lean waterways series. which has estao-
lished a new standard of geographical
publication in this country. The preced-
ing volumes have treated of the ColoTauo
river. the Ohio river. Narragansett bay,
the great lakes, the st. Lawrence. the
Niagara. the Hudson and the Connecticut.
IL
Iumbia river will come the concluding
four numbers of the seres-'Inland Wa
terways." 1.-The Mississippi. The Chesa-
leake' and Lake George and Lake
Champlain'' The Columbia is of partc-
ular interest at this time, when attention
is directed to the northwestern section
owing to the rapid development OF tnat
part of the country. and just at this mo-
ment the holding of an exhibition at So
attic. The Columbia drains a section OF
le
stream is of the utmost commercial value.
Early explorers of the northwest appre-
ciated its Importance, and in their reports
gave glowing accounts of this noble
stream which drained empire. Prof.
Lyman writes from the point of view of
one directly acquainted with the condl-
tions His work as professor of history In
Whitman College has led him to special
researches into the history of the north
west and To him the Columbia has as
vital significance the Hudson to STU
dents of eastern development. He has un-
dertaken to convey the sense of the real
ism. heroism and adventure belonging to
this stream and the parts of the north
west about it. ana he has breathed into
his narrative some of the typical western
spirit. He has. therefore. treated his sub
ject generally rather than in detail. He
has sought to impress his readers with
the majesty of the Columbia. to fill their
minds with a longing to see it. The first
part of the work is devoted to the. history
of the land and the story of the explora-
tions which developed it. while the second
part tells the story of journey down the
river. one of the most instructive and In
spiring trips TO be taken anywhere in the
world. Many ILLUSTRATIONS are given place
in the book. showing the unsurpassed
scenery of the Columbia valley. with
touch here and there to indicate the re-
markable progress in the development of
that region.
\ TREATISE; on THE LAW REI.Ar-
ING TO AUTOMOBILES. BY G..
Berry of the st. Louis Bar. Chicago:
Cailaghan & Co
\ very few years ago an automobile
was AN object of curiosity. Today it is
one of the most common factors In mod
ern life So rapid has been the growth
and development of the industry of manu-
featuring automobiles and of their use
that new series of laws has been en-
acted Municipal regulations have been
drawn and state legislatures have passed
general statutes, while there is even at
this time a demand in some quarters Tor
a writing of federal law governing
interstate automobile traffic. Not only is
the Law with regard TO the road use of the
automobile of Importance to the owners
and drivers, but there are many other
phases of the statutes and regulations OF
particular interest to these classes MI
Berry's volume brings together In conven-
lent form with citations of cases and with
a comprehensive index the laws relating to
the use of the automobile. After giving
the general definitions and consideration
OF the entire subject Of self-prOpe!lins
vehicles. with brief history or the bi-
cycle and automobile. he devotes chap
ter to the legal status of the automobile,
setting forth that IL is lawful convey
ance. that ii is not a nuisance, that 1t IS
not a dangerous machine. and not 10 be
classed with ferocious animals He finds
that there are decisions which classify
the automobile with carriages and that
hold them TO be different from carriages.
lie passes on to consider state police reg
ulations. dwelling upon the necessity of
uniformity and the regulation OF speed,
and he touches upon the question of
whether automobile regulation Is class
legislation. and cites numerous cases
bearing upon the need of laws for the
automobile in Its various phases of ac-
tivity. 4 chapter is given to municipal
or police regulations. state license laws,
municipal or local license laws and the
federal laws. The rights and duties on
the highway and the law Of the road
are next discussed. while the relations
between chauffeur and owner and owner
and borrower defined. Perhaps the
most important chapter of all is that deal
ing with negligence not only on the part
or the operators of automobiles, but OF
other highway users. The law relating
damages due to negligence Is explained.
Still another aspect of the automobile IS
disclosed in the chapter relating to the
garage and the garage keeper. The vol
ume il closed with chapter dealing with
actions against owners and chauffeurs for
violations OF regulations and contracts
touching the manufacture and sale of
machines.