The Washington herald., 1909-08-01
BOOKS AND BOOK REVIEWS.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. DYNAMIC GEoG
RAPHER. By Frank Burlington Nrooman. r.
r. G. S. London. Edinburgh. New York. To
rontO and Melbourne: Henry Provide. the OK
ford University Press.
This book, which should command the
attention OF every individual 70 whom
keeping pace with current events is in
dlspensable. is based on a lecture deliv-
cred to the School OF Geograpy. Oxford
University March s. 1909 The author is
a distinguished student OF geography and
political and social economics. and II any
opinions are expressed within the volume.
he admits In his foreword that he alone
Is responsible.
The text Of Mr.. Vroomans tribute 70
ex-President Roosevelt Is IN this sem
tence. which he voices at the outset: NO
man on the Western Hemisphere ever
dealt so deadly a blow 10 a political
fetish as when Mr.. Roosevelt laid his
big stick on the doctrine Of laissez-faire.
He further says: Theodore Roosevelt
Is a new kind OF geographer. There arc
static geOgraphers and dynamic geog-
raphers Mr.. Roosevelt is a dynamic
geographer. one studies and describes
that geography which man helps to make;
the other helps 10 make that geography
which other men describe. The
dynamic geographer is the efficient geOg
rapher, the constructive geOgrapher, the
busy geOgrapher: the man who gets
geographical things done; the man who
studies the land and water with an eth
zeal purpose In the back OF his mind,
with reference to getting from them for
mankind the highest possible amount OF
use. The dynamic geographer IS the
strenuous geographer. and this one has
made himself a practical incarnation Of
the principle OF making two blades OF
grass grow where one grew before, with
Out letting any grow under his feet
The idea Of the conservation Of Amer
lean resources IS gone into from the
history Of the situation considerably back
Of the Roosevelt administration. Ii gives
credit where credit is due, and for the
most part is highly commendatOry Of the
great works that are under way looking
20 the betterment Of the agricultural.
mineral. and commercial resources Of the
United States. The Panama Canal. with
its marvellous future; the great reclama-
ton projects; the forest reserves, and
the railroad enterprises. all fostering and
fOstered by the people as a whole. The
tremendous benefits 10 the country which
must inevitably arise from the steady
expedition Of things already begun, OF
merel. projected, are touched upon, and
the whole lecture is intellgently backed
up BY statistics gathered from various
and wholly reliable sources. The op-
position met with In some quarters.
which has blocked various great pub
lie utilities. is deplored. but the pTOph-
ecy is made that ere long the rational
courses will gain aScendenCy.
Mr. VroOman ends his book with this
high tribute 10 Mr. Roosevelt
IF the scientific and ethical and philO-
sophical contribution OF Theodore Roose-
welt TO the United States. TO the twen-
tieth century; IL his warfare with the
billioualre anarchist and his defense Of
the peoples domain succeeds in awak-
ening the national intelligence and the
national conscience, IN stemming its way
ward course in outlining the path Of
future development IN drawing the large
outlines Of the only kind Of democracy
In which politics and ethics can ever
coincide; II ne has drawn the line Of
cleavage where IL belongs. and has set
the part Of State rights over against
the party Of nationality. II he has Op-
posed the principles of anarchy and
sociality, the motives OF eSoism and al
truism. the parties Of self-interest and
the general welfare. the philosophy un-
derlying the Declaration Of Independ-
enCe. and that OF the Constitution OF the
United States; il he has with sufficient
directness contrasted a political atomsm
with the social organism. the historian
OF a future age VIII have the right to
compare him with the fathers of his
country as a constructive statesman"
SPAIN or TO-DAY. BY Joseph Thompson shaw:
illustrated New York: The Grafton Press
This little volume IS chock-full OF in
teresting information about the land Of
the Dons. Mr. Shaw has called his book
q narrative guide 20 the country, with
suggestions for travellers. and he has
admirably performed his task. living up
70 HIS promise with answering princi-
pie. The book encompasses g grand tour
OF Spain, beginning at Biarritz and San
Sebastian. and ending at Barcelona, wind
Ing hither and thither. but systemat-
ically and embracing Madrid. Toledo,
Cordova, Seville, Cadiz. Malaga, Granada,
Valencia, ana other places Of lesser i'm
portance. but Of extraordinary interest to
travellers No account az travels in
Spain would be complete without ref
erences TO the history OF the nation,
and much space is given to historical
places IN the episodes for which they are
reverenced. The Alhambra. which Is
termed the soul OF Granada. and the
goal OF all travel in Spain. is splcndidly
described, in a poetic and reverential
spirit. The author has done far better
than TO confne himself TO a dry de-
scriptiOn OF places visited and their
known history. but he has delved into
less familiar legends Of the past. and
decorated WI u,
clever comments and sentimental has
created an atmosphere which makes a
sentimental appeal. while conveying in
formation Of real value The story is not
without its amusing episodes also. and
makes interesting reading all through.
THE BRIDE OF THE MIsTLETOE. By james
lane Allen New York. Tho Macmillan Co
"a mighty tabeland lies southwark In
a hardy region of our country. II has
the form OF colossal shield lacking
and broken IN some OF It's outlines and
rough and rude Of mako. Nature forged
Il for some crisis in her long warfare OF
time and change, made use OF It. and so
left Il lying as one Of her ancient battle
pleces-Kentucky."
When nights are darkest and DAYS
most dark when the sun seems farthest
from the planet and cheers It with low
est heat: when the fields lie shorn be-
tween harvest-time and seed-time, and
man turns wistful eyes back and forth
between the mystery Of his origin and
the mystery Of his end-then comes the
great pageant Of the winter solstice. then
comes Christmas"
These are extracts from Earth Shield
and Earth Festival" which Is the title
OF tho prelude 70 The Bride OF the
Mistletoe," the latest production OF James
Lane Allen, that prince Of modern senti-
mentalIsts. and q mnEnifcent nieca OF