Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-05

10 THIS process Mf. 1eQgeS, with a long
experience in active political work to
guide him, proceeds to set forth in this
volume his view Of the present political
responsibilities. limitations and dan
gers of the country. Those who are
acquainted with the authors identifi-
cation with. so-called practical politi-
cal work in New York city might i'm
agine this book to be a sort of con-
fessicn. a revelation of the methods
employed in the past. 1t is nothing Of
the sort. It is the final analysis of a
man of affairs who, having worked
hard as a partisan. pauses now to sum
up the factors and influences affecting
the business of government and the
duties of citizenship. 1t is a distinctly
impersonal work. Not a single individ-
ual is mentioned in it. A stranger
could never know whether Mr.. Hedges
were a republican or democrat. a
prohibitionist or socialist. through
the medium Of these reflections. He
writes as an American citizen, touch
ing upon wide range of matters with
philosophical detachment which en-
ables him to reach his conclusions logi-
cally andfto express them wildly. 1t
would be well for the American cleo
tOrate II this book were read thought
fully by every possessOr of the fran
chise. Honesty is it's keynote. hypoc-
risy it's chief target, that being, accord
ing to Mr.. Hedges view, the greatest
l.
men were sincere in their attitude to-
ward public position and in their exsr-
else OF the suffrage and their criticism
OF officials, what is called reform in
our affairs would be easily accomplish
ed. Cutting straight through the eu-
phemisms and conventions and eva
sions that envelop our political expert
ence. Mr.. Hedges describes our system
of government with admirable direct.
ness and force. He speaks of things as
h0wr ov.11 80 10 1v.fo ue.sNe
Of parties and the eloquence OF per-
fervid political orators, and the con-
sequence is that his chapters might
well be used as a text book in a class
engaged in the study Of civics.
THE LURE OF THE ANTIQUE. BY
Walter A. Dyer. Illustrated with pho
tographs. New York: The Century
Company.
This book is admirably we'll named.
There is unquestionably subtle lure in
the quest of relics Of an earlier period.
They are not to be judged by modern
standards of use. Our mills and looms
and factories are turning out in some re-
spects more convenient articles of do
nestle utility. But not even the most
determined advocate of today will claim
that the present products are as beau
tiful or represent SO much of truly
native art as the potteries and pewters
and furniture found by those who. feel
the lure Of the antique" This work
is "a consideration Of such things as form
part Of the home life and household equip
ment OF our American forefathers. either
before the revolution or immediately after
It," 1t is more than that. It is a com
plete and at all stages an interesting,
fascinating guide to intelligent app ecia-
ton and acquisition of old-time furniture,
brass, silver, china and glass. 1t is pro-
fusely illustrated with photographs from
the objects themselves, and is volume
highly to be appreciated by those who
have engaged in this quest.
THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK. Edited by
Andrew Lang. illustrated by II. J.
Ford. New = York: Longmans.
Green & Company.
There have been blue, and red, and
green, and yellow, and gray. and pink
fairy books before this. even brown, and
crimson, and violet volumes, all of them
serving to bring to the children of to-
day the fairy lore OF the past. Now in
lilac covers comes a new volume from
the same competent hands as the pred
ecessors. Mr.. Lang, I'm a charming pref
ace. calls attention clearly to the fact
that the fairy tales that he and Mrs.
Lang have brought together in this series
are all old. They are all original in
the sense Of being taken from the original
sources, translated into English when
written first in a foreign language. None
of them is of modern manufacture and
this fact adds to the value and the i'm
portance and really to the interest Of the
collection. AS I'm the case of the pre-
ceding volumes this one is richly Illus
trated, both in black and white and in
colors, there being six exceptionally at
tractive color plates. Happy indeed is
the child who, already possessing the