The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-04
Sen. RANSBROUGR'S
LITERARY EFFORT
NEW BOOK is PRAISED BY CRIT
Ics-tT Is TO BE ISSUED WITH
IN A MONTH -- MIXTURE OF
LOVE AND NATIONAL POLITICS
THRILLING SCENES.

THRILLING SCENES.
Minneapolis Tribune: Minneapolis
has been chosen as the birthplace OF
the first political novel written by
former Senator Hansprough of North
Dakota man who has been educated
in the school of politics through TWEEN
ty years service in congress. The
Hudson Publishing Co., of this city
will bring out the work. Printers an6
binders, also Minneapolis firms, now
have the manuscript, and the illustrat-
ing is done by Minneapolis artist
The title of the story is The Second
Amendment.
Its author declares that he intended
to write political novel, and yet it
fairly melts with romantic lovemaking.
The story is set amidst thrilling scenes,
the first of which opens in the United
States senate, where Mr.. Hansbrough
| served for twenty years.
Absolutely accurate portrayal of dra-
matte situations in this very staid and
dignified body has been of much con-
Germ to a number Of prominent writers
of fiction: yet the author OF The Sec
ond Amendment has managed in the
early chapters of his story to plunge
the senate ito a lugubrious plight,
from which, out of downright fear and
| nervousness, it does not emerge until
eight months later. 1t is doubtful If
anyone who has seen actual service
in the worlds greatest legislative body
could draw the picture as he has drawn
it.
The plot revolves about group of
strange, yet not impossible, even Ind
includes an array Of interestin@zfe -
like characters that belong peculiarly
to these stirring modern times. Out of
the maelstrom of human endeavof, of
heart impulse, of acts that
are good and deeds that are bad, a
new political party with ringing title
is evolved, also a paramount issue that
appeals to both the reason and con-
science, and which greatly overshadows
the extenuatory pop-gun panaceas of
the present day AS the reader is car
ried along on the tide of emotion he
will laugh, he win weep, all the while
marveling at the checkered institution
of politics.
The story ends in tremendous cli-
max that leaves an impression not
soon to be forgotten.
The argument is altruistic. Indeed,
the name Of the new political entity,
which succeeds those that, as many
believe, are now hanging on the rag
ged edge of despair and exploded use
fulness, is the author has coined to
meet the necessities of the occasion.
Scenes are depicted in washington
Mexico, New York, Chicago, st. Louis
and at the capital of a Western state.
where some remarkable things take
place under the primary election sys-
tenn. OF course, there is heroine. a
senator's sweetheart. Indeed, there
are several heroines, and the former
senator portrays them in a glamor of
touching and tender sentiment.
He breaks the heart of one pure, no.
ble- minded girl, who. but for the ne
cessities of a realistic political novel.
deserves a far better fate. Two other
beautiful characters, rare types of
womanhood. are dealt with more leni-
entity, and live happily ever afterward.
while the real heroine, through her
own Athenic spirit, eventually receives
her reward.
The moral of the story is suggested
in these quoted lines from Richard
Brinsley Sheridan as a foreword.
Believe not each accusing tongue,
AS most weak mortals do;
But still believe that story wrong
Which ought not to be true"
Only a few persons have had a
glimpse of the manuscript of The
Second Amendment. One of these is
Mrs. Lima Brown Reed, who was for
some years the head of the catalogu-
ing department of the Minneapolis
public library and who is well known
among the library folk and bookish
people generally as a lady Of discrini-
mating critical literary ability and
judgment. Mrs Reed has given The
Tribune the following interesting COM
ment on the new book:
THE complex drama of American
politics and business is we'll staged at
Washington, and it has never received
adequate literary Interpretation by
any of our writer's. One OF the dra-
mats personae, now sufficiene!y re-
moved from the scene to mediate up
on all of which he has been part.
recently has exercised his pen upon
the passing show in such wise as to
make good reading.
II have read the manuscript OF
former Senator Hansbrough's The
Second Amendment, with much inter-
est.
Story Described as Brisk.
This story. showing how politics
il sometimes the handmade OF BUSH
ness, moves along briskly from begin
ming to end There Ii good plot
which sustains interest throughout
and draws its readers to d singular
little nubbin of an anti~cliniax, while
the real climax Is seen mounting to
ano8her and a more exhflaratlnR
height.
"The character, including noble
senator or two. high minded editor
clever Englfshtnan, lady OF quail
ity, as well as a Madame Newly Rich
and her prodigal son, some good
American girls, charming young
Spanish American. Mexican Padre
many politicians. lobbyists, and VIII
iains. both heavy and light. arc num-
erous. OF great variety and distinctly
indIvidualized. All but two Or three
of them seem to be people we have
known