Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-21
BOOK REVIEWS.
AMERICAN POLITICAL IDEAS:
Viewed from the StandpOint OF Y MI

AMERICAN POLITICAL IDEAS:
Viewed from the Standpoint Of un1-
versal HistOry. BY John Fiske. au
thor of THE Critical Period Of
ton by John Spencer Clark. Boston:
Houghton Miffiin Company.
HIRTY years ago John Fiske
delivered the lectures of this
volume before the Royal In
stitute of Great Britain. To-
day both in subject matter
and underlying philosophy, they are even
more significant than al the date OF their
appearance in 1880. Since then political
events have marched in step with the i'm
pulse toward the industrial peace, fore
cast al that time by Mr.. Fiske in an ap-
plication of the principles of evolution to
historic progress. In barest outline here
is the subject of these lectures. Tine
prime feature of civilization is diminu-
ton of warfare. Cessation of warfare
can come about through great political
unions alone. Gigantic political aggre-
cations are possible only under the opera
ton of the principles of local self-gov-
eminent and its logical expansion to
representative form of federalism. The
AngIo-American people have brought this
double institution to its present point OF
high usefulness. Therefore. il Is the oh
vious concern of the English race to
bring about the social and political con-
dition of industrial peace toward which
the whole creation moves By way OF
the New England town meeting. the first
of these lectures deals, IN simple ana
concrete way. with the principles ana
Through an analysis of the United States
as federal union the second one ampli-
fies effectively the nature of true federal
ism. its purpose and processes The third
deals soundly and most eloQuently with
the manifest destiny" of the English
race as the chief instrument of universal
peace To get the broad sweep and the
fine favor of scholarship. the philosophic
insight and the easy grace of present
Ilent one must study these lectures for
himself. IL is great intellectual expert
ence to study Mr.. Fiske. In introduction
to this series, John Spencer Clark tells
the story of the inception of this Eng
lish lecture course and the circumstances
OF its development and execution. This
has the distinct value of putting the
reader in closer touch with Mr. Fiske's
Incompatible method of using historic
material. Mr.. Clark makes, also, use
ful and interesting analysis of these lee
lures from the double standpoint of con-
tent and literary form.
LIBERALISM. BY L. T. Hobhouse, NJ
~, professor of sociology London
University. author OF Democracy
Z. n.
Henry Holt e. Co.
The Home University Library here
sends out another timely study for the
use of that general reader who is
bent upon securing an intelligent grasp
on the salient and vital features of
modern life. No subject is more in
touch with the present, more illustra-
tive of its temper, than that of the
presence and steady growth of liberal
ideas applied to both economics and
politics. The significant body of this
discussion is founded on an analysis of
the essentials of liberalism. as these
have been the dominating force in ma
tional life from time to time. This an
a1ysis Is concrete chapter most in
teresting one, exactly lifted to it's Of
ice of supporting the subsequent dis
cussion. At this point. in setting forth
the philosophic history of liberalism
one gets fine. unobstructed view OF
the working out of the theories of
Bentham. Golden, Gladstone and Mill.
Chief concern centers, however, around
the projections of this doctrine of po-
lltical and economic liberalism. What
will it do for the future state? So
many of these forecasts, buttresSed by
evolution and philosophic history, land
one in some phase Of socialism, as an
explanation of the modern state. This
study. in its conclusion. is no excep-
ton to the rule. The author refuses
to accept socialism as it most common
ly arrays itself, repudiating wholly
MARKS theory of the economic inter-
probation of history and in other less
conspicuous matters declining it's pres
emit manifestations. However summed
the study has no other housing than
under the hospitable roof of socialistic
thought
THE STOCK EXCHANGE: A short
Story Of Investment and SpecuIa-
tion. BY Francis w. Hirst. editor of
the Economist. New York: Henry
Holt & Co.
An attempt to read the financial page
OF the daily paper constitutes an exam
nation before which the average man
and woman-to say nothing of the child
30 down to a complete and humiliatinp
Waterloo. This is not strange To most
taking change at the corner grocery is
a hazard. Getting good money at a bank
by the simple expedient of filling out a
mere paper blank is miracle exceeded
in marvel only by the one that these
paper offerings have something to do
with ones bank supply of real money
This to say that in all financial matters
In the complete. articulated, exact system
OF finance. that which weaves states
nations, continents together i'm a golden
web--we, the average, are in the condi-
ton OF the unborn. On aside one feels
IKE saving that when education. public
education. has something to do with the
case. this condition will not EXIST lust
at this point there comes along this very
useful and Illuminating book on both the
theory and the practice OF finance in it's
special aspects of investment and spec,-
lation- After the fashion of all sober and
reputable writer's, the author makes a
Dit or history at the beginning of this