The Washington herald., 1912-08-04
By A. d. JACOBSON.

BY A. d. JACOBSON.
THE STORY OF J. PrERPoNT MORGAN: By
Carl Hovey Published By sturga q Walton
Co.. New Yot.
This book is exactly what II pretends to
be: the life story Of a man. Though this
man happens to be q great financier, the
volume contains neither attack nor
euiogy. neither theories on-wall Street
nor arguments about the money power.
It is the story of the immense achieve
ments, a portrait Of this personality OF
extraordinary power and peculiar inter-
est. Its aim is to give the facts and an
Interpretation OF them, based upon inti-
mate knowledge.
II aims further to bring the reader to
a better understanding OF a figure Of in
ternational Importance. whose business
career with its great battles Of finance
has in II something OF daring and ro-
nance and whose pastimes Of peace have
added new and even priceless treasures
of art to the museums Of America and OF
Europe.
The author has pleasingly enlivened his
record Of facts in this biography by anec-
dote. personaiia, and first-hand inside IN
formation, like for instance the story OF
the Cleveland bond issue as here told
and never before published, which are In
forming, Illuminating, and. above all. In
teresting. =
Full attention is given to the great bat
ties with Jay Gould over the Erie Rail-
way; TO the new formation of railroads
under Mr.. Morgan's guide: to the gold
controversy Of 1895: to the creation OF the
greatest OF all industrial combinations,
the United States Steel Trust: to the
A. ,f1 of 1Q0- and
many other matters OF little less mo-
ment.
The pages containing the detailed de-
scription of the United States Steel deal
and the panic OF the autumn OF 1907 can
not fail to command the interest of finan-
ciers as we'll as of all others concerned
with business problems on large scale
The subject Of this biography has play
ed a potent part in the commercial his
tory of this his native country, and his
influence has been felt abroad. His life
interests the fnancier. the historian. the
economists. and the psychologist, but
above all 1t has an interest not less
strong for all those who read the book
merely as a record of the triumphs and
successes of a man of iron will and
boundless energy.
To speak sensibly of the actions Of any
one of our magnified captains Of industry
is distinctly contrary to usage and Gus
tom Such is their exaggerated power.
They are either attacked or toadied:
there us no middle ground as a rule. But
Mr.. Hovey has found one and stuck to
II to the last page. The reason for this
general state of things Is that these pow
erful men personify political issues. But
this ought not to be OF interest to writ
ers and readers OF biographies.
The fact is that in order 10 depict a
man as he really is one must set forth
his own aims and objects and show how
he attains them or how near he comes TO
attaining them. This was the authors
maxim and the basis upon which he con-
structed his work. The opinions OF 9TH
ers matered little 10 him, nor their the
cries. Not every one. however, will admit
that IL Is possible TO describe a man like
J. Pierpont Morgan without looking at
him through the glasses OF democrat.
or a toady, or a socialist, or the Halter
of money power, the adorer OF the
wealthy and successful. and so on.
No doubt the author found and had to
face all these difficulties. I do not think
that he was influenced. The book reads
like a work independently conceived and
finished. He gathered the material be-
cause he found the subject interesting.
The opportunities Were close at hand
and the argument seems to be pointing to
the conclusion that Mr.. Morgan's life
has been one of usefulness and benefit to
industry and to the country. This ef-
feet hardly could have been preconceiv-
ed. but It was inevitable.
THE AMERICAN SHORT STORY: study Of ire
Influence Of locality in its dereloguent: By
Elias LiebermAn. Pm. u. Published by the Edt-
tor Publishing Comany. RidErEood. v. J.
The author tries to elucidate that Amer
lean fiction at its best is mainly an affair
OF locality. He criticises those writer's
who as far as they try for larger inter
probation of our national spirit. fail in
certainty and definite aim and fall COM
monty into conventionality or jingoism.
Our fiction, he maintains. is the story
Of New England or Louisiana, OF the
corn lands of Dakota, or the mining
towns Of the Sierras. or the snow and
ice of Alaska. or. perhaps, of the crowd
ed realism Of the manifold city life. All
Of these furnish us with vivid cross-sec-
tons of the life and doings Of particular
localities.
Consciously or unconsciously. American
fiction has taken the form of special
study of the reaction between Individual
character and local environment. And
this interest OF locality has made the de-
cisive opportunity of the American Short
Story which as a literary type. with its
emphasis upon situation"
thus far, is the distinctive contribution Of
America to literature.
After the host of short-story tellers
have exhausted the secret OF every ham,
let and byway there may come those, |
perhaps, who again will attempt weight
er things successfully.
We no longer consider the short story |
rs sort of primary school to the novel, |
or its author, as a writer in Knickerbock- |
ers. The short story has a beginning and |