Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-20
BOOK REVIEWS.

York: The Macmillan Company.
time. It bears every evidence, u
least, Of being a labor of love. Tt
Il the average American reader there
4 are few more interesting subjects
than the early days of the republic, a
part Of this subject being the story OF
the foundation of the National Capital
Such readers will find in Mr.. Bryan's
monumental work a narrative of romantic
fact that closely holds the attention and
gives pleasure by the wayside. To the
student, Of foreign countries as well as
Of the United States. Mr.. Bryan's book
will be found an Invaluable tool. since 1t
- wall known fact that there has here
tofore besn no real history Of the city Of
Washington or the National Capital. In
feed. It was not until a year ago that
some Of the most important facts In re-
latfon TO the early history of the National
Capital were published for the first time
in an article by Mr. Thomas Nelson Page
IN Scribner's Magazine.
Just as no brief magazine article could
do justice to the subject. as Mr.. Page
pointed out at that time. so no review
within the present limits Of space can do
Justice to Mr.. Bryan's work. which is the
fruit Of many years Of painstaking re-
search into all available records relating
to the making of the District. He found a
virgin mine beneath his feet when he be-
. gan to delve into the beginnings Of the
National Capital. and the nearly 100 pages
Of the present first volume of his work
bear eloquent witness to the fidelity with
which he has executed his task.
Mr.. Bryan's history begins with what
he calls 1.-The Origin Of the Residence
Movement" He goes back as far as 1888.
to explain conditions before the founding
Of the capital. at the close of the struggle
Of the colonies for independence. and he
describes what were at that time the
vital considerations in selecting the
location of the future seat of government
Of the United States.
Through all the troublous days that
followed he takes his readers in this first
volume to 1914 and the days following
the battle of Bladensburg. describing the
construction, after the British had de-
stroyed the public buildings of Washing
ton. of the brick Capitol" on A street
Just east of LIST street northeast. by pri-
waite subscription among residents Of
"the District"
Mr. Bryan's narrative of the founda-
ton of the National Capital is in reality
a recital of the life stories of Washing
ton families. in view Of the fact that all
of the citizens OF the National Capital
from 1870 to 1914. and even after. played
parts Of no small character in the estab-
lishment OF the National Capital on the
banks of the Potomac. His picture is on
large scale. and because of the strug-
giles that those who were founding the
capital were obliged to endure his word
painting might well be called a battle
picture. The great figures of history
Washington. Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams,
Madison and other famous men-loom
large on Mr.. Bryans canvas, as they
naturally must in a history of this char
ecter. but it is Of the wealth of detail.
. the background. the intimate relation OF
|neighborhood events and Of the acts of
fhe citizens Of Washington specifically
concerned therein as they affected the
birth Of the capital that is the most
striking thing about this book.
With q labor Of research that must
have been enormous the author has gath
cred and sets forth at the bottom of each
page references and citations from hum
dreds OF Mtt1e-known documents, manu-
scripts and publications. There are twen-
ty-one chapters. with no less than 2ol
subchapter headings and divisions. &C
cording to subjects. Mr.. Bryan tells OF
the problem of a form Of government for
the capital. the territorial experiment and
the suffrage phase. what the city cost.
the various systems Of taxation proposed
and adopted during the period covered
by the present volume. the great burden
Of maintaining wide streets. the social
customs and attractions of the city and
the constant agitation for the removal
of the capital once 1t was founded. to
some other city and the effect Of that
agitation
reprints of designs. and a cross-index of
thirty pages at the end Of the volume
places 1t in the category of most use
full reference work-the only one Of its
kind. in fact. so far published. Mr.. Bryan
is lifelong resident of Washington and
is peculiarly qualified for this task of pre-
senting the history of the National Capt.
tai For many years a member Of the
news staff of The Star he has studied
early Washington until he is recognized
as one of the best qualified citizens of
the capital on the subject of its develop
ment. AS a member and long an officer
of the Columbia Historical Society he
has produced numerous monographs or
various phases OF early Washington life
which have foreshadowed this present
important production. soon to be fol.
lowed by the second volume, in the prep
aration Of which he is now engaged.
WITH WALT WHITMAN IN CAMDEN.
BY Horace Traubel New York:
Mitchell Kennerley.
A thousand daily trivialities. pricked at
enly rare intervals with points of rela-
i've Importance. making up the life Of
every one. And II this life chance to
be worth an open record 1t is. as a rule
these high points of endeavor an6
achievement alone that are brought init
public view. Horace TraubeTs grea,
study of Walt Whitman in those late
days at Camden offers a sharp contras
10 this usual plan. Mr.. Traubel is pos.
sessed Of the belief that everything per.
tanning to Whitman is of unique value
and prime importance. Working out il
this belief. he becomes in the presence
pf Whitman a photograph and an auto
matte swift-snapping camera in one. NJ
word Of the good gray poet falls unre
corded, no mood escapes. no change o.
Expression misses painstaking portrayal
Mr. Traubel has no opinions of his own
no comments to make. His business Il
Eive a faithful record. and to this tasl
he bends himself in a surprising self
Enactment.
This is the third volume of Traubel:
study Of Whitman. 1t is a big book
about 600 pages. The two volumes pre-
ceding it hold up the average bulk o
his one. And the three together cove
bnly about nine months of story tina
has yet something like three years t
run. 1t Is a monumental work, backe,
by q genuine devotion and an almost un
behevable patience and industry Il
hese particulars it is indeed a grea
work. And yet one wonders how mucl
his enormous mass OF unorganized per
bonalities will add to what Whitman
himself had to say, and did say in sucl
native and robust strain, about his ow,
tremendous ego.