The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-12
A CALIFORNIA AFTERGIoW.

/ A CALIFORNIA AFTERGI.oW.
/ There died recently in California a man
whose one book, Lights and Shadows of Life
on the Pacific Coast, caused uncommon inter
est It is Dedicated to Edwin Markham, -
who was its author IS pupil in the little school
house in the sunny Suisin hills not far from
San Francisco. The authors Samuel D. Woods
took credit for finding Markham, then a
young and rather unruly member of pioneer
community.
The book would be worth having if only for
this Markham "reminiscences No one but Mr..
Woods could have written it. And there are
other chapters peculiarly his product. lie
might have been poet himself, as many of his
pages prove. Samuel D. Woods loved men,
about many of whom he wrote with discrimin-
ating and tender touch; but he loved nature not
less, perhaps more, and had open eyes and an
open soul for the beauties of mountain and val
ley, for the deserts fascination and the call Of
fertile fields.
! Mr.. Woods was California pioneer and
knew men of various callings in the early
strenuous days Of the state, and Of them he
could write with keen intelligence. He was a
lawyer and member of congress and viewed life
from widely different angles. Yet his book
deals mainly with characters Of .the coast
and with his experiences in desert and noun
/ tain, where several Of his early manhood years
were spent. His chapters on ''Death Valley
and it's Secrets" and '1In the High Sierras,' -
supplemented by unique Characters of the
DESERT "Some Eccentric Lives, "Three
Heroes and Incidents of Frontier Life
blend the awful, beautiful and the humanity un-
usual in settings which compel admiration and
sympathy as the reader moves on.
To anyone who has seen the Pacific coast,
& L..
glow Of California sunset, mellowing, reflect
| ing and gladdening-an atmosphere to enjoy
! and remember.
| A good deal is being made of the fact that
Mr.. Hughes while approving the republican
platform which calls for settlement of the suf-
frage question by the several states, has per-
sonally declared for its settlement by federal
amendment There is some inconsistency here,
but Mr. Hughes should be given the same
privilege as Mr.. Wilson to accept platform
and then dissent from some of the planks.
1 There are few appropriation bills which do
mot contain Objectionable provisions The
president ought to have the power to eliminate
these without the necessity of vetoing the whole
fbill Such authority to discriminate may be
safely entrusted to any fit to be elected to
THE presidency, and it would be the means of
halting what, unfortunately, has become ma
| tional scandal and abuse.
| Senator Tillman announces that he is almost
reconstructed and rather likes it. There is still
hope for the old rebel recently found living
| down in Mexico.
! The weather reports are much more definite
| than they used to be. Where they once read
variable" or unsettled" they now announce
'spartly cloudy"
/ Anyone heard lately how the repairs to our
army aeroplanes at the border are coming on7
/ John M. Parker is bent on making the moose
act like chicken with it's head cut off
j The British blacklist hasn't yet touched
American baseball players.