New-York tribune., 1919-04-12

Allen Johnson Iorntd Prntissor - amsrica oy
History of Yale University. illustrated limo.
90 vols. The Yale University Press.
The second ten volumes of this re-
markable series of American history
have just been issued. They are THE
Spanish Conquerors," by Irving Ber-
dine Richman; THE Fathers Of New
England" by Charles M. Andrews;
dutch and English on the Hudson"
Northwest" by Frederic Austin Ogg;
The Cotton Kingdom" by William E.
Dodd; "The Anti-Slavery Crusade" by
Jesse Marcy; "The Days of the Con-
federacy," by Nathaniel w. Stephen
son; The Old Merchant Marine" by
Ralph d. Paine; "The Age of Big Busi-
ness" by Burton J. Hendrick, and
The Boss and the Machine" by Sam
uel P. Orth.
These books only serve to confirm
the impression formed from a perusal
of the first volumes in the series. 1t
is an ambitious, sound and honest un-
It's true light, not only in this coun-
try but before the world, and we can
hardly imagine one in which the re-
suits could be better
1t is matter of regret that space
will not permit the reviewing at
length of each volume in the series.
Two in particular seem to have a
tremendously timely interest. "The
Boss and the Machine" is a most illu
mlnatlng and fascinating history of
American politics. 1t exerts all the
spell OF we'll written novel. 1t deals
with the rise of the party and the
growth of the political machine within
it, and then handles without gloves
the control of the machine by un-
scrupulous politicians. Tammany Hall
from its inception is held I'D to the
lmelight, as are indeed all the lesser
ollgarchies, those of Philadelphia,
Mlnneapolis, st. Louis and other big
cities. The book goes back into the
beginnings of political history, and
yet is so modern that it pays it's re-
spects to our present people
loving Mayor. Tweed, Sweeny, Hall,
Quay, Croker, Cox, Abe, Ruef Ames,
OF Minneapolis fame-all are presented
with feeling for drama and with the
convincing strength of unbiased truth.
The book is full of fascinating in
formation and it furnishes hours of
the most enjoyable entertainment.
The Age of Big Business" which is
the era from the end Of the Civil War
down to the present day, might almost
be called a companion volume, for it
lations of those builders of big
fortunes whose operations were so Sc
curelyIand frequently so shamefully
bound up with politics. If the book
is brutally frank, it is also absolutely
fair; and if the reader acquires d clear
understanding Of the ruthlessness that
all too frequently was the agency in
plling up millions, he also is given Il
very convincing and interesting pict-
IN ftE hH l., ...I.
masters Of high finance. Rockefeler
Cafhegie Fticls. schwnb. Mccormick
and ns II refreshing relief the less
known Lewis Emery, jr, nfe familiar
hgufes on the pnges Of this book
Whie'i read like romance and have the
uhmisihknble marks Of verify nnd
fearlessness, The story of Alexander
Graham Bell and the American Tele.
plohe Company Is thrown up in relief
ngnlnst other more sordd stories
J. ne author Is evidently an admrel
of Henry Ford and deyotes n chapte1
TO what seems to us a rather eulogistic
picture OF him. The reader must be
hard to please who can willingly, once
ne has commenced it, put The Age of
Big Business" down without havino
read straight through to the last
page.
OF the remaining books, "The Span
lsh Conquerors" is a "chroniclc5 Of
Columbus and the new continent, Bal
boa and the Pacific, Cortes and the ro-
nance of Mexico, the Spanish advent
urers on the isthmus, Pizarro and
the lncas-i in short, the history story
OF Spain in America. In "The Old
Northwest we have striking pict-
ure of the great Northwest from Revo-
lutlonary days down through the War
Oh lSi2. The story of cotton and the
part it played in the life and politics
Of, Of the South is graphically told in
,Ihe Cotton Kingdom" Dutch and
English on the Hudson" has pecul-
lar interest for those who dwell in
New York City, or indeed in the state.
The Landing of the Pilgrims" is a
tale which never grows old in the tell
ing. The Fathers of New England'
oeglns with their coming to the New
World, and pictures the vicissitudes of
the various English colonies down to
the end of the seventeenth century.
The dramatic struggle against slavery,
the vlndication of the cause of liberty.
the dark days Of the "underground
rallroad,' all go to make up, the en-
tertaining pages of "The Anti-Slavery
Crusade" while "The Days of the Con-
federacy" begins with the secession
movement, gives a clear cut picture
OF life under the Confcderacy, the
Davis government, the turning of the
tide and the attempted revolution.
Who grows too old to love tales of
pirates, Of bold, swashbuckling sea
lords and wildly exciting adventures ?
The Merchant Marine" is an innocu-
Gus enough title, but it's pages are full
of the most alluring material.
Each volume is complete in itself,
each gives the story of some signih-
can't period in American history, and
all together-thc fifty volumes-will
constitute the most valuable, and the
most readable and painstakingly accu~
rate "Chroniclcs of America" which
have yet been printed. G. C. O.
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