New-York tribune., 1921-02-20

the Macmillan Company
PoLIT1cAL :, ~ TIsE0RLRs s51G,RELRs FROM RoUs-
Archibald Dunning. Published by the
Macmillan Company.
ME half century which elapsed
between Lees surrender at Ap-
Pomattox and the declaration Of
war against Germany may be
considered a definite epoch in American
history. 1t was, generally speaking,
period Of profound internal and exter-
nal peace, and of extremely rapid in
dustrial development. Professor Mer-
riam gives a very complete and excel
lent digest of the most important char
acteristics of this epoch in the field Of
political ideology.
Our political ideas inevitably she we'd
themselves in conformity with the
trend of our economic development.
Vac old extreme states rights concept,
broken on the battlefield in the Civil
War, vanished entirely before the pres
sure Of modern trade and commerce.
Professor Merriam rightly notes ten
dency toward Capitalization in govern
ment as perhaps the most significant
development of the period.
With the appearance of. a large
urban working class, social legislation
was enacted on a larger scale, despite
the opposition of selfish reactionaries
and doctrinaire theorists, who pro-
fessed to regard the prohibition of
child labor and insurance against in
dustrial accidents as "paternalistic"
and "pauperizing."
The author recalls the bitter fight
which was waged on such issues as
the initiative and referendum and the
recall of judicial decisions at the time
when the Republican party was torn
by the Progressive schism. Discussing
the advisability of imposing some re-
strictions upon the present wide power
of the courts to nuIIify laws by pro-
nouncing them unconstitutional, Pro-
fessor Merriam declares that the func-
tion of the judiciary in democracy is
clear, The Judge should interpret
laws; he should not presume to make
them
A .ler notable feature of our con-
stits onal development since the Civil
Wa is the increased power Of the
President. Mr.. Wilson's persistent
fouting of Congress and assumption
Of practically dictatorial powers in the
sphere of foreign relations have met
with deserved rebuke from the Ane
lean public. But the right or duty Of
the President to stimulate the delibera-
tions of Congress by suggesting his
own legislative program has been pretty
thoroughly established in our political
practice; and in all probability, it
will survive the present period of re-
action against one-man government in
the White House.
Professor Merriam maintains an at
titude of scholarly impartiality
throughout his work. He is scrupu-
lously careful to report fairly all the
varied manifestations of political
thought which come within the scope
of his survey.
Professor Dunning's present book
brings to a conclusion his three-volume
H story of Political Theories. Begin
ming with discussion of Rousseau, he
shows how the ferment of new political
ideas Influenced the French RevoIu-
tion; and how that mighty movement,
in turn, exerted distinct influence
upon the subsequent development Of
political science. Different phases of
the revolution are reflected in the
works of Condorcet and Sieyes. The
lessons of the French Revolution are
translated into terms Of transcendental
philosophy by Kant and Fichte and
Hegel. In England the downfall of che
old French regime was applauded By
Paine and denounced by Burke.
The author is very successful in sum-
ming up the virtues and the defects OF
the English utilitarians, Jeremy Ben
than, John Austin and John Stua-. Mill
Their frank acceptance of habit as the
chief factor in political organization is
refreshingly realistic after all the woody
snd futile discussions about the hypo-