Evening star., 1938-04-24
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Matthew Arnold. celebrated English
poet and critic. died suddenly in Eng
land so years ago, as a result of indul-
Matthew gence in physical exercise
.I -leaping over q fence
nihoiu' and was greatly mourned
The Star of April is, 1888 says:
Matthew Arnolds death, occurring
suddenly and 50 soon after the publica-
ton OF his contemptuous essay on
American civilization, will prevent, in
this country at least, the just discus
sion of his merits as a man of letters,
a critic and a gentleman. for many of
our countrymen who would gladly have
indulged their analytical powers upon
the analyst who 50 lately worked upon
themselves, will be moved by q feeling
Of delicacy to withhold their comments
and disprove by their charity the ac-
cusation of coarseness which he was so
fond of bringing against them. Mr.
Arnold was, unquestionably. a workman
Of uncommon ability No literary man
In Europe commanded a wider audience
when he chose to speak and irrespective
Of the rhetorical medium in which he
clothed his thoughts. As q poet, even,
he was read. and poetry was by no means
the happiest form Of expression for him.
But IN prose, and especially in his essays
in theological polemics, he was recog-
nized as a master. His Literature and
Dogma" and the later God and the
Bible created a sensation among the
thinking people of England and America
which has had no parallel in its own
field. even in the France to which Renan
breaches his heretical sermons. That
a man Of such talents and 50 broad an
influence should have come to America,
enjoyed its open-handed hospitality to
the utmost and gone home to write of
our people in the petty caricature spirit
OF Dickens or Trollope, must always
remain cause Of extreme regret to his
admirers on this side of the Atlantic
and a vivid illustration Of the con-
Trajectory traits which can be associated
in single character"
80
1T is curious thing says The Star
OF April II, 1888. that with all the meas
ures for protecting home products which
Protection has always a staple value
.+r.. and one that will always
increase, with every year that the world
waste has been permitted all over the
West and South and great stretches of
land have been stripped Of their trees
simply because there was no one to
command a halt. It will not be long,
II affairs are allowed to go on as they
are going at present, before we shall be
dependent upon other countries for our
lumber supplies. Forestry associations
are everywhere raising their voices in
protest but the only body which has
power to act is Congress, and Congress
hesitates because proper establishment
for the protection of the government
forest domain would involve the with
drawl Of large acreage from public
sale and its conversion into permanent
preserves and cost some money for the
salaries of expert foresters and overseers.
Two bills on this subject are now before
Congress, the one intended as a SUBJ
stitute for the other, but in the view OF
those best qualified by experience and
study to judge, the substitute is inferior
to the bill whose place it is intended to
take. The latter provides distinct means
for selecting forest preserves, guarding
them from Spoliation and dispoSing Of
their timber for the public benefit. The
other lacks definiteness in detail, con-
fuses the public land interest with the
interests of forestry proper and provides
no adequate method of enforcement for
its own provisions. It is to be hoped
that Congress will see its way clear to
adopt the definite instead Of the in
definite bill; but the enactment Of any
kind of law, however defective, will be
better than the enactment OF none at
all. for 1t will be at least q sign that the
legislative mind is waking up to the
necessity Of doing something"
"A thoroughfare should be opened, AZ
proposed" says The Star of April 2l,
1883. from Pennsylvania
NeW Strcet avenue northwest of the
Is Needed. Treasury to the same
avenue southeast Of the
Treasury, along the west and south sides
Of that building. Travel will be diverted
In part from Fifteenth street, which
notoriously needs relief. The most
crowded and dangerous part of the city
for pedestrians and light vehicles is
where the current Of travel along the
broad avenue now curves into this mar
row street, exposing the incautious per-
sons to sudden peril from street cars,