T II IS II KS I'EklAN,
miscij must be lelicvod in 01 tier tlmt their moials may be
cultivated. IIcic Is i demand for just such men ns tlic
woi thy father, men who feel the call to duty of humanity.
Alicody many oiganiations have been foi mod for system
atic chnrity. No ligld uiles hinder their woik nuil they oft'ei
the substantial blessing ol food, shelter, education instead
of a fabulous benediction of the Vhgin Mary. Here the
modern monk might find his monastery whose inlcs of hon
est observation and incessant laboi would tax his cnetgles to
the utmost. lie need search foi no m tificinl scouigings, and
among the poor, his ascetic soul might look hcavcnwaid fiom
as haid and disagreeable a couch as cvei n monastary olTeicd.
All the benefits of monastic life, without its vices, he, might
thus attain, to say nothing of the inestimable value his work
might have for others. The spiiil of the church is no longer
self. F.vcrything aiound this modem monk would icmind
him ol his tine duty. However, the need is great, tltc woild
is not paiticular how UsmiITcicis aie iclieved, and if Ignatius
thinks he sees in the "good old times" an institution that
may benefit humanity, it is his privilege to icvive it, and ids
cffoits will lie watched with cutiosity, if not with iuteiest.
The lapidity with whicli Uichaid Hauling Davis gained
distinction as a novelist suggests a lelleclion on the quota
that journalism is furnishing to the numbci of modem aulh
ois. Mr. Davis liimself was liaincd in the .school of the ic
poller, alter having undeigonc only a little college liaining.
His fiist aiticle in a New Yoik paper was an account of an
incident that illustrates the disposition of the modem re
porter. Mr. Davis was accosted by n confidence man whom
he permitted to pet pctuate the ft ami he intended and then
dexterously lined him into the custody of a police officer.
Mr. Davis' genius made quite an inteiesting nauation of the
methods confidence men employ. Any number of aulhois
now successful, were once reporters, and of this number a
majority aie icalists. As the modem icalist insists upon
holding the minor up to natuie, so the modem journalist in
sists upon a full and accuiate account of-all the news.
There Ts no other tendency in literatuic that needs more
the oversight of the old time ciitic than the tendency
towards realism. And unfortunately the magazine and jour
nal aie picdominaut in cuirent literature. Almost all the lat
est novels appeared in a magazine bcfoic they were piintcd
in book form. It is almost impossible to subject magazine
literature to the rigid criticism that, though sometimes un
just and really ciucl, exercises so healthful an influence that
will partially answer for the influence of the ciitic. There
porter, above nil others, sees the real lessons ot life and na
ture. The pathetic and romantic incidents of life must appeal
to him from among the incidents of crime and vice, or the
commonpla.'u immorality that is hideous or uninteresting.
And if realism there must be, if there is anything in it that
is good, this is it. The leal ciitic of the day is the editor of
the journal or magazine. He is the only peison who is in a
position to regulate literary pioductions at all. There has
come to be a competition among novelists, and to be success
ful at all, a novel must have the favor of the editor. Signifi"
cant is the opinion of Kichaid Watson Gildei, one of the
most successlul: "Hut the fact is, both the journalist and the
novelist know that neither in ait nor in journalism can 01
should there be absolute icality; and somewhere in his own
conscience, somewhete in Ihe conscience of the community
comes the command, -Thus far shall thou go and no laither.'
It is not only the voice of conscience, but the voice of social
self preservation."
Mnnlcy still has the cream of the candy trade.
CUKKENT COmtliNT,
The contest over the office of governor in this state is
laid aside at last. The independents, although having a
majority in both houses, failed in all their attempts to oust
Mr. Uoyd and put in Mr. I'oweis. They have not even
succeeded in bringing the contest to a hearing. Now that
the contest is diopped, the people of the statu will begin to
wonder just what the independents intend to do in the line
of legislation. As yet they have done nothing in the way of
ic form legislation. Many rcloim measuics have been talked
of and even thieatcned by independent lcadeis. Radical
icform bills have been intioduccd. The moitgnge stay law,
the usury law, the bill to icpcal the beet-sugar bounty, and
the maximum freight rate bill aie specimen icform bills.
Yet the independents aie i.ot all agiecd on any of these
measuics. It seems, moicover, haidly likely that these bills
will pass. l'lescnt indications point that way. Suppose
then, that these bills fail to pass. What will be left on the
piogiam of the independents which they can carry out?
Suicly they must show by their actions in this lcgislatutc
some icason and justification of their picsencc there. What
shall it lie? It cannot be in the line of economy, for the
picsent number of employees of the legislature is in excess
of the number employed by past legislatures. I'm thei more,
n cuitailiug of needed appiopiiations is false economy. It
would seem therefore, that the only advantage the picsencc
of the independents in the legislatuie will biing, will be the
picvention of pernicious legislation in favor o I monopolists
and capitalists. No.onc may rightfully say that this amounts
to nothing. "A penny saved is a penny earned." Still the
independents hardly find in this a sufficient justification foi
their existence. If they would live, ihcy must do so upon
the sustenance afforded by aggressive measuics of their own
Negative politics do not win in this country.
The sudden death from hemt disease of Sccrctaiy of.
the Tieasury Windom, adds another to the constantly swell
ing list of uoti hie men that have died within the last few
years. In Srcretaary Windom, President Hairison haslost
one of his ablest advisers in monetary matters. With the
exception possibly of Senator Sherman, no man probably
was as well qualified to speak upon and manage the finan
cial mattcis of the nation us Secietary Windom. His spc
ciahy, as it were, in public life has been in matters of
finance and money.
Secietary Windom was born In 1827 in Ohio. He was
admitted to the bar in 1850. Five years later he emigrated
to Minnesota. Within four yeais he went to congress.
During his term he was actively connected with Indian
affaiis, seiving as chaiiman of the committee on Jtulian
afiaiis. In this capacity, and as head of a special committee
to visit the western tubes, and to investigate the conduct
of the commissioner of Indian afiaiis, he served with ability
and integiity. A little later he was elected to the senate.
When Gai field was elected, Mr. Windom was appointed
secictaiy of the tieasury. This office he filled until Arlhui's
accession to office when he retiied, but qiily to be elected
ngain to the senate. Henji.min Ilanison chose for secictaiy
of the tieasuiy, Mi. Windom. The piesident made no
mistake in his choice. The character of Secictaiy Windom
was above lepioach. His integrity has never been ques
tioned. He was not a hiilliant genius, but he was an
able and an honest man. Secietary Windom was, it may
be ti uly said, one of the representatives of the best elempniQ
in the republican party. Hence his death is on that account
HI1
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