Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 23.pdf/449

 Reviews of Books upon an author whose independent opin ions would be serviceable, but a different method of presentation would have necessitated, in a treatise of this length,

the suppression of a great deal of material helpful to the student, and Professor Garner's modesty is not a serious defect. Not the least merit of the work is its full collection of quotations and biblio graphical references, which make it a splendid guide-book to the literature of political science, not without usefulness to the more advanced student. Professor Garner's work reﬂects the high character of the teaching at Colum bia University, of which he is a graduate,

and of the same type of admirable scholarship is Professor Beard's more concrete treatise on a branch of what we may call descriptive political science. It aims to be nothing more than a description of a highly complex political mechanism, for students of government.

The method is largely historical, and a luminous exposition is given of the most recent developments of a constantly changing political system. The book is constructed upon an independent plan of its own, attention being paid to colonial origins and the functions of both federal and state governments, while the political parties receive full consideration. The book will serve as a most useful companion to Professor Beard's "Readings in American Govern ment and Politics" (reviewed 22 Green

Bag 244). Facts rather than deductions make up the greater part of its bulk, and because of its orderly marshaling of facts, and its concise summaries of the experience of the American people with their problems of organization and ad ministration, the work can hardly be secondary to Ambassador Bryce's "American Commonwealth" at least with respect to the skill with which it delineates our political institutions.

415

Professor Jenks’ "Principles of Poli tics" is a work of a different type, and its title is inapt, as it is not a scientiﬁc treatise on fundamental principles but simply a collection of loosely discursive lectures or essays on selected topics, such as the nature of the state, political motives, the suﬂrage, political parties,

representation, legislation, administra tion, the judiciary, constitutions and international relations. The treatment is unsystematic, and follows the method

of applied common sense rather than of applied science.

The author professes

himself to have secured more material from men engaged in the practical work of politics than from scientiﬁc treatises. The book is not a text-book, but is

addressed especially to younger citi zens. Its tone is one of moderation and impartiality, and its interpretations exhibit good sense and are frequently suggestive. It is hardly to be char acterized, however, as a striking or important group of lectures.

Judge Lobingier’s book is of an en tirely different type from the three already noticed. The ﬁrst feature to attract attention is an elaborate his tory of the popular framing, amendment, or ratiﬁcation of constitutions in the United States. On the thoroughness with which this special topic of Ameri can political history is worked out rests its chief claim to be taken seriously, and the work is undoubtedly an im

portant contribution to the history of popular legislation. Apart from the attention given to American history, not enough study is bestowed upon

popular law-making in other countries or in earlier ages to round out a sym metrical treatise on “the evolution of democracy and direct legislation," to quote from the sub-title. The treat ment of the Teutonic folk-moot and of other primitive popular assemblies leaves