remarkable paper in full and putting it before the people in a convenient form, bound in heavy paper and carrying a frontispiece of Count Tolstoi. (The Public Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill. Price, 10 cents.)

Sabbath Laws in the United States. The National Reform Association, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has recently published a compilation of the Sabbath laws in the various states of the Union, compiled by the Rev. R. C. Wylie. This work is one of the propaganda publications of the National Reform Association, a body of religionists who doubtless with good intention are nevertheless, we think, in many instances doing much more evil than good by their narrow views of religious questions-views which are in our judgment far more in harmony with the old Mosaic idea of the Sabbath than with that of the founder of Christianity.

The Hand is the title of a new cloth-bound volume by Lewis D. Burdick, which contains

a survey of facts, legends and beliefs pertaining to manual ceremonies, covenants and symbols. The work contains sixteen chapters in which the author considers historically the hand as "The Executant of the Brain," "A Symbol of Life," "A Symbol of Authority," "An Indicator of Fortune," "Trial by the Hand," "The Hand in Lustration," "Laying on Hands,” “Lifting the Hand,” “Taking an Oath," "The Social Hand," "The Healing Hand," "The Hand of Evil," and other kindred topics. (Pages, 238. Price, $1.50. The Irving Company, Oxford, N. Y.)

A VERY valuable little vest-pocket volume has just been issued, compiled by Thomas H. Russell, Editor-in-Chief of Webster's Imperial Dictionary, and entitled Faulty Diction; or, Errors in the Use of the English Language and How to Correct Them. It is a thoroughly practical book which should be possessed by everyone. (Pages, 150. Bound in embossed Russia leather. Price, 50 cents. George W. Ogilvie & Company, Chicago, Ill.)

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AIN CURRENTS OF THOUGHT IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: Seldom is it the fortune of readers of periodical literature to find so much important information of general interest luminously presented in the confines of a magazine essay as are found in the distinctly noteworthy paper by Professor ROBERT T. KERLIN, A.M., which appears in this issue of THE ARENA. Professor KERLIN is one of the most brilliant educators in the Methodist Church of the South, a student of religion, science and philosophy, and a professor of literature. He has in his paper marshalled in a striking manner facts of special importance and significance to all students of the mental and moral movements of the past hundred years. In the next number of THE ARENA we shall present the second and concluding division of this noble essay. It treats more specifically of the thought of the master-builders in the moral and mental world of Anglo-Saxon life and is if possible more interesting than the present paper. This discussion will be one of the most helpful and informing magazine contributions of the year and we suggest that all our readers loan THE ARENA to at least two young peo

ple, who may thus be materially helped by the perusal of Professor KERLIN's great work.

Mr. Phillips on the Menace of Plutocracy: No single feature of THE ARENA, excepting "The Mirror of the Present," seems to be more popular with our readers than our conversations with leading Last month EDWIN representative thinkers. MARKHAM Voiced the demand of present-day democracy. This month the brilliant and popular novelist, essayist and journalist, DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS, discusses "The Menace of Plutocracy" in his clear, incisive manner. In response to an oft-expressed wish on the part of our subscribers, and pen-picture of the subject giving the conversawe preface these conversations with a brief sketch

tion.

Economy: Under this title Mr. STUYVESANT FISH contributes to this number of THE ARENA an article that will attract wide interest because of Mr. FISH's high reputation for rugged honesty and because of the fact that he is a millionaire railroad

president and a vice-president of the National Park Bank of New York. It affords another striking illustration of the fact that even among those of our great financiers who are under the compulsion of moral idealism and the old concepts of justice and democracy, there is apparent on every hand a growing realization of the imminent peril to the people and to free government from the uncurbed rapacity of privileged wealth under the guidance of arrogant, insolent, determined and essentially lawless masterminds. Like Mr. GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY, whose recent outspoken utterances appear in "The Mirror of the Present" in this issue of THE ARENA, Mr. FISH realizes the necessity for action. The remedies, in so far as our author offers any, are not as fundamental in character as, in our opinion is necessary to meet present conditions or as practical at the present stage in the advance of corporate power. Yet the frank recognition of dangers and the earnest determination evinced to find remedies for admitted wrongs make this paper by Mr. FISH a significant contribution, apart from its own excellence.

The Blight of the Trusts: Every American citizen ought to read the exceptionally strong and clear presentation of the trust evil as illustrated in the typical case of the Smelter-Trust, given by the Hon. J. WARNER MILLS in this issue of THE ARENA. Here in a concrete manner the trust evils are clearly marshalled. This paper ought to be used with telling effect in every community. We suggest that every subscriber induce ten friends to peruse it. It is by the circulation of such literature and the reasoning together with your friends that you can become a positive factor in furthering better social, political and economic conditions. All friends of peaceful progress should aid in such educational work.

The March of Direct-Legislation: Our readers will be deeply interested in the brief statement of the progress of Direct-Legislation given in this issue by President POMEROY of the National Direct-Legislation League. This movement more than any other present-day effort will preserve to the people the blessings of democratic government and cause a halt in the efforts of plutocracy to firmly establish, under the term imperial republic, a government of privileged interests through political bosses and money-controlled machines, by which the people shall continue to be the victims and the bond-slaves of monopolies and corporations resting on privilege or class laws. There is a steady and increasing opposition to Majority-Rule being exerted by privileged interests and their minions on every hand; but the more the people are coming to understand the secret of their enslavement and their inability to secure relief from government for admitted evils and oppressions from the great law-defying commercial organizations, the more they are determined

Human Liberty or Human Greed? Mr. BAKER in this issue opens his series of regular contributions on timely topics which will be a feature of THE ARENA during the ensuing year. This month he discusses human liberty versus human greed in his direct, trenchant and suggestive style. Our readers will remember that it was Congressman BAKER who a few years ago directed the attention of the public to the railroad-pass bribery, by refusing a free pass. At that time he was ridiculed by the great newspapers that are beholden to corporate interests. However, since Secretary BONAPARTE and some other prominent statesmen have followed Mr. BAKER'S example, several of these same journals have discovered that the taking of passes is a form of bribery and highly immoral.

The Coming Exodus: This paper by ARTHUR S. PHELPS is unavoidably omitted in this number for lack of space. It will appear in our next issue and will, we think, be read with more than ordinary interest by our subscribers.