North. Just as the author began by fighting
his way among the white boys who objected to him because of his
manifestation of superior talent for one of his color so he has had to
struggle throughout life. He has, however, become a writer of some
note, contributing verse and stories to such leading publications as
the _Century Magazine_, _Harper's_, _The Dial_, _The Crisis_, _The
Southern Workman_, _The Boston Transcript_, and _The Chicago Tribune_.

The author makes no pretence of writing a scientific historical or
sociological treatise. He relates such anecdotes of his own life as
will throw light on the influence of race prejudice in impeding the
progress of capable Negroes. His style is easy and clear, at times
beautiful. The book is well worth the reading of any person seriously
interested in our race problems.

E. L. MCLEAN

* * * * *

_The Administration of President Hayes._ BY JOHN W. BURGESS. Charles
Scribner's Sons, New York, 1916. Pp. 154.

These lectures, the author says, give in bare outline a description of
the administration of President Hayes. For various reasons his
administration has not received extended treatment by the students of
American History. Professor Burgess seeks to show that Hayes was one
of the greatest executives in the history of our nation, and that
wrongfully "the manner of his election has been used to depreciate his
service." He says: "As time goes on, however, and as the partisan
hatreds which are clustered around the election are lost from view,
his work looms larger and ever larger."

At the present time when there is such uncertainty in the election of
President and reference is made to that one of 1876, many are
repeating the contention that a partisan vote of the Electoral
Commission unconstitutionally made Hayes President. The author very
clearly points out that no president was more entitled to his office
on constitutional grounds than Rutherford B. Hayes. Contrary to the
assertion that eight Republican members of the Electoral Commission
voted on partisan grounds, Professor Burgess says that it was they who
stood squarely on the constitution and the seven Democratic members of
that commission voted purely on party lines. The Democrats had neither
"a leg nor a peg to stand upon in any one of the cases" of Oregon,
Louisiana, Florida or South Carolina. The Electoral Commission in each
case went back of the