TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, OCTOBER 17, 1909. 8 Fi r v - a- l.yi? &-. -. Cut r- OVEBXOH JOHNSON, of Minneeota. 1 dying t tli of BO, when It f looked an though nothing but miracle would haw deprived him of th Democratic nomination for the Presi dency In presents another case of the fatality th&t wems to o-erhang leaders of the party of Jackson. ft l not th flrt time that death ia thus cut short a promising life and de prived th Democratic party of Its chancce. William H. Crawford, of Georftia; Rob- I ert J. Walker, of Pennsylvania; C. K Vallandigham. of Ohio; William Russell. of Massachusetts, tnd Robert E. Pattison, of Pennsyli-ania, are all Instances of men lo?t to tho Democracy In their prime. Some of theee lost leaders had time enough to make a place In history and are remembered for what they have done. others are merely names, and are only JceDt down from utter oblivion by the thought of what they might have accom plished. "William H. Crawford, of Georgia, haa fcad his memory cherished by Democrats for nearly a century now and Is remem beted a the first great Democrat who might have attained the Presidency had he lived. Crawford began h! political career as a moderate Federalist, but came over to Jefferson at the beginning of the 19th century, and was thereafter & recognlaed leader of the party. He had hopes of the party nomination In 116, but Monroe, whom Jefferson had gently repressed in 18, in order that Madison might be elected, now had his ' reward. When the convention of 1J24 arrived Crawford had for V years been a domi nating figure tn National life, his serv ices having Included work as United States Senator. Minister to France. See retarr of War and Secretary of the Treasury. It was while he was Secretary of the Treasury and at the very summit of his popularity that he was etrlcken with paralysis. He was then S3. His friends did their best to make a secret of his 111 i Tiess. so that his chances for the nomina tion might not be hopelessly impaired. for the glante of the period in the party were an active candidates. Calhoun was 10 yearg younger than Crawford and he was fsnlsfled with the selection as Vice-President. Crawford came third when the electors I voted and failed to give any candidate a majority. This threw the election Into ' the House of Representatives, and :then the friends of the other leading candi dates, Adams and ' Jackson, made the most of Crawford's Illness and Adams was elected. Crawford rallied somewhat In health, and, had he fully recovered, might have been a dangerous opponent for Jackson In 1P2S. but he Joined hands with Jack son to combat the hated Adams adminis tration, and died during the term of Jackson. Robert J. Walker was another leader early lost to the Democracy, but It was not death or disability that took him out of the arena of politics, but a most creditable case of conscience. Walker, who was born In Pennsylvania, went to live in Mississippi at the age of 25. Six years later he was leading a movement against nullification, and when he had been but 10 years Jn his adopted state he was selected to be United States Besides Governor Johnson, Five Men, Slated for the Presidency, Down in Their Prime TVaxJurJT-T. desrsvF'&J&.ZS, fy&i? azrrr jtoxz- Senator, a most unusual progress for any man. Walker was an open advocate of gradual emancipation with proper re muneration paid to the slave ownera, but In every other particular he was a most radical Democrat. In fact he early gained the reputation of being the most astute Democratic leader In the party when he brought Tyler back Into the fold, thereby nulll mying the effort of the Whig triumph of mi. He fashioned the tariff of 1816, and was a most able Secretary of the Treas ury under Polk. Much against his will he became Gov ernor of the Territory of Kansas. He was assured that if he served those who wanted to make Kansas a slave state hi would get the nominatlon for the Presl dency, a nomination worth having, sincj the man who got It. James Buchanan, went to the White House. But Walker, though a politician, was strictly honest on the big Issues that then engrossed the country. He declined to assist In making Kansas a slave state, because he believed that to be the course that met with the wishes of the people. Hence he lost his nomination, and passed out of power as a leader of the Democracy. Had Clement L. Vallandlgham, of Ohio, lived, he would have been a for midable candidate for the Presidency In 1873, for by that time the Democrats of the country had come to the conclusion that they had done a great wrong to him during the Civil War. During the war he was the most hated Democrat In the North. He was the leader of the Copperheads. He was the only man whom President Lincoln ban ished for opposition to his policy. Until 1870 he looked hopelessly dead from a' political standpoint, 'but then he began directing attention to new Issues that had arisen with the ending of the war, and called on the people to get to gether, and take the tig forward step necessary to wipe out the memories and bitterness of the Internecine conflict. In June, 1871, It was a certainty that at the next Democratic convention Val landlgham must fee the leading figure, and with his admitted ability and proved courage he might even have been the nominee, but on the 17th of June, while trying a case, and attempting to show that the victim of an alleged murderer whom he was defending had accidentally shot himself while drawing a pistol, Vallandlgham . shot himself and died at the age of 61. The career of William Russell, of Massachusetts, Is well remembered. He was almost an Infant phenomenon in politics. He was first chosen Mayor of Boston at the age of 28, and was promptly returned for a second term. He was only 32 when he was chosen Gov ernor of Massachusetts. Altogether he had five terms. In Massachusetts they elect every year. His thin, smooth, almost colorless face, sensitive in expression, but filled with Intellect and energy made him liked everywhere, and Democracy looked to him as a leader who would certainly have a chance to make the running for the White House, and probably get there. He opposed free silver, but even the advocates of that policy never learned to dislike young Russell because of his opposition, and when the time for a heal ing of the wounds came. It is probable that he would have been foremost in aid ing hie party to a hopeful fight against the Republicans. But In 1896 from a remote oamp In Nova Scotia came news of his sudden death. He waa then only 40 years old, and had he lived would today still be younger than most of the present day leaders. The career of Robert H Pattison was somewhat similar. When only 27 years old he was elected Controller of the Re- publican city of Philadelphia, and twice he was elected Governor of the hide- i bound Republican state of Pennsylvania. ! It W V i V It r I : J f "Ml 1 y ill- . :. y ,(! a -yv. Li"- vvlLLJ1 - Tinas r i- ,..ol,tfw"iinmi.iii-if.'miifT r I TO The Nation looked with Interest to the possibilities of this tall, handsome and maanetlc man. but he died before reach- ' lng the age of 60. Our National Bonfires. W. C. Barnes, in Harper's Weekly. What can be done toward protecting large areas of forested lands has been well established by the work of the forest service on the National forests. The National forests cover, In round numbers, about 185 million acres of pub lic Ia.d. The fire loss each year on this great area has by careful patrolling and jj I' 1 "ir V4i ; , .z&i i systematic fire fighting been so reduced as to be almost a mere nothing. In 1907 the area burned over was but 119.410 acres, or lo69 tran three-fourths of 1 per cent of the whole area. It is estimated that the National forests cover only about one-fourth of the entire forested area of the United Slates, so that on this basis the total area that would have been burned over In the whole of the United States In that year should have been but a little over 43S.0H0 acres. The estimates show that the totnj actually was between 6,000.i) and 8,0u0. C00 acres. As for the cost, taking the expense of the work on the National forests for a baois. it would have, cost but 3.000,ono to patrol and protect tlio whole of the forests of the country, which would be a very cheap form of flro Insurance for the people who, without It, lost some where between l.S.OrtO.000 and $W.OOO,000 worth of timber during the year 190". A Soubrctte and Ase. New York Evening Sun. To have been a soubrette all one's life and then to grow old! Why should one be expected to change? Why should not the habits of thought of years reach on into the seventies? The-tale Is told of that dear ladv who forty years ago sent the blood dancing in the veins of her generation with "tassels on her boots," and the lilt of kindred ditties. Her daughter, in constant fear of pneumonia for the frail, tiny old lady, urged upon her the wearing of woolen stockings. She sweetly but firmly declined considering the ugly; things, and, needing a new supply, laid the case before her son. He saw the point at once, and bought her a box of the sheerest, daintiest, most openwork affairs the market afforded. To the surprise of all, she never wore them. Throughout the Winter and far Into the Spring she spoke no more of stock ings, but meukly wore the ugly woolen ones of her daughter's choice. At last one day her son asked her why. "Where," he queried, "are those pretty things I bought you?" "Oh, my dear boy," she exclaimed, "it was kind and thoughtful and sweet of you to buy them for me, and , of course, you couldn't possibly know, but the pat terns are so unbecoming I can't wear them." Compeneatlun. By Nellie Porter. Out of my sorrows may be born a smile. Out of the blow a kls. Somewhere, dear baby waits all the while; Could I only remember thiw. Out of my heartai-hfs may happiness reign. Out of life's struKgies. rest. Somewhere may baby's hand reach down for mine To greet whom my soul loves best. Out of death's darkness Into Hunt Out of the tomb new life. - Bomewhere. I trust It will all be rlcht. After life's heartaches and strife. Portland, October e. SOLVED THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING MOST FAMOUS PICTURE IN THE LOUVRE FT STERLING HEILIO. CROWDS of American tourists stand round It all Summer, fascinated by Its lifelike qualities, held by its mystery, awestruck by its reputation, puzzled, interested, willing to be Inter ested, troubled. Inquiring, disappointed even, asking in a whisper If it Is the right one. Tourists of all grades of culture know they ought to like this picture, the most famous portrait of all time, the "Sphynx of Beauty," Leonardo's "Mona Lisa," special treasure of the Salon Carre of the Louvre Museum. "Greatest portrait In the world," they murmur. , "I've seen prettier women." . . . . "Miracle of painting (reading- from the guide-book), in which the art of portraiture hss probably approached nearest to perfection." "What Is she smiling at?" r . . "Occupied the artist four years; and then he pronounced It unfinished." . . "Wife of Fran-ces-co del Glo-con-do." "More divine than human, held to be marvelous and living, equal to Nature." "She looks elderly." . . . "She looks sly." ... "Looks like a servant-glrll" "No; she looks like a lady, anyhow!" "Even those whose first expression Is "Huh!" who proclaim frankly that they cannot see her beauty or her in terest, find themselves disputing hotly over both. I have known uncultivated, rude and honest-minded men to scoff the Mona Lisa then go back to it again and again. Were they affected by the his torlcal fact that King Franols I. paying 4000 gold ecus for this portrait of an unknown Italian woman whom he had never seen in person, kept it locked Jealously in his private, "gilded room" of FontalnebleauT Or that King Louis XIV hung it in his bedroom at Ver sailles? I think not. What the honest minded Philistines, unprejudiced by cul ture, worried over was: "What is the smiling at?" And then, after more study: "Is she really smiling?" Other Old Masters, as celebrated in their line, did not thus trouble them. There Is a mystery and a fascination about this portrait. Independent of the extraordinary things which the world's geniuses have discovered In It. It Is not a portrait that beoomes In teresting because we know something of the woman it represents. On the contrary, the woman grows interesting because we have this particular por trait of her. Up to yesterday, all that the world knew of Mona Lisa Gherardlni, third wife of Francesco del Glocondo of Flor ence, was that Leonardo da Vinci, painted! bar betweea 1601 and 1504 and that Leonardo was her husband's friend. Friendship did not prevent the Illus trious painter from selling It almost Immediately to the King of France, his patron. So, "La Joconde" has always been French property: because Jovial Francis I, learning It to be the portrait of a lady named Glocondo, by a natural, perhaps unconscous pun, called it "La Joconde," "the Joound one," gay lively or light-hearted. Glocondo Is not a French family name. "La Joeond" stuck. And so, for certain deep-sea thinkers, Mona Lisa's smile became saucy, .sportive, flirtatious and even naughty; while plain people were reminded of Shake speare's "Jocund morn" and took gentle cheerlness for granted. Yet they won dered. "She Is klnd-of smiling, all right," I once heard a man from Seattle say meditatively, "but Is she JocundT Yes, and more, reply great thinkers. Talne discovered. In her smile, that she was flirting with Leonardo. "The critics have discovered that Mona Lisa's husband was at his third wife and, con Sequently, no longer young, says Talne. "Putting beside this what we know of Leonardo, his beauty, his grace and his glory, Mona Lisa's smile may be mocking for her husband, com pllmentary for Leonardo, and perhaps both at the same time." Would you like to have M. Talne Judge you by your photograph? But that is nothing. Her smile upset Mlch- elet, the historian, 400 years after her death. "I go to that portrait in spite of myself," he says, "as the bird goes to the snake." Theophlle Gautier, au thor of "Carmen," found her malicious. aggressive and cruel, "this strange creature whose look promises unknown Joys and whose expression is divinely ironic." She smiles with "mocking voluptuousness" on the thousands who admire her. Arsene Houssaye sees "shining from that smile, the soul of Leonardo in love!" Bonnaman, who al most wrote a book about .her, says that "those lips have paled with love and still carry the trace of kisses." And even the honest Nozlere "esteemed" that "Leonardo has left us the portrait of a witty and tender friend, rather in clined to enjoyment." Theophlle Gautier argued that Leon ardo never forgot her. She was a woman not to be forgotten. "If Don Juan had . met Mona Lisa," he says darkly, "he would have been saved writing on his list the names of 3000 women: he would have written but one; and the wings of his love would have refused to carry him further. They would have melted till their feathers fell, in the black sunlight of those eyes!" Now we are ' getting- at the truth. Mona Lisa Is not a woman, but the woman, which, eaab. man ought to find, i 3 s .- vi-V o: -i- y: i ' ' it i s j .r r ? - - f - 1 . . " , v v .. , - A, . ... 3f f 1 4 i 1 tL. A I - X J t ' I 1 i 7,1 irni.Tirnn lft iart ft,r. hrti LEONARDO'S "MONA LISA." Perhaps she is, at the same time, all women. "La Joconde is a philosophy of women," affirms Bonnaman. "She Is a manifestation Of feminism," says Kraus. "Is the secret of La Joconde so im penetrable?" asks Kraus. "It is going too far to pretend that the painter tried, for once, to manifest all the power of femininity, to immortalize the superiority of the woman of genius of her epoch, that superiority which Dante and Tetrarch expressed poetically in creating Beatrice and Laura?" The English Walter Pater discovered her to be even an encyclopedia. "In this beauty," he says, "the soul appears with all its affections. All the thoughts and all the experience of the world have left their traces on It: the animal Ism of Greece, the lubricity of Rome, the revelry of the Middle Ages, the re turn to Paganism, the sins of the Borgias!" There remained nothing to aiscover dui a glimpse into the future; and this the Italian Carotti added: "9he Is the emanation of the intellect tual, sentimental and poetic power of her time," says Carotti, "with all the mystery of the human eoul and all Its destiny!' Here Is mystery; and they admit it Paul Bourget says the smile of Mona Lisa "will never be defined, it being copied mystery." According to Charles Clement "thousands of men have Rstened to the lying words of those perfervld Hps. That enchanting smile Is Implacable: it promises felicity, but It will never give happiness. Evidently Mona Lisa is a mirror of life. showing men what they bring to reflect In It. Georges Sand found her as fright ening as a Medusa or a Sphinx. Arsene Houssaye declared her to be satanlc. Get- froy Is sure that she is a disenchanted pessimist. "During 400 years past." says M. Gruyer, curator of the Louvre paintings, "the Mona Lisa has addled the wits of those who have talked about her. after naving looked too long upon ner. jina M. Gruyer ought to know; he Is a most distinguished art expert and the personal custodian of Mona Lisa. " Salamon Relnaoh has nothing against the Immortal portrait itself; on the con trary, he delights in Its unapproachable naturalness and the charm and perfec tion of its execution. Up to Vasarl, he says, this is what the world saw In the Mona Lisa. And he quotes Vasarl: "He who would know to what point art can Imitate nature nas but to study this head; because Leonardo has ren dered the least details with extreme finesse." And Fellbien: "There is such grace and sweetness in those eyes and features that they appear living." That Is all right, approves Salamon Relnaahj and the good people who, stand ing before a painting, got themselves laughed at for saying "It is nnture" say In a word what the critics of ancient Greece and the Renaissance developed more amply. It is only photography that lias disgusted us with It. Leonardo him self asked nothing more of a portrait. "I have seen," says Leonardo, "a por trait so full of resemblance that a dog belonging to the sitter took it for his master and manifested his delight." But with romanticism, says Salamon Relnach, a new element forced Itself Into art criticism. It became subtle, refined, mysterious. Works, to be admired, must have something enigmatic, must envelop an unknown something which the critics would disentangle. And no chef-d'oeuvre has been o much solicited as Mona Lisa by the amateurs of hidden meaning! All this ho annoyed Salamon Relnach that he finally bepan looking Mona Lisa up. What did he discover? He dis covered a very pathetic, very tender thing! "What Is she smiling at?" You shall learn. No one would have dreamed It! Leonardo da Vinci took four years. In deed, to paint the wife of his friend Francesco del Glocondo; and eo far from his being in love with her, or she with him, he dropped both portrait and sitter again and again, on a moment's notice, to go on pleasure or business trips. Reinach is a terrible man. He chases a date through a hundred MS. until he trees It. Leonardo quit Florence In H&!, to return only In 1301. In 1502 he travelled In Umbria as architect of Valentine Bor gia. He returned to Florence In 150:1, went on a pleasure-trip to Venice In 1505, returned, and went to Milan In 1506. That Is not four yearg of loving contemplation. Is It? The truth Is that Leonardo painted the portrait gratis for his friend, the hus band, dropping it when business called. It bears every mark of such a non-paid, purely -friendship portrait to the last. In which the painter sells It to a third party! Obviously, the painting Itself was not much either to Leonardo, the husband or to Mona Lisa herself! Yet Its execu tion was everything! A word of Vasarl put Salamon Relnach on the track of the mystery. Leonardo was a good friend of Francesco del Glocondo, and palntea his wife when he had time to distract her mind from a great unhapplness! Vasarl says that when he painted Mona Lisa, Leonardo "surrounded his model with musicians, singers and clownB to entertain her In a gentle gaiety, In order to avoid the melancholy aspect we observe In most portraits." The conclusion Is pure Vasari, says Relnach; but the fact Is a studio-tradition which Vasarl could not have in vented. What melancholy of Mona Lisa did her husband's friend, the painter, go to the expense of employing professional entertainers to drive away? Paris, July 18.