The intimate papers of Colonel House arranged as a narrative by Charles Seymour.

PHILIP DRU: ADMINISTRATOR

153

accomplished, he gives effect once more to representative
institutions as formulated in a new American Constitution,
better fitted than the old for the spirit and conditions of the
twentieth century.
As a romance, the book was not notable, for the effort of
the anonymous author had evidently been spent upon the
careful working-out of the political and social ideas of the
young Philip Dru rather than upon its literary form. Certain
reviewers, however, were piqued by the daring and the ingenuity of these ideas and, treating the book as a political
manifesto rather than a novel, acclaimed it as a remarkable
publication. Speculation as to the personality of the unknown author, who was described merely as 'a man prominent in political councils,' naturally followed. There seemed
to be general agreement that he could not belong to either of
the two older parties. 'We trust he is to be found among the
Democrats,' wrote one reviewer, 'but we greatly fear he is of
the New Party.' Another reviewer was of similar opinion:
'We trust that the author's counsel and assistance will be
available at Washington, if not during the present Administration, surely when the Progressive Party assumes control.'
There were, indeed, numerous suggestions that Mr. Roosevelt himself was the author.
Five years after its publication an enterprising bookseller, noting the growing influence of House in the Wilson
Administration, wrote with regard to the book: 'As time
goes on the interest in it becomes more intense, due to the
fact that so many of the ideas expressed by "Philip Dru:
Administrator," have become laws of this Republic, and so
many of his ideas have been discussed as becoming laws.'
And he ends with the question, 'Is Colonel E. M. House of
Texas the author? If not, who is?'
Colonel House was, in truth, the author; to his other occupations he had added that of novelist. He tells us himself in
a brief memorandum how, in the autumn of 1911, he con