BLUES, a term applied to a particular type of "jazz" or "rag time" music which has enjoyed much popular favour in the 2oth century. Blues, in their original vocal form, are distinguished chiefly by their peculiar structure—three lines of verse—although they take their name from their most common motif, that of de pression. Originating among the illiterate Southern negroes, they were first brought before the notice of the general public in 1909. In that year a mayoral contest was taking place in Memphis in which three candidates were competing, assisted by as many col oured bands. Mr. W. C. Handy, the son and grandson of Method ist ministers, was in charge of one of these. His candidate was a Mr. E. H. Crump, and one of the airs which he devised for his orchestra was named after his employer. So popular did it become that Mr. Crump was elected mayor, Mr. Handy became locally famous, the term "Blues" appeared out of nowhere, and "Mr. Crump," rechristened "Memphis Blues," started the avalanche of this form of music that has since swept over the country. Because of their undistinguished origin and associations the "Blues" were frowned upon at first but they made their way not withstanding and, with the appearance of Mr. Carpenter's "Krazy Kat" in 1922 and of Mr. Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" in 1924, Mr. James Weldon Johnson's prediction, made in 1921, that they would ultimately have an effect on serious modern music, may be said to have been realized. While melancholy is the predominating characteristic of the "Blues," the personality of the singer is at least equally stressed. He sings of his troubles and resentments, of his strong desires and pleasures, but all in a vein of cheerful philosophy and of uncomplaining acceptance of the blows of fate, which gives to these ditties a character and fascination all their own.