Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-26
GRAND RAPIDS, WISCONSIN.

CONTRARY to the popular impression,
United States Minister Palmer thinks no
other country in Europe has better pros
pect for long continuance of prosperity
than Spain. Spain he regards as ''practi-
cally outside of the war circle of Europe.
She has smaller standing army than any
other prominent nation in Europe, and
thus is subjected to much less expense,
while her natural defenses on all sides
give her a great advantage in any possible
invasion of her territory, as has abundant
ly been shown in history in the case Of the
Carthaginians, Romans and Saracens, and
later in the Napoeonic wars. Spain, Mr..
Palmer thinks, has gone to sleep, but is adj
vancing in material prosperity and politi-
cal freedom. Her resources are being de-
veloped, her manufacturing increased,
and, from Indications, may yet take her
place among the nations of the first rank.
In the matter of freedom, Minister Palmer
says there is substantially as much freedom
in Spain as in the United states and that
in Spain as in the United States, free
speech is the safety valve of the govern
ment. In the readjustment of the balance
of European power, which may take place
at almost any time, Spain is likely to gain
rather than to lose in prestige, and that,
too, at less expense than in the case of any
of the great powers. Republican ideas
sown in western Europe may yet reclaim
the continent and bear as harvest of the
political freedom and regeneration of Eu-
rope.
THE scheme proposed at Harvard Of re-
ducing the college course from four to
three years, is the most revolutionary event
which has startled the educational world
for many years. In regard to it the views
of Acting President Remsen, of Johns
Hopkins university, will be of special in
terest: II am heartily in favor Of the
changes which the president of Harvard
recommends The difficulty which it is
necessary to overcome is one that is now
being more and more clearly recognized
by all those who have to deal with college
ducation on the one hand and professional
education and business on the other hand
1t has come to that pass that young men now
get ont of college at an average age of TWEEN
ty-three or twenty-four years, and then
have to begin their professional studies.
or 90 into business. In either case they
should have begun earlier. At the same
time the courses in the professional
schools have been growing longer, so that
it is impossible oryoung men to get at
their life work earlier than twenty-eight
or thirty years of age. Taking everything
into consideration, | believe that the ma
jority of educators will approve of the
plan which is now before the Harvard
overseers. Personally | am convinced
that it is an important step forward in
educational matters in this country"
THE public was hardly prepared for so
sudden and utter capitulation by the
senate to the demands of the silver kings
and their allied heretics of the west and
south Not too much wisdom was expect
ed of that body, but the egregious and
criminal folly involved in the free coinage
bill exceeded even the measure of bad leg
lslation which the Fifty-frst congress has
set for itself. 1t was not enough to pledge
he word and treasure of the nation to buy
at their own price all the silver that the
money-bag senators of Colorado, Californ-
la apd Nevada can dump at the door
the treasury; 1t was not enough to make
this country the dumping ground for all
the silver of the world; it was not enough
to invite all Corners from all lands to bring
to America 70 cents worth of silver and
receive therefor 81 of American money
these things of themselves are calamitous
enough, but, in the mad race for national
dlshonor, it was necessary that, in time
of great general prosperity, the treasury
of the nation should be employed to I'M
settle values and to give to the commerce
of the country the unhealthy flush which
invariably precedes disaster. Neither the
United States nor any other body can
make, by legislation, dollar out of three
parts of a dollar nor add, by law, one
cent to the value of an ounce of silver.
Congress has tried it and the effect will
be, not to increase the value of silver but
to cheaper the American dollar, which,
until now, has passed as par in the ex-
changes of the world. President Harrison
has an opportunity such as rarely comes to
man to rebuke this folly and call the sem
ate back to common sense.
NEVER IN the history of any state has
there been sucn a condition of affairs as
now exist in Louisiana. The great history
fight will soon come to a climax and it
will be known which is the stronger, the
influence of money lavishly expended or
honesty and loyalty to the best interests of
the public. The contest has been COM
phcated by the appearance on the scene of
officers of some of the heaviest corpora
tons in the state, who are supporting the
demand of the lottery company on the
ground that its annual contribution will
largely decrease the rate of taxation.