Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
GRAND RAPIDS,

ringing speech against the lottery. said:
81 say, sir, that if Louisiana can not per-
form the duties of state, if she can not
educate her children and support her
charitable institutions, then let US tear
from her her sovereign rights as state and
place her under control and protection Of
the federal government or some other gov
eminent save the government of the. lot
terry company
HAWAII conceded to the United States
under reciprocity treaty a free market for
products, as well as exclusive rights to the
use Of Pearl harbor, in return for the free
admission of raw sugar and a few unim-
portant articles from the Islands to the
United States. 1t is now claimed by the
Hawaiian minister, at Washington, and
apparently with some reason, that the en-
actment by United States that provision
of the Mckinley bill admitting all sugar
free and putting bounty on homegrown
sugar must lead to the abrogation of the
treaty; for that would destroy the one con-
sideration of any value to the islands. 1t
is said that Senators Frye and Morgan of
the senate committee on foreign relations
both agree to this conclusion. The trouble
is that we have by far the best end of the
bargain-such harbor and other rights
through the treaty as have caused England
to orumble ever since.
THE latest obedience to French dicta-
ton will not improve the situation in
Newfoundland, nor will it make the in
habitants of the French shore any more
friendly to the Salisbury government. The
action of Capt. Walker of his majesty
ship Emerald. in closing by force two
English lobster factories at st. Georges
bay. was in accordance with the terms of
the modus vivendi This is undoubtedly
not so certainly as to the other. The act
is, however, an added grievence to the
many already blrdening the Newfound-
landers, and increases their Indignation at
the home government and their anger at
the French How long it will be before
their anger finds expression In some overt
act, no one can tell. Any repetition of
French aggression would be likely to pre-
yoke reprisaIs The longer this policy of
inaction on the part of Salisbury is con-
tinued, the greater the danger of collision
Perhaps this is what the French want. 1t
would add to the prestige they already
possess to have Observation-Disclosures make an
armed resistance to their exercise of their
treaty rights.
WHEN the officers of a bank apply to
their own use money placed in their care
by depositors the punishment should be
swift aud sure But such, it is to be re-
GREETED, is not always the case. Arrests
are frequently made, but after months of
delay the culprits often escape in a way
highly gratifying to themselves. Some
time ago the Bank of America in Phila-
delphia closed its doors, and not till Satur-
day last was any definite action taken by
those who had lost their money. Then
the president and cashier were arrested,
charged with conspiring to obtain Sl25, 900
of the funds of the bank by crediting the
loan to an employe Whether these men
are guilty, and, if So whether they will be
duly punished, is a questian. At any rate
the action is long delayed and something
is wrong. If a person is guilty of rob
bing the mails, making counterfeit money
or in any other way violating the laws of
the United States, his arrest is swift and
his punishment severe The government
does not trihe So it should be with dis
honest bankers. If it were known that to
use bank funds meant certain imrisonment
for a long term they would be fewer fail
ures and much suffering by innocent de-
positors averted. In these cases the law
should be rigidIy enforced.
UP to a few days ago the British em-
pire comprised an area of little more
than 100000 square miles, or small
fraction in excess of the dimensions of the
domain over which is extended the sway
of the czar. To-Day British territory
reaches an area exceeding II 1000, 900
square miles The treaty with Germany
10y which the British ''sphere of influence"
extends from the eastern coast of Africa at
Zanzibar as far back as the great lakes, and
from the first decree of sOuth latitude 70
the southern boundary of Egypt, exclusive
of the Congo Free State and the region
over which Italy presumes to exercise a
sort of protectorate, adds about 100000
square miles to the domain of the queen of
England and empress of India and puts
that potentate we'll advance of Alexander
III. in the game of territorial acquisition
1t is only when a comparison is made with
some of the great states of Europe and of
the western hemisphere that the enormous
dimensions OF the British empire can be
appreciated The extent of European
Russia Is slightly in excess of 100000
square miles. that of Brazil is about 8,
100000, while the United States, includ-
ing Alaska, is about 100000 square
miles. China is still larger than any of
the nations last mentioned, having an
area exceeding that of the United States
by nearly 100000 square miles But the
British empire, within its new and en-
larged boundaries, is three times as capa-