Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-03-13
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
EDITORIAL BRfEFS.

PETER, the new Alliance senator-elect
from Kansas, was in Washington last week
in pursuit of information" and the first
thing he wanted to know was when he
could begin to draw his salary.
The result of last weeks election in Can
ada appears to figure down to declaration
against a wish for the establishment Of
reciprocity with the United States, after a
lively agitation of the subject by the Lib !
erals which was met by bitter opposition
by the Tory element led by Sir John Nc
Donald
- Artisan paper published at st.
Hvacinthe, in the Province of Quebec, re
ports the Canadian farmers to he in dis
tress because the Mckinley bill doubles the
duty, "and the Canadian shipper pays the
whole of it, Soas to the horses. IF the
Canadian farmers ship 1000 this year they
must pay $40 600 in tribute to the United
States treasury Here is a practical an
swer to the free trade parrot question,
"Who pays the duty ~
Mr.. Crawford writes to the Tribune that
the encouragement given in the postal sub
sidv hill ill lead to the establishment Of a
great transatlantic line, to he built with
American money and conducted as an
American enterprise flying for the first
time in many years the United States flag
over modern steamship line between New
York and Liverpool The plan for this new
line has been completed and the public will
- nh al
ists who are thoroughly experienced in this
kind of enterprise and who have been re
serving their energies for the time when
they could have u line which should carry
their country's flag.
The silly statement has been made from
jealous Democratic sources, that the reel
prucity treaty with Brazil has not been rat
flied and will not be The fact is that the
treaty needs no ratification for it was rat
flied, ia practical effect before it was made
i Senior Mendonca, the Brazilian minister
| first obtained Mr.. Blaine's views of what
was possible in the shape of formal prop
osition He carried this to Brazil, obtained
the approval of the proposition submitted,
and brought one back from his country.
He also obtained full authority to negotiate
and to ratify any agreement following the
line Of his instructions He thus concud-
ed the negotiations in Washington, and af-
ter they were fully completed the treaty
wa, made the subject Of proclamation hy
the President This concluded the whole
matter and carried the treaty into opera
ton.
Gov. Russell of Massachusetts, has had an
| investigation made by the inspection de
partment of the state district police, of the
sweating" system of making up clothing,
and last week he sent message to the leg
islature on the subject The inspectors re
port is nothing more than IA reiterstOn of
facts already well known through state
ments and descriptions published IN news
paper aud magazine articles. 4 very great
portion Of the cheap clothing which comes
from New York, is made up in the most
crowded aud debased tenement house dis
tricts The work is done in cramped, dark
uuwholesome, filthy rooms, where the in
mates, men, women aud children, eat, work
and sleep with no regard TO health, or even
to the ordinary decencies of life. In most
cases the families are foreigners-Poles
Russian Jews, Portuguese aud Italians. In
Boston the business is less in extent, but it
is done in a way equally objectionable and
revolving. In case of the prevalence of
any epiit mic or other scourge or disease,
the danger to the public health would he
e H.. L., linn,
which the clothing thus made would afford
for the spread Of the disease germs. The
matter is recommended by Gov. Russell rs q
proper one for legislative enquiry.
The facts gathered by the census Office
in regard to the number and amount o
mortgages in the country make mucl
better showing THAI was anticipated, ol
than We had been led to believe would h'
the case 10y the croaks Of men and news
papers who profess to believe that th
country is going to the dogs The numbe
of mortgages in the country in round mum
bers is 1000. 900 Those who hold mort
cages number about 3 800. 900. a yer,
large proportion Of these mortgages is OIL
town and city property. The facts gath
cred with regard to the reasons for in
curing mortgage indebtedness show tina
in fully 30 per cent of all cases the none
was borrowed to develop property owned
or TO make improvements upon it. Will
full details have not been given for tn
whole country, the states of Iowa and Ala
bama are quoted as samples. In the forme
state only .! per cent of all the farmin
lands are under mortgage, and in the latte
state only ) } 10 per cent. While genert
facts bearing on this subject were gathere
by all census enumerators, to procure de
detailed information in every instance va
impossible under the appropriation mad
for this purpose--Sl ,OO0, 900 The census bl
reau, therefore, selected l90 inquiry countie
1 located in various parts of the country. Thes
4 counties were taken with a view of repTt
, senting all classes, the agricultural, the il
!. dustrial, the sparsely settled, the densel
populated and the counties containing Il
leading cities. For these counties the ful
. est inquiry was made in every respect, al
from the results thus obtained approxima
\ estimates will be reached for the who
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