The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-03

quietly standing bytAe pieoe and re-
load without The loss Of time. The i'm
perial parliament has shown itself far
more patriotic in the matter than one
might be tempted 10 beAeve from the
reoent utteranoes Of Emperor William,
for the $50, 600. 900 needed for the trans
formation was voted almost unanimous
ly by the reiohstag. even the socialists
giving their consent thereto, and, what
Is more, keeping ths whole affair secret.
Inasmuch as Germany's victory in tho
war of 1870 was admittedly due princi-
pally to her artillery, the Importance Of
the new armament is calculated to ex-
cite an immense amount Of attention
abroad.
Russia has a method all it's own for
dealing with professional labor agita-
tors and walking delegates. Sixty Of
them, who had assembled at Moscow
for the purpose of organizing huge
strike, have Just been arrested. all on
the same day, and exiled to Siberia "ad-
ministratively"-that is 10 say, with
out trial. The majority Of them arc
said to have been men Of university ed
ucation, who had. however, worked for
q short time as common mill hands,
with the object of winning the conf
dence Of the laboring classes.
In Austria law has Just been passed
making it punishable offense for par
snts to take young children into bed
with>hsm. This arbitrary interference
with "the liberty Of the subject" has
been rendered necessary by ths lasge
number Of deaths Of infants through
being overlaid. the annual average hav-
ing BEEN for some time past - much ~
1000. In England, whore no suoh law
% yet pyevails. the average II even still
larger. possibly in Consequence Of tho
extensive insurance Of ono kind and
another ON infant life.
There is no longer any question about
the future of the African policy of the
italian government. Prime Minister
Rudini has expressed his determination
to diminish Italy's military occupation
Of Abyssinia gradually until it extends
no farther than Massaun With regard
to Kassala, he declares that it would be
necessary for Italy to consult England
az to its restitution to Egypt, retro
cession which is quite likely to be op-
posed by Abyssinia. Under no circum-
stances, however, will Italy hold Has-
sala beyond the time needed for its sur.
render 10 the Anglo-Egyptian authori-
ties.
It is a pity that no advantage is taken
by people in America Of the opening up
of Russia. with all its undeveloped re-
sources, to foreign capital and enter
prise. Within the last IL months alone
little Belgium has invested no lsss than
go. 900. 900 Of its money in the coal
and iron industries Of the Muscovite
empire, England as well as France fol-
lowing rapidly in the wake Of King
Leopold's enterprising subjects. Yet
American capitalists would find far
more cordial welcome in Russia than
those Of most European nations and
would certainly receive from the impe-
rial authorities every possible advan-
tage over the Germans and the English,
neither Of whom are popular.
Public opinion in. London, especially
In official circles, is much exercised by
q report current to the effect that EN-
peror William has just concluded ar
rangements with the king Of the Bel
gians for the grant by the latter of large
and important territorial concessions in
the Kongo Free State to syndicate Of
German fnanciers and merchants. In
deed, it is asserted that the scheme pro-
vides for the formation of German
chartered company subsidiary to the
Kongo Free State, but taking over most
Of the powers and the responsibilities Of
the latter. IL remains to be seen wheth-
er the scheme does not constitute an in
fringement OF the international treaty
which called into life and created the
Kongo Free State convention, under the
terms Of which alone King Leopold
holds possession Of the Kongo valley.
Belgium's government which owns
all the railroads in tho kingdom, has
put forward curious defense for resist-
ing the claim for damages brought By
the widow and orphan children Of q
merchant Of the name Of Lesaffre. who
was killed in an accident caused By q
train running of the line near Bruges.
The state argues that II the suit 10 based
on the transport contract constituted by
the railroad ticket. the heirs Of the de-
ceased have no right TO any other in
demnity than that arising from "the
nonarTival Of the merchandise at desti-
nation;" secondly, that M. Lesaffre,
having been killed ON the spot, was un-
able to will to his heirs an action for
damages on account Of suffering en-
dured; thirdly, that the heirs must ex.
plain the cause of the accident and
prove satisfactorily where the state was
at fault.
The Novoe vremya of Moscow gives
details Of the preliminary count of the
first census ever taken in Russia. Sc.