Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-16

/ some weeks ana nave Defn NlBOIoNelN hlo
cussed in the German press. Several pow
erful Parliamentary groups are bitterly hos
| tile to the measure The social democrats
and the left radical wing, under Richter, arc
! against 1t on principle and the cleri al
centrists oppose 1t also. On the other hand,
the conservatives. the national liberals and
the moderate radicals of the scho9l of DR..
Barth accept the general principle Of the
bill, which is, OF course, strongly supported
by industrial interests and exuberant pa
triots OF all kinds. The Rechstag has just
contomptuously rejected the cmperor's bill
against the right OF socialists to hold
public meetings. and his naval bill may
fare no better at its hands. But he an
nounces his intention to dissolve the Reich
stag and appeal to the country in case the
greater navy commensurate with the needs
of greater Germany Is refused.
Consular reports for December II contain
statement by Consul skinner at Mar
settles, of the railroads built, building and
projected in Africa. The French have
2,637 miles built in Algeria, Tunis and
Senegal and are projecting line over
1000 miles long across the desert of Sa-
hara from Agiers to Finder, near Lake
Tchad. The English have recently built
some $50 miles in the Soudan, 1850 miles
in South Africa thirtyfive miles in British
Guinea, forty-two miles in the Gold Coast,
fortythree miles in Lagos and 200 miles of
the Uganda railway The Uganda railway
is being extended $50 miles farther and the
railways in Lagos, Gold Coast and Rhodesla
are all being pushed rapidly toward the
heart of the continent, to say nothing of the
Cape to- Cairo project Germany has built
,,,,lN ;,, frtn Dor uo1
221 miles in West Africa and Belgium 2i9
miles in the Congo country. The total OF
completed lines largely exceeds 5000 miles.
The report mentions 1920 miles in addi
tion as under construction or definitely
projected" The practical interest in the
matter lies in the prospect afforded by Afri-
can railway expansion OF a continued de-
mand for American steel rails, bridges,
locomotives and cars. Africa is in process
of development and the conclusion of the
present war, with the restoration of stable
conditions, will doubtless bring a large in
crease in the demand for American
products
An engineering work is now under way in
Egypt which, If it is completed, will cause
the greatest change from natural conditions
ever seen on the face of the earth. 1t Is the
damming of the Nile river for the purpose
of collecting its surplus water during flood
time and distributing it over tho parched
land during the dry seasons.
The dam is being built by the English,
but it will be paid for by the Egyptian gov
ernment. 1t is at the town of Assuan and
will be completed in 1903 The cost will
be about $4,000, 900. Above it, when 1t is
completed will be confined an artificial lake
of more than 200 square miles, extending
back into Nubia. At present of the 100000
square miles in Egypt only 10,5OO, extending
along the Nile, are susceptible of cultivation.
The irrigation made possible by the damned
water will add 100000 acres to this arabic
land, and the total real estate value in Egypt
will increase to the extent of 5000, 100000.
Not only this, but large increase in popu-
lation is sure to come
1t is not surprising that those who have
interests in Egypt are alarmed by the Boer
war. Some of the European powers do not
regard the British empire with friendly eyes,
and it is not improbable that any oppor-
tunity which presents itself to cut away
part of it will be seized by one or more of
them England does not own Egypt; it is
merely kind of guardian there. II Eng
land wthdraws, for the purpose of concen-
lldllHB us iBiSS ~ 10 iSoiSu eha1 shS NA
completed dam will be abandoned.
committee of the Austrian Parliament,
which has been entrusted with the consider
alton of the subject has decided to recon-
mend that the power now vested in the en-
peror by the constitution to carry on the
government, in case Of need, by administra-
tive decree be revoked This recommenda-
ton can cny be made effective by means
of a constitutional amendment, and those
upon whom the responsibility rests for
such change may we'll hesitate
before they take the action to which the
committee invites them. II the emperor had |
not, during the past two years, possessed |
the power of which 1t is proposed TO de-
priye him, the government of the Austro- |
Hungarian empire would have been brought |
to a standstill with possibly disastrous con- |
sequences to the community, owing to the |
failure of the Reichsrath to make the neces-
sary provisions for it's continuance. There |
are indications that the Reichsrath now in !
session will not be any improvement in this !
respect on its predecessor and that recourse /
to the imperial prerogative will again become |
essential to the orderly administration of
public affairs The committee whose decision |
has just been announced is moving in the |
wrong direction. 1t Is not the imperial pre-
rogative that ought to be abolished. That |
rather ought to be extended. What needs |
to be abolished, unless 1t can be reformed,
Is the Reichsrath.
Signor Boselli. the Italian secretary of |
the treasury, was able to make very sat- |
isfactoTy report to the chamber the other |
day owing to the rapid increase in revenue |
that has accompanied the general renewal |
Of commercial activity throughout Italy. |
The revenue exceeded the estimates by more |
than AZ, 900, 900 lire, and was 30 900, 900 lire |
ahead of the receipts for the preceding year. |
pected increase also In the expenditures, the
public departments having paid out &c. |
200 900 lire more than the sum allotted to
them, Signor Boseli proposed a variety Of
measures to put an end to this unauthorized
leakage. The increase in the gross revenue
comes from tobacco, railway transport as
from passenger traffic, posts
and telegraphs, stamps manufactures and
salt. A total surplus of II, 900, 900 lire was
obtained after paying for railway construc-
lion out OF current revenue-a branch of ex-
penditure which Signor Vacchelli last No
vember proposed to cover by recourse TO
credit No result so satisfactory has been
secured for more than ten years. The out
look for the immediate future is less fav-
1rable since the revenue from sales cf |
will |