Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-13
OTHER LANDS THAN ouRs.

Is a very remarkable rate OF progress. IL
does not yet imply very large totals, for
the length Of Japanese railroads already
open is only about 3,42O miles, but it must
be remembered that Japan is a country Of
islands. The coast line is In
proportion to the area Of the empire. Good
harbors abound and the use Of boats for com-
mercial purposes is very common. The pop
ulous districts bordering on the famous
inland sea have little use for land transpor-
tation. Tho water is their sheltered and ever
open and convenient highway. It is clear,
none the less, that Japan will soon have a
railway system Of no mean proportions. It's
lines will traverse a densely populated and
wideawake country and for that reason they
are pretty sure to pay we'll, Japan is filled
with the spirit Of progress and that means
success for railroads.
see
The attacks of the French press upon
Queen Victoria. and the fact that
when personages of her rank are
so attacked redress is rarely sought
through the embassies-the case Of
the sultan of Turkey being a notable eScep-
caused certain deputies to ponder
on the question of the restriction of the
press by law, even as to its attacks upon
citizens of the republic. Others consider
that the surest way to put a stop to libelous
utterances is for the offended party to at
once begin prosecution, not merely to Sc
cure personal generation, but to push the
matter to the full extent of the criminal
code. This latter course was recently
adopted by Maitre Labor in his suit against
La Libre Parole, which, on his being shot
at Rennes, alleged that the affair was con-
cocted In order to create a sentiment in ia
vor of Captain Dreyfus.
At first NJ. I.abori claimed only a franc
damages, but later claimed 20, 900 francs.
The plaintiff introduced thirteen witnesses
from Rennes, among whom were the civil
and military physicians, who deposed as to
the serious nature of the wound. The clothes
worn by NJ. Labori at the time were pa
duced in court. The counsel for the de-
Tense did not cross-eXamine the witnesses,
and the tribunal fined the defendant 1000
francs and ordered him to pay l franc dam
ages and the cost of advertising the judy
ment in 40 Partisan and 200 provincial news
papers.
The judgment states that the defamatory
nature of the articles needed no demon-
~stration, for they attributed to the com
p~lainant an odious offense and impugned
his honor, whereas the gravity of the at
- VA bAh a. " ~ Va fNS''0
notoriety.
The Australian colony of New South
Wales reports an increase in its gold prod
uct for 1899 OF no less than SO, 900, 900 or
about 80 per cent, as compared with the
yield Of the preceding year. New South
Wales is not one of the leading colonies
in gold mining. 1t produces about one
OF the Australian gold. The great
in the yield of the island continent
during the past few years has come chiefly
from Western Australia and Queensland,
the former. Both Of these col
onies, like Victoria, formerly the foremost
Of them all, dwarf New South Wales in
gold mining.
1t is safe to infer from the returns al
ready made of mining in New South Wales
that the entire product of the Australian
mines in 1899 will beat any former year in
the history of the country by not less than
600, 900. The rate of increase will not
be great in Victoria or New Zealand, but
there must have been a very big gain in
Australia and a large expansion
in Queensland. At the close of the past
year the indications were that this in
crease would continue indefinitely. All the
seemed favorable to further and
rapid progress in all of the great mining
regions of Australia.
SE#
The very latest statistics on London pau
perism are not particularly encouraging. A
review of the last twelve months shows
although for four successive years the
metropolis has experienced good
trade and open winters there was no great
.iminution in the numbers seeking RELIEF
under the poor law. On the other hand,
- II A.. EA,, aarth h M nnlI- |
perism was greater than it was for the
period of 1898 and stood at a higher
figure than in more than half OF the pre-
yious forty-two years during which a record
has been kept. In April it was higher
han in thirty-two of these forty-two years,
in March there was even an increase
IN the proportion of pauperism to popula-
ion compared with the corresponding
period of the two previous years. Thlngs
hen took a turn for the better and, while
here were fluctuations during the remainder
the year, the figures kept below those
or 1898. The division of the total amount
IF pauperism into outdoor and indoor poor
shows generally that, while there has been
, decrease in the out-relief list, the in
,rease in the numbers entering the work
houses has continued, although there was n
check to the rise in the latter half
)t the year ~ N
houses and infrmaries is a matter OF seri-
,us concern, for even in these good times
here is a very narrow margin Of spare
ccommodation, and 1t is the opinion Of Mr..
~ockwood the local government board in
that whenever next the labor mar
get is adversely affected for any time by
weather., strikes, or other cause, these In
will, with few exceptions, be seri-
,uslv overcrowded and, though several
,oards OF guardians are busy with schemes
md plans for providing increased
it seems impossible to keep level
With the unabating demand on space
The respectable press OF Italy is now
uore than ever Anglophile and Italians
re- constantly warned that at the close
{ the war in South Africa Great Britain
ill administer a deserved rebuke TO France;
or tho present it Is the duty OF all Italians
o remember the debt OF gratitude that
hey owe the English and hold aloof from
he madmen on the other side OF the Alps,
recent debate in the Italian Chamber IL
OF the growing indifference with
,hich Italy regards its status in the Drel-
und and of the increasing desire for closer
with Great Britain. Signor de
brother of the eX-minister in
'ekin, criticised the management of the
talo- Chinese negotiations and expressed the
oubt as to the value OF the triple alliancs