Omaha daily bee., 1900-12-29
OTHER LANDS THAN OURS.

showed the Russian empire to contain
about 129,Q00000 persons. No census has
been taken since, but a computation has
been made OF the yearly excess of births
| over deaths. and thus ii is calculated that
the population has by this time risen to
| 1886, 900, 900. That is large number. But
II must be borne in mind that 1t includes
number OF heterogeneous and in some
cases semi-hostie elements. There are, for
example, some 5000 900 Poles, who are al
most literally pinned fast to Russia with
bayonets; and more than 100000 Films,
who are being alienated in spirit with
rapidity and success. There are nearly
5000, 900 Lithuanians and 900 Turks,
and there are 4,0oO,O 900 Jews who are held
in semi servitude and semi -outlawry. These
and other alien elements are not com
mingled with the whole mass, but remain
apart from IL in distinct communities. De-
ducting them, the real Russian population
| is found not to exceed about $4,000, 900.
These latter figures exceed those OF any
other civilized nation, but not by an al
together overwhelming majority. The popu-
lation OF Germany which Is practically
homogeneous, is about SO, 100000 IL to this
we add the 10000, 900 Germans OF Austria
we have race comparison OF 65.00o,OoO
Germans to sc, 900 900 Russians. For politi-
cal purposes we may well add to the Ger
mans the 13, 900 Magyars and others OF
Hungary who are not only non-Sav. but
also anti-Slav. thus making total OF 49,
100000. The United Kingdom has popula-
tion OF only Al ,00oo o00 but II we add the
British population Of the empire we have
a total Of about 52,000,0oo.
Not much news reaches the western world
Ustvla htftU hl
little does transpre is Of kind to indicate
that the process of Russifying that coun-
try is in course of steady execution. From
far away Helsingfors comes the intelligence
that native newspapers which do not please
the Russian authorities are being sup
pressed. After the expression OF public
opinion has in this way been sti6ed 1t is
| expected that the teaching of Russian in
| the secondary schools will be enforced and
| that the religion of the orthodox or Greek
church, Of which the czar Is the head. viii
be proclaimed as the religion OF the coun'
try although the Firms are nearly all
Lutherans There is nothing improbable
| In these apprehensions. II is in this way
that the Russian empire is extended and
consolidated. and what is happening in
Finland is no more than has happened In
| Poland and elsewhere.
The bill for the reform of the Italian penal
system, as recently presented 70 the cham
| Der by Signor Granturco, the minister or
! Justice consists OF three parts. The first
abolishes the institution known as "domi-
clio coatto." or a colony to which anarch-
| ,sts and other dangerous persons are sent
where they are allowed considerable per-
sonal liberty under the supervision OF the
| l.xt. nvnl
punishment" an arrangement similar to
the French Beranger law, which allows Of
tenders to escape the penalty attached to a
first offense on condition that they do not
offend a second time. This part of the bill
also contains provisions intended to save
young delinquents from preliminary impris-
| onment while their first offense is being
inquired into. and obliges the magistrate
when inhicting a conditional condemnation
severely to warn offenders.
| The third part of the bill deals with
| habitual criminals, who are divided into
| three classes. according to their character.
| The least dangerous are placed under
| police supervision; the more dangerous are
relegated to a penal settlement in Italy,
where they are obliged to work either in
| gangs or singly; the most dangerous are
| Transported to Assab. in the Red Sea, where
they are obliged to work in gangs for three
years before being allowed to work singly.
| None of the provisions OF the bill is ap-
plicablc to political crimes, but the meas
| ure expressly declares that "crimes which
cause the death of or harm to one or more
persons, or which are committed with
means such as fire, pillage, or devastation" 4"
are not to be considered political offenses.
| The coal experts who were recently sent
| into Rhodesia by the British South Africa
company have just published their report
| in Cape Town. The experts practically
confirm the news concerning the discovery
OF coal which was published Just before the
breaking out of the Boer war This is con-
sidered Of immense importance in the light
Of the Cape to Cairo scheme
The experts found that the coalfield is
situated some 180 miles northwest OF Bula-
wayo, and is known to cover at least 400
square miles. The seams vary from five
| to sixteen feet in width and as the coal
lies within forty feet OF the surface, 1t
| will be worked by means of inclines in
stead of shafts, for many years at least 1t
| Is estimated that at least 1,500, ,000. 900 tons
| will be available after making an allow
ance Of 20 per cent for loss The quality
| Of the coal varies greatly, but the experts
declare that the coal is bettedi than that
now in use in the Transvaal, Natal and Cape
Colony and In some places compares favor
ably with the best American coal.
In view Of the discovery and It's estimated
value, IL has been decided to take the Cape
to Cairo railway through the center OF
the coalfelds and so on to Victoria Falls.
The survey of this part Of the line is al
most complete; tho beginning of the work
OF construction has for some time been
depended upon the report OF the coal ex-
perts.
Mail advices from Jerusalem are to the
effect that a wholesale destruction OF
ancient monuments is going on in that
neighborhood and on the other side of the
Jordan. with the full permission Of the
Turkish government. The church OF st.
jeremiah, a monument Of the fifth cru
sade, which was recently presented to the
French government, is being restored,
but in way which destroys its original
archaeological interest, as 1t Is to be rebuilt
in the interests of Catholicism as opposed
to the orthodox church. 1t is also asser-
ted that the Cufc inscription at the en-
trance Of the small mosque Of Omar, dating
from the seventeenth century, has been