The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-25

interests of his men, or supporting by
charity those whom he has had to
throw out of work. There is an in
creased stability all around.
1t has been often said that the work.
man will not consent to have his wages
decreased in years of leanness. He Will
not, if he has expected and counted on
high wages. ana if he has no assured
income. But under the plan of this Fall
River manufacturer the workman al
ways has a small but certain income,
to which he may adjust his expenses;
the dividend is something which may or
may not come, and which he may lay
aside in the bank. spend in buying a
house. or in luxuries for himself and
| his family. He is in no peril of being
| thrown entirely out of work SO long as
he behaves himself, and he knows what
he can expect as a certainty, and what
part of his income may dwindle away
to nothing. The American laborer or
mechanic is shrewd, but he is also
little inclined to gambling. He likes to
vary his monotonous life by a bit of
| speculation, and he is not likely to
grumble If he loses his stake in the
| business of his employer, any more
| than if he loses it at the races, or in an
unfortunate business venture.
We are having commercial friction with
Italy, too, 1t is bad enough when mobs
! in New Orleans massacre a lot of Malta
| Italians, but it is even worse when our
Government, under the influence of Cali
fornia and Florida fruit growers, bars the
| oranges, figs. and chestnuts of the an
cient peninsula from our shores. Signor
Luzetti. formerly Finance Minister of
Italy, in a recent speech. said that a
kind of universal fury WAS spreading
in the United States. and Italy could not
secure the slightest facilities by means
of treaties. This is bad state OF things,
but possibly it might be mended in some
way better than by hard words. 1t might
be useful for Signor Luzetti to learn how
British shipbuilders, hopeless of successful
competition with us at home. are coming
over here to re-establish their plants. In
the same way We have plenty of room for
Italian fruit growers. They can find
plenty of ground ard climate fitted for
their occupation in the United States.
They could raise oranges in California or
Florida. and lemons the size of canta-
loupes down in the vicinity of Yuma. All
they have to do. if they do not like the
trust tariffs. is TO beat them by compet
ing from the inside.
The Japanese people, with their char
acteristic courtesy and grace, are pre-
pairing to commemorate the landing of
Commodore Perry on their soil in 1853 by
the erection of a monument the spot
where he debarked, the town of Kuri
hama. They recognize in his advent the
beginning of an epoch of national pros
perity and grandeur. From it dates their
entrance into the ways of the West, and
the growth of their new civilization. and
they are grateful. Among all the peoples
OF the world, the Japanese are more like
ly than any other to do the nice thing, in
timely and courteous way.
There is hint of humor in the state
ment that the international relations of
the United States and Venezuela will be
allowed to rack along and take care
of themselves until Mr.. Loomis returns
from his holiday in Europe! In the mean
time, it is said, affairs in the South Amer
lean Republic may be satisfactorily ad-
justed Does this mean that the excel |
lent friend of the Asphalt Trust, General |
Andrade, has been adequately financed |
and is expected to be able to GUST Presi- |
dent Castro. and take his place? Some |
people are inclined TO think that the small |
American Warner Quinlan syndicate |
would not have much chance against the |
trust in that event. Diplomacy has its |
little pIeasantries like other folk.
The British Government has been gra-
ciously pleased to confer the Order of
the Red Cross upon two American wo-
men who were active in tending the in
ternational sick and wounded during the
siege of the legations in Pekin. This, We
fancy, is a departure from precedent
which is very satisfactory to behold
it has generally been not the
red. but the double. cross which America
and Americans have received at the
hands of the mother country.