The Portland daily press., 1901-01-24
CURRENT COMMENT.
WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE WON
WITH VICTORIA.
fNo,, Vonk Warld
(New York World. }

What has been done during thes1 twen.
ty two administrations for the Political
and eo3ial progress OF the British people
makes an Interesting retrospect on tine
eve OF new reign. All the great rail.
roads OF the two islands have bem
opened since 1887. The Great Westerns
trip to New York in 1883 inaugurated the
&C san st sams ship traffio which has now
reached such enormous proportions. Ihe
first elsctrie telegraph line was opened in
England the same year. The penny rost
was Established in 1S40. The income tax
was enacted by Sir Robert Pell in 1872
and remains TO this day. Free trade was
begun in 1916, and In spitS OF the exam
pie OF the Unltsd States and Of her own
colonies all attempts mada to Garry Brit
ain back to protection have Jailed. Free
trade in ships came In lS49 by 5he repeal
OF the old navigation laws, which our
own present navigation laws are coun-
terpart. The era or great International
exhibitions was Begun BY the one held In
London IN 1851, opened by Victoria In
person. Ali tie remaining civil and re-
llgius disabilities were removed from the
Jews In 1860. Tne duty on paper was re-
moved in 1851 aud the daily penny press
dates from that year. Household sutf-
rage, a vote for every man with a home,
was sDacted in 1867 The transportation
of oonvi6ts beyond the seas was abolished
in 1868. The State Church was estah-
| IN 1KElduu III AOt1t GOHuAfeE
ion was maze compulsory and almost
| hee in 1873, when the first London school
| board WAS organized. The abolition OF
the purchase of army commissions, the
suppression Of logging except for few
heinous crimes. the establishment of the
ten hour day in factories and mines and
state inspection OF all such employ ments,
the Introduction OF tbs secret ballot. the
enactment OF stringent laws to prevent
ana punish bribery in elections the nber-
alizing of the land and game laws, tn
purchase OF all telegraph lines by the gov
ernmer {, the firm assertion OF govern
ment control OF the railroads and the
levying of heavy progressive duties on the
inheritance OF large estates are all included
in the retrof past OF progress under Vic
toria.
Looking back ON reign OF which this
Is the interest summary, it In not hard 30
understand how the British people shonld
have come to regard the Queen as q sort
OF national mascot who has brought them
abundant good fortune. And this ac-
counts for the supsrstitious note dis
tinctIy audible in their expressions Of
GRIEF at her departure, as II Lthey feared
their luck would change with the chang
ing OF their sovereign.
A PORTLAND VIEW OF THE
MAUDLIN.
LeWiEton Journal.)
A public sentiment tnat will sustain
the government In sending q large army
ten thousand miles away 10 slay tnou
sands of people because they refuse to
live under our laws, and yet shudders at
the penalty OF death for foul and deliber-
ate murder, Is maudlin.-Rev. DIR. Dali
ton, from q Portland pulpit.
The abave is a sample of confusion OF
great occasions with small issues. Had
not the United States government rescued
81 txfFN 1kaaf tn.
them every measure OF free government
comnatible with government there might
be force in Dr. Dalton's view. At this
moment, the United States government
is founding free schools and evolving
order out OF chaos, antagonized by the
terrorism Of Aguinaldo's scattered bush
whackers. There Is not one tribe OF
Filipinos that has sympathy with ARuin-
aldo and that sympathy Is limited, large
ly, TO banditti whose dividends are in
disorder.
DR. Dalton, for the moment forgets that
New England could never have been
occupied by the colonists had the inspira
t1on OF .Aguinaldo tbeen substituted for
that OF Roger Williams. Brutality, semi
civilization and all that Aguinaldo repre-
sents must give way. We got to Manila
by way OF remem bering the Maine-and
nothing in our American traditions will
sanction tyranny. The gentlemen led by
Col. Bryan, who show the greatest SYM
pathy for the Filinino rebels, have not
shown themselves to be endowed In any
practical way with capacity to develop
citizenship in the cOlored race OF the
South.
MIR. RICKER'S REQUESTS.
(Boston Herald.)
1t isn't always the possessors of the
greatest fortunes who make the most
generous gifts to charity education and
religion. The $500, 600 bequesss of the
late joseph Rioker of Portland furnish
! new demonstration of this fact. The
estate left by him is large hut a uood