The Washington times., 1901-11-08
FOREIGN TOPICS.

| calling themselves labor unions. Thes,
nave now combined themselves into on'
pody, called The Rodo Dantai Rengokai, d
fact which sounds formidable and may
ultimately prove SO. At present, how
| ever, the united association announces
| that its purpose is not to fight against
capitalists or to follow any programme
OF socialism, but rather to smooth the re-
lauons between capital and labor. Never
| theless the leaders think that labor does
hot ENJOY in Japan the status properly
belonging TO ii, and as status, after all,
| is mainly question of money. Japan may
now be on the verge of troubles such as
are crippling the productive power of
England.
The rapid falling off in the birth rate of
France has provoked a discussion which
has filed the medical and sociological
journals, and has even invaded the Cham
her of Deputies. In 1874 the birth rate in
France was I'll per 1000 population. In
1899 1t was 2l7. The death rate has not
varied so much during the period named,
but has kept steadily near % per 1000,
and in several years has exceeded the
birth rate. The average has been in favor
of the death rate, and the last census
shows that the population of France has
increased only 100000 during the ten years
from 1891 to 1901. OF this increase 292, 900
Is in the cities and 49, 900 in the country,
and as the comparison of the birth and
death rates shows. 1t must have been en-
urely from immigration. Indeed. one
would think that 800 900 in ten years, or
an average of S3,000 a year, would be a
very small estimate of the number of i'm
migrants entering the French Republic,
and particularly the city of Paris
During the last fifty years France has
gained only 100000 in population, while
Italy has gained l.. .000 GOO. Austria 10, coo. =
coo, Great Britain 14,O00 600 Germany a.
QOOOO, the United States 54,000,600, and
Russia 62 600. coo
There is now bill pending in the
french Chamber of Deputies providing
Tor graduated tax upon unmarried per-
sons, Increasing rapidly in amount upon
both women and men between twenty-one
and forty years of age.
Here is a story of brutal treatment OF
the Beers by the British which has been
carefully omitted from Lord Kitcheners
dispatches. 1t is now making the round
of the European press:
The court of MaraisbUrg, in Cape Col
ony, recently passed judgment on an i'm
portant case Of high treason. Martha
Brooks, Maria Hating, Martha De Klerk,
Hester Coetse. TYNE Botha, Elsa Van
Heerdon Baby Pretorius, and Annie Hat
ting, whose ages range from fifteen to
eighteen years were accused of having
conducted themselves in a scandalous
manner by act and word, of having ex-
pressed their disloyalty to the Crown and
having disturbed the peace of the colony
on the uay when captive Boer comman-
DO passed through the town, when they
embraced and kissed the soldiers.
me principal witness against the girls
was as sergeant Muller Of the local police.
Inc president of the court enQuired
carefully whether the soldiers embraced
the girls Hrst or yice-versa. This the
prosecuting witness could not prove.
lhouSh this essential fact was not estab-
Iished. the court sentenced all the cul-
prlts to thirty days in jail.
A land measure of far-reaching impor-
tance, the Northwestern Provinces and
Oudh Tenancy Bill, which has excited
deep interest in India for the last three
or four years, has just been passed by the
Provincial Legislative Council at Allaha-
bad. The object of it is to restrain the
rapacity of the landlords. and naturally
It was opposed energetically by the whole
of that class. According to the princi-
pal provision, landlord will no longer
be able, as hitherto, to dispossess an old
tenant for refusing to agree to an arbi-
trary increase of rent. When question
Of this sort arises the tenant will have the
right 10 Submit TO the arbitrament Of
competent and disinterested tribunal. Tn
III now the landowner has been able to
squeeze the last rupee out of a provident
tenant, and then cast him adrift should
he resist further eXtOrtiou In other re-
spects, the law remains practically unal-
cred, and apart from the question Of rent,
4 landlord will have no more Difficulty
han before in getting rid of an objection
able tenant Some Of the most grasping
landowners have been trying to get the
better Of the new law by inducing their |
make 1t imperative in their cases, but this |
little scheme has been defeated by the |
simple process of making the provisions |
'etrOactive. The Government officers |
maintain that the new law in the long run |
viii benefit not only the ryots, but the |
also.
Kaiser Wilhelm allows no chance to |
pass that will serve to make himself and |
his family popular with all classes in Ger
many. OF course, the Crown Prince is 4
dedicated 10 the army, ard likewise Eitel /
Fritz To the navy was given AdaIbert, /
and now he has given two other sons, not |
10 the law, nor the church. nor to Inedi- /
zine, but to agriculture. II has been an (
bounced that Princes August William and /
oscar will learn In addition 10 the many
other things they are taught practical !
agriculture Their father has given them
4 small farm at PlOen, and with a half ]
iozen of their schoOl-fellCws they will dig
1HG plant IN Inc most ECientlflC manner.
selling their products AT market prices to
he Empress. Not only Will they dig and
plant and Xeed, but they Will have to
milk two cows and look after the chick
Ems.
significant item is found in the Lon
lon papers Of recent date II * to the
fleet that in the office of prominent
hoe trade paper pair Of American army
'oots are on exhibition, and this same
'aper says that they would give much
'etter service than the English army
'oot. and would leave reasonable profit
o the manufacturer. who sold them for
5 pair. There have been no paper" |
hoe scandals in the South African war
Ike that which disgraced kiVchener's
in the Soudan in 1895 but com
laiuts about the boots furnished TO the
oldiers have been frequent. Here is an
opportunity for some live American man
factureT.
Northwood House, in the Isle of Wight,
which is owned by Mr.. Ward a Roman
'atholic land owner, is about to become
he English home of the Benedictnc nuns.
fhO have been expelled from France
.mong the nuns is a royal lady. seventy
ears of age known as Sister Adelaide.
he was born a princess Of Lowenstein-
rosenberg. and married the Portuguese
luke of Braganza, infanta cf The king
ON. in 1851. The duk" died fifteen years
tier his marriage and since then his
-idow has been ar inmate OF the Convent
Bcn,dicfines at SOlCsmes where she
elped materially. by her benefactious. to
rstore that ancient religious house
-hich had fallen into ruins.
King Edward VII whenever he travels
carries the Empire with him" and can
OF be touched by the laws Of the country
which he finds himself. If he were to re-
ise to pay his hotel bill or railway fare