The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-05
The King of Octopi.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
The enormous sum of S110, &c., 600 earned
as net profits during the year by the Steel
corporation gives a fair idea of the magni-
tude of the business and of it's ranking i'm
portance among the sources OF the nations
wealth. The United States Steel corporation
claims about so per cent of the entire iron
and steel output of the country If this ba
true, and we assume that the outside con-
Germs have made the same average profit,
the total net revenues for the iron trade as
a whole have amounted to some $3.50 900
during the last twelve months This is nearly
twice the sum which the treasury took in dur
ing the fiscal year 1901. 1t is equal to a
quarter of the entire years receipts of the
federal government from all sources, and more
than half the s243, 600, 900 which was collected
from customs during the twelve months end
ing last December. Multiply the same sum
by four and we have an amount equalsto last
years entire visible credit in the foreign
trade From these comparisons the true pro-
portions OF the iron trade income are brought
more clearly into view. No other manufac-
turing industry, of course, comes anywhere
near 1T in point of profits. The mining and
transportation of coal holds second place, and
cotton manufactures probably holds the third
DISTINGUISHING Negroes in Virginia.
NeDFaShd state journal
After struggling for nearly year against
the adoption by the constitutional conven-
ton of grandfather clause devised for the
purpose of DISTINGUISHING the blacks, the
Virginia conservatives are about to surrender
and accept something of the kind in order to
get the. question off their hands The Rich
mond Times opposes the clause and says
that majority of the delegates to the con-
yention are really opposed to it. Finally,
however. the Times has become convinced
that some measure to disfranch1se the
negroes is bound to be passed, and now agrees
not to oppose a temporary expedent in order
to tide the state over a critical period. The
belief of the conservatives who accept the
clause is that in the course of time educa-
ton will grow in the state and suitable
educational test will not prove serious
handicap to either race.
A GOvernorshfp for Jacob Rifs.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
The happy suggestion has been made that
President Roosevelt appoint Jacob Riis gov
ernor Of the Danish islands when they come
under our flag, Mr.. Riis,is the warm personal
friend of Mr.. Roosevelt, who, while gov
ernor of New York, pronounced him the most
useful citizen of the state. He tried to get
him to take Office then, but Mr. Riis refused
though it is likely that he would not decline
the position now mentioned, because he COM
bines the qualifications necessary for the
place as perhaps does no other American
Mr.. Riis was born and educated in Dem
mark. He came to this country as boy,
lived for while as mechanic in this state
and finally became reporter in New York,
where he gained an acquaintance with police
methods that made him the valuable citizen
as mentioned. He has made his mark in
literature by writing of life in the slums Of
New York. "How the Other Half Lives and
"Out of Mulberry Street. marked the man
as philosopher and reformer of practical
kind. For years he has been foremost in
every good work in the city, but has remained
working newspaper man, refusing all sorts
of positions Of honor and profit His latest
work, "The Making of an American" is
not only choice bit of literature, but
study in government that is valuable.
If he were called to the delicate task Of
governing the Danish islands he would not
only have broad sympathy for the many
sorts and conditions of people there, but
would have that knowledge of the two Ian
gnages and the two principal races which is
essential at this time. There are few occa-
sons on which the Office seeks the man, but
Shic tn ha If hon