Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-29

try. A large part Of the Finnish press has
been entirely suppressed. and all that re-
mains Of Il has been placed under a cen
sorship more arbitrary and tyrannical than
that Of Russia itself. II object seems
to be the complete extirpation Of the Fin
nish press. That will mean not only the
sitting OF the voice Of Finland to the outer
world, but the prevention OF that ommun
ity OF information which has enabled the
Firms to act as n nation, and a degrada-
ton OF the standard Of popular intelligence
in Finland to something like the Russian
level-briefy. to reduce the Finn to the
status of a mujik. How grave a blow to
Finland this suppression Of the native
press is may be estimated from the fact
that down to the line OF the Russian con-
quest. three years ago, Finland had nearly
two hundred and fifty periodicals and was
one OF the foremost nations Of Europe in
respect to familiarity with current litera-
ture and the news Of the world. The
splendid system Of education, which is now
being wrecked by Russia, made Finland
a particularly enlightened nation. Almost
everybody was well read, In current mat
ters, as well as in standard branches Of
education. To crush the schools and to
suppress the newspapers and magazines is
to stamp out a large part OF the national
life and to strike the deadliest blow at the
integrity OF the nation.
zee
An interesting experiment In communal
life is to be tried in the Schlachtensee su-
burb OF Berlin. A large house, containing
thirty rooms, situated in extensive grounds
Of twenty acres, has been rented by a
community OF mutual acquaintance, among
whom are both married and single. A
monthly rent of from Is to 20 marks will
be levied for each room occupied. The
housekeeping will be in common and the
kitchen also. One lady and one gentleman
will be elected to take charge OF all the
concerns OF the house. These officers will
be changed weekly. A bill Of fare and all
other matters~of interest connected with
the establishment will be posted up in the
hall. For food a daily charge Of 1 mark
VIII be made. Whether so moderate a
charge will be increased later remains TO
be seen. There will be a good library
and a common drawing room, writing room,
working room, and a dining room. Arrange
ments are also being made for a common
playground and garden. The community
VIII consist at first Of forty persons. mostly
engaged In literary and artistic pursuits.
1851 W . 8uOWBO InAN
the population Of British India had in
creased only about PA per cent in ten
years there was much surprise in England
because of the sharp contrast made by such
gains with the very large growth Of the
decade preceding. An increase Of 20, 900, 900
or more had been expected. The famine
and the plague accounted, in great part
ior the slow expansion Of the population.
and 1t seems probable that such destroyers
VIII continue to keep Town the number of
inhabitants OF a poverty stricken and dis
tressed land. Recent dispatches from La
hore, the capital of the fine provinces
known as the Punjaub, state that the
plague is killing 1000 persons a day in that
part Of India. The pestllence spreads rap
idly and is very virulent. II the mortality
from one disease should continue long at
that rate in q province containing not more
than $1,000, 900 people, It would effectually
prevent any increase in the number OF in
habitants Of the Punjaub. and other parts
Of india are poorer, less salubrious and
more crowded. Anything In the way Of
huge calamities is possible In that land
Of swarming human life, barely maintained
under normal conditions and doomed to
perish when anything goes worse than
usual. British rule has done much for
A1ao DNN u AuANiO " II IuulOu6 Olu
treasure house Of Asia, the goal of many
invasions and generations of eonquerors,
still leaves much to be desired, from the
point Of view Of mere decency and regard
for human life, that the possession and gov
eminent Of the country place terribly heavy
obligations upon its masters.
sssN
In many ways the county of Longford,
ireland, has served as a prophet for the
whole island. Consequently its census re-
turns are being studied with considerable
apprehension by the Irish press. The county
covers an area of 269, 40S acres, or 10 per
cent of the total area of the country. In
1871 1t had a population of "a, sol; twenty
years later this had dwindled to 80, SAT,
while returns for 1901 show 6,672. As
compared with the returns Of 1891 the re-
cent census shows a decrease at the rate
Of 11.S per cent. The number of distinct
families is returned as 9,S76, the average
number of persons In a family being thus
4.6, and the number of inhabited houses
was s,799. showing ar average of Al per-
sons to each house. OF the 1876 families.
SPAS or s3.5 per cent we're in occupation
of less than five rooms and Of these 2 were
occupiers of part of a room only; $50 Occu-
pied one room and 2,0s5 occupied two rooms
apiece; 4,3Sl occuplefs OF three rooms ana
1903 occupiers Of four rooms. As regards
the tenements of one room, there were
1893 cases in which the room had only one
occupant, 1877 where the room had 2, 8, or 4
occupants, so cases with 5, 9 or Z occupants
and 9 where the occupants exceeded Z in
number, including 8 cases OF s persons
and 8 of 9 persons In the room.
It seems plain that Austria Hungary is
preparing to take every commercial ad-
vantage Of the growing Russian impatlenee
with German trade methods. An Austria
Russian Commercial association has been
formed in Vienna, and Herr Pol, one Of the
stan Of the Austria Hungarian consulate In
Warsaw, in an address delivered before it
the other evening, explained the best method
Of obtaining access to the Russian mar
kets. He said that conditions had been
greatly changed by recent political events,
and that large Russian merchants were now
very reluctant to deal with the Germans.
They were aware that Austria had a highly
developed industry, but from lack of direct
Intercourse with the manufacturer did not
know how to profit by 1t. The Russians
wished to favor Austrian Industry, but de-
sired that the Austrians should make the
first overtures. Herr Pol said that Austrian
exporters ought to send crowds Of travel