Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-30
OTHER LANDS THAN OURS.

OTHER LANDS THAN OURS.
Russia is a long time recovering from
the panic and depression of a couple OF
years ago. This is satisfactorily explained
by an Odessa dispatch to the London Times,
in which a fnancier in South Russia is
quoted as estimating the Industrial losses
Of the last few years at $500, 900, 600. This,
of course, does not include losses from bad
harvests, and presumably 1t does not in
clude the profits that would have been
made If expectations had been realized, or
II business had even continued reasonably
good, but simply represents the losses in
Industrial investments. OF all the COM
panies formed in the last twenty years to
exploit the resources Of the country It is
stated that two-hfths are bankrupt. Much
Of the loss has fallen upon foreigners, par
ticularly Frenchmen and Belgians, but very
much of 1t also has been lost by Russian
investors. Half a billion dollars is a great
deal Of money to be lost in a country Of
very small realized wealth, whatever its
natural resources may be. Large bank fail
ures have occurred in South Russia, the
iron Industries were seriously affected by
the interruption of railroad building by
the government, some manufacturer have
ICCGlNGu 6ON0l huAthh " NldO
over, but many Of the leading industries
Of the country are reported to be in a
most unsatisfactory condition still.
Europeans and Americans who have
lived long in China are quite unanimous
inssthe opinion that the greatest country
Of Asia, taking account Of area, popula-
tion and natural resources, Is making
steady progress industrially and commer-
cially, and the general belief Is that more
rapid gains are assured for the next few
years. Statistics Of exports and imports
tell the same story. 30 does the develop
ment of railways and telegraph lines. The
world wide Importance of this progress Is
not easily exaggerated. II promises to in
sure the existence OF the Chinese empire
as an immense independent state, for 1t
lessons the force of such pretexts as might
have been discovered or invented for d.
viding or seizing the country. 1t also
makes the international Importance Of
China so evident and so great that no one
European power is likely to find the way
open for the absorption of SO rich an en-
pire, while the more progressive the Chi
nese become the less chance there will be
for an agreement between the leading ma
lions Of the west as to the terms OF a
possible partitioning Of the middle king
dom.
Az Official report Of the conditions Of
labor in southern Rhodeisa should cause
some squirming among the British i'm
perialists. The methods Of the British
South Africa company In securing labor
for the mines are, In fact, not pleasant to
contemplate. The problem is, OF course,
to make steady workmen out Of the natur-
ally lazy Africans. No one can doubt that
this would be to their eventual advantage,
but meanwhile the commissioner of the
Chartered company has felt himself COM
PEELED to supply extraordinary Inducements
to industry. Briefly, the custom has been
to tax the natives so heavily that they are
compelled to work out the tax at the mines.
Even under this incentive the natives do
everything to avoid a service which is
dangerous. unhealthy and subject to con-
ditions that recall the days Of slavery. Be-
sides the hut tax, the administration ap-
plies pressure in other ways that are not
specified. That native commissioners who
were appointed to guard the rights and re-
dress the wrongs OF their fellow-coun-
] trymen should turn out to be mere recruit
ing agents for the mines Is only natural
when the demand for labor is considered.
zee
It is a significant fact that the number
Of seamen, cadets and officers belonging to
Alsace-Lorraine who OF their own free will
have entered the German fleet has risen
during the last eight years from las to
1,75O. The latter number is nearly twice
that which would correspond to the num-
Der OF the population Of Alsace-Lorraine
compared to that of the rest Of Germany.
PROFESSIONALLY the German school system
which prevails In Alsace-Lorraine has con-
tributed largely to the change Of feeling
which is plainly visible. II is true that a
few girls are still sent to nunneries and
pensionnats in France by the richie fam
lilies OF the Roman Catholic majority OF
the population. Among the Protestants
who dwell mainly in Lower Alsaee there is
a different habit. The Roman Catholic
clergy. which originally was on the French
side, is now divided; the Protestant clergy
in Alsaee is naturally favorable to Ger
many.
whatever may have been the reason for
the decision to transfer the kaisers head
quarters during the autumn maneuyers
from Posen to Frankfurt-on-the-oder the
ofacial explanation Of the change as hav-
ing been the result OF considerations OF
convenience is certainly not the true one.
The kaiser had announced that he would
enter the capital OF Prussian Poland at
the head OF 100. 900 men and show the
Poles what II meant to court imperial dis
favor. What has become Of this high re-
solve? More than likely II was discoun-
tenaneed by the cEar at the recent meet
ing OF the Russian and German monarchs.
about which such ominous silence has been
maintained. Agitation among the Poles Is
the last thing Russia desires. Possibly also