Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-22
OTHER LANDS THAN ours.

The correspondent of the London Times
In Madrid is very positive In his opinion
that there was little or no political sig
nihcance in the recent labor disturbances
in Barcelona and other Spanish cities. He
declares hat neither the Carlists nor the
Catalanistas-two of the political parties
accused Of having formented the trouble
had the slightest share in the preparation
or the conduct OF the outbreak. Carlism,
he holds, has little influence in Catalonia,
and RegionRlism has nothing to gain from
internal strife between capital and labor.
MOI Is 1t fair, he thinks, to attribute too
much responsibility to socialism. In Ma
drld the socialist leaders, he says, strongly
discouraged the idea OF a general strike,
and in Barcelona, though the socialist party
are largely responsible for the ~organiza-
tion Of the strike and the labor movement
in general, they neither contemplated nor
countenanced the excuses to which 1t led.
But, he points out, in Spain, as elsewhere,
socialism serves as a cloak to the small
but desperately earnest anarchical minority
"a minority which is always on the
watch for an opportunity OF carrying the
extreme socialist doctrine to its logical
conclusion. And to this faction, numerically
small, but powerful by virtue OF it's ac-
tivity and recklessness, was due the recent
rioting and bloodshed. Labor in Spain IL,
as a rule, more long-suffering and patient
under wrongs than elsewhere, but in BARGE
Iona, industrial workers have suffered long
under fragrant injustice, and all the condi
lions are favorable for the development Of
the anarchistic spirit.
see
Evidence OF the anxiety Of NJ. Waldeck-
Rousseau to solve the problem presented by
the threatened depopulation Of France is
afforded by the Ministry of the Interior, the
members OF which form a notable repre-
sentation Of medical science. Professor
Pinard will draw up a report on prenatal
influences, Professor Budin will study the
mortality of infants up to 1-year-old, Dr.
Variot of children up to IA years old. DR..
A. ]. Martin will devote himself to the
mortality Of adults. Professor Landouzy
will deal with the mortality Of professional
persons In populous centers. Professor
| Liable will give his attention to the army,
navy, and colonial forces. DR.. Borne will
make a comparative study Of the laws of
France and other nations for the protection
OF public health, while DR.. Bertillon will
investigate the relations Of the death and
birth rates.
The Russian newspapers are beginning to
profess much uneasiness over the con-
dition Of affairs In Afghanistan. They say
that while the great powers have been
engaged in China, Afghanistan, with the as
sistance of English capital, and under the
direction Of English engineers and expert
instructors, has been ceaselessly inereas-
ing its armament. Along the Afghan 'front.'
Her. closely adjacent to Russian TurkestanI
a line of strong forts is approaching COM
pletion. Afghanistan now possesses its OWL
arms and ammunition manufactures, ar
senals and military schools, and Is at the
present moment organizing a general stan
on the European system. Russia, they re-
mark, can no longer doubt that the ameer's
dominion is not a mere buffer state but
a practically im~pregnable outpost OF Brit
ish India, ever threatening Russia's POSI-
ton In central Asia. The anxiety Of Rus
sia Is all the more well-grounded, mas
much as, despite the fact of the Transcas-
plan railway running close UP to the At
CHAN frontier, and Of the friendliness of the
two states, Afghanistan is now beginning
to swarm not with Russian. but with Brit
ish factories and commercial agencies. 1t is
well, they remark, to remember how closely
allied are political and mercantile inter
ests in all Asiatic countries. They con-
clude, therefore,, that Russia must exer'
all It's competitive powers against the Eng
fish in Afghanistan, and establish once FOL
all, upon a clearly comprehensive and sat
isfactory footing, the political relations be-
tween itself and the ameer. 1t is in thif
general direction Of Persia, north and south
and central Asia that Russia's policy must
in the near future counterbalance Ger
many's expansive operations In Asiatie Tur-
key.
A correspondent of the London Morning
Post, in discussing the consequences OF the
recent Anglo japanese treaty. furnishes
what are said to be authentic figures con-
corning the present position OF the Japanese
treasury. According to this authority th'
revenue OF the island state Is now e27.'
900, 0O0-the yen being taken as a form
and the expenditure slightly less. The deb
is esq, 900, 900. at an average Of 4 per cent
the army-61O,0 900 men-costs $4,000, 00i
a year; and the navy rather more thai
$4,000, 900. The reserve held by the gov
eminent amounts to R28. OO0. 900 which 4
retained in cash and good bonds as BE
curity against japanese banknotes Of equa
amount. These facts he holds to be de
cidedly favorable, particularly as the EN-
pire now contains "A, 900, 5000 ifdustriou
people, but on the other hand, he says
taxation cannot be largely increased, q
the islands are a little overpopulated an
average incomes are therefore low, an
there is a want Of capital to develo
manufactures and mining enterprises freely
This capital the Japanese apparently ex
pect from America and England. but I
get It they must show larger returns tina
China.
Letters from various points 81 Russis
|, published in the London newspapers, poin
|, out that a very Significant feature Of IN
recent demonstrations by students in 81
Petersburg. Moscow, KEN and other cen
tiers is the increased support which IN
: agitators are receiving from the workin
: classes. This. OF course. is an indicatio
that the prime motive is rot academic. b.
I 10 allied closely to the general disconteu
(which u manifsstinE itself In all parts