Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-23


views the real II unconfessed, want Of the
Australian commonwealth Is the want Of
population-due to the total arrest Of immi-
grafton and the steady shrinRage Of the
birth rate. II says: Here is a continent
equal in area to the whole of Europe, II
Russia in Europe Is omitted; II is only a
little less than the United States Whole
kingdoms can be packed within the borders
Of each state in the commonwealth. d.
The natural wealth and the climatic condi-
tions Of this great continent are unsur-
passed. 1t could support a population equal
to that of Russia or Of tho United states
with ease. Yet at the END OF nearly l2O
years of colonization its population is less
than 400, ,0O0 or about equal to that OF a
couple OF London suburbs There is no
other bit Of the planets surface, we are
told, at once so rich, so tempting, and yet
so nearly vacant and so little utilized as Is
the continent of Australia. While immigra-
ton has almost ceased. the natural growth
of population steadily slackens, and these
twin facts the Review calls the two usllest
features in the political and social land
scape"
A book which has attracted much atten-
ton in Europe was published In Portugal at
the time of King Edwards visit. 1t is by
General Sarmento, formerly minister Of
war, and deals with the defence Of the
coasts Of Portugal and the Anglo-Portu-
guese alliance. 1t attracts attention chiefly
because 1t is the first note sounded In the
movement which is expected to give Portu-
gal her old place, or something akin to It,
among the powers Of Europe. His argument
is that the English alliance will be useless
10 frano
now In the position Of a semi-protected
power Unless Portugal can stand her share
OF the responsibilities incurred by such an
alliance she can have no hope Of preserving
her territory from aggression should q war
come on. He points out that conditions
will not allow England now as 1t did in the
peninsular war to throw an army into Por-
tugal to protect her from an invader. The
mischief would be done by the time an
army could be mobilized and taken to Lis
bon All England can do is to lend the help
of her navy. On this account General Sar-
mento argues that 1t is worse than folly for
Portugal to carry out her scheme of spend
ing millions in coast defense. What must
be done is to leave the cost to England to
protect and to raise and equip q sufficient
army to check invasion from the land. The
book has created little less than sensa-
ton In Lisbon and has been much discussed
in the leading continental papers.
How to put a stop to the progressive de-
population of the agricultural districts OF
Great Britain is and long has been most
important and difficult problem. It was
the subject of a discourse which Mr.. Rider
HaEgard delivered the other day in Lon
don the other day before the Royal United
Service institution. He advocated the es-
tablishment Of credit banks under govern
ment control, which should advance money
at a reasonable rate of interest to enable
Iaborers to erect cottages. Moreover, the
functions of the parcels post ought to be
enlarged, he said, so as to enable the little
men to get their products to the big mar
kets cheaply and promptly. This move
ment of the people to the towns was one
of national significance. Education had
something to do with it. Under the town
system of education boys were kept al
school until they were too old to become
accustomed to work upon the land. But
the real reason of the exodus to the cities
was that the rural population had no pros
pect of advance on the land. The rural
denomination committee of the Central and
| Associated Chambers OF Agriculture had
lust issued a report on the subject which
supplied all his conclusions. On the Ques-
ton of small holdings they pointed out
| that cooperation was essential and thai
under certain conditions state aid should be
| granted. He had been asked whether any
system could be adopted by which the
jewellers in t. WINS suitable for agricultural
labor could be drafted to places where
there was a demand for labor. He sup
posed something of the sort could be done
| but Il would be expensive. Anyhow, Il
would be of no use to send men to the
country unless they were physically com
petent. The problem was to keep the coun'
trymen where they are. One Of the great
| est inducements he thought, would be the
purchase of large lots OF land for subdivi
sion into small individual holdings.
The Paris correspondent of the Londor
| Times warns the English that they mus
| accept with much caution the stories oi
the brutaIities committed by the French
| authorities In enforcing the association
act The fact that the leading journals o.
Paris, those which are most quoted abroad
are almost without exception against thu
government in this policy and naturally
make the most of every little incident
Moreover, the provocation given to thos'
account. Wherever there has been trouble
1t has been because the people, particular!
the women and girls. melted by episcopa
declarations and by infammatory ad
dresses from the pulpit. have resorted t
violence, in many instances stoning tn
police Another interesting feature OF tn
struggle is that the clergy is by no mean
unanimous in its opposition to the enforce
ment of the measure. A considerable por
ton of It, headed by four cardinals, ar
doing their best to balk the government
other prelates. headed by the powerful
archbishop OF Rouen, have from the enact
ment of the law counselled obedience, Will
third part has assumed an attitude o
silence.
OF all those persons recently exiled fron
Finland by the decree OF General Bobri
koff. II is NJ Regnel Wolf whose case OK
cites the most sympathy. Unlike hi
brother and his companions in misfortune
} he had taken absolutely no part in polite
and had kept himself entirely aloof fror
: opposition to the new government. Hi
brother, NJ Eugen Wolff. says; For m
t own part make no secret Of the fact tha
have done all in my power to further tn
policy Of passive resistance on the basi
OF absolute legality But my brother ha
naver taken auv mart whatever in ou