The independent., 1903-03-26
HHtARDYs coLUsAaNs

A man was hung the other day in
our state penitentiary for numbering
his wife and his wife's father. Many
seemeto think that it is wrong to per-
manently fix murderers so they never
can murder any one else and so they
never can be pardoned and turned
loose again. Criminals are not pun
ished because crime has been COM
mitted, but to prevent crime in the
future. Criminals certainly dread
hanging more than any other punish
ment for they always plead for a
change to Imprisonment.
Congress has adjourned and special
session of senate Also During the
last two sessions of the same congress
many expensive laws have been passed
and most of them in the interest OF
corporations, trusts, banks and mil
lionaires. A new bankruptcy law was
passed and so constructed that rich
man can clear himself from common
creditors and remain rich. $S0,000,000
were appropriated for navy building
and SAT 900, 900 for rivers and harbors.
About a half billion more money was
appropriated than by any congress be-
fore. The chief object seemed to be
to use up the tariff money so the
tariff could not be reduced. A civil
government law was passed for the
Philippines, which amounts to a prom
ise that we will be more civil than
we have been toward them, but not
civil enough yet to let them govern
themselves or to let them govern us.
A new bureau of commerce and labor
has been established which is going
to cost millions and give the presi-
dent another cabinet officer and ad-
wiser. A law was passed requiring all
railroad companies to supply all their
cars with automatic couplings. After
long speech making, some of them
four or five days long, the Panama
canal treaty was ratified. Now we
will see if the government will dare
to run the railroad across the isthmus
without letting corporations make mil
lions. Up to this time neither gov
ernment or state has dared to own
and run railroad One of the unex-
pected laws passed was the prohibi-
ton of the sale of intoxicating liquor
in the capitol building in Washing
ton. The most important measures
discussed failed to pass. The admis-
sion of new states was thwarted and
the three territories were left out in
the cold. The reciprocity treaty with
Cuba was also thrown overheard. The
tobacco and sugar men want to make a
few millions more out of the trade
with Cuba. Then the same men Op-
posed free trade with our fellow citi-
zens in the Philippine islands. Mil
lionaires are the only animals the past
congress has worked for. After kill
ing thousands of workingmen and
working cattle, starving the people
comes next.
The anthracite coal diggers are to
%eceive an increase of wages, 10 per
cent, since November 1 and also in
the future. When coal advances 5
cents at tide water the wages of the
diggers are to advance one cent. In
future a board of concilliation is to
be organized to settle all disputes in
coal regions.
We buy millions of dollars worth of
tea and manufactured goods from
China every year and why can't our
government receive such goods on our
war claim instead of silver? The
goods could be brought over and sold
here for gold. But then that might
spoil some of the fun of our wealthy
importers.
1t is reported that the president has
decided to call congress the 9th of
November. He don't dare to call them
before for fear their cussedness would
thwart next falls trust election.
The love of the English lion has not
all faded out of the Yankee race Re-
spect for the American eagle remains, |
but the big American bird has not |
crowded out the lion. The noblest I
wild animal in America is the buffalo.
He lives on grass and not on other |
animals aS thp lion dooc Tho 1ioy, ;c