Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-28
OTHER LANDS THAN OURS.

generous" offer to France to the enect
that France annex Belgium while Ger
many takes Holland. The threatened rail-
road strike in the Netherlands Is said to be
the ground Of this action. But there is
probably no truth in the story, though it'is
we'll known that Germany Is anxious to
absorb Holland. and probably will In time
find the way to do II.
France might be pacihed by obtaining
Belgium, but neither that country nor
Holland would be benefited by such changes.
II Germany and France once agreed on the
scheme IL is doubtful II other powers would
intervene. Russia might absorb ConstRn-
tinople, Austria a part Of the sultan's Eu-
ropean territory and Italy might also get a
slice. England could then regard herself
as the owner Of Egypt and appoint her own
governor. Spain might get something In
Africa so as to make It an even grab. Por-
tugal and Switzerland would then have to
be prepared for absorption.
The trust idea is not confined to indus
trial enterprises. Russia has been for a
long time proceeding on trust lines in en-
lsrging her empire and she has not yet got
through with that business. There is not
a large power in Europe that Is not look
ing for more land, ready to grab whenever
opportunity offers.
The fatal obstacle to Australian progress
is lack OF water. In years Of drouth the
harvests fail so miserably and the sheep
and cattle perish in such vast numbers
that the effects are felt for a long time, so
keenly that the gains OF half a decade hard
ly Offset the havoc Of six months. The
latest wheat crop In the fertile and COM
paratively we'll watered province OF Vic
toria averaged about a bushel and a quarter
for every acre sown to that grain. The
harvest did not return the seed used, in
great areas in various parts OF Australia,
and meanwhile the livestock of the country
was perishing by millions. In immense re-
glons the ruin wrought was nearly total.
No country which is mainly pastoral and
agricultural can stand such disasters, re-
peated, on a greater or less scale, every
few years, without losing too much ground
to keep a good place in the progress of the
world. That is why, Notwithstanding all
that the Australians have accomplished,
neither the present condition of their coun-
try nor its prospects can be called salts
factory, even to moderate expectations.
zee
A few years before the cars recent
proclamation there was a remarkable din
ner in st. Petersburg to celebrate the forty
second anniversary Of the emancipation Of
the serfs. Many literary men, journalists
and teachers were present, together With
a few soldiers. One OF the chief speakers
was Prof. semevsky, who was deprived Of
his professionally a dozen years ago on ac-
count of his liberal opinions. He gave an
account of the abortive constitution drawn
up by Loris Melikoff, and spoke Of the
causes which had prevented its adoption.
He passed briefly over the thirty years Of
reaction which had followed, and concluded
| ~ ,a-4aA NknN A. A-NNaktnn AaA ARnIap
out afresh and with renewed force. The
government had tried their best to sup
press It, had exiled and imprisoned by the
thousand men from all classes OF society,
but their efforts had been in vain, the agi-
tation was spreading throughout the length
and breadth Of the country, and he was
convinced that the time was not far dis
tant when great and sweeping reforms
would have to be granted. NJ. Hessen, a
lecturer at the st. Petersburg university
and editor Of a legal journal, described the
surprise OF an enthusiast of the early six
ties suddenly transported into the Russia
of today. He would find the country sill
demanding what 1t demanded in his day
the liberation OF the Observation-Disclosures
not from the serf owner, but from the arbi-
trary rule OF the bureaucracy from The
crushing burden Of taxation, and from the
countless restrictions and iniustices TO
which they we're still subject.
London has a new commissioner Of po-
lice; this important tunctionary being APP
pointed by the king, upon the recommended
ton of the home secretary. 1t may be in
teresting to note the type OF man selected.
The retiring commissioner, Sir Edward
Bradford, began life as a subaltern in the
Indian army, and saw much active service,
in which he distinguished himself greatly,
becoming a full colonel in 1888. He had
much experience in the suppression both
Of thugs and Dacoits, and held a variety OF
his administrative positions. On his re-
turn to England he became secretary to the
Political and Secret department Of the In
dia ofice. He was made chief of the Lon
don police in 1890, and always handled the
force with great ability, as was proven SUI
fciently at the time Of the late queens
jubilee and King Edwards coronation, His
successor is the former assistant commits
sioner, who, like Sir Edward Bradford, has
had long training in India He was orig
inally a member of the Indian civil SER
vice. and was soon marked for promotion.
From 1891 to 1899 he was inspector-g general
Of police in Bengal. In this ONCE he dis
played great ability, devising a system OF
Identification by finger prints which was
tried with excellent results. not only In
Bengal, but in other provinces. Later on
at the request Of the colonial once. he
&ent to South Africa to organize the po-
lice for johannesburg and Pretoria, and
then to prepare estimates for the police
force Of the Transvaal. Recently he has
been in charge Of the criminal investiga-
ton department at Scotland yard.
, Something new has been discovered In
! the field Of politics. 1t is an outcome Of
a the bitterness which exists betweel the
Czechs and Germans OF Bohemia. The
principal savings bank Of Bohemia is the
, Bohemian Savings Bank Of Prague, which
! despite it's name is a German institution.
The Young Czech party. helped by their
press, started a crusade against the bank
. with the result that a run was begun
> which in a few days took SO, 400, 900 out Of
the bank. There has never been any ques-
ton Of the banks %solidity, for II is not only
g a very wealthy institution. but has ~
backing OF the greatest financial power'
a Of Germany and Austria. A careful
3 planned campaign of calumny was carried
A on by the Czech press, with the result that
the peasant depositors became thoroughly