Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-28
OTHER LANDS THAN ours.

and Russia and accepted by the sultan
would go far to remove the Macedonian
grievances II Il we're honestly carried out.
Such programs, however, have been pro-
posed and agreed to before, and the abuses
Of Turkish administration have continued
to grow worse Two features Of impor-
tance are the establishment OF a native
gendarmerie under foreign officers, to take
the place of the Turkish military police.
and the provision that the taxes are not to
be farmed out, but collected in the vllayets
and held in the local banks, the local ex-
penses to be a first charge upon them, and
only the balance sent to Constantinople.
This is tuch a sweeping change in the
Turkish system of draining the resources
Of the country and giving nothing In re-
turn that something more than paper
promise will be needed to carry It Into
effect. The powers probably are not san
gulne. Only they hope to keep the Mace
domains quiet for awhile.
zee
French parliamentary report on the
estimates for the various protectorates,
written by M. Flandrin, illustrates the
jealousy with which the European powers
watch any possible encroachment upon
their spheres Of interest in northern Africa.
M. hlluueb 10 ln6 COuHAduI uOW
Of emigrants from Sicily into Tripoli. He
says that there are $4,000 Italians in that
province, already, outnumbering the French
in the proportion of three to one. The pos
sibility of having to deal with Italians on
the frontier of Tunis, he proceeds to say,
is a hypothesis which has not been taken
into consideration. However much they
might wish TO tighten the bonds connect
ing them with a friendly nation, they could
not overlook the fact that II Italy were
in possession of Tripoli It would control
the approaches to the interior of the con-
tlnent and be a great menace to the pros
perity OF Tunis. II would never do, he
says, to allow an active European mill
tary power to establish itself to the east
ward Of Algeria for the sake Of securing
little more freedom Of action to the
westward; that is to say, Morocco. Such a
policy would be peculiarly indiscreet, IL the
military power concerned happened to be
member of the triple alliance.
zee
The possibility-nay, probability-of a
greater Germany, one which will extend
from the North and Baltic seas to the
Adriatic when Franz Josef dies. is coming
more and more to occupy the attention OF
French political writer's. In the Figaro
Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the eminent
publicist, recently argued that the alb
sorption Of German Austria by the German
empire should not be a cause for an armed
interference by France. He argues that in
case OF war Bohemia would be swallowed
at the first gulp. Then the chief attention
Of Germany would be given to France, for
even should Russia Join with It's ally in an
armed protest Germany's attitude toward
its northern neighbor would be one Of de-
fense. Nor is It altogether certain that
England would preserve a neutral attitude.
England would not care to see the aggran-
dizement Of Germany, but the overwhelm-
ing influence OF a victorious France and
Russia would be still worse for &C. One
word from England and Frances oversee
possessions would be gone. Baron de
Coubertin argues that frances future
greatness does not lie along the Rhine,
but on the Niger and Mekong. His argu-
ment is that 1t would be to Frances ad-
vantage to see a larger Germany. with
Germany stretching across the central part
of Europe, the task OF watching It would
be given to England, Russia and Italy, and
France would be left to pursue its own
ends in Africa and Asia. He concludes that
France has no direct and vital interest
for interfering in the settlement Of the
to pay heavy price for the honor of pro-
noting the ends of others. Its colonial
policy constitutes for France a fountain of
youth. while a continental policy would be
for It a half-open grave.
1t looks as II the Dutch had finally gotten
the better OF the Achinese, the warlike peo-
pie Of Sumatra, with whom they have been
fighting continually since they took possess
sion of the island. The titular sultan has
offered his submission and this act is
said to be spontaneous and unconditional.
Ever since he attained his majority in 1884
the sultan has been the sodl of the Achi-
nese war party, which fact makes his SUBJ
mission all the more notable. 1t is possi-
BILE that the war party may proclaim an
other sultan and continue the contest, but
it is unlikely, and even IL 1t does the guer-
lila warfare will be much lightened, ss tAe |
present sultan has a very large personal
following. The history OF the war this
cnce powerful nation has waged against the |
Dutch is one of the most interesting that
the far east has given us. The conquest |
Of sumatra has cost Holland millions In |
money and thousands of men. 1t is a story |
of blunders and of misconception OF condi-
tions, but the results once attained we're
more than worth the expense in time, lives |
and money.
The bill for the protection Of children |
which is now before the German Reichstag |
provides that children under 13 years OF
age must not be employed in building |
operations, brick kilns, quarries and mines; |
that children under - must not be en-
ployed in workshops, theatrical representa-
tions or restaurants; and that children |
under 10 must not be employed to dis
tribute goods. In the case Of workshops |
and theaters, restrictions are placed upon
the employment OF children over ~ years
of age who have not completed their ele-
mentary education. In some cases parents
are permitted to employ their own chill
dren while still under these age limits.
The social democrats propose to extend the
provisions of the bill to children en-
ployed in agricultural and domestic service.
In the course OF debate It was declared
that. owing to the dearth OF farm laborers.
children were largely employed to look
after cattle.
Bolivia is slowly awakening from her
sleep OF centuries. When that strange and
mysterious country of immense natural re-
sources enters fully into the spirit OF mod
ern progress she may accomplish amazing