Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-06-11


times. More than one.third of those |
in the United states have added to
their territory by annexation since !
lcvJ. Townships ana counties are &C.
casionally subdividetl, by reason Of 10.
cal interests. but the cities seem to be
steauily pushing their boundaries out.
ward. There are some economic rea.
sons for this. but the reason in many
cases has been the desire Of their in.
habitants to make good showing"
~6
Cuba has entered the third year Of
Ser independence and self.government
and she has every reason to be proud
of the record she has made. Apart
from rtmor or two of rural riots that
were greatly exaggerated and an OK.
ceptionally large amount of noise from
the defeated party at the last cleo.
tons. she has nothing to her dlscredit
and II such things are really dis.
credits, what has our own country to
say for itself? The best of II Is that
the Cubans appear to be In every way
contented and happy. Undoubtedly
this could not be said had the United
States seen fit to retain a closer hold
over their government. With or with.
out reason. suspicion and dislike would
have taken root. Moreover. the last
two years have taught the Cubans n
vast deal more about the benefits Of
quiet and peaceful government than
they could ever have learned In any
other way. IF they have been on extra
good behavior for the sake of showing
us what they could 60. that does not
detract at all from the value of the
training they have gained. 1t Is too
early as yet to show by facts and fig.
ures what material benefit Cuba has
gained from the reciprocity act which
went into effect last December. The
fact that the law was pending caused
the Cuban sugar ready for expectation
last fall to be held back in order to
secure the benefit of the lower duties.
AS u result Cuba sent us during the
first three months Of this year goods
to the value Of $23.OOO.OOO. as against
| $12.OOO,OOO In the corresponding
months Of 1903. At the same time our
exports to Cuba Increased from $500.
600 TO $6,5OO.OOO. the more important
increases being In -four. cotton cloth.
sewing machines. locomotives. lumber,
leather and furniture. Beyond ques.
ton our merchants cun secure enlarged
markets In Cuba II they but exert
themselves to take advantage Of the
preference in their favor, while It Is TO
be anticipated that Cuba's Industrial
and agricultural development will fur.
nish proof that 1t has been greatly
stimulated. even before the present
year Is out.
II any one thinks that the United
States Inns n monopoly Of NIL the en-
ergy and enterprise he should revise
his opinions forthwith. The whole
world il wlde.awake. and every peo
pie is alert for opportunities for nd
vnncement. There are the Russians,
for instance, whom we have been nc
custOmed to regard as somewhat slow
and behind the times. They have re-
Gently secured the services Of Horace
q. Burt, formerly president OF the
Union Pacific Railroad Company. to
assist them In making the Siberian
railroad MS efficient as the transcOnti
mental roads In the United States
where the problems Of carrying trains
across wide plains and over snow
capped mountains have been solved
/ 1.n, n tI.. Ss.a ,t,Ws Il N n o.
planning for closer trade relations Will
the Spanisll.spcaking peoples Of South
America. And the Germans are seek
Ing outlets for their surplus pOpula
ton In countries which will buy the
products Of the German factories. The
British are cOnsider:np plans for q
commercial federation Of their colonies
for the development Of their resources
and the preservation Of the trade OF
the mother country. The French art
developing their possessions In North
ern Africa and undertaking the re
clamatiOn Of the Sahara. as we'll n,
pushing their railroads across the Py
renees into Northern Spain. And al
these people are studying the Ameri
cans, that they may avoid our mis-
takes and profit by our successes
Within a few weeks the reports o.
two independent British commission
. to this country have been made pub
lie. An official Of the railway depart
ment Of Indi0, after tour Of TIN
, United States, reports that 'the on
idea In the minds of the American rail
way men IL to get there" He thinks
. that this Is the secret Of American
railway success. One Of the member
Of a private commission to study til,
, relation OF the schools to American
commercial success says that 9TH
schools have not made the people wha
J they are, but the people. being wha
, they are. have made the schools" TIL
american peril" Of which We hea
much. In that the Americans sha
= grow cOmplacent and satisfied wit
themselves, instead Of keeping thei
place In the company of the othe
wide-awake peoples.
~
h The discussion OF possible remediC
for the divorce evil by speakers befOl
). the National Congress Of Mothers
n Chicago calls public attention to til
/. increase in number of divorces granite
I In many States during the last NV
o or three decades. The statistics tell
, | story NJ martial Iisr,,ntion that seen