Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-01-23

treat brlIaln uOeS. IL Is more nearly
selfsufficing than any other country
under the sun. When the resources
of its tropical possessions are fully
developed 1t will be In a still better
position to dictate commercial terms
to nations which must have soms oi
its surplus products. One would like
to know about how much 1t cost to
raise the farm products of this year.
The manufactured can figure out his
profits closely. lie has to. SO he may
know where he stands. The average
farmer does not initiate the manufac-
turer In this respect. or If he does his
balance, sheet Is not made public. If
one can Judge from the prosperity pre-
vailing In the agricultural districts Of
the West, where the farmers are de-
posting in local banks more money
than the banks can find employment
for at home. the agricultural produc.
ers have been richly repaid for their
labor and expenditures in 1903 They
have done extremely well for them.
selves and for the country.
The lucid and simple logic of Sec.
rotary Wilson is not needed to con-
vince most men that our national
wealth and our prosperity may be
traced to the soil Neither does II re-
quire any elaborate argument to show
that the American farmer Is independ-
ent of the ock-jobbing and stock
watering operations I'm Wall street.
The Secretary's observations regard.
Ing the important part the farmer Is
playing in the financial affairs of the
nation. however. are always interest
ing. In a recent interview In the New
York Herald he calls attention to the
fact. well known to exporters and In.
vestors. that 1t Is the farmer who
keeps the balance Of trade in our fa-
vor. In 1868 the surplus agricultural
products. which We did not need in
this country, and which were sold
abroad. amounted in value to SS1S..
0OOOo0. Excluding the products of
the farm. there was during the period
from 1890 to 1902 an annual adverse
balance of trade amounting to $G2,.
OOOOOO. Including the farm products.
this balance Is wiped out. and we had
left $215,OOO.OOO to the credit of this
country. During 1903 there was an
unfavOrnble balance of trade IN ex.
ports and imports other than those Of
the farm which amounted to $56,OOO,-
900, but when the agricultural exports
are included. the balance In our favor
IL about 1867 100000. In these sig.
niiicant figures may be seen the tire.
mendous reserve sustaining power of
the farmers of this country.
~SA
Though In the trade of war I have
slain men," said lago. yet l do hold
1t very stun Of the conscience to do no
cOntrived murder" Most civilized men
feel the same way. 1t Is held to bc
right to take n fellow creatures life
because his nation and your own are
ut odds over piece Of territory or u
diplomatic punctili0. 1t Is likewise
held to he measurably defensiblc II
you kill him in the heat Of quarrel. 1t
IL deemed permissible and even neces.
snry to kill hlm-by hanging him-if
he kills some one else otherwise than
In the ways specified. But deliberate
~ to end his life In cold blood IL held
TO be murder outright. for which there
| can he 10 defense In law or In morals
Certain gentlemen have arisen. how.
ever. with new theOry-or rather the
rehabilitation Of an old theory. They
maintain that It IL not only proper but
commcndable to kill your fellow man
for his own good. They insist. that IL.
that when your fellow man Is incura.
bly, III or MORALLY hurt It IL advisabl
quietly, decently. humnncly. to end
his snfferlngs." They maintain that
such course "would be u step for
ward In civilization and step further
away from barbnrlsm." They propose
that board Of physicians and lnymen
| should hear ana decide upon such
| cases ana issue the necessary orders
for euthanasin. which IL the Greek
word for the process. The proposal
appears to meet with qualified approx
al from physicians. but with distinct
Interpretation from every one else.
The explanation Of this division OF
opinion IL alleged to be that the physl.
clans favor euthanasia because II Of
fers plan for covering up their mis-.
takes, while the laymen oppose It be-
cause Of disagreeable apprehension
that the mortuary board might blum.
der ana order quletus for people who
could easily recover. 1t can readily be
seen that such situation would not
he conducive to tranquility of mind.
There appears. however, to Ike a posi-
BILE way out OF the deadlock. How
would 1t do to cOnfine the euthanasi
experiment to physicians exclusively
| for u period of five or ten years and
thus see how II works? II all the doc
tors are not killed off by that time It
will be moderately safe to begin oper-
atlng the system upon the laity.
Lincoln Steffens has discovered re-
lation between the American tendency
to take the light point of view and
the prevalence. of graft. ut IL all
very WE'LL" he says. ITO take the light
point of view, but when your sense Of
humOr becomes too broad you will toll
crate almost anything" Reing jOkers
from the cradle to the grave. and being
prone to have laugh over everything
that occurs, we naturally laugh at
graft. We look on the CRATER as an
entertaining sort of fellow. We admit
| that he Is very bad, but we lunch with
him SNAKE with him nj tho cluh and