Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-07
OTHER LANDS THAN OURS.

OTHEH LANDS THAN ONhSs
Regardless of its complexion and limita-
lions, the approaching meeting of Russia
first parliament will mark political epoch
in the history of the empire. The Douma,
as 1t is named, convenes in the Tauride
palace, st. Petersburg, May TO- The whole
central portion of the palace will be used.
1t is a hall about as large as the
house of representatives in Washington,
and is entirely decorated in white and
adorned with frescoes from Potemkins
time, while behind the presidents seat and
facing the representatives is a large bow
window looking out on a garden.
The seats and desks of the representatives
have been arranged around the hall, tier
on tier. as in theater. The tribune from
which the members win address the House
is in the center, and on each side of It are
two seats for the secretaries of the Douma.
The presidents chair is behind the tribune.
as are also the places for the ministers and
their assistants and the press. There arc
564 seats for representatives, and under each
is a ventiator.
The desks have sliding tops, which will
thus do away with the banging of lids, to
which turbulent parliamentarists might re-
sort. No place has been made for ink wells,
which are not to be permitted. and the rep
resentatives will have TO make pencil notes.
The cooperative wholesale and retail
store system in England continues to grow
and flourish, according to Manchester let
ter to the New York Journal of Commerce.
More than 100000 people most of them
heads of families, are members Of these as
sociations. which number some $780, and
90 he VFaax ant
demonstrates it's success. Present yearly
sales aggregate some S5OO,OOO,OOO During
the last year covered by the report the
Manchester Wholesale Cooperative society
made a net profit of % per cent on its share
capital OF &c. 216,655; while another large CO.
operative wholesale concern, the Scottish
society, made a net profit of n per cent
These wholesale concerns are principal
sources of supply for the local cooperative
societies, which far as rule command
the confidence of workngmen as to be in
trusted with their savings to large extent
1t seems pretty clear that although peace
has been preserved outwardly in Shanghai
since blut(ackets from the foreign men-of-
war put an end to the recent rloting, the
Chinese are still smarting under a sense of
Injustice which may result in more serious
trouble later on. A long memorial from the
Board OF Punishments with reference to
the mixed court dispute approves the i'm
| perisl rescript of January IA supporting
the views of the NanlSing Viceroy. 1t to-
| tally ignores the fact that the administra-
ton Of the settlement at Shanghai has
/ been vested in the foreign community for
fifty years: asserts the right of Chinese
on1cials to the independent conduct of mat
I 81 fv.aV. M
| of native Offenders: and with this object
In view orders the immediate construction
of native prison in place of the municipal
iail. Although the latter is always open
TO inspection, and an influential Chinese
committee recently admitted that there was
no fault to find with g. the memorial de-
scribes the foreigners treatment OF prls-
oners as pitlessly severe Moreover, the
/ Chinese Patriotic society publicly COM
mends the native magistrates whose action
| led to the riots as deserving the warmest
gratitude of their oountrymen. At first
| sight there is something comic in the no.
/ ton of Cinnamon complaining of the cruel
| treatment of criminals by Europeans, but
II has been explained that the separate cell
system is to the Oriental mind terrible
infection.
Naples Is in danger of losing her pre-
enninence as the most thickly populated city
/ in Italy. The returns. just published for
! December 81, 1906, place the number of in
habitants at SIS. $50, while the population
of Milan stands at 544372 The figures are
significant. only a few years ago Naples
was more than 100000 ahead of the Lom-
bard capital. and now the difference is re-
duced to 4OOOO, At this rate, the next CEN
sus is likely to put Milan in the first place.
The cause Of the decline i'm Naples is not
altogether clear. Authorities say that the
absence of hygienic precautions sends up
the death rate; yet doctors who have prac-
tised in Naples are loud in praise Of its
health giving climate. one influential fac
tor in the case is said 10 be the increased
cost Of living in Naples and the con-
sequent lowering in the standard OF nour-
ishment attainable by the Door. Two
pounds OF meat may be bought in Milan
for 2S cents; in Naples they will cost nearly
1 twice as much; while at the same time the
average wage in Naples is only three-ifths
OF that prevailing in Milan.
Side by side with the revolutionary activ-
ity in Russia there is a steady movement
for the organization and spread Of higher
education among the working classes Not
long ago al a meeting. OF tho Society Of
/ Civil Engineers in ST. Petersburg the ques-
ton Of organizing a pan Russian society for
the founding OF popular universities was re-
| vived. This proposition has found support
not only from private persons. various soci-
eties and professional organizations. but also
| from the 81 Petersburg Town Council. The