Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-22
OTHER LANDS THAN ouRs.


of Europe at the present time. Great /
Britain. Germany and France are each |
striving for a change Of existing conditions |
by legislative measures representing the |
popular will. Religion in France directly |
and In Great Britain indirectly, constitute J
the basis Of the struggle in those nations, |
while the imperial policy OF colonial eN- T,
panslon in Africa is the crux OF the strug- |
gle In Germany. The defeat OF govern |
ment measures providing for support of
the colonial army resulted In the dissolution |
OF the Reichstag and the ordering Of new
elections for members to be held in Feb |
rubry. Increased tax burdens, rendered
necessary by the great cost OF colonalism
with no prospect OF compensating returns
destroyed party alignment In the ReiChstag
and compelled the government to test pop
ular sentiment on increased colonial taxa
ton. The contest between church and
state in France shows signs of improve
meut Outwardly the ministry relaNes little
in the enforcement of the separation law,
but the new measures under consideration
touch upon the main objections of the
church-that is, ecclesiastical control of
church property-and opens way for a
satisfactory solution Of the crisis. The
issue In Great Britain centers on the ques
tion of religious education in public schools.
J The education bill, twice passed by the
/ House of Commons and twice rejected by
] the House of Lords, excluded religious in
struction from schools supported in whole
OF in part with public money. This plan
the peers reversed by amendments making
religious instruction compulsory. The re-
sulting deadlock kills the bill.
II precedepts count for much in liberal
/ party plans it is not likely that the Ban
f,at4 mil fafr vii n he wi
of the peers and appeal to the country.
Other ways are open to secure the results
aimed at in the education bill In 1868 a
| similar deadlock arose on a bill repeating
! the duty on print paper. The House OF
| Lords was as defiant then now, but
Gladstone settled the matter quietly by
making repeal of the duty part of the
/ general budget for that year, and, as
money bills must be accepted or rejected
| by the Lords without amendment the
measure went through without challenge.
This latter point may very likely become
of importance in the contest over the
present education bill 1t depends on an
assertion of their privileges by the Com
mons In 1878, which has remained as part
| OF the law of Britain's constitution for 300
years. Curiously enough, its latest asser-
ton was made by Lord Halsbury over the
education bill of 1897. AS that bill pro-
yided for a grant of half a million to
voluntary schools, various amendments
suggested by liberal lords were held to be
infringements of the privileges of the
lower house. The bill therefore passed
through unamended. The education bill of
1902 was, on the contrary, considerably
amended in the Lords, but since these
amendments were on the whole acceptable
! to the tory party then controlling the
House Of Commons, Mr.. Balfour did not
see At on this occasion to vindicate the
privileges Of the latter house.
Some OF the provisions OF the Chinese
anti-opium law are extraordinarily drastic.
Not only the cultivation of the poppy, but
the use Of opium must cease within ten
years No new ground can be placed under
cultivation, and ground under cultivation
must be restricted by one-tenth annually.
If the regulation Is evaded, the ground can
be confiscated. All consumers of opium are
to be registered with the amounts they
consume. Without being registered no one
can buy the drug Allowance is to Sbe
made for opium consumers who are more
than 90 years old. Those under this age
must decrease their use OF the drug 20
per cent a year. Magistrates who break
the rule will be cashiered. scholars deprived
of their certificates. All opium dens are
to be closed within six months. All opium
shops are to be registered and closed
gradually. Antidotes to the drug are to he
distributed at cost price, or even gratu-
itously in case of need by specially APP
: pointed officials. All high oficials princes
dukes, viceroys and Tartar generals I'M
der 6O must inform the throne that they
will abandon the drug within a certain
| time. During that time they can have
substitute. When they are cured they can
, resume their duties. All other officials un-
, der 60 must abandon the use within six
, months II unable to discontinue the
habit, they can retain their rank, but must
, retire from office Those who continue the
, use of opium secretly will be deprived of
both rank and office. All teachers schol-
: ars soldiers and sailors win be allowed
a three months wherein to abandon the habit
, Manifestly there is all the difference in the
world between the issuance of such an
edict and the enforcement Of IT,
A beautiful Celtic cross erected to the
a memory Of Tom Moore has just been I'M
yelled at the grave of the poet in Broham
I churchyard, near Devices, Wiltshire, Eng.
r The cross In eighteen feet high, replica
of that at Monasterbodce, which was
: erected in the tenth century. and is Of
Ballinasloe limestone rising from a pl.nth
of Newry granite. This inscription is
carved on the cross:
THOMAS MOORE
Born 18th May, 1850 Died 18th Feb. 1882.
Dear Harp of my country, in darkness /
The cold chain of silence has hung DER
thee long.
h When proudly my own island harp un,
bound thee,
And gave all thy chords to light freedom
and song.
The town OF Broham put on holiday at
tire for the occasion, the Irish flag foated
n over the mayors house, and in welcoming
a the Irish visitors he expressed the hope
t that Ireland would soon enjoy the liberty
and prosperity it had 80 long worked for
q and hoped for. The veteran journalist, JUS
= tin Mccarthy, in his beautiful address. paid
n a high tribute to Moore's patriotism. Now
is the time" he said If any evidence of
decay In Erins grateful memory is max
: ing itself known-in the unwilling of this
: Celtic song-today is the time for renewing
" our national allegiance to the poet who
" sang as none other has done Of Erin =
suferings, struggles and hopes, Of Erin's
&c honor and Erin's pride"
10 1t is impossible to speak OF Moore with
n out thinking Of Byron, who loved him and