Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-09
OTHER LANDS THAN ours.


cause Of the close relation the office bears
to the home rule measure. which the
Liberal ministry is pledged to introduce al
the approaching session of Parliament In
many respects the ONCE IL most undesirable
and Is generally regarded as a graveyard
for political regulations. A score OF able
Englishmen have in the last ten years at
tempted to perform duties Of the office
only to find themselves overwhelmed with
difficulties created by their own blunders.
Mr.. Birrell takes up the burden laid down
by Mr.. Bryce confronted by a people IN
an attitude of passive resistance but firmly
and unitedly demanding the right to legis-
late for themselves. AS a home ruler Mr..
Birrell Is consistent supporter Of the
proposition, not only for ireland. but also
for Scotland He Is n much younger man
than Mr.. Bryce, and Is better equipped,
physically, to carry forward a measure Of
Irish self-government destined to arouse
and encounter the implacable opposition Of
the unionlsts in the commons and the
House Of Lords Whether the new measure
will approach that for which Gladstone
fought and fell, or a halfway measure on
the devolution plan, is yet a matter of
speculation. Much gossip Is afloat con-
corning agreements and disagreements be-
tween the ministry and the Irish nationalist
party As no announcement of n definite
character has been made II is safe to con-
clude that the measure Is still in the for
native stage. Evidently the ministers and
the nationalists leaders are earnestly striv-
ing to reach an honorable and satisfactory
agreement, which will enable all divisions
of the Liberal party to present united
front in the struggle.
The movement for n South African feder-
alton is growing. One of the most active
promoters of it, Mr. Abe Bailey, In re-
cent address, suggested the appointment of
two experts by each South African state
to consider the problems involved and to
furnish a report He urged the Importance
of a central government in order to check
the rapid accumulation Of state debts. to
prevent the friction arising from rival rail-
way system, to constitute a common de-
Tense force, to initiate uniform native
policy, and to deal with the questions Of
Asiatlc immigration and the supply Of
labor. Above all, he said, when once they
had a federal Parliament representing the
people of South Africa they would be able
to make their demands and place their
views before the British public with no un-
certain voice. The ideal which they all
had at heart was the establishment of a
great nation in South Africa. Till they
achieved federation they would never be
able to breathe a national atmosphere
The United States lags far behind Ger"
mary and Great Britain in providing for
insuring workingmen and women against
accident.
The new British law which goes into eff
feet July extends compensations for in
-IrE ,.ar
population 1t brings certain diseases with
in the category of accidents" 1t takes
away the right of the employer to set up
as a defense in certain cases that the work
man by his misconduct brought about the
accident and the injury.
II the injury causes death and the work.
man leaves persons dependent on his earn
ings the amount is a sum equal to the
wages earned in the same employment dur
ing the three previous years, or $780, which,
ever is the greater. Where the accident
causes disablement a weekly payment not
exceeding $4.S6 is provided. but otherwise
It may be any sum up to half the average
weekly earnings.
Many small shopkeepers or householders
may feel 1t very inconvenient to make a
weekly payment of s2.1s or s243 to some
injured servant. Some will try to evade
the law by giving only casual or short
term employment. A more usual course
will be to insure the risk, and companies
are being formed for that purpose
The results of the quinquennal French
census, taken on March OF last year, were
made public few days ago. The figures
have readily confirmed the general predlc-
lions that the period from 1901 to 1906 would
.tsII Ill Fall ~ tha
increase of population. Excluding French
citizens in Algeria, in the colonies and
abroad, the census shows a population OF
80 1871, 235, an increase since 1901 Of only
290, 1922, or three-quarters of per cent. This
rate OF augmentation, minute as II is,
represents nevertheless. falling of from
the period 1S96-19O1, when the increase was
nearly $4,000. A striking though not un-
usual fact is that of the total population
increase OF 290,000 more than $4,000 Is ac-
counted for by cities with a population of
over $1,000. Thirty-two departments only
showed an increase in population; ffty-two
departments showed an aAtual decrease,
two departments. Lot and Olse, suffering
a diminution of more than 10000. OF the
great cities not all have added appreciately
TO their population. Paris has risen from
271400O TO 2.763.000; Marseilles from s10o0
70 Lyons from 4OJ,VNV 10 flG,VIU anu
Lille from 2O5,O0O to 10000. Comparatively
the best showing was made by the smaller
Industrial towns and by Nice, which rose
from l06, 900 to 1900 On the other hand,
bordeaux has suffered a loss of 5000. and
Toulouse, St. Etienne Nantes and Havre
are practically at a standstill
zee
Near Gottingen there Is a little town
called Witzenhausen, which has long been
famous or rather infamous, for a kind OF
wine known as the "dreimannerwefn,' be-
cause It requires one man to drink II, a
second 10 hold him and third to Dour II
down his throat. Another thing for which
this place is known is a factory IN which
the paper for Ger1nany's postage stamps
is made. Here also is located Qsrmany's
first and only colonial school, founded by
some wealthy adherents Of the colonial
policy. II was opened in 1899, tdth room
for seventy students, which is Inot nearly
enough for all who apply. Among the
branches taught are colonih politics.
economies, Jurisprudence, NATURAL science.
tropical hygiene, languages, agriculture
gardening, forestry. riding. Alspecial fea-
ture is the segregation Of the ftudents in
dormltories to keep them out taverns
as It is well known that nothina is so dis
T.. h.