Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-02

Socialism, as a political force in the af-
fairs OF Europe. encountered emphatic re-
buns in Germany and Great Britaip within
ten days Hitherto the social democratic
party has been a growing power in Ger
many and was represented by seventy-nine
deputies in the last Reichstag. In the cleo
tions held January Is the party suffered
net loss o nineteen seats. while other party
divisions OF the German electorate held
their strength or made substantial gains
The country sustained the ministry and
practically endorsed the imperial colonial
policy. Second ballotngs will be held in
about 40 constituencies on the 18th inst, as
none OF the candidates received a majority
on the first ballot The second election elm
mates all but the two candidates receiving
the highest vote In the FIRST ballot. The dis
patches indicate that the custom Of center
ing on one candidate all opposition TO the
socialists will be pursued with increased
zeal next Tuesday. and II is calculated that
the result will stiI further diminish social
istic strength in the new Reichstag. The
losses are not due to decline Of the party
numerically. In that respect the socialists
made a Slight gain. But the opposition
rallied a much larger percentage OF the to al
vote and thus swept the close constitu-
encies. Equally significant and more EN-
phatic was the rout OF the democrats in
their attempt to convert the trade union of
Great Britain into a socialistic propa ganda.
The proposition brought before the general
conference Of the unions was decisively de-
feated. Both events are of International
interest They indicate clearly that in the
two most progressive nations Of Europe
socialism is not making serious Roadway
and is mainly a political refuge for the dis
contented.
The chronic dissatisfaction with the way
education. particularly primary education,
is managed In ireland has been growing
more and more insstent every year for
twenty years past, and pretty general
and formidable agitation is now going on
all over Ireland at once demanding a rad
ical reform In the whole system of educa-
ton in Ireland without any interference
with its religious quality. AS stephen
Gwynn. who is Gaelic Lacquer and also
a member of Parliament, said at a recent
big meeting in Wicklow demanding more
pay for teachers, why should the govern
ment pamper it's (Castle) policemen and
starve its teachers? After a policeman is
fifteen years in the service he may get a
pension for himself. his wife and family.
while a schoolmaster's pension does not be-
gin till he has given forty years of hard
service, with no civil rights and no emolu-
ments of any kind"
The present division Of the exchequer
grants for schools ESQ per cent to England
II to Scotland and Q to Irelandl bears no
proportion to the taxes collected, the pop
ulation or the peculiar needs Of the re-
spective countries The teachers Of ireland
the national school te1che-s-are the worst
paid OF any civilized country in the world
What ic NJ ef1t &c q aCboOI ~ oil 81 l,,,
the people and answerable to public opinion
The imperial bureau Of statistics Of Jaran
has Just issued its annual report for the
year 1903, delayed because Of the war with
Russia It's statistics OF marriage and d.
vorce are particularly interesting. There
were 37o,961 marriages in that year and S.
500 divorces, or about one divorce to six
marriages. and II is presumahle that this
proportion does not differ much from other
years. The returns show that, while mar
riages may take place when the man is
between the ages OF 10 and IA and the
woman between II and ~ years, these ex-
ceedingly youthful alliances are very rare
With men marriage is most frequent be-
tween "a and %. and with women between
20 and a. Three-fourths OF the men are
married between 20 and 3d. and the same
proportion OF the women between IS ana
20 years. Divorces are in almost all in
stances the result OF mutual consent Out
OF the e5.392 divorces, only 1888 were due to
causes which came within the legal code
Divorces by mutual consent apparently be-
gin quite soon after marriage. There were
in 1903 S7s Of these in less than one month
after marriage. and before six months
were over the number had increased to 4s4s.
The total OF divorces for the first year was
II. 100, thence proceeding on a declining
ratio so that the number OF divorces OF
those who had lived together less than ave
years was 4.o55 the remaining s5oo0 rep
resenting a longer continuance of welded
life.
A letter In the London Spectator fur
nishes some very interesting information
concerning the results OF state-aided in
surance in Germany. tt appears that
about one German in five is Insured for
sickness. one in. three for accident and one
in four for infirmity or old age. Every
year nearly $125,o00oOo is paid TO sick, in
jured, infirm or old persons. or this amount
$50, 600 is found by employers S5l. 10000
by insured persons and sl2.2250O0 by the
state. Every insured working woman who
is confined receives an allowance for six
weeks. The system of insurance for in