Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-12-03
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The most conservative reports from
Great Britain tell of an unprecedented
condition of Unemployment in that coun-
try, situation so desperate that the
government can no longer ignore it. AL
ready great numbers of the idle work
men have shown signs of extreme dis
content. Some groups were reported to
be on the march toward London and at
Glasgow bloodshed was prevented only
by the prompt action of the city authori-
ties in appropriating 100000 for public
works, to give relief. Dublin also is
spending $4,000 for the relief of her
poor Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham
and other industrial centers are likewise
confronted with an acute situation. In
the face of these facts Premier Asquith
has announced his intention of formulat-
ing a general plan for giving relief
The highest court of Australia has rem
dered a decision invaldating one of the
important laws passed in the interest of
organized labor, the party which holds the
balance of power in that country. The
unions had forced the passage of a law
imposing an internal tax upon the output
of the manufacturers of agricultural in
struments. This was designed to about
counterbalance the effect of the protec-
tive tariff, but gave to all concerns which
paid the union scale of wages an entire
remission of the tax. AS the labor I'M
ions controlled the Parliament, they could
remit or impose the tax upon whatever
business they saw fit, so that no business
which suits the unions could be put out
of the running. The court decided, by
a vote of to 2, that the new law was
unconstitutional on the theory that the
purpose Of the law is to regulate wages
instead of to levy q tax or to raise reve-
nue..
By vote of 43S to Al, the French
Chamber of Deputies has condemned the
campaign which the anti-Dreyfusards are
conducting against the decision in the
case of Major Dreyfus, handed down by
the court of cessation in 1906.
The venerable Russian patriot and rev.
olutionist, Nicholas Tschaikovsky, who
has been in prison at st. Petersburg for
many months. and who has many friends
in England and America, was released the
other day on $4,000 cash bail demanded
by the Russian government, the money
being contributed by wealthy friends in
this country and in England.
The Japanese government has estab-
lished a strict censorship over all COM
munications between Koreans in this
country and friends or relatives in their
native land, according to Rev. r. S.
Ryang, a Korean minister of the Meth
odist faith, who has just arrived in San
Francisco.
Victor Grayson. the Socialist member
of the British Parliament from Colne
by loudly denouncing the members for
their failure to come to the rescue of the
thousands of unemployed and starving
men in England. The speaker ordered
lin to leave the house, which he did.
John W. Riddle, the American ambas-
sador to Russia, has returned to St.
Petersburg from his sojourn in the south
of Russia, where he has been recuperating
from an illness of several months dura-
ton. His health is now completely re-
stored, and he has assumed charge of the
embassy.
A meeting Of the Irish national party
qnder the presidency of John z. Red
mond, was held at Dublin to devise plans
to force the government to push the ques-
zion Of Irish land legislation in the
House of Commons. incidentally a hearty
vote of thanks was accorded the Ameri-
can people for their generous support of
the party.