Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-03

all hours, frequently undermining {
rugged constitution. Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman went down under the weigh.
OF public duties, not the mental anxieties
but the merciless strain on his physica
strength. The conditions surrounding Sill
Henry's premiership were idyls OF peace
compared with the strenuous life OF Pre-
mier Asquith. No minister in a quarter OF
a century-none since Gladstone's futile
fight against the land league OF Ireland
has encountered such hostile, haraseins
and desperate opposition. The determined
persistence Of the women suffraEists pre-
sents a succession OF embarrassing annoy
ances. The premier IL constantly guarded
against woman asssilants. He cannot In
dulge in the freedom OF a citizen, and can
not leave his home unless a Gordon OF
police protects him from attack. The ef'
forts Of the suffrsgists to reach him In
public or private has become a mania,
exceeding the bounds OF reason and de-
cency. Fears Of German invasion are over
hshadowed by the ~suffragists' invasion.
Should he forget this annoyance for a
moment, military and naval expansionists
deafen him with war alarms. II he allays
their fears with promises Of larger appro-
priations, taxpayers jump on him with
cries Of property confiscation and ruin.
Whatever direction he turns, trouble con-
fronts him. There is not a shadow of doubt
that Premier Asquith is getting a run for
the honors and emoluments Of the office.
The report Of the French parliamentary
commission which was appointed to In
vestigate the recent naval scandals has
brought to light the existence Of a most
deplorable state of affairs in that depart
ment Of the republics government. French
naval construction, the report states, costs
25 per cent more than English or German,
as a result of inetficiency due to red tape;
cast iron shells, condemned after the acct
dent to the battleship Jena, are still manu-
featured and In larger quantities than ever
before; there is no dry dock capable of
accommodating the ships that are now
being built, and there is no reserve coal
or ammunition at the ports and Narsenals.
In short, the French fleet, although on
paper It stands high among the navies Of
the world, is actually in such bad plight
that it would be practically useless in war.
The radical governments OF the last few
years will probably be blamed for this
condition OF affairs, and Captain Mahan
would point out-that the French democracy,
beginning with the revolution, has never
been Jealous to maintain French sea power.
Administrative reforms would now do
much, perhaps, to increase the fleets eff
cheney, but rance is definitely out Of the
race for naval supremacy, so far as Eng
land and Germany are concerned
Statistics published by the Imperial Ca
Sette show that in recent years there has
been a steady decrease in the number Of
deaths in Germany from tuberculosis, and
especially from tuberculosis Of the lungs.
The figures are based upon the monthly
reports of deaths in $50 of the Targets
centers of population in the empire, and
upon annual reports as to the causes of
deaths from nearly all districts, as sup
piled TO the imperial board of health.
With regard to the urban population, which
represents more than one-third Of the whole
population, statistics Of numbers of deaths
from all forms OF tuberculosis are available
only since the year 1905. The average Of
deaths per 1O0.O COO in 1906 was 1865. In 1908
the average had fallen to 1915. For the
rural and urban population combined sta
tlstics are forthcoming for 81 per cent of
the total population, wide into two
c-lasses-persons below the age OF Is and
persons between 10 and 90. In the latter
Gle IS the average number of deaths Annu-
ally between 1898 and 1902 from tuberculosis
in ali forms was 1856 and from tuberculosis
of the lungs 1857 per 10000. During the
period 1903-19O7 the annual average de-
creased to 242.s and 22Ss per 100000. respec-
lively.
International visits n their exchange OF
courtesies and good will springing from
friendly meetings are helpful means OF
promoting a better understanding among
European nations. Several visits OF i'm
portance may be noted. Last week the
German emperor welcomed a delegation OF
eminent Anglican and Nonconformist
olergymen who were returning a visit made
to England a year ago by leaders of the
Lutheran and Reformed churches Of Ger
many. A large group of influential con-
sentative members of the Russian Duma
are now in London, practically guests of
the nation. The new sultan OF Turkey.
Mehmed v, announces that he will visit
European capitals ere the year closes. No
No seclusion or burial in q palace for him.
Long Kept from seeing the WoTid Dy MS
crafty, cruel predecessor, he now intends
to go forth, symbol Of 9 new Turkey thai
is open freely to full occidental influences.
These are typical incidents OF contempt
rary life, illustrating how travel and ex-
change Of courtesies are at work breaking
down the ~provincialism and hatreds that
grow out OF ignorant isolation
The returns Of pauperism in England
and Wales for the first quarter of this
year have been issued by the local gov
eminent board, and are calculated to
make the most optimistic uneasy. At the
end Of March the total number Of paupers
in receipts Of relief was In the proportion
Of 23.s to every thousand OF the popula-
ton, a ratio considerably higher than that
Of last year, while in London the ratio
rose to 81, the highest in any year since
1906. These figures are. OF course, at
fected very largely by changes In the ad-
ministrative policy Of the boards of
guardians. and it would be reasonable TO
suppose that the immense sums Of money
which have been spent last winter upon
relief works would have tended to reduce
the total. A better figure for comparative
purposes is that OF the indoor ~pauperism,
which is less Immediately affected by