Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-07

almost belted the globe, aifH was a symbol
Of authority in a large part Of the western
hemisphere. one by one Spanish colonies
cut loose from the mother land, the last
disappearing with tragic humiliation at
Manila and Santiago. No wonder that a
struggling people, personally familiar with
the disasters Of 1895, cry out against send
ing the nations soldiery to Morocco to de-
fend what they claim to be private in
~terests." the Investments of Spaniards in
the coal mines at Melilla. Our honor is
at stake" insists the government, and that
suffices for any sacrifice that may be
necessary to avenRe the attack on the flag
of CASTLE. Vain as the popular cutlery Is,
Spanish officinldom know only too well
how improbable is a struggle with the
Moors in their chosen territory. II means
sacrifices Of life and treasure far beyond
the value Of the mines. But, having taken
I'D the white mans burden on the Riff
coast. Spanish cavaliers must see 1t
through or perish in the attempt.
Melilla. the base Of Spanish tons
against the Moors, is a peninsula fortress
surrounded by a typical Spanish colonial
town, with a population approximating
10000 in 1900, standing on the Mediter-
ranean shore of Morocco. about seventy
i've Hllltk lIoil lht AoAA ~ -
is a commercial port, opened to trade with
the world in 1902. The citadel, which is
now the focal point Of the attacks Of the
hordes Of Kabyles and other Riffian tribes
men. stands upon a rock, out Of the solid
heart of which have been followed huge
cisterns in which is stored the water to
serve the beleaguered garrison on just such
occasions which the Spanish. in their 100
years Of struggle to retain a foothold In
Africa, know all too well must be anti
cipated. The magazines are similarly con-
structed. The buildings of the town differ
but slightly from those Of any Spanish
town, frame houses OF two stories, built
about a court, or patio" with sliding shut
tiers in the upper story that can be pushed
back, leaving the whole front open to the
breeze.
One Of the discouraging signs of the times
in France Is the drift cityward of the sons
Of the peasantry whose industry and thrift
have made the nation the banker OF the
world. In the middle Of the last century
the town dwellers were less than a quarter
of the total population; now 1t is nearly 40
per cent. The reason assigned Is the grow
Ing impression that life is brighter and
easier in the city. The lazy are attracted
by desire for amusement and by urban
charities, including soup kitchens and free
lodgings. This would seem to indicate
generalization OF charity. Vital statistics
are affected by the movement, because
contagious to which the habituated city
dweller seems Immune assail the new
conner. Some country lads who come to
town achieve fortune, because It is in them
to do so. But most of them work harder
for livelihood thar they would on the
farm. Nevertheless, the farmers boy will
continue to prefer the paved street to the
bayfield,, and the milkmaid will leave the
meadow for the factory in France.
SSs
That famous shrine of unrivalled historic
interest. the battlefield of Waterloo. is
rapidly being Invested Of all it's interesting
features. Ar American tourist in Brussels
states the houses which sheltered men who
helped to make history there are being torn
down. the roads and paths are being oblit-
Grated, and soon there will be nothing left
to remind one of Napoleon's last stand but
the great mound capped by the Waterloo
lion. The museum, where all the battle.
field trophies are on view, uniforms, arms
drawings and pictures, was never a pre-
~tentious institution, but no visitor failed &c
look with interest at the many exhibit
behind the glass doors. This also is to bt
dismantled, and the articles which have
been carefully kept for years will be dis.
tributed among the provincial museums o.
Belgium, where as individual exhibits they
will lose much in value.
:. Don jamie. the new pretender for tn,
Spanish throne, gives some comfort {
=. Alfonso by declaring his peaceful inten
/, tons in the present perplexity of his coun
:, try, and his loyalty to the traditions handle
down by his father. But he would no
encourage revolution of the kind beinI
shot to pieces in Barcelona. How
ever, he is ready to save the country
whenever conditions are ripe to smit
Alfonso without e~ndangering his own pre-
cious hide. 1t would be difficult for tn
pretender to define his nationality.
l was born at Vevey, but he is not Swis;
1 He passed his youth in France, where hi
ancestors had reigned, and he Is nc
French. He received his military educatlo
in Vienna and qualified for a commissio
O in the Austrian army, but he is not Aus
trian, and he is an officer of the Russia
Imperial guard without being a subject
y Gear Nicholas.
what Str1des rave Deen maze IN a DTle
y period in the science OF aerial n~avigatio
is borne in powerfully upon us by a world
fair exhibiting the progress of airship cor
n struction and manipulation, which ha
IS opened at Frankfort-on-the-Main and wi
last 100 days. In September the crownin
feature OF the show Will be the arrival
Zeppelin II for a series of exhibition flight
% A million and a half has been spent on II
1L buildings and grounds whereNpon will /
held contests between airships, balloon
and dirigibles. Every type of flying mi
chine will be shown. Prizes aggregate
about $4,000 have been offered by the II
ternationale Luftschiffahrt Auststellun
mercifully shortened to la, which is Il
name of the latest and most interesting
worlds fairs.
Having exhausted every visible source
taxation, from tourist board bills TO Il
titles Of withered aristocrats, the budg
makers OF France propose to levy a pr
gressive tax on dogs, ranging from 80 cen
on the watchdog to upward OF S. a he'
on dogs de luxe" when more than fif
are owned by the same person. Finan
Minister Caillaux estimated that this d.
tax would yield a revenue Of upward
100000.
Texas Did Not Get Excited.