Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-31

FAAAN AAhNAM NAN NNeA AAe
Far nations OF the Earth.
Advancing democracy is steadily loosen
ing the grip OF the powers that be in the
old world. During the year several nota-
bic strides toward the goal OF human rights
have been taken, leaving indelible footprints
Of progress on the political highways Of
Europe, Asia and Africa. OF first rank
in the march Of representative government
is the Inauguration of the Parliament Of
the south African union. The new gov
eminent Is a federation OF the original
British colonies and the conquered Boer
colonies. working under a constitution
drafted by themselves and approved by
the imperial government marking the
twenty eighth self governing colony of the
British empire Under the pressure Of
native agitation against alien rule British
methods Of governing India were relaxed
to the extent of permitting a large increase
Of native representation in provincial coun-
ellis. thus checking for the time being
menacing agitation for complete self-gov-
eminent. The forward impulse in these
distant parts Of the empire was reflected
with impressive force in the general cleo
ton in the United Kingdom, the electorate
of which substantially approved the pro-
posed Limitation Of the veto power Of the
peerage. When this mandate OF the people
Is given the force of law, the greatest OBJ
stacle to popular rule in the British EN-
pire will be removed, and the struggle Of
a century gfor home rule in Ireland will
come to successful close.
In China the movement toward constitu-
tional government is progressing steadily.
The pressure of the preliminary national
assembly for more advanced date than
1916 has been favorably considered by the
throne and the announcement Of an earlier
date is expected with the Chinese New
Year. Portugal has exiled a king and pro
claimed a republic and the new government
is drafting constitution to meet the
changed conditions. Popular support of
the Spanish ministry in its demand for
revision of the treaty with the Vatican
was strikingy shown in the large majority
with which the Cortes passed the bill re-
stricting the number of religious orders in
the kingdom. After forty years Of semi
military rule Germany is about to grant
measure of local self-government to the
! provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, the ter
ritorial prizes of the war with France in
AS'V-tl' htdSuIGu ny lN6 vast room Tor
| improvement in old world monarchies, the
record for 1910 is not striking one, but It
is decidedly encouraging to the forces con
tending with heart and mind against might
and mammOn
Reports from American consuls in east
ern Africa show that the last section Of
100 miles of the Cape-to-Cairo railroad
January 1 last, had a notably successful
| traffic year. The line extends from Khar-
| toum to Wad Madam The amount Of
produce secured from this new section has
been revelation to every one. The freight
/ returns for the first months working were
$4,000. From most parts of the Sudan
hitherto served by the railway one or two
trainloads a week would be considered
good. On this new section a train every
day has hardly been sufficient to carry
down all the stuff-chiefly dhurra (native
CORN, gum and cotton. The fourth class
native passenger traffic has produced al
most enough to pay the working expenses
of the section. This is the first portion of
the railway to leave the desert part of the
Sudan and break into the edge OF the land
naturally fertile without artificial irriga-
ton. II the success OF this first 100
] AAillSS 10 any lilhSA " INC pOSslpllllles Oh
the rest Of the country to the south, it
would appear that the most sanguine fore
cast of the countrys commercial future
were about to be realized. The rail head
is now some distance further south, and
the section will probably be opened to
traffic next winter.
| An epidemic of strikes I'm Portugal is
/
thorities. as well as to the business com
munity. correspondent of a London jour
nal writing from Lisbon, says that the
strikes arise from a discomfort which is
becoming dangerously widespread. This is
due to various causes. Not the least i'm
portant is the rise in the cost of living
since the revolution, which has been caused
in part, by the higher rate of wages re-
sultng from the strike movement and, In
part. by the thorough manner in which
I customs duties are now collected In conse-
quence there is a loud demand In a certain
section Of the press for the total abolition
of all duties upon food and other necessar-
| les although IT is not explained how the
! loss of revenue from these sources would
be made good. Another cause of the dis
content is to be found in the promises
made by the government which have not
/ been fulfilled.
| The German organ of cremation, Die
Flamme credits the report that the pope
is preparing a decree to authorize crema-
/ ton asserting that Pope Plus, y, is per-
sonally greatly in favor of cremation and
| that as Cardinal Sarto he made strenuous
representations to Leo XIII, in order to
! procure the tolerant potest DR.. Ulbrich,
noted Bohemian physician, recently ad-
dressed a petition to the pope in which
| he set forth his reasons for praying that
cremation might receive the official assent
Of the supreme pontff DR.. Frlndt suffra-
gan bishop of Prague who was recently
in Rome and who then made inquiries
| regarding the petition was informed that
| II had not been placed ad acta, but had
been submitted to the COngregauS Inquisi-
| tionis and that the matter was making good
progress Die Flamme understands that the
pope has given directions Tor the crema-
/ ton of his own body, although OF course