The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-25
FROM OTHER PENS

GERMANY'S SUCCESSFUL WAR.
Germany's war on tuberculosis is in
the opinion of our department of COM
merce and labor, entitled to the adj
miration of the entire civilized world
as the first and most successful of its
kind. From an average of % deaths
per 10000 of population from this cause
in the Quinquennium 1895 to 1899, the
rate was reduced to q during the fol-
lowing hve-year period. and to 1915
during the one ending with 1909 The
expenditures on account OF tubercuIous
wage-earners have gone up steadily.
Commencing with an annual amount Of
S240, 900 in 1897, the figure rose to ST.
100000 in 1902 and to nearly 1000, 600
in 1909 The economic results of insti-
tutional treatment are carefully fol-
lowed by means of a special inquiry
for a period of five years subsequent
to the patients discharge. BY econ
nomic results is meant restored wage
earning capacity to the extent of at
least one-third of what it was original
ly. These results are somewhat bet
ter in the case of women than of men.
The improvement in these results is
measured by the advance from IS per
cent Of patients discharged with their
earning capacity Gin it's legal sense)
restored in 1897. to SO per cent so dis
charged in 1909. The whole story in
its general tenor aud in its particu-
lars. is a tale of the swift triumph of
applied science in a field that preced-
ing generations had not thought Of en-
tering.-New York Evening Post.
A RUSSIAN MENACE"
me lntimation that Russia, in resent
ment at our abrogation of the treaty OF
1892 may bar American goods from her
markets by means of a high tariff is not
lkely to cause profound CONSERVATION IN
the United States. not even when coupled
with the suggestion that we NAV NOT he
able 10 retalfate by applying our maxi
mum rates to Russian goods because
Russia will increase her tariff on classes
of goods merely. without reference to tbs
country of their origin. The dimensions
of the menace should eb apparent from
reference to the figures of our foreign
trade and Russia's. In 1910, fair aver
age year of the last decade. our exporIs
to Russia, in both Europe and Asia were
S17,730, 414. In the same year cur total eN-
ports were S1,744.9S472O Russia purchased.
therefore, the merest fraction more than I
per cent of our foreign sales. She pur-
chased less than Spain, little more than
Denmark, much less than Japan or
Brazil or Australia. little more than half
as much as Central American states. and
little more than one-third as much as
italy. The total loss Of that patronage
would. perhaps, be felt by a few indivId-
uals who are specially interested in Rus
sian trade. In our whole foreign COM
merce IL would he negligible and scarcely
save with a microscope. On
v-ere in that year S17.377,2l2. or Just little
less than our exports to Russia. But as
her total exports were considerably less
than half of ours. the percentage Of her
sales to us was more thar twice az grear
as that of ours to her. Even so. the loss
o our patronage would not be serious
blow to Russia Indeed. a tariff war BE-
tween two countries which have so little
commerce with each other would SAVIOR OF
humor rather than fear-New York Tri-
buEe.