.
The Commoner.
Oct. io, 196a
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ijf
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an the -way from London. Charles Rothschilds Is
the second son of the lord of that name and the
story presented the more or less interesting state
ment that this rich son of a rich sire prides him
self ori having "the largest collection of fleas that
was over, brought together." Recently a number of
polar explorers brought young Rothschilds a num
ber t)f fleas that live on animals within the Arctic
circle. Young Rothschilds was reported, in this
cablegram, as having been very enthusiastic on the
subject of fleas. He boasted: "I nave fleas from
every corner of the world, over ten thousand
different varieties. Whenever an. expedition is
about to start for a foreign land I engage one Of
the party to collect specimens of fleas from every
species of mammal ana bird in the country. Tho
variety is endless and it affords mo as great delight
as any of my relatives derive from securing a
great masterpiece of art" Mr. Baer, the coal
baron, might use this instance, as proof of his
claim that people of immense wealth are tho
"trustees of God." Who may doubt the divinity
of young RothschildB trusteeship for instance?
Humanity is to derive so much benefit from the
use to which this trustee has put his wealth that it
is Indeed strange thatiiny one would question the
fact of young Rothschilds' appointment as trustee.
KING .LEOPOLD OF BELGIUM MAY -BE
forced to. abdicate because of a strong pre
judice toward him on the part of his people. This
prejudice has been stirred by Leopold's treatment
of his two daughters, both of whom are referred
to as excellent women. When tho queen died re
cently and ono of these daughters came to kneel
at her mother's bier, the Icing refused to receive
his child .and this latest act served to intensify the
popular prejudice. It seems also to be a fact,
strange and interesting, that Leopold is not at all
disturbed by the threat that he will be forced to
abdicate; nor will he bo displeased when the crown
is wrested from him. He is an immensely wealthy
man and it. is said will be pleased to leave the
country oyer Which he has reigned and grown
rich, in order to enjoy his fortune In another land.
Another report has It, however, that tho king is
anxious that "his" favorite nephew, Prince Albert,
will be permitted to succeed him and that if this
desire be nojt gratified the king will resist the at
tempt to. dispossess him. At the same time there
appears' to be growing with the popular prejudice
against the''king'a sentiment in favor of the estab
lishment of a republic,' and Interesting times are
looked for In Belgium" In the near future.
A TERRIBLE COMMOTION IS ON IN LONDON
and all because King Edward visited Andrew
Carnegie in spite of the fact that Carnegie had
never been presented at court It is said thatnf ter
the king had been shown about Skibo castle and
observed the works of improvement thereon he
expressed his keen regret that he did not possess
the wealth of a. Carnegie. If Edward had emi
grated to the United States at an early age he
might have become a tariff baron like Carnegie;
and. so far as "wealth and power, are concerned,
there is little comparison between a European
king and an American tariff baron.
AN INTERESTING AND FAIR PARAPHRASE
of Mr. Roosevelt's Cincinnati speech is pre
sented by theNew Ydrk Times. The Times points
out that some of the republican leaders who at one
time looked on Mr. Roosevelt as a "trouble
hunter" are, since his speech at Cincinnati, prais
ing him for his "conservatism." The Times de
clares that 4,thiB is based chiefly on the very em
phatic manner in which the president made it
plain that he had no intention of advocating tho
only practical present curb on the evils attending
the trusts namely ,the withdrawal from them
of the favors of the tariff. But without this most
recent demonstration of "his purpose not to Inter
fere "with the idol of his party there does not
seem to have been anything in the propositions of
Mr. Roosevelt that need alarm the most timid
of the politicians. After giving effect to all tho
qualifications on which ho insists there is not
much left to his speeches. Take his latest and
most carefully elaborated utterance at Cincinnati.
Suppose that he had contented hiniself with a
statement in substance as follows: 'No one knows
exactly how to tell them apart. I do not know
good' ones and there are had ones. I do not know
exactly how to tell tho mapart I do not know'
.precisely what the evils of the bad ones are.
"Whatever they may be, congress has not now tho
. power to Temedy them. I do not know exactly
what definite power it ought to have, but the only
way to give it Is by an amendment to the consti
tution, the nature of which cannot be stated in
advance.' But it will take a great while to get the
amendment, and we can have time to study it out
, All I can-say is that we must act with the great
est firmness and caution, courage aad deliberation,
do nothing until wo aro suro we aro right, and do
it without hesitation' " And tho Times submits:
"Would not that bo 'in reality all that ho did say
in his speech at Cincinnati or in tho speeches that
havo preceded it? As wo have paraphrased his
utterances they seem nonsensical. But is tho
paraphrase unfair or incomplete?"
THE STORY OF ONE WOMAN'S SUCCESSFUL
X struggle is told by Success for October: A
few years ago Mis&Rosa Weiss was poor 'but also
ambitious. Now she is an M. D. and has a luera
tlve practice She' asked her brother to send her
to college. Ho told her that he ould not afford
to d6 that; but, giving her five cents, Jestingly
Bald to her", "Go on that!" She saw wonderful
possibilities In that nickel. With it sho bought
a yard of calico from which sho mado a sun-bonnet
Selling tho sun-bonnet for 25 -cents, she
bought material for bonnets and aprons. In this
way several dollars were realized. Her brother,
pleased with her thriftiness, gave her some land,
which sho planted to sweet potatoes, cultivating it
Avith the assistance of a small boy. Tho products
of the first year brought her $40. Later rfho en
tered a state educational institution, where sho
remained until sho graduated with honor. During
the course sho received some assistance from an
aid society, all of wnich was repaid. MIbs Weiss
entered tho Medical College at Baltimore, Md.,
where she paid her tuition by nursing, and was
graduated from there with honor. Sho is now a
practising physician in Meridian, Miss., near her
former home, and her income is a good one.
THE LATE PREMIER OF ENGLAND, LORD
Salisbury, is reported as being seriously ill,
and this report has aroused anew interest in tho
man who shaped England's policies for so many
years. It Is significant that in the case of many
public men, the older they grow tho more sym
pathy they excito and the less hostility they evoke.
A few years ago no man was more bitterly de
nounced by the radicals and liberals of England
than Salisbury; and no man more bitter of tongue
than ho In returning their denunciation. And yet
as time passed these bitter utterances have ceased
to find a place In Lord Salisbury's speeches, and
his most determined opponents have grown to re
spect and admire him. This is partly due to tho
general conviction that the peer is first and fore
most a man, loyal and devoted to his country, and
of the highest character in his private life.
THE PROGRESS OF THE ANTHRACITE COAL
strike is watched with great intorest
throughout tho country, and many plans havo been
discussed as the best means of settling it Judge
John Gibbons of the circuit court of Cook county,
Illinois, Is responsible for the view that it would
be an exercise of lawful authority for the state to
compel the owners of the coal mines to operate
the mines for the benefit of the public, or else for
the state to taKo possession of the mines and
operate them through lessees. Judge Gibbons is
recognized as an authority on constitutional law,
and gave tho above opinion when asked if thero
was any lawful -way to compel the coal operators
, to open up the mines. Elaborating on this opinion,
Judge Gibbons declared that tho right to acquire
and hold property is regulated by human law
which cannot derogate from the natural law, and
this law prevails over all positive laws of prop
erty. In thfs connection, the jurist cited the eman
cipation of the slaves who had been held under a
vested right in this country, created by common
consent, guaranteed by tho constitution and conse-'
crated by a century's legislation, but notwith
standing all this, had to give way to a higher law.
Drawing a comparison between this case and that
in which the coal operators are concerned, tho
jurist held that as the coal fields were necessary
for the common good, they therefore cannot lawful-
ly be appropriated by any one man or set of men
to the exclusion of the whole people.
THROUGHOUT THE . INDUSTRIAL WORLD
marked changes and Improvements are'-tak-'
ing place. A report comes from Germany that the
reorganization of the German textile industries
along American lines is proceeding on a compre
hensive scale, and that tne system of highly de
veloped division of labor Is gradually being intro
duced in the leading factories of Saxony and Prus
sia. The introduction of this system has resulted
in cheapening production and increasing wages.
It is said that these changes are due to tho interest
felt by German merchants and manufacturers in
the industrial progress of the United States.
Ing to this story a man was oce" being tried (ot
.murder, and his caso looked hopeless lndood. Ho
had, without any scorning provocation, murdered
ono of his neigh bow in cod blood. Not a lawyer,
in tho county would. touch tllo case. It looked bad
enough to ruin tho roputation of any Tjarrlstor.
Tho man, as a last extremity, appealed to Mr.
Clay to tako tho caso for him. Every ono thought
that Clay would cortainly refuse. But when the
celebrated lawyer lookod Into the matter his fight-,
ing blood was roused, and, to tho great surprise
of all, he accepted. Then camo a trial the liKe ot
which I havq never seen. Clay slowly carriod on
tho caso, and it looked more and moro hopeless.,
The only ground of defense tho prlvoner had was
that tho murdered man had looked at him with,
such a florco, murderous look that out of self-do-'
fense ho had struck first A rlpplo passed through
tho jury at this evidence Tho time camo for
Clay to mako his defense It was settled in the
minds of tho spectators that tho man was guilty
of murder in tho first degree. Clay calmly pro
ceeded, laid all tho proofs before them in his.
masterly way. 1 hen, Just as ho was nbout to con
clude, ho played his last raastor card. "Gentle
men of tho jury," ho said, assuming tho fiercest,
blackest look and carrying tho most undying
hatred in it that I havo over seen, "gentlemen, if a
man should look at you llko this, what would you
do?" That was all ho said, but that was .enough.
Tho Jury was startled, and some oven quailed in
their seats. Tho judgo moved uneasily on his
"bench. Aftor fifteen minutes tho Jury filed slowly
back with a "Not guilty, your honor." Tho vic
tory was complete vnen Clay was congratulated
on his easy victory, ho said: "It was not so easy
as you think. I spent days and days in my room
before tho mirror practising that look. It took
moro hard work to give that look than to investi
gate tho most obtuso case."
THE CLAIM THAT SCIENTIFIC MEN ARH
apt to live long and that mental industry
is an aid to attaining a healthy old age is dealt
with by "Modern Society." Uuis publication points
out that four of tho men recently seated at tho
council tablo of the London Iron and Stool Insti
tute ytcro moro than eighty years of age. It is ex
plained: "Sir Lowthlan Bell Is In his eighty-seventh
year, and still carries his extraordinary ex
perience of British iron anu coal as lightly as
other men carry tho gardenia in their buttonhole.
Sir Bernard Samuelsort is eighty-two. Timo has
left deeper marks on his figure and visage, it Is
true, hut he Is still halo and hearty. Sir John
Alleyno stands as square and sturdy today as ho
did when at tho head of tho great Midland iron
foundries which rolled tho girders for all our.
earlier Ironclads and ocean liners and cast tho
huge iron skeleton of tho St Pancras Railway
station. The fourth octogenarian is an American,
Mr. John Fritz of Bethlehem, United States. Ho
openly preaches 1-0 doctrine that applied science
gives men healthy activity of brain, and supplies
that salt and savor of life which wo all noed to
render our life worth living."
AN INTERESTING COMPARISON AS TO THE
number of millionaires In Great Britain and
the United States is made by tho New York Times.
It would appear from tho official income tax re
turns just Issued in England that there are only
fifteen millionaires in Great Britain and one in
Ireland. These sixteen persons mako the sum
total of the individuals In that country who enjoy
incomes of over 50,000 pounds, and this Is about
the "millionaire" level. This Information is ac
quired, as stated above, by means of the official in
come tax list and in that country, as In this, tho
great majority of tho taxes are borne by those
least able to do so.
AN INTERESTING STORY- RELATING Ta
Henry. Clay is told through the Louisville
Courier-Journal by a citizen of Chicago. Accord-
THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN OF BELGIUM,
Marie Henrietta has "brought to light many
Incidents which serve to impress the genuine no
bility of this unhappy woman. She has long been
known as "The Quoen of Sorrows," a title well
earned by the many pvvrere trials through which
sho has passed. Mario Henriette was horn on
August 23, 1836, and has been queen of Belgium
since December 10, 1865. 'rno first great sor
row came to the queen in tne death of her son at
the age of 10 years. For many years the king
and queen lived virtually a life of separation, and
to this unhappiness was added the escapades ot
her children and tragedies in the lives of those
near to her. Notwithstanding all these mlsfor7
tunes, the queen has always sought to lessen her
soifrow by devoting her energies to works of charr
ity, and she was beloved and respected by hex:
people. .
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