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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1903)
iumjjj'j'''isww The Commoner. Jan, 9, 1903. 3 UNPARALLELED IN MAGNIFICENCE. Description of IboPomn and' Pageantry that Mnrkod tho Entry of Lord Curzon into tho Cupital of tho Moguls. & " "a V"w M Tho American people have a lively recollec tion of the appeals made to them at various times in behalf of the famine-stricken people of India. It is to the credit of tho American people that they have never failqd to respond to these or any other appeals made in behalf of human beings who were suffering. Enormous contributions of money and supplies were sent from this country for the aid of tho people of India who were Brit ish subjects. Even during the South African war while Great Britain was spending millions upon millions of pounds in an effort to subjugate tho Dutchmen of the Transvaal, British subjects in India were suffering and tho generosity of tho world was called upon to provide them with re lief. The distress in India has been so recently brought to the attention of tho world that it would seem that the best energies of the British agents would now be devoted toward the pre vention of famine in the future; and yet one is forced to the impression that tho British agents in India give the minimum attention to tho condi tions of the masses in that country and manifest tho maximum concern for pomp and pageantry on tho part of British officials. One of tho most interesting reports that has ever been made of official proceedings was that which the Associated press carried from Delhi, India, under date of December 29. The entire dispatch is well worth reading. It is as follows: The , viceroy, Lord Kurzon of Kedleston, made his state entry into the capital of iho Moguls today. This constituted the official ' opening of the Durbar held to celebrate the accession of King Edward as emperor of India. It was a splendid pageant, probably un paralleled in its magnificence. At tho head of the elephant procession rode Lord and Lady Curzon on the state familiar names of Thomas Nast, . dam Bierstadt, Benjamin Constadt, Vilbert and Tissot. The great world of. industry lost Freiderich Alfred Krupp. Another name, that of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, stands out clearly upon the scroll of 1902's illus trious dead. Every department of the world's work has suffered a loss, and while 1902 has not wrought greater havoc than other years, it will be remem bered because it witnessed the death of men and women who were recognized leaders and who had conferred lasting benefits upon human-kind. JJJ Enforce the Law. The house has passed a bill appropriating $500,000 for the purpose of aiding the administra tion in enforcing the anti-trust law. The subject was brought to the attention of the house by an amendment, offered by Mr. Bart-, lett, a democrat of Georgia, to the executive ap propriation bill which provided for an appropria tion of $250,000 for the purpose of enforcing the Sherman law and at the same time directing tho attorney general to prosecute all violators of that law. Mr. Hepburn, a republican of Iowa, offered a substitute appropriating $500,000. Mr. Hepburn's substitute, which was adopted, was as follows: "That for the enforcement of the provi sions of the act of July 2, 1890, the sum of $500,000 Ib hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury not heretofore appro priated, to be expended under the direction of the attorney general in the employment "grand tusker," twelve feet high, the largest elephant in India. Their howdah was decked with gold and silver and the elephant itself was almost hidden beneath a gold-worked saddle cloth. Surrounding them were footmen in scarlet and gold liveries and bearing masslvo silver staves. Tho Duke of Connaught, who represented ICing Edward, and tho Duchess of Connaught followed. Their olephant was equally gorge ously caparisoned. Then, in order of pre- cedence, came the Nizam of Hyderabad, tho Mahajarah of Travancore, and other ruling chiefs, seventy in all, their hugo elephants forming a line a quarter of a mile in length. This glittering procession started from tho railroad station, preceded by dragoon guards and artillery, tho viceroy's escort, and by heralds and trumpeters. Tho route was en tirely lined by British and native troops. From the saluting battery, posted at tho fort commanding the Lahore gate, guns thundered out a royal salute as the viceroy passed, with the heralds and trumpeters sounding at inter vals spirited fanfares. The cortege passed in front of a lino of 150 elephants carrying the brilliantly dressed retainers of tho ruling chiefs. The colossal beasts all saluted by trumpeting and throw ing their trunks in tho air, presenting a truly imposing sight, and afterward fell in line be hind the official procession. Huge crowds of onlookers witnessed the spectacle, which, it is asserted, has never been surpassed in magnificence, oven in this country of oriental splendor. The heralds, pursuivants and trumpeters who followed the escort and immediately pre ceded the viceregal procession were conspic uous by the splendor of their attire. They were followed by tho newly constituted im perial cadet corps, comprising: their marhar jaras. The excitement was at fever heat as the first elephants, with gold and silver how dahs, of tho staff officers came into view and commenced to circle around tho mosque. The finest elephants in Asia passed in front of tho great Jumma Musjid, tho steps of which were thronged with distinguished personages, including tho viceroy's Ameri can and British guests and tliQ delegates from tho colonics and from othor parts of the em pire. The enormous animals shuffled slowly by, many of the massivo howdah3 of quaint and rich design being surmounted by magnificent canopies of gold embroidered and bejowelcd tapestry. Tho bodie of the animals wero almost hidden by their trappings of crimson, purple and gold, bands of gold encircled their tusks, golden bracelets wero on their ankles, gold and silver belts were hanging from thelr neck chains and their heads wero painted and decorated in overy conceivablo color. The mahouts wero clad in tho brightest at tire, as were tho attendant spearmen who marched by tho elephants' sides. In tho rear of tho procession rode Gen eral Lord Kitchener, tho commander-in-chief of India, surrounded by a brilliant staff and by three princes with escorts of Indian cav alry, and tribal leaders from boyond the bor der line. Down tho main street moved tho corteges of saluting soldiers and excited, surg ing, salaming throngs of natives, through the ancient city with tho balconies and house tops teeming with life and through tho More gate into tho open park, boyond. There, after a four-mile march, tho elephants of tho viceroy and Duke of Connaught halted side by side and tho pageant was concluded with the great princess filing by, their elephants trumpeting a salute. The viceroy was in state uniform, Lady Curzon ..as dressed In gray, the Duke of Connaught had on a field marshal's uniform, and tho Duchess of Connaught was attired in blue. They received a flattering welcomo at all points. The viceroy and Duke of Connaught sub sequently drove to the main camps. Tho roads, after the passage of the pro cession, presented a scene of chaos as tho camels, carriages, mule carts, landaus, bicycles and bullock carts pressed onward in strange confusion. of special counsel and agents of the depart ment of justice, to conduct proceedings, suits and prosecutions under said act in tho courts of the United States; provided that no per son shall be prosecuted or be subject to any penalty or forfeitures for or on account of any transaction, matter or tuing concerning which he may testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, in any proceeding, suit or prosecution under said acts; provided, further, that no person so testifying shall be exempt from prosecution or punishment for perjury committed in so testifying. This ap propriation shall be immediately available." Mr. Bartlett asked Mr. Hepburn to incorpor ate in his amendment a provision directing tho attorney general to enforce the criminal clause of tho Sherman law. Mr. Hepburn objected to this on the ground that it might be interpreted as a reflection upon the attorney general. This appropriation will meet with very gen eral approval. Every possible effort should bo made to encourage the administration to proceed against the trusts. When this appropriation is placed at the administration's disposal, it is to bo hoped that Mr. Roosevelt will instruct his attor ney general to enforce the criminal clause of tho anti-trust law, which is, indeed, the chief feature of that measure. 4It would seem that Mr. Roosevelt's attorney general would feel under special obligations to commence criminal prosecutions because of tho fact that Mr. Hepburn objected to the Incorpora tion of a special provision to that effect on the ground that It might be interpreted as a reflection on tho attorney general. Inasmuch as Mr. Knox's party friends In the house could not object to criminal prosecution of the trusts and yet were eager to avoid any "re- flection" upon the attorney general It would seem that Mr. Knox would deem it necessary to make a serious effort against the trusts by way of crim inal prosecution. If ho does not do this, ho might, at least, explain to the people why he fails to enforco the chief feature of the anti-trust law. JJJ A Whole Sermon. A subscriber, without giving his name, sends an item from a paper, name not given, and sug gests that it would form a text It is not-only a text, but a whole sermon. The argument which it presents would seem plain enough, and yet, strange to say, there are many honest and Intelli gent republicans who seem perfectly ignorant of the manner in which the syndicates administer tho finances of the government for their own interest and profit The item is as follows: Tho banks run short of money recently and tho banker who heads the United States treasury rushes to their assistance with tho people's money and loans to them without interest, millions. When the people to whom this belongs ueed money, do they get it from their dear, sweet government? Not on your penny. They can go to the banks and borrow their own money and pay well for It But tho bankers understand the art of voting for their interest, while the masses have no such un- derstanding. When tho rich need help they, get it; when ine poor need help they get It in tho neck, vat an odd arrangement And the people go blundering along and. never see a thing. .-jr--... , -MfriTiHiifiriaymflrifa iflfiM,iiH.H..