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The Commoner
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tope. 'After the civil war was over the new gov
ernment sent him to Germany to study military
matters. When ho returned to Japan ho took a
leading part in reorganizing the Japanese soldiery
on the European model. Practically he is the cre
.ator of the modern Japanese army. During the
Chino-Japanese war ho had tho opportunity of
loading his men to battle and discovered that tho
trouble ho had taken to train them had not been
thrown away. Ho marched his army through
Korea to Manchuria, winning dozens' df victories
on tho way. His name became a terror throughout
thatcountry. When he got back to Japan nothing
was good enough for him. He was the 'idol of the
people, and all kinds of honors were showered
upon1 him. General Katsura believes that the Ja
panese soldiers are the best in the world,- and
says that he Would not fear the result if he had
to lead them against any white troops."
A NUMBER OF BAPTIST COLLEGES APPEAR
to have joined with those who object to 're
ceiving contributions from the Standard Oil mag
nate. A dispatch to the Chicago Inter-Ocean, un
der date of Alton, 111., January 2, says: "John D.
Rockefeller and tho American Baptist Educa
tion society of 111 Fifth avenue, New York, have
clashed, it became known here today, with the
result that a number of Baptist colleges will here
after decline to receive the donations which may
be offered by the ojl king. Tho society was organ
ized several years ago, with President A. G. Slo
cum of Kalamazoo 'college, Kalamazoo, Mich., as
president, and tho Rev. H. L. Morehouse of 111
, Fifth avenue, New York, as secretary. The society
has superintended the gifts to the Baptist col
leges .in tho United States. Since its organiza
tion Mr. Rockefeller has been one of Its' chief
patrons. Recently some cf the Baptist leaders
have offered protests against the use of Mr.
Rockefeller's money for sucu purposes, upon the
ethical ground that the money camefrom a trust
that wrung it from the poor people. The result
was a clash with Mr. Rockefeller, which was aiso
said to be one of the principal reasons for tho
recent resignation of Secretary Morehouse."
' &.
VP 9v
1'"VhE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE
, mint shows the approximate distribution by
producing states and territories of the products of
gold and silver of .the United States for the year
1903. Tho showing is as follows:
Stato or Silver Corn-
Territory Gold. mercial value.
Alabama ? 5,085 ? 28
Alaska. 6,921,157 . 16,540
Arizona 4,784,000 1,932,115
California 16,535,525 497,664
Colorado .... 22,000,000 7,517,812
Georgia 63,752 202
Idaho 2,067,183 3,915,000
, Maryland . . . 620 ; .
Michigan 39,832
Montana 4,134,367. 5,400,000
Nevada 3,576,227 2,376,000
New Mexico r. . 372,093 151,200
North Carolina 97,5.71. - 4,784
Oregon 1,364,341 67,500
South Carolina 102,573 145
South Dakota 2,889,137 179,965
Tennessee 41
Utah .....: 5,064,599 8,100,000
Virginia. 4,506 301
Washington 434,109 164,700
Wyoming 17,075 224
.'' Totals $74,425,340 $30,520,688
ACCORDING TO THE MINT DIRECTORS
report, tho principal increase and decrease
lor the year are shown as follows: Alaska, gold,
decrease, $1,424,000; silver,, decrease, $32,000.
These decreases are due to the season in which
running water was available being about a month
shorter than other recent years. Colorado's gold
decrease is $6,468,000; silver, decrease, $791,000.
These -decreases were duo to tho miners' strike,
which greatly interfered with production. Idaho's
gold increase is $592,000; silver, increase, $812,000.
Nevada's gold Increase is $081,000; silver, increase,
$391,000. Montana's gold decrease is $215,000; sil
ver, decrease, $1,619,000. Utah's gold increase is
$1,470,000; silver, increase, $2,360,000. Washing
ton's gold increase is $162,000; silver, decrease,
$164,000. South Dakota's gold decrease is $4,
076,000, and Oregon's gold decrease is $452,000.
A total net decrease is shown in the gold produc
tion of $5,575,000, and a not increase of $1,100,000
in the production of silver.
THE ELECTION OF A WOMAN TO THE
presidency ol a railroad company is re
ported by tho Chicago Inter-Ocean. A correspon
dent for that paper,under dato of Colfax, la.,
January 2, says: "Mrs. T. M. Hooper was elected
president of the Colfax Northern Railroad com
pany today, succeeding her late husband, who
controlled the stock of the road until his death a
few weeks ago. The road is only twelve miles
long, but handles a large coal tonnage, and is
very valuable. Mrs. Hooper announces" it will
probably be doubled in length this year, opening
up a large additional coal territory. It is a con
nection of the Chicago Great Western."
PARIS NEWSPAPERS ARE COMMENTING! .ON
the unanimity of astrologers, magicians and
clairvoyants in predicting a year of horrors lor
1904. The Paris correspondent for the ChicagoJn-ter-Ocean
presents a sample of these predictions, in
thid way: A leading astrologer named Jacob sizes
up tho situqtion as follows, and the others agreo
more or less as to detail: "Hero Is the horoscope
for 1904, made at the moment the sun entered
the "sign of Capricorn: It Indicates a year of
great immorality in London. The viceroy of India
abdicates. The United States has grave quarrels
with Russia and Germany Roosevelt falls sick
and a conspiracy is hatched against him. S'erious
financial disasters visit America. The emperor of
Japan has a grave accident. An attemut is made
upon tho life of the emperor of China. Volcanic
shocks afflict Constantinople, Chill, and the Phil
ippines. A fear of unhealthy literature and un
limited materialism arises. The French cabinet
falls between April 7 and 19. A panic in a music
hall, grave accidents, and popular disturbances
visit Russia. An attempt is made to poison the
czar. Serious dissensions appear between Russia
and Austria. Great Britain loses prestige. The
campaign in Thibet falls through. Tremendous
failures occur in Calcutta and the Transvaal. An
archistic troubles develop in Spain, the govern
ment being threatened. In China women are mas
sacred. Everywhere are crimes of passion, mys
terious deaths, and strange phenomena. Nineteen
hundred and four is an anagram of 1409, tho date
of the birth of Joan of Arc. This year a wonder
ful child will be born with a high destiny, show
ing its "power in 1924, an anagram of 1429, the dato
of tho apogee of Joan of Arc."
vr ar
N INTERESTING ARTICLE
ON AN IN-
X terestlng current to'iild' recentlyappeared in
the Washington Post. This article was entitled
"History Repeats Itself After Two Decades," and
made a comparison of the political history and
progress of President Arthur and President Roose
velt. The Post says: "In June, 1880, an Ohio
man, James A. Garfield, who had been conspicuous
in the lower house of congress, was nominated
by tho republicans for president. A New York
man, Chester A. Arthur, was nominated for vice
president. Soon after his inauguration, President
Garfield was assassinated. Vice President Arthur
became president. President Arthur soon had to
deal with corruption in the postal service. Dis
cord arose among the republicans of New York
state. President Arthur made no secret of tho
fact that he desired the nomination in 1884. Pres
ident Arthur had the support of the New York
leaders. The convention of 1884 was called to meet
at Chicago in June. The situation in New ork
state gave concern to the republican leaders. The
democrats went to New York state for their pres
idential candidate. President Arthur was de
feated for the republican nomination. In June,
1900, an Ohio man, William McKinley, who had
been conspicuous in the lower house of congress,
was nominated by the republicans for president. A
Now York man, Theodore Roosevelt, was nomi
nated for vice president. Soon after his inaug
uration President McKinley was assassinated.
Vice President Roosevelt became president. Pres
ident Roosevelt soon had to deal wtth corruption
in the postal service. Discord arose among the re
publicans of New York state. President Roosevelt
has made no secret of the fact that he desires
the nomination in 1904. President Roosevelt has
the support of the New York leaders. The conven
tion of 1904 has been called to meet at Chicago in
June. The situation in New York gives concern
to the republican leaders. The democrats are
looking to New York state for their presidential
candidate. Will President Roosevelt be defeated
for the republican nomination?" '
THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT,
speaking through Chiof Justice Fuller, de
livered an opinion January 4 in a case involving
the question whether Porto Ricans are entitled to
free entry Into the United States. In 1902 tho au
thorities at tho port of Now York refused to ad
mit a Porto Rican woman, Gonzales by namo, on
the ground that she was likely to become a public
charge In the opinion delivered by Chief Justice
Fuller, It is hold that the P,orto Ricans owing al-
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 52.
legiance to the United States, and to no other
ernment, are therefore entitled to enter th7 ttJ? I
States at their pleasure. Referring to th, no lc?
1900, creating a civil government for PoXrI
tho court said that tho woman was a citiUn
Porto Rica under that act and adds. "Tho? I
nothing expressed in the act nor reasonably tnL
implied therefrom to indicate the intention 0?
congress -that citizens of Porto Rico should hi
considered as aliens and the right of free access
-denied to them."
TN THIS OPINION, THE SUPREME COURT
X, says that the question not one of citizen
ship, but rather, one of alienage, Chief Justice
fuller says: "We are not required to discuss the
power of congress in the premises, or the conten
tion of Gonzales' counsel that tho ce3sJon of Porto
Rico accomplished the naturalization of the people
pr that of Commissioner -Degatau that a citizen of
Porto Rico is necessarily a citizen of the United
States. The question is the narrow one whether
Gonzales was an alien within the meaning of that
term as used in the act of 1891. We think it
clear that that act relates to; foreigners as le
spects this country, to persons giving allegiance
to a foreign government, and citizens or subjects
thereof, and that citizens of Porto "Rico, whoso
permanent allegiance is due to the United States,
are not aliens, and upon their arrival by water at
the ports of our mainland are not 'alien immi
grants' within the intent and meaning of the act
6f 1891."
COMMENTING UPON THIS DECISION, THE
Indianapolis News saye trial while tho
opinion is a righteous one, "it must have taken a
good deal of ingenuity to reach it." The News
points out that "the court his held that we have
the right to impose taxes on the trade of these
people who owe allegiance to the United States
taxes that are supposed to he leviea only on ior
eign trade. Now it is said that the Porto Ricans
are not foreigners, though we taxed their trade
as foreign trade. Under the Porto Rican act the
people of Porto Rico are not citizens of the United
States, but of Porto Rico and yet Porto Rico is
a part of. the United States, and the Porto Ricans,
though not citizens of the United States, never
theless owe allegiance to it." . '
DOUBTLESS THERE WILL BE VERY
general agreement with the opinion of this
Indiana newspaper that "clearly1 one result of our
oversea acquisitions is to introduce a good deal of
metaphysics into the body of our law." The News
says that there are many things suggested by this
decision on which the court did not pass. For in
stance, how could the Porto Ricans become citi
zens? They did not become citizenb by annexa
tionat least congress did not intend that they
should. Probably a Porto Rican moving to tho
United States would have to be naturalized. et
he could not swear allegiance to the United States,
for that he already owes accordinfa to this deci
sion. He could not renounce allegiauce to another
sovereign, for there is no other sovereign. But
we can all be content to know that the Forto
Ricans are not foreigners, and that tney can come
to this country whenever they please, At least
they have the right of locomotion throughout our
national domain. Not being citizens, and yet ow
ing allegiance, can it be said that they are sub
jects? IN A RECENT ISSUE. THE COMMONER Re
produced from the Chicago Chronicle an ar
ticle claiming that the house in which Andre,
the British officer, who was executed as a spy a wr
ing the revolutionary war, yet stands in the Htuo
village of Tappan, near -the border line between
New York and New Jersey, and about twenty-i ye
miles from New York city. Tn this article A'J
was referred to as a major general and it was
said that he was shot. Several readers of lue
Commoner have written to correct this plain er
ror. Andre was hanged at Tappan, October a,
1780. Ho was not a major general, but held tne
rank of major. One correspondent Tvho directs i ax
tentlon to this error advances the opinion uwj
Benedict Arnold who betrayed his country aim
with whom Andre, who was merely serving ms
country, was co-operating, should have met w
fate meted out to the unfortunate British offlcei.
I
N SPITE OF THE I ASSUKANCE i WOTl
tne isew xont wunu y " i mnu
ister, it is reported that on January 6 a moo
bent upon a general massacre was raised w j
ineff. Tho police were able, nowevor, to SWP",
tho riot, although a number of Jewish wsideng
wore attacked, many of them being knociw
down and trampled upon in the streets.
