m
Cbe Conservative * 7
orate mankind ? The Veiled Prophet
of Khorassnu undertook that. Bui wo
can't govern Asiatics consistently with
those principles of liberty that are em
bodied as a bill of rights in the first ten
amendments to the constitution. Con
gress can establish a religion , extend the
anti-polygamy act to the aichipelago , or
grant an indulgence to Mussulmans and
lot them follow the example of Maho
met ; it can enact bills of attainder and
ex-post-facto laws , mid deprive men of
life , liberty , and property without due
process of law. The islands will be
governed as a crown colony , and the
president will bo king of the Philippines.
Ho\v long then , will it bo before that
immortal ode "Alexander's Feast"
will cense to bo simply an imaginary
picture of a scene in a long-buried past ?
But those who rely on the authority of
Mr. Wobbter have failed to heed his
prophecy of woo in a speech ngainst
expansion and imperialism delivered
shortly before the one quoted. He said :
"Arbitrary governments may have
territories and distant possessions , be
cause arbitrary governments mny rule
them by different laws and different
systems. Russia may rule in the
Ukraine and the provinces of the Cau
casus mid Knmtchatka by different
codes , ordinances , or ukases. "We can
do no such thing. They must be of us ,
jxtrt of us , or else strangers. "
The italics are Webster's. The fact
that the advocates of annexation claim
this gigantic , extra-constitutional power
proves that it is their purpose to exer
cise it. Jxo. S. MOSUY.
. THE CIIAXGKI ) FRONT OF TJIK
AVOKLl ) .
A good friend of ours and one of the
best fellows in the country put an arti
cle forth under this heading , and made
it the text , whereon the comment of the
occasion was the propriety of our absorb
ing Hawaii. Since which ho has been
continuing the process over East and
West Indies and , for aught wo know ,
the world in general. The "front" has
evidently changed in the interest of our
enlargement.
This is rather an inspiring , if it be not
afiomewhat bewildering , thought ; that
our old world , whom wo supposed a little
fixed in her ways , should at this late date
renew her visage , like a wrinkled belle ,
and appeax * on the stage of being in the
fresh role of youth. We like to think
of the possibility , for it makes the re
sources of existence more capacious , and
the future more interesting ; while in
stances can bo produced from history ,
ancient and recent , which seem to bear
out the idea. Only wo think it worth
while to figure out as well as wo can
exactly what the nature of any such
change maybe ; and if it refer itself
rather to a phase in the general organized
habits of mankind than to some geographical
graphical or national accident , wo will
have learned the more in grasping the
character of that change.
So far as the practical relations of dif
ferent countries are concerned , perhaps
the most important factor in their re
cent history is the enormous increase of
intercourse among them. Means and
facilities of transportation havn im
mensely multiplied , and commerce with
them ; by the same token , commerce
more and more readily finds its most
profitable channels , and the whole
theory of international economics alters
of its own accord to suit. The old com
mercial barriers grow so absurd that
people instinctively quit arguing the
matter. The idea of raising revenue by
high tariff is simply exploded ; that of
any availing protection by it is rapidly
going the same wny. Comm rco makes
the world one in material intercourse ,
as our states become one under the con
stitution , and at once abolished all
such barriers between themselves. It
makes less and less difference who oc
cupies the toil , among progressive na
tions ; the commodities are more and
more the same.
Now if the world is changing front it
would seem to be along such lines as
these that wo are to trace the change.
Not who shall own but how the trade
shall run. "The garment is his that
wears it , the world is his that enjoys
it. " The writer of this "changed front"
has been heard to declare that he did
not care to the extent of the briefest
expletive whether it were ourselves or
England who had Hawaii so the requis
ite ends were secured. Putting the act
of mere proprietary possession for that
of utilization scorns as if the prospector
should bag every piece of mineral as he
comes to it instead of grasping the
whole iu his survey to work as he may find
occasion. Some things , like bees , maybe
bo ever so productive , but not most com
fortable to hold in the hand. * * *
The subject of
UKSTOKATION. J * ° f
of cultivating for
ests , is one that has not received much
attention in Indiana. In a number of
other states its importance is better
understood and action has been taken
toward increasing the forest area.
Nebraska being originally a treeless
country , no argument was required to
convince land owners of the need of
planting trees , mid they have willingly
co-operated with the authorities in the
work , with the result that thousands of
acres of young timber now diversify
that state. In Eastern states , notably
Now York , the efforts of forestry organ
izations have taken the form of protect
ing the forest lands yet remaining rather
than in planting now trees. Indiana
was heavily timbered in its early history
and the work of clearing the land for
agricultural purposes was great. It was
in later years , when the lumber markets
opened , that the cutting of the trees
became reckless , as is the case in all now
countries. Land which would have
been bettor loft covered was then de
nuded of trees and the consequence was
shown in the drying up of streams and
the loss of protection to cultivated fields ,
to say nothing of a lessoning of property
values and of general picturesqueness of
scenery. There is but one way of
remedying the recklessness and lack of
foresight of the earlier settlers , and that
is by taking care of the forests that now
exist and in planting more trees. There
has boon little agitation of the matter ,
and for that reason there is no popular
sentiment concerning it , but not a few
people have taken thought of it , and the
result is a bill before the legislature
whose purpose is the encouragement of
tree-growing. As an inducement to
land owners it offers to all who select
any part of their land , not exceeding
one-eighth of the total area of the tract ,
as a permanent forest reservation , a
practical exemption of tax upon that
acreage. To bo exact , such reservation
is designed to bo appraised at $1 per
acre. Provisioii is made for a certain
number of trees to the acre , for a re
planting when any are removed , and for
a county record of such reservations.
The measure is a step in the right direc
tion. It may not become a law because
the public is not yet awake to the de
sirability of sucli laws , but the time will
come when tlieir wisdom is recognized ,
and if this bill does nothing more it will
call attention to the matter and thus
serve an educational purpose. Indian
apolis Journal.
For old people ,
CLIMATE AND those who can afford
SCKNKKY.
ford it and who
wish to enjoy their declining years in a
climate of softness and sunshine , Califor
nia certainly possesses great attractions.
The temperature around Coronndo
and San Diego approximates about 70 °
the year around.
The climate during the summer with
the sea breezes varies but little from
that of the winter.
People in Nebraska , Kansas and other
western states wishing sea air can reach
the Pacific in about the same time as
they can the Atlantic and will find just
as many attractions and not as much of
a crowd.
It is only a question of time before the
summer travel to the seaside resorts of
the Pacific coast will bo fully as great
as the winter travel. Few of our people
in the Mississippi river valley appreciate
how thoroughly cool and comfortable
the California resorts are in summer and
how many things of historical and other
interest are to bo found there.
The , Del Monte hotel at Monterey and
the Hotel del Coronado at Coronado
Beach are probably without superiors
auywhoro in the world.