k
Che Conservative
7
The duty and opportunity of the anti-
imperialists , therefore , are clear. They
should unite their efforts in endeavoring
to secure in congress a majority com
mitted to their policy ( or to prevent the
election of one opposed to it ) , and even
if this majority for anti-imperialism
were composed of men favorable to the
silver standard , no irreparable harm
could be done , for McKiuley by his veto
could prevent any impairment of the
gold standard. If such a majority wore
secured , or if the present republican ma
jority were largely reduced , can there
be any doubt that McKinley would at
once turn to the right-about and submit
to the command of public opinion ? Here
is the proper field for the anti-imperi
alists the congressional elections. Here ,
if anywhere , they can accomplish all
that they are striving for , and they can
accomplish it consistently with their
general duty to their country , and with
out subjecting us to the "pain and de
pletion" which would follow the taking
of such strong medicine as Bryan. On
the other hand , if they help to elect
Bryan , they will have succeeded in
making a very effective protest against
the policy of our trying to govern infe
rior races , but they will also demon
strate our incapacity to govern our
selves , and the cause of liberty will be
irreparably damaged throughout the
world.
THK ANCIENT CITY OF PEKING.
Peking ( meaning literally the north
ern capital ) was founded 1,000 years
before the Christian era , and until the
fourth century was a department capital.
Its ancient name was Ki.
In 1264 it was rebuilt and was used as
a capital by the Mongol emperors. The
capital of the Ming dynasty was re
moved from Nanking to Peking , which
was rebuilt. Its walls were completed
in 1487 , and the walls of the Chinese or
southern city in 1544.
The population of Peking is variously
estimated from 500,000 to 1,000,000 , but
the most reliable estimates more closely
approach the smaller number.
Poking consists of three cities ; the
Tartar city on the north , the imperial
city ( within the Tartar city ) and the
Chinese city on the south. Each of
these divisions is surrounded by walls
about thirty feet high , twenty-five feet
thick at the base and twelve feet across
the top.
Inclosed between walls in the imperial
city is the forbidden city , the residence
of the emperor.
The Pei-Ho river passes the doors of
Peking , which is situated 100 miles from
the Taku forts. The length of the
capital , north to south , is 5.2 miles and
its * average width is about 4 miles.
Superficial area , 24.5 square miles.
There are no waterworks in Peking.
The supply is obtained from wells ,
which are by no means pure. The old
sewerage system has been allowed to
fall into decay.
Crossing the city from side to side are
several large avenues from which run
narrow alloys framed by private dwell
ings. The streets are filthy. There are
no sanitary arrangements or other
devices for public comfort.
Trade and industry in the Chinese
capital ore unimportant and even in
significant. The chief route for traffic
is by the river to Tung Chow , twelve
miles away. Carts or coolies are used
for transportation and the trade from
the south and west is carried on by
camels.
No tax is levied on land , houses or
personal property in the City of Poking.
Land tax , however , is paid by districts
surrounding the city. The amount
varies , according to the richness of the
land. Chicago Times-Herald.
FALLACIES OP THE "DEADI/S"
PARAI/LEI , .
"Railroads more deadly than war" is
the taking but untruthful heading under
which some of the daily journals are
comparing the statistics of railway
accidents during a year with the num
ber of casualties in the short Cuban and
Boer wars. The comparisons are mean
ingless , because they seek to compare
unlike facts and conditions. It is stated
that in the Spanish-American war from
April 21 to October 1 , 1898 , 5 > < months ,
the number of deaths from wounds and
disease was 2,846 ; while during the
year ended on June 80 , 1899 , the num
ber of deaths resulting from the opera
tion of all the railways in the United
Statessuffered by passenger , employees ,
trespassers , etc. , was 7,128 , out of the
entire population of the country.
Now compare the number of persons
engaged in the Cuban war with the
number carried and employed by the
railways , and the percentage of casual
ties to the number of people exposed to
them shows even the little Cuban war
to have been infinitely "more deadly"
than railroads. Out of a total of 274,717
officers and men 2,845 died from wounds
or disease in about five months that is
1 in 95 ; while of the 928,924 railway
employees in the country , 2,21owere ;
killed , or 1 in 420 , in a year. The little
Cuban war actually killed 685 more
soldiers than the entire number of rail
way employees killed on the 190,000
miles of railway in twice the time.
When the casualties to the traveling
public are considered , the absurdity of
the comparison with the loss of life in
war is still more apparent. The num
ber of passengers carried by the railways
in the United States during the twelve
months referred to was 528,170,508 , of
whom only 289 were killed , or 1 in
2,180,000 ! Evidently railway travel is
not "more deadly than war , " when , in
a very small war , in a very few months ,
the number of deaths is twelve times as
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great 2,845 against 289 as the whole
number of railway passengers killed in
twelve months , out of the 523 millions
carried.
Comparison of railway casualties with
hose resulting from war or any other
cause is evidently ridiculous , unless the
number of people exposed is compared
in each case. Otherwise almost every
employment and amusement bicycling ,
boating , gunning , fijhing , walking on
city streets , or going to bed nights
might bo demonstrated to be "more
deadly than war" by comparing the
number -fatalities resulting from a
single war with the total number of
deaths from these causes or in these
conditions , occurring in an entire con
tinent , within a corresponding time.
Railway Age.
THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED. "
EDITOR OF THE CONSERVATIVE :
The "consent of the governed" clause
in the Declaration of Independence was
never intended by its author to apply to
inferior and mixed races of men in such
islands in the tropical regions as the
Philippines , Cuba , Porto Rico , and
San Domingo , any more than , in
the same proclamation of freedom ,
the "all men are created free and equal"
clause was meant to apply to his own
slaves , on the Monticello plantations.
The "consent of the governed" as a
principle in the establishment , control
or reform of governments among men
in the mind of Mr. Jefferson presupposed
posed intelligence , enlightenment , fit
ness , racial and trained capacity , the
love of justice , peace and order , the
genius to frame and the wisdom to
obey laws of their own creation on the
part of the great mass of the people ,
minorities as well as majorities , who
should give the "consent. " Does any
man of sanity and sense doubt it ?
GEORGE L. MILLER.
Omaha , Neb. , July 20 , 1900.
GOLD AT CAPE NOME.
NOME , ALASKA , June 25,1900.
DEAR MR. MORTON :
"Quail" brand may be very good at
homo but it's the finest in the world at
Nome. Sauford Overton and myself
had much joy out of a pot of mush for
breakfast this morning and thought of
the home place very strongly.
J. S. KENNEDY.
It is not true that a committee con
sisting of Bryan , Edmisteu , Poynter and
Allen is to go down to New York to
solicit a corporation with five millions
of dollars , which intends going West , to
establish an enormous beet sugar factory
in Nebraska. The sooner that sort of
committee is hidden from the view of
men and corporations who have money
to invest , the easier it will bo to get
them into this state.