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THE HESPERIAN.
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influences." They submitted even in spiritual matters to his
final determination. For the first year fhc cflcct of his efforts
was better than was expected, and at last he even attempted
to centre public conscience on himself. The imperial cat
echism repeated daily by the boys and girls of each parish,
gravely commented upon by priests at each morning and
evening service, began as follows: "Wc specially owe to our
emperor, Napoleon, the first love, respect, obedience, military
service and tributes ordained for the preservation of the
empire and his throne; for God has raised him up for us in
times of peril that he might restore public worship and the
holy religion of our fathers and be its protector." What was
the final result of this? His success was only temporary
He could make no one religion predominant, and if he accom
plished anything at all, it was the inverse of what he intended
lie aimed to subjugate the pope, and he led the pope on to
omnipotence. For fifteen years he struggled incessantly with
all his extraordinary genius to sunder the tics of the Catholic
hierarchy, the only effect being to bind them more closely
together and hasten their completion.
i
CURRENT COMMENT.
f
One of the most important as well as interesting events o
recent date is the pioposcd establishment of the common
wealth of Australia. Representatives from seven of the states
met at Sidney in New South Wales and formed a consti
tution which only require the approval of the assemblies of
the various states to complete the confederation. The system
ot government decided upon is much like that ol England.
There is to be a parliament consisting of two houses, a senate
and house of representatives. Though there is as yet no idea
of separation from England, when the appointed time comes
it will be no unpleasant task for the govcnor-gcncral to
assume a position analogous to that of president of the
United States. It is in this fact that the importance of the
formation of the confederacy lies. It maybe the first step
towards a complete separation from England. The Austra
lians have shown themselves to be one of the must pro
grcssivc peoples in the world, as well as the most far-sighted
and who knows what this new departure may portend.
Though as yet the queen may, when she desires, appeal to
her own council, still this could be easily over t tiled when
occasion demanded. The Australians in their cndcavois
receive the approval and encouragement oi the people of the
United States.
There can be no doubt that the number of teuament farm
ers in this country is becoming enormous. This is a fact to
be deplored; not because the tenant farmer is an objectionable
individual, for on the contrary no one but a very industrious
man could live in his precarious position. Hut it is a thor
oughly un-American idea to think of a man tilling the soil on
shares or paying a high price for the privilege. It may be
a good system for Europe, as exemplified by Ireland, but in
America some measures ought to be taken to avoid the repe
tition of such troubles as those that have risen in the Old
country over the land tenant question'. There are not less
than a million farmers in America to day who till rented and
leased lands. They rent farms for a year for the most part,
Struggle along with machinery bought on credit, and depend
entirely upon the success of the year for their sustenance
during the year, or rather for the year preceding, for most of
these men live a year ahead of their income. Go,i.ito the
country in any of our western states on the first day of Maich
and you will be met at every turn by men moving (heir fam
Ij'e.S a.nd personal effects Irony one, farm to another. One
evil result of this constant moving is the lack of a permanent
home. There arc no tics that so bind families together and
arc so productive of good citizens as the associations of home.
Nowhere else in the world is home so sacred and so elevating
as in America, and it is a deplorable fact that this system is
spreading so fast and securing so firm a clutch upon that best
and most honest class of citizens the American farmers. It
would be difficult to discover all the causes of this evil-boding
system, and yet more difficult to provide a remedy were the
causes known. Yet here is a question that is fast becoming
a serious one, and every day is adding to its difficulties and
rendering the extent of the custom greater. Perhaps one of
the most evident and prolific sources of tenant farmers is the
wide-spread evil of farm mortgages. This one evil is enough
to puzzle our most skillful statesmen for time to come, but
there can be no doubt that the farmers themselves arc alone
to be trusted to find a solution to these questions, which,
though of interest to all, are of most vital importance to the
farmers. There is work for the alliance to do in this line.
Let us hope that some means may be found by which the
million farmer tenants of America may become land owners
and posscssurs of permanent homes, so that the source of our
strong, sturdy farmer boys, who have always formed the
nucleus oi our best citizens, may not be stopped and this class
be lcplaced by the ignorant or criminal class that will be the
certain resistant of an oppressed tenant class.
The whole state of Nebraska has for a long time been in
a state of anxious expectation. It has been a matter of much
speculation whether the supreme court would retain Itoyd in
the gubernatorial scat and if he were to be ousted who would
succeed him. All doubts about the action of the court were
dispelled on May 5. There was but little doubt in the minds
of all that Boyd, though legally elected, had unfortunately
for himself and friends, failed to become a citizen in time to
qualify him; yet many, knowing the friendship that existed
between him and certain of the supreme judges, were fearful
that they would forget the position of trust and faith that they
held and be overcome by personal interests. Their action
has proved all their suspicious unfounded, but the supreme
court holding the position that it docs in the state is cer
tainly to be censured by public opinion for delaying this
decision too long. For any one who remembers how one of
the present judges undoubtedly, and all of them probably,
owe their nomination and election directly to the interference
of railroads in the past in the political arena, it is hard to lay
aside the suspicion that this delay was for a purpose, and that
purpose was to wait until the legislature had adjourned, in
order that all railroad legislation could be votoed by the
instrument of corporations that has for some time past
sat in the governor's chair. When it is possible, for no 'one
questions the possibility of the supposition, for railroad cor
potations to thus control legislation and even the highest tri
bttnal of the state, it is evident that there is a weak place
somewhere in our legislative and judicial system. This weak
ness does not lie in the fact that railroads arc permitted to
interest themselves in politi) s, for it is certainly the privilege
of every individual and of every corporation as well to try by
all legitimate means to secure legislation that will be favor
able to his or their business interests. Certainly such a vast
property as is represented by the railroad interests of
Nebraska has the right of representation as well as the indi
vidual mid more private business interest. It would be
eminently wrong for the railroads to be excluded from the
politics of the state. Evidently the danger lies in the fact
that corporations may so easily approach our legislative and
judicial bodjes, after- they have -been, ejected jmd, wied so