and authority to fix both the numbers and the pay of the people employed. The only check, we are told, that the council has upon this board lies in the council's general power to refuse ap propriations of money. The chiefs of the police and fire departments are to be appointed by the mayor. But there is also a so-called board of safety, which seems to have charge of the busi. ness affairs of both fire and police departments. This is a board of small membership, not elected by the people, like the public service board, but appointed by the mayor subject to confirmation by a two-thirds vote of the council. The Ohio enactment is, of course, a well-intended instrument, with many meritorious provisions. Our one sweeping criticism of it is that it does not center responsibility anywhere, and that some of its attempts to protect the people against themselves by mechanical devices will be found more embarrassing than useful. The important thing after all is not so much the mechanism of municipal government as the way in which the citizens use whatever system they have. Any kind of municipal machinery can be made productive of good results in the hands of good men.

Chicago's Municipal

In Chicago, a so-called New Charter Convention, made up of men of local Situation. prominence, was at work last month devising plans for making possible a muchneeded improvement of Chicago's municipal system, together with radical changes in the financial and taxation methods, to give the city an adequate revenue. In order that the Legislature may make the desired charter changes, it will be necessary to amend the Illinois State constitution. A mayoralty election occurs in the coming spring, and two candidates for the Republican nomination came out last month. One of these is Mr. John M. Harlan, son of Justice Harlan, who made so remarkable a run for the mayoralty as an independent candidate in 1897; the other candidate is Mr. Graeme Stewart, who is the Illinois member of the Republican National Committee. It is thought quite possible that the present Democratic mayor, Carter H. Harrison, may run for a fourth term.

From St. Louis came the news last The " Augean Stables of month that on December 19 five St. Louis. more boodlers, all members of the House of Delegates, which is the lower branch of the city's legislative body, were sentenced to terms of five years in the penitentiary for taking bribes. It was shown that they belonged to a group of men who had combined to grant the Suburban Railway franchise in return for a fund of $75,000 supplied by the promoters of that

enterprise. As a result of the recent attempt to punish bribe-givers and bribe-takers in St. Louis, thirteen men have been found guilty and sentenced. Nothing so sweeping, perhaps, in the way of exposure of wrongdoing has occurred in any American city since the overthrow of the "Tweed Ring" in New York. It had been well known for some years that in both branches of the Municipal Assembly were corrupt combines, organized for granting franchises and privileges. Just one year ago, a new circuit attorney, Mr. Joseph W. Folks, a young man only thirty-two years old, came into office. He began a single-handed fight against tremendous odds. The reputable business men of St. Louis, for the most part, did not dare to identify themselves with the stirring up of a situation that might have very wide bearings. Mr. Folks began to investigate, and then to prosecute, with great results to show for a year's brave work. Besides the men who have been convicted, many others are under indictment, and others have fled.

most.

The

After all, it is not the city which Truth About eventually exposes and punishes its Minneapolis. rascals that is in so sorry a plight as the city which goes on comfortably and smugly, either condoning or ignoring the bad conditions that prevail. Minneapolis, for example, has had much unpleasant notoriety as a result of the misdeeds of the recent Ames administration; but it does not follow that this Northwestern city is worse than others, or even as bad as The fact is that Minneapolis, upon the whole, has been one of the most reputable and well-conducted cities in the entire country. The election of Ames as mayor was due, more than anything else, to the curious working of the new primary law, which unexpectedly gave him the Republican nomination, a result almost as absurd as would be the nomination of Richard Croker by the Republicans of New York. Ames had previously served several terms as Democratic mayor, and had run the city in avowed imitation of New-York Tammany methods. It is greatly to the credit of Minneapolis that the misdeeds of the administration last year were promptly exposed and punished. The remainder of the unexpired term was served out by the president of the Council, Mr. Jones, a man whose ability and character would do honor to any city in the world. Mr. Jones refused to be a candidate for mayor at the recent election, but the voters chose Mr. Haynes, a Democratic lawyer. We are assured that Mr. Haynes was elected by the aid of the independent vote purely on merit, the Republican ticket otherwise prevailing by a large majority.

Work.

Congress entered upon its work with Congress at unusual earnestness and diligence at the beginning of December, meaning to accomplish more than is usually done before the Christmas vacation. The appropriation bills were well advanced in committee, and one or two important ones were passed through both houses, with others reported and under consideration. The pension bill, which went through with little delay, calls for practically $140,000, 000, this being about the usual amount. The total estimates,-that is to say, the amounts asked for altogether by the different departments of the executive government, amount to almost $600,000,000. The present and prospective revenues of the Government are ample, in spite of the recent sacrifice of the special taxes levied for Spanish-American War purposes. There have been important hearings before many committees, and a good deal of business of first-class importance is under serious consideration this winter at Washington. The Senate last month gave particular attention to the Statehood ques tion, discussed in our December number, and the House showed lively interest in the subject of regulating the trusts and corporations.

hood Contest.

We have little need to take up again The State- at length the subject of the admission of Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico, except to report briefly the situation at Washington. The committee of which Senator Beveridge is chairman made an admirable report, based upon a thorough investigation of facts and upon broad principles of states manship and Constitutional history. The report recommended the restoration of old lines by bringing together Oklahoma and the Indian Territory into one commonwealth, which should be promptly admitted to the Union. This was wholly wise and right from every standpoint, and to our ample knowledge it is in accordance with the wishes and judgment of the people of Oklahoma who represent the best public opinion. The bill for the admission of Oklahoma was presented and advocated by Senator Nelson. of Minnesota, in a cogent speech. The majority of the committee

HON, KNUTE NELSON.

(Who introduced the bill for the admission of Oklahoma.)

further reported its most unqualified condemnation of the proposal to admit Arizona and New Mexico. The summarized report, together with the volume of printed evidence, will suffice to convince any disinterested person of the validity of the objections to the present admission of New Mexico and Arizona. The debate is to be taken up again on January 5. There has been an immense amount of lobbying and logrolling in favor of admission, and Senator Quay, of Pennsylvania, who is in charge of the measure, declares that he has on his list enough Senators to make the passage of the bill certain.

Will the

If that be the case-which we doubt President -the responsibility will have to be Veto the Bill? faced by President Roosevelt. The Omnibus bill was logrolled through the House of Representatives with very little consideration. The clause in the last Republican national platform in favor of the "early" admission of New Mexico and Arizona was slipped in,-as minor provisions are often inserted in such platforms,— by the alertness of a few interested parties like Mr. Quay, and it altogether escaped scrutiny and discussion. It would be ridiculous to say that its accidental presence there made it any essential part of the creed of the Republican party. The intelligence and best sentiment of Republicans throughout the whole country are absolutely against the Statehood project. The Democrats are supporting Statehood for strictly party reasons, which everybody familiar with politics undertands. The Republican Senators. who are committed to the bill are not regarded as supporting it upon public grounds, but in fulfillment of pledges either given inadvertently at some former time, or else on personal or socalled logrolling considerations. If President Roosevelt should veto the bill, the country would accept the result with genuine satisfaction. The country is, in fact, entirely prepared for a veto. It would be surprised, and perhaps shocked, if the President should allow the Omnibus bill to become a law.

The Trust

It is as yet very uncertain what Question at Congress will do about the trust Washington. question. The House last month passed a bill appropriating $500,000 for the use of the Government in the further attempt to enforce the Sherman anti-trust law as it stands. The vote was taken on the 17th, quite unexpectedly, and was forced by the Democrats as an amendment during the debate on the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation bill. Meanwhile, a very large number of general measures relating to trusts had been introduced in both

houses and referred to committees. In the House, these bills have gone to the Judiciary Committee, where they have, in turn, been referred to a sub-committee to deal with that particular question, consisting of Mr. Littlefield, of Maine, Mr. Overstreet, of Indiana, Mr. Powers, of Massachusetts, Mr. De Armond, of Missouri, and Mr. Clayton, of Alabama. There is much difference of opinion in Congress as to the desirability of a Constitutional amendment to increase the authority of Congress to deal with corporations doing interstate business. The prevailing Republican opinion seems to be moving toward the suggestions made by Attorney-General Knox several months ago, in his speech at Pittsburg. Mr. Knox holds that Congress has more power than has yet been drawn upon, and that it will be in order to make some amendments to existing laws. The House sub-committee quite early in its deliberations last month agreed upon a leading feature of the bill it was preparing. This feature is a provision for publicity through compulsory reports of certain corporations to the Interstate Commerce Commission. It amounts to a virtual adoption by the Judiciary Committee of Mr. Littlefield's measure, about which a good deal has been said for several months.

Littlefield

The Littlefield plan provides that at the Helm. every corporation or joint-stock company doing interstate business shall make an annual return of certain prescribed information, similar in some respects to the reports that corporations in the States of Massachusetts and New York, for example, make to the State authorities. Mr. Littlefield for a time was regarded rather as a free lance and an independent factor than an authorized spokesman for the policy of the Republican party in the matter of dealing with the trusts, but since the November elections seemed so fully to sustain the position of President Roosevelt both on trusts in general and on the anthracite monopoly in particular, Mr. Littlefield's position has been altogether changed. More than any other man in the House of Representatives, he is now regarded as in a position to draft, and to push to a successful vote, an important measure for the regula tion of the great corporations. The new chairman of the Judiciary Committee is Mr. Jenkins, of Wisconsin, who succeeds to that post by virtue of the retirement of Mr. Ray, of New York, who was appointed to a United States District judgeship by President Roosevelt. But the Judiciary Committee has a vast amount of general business to attend to, and the trust question will doubtless be left largely to the management of the sub-committee headed by Mr. Littlefield.

(New chairman House Committee on Judiciary.)

looks toward an arrangement with England and Canada for free trade in coal of all kinds across the line between the Dominion and the United States. Senator Cullom, now chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, began the session by a resolute attempt to secure the ratification of the long-delayed reciprocity treaty with France. He met, however, with discouraging opposition from some of the foremost Republican Senators. The reciprocity treaty with Newfoundland, to which we referred last month, is not finding favor with the representatives of the fishery interests of Maine and Massachusetts. The fishermen of Gloucester have gone before the Foreign Relations Committee in force to oppose the ratification of the treaty. We have as yet no indica tion as to the result. The New England Senators, however, stand behind their fishermen.

on December 17. It is understood that as regards sugar the measure provides for a reduction of 20 per cent. on the Cuban product from existing Dingley tariff rates. Important recip rocal concessions, of course, are made upon a variety of American commodities entering the Cuban ports. There seems to be a good prospect that the Senate will ratify the treaty, although a dispute exists between the Senate and the House as to the final steps necessary to give effect to a treaty that affects the public revenues. The treaty-making power is lodged by Congress in the hands of the President, who acts by the advice and consent of the Senate. But the initiation of revenue measures, under the Constitution, belongs to the House of Representatives. A reciprocity treaty that modifies import duties is certainly a revenue measure. This difference of opinion between the houses is not likely to be allowed to delay an arrangement with Cuba.

Problems of

We hear very little from the Philipthe Philippines nowadays, and it may fairly be pines. inferred that no news is good news, -that is to say, that matters are running on with comparative smoothness. The great difficulties now to be faced there seem to be economic rather than political or military. Secretary Root and the Philippine Commission have worked out an excellent constabulary system, quasi-military in its character, making very large employment of natives as peace officers. It is planned to detail to some extent the officers of the United States army to hold permanent positions in the Philippine constabulary, and the recommendation,-in which the army, the War Department, and the Philippine Commission all concur,-seems to meet with favor in Congress. Under Governor Taft and his able associates, the civil administration is reasonably successful, and progress is reported in many directions. Mr. Atkinson, who had been superintendent of schools, has retired, and he has been succeeded by an exceptionally able educator, Mr. Elmer B. Bryan, of Indiana, who carried to the Philippines a high reputation as a normal-school man, which he has since increased by the ability he has shown in establishing and supervising normal instruction in the archipelago.

mittee, reported this bill favorably on December 17. The Democrats favored the removal of all duties and the establishment of free trade between this country and the Philippines. The Republicans favored the retention of a 25 per cent. duty, because low enough not to obstruct trade, while rendering very material assistance to the Philippine treasury. Vice Gov. Luke E. Wright, of the Philippine Commission, who spent much of last month in Washington, strong. ly urged the reduction of the tariff, and the measure will doubtless become a law in the near future. General Wright was not alone insistent upon the necessity of doing something to establish a satisfactory currency situation in the islands. Great confusion has arisen lately as a result of the depreciation of silver. In one form or another, it has become absolutely necessary to establish the gold standard in the isl ands. Our presence in the Philippines, while in some respects vindicated by results, cannot be regarded as a brilliant success until it has relieved the present paralysis of agriculture and commerce and brought about a state of prosperity not simply normal but in advance of anything ever known be fore. The proposed tariff measure will help, and a

posals.

Professor Jenks had been appointed Professor Jenks Pro- in August, 1901, as special commissioner of the War Department to report upon economic questions, particularly in the English and Dutch colonies of the Orient. Our readers have had the benefit, in two recent articles, of Professor Jenks' observations in the East. His report to the Secretary of War deals especially with currency systems, labor, taxation, and police systems. It is a very compact and careful review of the subjects it takes up. It indorses Mr. Conant's recommendations as to Philippine currency reform, which, in the main, are doubtless to be approved by Congress this winter. Its most striking contribution is in its discussion of the labor question, whether or not its conclusions may be wise. It advocates a system of registration of Chinese laborers and their admission to the Philippines on the plan of a three years' contract system. Perhaps, however, its most important statements and proposals are those that relate to the land tax and land tenure. The recommendations are intended to protect the native Filipino landowners and to develop their prosperity. Mr. Jenks, in his discussion. of the police system, pays a high compliment to what he calls the already splendid force of the constabulary of the Philippines. This is one of the many triumphs of the War Department under the administration of Secretary Root.

proper adjustment of the currency trouble will be of still more use. The labor problem will continue to afford difficulties, however, and to this topic Professor Jenks gives much consideration in his thoroughgoing report on certain economic questions in the far East. Professor Jenks regards it as highly essential to the prosperity of the Philippines that there should be a prompt introduction of American and foreign capital, with railroad-building and the opening up of mines and the establishment of enterprises in a large way. But the difficulty of getting efficient labor seems to him to stand in the way of such enterprises. He proposes, therefore, with certain restrictions, to open the doors again to the incoming of Chinese coolie laborers. This proposal has met not only with newspaper criticism in this country, but with organized opposition from labor unions and other representative bodies.

Mr. Root's

ures.

The matters of most importance in Chief Meas- the Secretary's annual report are those dealing with the creation of an army general staff and the reorganization of the militia system of the country. These matters involve profound changes and are of permanent consequence. If, as seems probable, Congress should adopt Mr. Root's suggestions in both regards, it will have participated, this winter, in constructive statesmanship of a high order. His general-staff system is intended to rid us of that sort of perplexing duality resulting from the fact that we have at one and the same time a general acting as commander-in-chief, re