Political and Governmental Notes.

Minister Conger, on his arrival in Des Moines, Ia., on May 2, was given an enthusiastic public reception which was attended by several thousand of his eighbors and fellow citizens In a speech he made the following interesting statement regarding the origin of the disturbances in China: "One point in the history of this trouble has not been published, I think, and that is in relation to the origin of Boxers. China is full of secret societies, but it was a Buddhist priest in the province of Shantung who revived the Boxer organization in 1899. This priest claimed supernatural powers. He began in a small way, and did not make much progress until the governor of Shantung saw in this society a weapon to use against foreigners. He encouraged it, gave it funds, and advised in its operations. This priest said he could call down eighty million spirit warriors whenever they were needed to help the Chinese, and that he could make the members of the society invulnerable to swords and bullets."

According to a statement just issued by the United States treasury Bureau of Statistics, the national debts of the world's nations in 1793, at the beginning of the Napoleonic wars, amounted to approximately $2,500,000,000; in 1900 they were, according to the best information obtainable, $31,000,000,000. During the nineteenth century population increased 150 per cent, and gold and silver, which form the basis of the money with which debt payments are made, 300 percent. The wealth of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and the United States in 1800 is estimated at $20,244,640,000, while Mulhall in 1895 estimated their wealth at $195,759,829,000, or practically ten times that at the beginning of the century. The debts of these four nations in 1793 aggregated but $11,764,000,000 or seven times as much as in 1793.

Assemblyman Seymour's bill, which permits New York City to accept the $5,200,000 gift of Andrew Carnegie for a free library system has been signed by Governor Odell. The bill authorizes the city to purchase, erect, and maintain libraries, also to enter into contract with Mr. Carnegie to accept his gift under the conditions named by him.

The Census Bureau has issued a bulletin announcing that the centre of population of the United States, excluding Alaska and recent territorial accessions, on June 1 last, was six miles southeast of Columbus, Bartholomew County, in southern Indiana.

The Colorado Legislature recently passed a bill restoring the death penalty for murder. Governor Orman allowed the bill to become a law without his signature, the time limit having expired on April 30.

Foreign News.

Reports from Pekin last week indicate that the foreign ministers are approaching an agreement as to the amount of indemnity to be exacted from China, the latest advices being that the total of all claims, including damages to individuals, will be about $325,000,000. The military commanders are said to be very anxious to have the indemnity question settled, in order to vacate the country.

Russian troops in Manchuria were reported to have had several serious battles with rebellious Chinese soldiers last week, in which both sides lost heavily, but it is suspected that the reports are exaggerated and were circulated for the purpose of giving Russia an excuse for sending more troops into Manchuria.

On May 1, Count von Bulow, chancellor of the German Empire, reported to Emperor William the practical defeat of the canal bill in which the Kaiser has been deeply interested. The canal bill, which the German Government now may abandon for the present session of the Diet, was introduced January 12. It is a revision and extension of the bill of 1899, and carried $97,250,000; the principal appropriations being $65,000,000 for the Midland Canal, $10,250,000 for the Berlin-Stettin Canal, $5,750,000 for the improvement of the Warthe and a connection with the Vestula, $10,250,000 for the Oder Tidewater Canal, and for the Havel and Spree Canal $4,750,000. The bill has met opposition from the Conservative, Clerical, and Agrarian interests.

The census returns show the population of the city of London and twenty-eight metropolitan boroughs, all forming the administrative county of London, is 4,536,034, an increase of 308,717 since 1891. Liverpool returns show an increase of 56,728, Leeds, 61,448; Manchester, 38,582, and Birmingham, 44,069.

Of all the British colonies New Zealand has sent the largest proportion of its strong youth to fight on the African veldt. While Canada has sent one in every 1,228 of its population and Australia one in every 880, New Zealand has sent one in every 335.

Industry and Commerce.

British and German newspapers are taking a very serious view of the American combinations of capital for industrial purposes, and view with alarm the prospect of a competition impossible to resist. The London Telegraph, in one of its grave articles, accepts the position created by the American trusts as unalterable. It says the only thing that remains is to learn how to combat them. It thinks the only way is the formation of similar gigantic syndicates in England. Legislation, it says, can do nothing. The battle must be fought on broad economic lines. It would be futile to think of bolstering a bad cause by protective duties, subsidies, and such expedients. It admits that there are certain discouraging points in the British position, not the least of which is the labor question, while the United States has many natural and other advantages. The Englishman, in its view, will have to put more thought into his work and rid himself of a false sense of security.

In the fourth article of a series on "Christian Ministers and Money Matters," published in the (Methodist) Christian Adrocate, Professor L. T. Townsend, D.D., gives advice regarding "safe" investments, and rates real estate as among the safest. He cites the following significant testimony: "Says a lawyer, a man of large wealth, who has made a careful study of these matters: 'In the last fifty years ninety per cent of all the merchants and traders in Boston have failed. In the last fifty years ninety per cent of all the business corporations have failed or gone out of business so that their stock has been wiped out. In the last fifty years all the improved real estate, on the average, has paid its interest and taxes and quadrupled in value.'" It would naturally excite curiosity to know what could cause real estate to be in such demand as to quadruple its value, in a community where ninety per cent of all business resulted in failure.

It is semi-officially reported that J. P. Morgan, organizer of the billion dollar steel corporation, has secured control of the Leyland line of steamships in addition to the Atlantic Transport Company's line, and that he is working to bring about a great combination of trans-Atlantic steamship interests. The project, if carried out, would make the American steel and railroad magnates who are associated with Mr. Morgan in his industrial plans, almost invulnerable to competition, both at home and abroad.

Colorado Springs mine owners are planning an immense drainage tunnel to run under the richest portion of the Cripple Creek district at great depth and carry away water which is now proving a serious problem to many otherwise valuable properties, Surveys indicate that a main tunnel live miles long with about three miles of laterals will effectually drain nearly every large producer as well as give a chance for tapping veins at a much greater depth than can be reached by shafts.

It is stated by representatives of J. P. Morgan & Co. that 35 per cent of the amount of the British loan open to subscription, has been a warded to the American subscribers.

General News.

The New York World has discovered that in a mile of palaces in New York City, on Fifth Avenue, between Ffty-seventh and Seventy-second Streets, there are only fifteen children under twelve years of age. The average is about one child to three of these homes. As a contrast, sixty-three children live in a single crowded tenement on Clinton Street, and this is not an exceptional condition of things.

Jacksonville, Fla., was visited by a destructive fire on May 3, and property to the value of between ten and fifteen million dollars was burned. One hundred and thirty blocks were swept almost clean, involving the destruction of about thirteeen hundred duildings, including hotels, business houses, and the principal public buildings. Over ten thousand were rendered homeless.

Two thousand one hundred and seventytwo Scandinavian, Irish, English, Scotch, and Finnish immigrants were landed in Boston on May 2, by the Cunard steamship Saxonia. This is said to be the largest number of immigrants ever carried by one boat at a single trip in the entire history of the steamship traffic between the United States and the United Kingdom.

During three days of last week the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railways carried about 7,500 homeseekers out of St. Paul, destined for North Dakota, Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. There is a great movement of settlers into the far western states at present, due to the increase of foreign immigration.

President McKinley and his party started on their long tour across the continent on April 29. The party passed through Virginia and into Tennessee on the first day of the journey, and thence traversed the Southwest, stopping in New Orleans and other important centres of population.

Vice-President Roosevelt paid a visit to Boston last week and was given a hearty welcome. He was entertained at a public dinner given by the Home Market Club.

The Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, N. Y., opened its gates May 1.