Cabinet system, was thought to be Crisis the right man for the grand viziership on the establishment of a parliamentary government. Now, however, the Turkish Chamber of Deputies has passed a vote of want of confidence in him, by a majority of 198 to 8. His summary removal of the Ministers of War and Marine because of the discovery of an alleged plot against the Sultan, without an explanation of his reasons to the Chamber, was the immediate occasion of his downfall. On February 14 the Sultan appointed Hilma Pasha as his successor. He was formerly Inspector-General of Macedonia and his career does not promise a peaceful régime. The choice indicates emphasis on the centralizing policy of the Young Turks. It is the first time in the history of Turkey that the representatives of the people, and not the Sultan, have decided who shall be grand vizier.

Korea

Russia has been again enforcing her control in northern Manchuria by imposManchuria, ing taxes and regulations China and on the people at Harbin. Rather than pay the taxes the Chinese owners have closed up their stores and warehouses. Protest has been made by the British and American consuls and the Russian legation at Peking notified that there must be compliance with the obligations of the Portsmouth treaty. In a private letter to President Taft, Prince Chun expresses the opinion that the Japanese will soon withdraw from Manchuria, a necessary condition,

he thinks, for the maintenance of peace. The large immigration of Japanese wo

men into Manchuria during last year indicates, however, rather a more permanent settlement. The reports of Japanese commercial dealings with that country are also confirmatory of such intention. In the letter Prince Chun informs President Taft that the dismissal of Yuan-Shih-Kai was entirely personal in character and that there will be no change in the policies of the empire. The reforms decided on will be carried out. In Korea the Japanese have thoroughly reorganized the government, and are carrying out well-laid plans for improvement in all branches of administration. They have constructed 641 miles of railroad. Prince Ito, President-General of Korea, has contradicted the assertion emanating from the Korean Home Minister, that American missionaries were encouraging the revolutionists. His recent tour convinced him that they were heartily coöperating with the regency in its endeavors to help the Koreans.

liberation. It now is learned that a certain Azev, a member of the central committee of this party, has all this time been in the employ of the Russian police department. The question is to what extent did he, as a member of the central committee, actually take part in the organizing of political assassinations? For, if he took an active part in this work, then he was not a spy, but a provocatory agent.

The maintaining of a department of espionage is admissible; the using of so

Is the Government Responsible?

called provocatory methods should be inadmissible, even under the Russian police system. The liberals and radicals. of the douma claim to have proof that Azev actually participated in acts of terrorism. The government officially states that it had no knowledge of this. In the answer to the interpellation which the douma has addressed to it, the government should clear away this charge brought against its police methods. Provocatory methods have been used by the Russian police. This has been established by official investigations in Kiev and Moscow. The acts of violence which have characterized the recent political movement have estranged many from sympathy with the cause of freedom in Russia. They have also served the government as a pretext for extreme repressive measures. But if these acts have been inspired by paid agents of that government, as the Liberals claim in this Azev case, a new light is shed on the whole situation in Russia, a light which shows up a rather questionable kind of official governmental activity.

Many condemn terrorism on the ground of political expediency, leaving out enThe Reductio tirely the moral side of the ad Absurdum question. The possibility of Terrorism of a terroristic movement being controlled and organized by a police spy is the strongest argument yet advanced against such methods of political struggle. We hope the statement that the Socialist Revolutionaries, as a result of this affair, have officially renounced terroristic methods, is true. Terrorism should be, if it has not been, discredited now even in Russia, where, it was claimed, 'peculiar conditions" justified such

disclosure Mr. A. Lopukhin, former head of the department of police, has been arrested. The charge against him is that he informed the revolutionary organization of the true character of this man Azev. Mr. Lopukhin left the government service in 1904 and has on several occasions publicly criticized the Russian police methods. He has always been able to keep within the narrow limits of "propriety" demanded by the authorities, in these criticisms. But he has been on the "blacklist" of the secret service and a definite charge is now preferred against him. His friends say, however, that this charge is groundless. His trial, if it is a public trial, will throw an interesting light on methods of government in present-day Russia.

The Opium Commission appointed by various national governments at the call The Interna- of the United States, tional Opium opened in Shanghai,

Conference China, February 1 and closed February 26. Seven nations were represented: The United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Japan and China. lands, Japan and China. Bishop Charles H. Brent, of the Philippines, one of the representatives from this country, presided. Our other delegates were Dr. Hamilton Wright, of Maine, and Professor C. D. Tenney, formerly a missionary of the American Board and now Secretary of the American Legation in China. The reports from China claimed that rapid progress was being made in eliminating the use of opium, but the fact that the smokers of the drug are estimated at 13,456,000 indicates that the Chinese government has a herculean task on hand. The Japanese are endeavoring to eradicate the habit in Formosa. It appears that the anti-opium remedies contain derivatives of the drug, morphine especially, which, the commission pointed out, were being clandestinely introduced into China to a harmful extent. The resolutions adopted at the conference urge on all governments the regulation by law of the manufacture and sale of morphine and other products of opium, and of suppressing the habit of opium smoking; also coöperation with China by prohibiting opium traffic in foreign concessions

Figaro, the Temps and the Journal des Débats, deplore it as a piece of criminal folly and voted by a "cowardly majority solicitous only of reëlection next spring. On the other hand, the Socialists and Radicals joyfully hail the passage of the bill as the entering wedge in the strongboxes of the rich which will furnish money to realize old-age pensions, nationalization of railroads and other public utilities and for the whole program of state socialism. The struggle will now be transferred to the Senate, first in commission and later on the floor of the House. Sweeping modifications are certain, even if the bill

passes, which is extremely doubtful. The ultimate fate of the bill, however, rests not with the Senate now, but with the people at the elections in the spring of 1910. If the Socialists can then secure an increased majority, no one who knows the French character doubts that the Senate will yield, and that an income tax, barring a revolution, is certain within three years.

A happy sequence of the Boer War is the proposed union of the British colonies The United in South Africa, which

States of bids fair soon to be an South Africa accomplished fact. A constitution has been prepared by representatives of the following named colonies: Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Transvaal and Orange River, and transmitted to England for approval and to the separate colonies for ratification. This obtained, the constitution will take effect by royal proclamation within a year after the passage of an enabling act by the British parliament. The colonies agreeing thereto, even if only two, will form the union, and others may be admitted later when they so desire. The method of government proposed is as follows: Executive powers to be vested in a governor-general, appointed by the King, as his representative, with a salary of $50,000 annually. An executive council, of not more than ten ministers, to be chosen from the members of Parliament by the GovernorGeneral, to hold office during his pleasure. The legislative power of the union will be. in a parliament consisting of the King, a Senate and a House of Assembly. It must meet at least once each year. The Governor-General is to have the right to call it into session or to prorogue or dissolve it. For the first ten years of the union the Senate is to consist of eight senators appointed by the GovernorGeneral in council, and eight elected by each original province. Provision is made for the method of election. The House of Assembly is to be composed of members chosen directly by the voters of the union in electoral divisions. Each senator and member of the Assembly must be a British subject and of European descent. Each will receive an allowance of $15,000 year, each day of absence from the ses resulting in a deduction of $10.

The Powers

of the Parliament

The Parliament is to have full power "to make laws for the peace, order and good government of South Africa. Bills appropriating revenue or money, or imposing taxation, shall originate only in the House of Assembly," but such appropriation must first be recommended by a message from the Governor-General. In case of disagreement between the Senate and the Assembly, they must meet in joint session and decide by majority vote. The King may disallow and annul any vote within a year after it has been assented to by the Governor-General. The seat of the government of the union is Pretoria, and that of the legislature, Cape Town. Each province in the union shall have a provincial council, consisting of the same number of members as it elects for the House of Assembly, and elected by the same voters in the same electoral divisions. The chief executor of the province is to be an administrator appointed by the Governor-General. With three to five members of the provincial council, elected by that body, he forms an executive committee for the province. The powers of the council are restricted to direct taxation, education and all matters of a local or private nature, within the province. Both the English and Dutch languages are to be the official languages of the union, and all records and proceedings are to be kept in both languages. The constitution may be repealed or altered by a two-thirds vote of both Houses sitting together.

The efforts of Special Commissioner Buchanan to effect a settlement of the A Venezuelan

Protocol

points at issue between the United States and Venezuela have been so far successful that a protocol was signed February 13 by the two governments. It is agreed that the minor matters shall be submitted to The Hague Tribunal, but the long standing dispute over the affairs of the Bermudez Asphalt Company has been settled by an agreement not to interfere with the decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court, but to permit the company to recover its rights by paying a minimum annual rent to the Venezuelan government and a fine for its part in the Matos revolution. Mr. Buchanan is convinced