The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 23, June 9, 1898 | Page 8

cables connecting the opposing nation with other countries is one
which may be assumed without violation of international law. In a
speech on this matter, Mr. Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury, quoting
in Parliament a few days ago an agreement made in Paris in 1884, in
reference to the protection of cables by different nations, said: "By

Article XV. of this convention, in time of war a belligerent signatory to
the convention (that is, a county signing this agreement) is as free to act
with respect to submarine cables as if the convention did not exist. I am
not prepared, therefore, to say that a belligerent, on the ground of
military exigency, would under no circumstances be justified in
interfering with cables between the territory of the opposing power and
any other part of the world."
Our State Department considers that this statement on the part of Great
Britain commits that country to the policy regarding cables which we
have recently put into practice; her approval of our action virtually
establishes this right as a principle of international law.
* * * * *
Very serious trouble is anticipated in Italy because of the hopeless
poverty of much of the peasantry, and the apparent inefficiency of the
present system of government. The Italian peasant barely succeeds
under the most advantageous circumstances in obtaining food enough
for himself and family; consequently every change in the price of bread
is a serious matter to him; under the present Government the taxes have
become heavier, and this is sure at no distant date to bring about a crisis;
that this crisis is near is shown by the recent bread riots. The only hope
of averting trouble is a change in the policy of the Italian Government.
Many people in Europe are asking why the price of wheat continues to
advance, as there is apparently no reason, for the Spanish-American
war has created no increased demand, nor has it seriously interfered
with the shipment of grain. The increase in price is accounted for, by
those who are familiar with these subjects, on the ground that there
seems to be a general conspiracy to hold back supplies from Europe in
the hope of obtaining higher prices, and in consequence scarcity is
created in certain markets, thus causing the rise in price both there and
elsewhere, and with each rise in price comes additional reason for the
holding back of supplies on the part of the speculators who are
manipulating the market.
* * * * *

It is rather interesting to turn from the account of the riots in Italy to a
brief history of Joseph Leiter's famous wheat deal. This wheat deal,
which has just been closed, is the most remarkable that has ever been
known in the history of the grain markets. Leiter has not only made
himself rich, but has added to the wealth of the farmers in the West
enormously. Every effort on the part of other speculators to force Leiter
to the wall has been unsuccessful. Last fall when he was buying, they
turned over enormous quantities of wheat, but he seemed to have
untold millions at his command, for he met every offer with cash, and
demonstrated that he had more money if they could furnish more wheat:
the result was that wheat went up, up, up, until it reached nearly $2 a
bushel, and Leiter has made, it is estimated, over $4,000,000, or nearly
$500 an hour since April of last year.
The account of the troubles in Italy, and the great prosperity resulting
from Leiter's success here, simply demonstrate what has been called
attention to before--that what affects one part of the world has its
influence upon the rest. A contribution from the prospered wheat
farmers (and Leiter) to the suffering poor in Italy would not be amiss
under the circumstances.
* * * * *
In our recent numbers we mentioned the trouble in the Sierra Leone
Protectorate. This trouble has been ascribed to the hut tax; this tax is
practically the only tax levied upon the natives, and it is for the purpose
of raising sufficient revenue to prevent slave-trading. The trouble in
this colony has arisen indirectly, not directly, as a result of this tax, as
the slave-traders have used it as a pretext for stirring up the rebellion
among the natives. England for many years has been doing her best to
suppress slave-trading, and the slave-traders make use of any grievance,
imaginary or otherwise, in their attempts to overthrow the power of the
white men, in order that their barbarous man-hunting may not be
interfered with. Several men-of-war have been sent by England to
Sierra Leone, and are to be reinforced by others; troops have also been
sent to the assistance of the missionaries