Editor’s Table: The Priesthood and Its Offices

CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 547

He conceived the idea of establishing scholarships at Oxford University, England, and for that purpose endowed each scholarship with an annual endowment of one thousand five hundred dollars a year each,a most liberal allowance. The beneficiaries of these scholarships were to be young men from the British Colonies and the United States. He was, perhaps, more liberal to the United States than to any of the colonies of Great Britain. By the provisions of his will, each state and territory of the Unified States will receive two scholarships. This means that some day, two young men from Utah may become students at Oxford University. Of course, the purpose of this bequest is the spreading of English ideals, and the amalgamation of Anglo-Saxon interests. Mr. Rhodes would make Oxford the great center of educational life, and he would make it the initiative point of the world's political and national influences. He would have all the off-shoots of the English-speaking race look to Ox- ford, and that part of English life for which the university stands. In behalf of Utah, we thank you, Mr. Rhodes.

The New Republic. A date has finally been fixed for the inauguration of President Pal- ma of Cuba. Cuba's new President will now transfer his home from the United States to Havana. The date fixed for the ceremonies is the 20th of May, when the new goverment will be inaugurated, and the United States will proceed at once to withdraw its soldiers and relinquish control of the Island. However, before President Palma is inaugurated, the Cuban Congress will be convened, in order that the new constitution may be promulgated,and in order that the new President and the legislat- ure may proceed to the transaction of such initial business as is neces- sary to set the machinery of the new government in motion; and Cuba, after centuries of misrule and repeated disappointments in her efforts to secure independence, is now born to new life. Notwithstanding the pro- pitious circumstances surrounding the birth of this new republic, there are clouds hanging over Cuba and her people, misgivings about the fu- ture prosperity of the Island. Sugar, like cotton was in the early days of the American republic, is king, but the high tariff in this country is almost a prohibition on the importation of Cuban sugar, and Cuba has applied to us for relief. The question now before the Congress of the United States is whether we shall favor her by a reduction of our tariff. At the present writing, it seems as if we should yield to something like twenty per cent. The present tariff is about $1.67 per hundred weight. A reduction of one-fifth would be about 33 2-5 cents per hundred weight. This will be some relief to Cuba,but not what they so much desire.

548 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

The United States has just cause to congratulate herself upon a most magnanimous policy shown toward the people of Cuba. Our blood has been shed, and our treasure freely expended to promote and secure Cuban liberty. There are other countries, no doubt, that would have created one pretext or another to gain permanent control of the Island. When our policy is, therefore, compared with that of England, in South Africa and Egypt; with that of France, in North Africa and China; that of Germany, in Shantung; and that of Russia, in Manchuria, Cuba has abudant cause for gratitude, and we, reasons for self-congratulation. Our policy of temporary occupation is perhaps the only single instance in modern times in which temporary occupation has been exactly what the words imply. There are those, however, who hope, if not expect, that some day Cuba will apply for admission in the Union, and they will doubtless do all that they can to encourage a relationship likely to bring about their desires. However, if Cuba maintains a stable government, and offers to the United States reciprocal advantages of trade, it is quite likely this country will prefer that Cuba remain as it is, an independent repu,blic.

Sug:af.

The consumption and production of sugar throughout the world have given rise, in late years, to the strongest competition among the nations of Europe, and the United States, to promote a largely increased output. Germany and France have been vieing with each other in the production of beet sugar; and, in order to increase the market abroad for their sugar products, they have given large bounties to their sugar producers. This bounty has been constantly increased, until it reached thirty-five cents per hundred weight. Of course, this meant cheaper sugar to those countries who admitted it free, or practically free, of duty. The bounty system there has been overworked, and lately there has been a conference of these nations, in Brussels, for the purpose of making a uniform reduction in the bounty system, and, perhaps, in the end a re- moval of the bounty altogether. One of the alleged reasons in Europe for giving high bounties, has been the excuse from each nation that it was simply meeting the competition of its rivals. The consumption of sugar has grown so wonderfully in the past thirty years that its en- couragement is a matter of national importance. In 1870, it was esti- mated that the total production of sugar was 2,750,000 tons per year. Today it is estimated at 8,500,000 tons per year. In 1870, two-thirds

of the production was cane sugar, now it is the other way, and beet sugar production is double that of the cane sugar.