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REVIEW OE REVIEWS. 



October 1, Vjli. 



the Chinese situation is not from the 

 Chinese themselves, but because a fratri- 

 cidal strife will render the already 

 shaky financial position chaotic, when 

 the guarantors of the recent huge loan 

 would feel themselves compelled to in- 

 terfere. We should then have a Far 

 Eastern question almost as serious as 

 the present near Eastern one. 



THE BAGHDAD RAILWAY. 



Some months ago a general arrange- 

 ment was arrived at between Great Bri- 

 tain and Germany, by which we gave 

 up our interest in the famous Baghdad 

 railway in exchange for a protectorate 

 over Koweit, which virtually gives us 

 predominance in the Persian Gulf. 

 Germany has now practially completed 

 negotiations with France to take over 

 the latter's nnancal interests in the line. 

 The matter is being arranged through 

 the banks which represent the two 

 Powers. The Ottoman Bank is to sell 

 to the Deutsche Bank its stock in the 

 railway, which is dead weight for the 

 Ottoman Bank so long as it is not 

 negotiable on the Paris Bourse, where, 

 it is not admitted to quotation. In re- 

 turn for this the Deutsche Bank will 

 renounce in favour of French interested 

 parties her railway concessions on the 

 shores of the Black Sea and in Syria. 

 These arrangements, made with the 

 entire approval of Russia, give Ger- 

 many entire control of the Baghdad 

 railway, and free France from German 

 competition in regions where it might 

 play a part. A possible cause of fric- 

 tion between the two countries is thus 

 removed. England, by her much at- 

 tacked agreement with Russia in Persia, 

 her Protectorate over Koweit, and her 

 control over the Persian Gulf has fully 

 protected the route of the proposed 

 railway which will link India and 

 Europe. 



THE AMERICAN TARIFF. 



The Tariff Revision Bill was passed 

 through the Senate by 44 votes to 37, 

 two Republicans, La Follette and 

 Poindexter, voting for it. The duty on 

 woollen blankets was fixed at 25 per 

 cent. ad. val., and that on woollen yarns 



at 1 5 per cent. The new rates will 

 become effective for raw wool on De- 

 cember 1st, for woollen goods on Janu- 

 ary 1 st. This rapid carrying through 

 of a Bill against which were arrayed 

 all the forces of Protection and local 

 manufacturers, is a remarkable achieve- 

 ment. Its passage has given rise to a 

 searching enquiry into corruption in 

 the Senate Lobby. Frank and engaging 

 confessions were made before the Com- 

 mittee of Investigation by the represen- 

 1 lines of great combines like the Sugar 

 Trust as to how they spent money on 

 " creating " public opinion and knobbl- 

 ing Senators. President Wilson is 

 thorough, and has gained the confi- 

 dence of the people. 



MEXICO. 



Matters are not mending in the dis- 

 tracted Republic. General Huerta was 

 more or less grudgingly recognised by 

 the United States on the assumption 

 that he was not to be a candidate at 

 the elections, which were to be held as 

 quickly as possible. That President 

 Wilson should put any faith in an elec- 

 tion when the country is in such a state 

 of anarchy, is surprising. Fighting is 

 constantly taking place, and Ameri- 

 cans are often in danger. The latest 

 development is the splitting off of the 

 Northern provinces, which propose to 

 form themselves into a separate State. 

 If this is done it would not be surpris- 

 ing to see such a new Republic ulti- 

 mately absorbed into the United 

 States. For its own sake it would be 

 the best thing that could happen. In 

 any case it looks as if the American 

 Government will have to interfere, re- 

 luctant as it is to do so. Continued 

 chaos in Mexico cannot, however, long 

 be tolerated. There are too manv Euro- 

 pean and American interests involved 

 to permit this to go on indefinitely, 

 and the L T nited States is the only power 

 which can act as policeman. 



CASTRO ACAIN. 



In Venezuela, too, the United States 

 may have to take a hand. In 1908 

 Castro, who had been virtual dictator 

 for many years, was deposed. His 

 rule had been marked by corruption 

 and cruelty. His successor, Gomez, has 



