MCR a The Omineca Miner PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT HAZELTON, THE CENTER OF THE GREAT Omineca District or British COLUMBIA. Macdonald & Rauk, Publishers and Proprietors. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada and British Possessions, Two Dollars a year; Foreign, Three Dollars a year. ADVERTISING RATES: Display, $1.60 per inch per month; Reading Notices, 16 cents per line for firat insertion, 10 cents per line for each subsequent ngertion, Legal notices inyerted at B. C. Gazette rates. Vou. I. SATURDAY, May 4, 1912. No. 36. An Anglo-German Agreement Possible. ; The confidence felt by Mr. Churchill that the “strong, mascu- line good sense and high courage” of the Germans would not be’ offended by his “‘plain, blunt statements of facts,’”? seems to be borne out by the comment of the German press on his proposal for mutual limitation of armaments, They treat with cautious ap- proval, in fact, his scheme of partial disarmament, or at least of -abating the burdensome naval rivalry between the two countries, He warned Germany, it will be recalled, that England would al- ways keep 60 per cent, ahead of her in naval power at whatever cost. but declared that any slackening of Germany’ S pace would be followed by a like slowing-up by Great Britain, Europe would be better off, he remarked incidentally, if all the dreadnoughts wereat the bottom of the ocean. ' Not all the German comment is friend- ly, of course, Among influential naval authorities at Berlin Count von Reventlow seems to resent the ‘'presumption” of Mr. Churchill. Writing in the Berliner Tageszeitung he remarks: “It is hard to understand how a foreigner standing in so high and responsible a position can consider it admissible to give advice to the German people and to interfere in their affairs, and that, too, with arguments absolutely invalid from both a military and a political standpoint,’? The Count treats asa ‘‘bluff”? Mr, Churchill's statement that it would be better for Europe if all the dreadnoughts were under _ water, and says: "We may be allowed to put the modest question why Great Britain introduced the new era of dreadnought-building seven years ago, If this had not happened, England would not have found herself forced to-day to confess through the medium of the’ First Lord of the Admiralty that it would be an advantage to her if all the dreadnoughts in the world were sunk.” But even the Taegliche Rundschau, which is supposed to be a fire-eating organ, speaks in a more conciliating tone and concedes that “‘we are very willing to greet the English suggestion as one of the first signs, anda welcome sign, of a change in the attitude which England has always taken toward our perfectly reasonable naval claims.’? ‘‘The eandor and manly frankness of the speech” is acknowledged by the Liberal Vossische Zeltung (Berlin), which proceeds to say: “Both countries have been convinced for months past that the ’ Anglo-German rivalry has hecome a life-and-death question for ’ both ‘nations. The time of secrecy is over, Men are now-— - after the visit of Haldane, the messenger of peace—speaking to fellow men,” ' This paper thinks, however, that Mr. Churchill’s scheme is beside the mark. ‘He is contemplating an impossible contingency, and his method would not lead to any proper disarmament. Some other nation would leap into the first place as a naval power: “Americans would like to play this role, with all the reckless- ness so often exhibited hy this young Power, And in East Asia . Japan would probably rise up as a formidable antagonist of Eng- land’s, not tospeak of the inveterate rivalry of France « »« x # _ But England would be as little inclined to undertake a war against Germany as Germany would against England, Such a war would prove an inexpressible disaster to both parties, England would be staking not only much, but all, upon the game, Happily there _ is no reason to look for any such war, nor for any such process of disarmament, and we are of the opinion that negotiations between Berlin and London will lead, not to hard knocks, but to a concilia- tory treaty.”’ That Mr. Churchill has put the saddle on the wrong horse is algo the view of Vorwaerts (Berlin). The misunderstanding be- tween Germany and England, originating as it does in England’s obtuseness, is absurd, says this Socialist paper, which demands the abolition of all fleets. “Down with all navies!’ is the heading of its leading article. The only war to be waged is that between the - proletariat and the monopolizers of plenty. Hence we read: “What weapons we have to forge is clear, and the war “which the people-army has to wage is not only a fight for a new political system, but a battle of might and main, for which the fighters “must be disciplined, enlightened, and filled with enthusiasm.’’ The organ of the middle and lower classes, the Morgenpost (Berlin), hails the utterance of Churchill as characterized by a wise and welcome changé from the tone taken by other British ministers, and we read: “Had Sir Edward Grey spoken earlier a as the First Lord of the Admiralty now speaks, many lamentable misunderstandings might have been avuided. - There are faults on both. ‘sides, but it serves no purpose to refer to them now, —‘ The riyalry-in armaments has been carried go far that even England ia in danger of being eryshed by the burden. And when an official representative of Great Britain says openly that the cost of. armaments may soon overstep the limits of the nation’s power, it can not possibly be any shame to us to confess that we in Germany should also greet with pleasure -an understanding over the limitation of armaments,’ The Koelnische Zeitung, speaking: with authority, deprecates the criticism of some obscure’ chauvinistic journals, thanks Mr. Churchill for “the positive and precise nature of his. offer,’ and says ‘that “the pessimistic judgment of some German organs ia not - shaped in quarters which have authority in German. policy.” . “The speech in its evident candor,” declares the officially inspired a ” Lokalanzeiger. (Berlin), ‘‘indicates a decided advance towards. an “an ungloretanding: between two. eountties,’” . —Literary, Digest, Copper Prices Rising The copper market has not been in such a good: condition since 1907, according to the B. C. Mining and Engineering Re- cord. . Copper has come to be of as much importance ‘in corn- merce, manufacturing and indus- trial life as iron and steel: The curtailment of production, con- sequent on low prices, is felt on one hand, while the demand is improving. The average price of stocks of the leading copper companies reached 80,09, their highest point, in 1907, and their lowest 35.34, in July, . 1910, Stocks have decreased over. 40,- 000,000 Ibs, Sales ave 125,000,- 000 Ibs. a month. Production has been diminished 20,000,000 Ibs. per month. Henry R. Mer- ton & Co., of London, report the visible supply in Europe at the lowest point known, The average price of copper during the last ten year has been about 141-4, and the extremes have run from 12c to 26c. The Boston Commercial says:— “There is the best possible reason for the belief that the percentage of increase in the world’s copper production will decline from de- cade to deeade in the future. Consumptive demand, however, should grow even more rapidly than it has in the past, due to the more general dependence of the public on electricity for lighting and power. It is to be expected, therefore, that ‘‘the garment will be eut to suit the cloth,” as in the case of tin; the price of copper. advancing until its use in building construction and many other fields is discouraged, - leav- ing the entire output for the elec- trical industry, which will re- quire it eventually. That the average price of copper will be than higher it has in the past is as certain as anything in the future can be; but what the price will average depends upon supply and demand and the competition of other metals, Real Photographic Post Card Views ‘Cameras and Photo Supplies - Omineca Photographic —. “Healvay House Most convenient and comfortable stopping place for travellera be- .tween Hazelton and. Aldermeré LARGE STABLES ! . FIRST-CLASS MEALS AND BEDS. { ————————— 7 FRANK W. HAMANN ED. V. 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