commissions in the British army. While they were only imprisoned for a
short time, and were not harshly treated in any sense, the fact of being
dismissed from the army was a very serious thing for them.

A commission in the army means the authority by which the officer holds
his rank of Captain or Colonel--or whatever it may be--and is naturally
valued very highly by the holder.

In England, especially, the highest class of young men go into the army
as officers, and to leave the army without wishing to, to have one's
commission taken away from one, is a great disgrace. An officer who
leaves the army at his own wish has all other careers open to him, but
one who is dismissed from the service is disgraced and cannot easily
find fresh employment, and moreover loses all the income and standing
that being an officer in the army had given him.

This is the position of the officers who led the Transvaal raid; they
have been disgraced and deprived of their profession.

If, indeed, they are innocent, it is only right that their commissions
should be restored to them.

* * * * *

The Tariff Conference has done its work very rapidly.

After less than two weeks of discussion, this committee has prepared its
report and given it to Congress.

It was presented to the House on the 20th of July, and after a debate of