Two insurance companies that have defied the state law requiring licenses and who have other charges laid at their doors have been taken into the civil courts by the State Insurance Department. It is to be hoped that they will not escape upon any technicality as they did in the criminal action. It’s time the insurance companies were made to understand that the laws, weak and incomplete as they are, must be enforced.—_Cortez (Colo.) Journal._ * * * * * The year 1906 is an off year in politics. No National tickets will be in the field; but National issues will be emphasized and direction given to the next campaign. It will be well for us to look the field over and examine our bearings. For many years we have trusted the great political parties to make up the issues that we, by ballot, are to decide; but experience has taught us that political parties make up blind issues, in which the people are not interested. The great issue before the people of this Government today is the enforcement of the law. The great monopolies, who are law defying in their tendencies, must be compelled to obey the law. The law-defying elements that are moved by selfish motives alone, must be made to bend to the will of the people.—_Lockwood (Mo.) Times._ * * * * * Berlin, the capital of Germany, has solved the vexed sewage problem in a way that should commend itself to American cities, where we are away behind in the disposal of harmful and polluting refuse. The municipality of Berlin purchased thousands of acres of unproductive sand land near the city and fertilizing this with the sewage, raises big crops for the city’s benefit. Of course the plant is costly, but the proceeds of the farm repay all cost, besides a good profit.—_The American Farmer._ * * * * * The Citizen regrets very much the domestic infelicity which seems to exist under the roof of the _Atlanta, Ga., News_. It is unfortunate. Hon. John Temple Graves, as the Rome Tribune puts it, “is the Atlanta News.” We would not give a thrip of our finger for it without him. He is the life of it, and his brain and energy have made it. He has kept it free from furtherance of his political ambitions, and has made it these years the impartial commentator of men and affairs. The whole trouble is, no doubt, the result of corporate greed, and the desire on the part of certain influences to control its policy.—_Dalton (Ga.) Citizen._