The Portland daily press., 1872-12-31
A Strange Story.
THE WORLDS vICIssTUDEs DURING THE
YEAR 1872.

THE WORLDS vICIssITUDEs DURING The
YEAR 1872.
II is nlea,ant relief from the contempla-
ton of the incredible disasters of the sad year
that has just passed to dwell on the moral adj
vaptages that have been gained during the
same period. The material di sasters most
wildly impress the mind for the moment, but
ultimately the world will no doubt find ample |
compensation for all its griefs and losses in
the
RECORD OF PROGRESS
ard of ever is more or less nearly connected
with the amelioration OF she lot of mankind.
We begin with the Geneva Arbitration, the
most splendid triumph civilization has gained
during the year. Here is something that
will make good to the world its loss from a
hundred baptisms of fire and the sweep Of a
thousand tempests. The clouds that hung
over the treaty Of Washington at the time Of
the presentation of the counter cases at Ge-
neva on the 18th of April were all happily
dissipated, the American government through
the skill of its agents and the impart atty OF
the arbitrator gained substantial triumph
in the consideration of the claim for indirect
damages by the tribunal, though those claims
were rejected; and when on the 14th Of Sep
TENDER the award of fifteen million dollars to
the United States was signed by four of the
five arbitrator, England Loyalty submitted
herself to the result. There was some high
Tory grumbling. which was increased in Oc-
tober when the Emperor William of Germany
decided the long standing San Juan contro-
versy in our favor. But the irritation was
only skin deep, and expressions from Eng
lands leading statesmen and the most infu
ential journals breathe humanizing spirit of
submission and even qualification. Great has
been the triumph Of the United States, but
even greater is that of England. HE that
ruleth his own spirit is mightier than he that
taketh CITY," Considering tine traditional
pride of the mother country, and the promi-
nenoe given to her submission by the TACT
that she is the first of great powers to DOW
voluntarily to the DEGREES of q tribunal not Of
her own creation, she is fairly entitled to this
impressive poetical tribute which comes from
German source:
Twice hast thou humbled thyself to await from the
peaceful tribunal
justice; twice hath it judged, giving against thee
its word;
Yet, forasmue as thou oldest this deed and reyer-
victress, NOT vauquished, thou art, glorious by
sheathing Thy sword.
The legislation necessary to carry into et-
feet the fishery, canal and tariff clauses of
the treaty of Washington has been accorded
by Parliament, by the Dominion and by
Prince Edwards Island, and the concurrent
tion of the United States Congress is alone
needed to make this most beneficent of the
works of diplomacy complete success.
Ofthe other events having some connec-
ton with progress and the happiness of man
kind surprising number must be referred to
Spain. At the last election for the Cortes
the Republicans and Radicals obtained a great
preponderance, one OF the effects of which
is seen in the establishment of the
trial by jury, and the election of
Radical as Vice President of the Cortes.
The law passed by the Cortes in the first
flush of its delivelance from the Bourbons
providing for the gradual emancipation of
slaves in Cuba has remained unexecuted, but
King Amadeus has this year issued code of
rules in accordance with which this most
needful OF reforms is to be carried out. Sla-
very is to be abolished forthwith in Porto
Rico also. That these reforms will prove
to be real aid permanent every one will hope
but only few, like Col. John Hay will have
unlimited faith. If slavery can really be abol-
.ished in the Spanish West Indies there will
remain little of it except in tn interior of
Africa, though, as we shall see, practice
hardly less repreh ensible is carried on with
the knowledge and connivance of civilized
nations. The discovery of DR.. Livingstone
about the middle of October in Central Africa
by Mr.. Stanley, the special envoy Of the New
York Herald, led to 81 CHI disclosures in re-
gard to the Zanzibar slave trade that an ex-
pedition sent out by the British government
under Sir Bartle Frere, is at this moment
engaged in the good WORK of breaking it
up.
Among the reforms effected or attempted
by legislation during the year is the passage
by the British Parliament OF the ballot bill,
which ensures poor an. depende It electors
from interference or intimidation. At some
special elections held since the Queen gave
her assent to this act on the 18th of July,
its operation has been as successful as was
anticipated. The passage by our House of
Representatives at its last session of bill de-
voting the public lands to the support of pub
lie schools must be classed in the same cate
CORY. Also the national law for the pfeven-
tion of cruelty to cattle while in trdnsitu
The transfer of the superintendencs of
schools from the church to the State. thes
preston of the Jesuits, and the breaking
down Of one of the last remnants of the feu-
dial system bIough the passage of the county :
reform bill by Prussia are all steps in the
right direction. The passage of the reform
bill was SO strenuously resisted by the Ger
man peers, that the Emperor was obliged to
resort to the extraordinary expedient of ere
ating 25 new members of that body, and =
hus secured majority in favor of the meas |
Ire.
There has been much duling the year to
ncourage the advocates of the emancipation
Of women. Illinois has placed women on an
equality with men so far as employment and +
The professions are concerned. In England on v
he first OF May bill to give women the =
right OF suffrage received 143 votes in the
,he House OF Commons. The result in the s
|
remarkable. The Senate was nearly unani-
nous in favor of submitting woman suff- IL
age amendment of the constitution TO the %
PEOPLE, and the measure was defeated in the VI :"
House by very few votes. In several cases y
women have not waited for any further au-
horization than such as they find in the con- =,
titulion ofthe United States. Seven women u
'oted at Vallejo, California, in January, and ye
n Rochester, N. Y, at the Presidential cleo oe
ion, fourteen women followed Miss Susan r III
anthony to the polls and deposited their 81
otes. The ente prising Rochester ladies tn
ave, however, been arrested for ILLEGAL vot- o.
1g, and the questi of their RIGHTS u,dar WI
he fourteenth and fifteenth amepdn,ont. m;
7ill probably be tested in the trial that mnst Fe
nsue. The experiment of woman SUFFRAGE
a Wyoming continues to give satisfaction to
IL parties interested, but the voting of the wa
lormon women in Utah is not crcum Stl
lance that can well be cited with gratifica- Ri
ion by the friends of reform, though the fact Is
hat women of the lowest and most ignorant ne