Connecticut western news., 1880-01-07
The Old and the New.
PARIsoN WITH OTHER NATIONS OF THE EARTH,

in national blessings. It has been marked by our peaceful relations with foreign powers, by plenty in our land, by the solving of grave financial prob lems, by extraordinary results obtained from our study of science. The outcome of all this has been the improvement of our standing among the civilized nations of the earth in exact proportion to our advance in prosperity and intelligence. If our business outlook is encouraging i! is (1e2ausa the plans and p~t iects for l the present year have not been laid on false or uncertain foundation. The hard blows Of experience have taught us wisdom in the years gone by, and while we go on hoping, desiring, plan ming for the future the period of financial and commercial depression through which we lately passed, after sessions of reckless extravaganza, has taught us moderation. Our returning prosperity is largely due to the fact that we have now learned neither to desire too much, hope too confidently, nor plan too large- ly. The year should see a permanent | continuation of this well-being if pru- dence is maintained. We can best ap l rreciate the cause we have for congratu- | lation by looking into the homes of our neighbors here and across the sea, and marking what has transpired in other lands than ours.
 In Mexico and South America the usual list of civil wars on pigmy scale has been exhausting the feeble constitu- tions of the smaller States, while Ohili and Peru have been engaged in bitter strife. Our Canadian neighbors have been far from happy, their internal po- litical struggles having waxed so warm as to compel their transfer to England for adjustment, though with hardly sat- isfactory settlement of the difficulty. Europe is possessed of anything but peace and plenty. "Wars and rumors of war" has been tue burden of the daily bulletin received from beyond the ocean, and disasters by flood and field have added to the general troubles of the Continent. Great Britain has had to contend with disaffection and famine in Ireland and India, financial and politi- cal anxiety as to Egypt, Zulu war in Africa, ill which she lost a vast sum of money and many precious lives. Her have constantly threatened to draw her into seriozrs diff F ai 4ier4ties, -ta-a afeaat- a diminution of the glory she achieved in the Berlin Congress. Her industrial 1 interests have greatly suffered by dis satisfaction among the operatives and her agricultural profits by long continued storms which destroyed the ripening crops. She has been compelled to play sharp diplomatic game with Russia, in Europe, while she has watched with alarm threatened advance of the Mus covte toward her lines in Asia, and late- ly noticed the mysterious appearance in India of the fanatical Whahabees from Arabia.
 Russia has had year eventful with home and foreign troubles; disputes with her neighbors and attempts tc strangle Nihilistic conspiracies at home have occupied her constant attention and bsen heavy drain upon her purse. Austria Hungary has secured the pos. sessions accorded her by inc Berlin
 Congress, but as cession is one thing and possession another, Austria has had
 to forcibly take unto herself the new
 territory at some expense and consider.
 able trouble. It proved by no means 6
 dainty morsel, and in fact the slice o
 cold Turkey to which she was helped
 has caused a serious feeling of uneasi
 ness in the body politic-a case of politi
 cal indigestion as it were. Austria has long occupied the pleasant position
 known to weather bureaus as "storm
 centre," and she is 50 advantageouslJ
 situated geographically in relation
 to friends and foes-and it is hard tt distinguish which is which just now that no matter which of them fall ou she is tolerably sure of being obliged te "have hand in the game" or at Ieast watch it's progress with her hair on end
 waiting for the next move. The Gar man Empire has been q prey, as hav' some of the other nations of Europe to the most serious internal politica strifes with the growing socialistlt
 elements, and Bismarck's triumph ha only been aecomplishe5 by consolida tiop with those who demanded con sessions which he was loath to make , Spain has witnessed domestic trouble . as have her sister States. Her treasury 4 has been depleted by heavy expenditures and the issuing of new bonds has onl, : tended further to embarrass her. T, !. deepen her poverty, floods have de vastated her fairest districts, and to ado to the feeling of general insecurity, he
 Kings life has twice been attempted il , public. France has had a series o political complications since the frs important event of the year-th resignation of Marshal MacMahon ol , the 30th of January, 1879. The chang
 of Ministry, the return of the exile ; communists, the fierce strife over tn
 educational bills, the strengthening c ! the Left in the Legislative Body, hay < all been matters of anxious thought t the French people.
 :. In the face of all these and othe , troubles abroad can we fail, to conside = our country greatly blessed in its com
 parative peace and quiet We ar
 busying ourselves with the ways c
 peace while others are preparing fo 5 war. We are restarting our mills, build ing again in our shipyards. rekindlint the forge-fires, developing our mine