The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-01-06
THE YEAR.

lie year 1879 will pass into history as an
ev. nttil one. 1t will be remembered in Europe
as disastrous to all classes, and in the United
States as one of the most tiourishing periods
ia our national existence. In Russia during
he earlier months of last summer the black
plague destroyed thousands of human lives,
c%onvulsing Continental Europe with terror at
the possibility. of its spreading. To add to
the miseries consequent upon the ravages of
the plague, the spectre of Nihilism is stalking
through the land, and in his efforts to crush
the new movement the success of which he
knows means death to the present form of
tyrannical government, the Car has sought to
enforce severe represslyc measures, intended
for the prevention and punishment of disloy-
atty, but the effects of which have been to
block the wheels of progress, paralyze the
industries of the people and place the Rus
sian nation below the level of the Sultan's
empire. Within the last twelve months
Russia has received the title of the "Sick
Man of the North,' a designation which adj
mirably describes its present enteebled con-
dition. The life of the Gar has been twice
attempted.
Little has transpired in the history of Tur-
key worth recording. The government con-
tinues to be poorly administered and the
usual outbreaks in the various dependen-
cies have occurred, which have been sup
pressed without formidable resistance. A
great improvement is noticeable in the condl
ton ofthe people who, under the provisions
of the treaty of Berlin. and in consequence of
the Turco-Russian war, regained a voice in
their political government.
France has had a change of presidents.
Marshal MacMahOn resigned on the Both Of
January, and NJ. Jules Grevy was elected his
successor on the same day. Important
changes of ministries have taken place in
Spain and Italy. The young King of SPAN
has Just taken an Austrian archduchess as his
second wife. his tirst-Queen Mercedes
having died some eighteen months ago. In
Germany. Prince B;smarck's policy has mn
ders;one a marked change, and an election Of
a new Parliament in Prussia has given him .
majority which supports his new views.
No political changes of importance have
occurred III Great Britain. although the pol.
icy of Beaconsield has been bitterly and gen
orally assaulted by the lower classes. In conse
uuence sof an extremely wet season the
English wheat crop was almost a total failure
and us might naturally be expected great pri
Walton and hardship resulted. The manufac
turing interests have also languished as a re
suit of successful American competition AM
strikes. protracted and disastrous were O
almost daily occurrence. The condition o
the Irish tenantry is lately reported to b
deplorable, and as the landlords have re
morselessly exacted their rents whereve
possible, Notwithstanding the known povelt'
of the people, general indignation has beel
aroused, and the benevolent in all parts of tn
civilized world are now freely contributing t
the relief of the sufferers.
The United States has experienced a sea
son of unpalleled prosperity. Beginnin
in July, soon after the resumption of speci
payments made itself felt in the channels G
business, a boom was i~naugurated extendin
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from tn
Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. ]
eclipsed any previous boom ill the history {
the Republic, and will render the year 1871
memorable in our annals as having witnesse
the ~healthiest, most permanent revival i
business ever before known. Our foreig
trade has been immense, and its profits hav
been returned to us in the form of gold, t
the amount of about seventy-fve million do,
lars in a few months.
Among the commercial events of the yea
should also be mentioned the movement for
canal through the Isthmus OF Panama, whic
was originated by an lnternational Congress
at Paris in May, and the laying of a new telt
graphic cable from France to Massachusett
II we look back, we also look forward. An
il our eyes do not pass the limits of our ow
land we foresee for the year 1880 Q season
large material prosperity and of intense agit.
ton over the Presidential election. There
nothing diseouraging in the prospect. and v
may have reason to hope that the universi
expectation for a good year will be realized.