The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-02-16
THE YEAR ABROAD.
Leading and Significant Events Transpir-
ing in 1880.

during the past year has been 80 worthy OF
attention, or SO fortunate for the world, as
the shift Of POWER in England from Disraeli
and the Tories to Gladstone and the Liberals.
England. Of all the European powers, is the
one to which the world looks for a policy
friendly to liberty and governed by reason.
But under the guidance of Lord Beaconsfeld
the opening year found her engaged in a
series of selfish intrigues and more selfish
wars of aggression, which were called Q Vig-
orous foreign policy. It's close finds her il
the old place of honor, as q nation which in
the main aims at doing righteousness, and
honestly in love with fair play, though not
always able to see what is fair play. her
policy towards Japan, China and the Trans
Republic still stains her escutcheon, and the
delay in her evacuationaof Afghanistan, as
well as her decision to profit by the aggres-
eions of the late Ministry in Southern Africa
detract from the worlds respect Of her
change of policy. But in the main her face
is in the right direction, and il is the whole
worlds gain.
Mr.. Gladstone's worst problems are not in
South Africa but in Ireland. AS the year
opened. the Irish Land League was a small
and rather insignificant organization, strug-
Cling rather hopelessly to check the eviction
of tenants in the famine-smitten districts of
Western ireland. 1t was located chiefly in
Connaught, with some branches in Munster.
It is now confessedly the first social poWerin
ireland. 1t has filled the three Southern
provinces with its organizations, and is
spreading into Ulster, in spite Of the resist
ance Of the larger portion Of the Orangemen.
1t has enlisted the people Of the towns in its
battles for the defense of the tenants. It has
stopped not merely eviction, but also the pay
ment Of any rent except that based on
Griffith Valuation, upon which Irish taxes
have been levied. And it has rallied the
great majority Of the Irish people, not even
excepting the Roman Catholic Clergy, to the
support of the principle that the Landlords
must give place to peasant proprietorship.
All this has not been effected without some
of those unhappy excuses that generally at
tend great popular movements which are not
under government direction. But, taken al
together, the Irish people have shown a de-
gree of s%elf-control far in excess OF what
their best friends expected. Neither the
prosecution of their leaders, nor the presence
of thirty thousand soldiers in Ireland, has
awaited in the least 10 stop the advance Of the
League, or to provoke the people to violent
resistance OF the civil authorities.
The influence exersed by the Irish agitation
upon English opinion is matter Of conjecture.
AS in previous instances, and especially as on
the eve of the last election, it is possible to
mistake London opinion for that Of England
at large. There seems no reason to doubt
that Mr.. Gladstone still commands the sup
port Of the people Of England IN his judg-
ment that great reforms Of the Irish land
laws must be effected before peace is restored
to the sister island and that if the resistance
Of the Peers makes q dissolution necessary,
they will sustain him by a majority equal to
that in the present House. The present SEES
sion OF Parliament may be expected TO De
q Of unusual excitement. That which fol-
lowed the last election was such. The strug-
Gle over the bill to check eYictions ln the
famine-stricken districts Of Ireland, brought
all party a%ntagonisn to a head, and the re-
lection of that bill BY the Peers did much TO
provoke ali intense excitement il Ireland. 1t
alsosaid much to lower Unpopular regardfo
the Upper House. and to make its abolition
az modification O matter Of general public dis
cussion.
The Republic ofFrance has had a year OF
secondary excitements. which serve at g
to show how well the new government IS
planted. and also how little the Wlsdom OF its
statesmen is accomplishing for its pernaa-
nance. The frequent rise and fall OF cabl-
nets has made the Ministers OF the Repub-
lie matters of public jeets as puppets OF 9
power greater than themselves, While lt IS iel1
on all hands that the President Of the Corps
Legislatif is the power that controls the des-
TIMES Of France. We think he is using the
power to no good purpose. So far from
seeking to conciliate the elements Which, II
France, are %unfriendly to the Republic, he
has managed to divide the French people
more than ever before, through the violent
suppression Of the religious orders, while be
has robbed the republic Of 8 great body Of
liberal sympathy in lands Whese Liberalism
and persecution are still regarded as anti
thetical terms.
n Germany there are signs of changes Tor
the better and for the worse. Like al the
other champions of stxeng government hefr
VI; 90 : y VI snnaas To prnW more despOtlc as ne