Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-01

of the four hundredth anniversary Of the birth of
Luther. The arrival Of Matthew Arnold in October
was made the occasion for honoring distinguished
man Of letters, but his criticisms of Emerson in
lectures In November placed him under the fire Of
some severe criticism. The debate on dispoal Of
'he surplus revenue grew general in the press,
with strong tendency against the Pennsylvania
proposition Tor division among the States. The
postal reports showed general gratifying success
OF the reduction Of postage. The policy Of enact
'ng a national bankruptcy law was also tonic Of
discussion, with leaning Of public thought in favor
OF it, movement among colored citizens for
colonization and separation from the whites WAS he
gun, and received considerable support hut tb, hot.
ter sentiment Of the country opposed it Yeno,,
fever made It's third appearance in San Francisco
aud the health authorities were singuAry apatbet,
regarding measures to prevent its spread The NJ.
suit. however, appeared to justify them 1t became
evident that nothing would be urged upon Congress,
with any prospect Of success, to further limit the
coinage Of the silver dollar In clerical circles the
arrival Of Pere Hyacinthe was the most notable
event Of the month The elections in several states
gave great encouragement to Republicans and in
large degree counteracted the preceding Demo
cratic victory in Ohio. Riots in yirgiui, Missis.
sippi and Louisiana, in which negroes were killed or
inundated, awakened bitterness Of feeling that
most citizens had hoped would never be revived.
DECEMBER.
The Forty eighth Congress began its session, with
the choice Of Mr. Carlisle, free trader, for Speaker
Of the House. In the Senate Mr.. Anthony was
chosen President, and George c. Gorham defeated
for Secretary The Presidents message was sim.
pie, document approving civil service
REFORM advising retaliatory measures for exclusion
of our products in Europe, urging stringent meas.
ures against Mormonism, and fayorng plan 70 per.
NIT national banks to issue notes at 90 per cent Of
the market value Of deposited bonds according to
the lowest quota'ouso Of the preceding year. with an
abolition Of the bank tax. The Interior Depart.
ment report advised dsarmng the Indians and sub
stitutng, FOR support education, naturalization
and the teaching Of the manual arts system the
best thought Of the country warmly approves. The
postal telegraph debate was revived by the intro
duction OF bill to establish four trunk lines Bills
to reform the Chinese Restriction Act were also
introduced into Congress. The closing Of iron
works generally created distress IN several sections
was due to a dullness Of trade arising out Of over
production and fears regarding proposed tariff
changes The events OF this month are too fresh in
public recollection to demand further reference.
GENERAL REVIEW.
Aside from the notes and comments already made
there is comparatively a small field for general re.
view. In California the railroad fares and freight
question was more temperately treated the reduo-
tons made by the Railroad Commission were &C
ceded to- and gave general satisfaction to the PEG
pie The crops turned out smaller surplus than
was anticipated. Trade, very dull early in the sum.
mer, revived greatly and reached a normal condi-
ton in the fall, with positive gain over the like
period for 1882 in few interior localities. The
proposition Of a publicspirited gentleman for
Worlds Fair in San Francisco in 1887 met with gen.
era favor, and the initial steps taken to carry
out the plans. In political circles the triumph Of
the Democrats in Ohio, Of tie Republicans else
where in State elections the defeat of Malone in
Virginia and Butler in Massachusetts,, were the chief
events In California political matters possessed no
interest except as forced by the Democrats in the
matter Of an extra session of the Legislature which
the Governor declined to call. The Knights TEN.
plaIs' Concaye in San Francisco in August
the chief social event of the summer
In the South active taken to con-
serve the plan for a Worlds FAIR in New Orleans in
1854 In the Northwest the opening OF the North.
ern Pacific Railroad the matter Of most local
moment. The yellow fever outbreak in Mexico ere
ated alarm in California that is still quick and
fears Of its entry into the State this year Ss) are
BY no means allayed. The tclegraphers' strike re.
vived the debate a Government postal telegraph,
but the GOODNESS of the President and his Cabinet to
such scheme has dampened the ardor Of its advo-
Gates. The execution Of 0'Donnen, who killed
Carey, rearoused the anti English feeling among the
Irish in America, and violent threats we're INDUCED
in to further prosecute the dynamite policy. The
arrival Of General Hancock in California gave the
occasion for a welcome by the people to
distinguished soldier, The Irish land and national
ization question debated in the United States
very freely and generally, Americans view it, no
special progress has been made toward the pacifca.
ton OF LELAND. The trial conviction and confession
Of Kuklux desperadoes in Georgia was a notable
event. and settled the question practically as to the
existence of such lawless bands. The work of lay
ing out the Florida cutoff canal was a prominent
event in engineering circles. In the East gen
cral depression in trade prevailed, and still
continues, but there is nothing panicky about the
situation, as in 1878. The year closes with no
promise of improvement in trade circles. Over.
production caused the closing Of many factories
and especially of iron works The average mercan-
tile failures has risen, and the shrinkage in bank
clearings and a strngency OF the money market dis
tinguished the closing year The margin of profits
in 1888 smaller than in any year since the close
of the war; but insecure investments and wild spec
ulation were not INDUCED in and hence the fears Of
panic are not great. Railroad building was active
during 1888. One reason for greater prominence
of mercantile and industrial depression is that the
country is more and more each year, Intervening
its interests with commerce and its fluctuations are
consequently more generally felt and violent alterna-
tions Of property and depression are therefore
more apparent than real. Capital has Interested
labor at the expense of agricultural development,
and hence great accession to the army of the
employed. However, in 1852 and 1883 more public
lands were taken up by actual settlers than in any
preceding year. At the time large tracts were
secured by the wealthy, and to extent that
awakened fears Of land monopoization and land
lordism No industry augmented more than that
of stock-raising, and well nigh all the free ranges
have been taken up. We ship more largely of meat
to Europe than ever, and SO too of other supplies,
until it would appear that we are very near the day
when it may be said that America feeds Europe
But while commerce stagnated, it is a singular fact
that the masses welto-do, and that the general
wealth of the country at the close OF 1883 was
greatly increased, and America stood the rihest and
most prosperous nation on the globe
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PACIFIC COAST HOPS.
We are pleased, says Emmet Wells to be