The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-01-07
Retrospection.

TIE HISTORY OF A TwEIvEMoNTT. IMPoR-
TANT EVENTS IN THE YEAR OF GRACE 1880.
On the eve of the New Year it is of interest
and profit to glance back over the history of
the old year and review its leading events. In
the State it has been quiet and considering the
conditions, fairly prosperous. Propitious sea-
sons have given the farmers good crops. and
the ice and lumber business has folrished. The
only important events of political nature per-
tanning to State affairs have been the session of
the legislature and the preparations for the re-
union of former legislators. The danger of III
fection from disease prevailing in localities
within nelShborng province has been ward
ed of by prompt and effective measures taken
by the State and local boards Of health Happy
is the State which has few annals.
The country at large has been less fortunate.
Hard times have created widespread discon-
tent among the wagc-workcrS, resulting in
numerous strikes and labor troubles. The dis
putes have not in all cases been settled as hap
PLY as in Brockton and other manufacturing
towns. In some of the mining districts there
have been collisions and bloodShed, while the
great disgrace of the year appeared in mas
sacre of fifty peaceable Chinese in Wyoming
and the outrageous treatment of hundreds of
others there and in Washington Territory. The
use OF the boycott aS a means of the laboring
organizations to compel employers to come to
terms has come into great prominence during
the year. In some instances, as witness Gal
weston, the boycott has been used in an I'M
reasonable and tyrannical manner. The coun-
try has been at peace with the exception of the
Panama expedition and a fruitleSs fugitive
warfare with bands of Arizona Apaches.
The great political events have been the inau-
guration of a Democratic Administration,
the resultant changes in the civil service,
the friction between the reform President and
the anti-reformers of his party, the elections
in Ohio, New York and Virginia, the diSper-
SION of the cattle owners from the Indian
reservations, and the action of the govern
ment in regard to the cruiser contracts and the
ocean mail subsidy. Congress opens with the
prospect OF Il long and angry session. Az
riculturc has been favored The decrease in
the yield of wheat has been made up in corn
and cotton. America, however, has begun to
realize that she is not the granarv of the world,
and to feel the competition of Russia, India and
Australia. Manufacturing has had hard year
on the whole, but is beginning to brighten >en-
sibly at the signs Of returning prosperity. 1t
Is the same with commerce and trade general
ly. No pestilence has visited our shores. The
cholera and the yellow fever have been kept
out by wise regulations There have been no
very disastrous floods. The great fire of the
year was the burning of 300 houses in Calves
ton, at loss of two and onc-half millions. There
have been no bad railroad accidents attcnl
ed with very large loss of life, except the emil
grant train collision in New Jersey. Nor have
there been any great disasters at sea 50 far a.
American vessels We're concerned. The burial
alive of two score miners at Nanticoke was
about the most shocking affair which happened
in the country. TornadoeS have been frequent
but attended with comparatively small loss of
life. The town Of Washington in Ohio was
almost blown to pieces, and much damage was
caused in savannah and Charleston. The burn
Ing to death of IL llnatic> in Philadelphia
almS-hUuse, a similar but less fatal disaster in
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