The Ottawa free trader., 1886-02-20
Current Events.


their inefiiciency in dealing with then
from the first outbreak in Trafalgar square
which, II properly hanaled, 1t Is main
tained, should have ended them then and
there. The committee Of the socialists and
worklngmeu who waited on Dir, Chamber
lain last week and were snubbed, suose
uuently called on Mr. Gladstone, VINO, De
ing out, his secretary snubbed them again
by telling them that the person to call up
hh was the secretary for home affairs a.
the subject did not pertain to the treasury
department, Of which Gladstone WAS hrS'
lord.
While the riots In London have ceased,
however, q serious riot broke out among
the striking stocking operatives In Leices'
Ter on the 18th, but after smashing the lac
tory windows and sacking few shops the
rioters we're dispersed. A similar outbreak
occurred among striking operatives at Bir.
lnlngham on Monday, and was in like
4uanner suppressed. Meantime, however
II IA conceded that there Is great distress
among the working classes, especially In
London, aud fund has already been
raised of 81 900 900 for their relief.
Aside from the riots, the most exciting
tonic of the week In London has been the
Dixie scandal. Mr.. Donald Crawford sued
for divorce from his wife on the ground OF
her having Illicit connection with sir
Charles Dixie, the latter being party to
the suit. The lady, placed on the stand,
made a full confession, duplicating Slr
Charles In tie broade5t manner. Justice
Butts. who tried the case, granted the dl.
vorce,' but dismissed the suit against Mr.
Dixie as not proved by the unsworn evil
dence o. Mrs Crawford, though he had
granted the divorce on the same evidence.
MI. Dixie, however, who had been prom
iaed place In Gladstones cabinet Is al.
mittcd 20 be politically and socially de
funct, and will be asked 20 resign his seat
In parliament.
The most exciting Continental topic Of
the week has been the surrender Of Biz
narck 10 the pope. For the last 10 years
the two had been at strife over what are
known as the May Laws" by which the
German Inperial government assumed the
power claimed by the pope to appoint the
bishops and PRESS Of the atholic church
throughout Germany. Bismarck now In.
troduces bill In the Herrenhaus to return
this power to the pope. The Inference Is
that Bismarck, feeling his majority slip
ping away from him in the Reichstag, ex.
poets to make up his losses by winning
over the ul,ra-montanes.
II Is said that Mr. Bigger and Mr.. Healy
have threatened to withdraw from paTlia
ment unless Parnell makes concessions to
the voters of Galway by withdrawing Capt
O'5hes in favor of Mr. Lynch, the local
candidate. Parnell is reported to respond
with threat to Withdraw himself If the
Irish people don't like his ways.
The topics occupying the two houses of
congress In debate during the week have
been the Blair educational bill In the sen
ate, and tho Fitz John Porter bill In the
house. The Blair bill, the reader will re
memher, proposes 10 distribute about $40
900 900 during the next ten or fifteen years,
among the states for educational purposes
the states to receive In proportion to their
illiterscy OF course this means that the
bulk OF the fund is TO go 10 the south TO
educate the negroes, and Is thus resented
by some OF the southern members as a
bribe. Yet most Of them will vote for 1t
and the bill may ultimately pass.
The Fitz John Porter bill IN the house Is
tho same which President Arthur vetoed,
and no one doubts but ii will again pass
both houses and thi, time Will certainly
not be vetoed by the President
Morrison introduced his new tariff bill
in the house on Monday and had it re
ferred to his own committee, the ways and
means. 1t will, II passed, reduce the rev.
enue about $s0,0OO,O00, half of which will
result from the reduction on sugar. The
other reductions are mainly on coarse
woolen and cotton goods, steel rails. scrap
iron, &c. The free list is largely increased,
including lumber, timber, lath, shingles,
-alt. hemp, jute, &c.
The first step In promotion of the Hen.
nepn and Illinois & Michigan canal en-
srgement project was taken In the house
IN "Wednesday by the report OF bill from
the railways and canal committee proyid.
ing for the acceptance Of the Illinois Il
Michigan canal by the United States pur
,uant to the vote OF the people of the state
II Illinois, and providing for the enlarge
ment Of the canal.
The committee on silver coinage, after
voting against the stoppage Of silver Coir.
age, authorized Mr.. Bland to introduce N
he house on "Wednesday, but without the
endorsement his bill in favor Of the free
,Oinage of silver.
The republican senators, 10 the numb r
II 20 have finally come TO an agreemeLt n