Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1888-01-07
A GLANCE BACKWARD.

Brief Summary of the Most Important
Events of the Old Year-Happe nings in
the Political Arena in America and
Abroad-The Most Notable Deaths-Loss
OF Life by Disastor-Murders, Hangings,
1 LyE chings. Suicides and Fires.
1 THE OLD YEAR AT HOME.
There is every reason to be satisfied with
the results OF 1887 SO far as they are re-
lated to the general business of the coun-
/ try, its agricultural products, the continued
1 good health of the people, the development
of our National resources. and the indica-
tions that many of our labor and socialistic
agitations are settling down to condition
| of order once more.
The legislative history Of the country dur
| Ing the year was full OF interest The Forty
ninth Congress, which expired March 4
| passed fifteen important bills, as follows:
| The Electoral Count bill; the Presidential
Succession bill; the bill repeating the Ten
ure of Office act; the Mormon bill; the bill
providing for fast cruisers and steel guns:
the Canadian Retaliatory bill; the Inter
State Commerce bill; the bill redeeming
trade dollars; the bill prohibiting the
ownership of land by aliens; the bill
sending all claims to the Court
Of Claims; the bill ordering an in
CURRY into the management of the
Pacific roads; the bill relieving the mer-
chant marine of number of needless bur
dens; the bill extending the free delivery
system to cities OF 10000 inhabitants; the
bill authorizing the issue of small silver
| certificates; and the bill forfeiting a.
O0O,O acres of unearned land grants; be-
sides 1876 bills not of National impor-
lance. Among other important events of
/ thu session were the ratification Of the
Hawaiian treaty, and the vetoes Of the De-
| pendent Pension and Texas Relief bills by
| the President
There have been radical changes in the
| Cabinet and departments during the year
The 18th of February Daniel Manning, Sec
Rotary of the Treasury, resigned his position
owing to ill-health and went abroad, hop
| ing that change and rest void be beneficial
The 31st of March Assistant Secretar Fair
child was appointed to fill the vacancy,
and few days ago was confirmed by
the Senate. 1t was thought for time
that Mr.. Manning had been benefited by
his trip, but later in the year he suf-
| fered relapse and died at Albany,
! N. Y, December "a, universally lamented
The 18th Of November Land Commissioner
Sparks resigned after his memorable quar-
| rel with the Secretary OF the Interior. Since
that time the President has appointed Mr.
Lamar to the Supreme bench, Postmaster
| General Villas to be Secretary of the Interior
Don M Dickinson, of Michigan, to be Post
master General and James W. Hyatt, of Con-
| necticut, to be United States Treasurer, and
their nominations are awaiting confirma-
ton, the only uncertainty being that at
tached to Mr. Lamar's name
The President has occupied conspicuous
place in the years record The 3Oth of
September, accompanied by Mrs Cleveland
he started upon his journey South and West
and was greeted by thousands Of people in
the Various cities he visited His annual
message to Congress was departure from
! the usual custom of a review of the state
OF the Union in that it was entirely devoted
to tariff reform, in which he took high
ground by recommending the reduction of
the old war tariff taxes on the necessities Of
life as the most practical method of reduc-
ing the surplus
The 18th of September the Supreme
Court OF Illinois affirmed the finding of tie
lower court in the Anarchists case, AMI
fixed November II as the day of sentence
Neebe was taken at once to serve out his
fifteen years sentence The cases of
the others were taken to the
United States Supreme Court, which decided
November 2 that there Was no error in
their trial, AS a last resort petitions were
presented to the Governor, who, on the
10th, committed the sentences of Fielden
and schwab to imprisonment for life, but
refused to Interfere with the others Lingg
committed suicide the same day, and on
the 18th Parsons, Engel, Spies and Fischer
paid the penalty of their crimes on the
scaffold, and thus anarchy received it's
death-blow
THE OLD YEAR ABROAD
Though the old world has remained at
peace during the year therel has been con-
tinuous political excitement, and the new
Year opens upon darkling horizon owing
to the jealousy between Russia and Aus
txia, involving also Germany and Italy as
lies of the latter Power The wear
opened with q vacancy in the Bull
garlan Princedom and tho active sup
port of Prince Nicholas of Mingrelia
by Russia for the post on In spite of
her threats and plots, however prince Fer
dinand, of Saxe-Coburg -Gotna, was elected
and still holds his place, Notwithstanding
Russia's protests and her undisguised hostil-
1ty to him as an agent of Austrian influence.
The situation at this time is strained to
! dangerous tension, inasmuch as Bulgaria lies
in the path of Russia's progress to Cons anti
nople, the goal OF her ambition, while Aus
tria, already in possession of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, under the treaty of Berlin,
has clear road before her to the sea- The
frontier between Russia and Austria is now
lined with troops, and hostilities are antici-
pated in the spring by some authorities,
though others are equally certain that
diplomacy will be ablo to avert war, which
would be general one, and give the trouble
some Eastern question another respite.
The year opened in England with the
Tories in power, a new Cabinet having been
formed with Lord Salisbury as Premier.
The entire year has been characterized by a
fierce struggle in Parliament and out of it
between the Home-R Rulers and Tories,
owing to the harsh application of the Coer-
| clon act and the proclamation Of the Ma
tiOnal League. Many Of it's leaders are or
have been in jail, and tha struggle still con-
t1nues with occasional outbreaks and riots
| as disgraceful evidences OF Tory despotism
and oppression in this year of the Queens
jubilee.
France has had its full share of Cabinet
crises and political disturbances The 18th
of May the Goblet Ministry resigned on the
demand of the Budget Commission
for reduction of estimates and
NJ Rouvier formed a new Ministry.
Affairs went on quietly until Oc-
toher, when the war-decoration scan
dial broke out, involving NJ. Wilson, Presi-
dent Grevy's son-in-law, and others high in
station. The enemies of the President
seized upon their opportunity and i'm
proved 1T not only to overthrow the
Ministry but to force the resignation
of the President. which occurred De-
cember 2 The following day n Sadi-Car-
not was elected as compromise candidate
and NJ. Tirard formed a Ministry. There
have been some frontier DISBURSEMENTS he