Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-09
CURRENT TOPICS In EUROPE.
Cardinal Lavigerie.-Hls Noble Ef.
forts.-Balzac and his WIFE,
Austrian Cnifsrnis.-A Gift 10
London.-GrOWth OF Romanism.
The "Fabian, Fracas, etc.

}, EUROPE, Nov. 25th, 1859. ISpe
!. cial correspondence of the DEsERE
: NEws.l-The crusade against tn
e African slave trade which Canlins
: Laviserir has been so eloquentl,
preaching throughout Europe, an,
In connection with which he visite,
London last year, has created al
e interest in his personality that car
hardly fail 10 secure a hearty wei
come to his biography which ha,
Just been published. Lavigerie wa.
born at BayOnne, France, October
Slst, 1892, and IS therefore n little
more than sixty-four years Of age,
From early youth he has been a
! careful student, but he has gained
still greater distinction for his kind.
ness and humanity. Many an or.
phanage can tell the story Of his
goodness; but it is the suppression OF
the slave trade that has mostly &C.
cupied his thoughts, and caused the
fame Of his name to be sent forth
to the four corners Of the world.
Having been requested by the
French Marshal Mcmahon TO take
charge OF the missions in Algeria. ne
was formerly appointed the Arch
bishop OF Algeria in 1867. While
busy looking after the missions I'M
der his care he was led 10 observe the
terrible traffic in human beings
which existed, not merely in Al
geria, but likewise throughout the
length and breadth Of the Dark
Continent. Daring twenty-five
years Cardinal Lavigerie has devot-
Ell his energies TO his great life-work.
Sometimes he was to be found at the
head OF a company of missionaries
trying TO penetrate the dark jungleS
OF Central Africa; at other times he
was pleading the cause OF the black
man before the courts Of
Europe. In July, 1888, Carii-
nal Lavigerie came TO London
TO arouse the attention of the Brit
ish people in his humanitarian pro-
Jects. On one occasion Lord Gran
vile acted as chairman, and Mr..
Edmund Surge, the well-known
Quaker, spoke in behalf Of the
Cardinals scheme. 1t was rather
drOll 10 see n Cardinal Of Rome,
and Quaker occupying the same
platform. How nObly. how elo-
quently the Cardinal has pleaded
for freedom, all those who have
watched bis career are fully aware.
Ballad, one Of the greatest men
OF genius that France has ever |
given to the world, has lately been |
brought into remembrance by the |
erection Of his statue on the bank Of |
the Seine. BalZac seems to have |
been one Of those very few literary |
men who have welded a vast infiu- |
ence, acquired n competency and |
likewise was one Of the happiest of /
mortals. The story of his marriage is
as romantic as the rest OF his career.
One morning in 1898, shortly after /
the publication OF "Le Medicin de /
Campagne," lthe county doctor, /
Balzac received a present and let
ter by the post. The letter was
grave, dignified and tender, and exss
pressed regret that distance and cir
cumstances prevented an interview
possible, to permit the writer 20
thank the author who had written
such admirable pages. BalZac did
not cOnfOund this letter with the
scores Of epistles he was daily re-
ceiving from those who appreciated
his writings. He felt that the sender
Of this epistle was no ordinary
woman. He felt a presentiment
that this person was one who was
capable # Frightening the shadows
OF his eafiy life. and at the first op-
portunity he posted Off 10 Neufchate,
where the writer OF the letter, Evel-
ina de HausSa was then residing.
But what was BalZac's delight to
find that Madame de Hauska was
not merely mos. charming woman,
but likewise a person OF vast
and singular in
teiiigcnce. This first interview
was the beginning Of an attach
meut which had the most profound
influence On BalZac's life and writ
ings. Henceiorward none Of his
works saw the light with
out having passed through the
hands Of Madame de Hauska. Her I
advice purified, enriched and cor
rected his illustrious dramas, many
episodes Of which are undoubtedly |
to be attributed TO her zen. The l
French drama owes more TO BalZac
than 10 any other man. IL is well
that France erects a statue TO her
gifted son. 1t is proposed that a
statue shall also he erected to the
memory Of his wife, Madame de
Hauska, who 50 nObly aided him.
Twenty thousand francs have al
ready been subscribed. What more
fitting than that their statues should
stand side by side.
An imperial decree which has
been recently promulgated from
Vienna directs that every Austrian
receiving pay Of the government
shall always wear 4 unfit rm.
he be Of high o. low rank
his uniform is in every case to con
sist Of green frOck coat, gray trous
ers, military cape, sword and doe
skin gloves, with n military overcOat
for cold or wet weather. The num-
Der Of new uniforms will he thus in
creased at the commencement of the
year about seven hundred and fifty
thousand. The civil servants Of
are divided into five ranks,
and these are TO be distinguished
from each other by the color Of the
facings on their coats. These cOlOrs
ara - oil fIa ,-a-ip,,u I,,,.g - Al. ] 4
from the faintest canary ]
yellow to the richest violet. Surely ;
the tailors OF Austria should do well
this winter.
The condition Of the London poor
seems at last TO be arOusing the
attention Of philanthrOpists. Sir ,
Edmund Guinness has Just made .
a princely gift Of a million
dollars to build suitable homes
for the working classes. With !
Jut disparaging the noble gift ,
II Mr.. Peabody, the American
banker, who did so much to build
homes for the London poor, it may
be safely asserted that in most in
stances his bequest never reached
the class for whom il was intended.
The class OF houses which Mr.. Pea ,
body built were too expensive for ,
the lahOring class. Clerks, small
iradesmen, teachers, etc, awaited
themselves Of these dwellings, but
the extreme poor who are most in
need were prevented either through
want of means or inclination from
occupying these houses. Mr.. Guiu- ,
ness with admirable forethOught ]
has specified the dimensions and
Of the houses he pro- ,
poses to have built, so that they
may be more suitable TO the class for
which they are intended.
1t is noteworthy that while the
Protestant clergy have been holding
up their hands in holy horror
md bewailing the condition Of the