Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-31
RECORD OF THE YEAR.
More Notable Events of the Past
Twelve Months.
A DARK CHAPTER In HISTORY.
From This world-A Period Of Unusual
Disaster-what Congress Has Done-Reia-
tons with Foreign Nations-News in Sport
ing Circles.

The year 1892 will be marked black in his
tory's calendar, for it is evident that within
few decades the march Of the Asiatic cholera,
leaving in its wake thousands of victims, will be
the mournful memento Of the year. Oficial
statistics show that there have been 265, 760
deaths from Asiatic cholera in Russia. Ap-
pslling these figures when the retuyns
OF the mortality from this pestilence in the
other smitten European lands shall have come
to hand they will unquestionably prove the
visitation of 1892 to have been among the most
deplorable that has ever befallen the human
race
Yet the year has been rich in benefcent
events. Reformers have been active every
where fighting abuses and stirring up indolent
administrations. The year has witnessed the
Inauguration of an enterprise at Chicago that
will surpass anything of the kind ever held.
This country has passed through one of the
most momentous political campaigns in its
history in a manner that has been credit to
the republic and the highest Endorsement Of
republican institutions. On the other hand.
the feeling of unrest has broken out in this
country and Europe in the form of strikes and
riots. The disciples Of anarchy have been es-
peciallv active in Europe and labor has been in
an unusual number of conflicts in this country.
Pennsylvania was the theater of the greatest
war between labor and capital that has been
fought since the great strike OF 1877. The
record OF disaster has been unusually long
one. Take those in mining. for instance. The
four mining districts comprising the Lacka-
wanna and Wyoming valleys close the year
with CORY list Of underground tragedies which
hurled men into eternity, crippled others for
life ard made scores of widows and hundreds
If pq,,b1ns 4 n the railrOa3S OF the common
wealth combined cannot for the year SHOW
aught in comparison to tine misery that follows
the occupation of the mines.
In the mines of the first. second. third and
fourth districts there have been recorded this
year total OF 1877 accidents, OF which 2of we're
fatal, causing SO wives to become widows, with
231 orphaned children. The inspector of the
first distric; reports l62 accidents. 90 fatal, %
widows. % orphans. The inspector of the
second district reports 1879 accidents, 81 fatal,
10 widows. 4s orphans The Inspector of the
third district reports 1876 accidents, 40 fatal.
is widows and A orphans. and the inspector OF
the fourth district reports 240 accidents, "a
being fatal. 36 widows and 122 orphans. To
these might be added the report of inspector OF
the district which embraces the mines OF the
Lehigh region, and showing IA accidents, SO
proving fatal, and making 10 widows and II
orphans.
The events of the year which stand on. prcmi-
nently are the following:
The coming of the cholera.
The Columbian celebrations.
The election of Grover Cleveland.
The passage of the Chinese exclusion act.
The agreement to arbitrate the Boring sea
dispute.
The Chilean incident.
The retaliation on Canada.
The Homestead strike.
The liberals victory in England
The famine in Russia
The Milwaukee fire.
IN CONGRESS-.
The Fifty-second Congress, which convened
on January last after the holiday recess and
adjourned on August 5. was full of incident,
especially in the House wing. There we're the
debates on the new rules, on pensions on the
various bills attacking the Mckinley tariff
separately. the uproar caused by Representa-
tive Tom Watson's Wholesale charges about the
drunkenness OF members. the contest over the
seat Of the two gentlemen from the Eimira
district, Maj Rockwell and Mr.. Noyes, and the
fight of the worlds fair people for appro-
priation. Although there was no possibility of
any bill reducing tariff rates going through the
Senate, yet the House devoted large part Of
the spring TO tariff discussion. Campaign
material in abundance was manufactured.
bit of sharp work was engineered in this direc-
ton by the democrats, which caused a great
protest at the time from the other side. 1t
the printing by five members as their speeches
in the Record Of five chapters each of Henry
Georges Protection or Free Trade" The
entire book was thus set up st government. ex-
pense and subsequent reprints were SO cheap
that they could be bought in quantities at a
cent piece The book was frnnked in large
numbers and the west and northwest were
flooded with copies during the ensuing cam
Paign.
The Rockwell-Noyes contest was interesting
in that it brought Senator David b. Hill to the
front in attempt to influence a decision
favorable TO his friend, Mai. Rockwell. The
committee on elections decided TO in favor
of Moves, the republican. Universal interest
displayed in the fight, which was appar-
entity to be a test of Senator Hills strength.
His enemies claimed that although he had sue
ceeded in shaping state legislation that was far
different from directing events in the Congress
Of the nation. While the contest was in COM
mittee an exciting meeting took place between
Senator Hill and Representative O'Ferrall.
which caused widespread talk. The fight ended
with the House voting TO seat the Senator'S
friend. Mai. Rockwell.
In its attack the tariff the House passed
the free wool. free bagging, tin plate and lead
ore bills, which did not come to vote in the
Senate.
Canada had been discriminating against
American vessels in tolls on the Welland canal
and when the President called the attention of
Congress to the matter both houses promptly
passed an act authorizing retaliation on Cana
dian vessels in the Sault Ste. Marie canal
elimination at the end Of the season, but to this
postponement the United States would not
agree Subsequently the President issued a
proclamation authorizing retaliatory duties
| equal to those imposed by Canada
Early in April the House passed the Geary
/ Chinese exclusion bill. When this reached the
/ Senate a substitute passed extending the ex-
! isting.la ten years. The result obtained
only after long fight, for there was much OPP
| position to the bill
| Next to the fight for the worlds fair appro-
\ priation the most interesting contest in Con-
1 gress that over the Stewart free silver
coinage bill. Il barely scrAped through the
Senate by 20 to IS and its friends seemed posi-
I tive that 1t would pass the House. During the
/ intervening three weeks earnest campaign
was made in Its behalf, but when the motion
was az last made to consider it the House voted
/ ia TO 1876 against its consideration. 1t was an
exciting fight ended in exciting manner.
Between the worlds fair bill and the anti
/ option bill Congress was kept in session until
August 8. Opponents of both measures did
/ their best TO prevent a vote, and nearly ex-
haasted all expedients. The fight on the fair
/ was over the sale of intoxicating liquors and
/ opening on Sunday. The Senate finally, By q
/ to 20 rejected the anti-iquor condition and
sent the bill to the House, where, after a long
| fight. the issue OF 5000. 900 souvenir half dol
/ lars for the fair authorized.
i n