Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30

French maps is a mountain range running
parallel with the Mekong river. Between
these mountains and the river is a terri
tory which for sixty years remained the
undisturbed possession of SIAM This ter
rttory France had long wanted. In 1891
NJ. Rfbot, then foreign minister Of France.
declared Frances claim to the country east
OF the Mekong. Forts on the Mekong were
estaohshed, but resistance was made by
the Lastian tribes ancestral enemies OF
AMMAN. Siam disclaimed responsibility, but
anairs were brought to a crisis In April OF
this year by the massacre OF NJ. Grosgurfn,
French military inspector. and fourteen
men by armed Siamese. France at once de-
manded PREPARATION, which Siam PROGRESSED
Willingness TO give The territorial claims
OF France Siam would not. however. con-
cede. France at once prepared to enforce
her claims. A body OF French marines
moved I'm early July upon two Siamese forts
and captured them. On July Is the French
appeared in force before the capital Two
gunboats entered the Menam river. on
which Bangkok. the capital is located, and
anchored of the city. There almost a rantc
prevailed. -Four thousand troops were mass
ed at the capital and the siamese govern
ment prepared for resistance. On july 20
the French representative at Bangkok de-
livered the ultimatum Of his government.
with the threat IL not accepted within for
ty-eight hours war would follow. The ter
ritory demanded amounted TO $1,000 square
miles. more than third OF Siam England
was greatly excited at this Siam consent
ed within forty hours TO cession of territory
to the eighteenth parallel. This France re-
fused to accept. Miaister Paire prepared
Siam agreed to the full conditions. cedinG
territory to the twenty-third parallel
Unrest Among the Masses
The past year has been notable for the
spread Of socialism In Europe and the ac-
tivity displayed by the anarchists. The gen.
eral depression In trade. the prevalence of
distress among the working classes ana the
unsettled political conditions In France.
Germany, Austria, Belgium and elsewhere.
have materially increased the ranks of those
who want to establish q new social order on
the present one Early In February a I'VE
days debate on socialism occurred In the
German reichstag. in which the merits and
dement's Of socialism were exhaustively dis
cussed. An important movement occurred
In Switzerland. where a petition was ci-cu-
lated for a referendum TO the people on the
question Of amending the constitution &C az
TO add. The right to sufficiently remunera-
tive labor is guaranteed TO all Swiss cid
zens by the state" 1t is noteworthy that In
the recent convention of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor this doctrine was preached
by President Gompers. and in a mass meet
ing of workingmen I'm New York the other
evening IL was also unanimously advocated
The growth OF socialism IN europe has been
greatest in Germany. In ISL they cast
1,42i.323. or one-fifth OF the total poll of the
| empire. In the next TO last reichstag there
were thirty-six. and IL was increased 70
forty-four In the last. To most OF their de-
mands no American would object. The only
debatable demands are those calling for an
income tax and abolishing indirect tayes
A great demonstration Of the unemployed
| took place in Brussels in January. They
came to plead for work, but under the
guidance OF several anarchists were led iato
violence. and the military was called cut
Raids were made on bakers shops ana
/ q lad
anarchist uprisings occurred In Spain The
greatest amount OF suffering was caused By
one Codina hurting a bomb In the opera
house at barcelona many being killed By
| the explosion. France had a sensation IN
| the hurting of dynamite bomb In the
| chamber OF deputies by one valiant an
anarchist Disturbances have been caused
| In spain and in Sicily by attempts 20 exc
cute unpopular tax laws. In this country.
with the exception Of the strike on the Ls-
| high Valley system. there has been no not
able disturbance of Industrial conditions
The Lehigh strike was conducted without
violence except in a few cases, which the
strikers promptly repudiated- Considering
the great distress throughout the country
the order maintained has been remarkable
Other Interesting Topics.
Other topics which are Of more than pass
ing interest are the subjugation of Loben-
gula and his followers in south Africa by the
English company which has been opening
the gold fields there; the rebellion in Brazil
headed by Admirals Mello and Da Cana
| which has been confined 10 the southern
| states and the forts In the harbor of Rio;
| the scandal OF the Panama canal disclos-
ures at Paris and the Roman Bank ex-
posures in Italy; the subjugation Of the
RIMS at Melilla. Morocco. by Spain: the in
PRODUCTION Of a tariff bill In the House Of
Representatives. putting raw materials On
the free list and substituting ad valorem
for n IN N py
sion TO next May Of the time within which
Chinese may register under the Seary act;
the raising of the rank Of the leading
American ministers abroad TO that OF am
bassador; the decision to arm the American
army with the Krag-Jorgkensen magazine
rife, which has a range of 1000 yards.
holds five cartridges and can be reloaded
in two seconds: the French conquest OF
Dahomey; the deposition from the ministry
of Rev. DR.. Briggs; the Borden and Car
lyle Harris murder trials; the victory OF the
Yacht valkyrie, and the numerous and
notable congresses held at Chicago during
| the exposition.
Notable Disasters.
The most stirling disaster OF the year was
the sinking of the British battieship Victoria
of Syria on June - by being rammed by the
Camperdown. Twenty-Five officers and sss
men were lost The Ford's Theater collapse
in this city on June thrilled the country
two were instantly killed and nearly nifty
seriously injured. A hundred lives were lost
in Oklahoma on April Is by tornadoes. han
storm and water spout combined. On Feb
ruary the Island OF Zante suffered an
earthquake shock which rendered 1000
homeless The White Star freight steamer
Naronic sailed from Liverpool on February
IL and was never heard from. BY an ex-
plosion OF f-edamp at Dux. Bohemia jan
uary "a 1870 lives were lost. BY the burning
of an insane asylum near Dover. n. H. on
February 9. forty-one were burned TO death.
On July 10 the cold storage building In the
worlds fair grounds was burned and sixteen
lives were lost. Near the end OF August
high winds swept the waves over the low
lying sea islands OF the South Carolina
coast and 1000 lives were sacrificed One
hundred Were killed at Port Royal. forty at
Savannah and fifteen at Charleston The
tornado ruined fifty per cent Of the crops
in the interior.
Notable Deaths.
The notable deaths Of the year include o.
United States Senator ID. H. Armstrong. ex-
Congressman Barksdaie. Gen Berdan.
James G. Blaine. Gen. Beauregard. Bishop
Phillips Brooks. Gen. Benz. #. Butler. Ad-
miral Case. Henry c. De Mile. Gen. Abner