Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-30
sUNDAY....... DECEMBER 80, 1894.
The Dying Year.

A. D., 1894. viii bs emitted 10 DO ro-
Numbered as a year OF wars, tumults'
md disasters During this year Rio de
Jane,ro was long In a state OF seige. Car
not. the President of the French re-
public. was assassinated. the Car OF ell
the Russias died. and the war between
Japan and China was begun. the end
whereof is not yet.
At home here In America we had the
great strike Of coal miners. which created
4 fuel famine. Then came the Pullman
boycott. and after that the rioting ana
arson In and near Chicago and In some
p,her localities. resulting in the calling
out OF large bodies of State and Federai
troops. the destruction of much railroad
property, and the loss of many lives.
We also had the army OF Coxeyites
marching to Washington upon fantastic
mission, which eventuated in the army
commander In chief and some OF his leu
tenants being put in Jail, while their de-
luded followers were pursued from pillar
TO post as Migrants.
Coxey's army. be 1t said. got as many
free rations and as much free advertising
as any army that ever was organized. and
without the loss OF a man killed or
wounded. In this respect General Coxey
may with pleasure compare bis campaign
with Napoleon's in Russia.
The year 1921 will also be remembered
rs the year OF tariff revision; the year
OF almost intermnable talk IN Congress
and OF great depression in business. But
there is one cheering reflection in con-
nection with that painful and protracted
episode IN our national history, and this
Is that IKE the war OF 1S6l-'G5 1t is be-
hind us and not before us.
We are OF those who think that the
work in hand was not badly done by
Congress. consld ring all of the difficult
ties In the way. and We have good reason
Tor believing that the country will not
have TO suffer from any other general
rtvision of the tariff for many years to
come.
II is a bad piece Of road that we had to
pass Let Us rejoice that We have passed
s.: that we did not sink hopelessly in
the mud in so doing. ana that before us
IS a roadway which will admit OF good.
steady. healthful progress. Indeed. times
are already mending. Dun's review
shows that the financial disasters Of 1894
were not as great as those OF 1898. on
the contrary Dun says that "the continu-
ing effects OF the disaster OF 1893 have
- gss..l 10
compared with similar effects Of previous
great disasters" In other words. as the
Baltimore Sun says. the recovery has
been unusually rapid. The aggregate
number OF failures in 1894 was 1900, or
about the same as in 1896, but the liabili-
ties were sls3. 23S 4O4. or less than half the
aggregate for 1898. The average liabilities
In 1894 were 400 against so, 700 IN 1893.
Some 10000 more hands were employed
than In 1886.
A year ago the Virginia General AS
sembly was In session and chose new
Supreme Court bench. The sensational
Eight was a memorable one. Governor
OFerrall came into Office on January LIST.
IHtlt was TAIN VI OySl'i wall
id peace commissioners came here
from Maryland. Nearly all OF the ques-
tons between the two States are now
happily settled. There was a big legisla-
tive tussle over the bill 40 incorporate the
Richmond and Manassas Railroad Com
pany. and 1t was amended and passed,
but proved unacceptable TO the capitalists
with whose money 1t was expected that
Il would be built.
Just before the General Assembly ad-
lourned It passed the Walton Australian
ballot bill. Under this law four or five
corporation elections were held In the
spring and summer. Under IL the Demo-
Gratis elected nine out OF the ten con-
gressmen from Virginia In November last;
great victory achieved on a day when
the Democracy met with overwhelming
disaster and defeat in nearly all other
States OF the Union.
1t is OF special interest to Richmonders
TO remember that during this year we
opened our new City Hall; that the Sol
diers' and Sailors Monument was I'M
Veiled; that Mr.. Moody had tabernacle
built for him at the southeast corner OF
Main and Fifth streets. and there held
number Of great religious meetings.
and that the Richmond and Danvilie
railroad system was reorganlzed under
the charter granted It at the last session
OF the General Assembly.
Altogether. there win be cogent reasons
Tor remembering 1884. There are some
towering landmarks in the chronicle
Z OF the years events. 1t is well. too. for
us 70 remember. and with great graft
'uae' that the public health was good and
'ua. most Of our farmers were blessed
WIN me crops. That Providence gave
70 Us all OF the blessings that we de-
sssved We may be sure.