The Republican journal., 1896-01-09
Review of the Past Year.

Like all years, the one just past has
brought to mankind wide variety, much
novel experience, and mixture of good
and evil. Before all else in prominence,
perhaps, two facts have stood out-an irri
tating condition of financial helplessness
hi government affairs at home, and the
armenian atrocities abroad. But our
tg5uble, the annoying heritage of med
aling and bungling with business and
banking, is as nothing compared with
What has been going on in the cradle of
lie race. Oyershadowing all other events
has been the deerepit and infamous Turk
l,l government S methodical massacre of
rle Armenian element of its people-an
.rpalling course of wholesale murder,
ftpine and struction-prosecuted in Sc
aJlitv owing to the disgraceful deadlock
u the international politics of Europe.
After the prostration of the two pre-
IONS Years, the year 1885 has been one of
recovery. Business has been fairly good,
manufacturing has been fairly active, par
0ularly in iron, wages have been partial
~ restored, and crops have been good in
-lite of drought. Wheat and cotton have
ave fallen off somewhat, but the corn
p is the greatest ever known. In po-
tdl matters the solid South has been
oroken by the election of Republican gov
.rnors in Maryland and Kentucky, and
Gpublican control of the Senate assured
the election of Republican legislatures
several States. The overthrow of Cor
rsl. Hill and Brice is one of the most re
NOkable political features. The currency
Iustion is still one of the most serious
NDore the country. The drain of the
4old reserve continues. Once during the
-.il he reserve has been replenished by
moving, and it is probable that another
uo will be necessary shortly. The cur
.u,y question and the Nenezuelan ques-
' lead all others in Importance at pres
among events of chief interest in the
Iutly during the year may be mentioned
t4r opening of the Atlanta exposition, the
lid. l,tion OF a new constitution by South
l.lolina, the final steps toward Statehood
aiken by Utah, the continuation of the
--lu-gle for municipal reform in New
Work. Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Chica-
-l ,he opening of the Harlem canal, the
Street railroad strikes and riots in Brook
n. and Philadelphia the New Orleans
ul riot, the strikes of iron miners in
Michigan. of coal miners in Penusy lvania
1910, III garment makers in New \ olk, the
riStian EndeaNor convention. the great
" sonic parade, the International yacht
-..U uaSco, the Chickamauga dedication,
Fl, appointment of Attorney General
..ry Ia the vacant post of Secretary of
tte his vigorous dispatches on the
NnIuelan question, the resulting cor
.>- udeuce and the Presidents message
faH fused temporary war scare, the
" porough-N anderbilt and Castellane-
l,HU.d weddings in New ork, the settle
,s nj of the Mora claim. the extension of
1.r civil service rules, and the appoint
IQent of Judge Peckham of New York to
tle National Supreme Bench.
ia anada the Manitoba school ques-
uol. rne Newfoundland crisis, the Alaska
boundary and of late the possibility OF
Wai have been the matters of most mo-
lltut. In Cuba the war for independence
has tontinued through the year without
&c, We results Spain has poured u!
thousands of troops, but in spite of the
nteliurity OF the insurgents in numbers
,1H strength, the advantage SO far seems
t. irlYp been with them. With the ex-
~u-.rt and Central America have general
G, bern peaceful and the republics are
U-u.-lt up 10 enthusiasm ust now at the
l'tfuie OF the United States in the Vene-
.He4u affair. The Hawaiian government
NrluJ much trouble suppressed an at
tempted r0yalist revolution early in the
lrtI aud brought the leaders to punish
Mr.-
Iu ti4e old world the leading events have
-,eu hue tall of the Roseberry minis ~ in
E4-Iud and the return OF the CoMservsl-
t.te- % power by great ma iority; the
resignation OF President Cassimir Perier
Hi France and the election of NJ. Faure
i'- French conquest of Madagascar; and
.4e iHpietion OF the Bizerta naval sta
L"A. which threatens English power in
.ir Mediterranean; The opening OF t e
-U anal tie war waged by Italy for the
'll est OF 4DysSlnla; the assassination
- unpyuloif in Bulgaria: the Armenian
a't' ileS, the pressure of the powers upon
i- >lltan, and his unfulfilled promises to
r- Int the reforms; the easy conquest of
lIuo by Japan, followed bg the interior
til.r If Russia, France and Germany with
.i- Terms Of peace, by which Japan was
compelled To give up all territory on the
hue>e mainland and content herself with
p money indemnity; the subjugation of
fAm sd, tie murder of English mission
aries by Chinese mobs and the punishment
1T lie murderers after sufficient pressure
lad been put upon the Pekin government;
the serious Mohammedan rebellion in
Western China; the wars in Madagascar
aud Abyssinia; the British expedition
against AsEantee, and the rush to the rich
gold discoveries in southern Africa.
Disasters by fire, flood, storm, ship
wreck, earthquake, collision and explosion
ave been frequent and varied as usual,
though less destructive than in some
Years. No extensive conf1agration has oc
CURED IN this part of the world, the city
~ Toronto having suffered the worst. In
mat city three CONGREGATIONS occurred
"thln two months, in two of which the
ipSN vas a million or more fire in
Milwaukee burned twenty business houses
and caused a loss of million. There was
as" million dollar fire in Kansas City.
aAd IN Chicago, New Orleans, Indianapo-
MS, New York, Newark and Boston fires
inflicted losses of $500, 900 to $50, 000
he worst fire in New England was in ST.
Alhans, Vt, where 100 dwellings and 40
business houses were destroyed at loss
nj 80, 600. San Francisco had the worst
I'le n thirty years. The deadly theatre
pal.le IN Baltimore happened almost yes
teulay.
In January fierce gale along the New
Lug and and New JERSEY coasts caused