Evening star., 1896-12-31
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Events That viii Distinguish the
Last Twelve Months.
PROGRESS OF SCIENCE AND OF WAR

PROGRESS OF SCIENCE AND OF WAR
Issues Settled in the American and
Canadian Elections.
TRIUMPH OF DIPLOMACY
The past year has been a momentous one
Important questions have agitated many
peoples, battles have been fought, political
campaigns have been waged. Elections
won; political policies overturned; discover
les made by daring adventurers and pains
taking students; great disasters have
wro ught ruin and death. Amid the mass
OF events the following seem to stand out
with greatest distinctness as being those
that will make the year memorable:
The presidential campaign and election.
Cubas revolt and American sympathy.
General election in Canada.
The Manitoba question.
Settlement of the Venezuelan dispute.
Soudan expedition.
Italy's fit SEQ in Abyssinia.
DR.. Jameson's raid
st. Louis cyclone.
Nansen's expedition.
Discovery Of Y rays.
THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AND
ELECTION.
Long before the republican national con-
vention at st. Louis, June 16, it became
evident that William Mckinley of Ohio
would be the presidential nominee, and pub
lie interest centered in the action to be
taken on the money question. Mr.. Mckin-
ley's nomination was opposed by ex-Sen-
ator Platt of New York, who favored Gov.
Morton of that state; Mr.. Manley of Name,
who espoused Speaker Reeds cause; Mr..
Clarkson of Iowa, who piloted Senator AL
lison's movement, and Senator Quay of
Pennsylvania. who managed his own cam
paign. Nevertheless, on the first ballot, Mr..
Mckinley was nominated by 6611a votes
against a combined total of 24O12 for his
opponents. Mr.. Garret A. Hobart Of New
Jersey was nominated for Vice President
by 5So1z votes to 2771s votes for Henry c.
Evans Of Tennessee, 80 for Morgan G.
Bulkley of Connecticut, "a for James A.
Walker of Virginia. A straight gold-stand-
ard plank adopted by the committee
on resolutions by 40 to II, and reported TO
convention, which adopted it by Sl2lk to 110h
votes. Senator Teller of Colorado submit
ted a substitute for the gold plank, favor
ing the free coinage of silver, and spoke at
length, declaring that he could not sur
render his convictions and rather than ac-
cept the gold plank would withdraw from
the republican party. On the adoption OF
the gold plank Senator Cannon of Utah
read protest signed by many of the silver
men, and twenty-five Of the delegates re-
tired from the hall, constituting the first
bolt from a republican convention since
1872. The action of the silver delegates
created the widest excitement. and up to
the time of the democratic national con-
vention there seemed to be prospect that
the democrats would coalesce with bolting
republicans and select Senator Teller as
their candidate, for it was as evident
that the democrats would adopt free sill
yer plank as 1t was that the republicans
would nominate Mckinley. Silver was
adopted by 562 to 334 The debate that
preceded this action was a long and IN
tensely exciting one.
1t was then that William ]. Bryan de-
Evered the speech that threw the gathering
into a tumult of enthusiasm which later
took effect in his nomination. Five ballots
were taken, Richard p. Bland of Missouri
leading on the first. and followed by w. J.
Bryan r. E. Pattison, Horace Boies, Sena-
tor Blackburn of Kentucky and Governor
Matthews of Indiana. New York's dele
gates refrained from voting, and New Jer-
sey cast only two votes. In other gold
states a small proportion only voted. Bry-
gained tnerGdlteF, anu was UOIhHdleu
on the fifth ballot by 800, Bland LOG. Boies
26, Matthews 81, Pattison %. Stevenson 3,
Hill l, Turpie 1, and 162 not voting. Ar
thur Sewall of Maine was nominated for
Vice President also On the fifth ballot. On
the first Joseph C. Sibley of Pennsylvania
led, followed by John R. Mclean. Sewall,
Williams (Mass), Bland Clark, Williams
ull), Harrity, Boies, Lewis, Daniel and
Teller The number not voting on the final
ballot was 235. On July 22 the populst ma
tional convention met at st. Louis, and the
vote on permanent chairman indicated that
those favor:ng the Endorsement of Bryan
were in the majority, but the opposition
was large and determined. In order to pre-
vent a bolt from these 'middie-of-th road
men, it was decided to nominate the Vice
President first. The opposition to Sewall as
a national banker was so great as to de-
feat him, and Thos. f. Watson of Georgia
was selected. Mr.. Bryan was nominated
for the first place by an overwhelming ma
jority. The national silver party conven-
tion was held at st. Louis simultaneously
with the populist and Bryan and Sewall
were nominated without opposition. The
democrats who were unwilling to support
the free silver platform of the Chicago
convention held a convention at Indianap-
oils September 2. All Of the states but Wy
oming. Utah, Idaho and Nevada were rep
resented. A gold standard, anti-protective
tariff platform was adopted, and Senator
Palmer of Illinois was nominated for Presi-
dent and Gen. Simon b. Buckner of Ken
lucky for Vice President Joshua lowering
OF Maryland was nominated for President
by the prohibitionists. and Charles H.
Matchett of New York by the socialist-la-
Dor party. The political campaign that fol-
lowed has never been exceeded, if equaled,
in interest in this country. Mr.. Bryan
aroused the supporters of free silver by a
tour through the country, speaking from
his car platform at many small places, be-
sides the halls in the larger cities. On the
other hand, the republicans organized pill
grimages to Canton, Ohio. the home Of Mr.
Mckinley. The democratic campaign was
managed by Senator J. K. Jones of Arkan-
sas, while Mark A. Hanna, a leading Cleve-
land business man, directed affairs for the
republicans. November the election was
held, and a total vote of 1850 1886 was
cast. This was an increase of about S4O,-
900 over the vote of 1892. Mr.. Mckinley
carried twenty-three states. giving him 273
electoral votes. and Mr.. Bryan twenty-five
states securing 175 electoral votes While
both parties increased their vote over 1892
the increase made by the republicans was
enormous. The republicans cast 7,l12, ,4S1
votes and the democrats 63G5, 7N, giving
the republicans majority of TAG, 73O. Pal
mer polled 49,, ,5O7, Levering 127, ,5.l5, Match
EFT 1854. Bryan and Watson I524l2
THE CUBAN WAR;