The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-02-12

Intsrestins Noees on Matters That Are
Talked Of In Europe.
II will doubtless be news to many
people to learn that whereas all work
has been stopped for a considerable time
past OIL the Nicaragua canal it Is in
ihll operation upon that Of Panama.
According to the report read at the an
nual general meeting Of the new Pana-
ma Canal company, just held in Paris,
more than 1900 workmen were en-
ployed in pushing forward the excava-
ton on the Emperado and the Culebra
in the year 1895. while during the pres
ent year the force has been almost dou-
bled. The report states that the more
the directors advance in the accomplish
ment Of the task they undertook the
more their confidence increases in the
final result.
Considerable excitement has been
caused at Athens by the publication in
the official gazette Of a proclamation
calling out the reserves and decreeing
the immediate formation Of a camp Of
exercise and instruction. The conviction
Is generally entertained that the king,
who has recently returned from Vienna,
would not have done this had he not
acquired there the knowledge that grave
events are imminent in the southeast Of
Europe.
A sentence Of divorce has just been
pronounced at Munich against the en-
press of Austria's niece, Countess George
Larisch, who played SO prominent and
30 questionable a role in the scandal
that eliminated in the tragic death of
Crown Prince Rudolph at Meyerling.
The trial took place "in camera" but
1t is generally understood that the
grounds upon which the count based his
demand for a dissolution Of the mar
riage rested on the behavior Of the
countess in connection with the affair,
which, it may be remembered, resulted
In her Punishment from Austria.
The agitation which has recently
taken place in France regarding ex-Cap-
tain Dreyfus, condemned to imprison-
ment for life for betrayal Of military
state secrets, has had the effect of caus-
ing the government to institute addi-
tional measures for the prevention of
any escape OF the captive. According to
q circular just issued by the minister
Of the colonies at Paris, the governor of
Guiana is ordered to change every three
months the guards charged with the
duty OF keeping watch on Dreyfus on
the lie du Diablc, where he is confined.
The report Of the Russian prisons de-
partment has just appeared in st. Pc
terSburg and contains some remarkable
statistics. 1t appears that there are $40
prisons III Asiatic and European Rus
STA, with the total number Of 100, 9I3
prisoners. The maintenance Of this vast
army of criminals, many of whom are
merely political offenders. involves an
enormous cost, for which adequate pro-
vision is not made by the state. The
consequence is that in the majority of
cases the inmate of the prison nave to
endure the worst conceivable sanitary
conditions, and the official figures,
which are invariably optimistic, show
that 10 less thar 80 per cent Of the pris-
on population suffer during the year
from typhoid fever and kindred epidem-
les. !
A statue Of tie late Count Ferdinand
de Lesseps is about to be erected at Port
Said, at IA point overlooking the harbor
and the entrance to the Suez canal.
The commercial treaty between Aus
tria and Bulgaria which was on the
point Of being negotiated at the time
when Prince Ferdinand made his hum
bic submission to the car, and which
has hung fire ever since, is finally about
to receive signature and ratification.
Bulgaria has only obtained this by
means Ct sacrificing a number of de.
mandS which Austria had formerly con-
scented TO concede, but which she now
refuses to grant. lnasmuch, however, as
most other countries had declined to
ratlfy their new treaties of
with Bulgaria until that with Austria
mad been arranged, there was practical
~ no other course open to Prince Ferdi-
land. The treaty with Austria provides
for a general Bulgarian duty of Ii per
cent ad valorem, while go specified ar
ticles are excepted. These include tim.
Der and agricultural machines, which
pay 8 per cent; glassware, Ia per cent,
and sugar, IS per cent.
1t Is reported at Brussels that Baron
Dhanls, IN command Of the Kongo Free
State troops in the Nile valley, has
been killed by the Mahdists to the north
OF Lado.
Ex-Cabinet Minister Baihaut, recent
~ liberated at the conclusion OF he
term OF imprisonment for which he was
sentenced for fraud and corruption, of
which he had while minister of public
works rendered himself guilty in con. !
nection with the defunct Panama com.
pany, has, to the establishment of every
body, just been rearrested. 1t appears
that he is still liable to the government
to theGxprt of S9l, 900 francs for fines,
costs and legal expenses. The courts re-
Gently decided that the unfortunate
man, who is completely ruined, should