The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-31

the triumph of wheat. the great Ameri-
can cereal, corresponding black mark
in cotton interests and net total of hope
and oontdense such as has not been
felt for four years.
Indeed, it Is in matters of trade, chiefly.
tn at the twelve months now ending nave
been marked with event The adoption
of a well considered tariff measure based
on the lines of protection to American
cereals ready for an unexampled demand
from all quarters of the world due TO
short crops In other producing countries,
are notable in the chronicles of the clos
ing year II is a record OF peaceful acts
and peaceful triumphs that We celebrate
| tocay. Our iron and steel production has
advanced to the first rank and in many
other lines OF merchandise the country
has grasped, as Ieyer before upon the
markets of the earth, unrivalled in the
contests Of trade and commerce among
the countries of the world. Vast railroad
properties have passed through reorGani-
zation and the close of the year finds
many that twelve months ago, seemed
only hopeless Investments, paying div
idends 1t has been great and crafty
ing year has 1897.
Thus, with the American people, peace
has had her victories no less renowned
than war in 1891 World history for the
! period, however fails TO show so fair a
page. We have witnessed the fall OF
nation-''fair Greece sad relic Of depart
ed worth immortal though no more
though fallen, great''-and the rise Of
another nation, Germany. with startling
suddenness TO commanding position in
| national enterprise. It was Germany
| that entered n wedge into the English
| program In the Transyaal, that called
"check" in the Turkish complication
and that has more recently pushed itself
In between Russia. England and Japan
| In Asia. Meantime, Russia has far ad-
vanced her great Siberian railroad to
complete the chain OF steel around the
earth and England knocks at the gates of
Khartoum. Grim visaged war has fol-
lowed famine In Indi, and the Asiatio
| imbrogllo threatens the peace OF the Eas-
tern hemisphere with the coming yenr
Human achleYement Is marked In the
breaking OF ocean steamship records, in
the producing of air ships that float for
time and may be directed as to their
course and in electrical development that,
however, has afforded no such sensational
example as the telephone. the trolley and
the X-ray among the discoveries OF past
years.
New York, Brooklyn and Long Island
City disappear as independent municl-
palIties In the most Imposing consoTIda.
tion the most impressive civic ex peri
ment, that the world has known. Tho
North Pole is still secure In its icy fast.
ness and the year closes with no word
from Andree and his balloon. The
sciences, art. literature and politics have
suffered loss by the death of distinguish
ed exponents and the roll containing
among others the long familiar names OF
Charles A. Dana, journalists George NJ.
Pullman, originator Of the Pullman
palace-oar system; Sir John Gilbert.
president of the English Royal Society OF
Water Color Painters; Francis Turner
Palgrave, poet and essayist; the Duchess
of Teck; Professor Henry Drummo ond; !;
| Alphonse Dnudet; Sir Isaac Pitman, in
ventor OF tho Pitman system of short
hand; Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inven-
tor OF dynsmite Mrs. HenryWard Beecher,
Senator Daniel W. Voorhees,; General Joe
shelby, the Confederate cavalry leader:
Johannes Brahm, the composer; Albert
| Fink, the noted American railroad ex-
| pert; w. s. Holman of Indiana, the
Watchdog OF the Treasury; Barney
Barnato, the South African specnlator;
Father Kneipp originator of the kneipp
cure; Captain Boycott of County Mayo,
Ireland; Mrs Ollpnant the novelist:
Jean Ingelow, novelist and poetess;
Count Mutsu the Japanese statesman;
Henry George. author and economist;
Canovas del CASTILLO, Spanish Premier.