New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-31

| the wear in worthy fashion. British autnori'y
| in the affairs Of Europe has been asserted as
| Il had not been for many year NO one taiks
| now as q few years ago. Of the decline OF the
| British Empre The centenary Of Britnin's
| one alliance with Russia has been marked WIN
| such an alliance Of spirits and purposes De-
/ tween Britain and America as never was KNOWN
| before The centenary Of Aboukir has been
! celebrated in worthy style at Omdurmnn ana
Fashoda. The centenary Of the great Irish Re
bellion Is marked with a paclhcation and pros
per,y of that island unmatched since before
| the Stuarts days. OF n truth. the old Lion 10
very much alive The history OF France Tor
| 1898 Is written in the one word. Dreyfus Agi-
tatlon over that unhappy case has dominated
all the national life OF the Republic and even
menaced its security. The German Emperor
has celebrated the eighth centenary or the
First Crusade by visiting Jerusalem ana swear
Inc blood brotherhood with the direct descend
ant of the very Moslem chieftains against whom
the Crusaders varied and his empire has
marked the seven-hundredth anniversary or
the Guelph and Ghibelline feud by an omnous
recr,,descencc of factlonal anlmosities. Exact
" six hundred years ago n Hapsburg first wore
an imperial crown. This year the latest laps
burg Emperor has celebrated his flftieth jubilee
seen and still sees his realm convulsed with
Internal dissensions. and enters the twilight or
life with the knowledge that only his personal
influence dams beck the deluge. The Russian
Autocrat has in one breath proclaimed prac-
teal protectorate over half Of China and In the
next deplored the aggressiveness OF other Pow
ers: with one hand signed rescrpt Tor uni
vcrsal disarmament and with the other an edlct
st. to
Sweden and Norway grOwl at each other; Den
mark mourns the death Of her good queen;
Holland acclaims the accession Of her fair Or
ange- Blossom: Italy struggles with the burdens
of long misgovernment Greece is rising to new
life from the ruin wrought by her mad war
with Turkey: the long agony Of Crete ends In
peace and happiness; all other states pursue
the chcckercd tenor Of their way without an
incident Of wide significance.
The two colossal figures Of Bismarck ana
Gladstone have disappeared: their passing so
long discounted that when II came II maze no
lar nor hitch in the worlds progress. Ihey
had already become historic characters Lit
erature. science and the arts have produced
nothing Of epochmakng Importance, yet have
made steady and gratifying growth 1t Will DE
for its wars and diplomacy, for its changes OF
the worlds map and or the status ol 'nT hd-
tions that 1898 will be remembered. In such
remembrance II will rank among the note
worthy years of the century. and. indeed, OF
the Christian era Nor will the verdict or pos
tcrity be an unfavorabe one. Regrets ana
jealousies and antagonisms have arisen. and
may for a time abide. But the final Judgment
will be that it has been n good year. that the
world has grown better, that the trend OF hui
mainly individually and collectively. has been
forward and upward. and that the vast changes
that have occurred and the mighty forces that
have been developed are, on the whole for
good and for righteousness and for the highest
welfare OF mankind.