The times., 1898-01-01

4
able to the views OF the Adlministra ation
and among other things, to inhbit tn
House from passing joint resolution
| adopted by the Senate granting bellig
erent rights to the Republic of Cuba.
While these things were transpiring il
| America, a ianicntable war of much cruelty
and devastation between Turkey ant
| Greece had been in progress and had re
suited practically in the conquest of the
F.! Hellenic Kingdom by Turkey. The East
ern question thus reopened has led to
alter events of extreme gravity, and " iici
still threaten the peace of the world.
Turing the summer, a famine in india
anG the shortage of bread crops in Russia
aud some other parts of Europe and in So Itf
! America, resulted i'm enhancing the market
value OF American wheat very materially
enc whilo most of the profit in the change
was realized ty SPECTATORS, it is satisfac-
tory to remark that to a small extent the
interests of American lgriculturists Were
adsalced. The advantage thus gain has
been partly maintained through the fear
OF war 10y Great Britain. and the efforts
which that power has been recently putting
fo,th-to accumulate a surplus food supply.
| While Mr.. Cleveland was in power he
! made 4 deal with a so-called reorganiza-
ton comniittee to buy the Union Pacific
and k3nshs Pacific railway systems, upon
which the Government hal d large lieu,
at price which appeared upon its face
to i'm olive a loss To the country OF at
least S13,0O0,0o0. The parties Interested
| Congressional action during the eXtranr
binary session, which would have com
PEELED the Government 10 stop the fore
closure sale If the Congressional com
mitten bad entertained the idea that dur
ing The recess the President would allow
the Sai, 10 90 on. III the face of his
Knowledge that the CIereland-Schiff Nor
gan contract was obnoxious TO the coun
try, tie matter would have been fought
out the, and then and ad diournment would
have heen opposed until after salts
factory understanding with the President.
Notwittsta j nding this, the sale OF the Union
Pacific was completed under the reor gan
ization Committee plans. Perhaps ii Is
unnecessary to discuss the matter further
in this place, since it is highly probable
that II ere will be some Congressional in
vestigstioE OF the transaction.
Early IL, the summer. in apparent recogni-
ton of his duty and promises to promote
international binetallism, Mr.. Mckinley
dispatched commission, headed by Sana-
tor wolcott, to Europe, to invite the CO.
operation OF Great Britain and the prin-
cil,al Continent sl countries in restoring silver
tc its old status in exchange between the
commercial nations OF the world. The
work OF the Commission in Europe was for
a tine satisfactory: France gave a ooriiai
pledge al co operation, and there were good
reasons for believing that the British gov
ernment would slSp join with US, in view
Of the distraction whicn the closing of
the Indian mints had wrought in its
A static possessions, But just at -ude
wienevery Indication point sdto the triuisi1h
Of the commission. il became evident that
this Government ia sDme way, had notified
that OF Lord Salisbury that America was
not honest in asking for international hi
m,etaIlism. and that the Wolcott comm S
sion had been createdUnly for lUcal lpolitical
effect. and that it's representa- tions yere not
20 he regarded seriously. Consequently the
mission failed, the \ Administra tionalwt} IS
intended that 1T should fail. We are sO7ry
10 record that the bona fides of Mr.. Nc
Kinley in this matter are open To queS
ton + not 10 suspicion, since upon the re
turn ofth Wulcott commissionhe has faced
about, and lent his d idand countenance ami
the power Of his Administration 20 the
plan of Secretary Gage To destroy the
greenhacks. and To ia stem bsDIutely and ir
r,.vocably upon the nation the eppreS Ssi IN
and curse of the single gold standard
The closing period of the year has been
marked 10y serious events. In spite OF the
universal sentiment of the people our
Government has given new evidences II
its alliaf ce with Spain end against human
liberty. Ia combination with the Sagasta
administration in Madrid, it has Ised its
bower and prestige, and the active force
OF its Navy, to force upon the people
of Cuba q hypOcritical, Illegal, and com
pleteIs imperative scheme of autonomy.
which the CubanS have resented, and w)Iid
not accept even il it were presented
in good faiti and with the legality which
it lacks. The last army which the Cuban
general has been, or is able to mob
billie, without impossible re-enforcemeats
from Spain, has been defea tied and routed,
dismelnbcred. and destroyed. Ninety five
per cent of tie island te rritory is under the
civil and military government OF the
Cuban Republic. whose armies are evcr5
where Successful, and flushed with vic
tory. Still, the year 1892 dies with our
q ui horities still mainta inng the posi-
tion that "a state of war does not exist
in Cuba.
During Tie past few weeks a great nDve-
ment. apparently directed to the partition
ing Of Chine among the European powus, |
has given cause for alarm, lest tue whu;e
western shcre of the Pacific should pre-
sent to US ucli a hostile front our eom- |
mercial warfare with other nations COO
fronts us with in Europe. Germany has |
seized the important port and iiarbor of /
Kiao Chou. q nd the p Peninsula of Shan Tung; |
Russia has occupied Port Arthur: Great |
britain has its fleets at Port Hamilton and \