The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-01

promises to be immortal. and while in
Puvis de Chavannes the world lost
great painter it does not seem that the
year has given us another new one to
take his place.
Since man first learned that electric
ity could carry spoken speech to almost
illimitabe distances over a wire, seient-
lists have been trying to devise meth
cd by which an image might be like
wise transmitted. The germ of this
device seems to have been discovered
by Jan SzcZepanik, a young Polish cleo
trican, who calls his device the telec-
troscOpe. By system of oscillating
mirrors at each end of the wire he
claims to be able to transmit an image
with absolute accuracy, even to the
most delicate shadings of color. The
development and perfection of this de-
vice will enable people conversing by
telephone to see each other as well. will
revolutionize telegraphy by permitting
the sending of a fac smile of the orig
inal message, will permit the transmits
sion of sketches for newspaper publica-
ton and possibly, in the ultimate en-
able a photographer in New York to
photograph an object in Chicago. In
connection with this possible amplifica-
ton of the field of photography may be I
noted the contributions to the art of
photography in colors made by Profess
sor j. Jolly of Dublin, who has ma
chine for this purpose which ne claims
will be commercially successful.
Many Books; None Great.
In literature the one great success,
recognized instantly and generously by
nan-11a nf n t1y1O xxyo-
scored by the French dramatist, Ed
mond de Rostand. "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac," a play of the purest romance,
with hardly line in it to stimulate the
intellectual faculties of it's auditors, has
entertained and charmed it's hundreds
of thousands in the theaters of half the
cities of Europe and America. The
other notable dramatic successes of the
year were demonstrations of novels like
1.-The Christian" or 1.-THE First VIOLIN
Nor was the record of the year more
luminous with great or even notable
books. Perhaps the Life of Lord Ten
nyson," by his son Hallam, mar for
it's subject live; possibly, too, the Life
of Bismarck" by Moritz Busch, and
Bismarck's own memoirs for a like rea-
son. But for the quality of pure lit
erature what book of the year has a
chance of surviving even half a CEN
fury? Mr.. Kiplng has put a dozen
magazine stories into a book, under the
title 1.-THE Days Work" which is per-
haps the most notable literary achieves
ment of the year. The late Henry
Georges posthumous book, THE
Science of Political Economy will
neither increase nor lessen a fame se-
curely founded on Progress and Pow
erty.'
The struggle between mans worse
and better nature had it's striking ex-
emplifications in 1898, as it will have no
doubt in all years to come. The same
year that saw the formation of some of
the most colossal trusts, for example,
the Federal Steel company with cap
ital of 5000, 10000, saw also the great
benefactions of the Red Cross society,
to the funds of which trust magnates
and the people contributed largely; the
gift of 100000 to the Chicago uni
versity by John D. Rockefeller. typi-
cal product-or creator-of the trust,
and gift to Cornell university of more
than a million dollars by Col Oliver H.
Payne, a gentleman whose wealth is
not wholly disconnected with monopoly.
In any save war year the acquittaI
Of the sheriff who commanded the dep
utleS at the Latimer massacre in 1897
would have caused more than passing
comment, while the failure of the great
strike of engineers in England was an
event in the world of organized labor
hardly equalled before in Importance
The bold stand taken by Governo
Tanner of Illinois against the imports
ton of laborers to take the places .
striking miners has raised quesE,
in law and in ethics which will be lIs
ly discussed for some time to coil
Viewed largely, it must be admitte
that the year has made for the advan-l
tage of monopoly and distinctly not for
the advancement of labor. Its history
has, it is reasonable to admit. demon
strated the sOundness of the argument
of those who insist that a war by di-
Verting attention from domestic affairs
greatly retards all needed social re-
forms. But over against this apparent
loss is the gain that comes from the
obliteration of sectionalism, and the
vastly greater moral benefit which pro-
ceeds from the knowledge by all our
people of the fact that they have played
part in laying the solid foundation
for higher order of citizenship and a
fuller measure of liberty, not only in
this hemisphere. but in the far-away
islands of Asiatic waters.