The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-05
THE GOSSIP OF LONDON
The Pope's Illness Raises Gloomy
Forebodings.
ITALYS DEMAND ON CHINA
The Signal for the General and Final
Rush-The Empress May Not Grant
the Concssslon-The Statist
Prophet of Disaster.
Copyright 1899 by Associated Press.

Copyright 1899 by Associated Press.
London. March Popular interest
here is now divided between RudyarG
kipling's struggle with death and the
sick man of the vatican. The Kipling
bulletins are followed with intense in
terest and the news of his probable
recovery is received with profound re-
| lief, which is expressed throughout the
| press, the Times, during the course of q
long editorial, saying:
1.-THE deep sympathy manifested in
America may be regarded as a fitting
| tribute to the writer, who has lately
done more than diplomacy, treaties, ar
bitration and speechmaking to con-
vince the two nations sprung from the
same stock that they are still in many
ways one
The illness of the pope gave rise to
speculation as to his successor and re-
vived the stories of the intrigues at
the vatican. But the latest favorable
bulletins have dispelled the gloomy
forebodings. 1t appears that the pope
himself was responsible for the attack,
as, after the audience of Monday, when
they retired, he insisted upon driving
in the garden to Leo's tower, in spite
of the biting north wind. He returned
to his apartments shivering with cold
and on feeling himself in pain he said
he recalled the prophesy of Mile. Coue-
der. whose spiritualistic prophesies
were the talk of Paris some time ago,
and who declared that the Archangel
Gabriel had announced to her that the
pope would die Immediately after Presi-
dent Faure.
Perhaps" said the pope. Gods will
spoke through her mouth
The political event of the week I'M
doubtedly was Italy's demand for a
door" in the celestial empire. The
Saturday Review says: TT can hardly
be doubted that this will prove the sig
nal for general and final rush. Japan
will advance her long and expected
claim to the province of Fukien Con the
mainland of China and opposite the ISL
and of Formosa), and Russia will seize
pretext for urging further concessions
injurious to British influences. out of
the helpless government at Pekin. Italy.
however. has not yet got her conces
sion. and a dispatch from Pekin says
there are indications that the dowager
empress is disposed to reject the de-
mand''
The attitude of Russia regarding the
guarantees of the British government
on account of Northern Chinese rail-
roads has caused considerable anxiety
among the investors who, however. re-
lS upon Lord Salisbury to carry out his
promise and insist that China respect
her engagements or ignore Russian pro-
tests against the railroad contracts. Up
to now, Lord Salisbury has taken
firm attitude, and it is generally believ-
ed that Russia will not go beyond d
protest.
The monetary and industrial situation
IN America is followed with close at
tention here. The Economist takes
pessmistic view of railroads. Speaking
of the recent boom it says:
THE holders of these securities
| among British investors who have not
awaited themselves of the opportunities
of the past six months to realize on
their securities are, we think, few and
far between, for. in most cases, the i'm
provement has been long since run out
to such level as may have been warrant
ed by increased earnings or other tang
ible factors. The advances of the past
few months had nothing more solid
than remote prospects and apparently
over sanguine industry forecasts to go
upon
view of the monetary situation. 1t
thinks there ought to be no danger of
a serious dearth of money in America
during the present year. or at any rate
not before September. The paper eX
poets to further expand. and that there
will be an outburst of new enterprises