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

promises TO be immortal. and while in
Puvis de Chavannes the world lost q
great painter. IL 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 10 almost
fllmitable distances over a wire. scient-
lists have been trying to devise a meth
cd by which an image might be like
wise transmitted. The germ OF his
device seems to have been discovered
by Jan s~zczepanik. n young Polish cleo
trician, who calls his device the telec-
troscope. BY a 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 zach other as wen. VIII
revolutionize telegraphy by permitting
the sending of a fac simile OF the orig
inal message. will permit the transmits
sion OF sketches for newspaper publica-
ton inc possibly. in the ultimate en-
able a photographer in New York to
photograph an object in Chicago. In
connection with this possible ampliica-
ton OF the field OF photography may be
noted the contribution TO the art OF
photography in colors made by Profess
sor ]. Jolly OF Dublin. who has a ma
chine for his purpose which he claims
will be commercially successful
Many Books; None Great.
In literature the one great success.
) recognized instantly and generously by
people of even an alien tongue. was
scored by the French dramatist. Ed
mond de Rostand. "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac." a play OF the purest
with hardly a line In II to stimulate the
intellectual faculties of its auditors. has
entertained and charmed its hundreds
Of thousands in the theaters of half the
cities Of Europe and America The
other notable dramatic successes OF the
year were dramatizations of novels like
The Christian" or The First Violin"
Nor was the record Of the year more
luminous with great or wen notable
books. Perhaps the Life of Lord Ten
nyson," by his son Hallam. may for
its subject live; possibly. too. the Life
OF Bismarck" by NORTH Busch. n
Bismarck's own memoirs for a like rea-
son. But for the quality Of pure lit
e~rature. what book of the year has a
chance OF surviving even half a CEN
fury? Mr.. Kipling has put a dozen
magazine stories into a book. under the
title 1.-The Days Work. which Is per-
haps the most notable literary achieve
ment of the year. The late Henry
Georges posthumous book. The
Science OF Political Economy" will
neither increase nor lessen a fame Sc
curely founded on Progress and Pow
erty."
The struggle between mans worse
and better nature had its striking ex-
em~plifcations In 1898. as IL 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 a cap
ital OF $500, 900. 900. saw also the great
benefactions OF the Red Cross society.
to the funds of which trust masnates
and the people contributed largely: the
gift Of s.. 900. 900 to the Chicago uni
versity by John ID. Rockefeller. q typi-
cal product-or creator-of the trust.
and a 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 a wal year the ~acQuittAl
of the sheriff who commanded the dep
uties at the Latimer massacre in 1881
would nave caused more tnau paa8mN
: comment. while the failure OF the greal
! strike OF engineers in England was an
; event in the world of organized labo'
hardly ~equslled before In Importance
: The bold stand taken by Governor
Tanner of Illinois against the importa'
ton OF laborers TO take the places Of
I striking miners has raised a question
; in law and in ethics which win be hot
~ discussed for some time to come
Viewed largely. il must be admitted
a that the year has made for the advan
: tage OF monopoly and distinctly not TO
the advancement of labor Its histor,
has. II is reasonable to admit. demon
Z strated the sOundness OF the argumen
Of those who insist that a war by al
: verting attention from domestic anair'
o greatly retards all needed social re
: forms. But over against this apparen
y loss is the gain that m from tn
e obliteration of sectionalism. and tn
II vastly greater moral benefit which pro
; ceeds from the knowledge by all on
: people OF the fact that they have piaye'
o a part in laying the solid foundation
e for a higher order OF citizenship and
n fuller measure of liberty. not only u
n this hemisphere. but In the far-awa,
u Islands OF Asiatic waters.