The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-05
THE YEAR 1898 in HISTORY
Leading Events of the Past Year in
nany Parts of the World.
BUSINESS RULED POLITICS.
Nations Scheming for Broader Markets
for Their MERCHANDISE.

portant changes in the current of the
worlds affairs, illustrating the truth
that commercial interests now domi-
nate international politics. England,
the United States, France, Germany,
Russia and Japan are now the great
industrial and exporting nations.
Outside their own borders their po-
litical action has nowadays for mo-
tive the retention or procurement of
markets for their manufactures and
raw products. Russia, France and
Germany have in recent years an
neXed territory with a view to OBJ
tanning exclusive markets. High tar
ifs shut competitors out of French
acquisitions in Tunis, West Africa,
Madagascar, Siam and China; out of
German acquisitions in East andWest
Africa and the various islands an
nexed in the Pacific; out of Russian
acquisitions in Asia Minor, Persia,
Central Asia, Afghanistan, the Pa
mfrs, the Amoor country and Man
churia. Alarm was thus produced in
England, in the United States and
Japan. Just so far as the powers
previously named extended their en-
pires, just so far the open markets of
the world were being closed to Eng
land. the United States and japan.
The engrossing events of 1898 have
originated from the continued efforts
of Russia, Germany and France to en-
large their commerce by enlarging
their dominions and from the count
er-efforts of the other three powers,
either to preserve an ''Open door" for
their commerce in the territories
seized by rivals, or to preserve the
markets that were left by seizing them
for themselves. Russia strives to di-
vert the commerce of the East from
British ships by building an overland
railway to connect Vladivostok and
Tallen-wan with st. Petersburg. To
improve its terminal facilities in the
East she has, in the past year, occu
pied Port Arthur and Talienwan,
with large slice of China adjacent to
Pekin. RussiG's action is always in
spired NOR oy political than by com
~. lercial motives, and this fact did not
lessen the sensation produced by the
development of Russia's designs in
the first months of 1898.
Germany first responded to Russias S
aggressive movement by seizing kalo-
Chau, on the coast of China, as base
for German commercial operations in
the East. In England this proceed
ing produced a great sensation. 1t
was demanded that Russia and Ger
many abstain from applying their
tariffs to the territories they acquired
in China, or otherwise abridging the
trade facilities secured to England by
existing treaties, Germany assented
by declaring Kalo-Chau an open port
like Hong Kong. Russia made vague
promises, some of which were broken
within a month.
To oppose the political prestige and
naval predominance acquired by Rus
sia in acquiring and foltifying Port
Arthur, England acquired Wei-Hai-
Wei, just opposite, which commands
Port Arthur and the Corean coast be-
side. A large area was added to Hong
Kong, new ports were opened to trade
and the use of steamers on Chinese
rivers was sanctioned. Very import
ant is the fact that China agreed not
to ALLEVIATE to any power other than
England the provinces bordering the
Yang-Taze river-thus defining a
British sphere of influence. France
obtained a like promise in respect to
the provinces adjacent to Tonquin
a campaign of concession hunting at
Pekin occupied attention for some
months, and many charters are now
for sale, the holders of but few of them
having the millions with which to
build the thousands of miles of rail
roads the charters call for.
Following the concession excite
ment came the sensation caused by
the Dowager Empress, who, not liking
the reforms initiated by the young
Emperor seized the reins of power by
palace revolution, eXpelling or exc
cutting the reformers who had infu-
enced the Emperor. The Empress
Cancelled the reform DEGREES and re-
established the old abuses. The net
result of the struggle in the East
seems to be that England has made up
her mind to continue to insist on the
policy of "the open door, with the
more or less open cooperation of Ja-
pan and the United States, but, at
the same time, believe that she will
ultimately have to seize the provinces
on the Yang-Tsze, as Russia has
seized Manchuria, and is preparing to
do so as soon as "the open door, poll