New-York tribune., 1905-12-31
THE YEAR AND THE WORLD.

Tho ,aar 1907 will ever loom large in his
L+orv To those who have observed its doings
close at hand within the very ruck or thlngs
It has seemed at once thrilling, sensational lhh-
pressive o1ninous and auspicious-at tunes one,
at times all. of these according TO the point OF
view and the temporary disposition OF the oD-
server AS it recedes into the balanced per
snective of the past it will be estimated more
consistently and equitably and while its spec
racuIar features may lose little OF thelf hish
coIoring it's enduring effects upon man anu HIS
world Will not lose significance or weight we
shall not err If we reckon that the years III lhe
last hundred that were worthy TO be classed
with this in import to humanity may De couhteu
upon the fingers of the hands.
The complete habilitation of great power
in Asia and the transformation OF great
mower in Europe would, apart from all else De
sufficient TO mark 1905 as a year OF wonders
Indeed either of those events alone would nave
made it q notable date in our chronology. fof
the first time in more than twenty-five cen
turies an Asiatic power has won by lholspu-
table deserts, recognition as the peer OF the
foremost powers of Europe. Not since Alex
ander struck down Darius until to-day has the
world seen such a spectacle, approved Dy dlpio-
macy. by war and by the common consent OF the
iiiIzod world In that consummation 1905
stands unique in the rolls Of the Christian Era.
OF the import of that, to diplomacy, to mill
tary balance to industry and art, TO commerce,
10 society and to the relations of the various
races which compose our ethnic whole the
future historian will treats To-day II IS
theme beyond even our speculative ken
What 1893 was to France 1905 has been 70
Russia; and between those dates there mas
hean no other quite comparable with them III
sncb significance. What will be the ultimate
outcome of the tremendous processes begun In
this wear must as yet be left to hope and un-
failing optimism TO guess. What is sure IS tnat
II will be of great moment to Russia ana 10
the world The year 1905 marks the opening
of new era for the Russian Empire, ana Tor
those relations which it sustains TO the rest OF
the world and which so vitally affect the rest
of the world at so many points Equally WIN
the rise of Japan the transformation of Russia
is an event of universal interest and one which
must profoundly affect the whole subsequent
history of the world.
If nothing else quite comparable with these
things is to be recorded of any other land, at
least there have been many movements and
achievements which would, but for such eX-
ceptional overshadowing. have seemed great.
The abolition of the Concordat in France, the
change of government in Great Britain ana
the alignment of parties on an issue that had
not been known in that country for half O cen
tUrv the irresistible movement for universal
suffrage in Austria and Hungary. the dissolu-
tiOn of the Scandinavian union. the approach
ment between Great Britain and France. the
international compacts over Morocco and Mace
dona the partition of Bengal, the awakening
of aggressive nationality in China the opening
of Manchuria to the worlds commerce, the
rehabilitation of Columbia, the fiscal trans
formation of Mexico and the rescue of the
Dominican Republic from fiscal anarchy are
some of the topics which will prevent the an
nails OF 1905 from being blank pages In the
history books
In more than one of these things, including
the greatest of them the United States has
been directly concerned in a manner which adds
new lustre TO the American name There are
few passages in our history gratifying
than those which tell of our dealings with
Japan from our Opening" of that country to
the world to our friendly mediation at Ports
mouth whereby the greatest war of our time was
ended and its substantial results were secured.
Nor has America in this last year failed to ex-
ercise beneficent influence in the affairs of
Russia of China and of its neighbors in our
Western tropics Amid the great deeds Of the year
America has borne a part worthy of a great
power and of power as great for peace as for
war and as strong in altruism as in selfishness.
Whatever the new year and the other years
TO come may bring the record of 1905 is
sured to us as one upon which the world may
look with satisfaction. as q record of progress
upon which Americans may look with an honest
and not vainglorious pride
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