The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-01-13

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many france and Italy. Spain and por-
tushl, France and Sweden and Noru.o,
hoilFla and Peru. and between q n,,,
neI ol other nations. All the jmportan
powers or the world with the oxcention
Vi russia and Japan now have agrea-
i'ieh'S OF this sort and when the nresant
war between the two countries named
| - cohciuded they will doubtless follow
'he example Of the others.
Peace Conference.
In January an international Deace con-
ference was held in Washington. at
winch resolutions We're adonted nrgine
.'''S government to support every move
ment to establish by peacafuI meonc tho
reign OF law and justice among nations
IN September President Roosevelt in
| ltSpohse 70 request made bv members
"a 'he lnterparliamentary union who
helo meeting at the Louisiana pur.
chase exposition, promised ia call .
SECOND peace conference at The Haeua
ms promise he kept by sending notes
~ me various powers later in the wear
making the suggestion. In general they
leeeiEeo the proposal favorably. but de-
cliheu 10 commit themselves to any
SPtclIlc time for the meeting. Russia
anu Japan aSsented to the principle in
vowed while declining to have the nres-
EN- war become the subject of arbitra
ton in any way.
The Year in Europe.
In Europe. outside of Russia tha vaor
was rather unevent!ul. The church ruos-
uon continued to occupy the attention
OF france. Efforts 70 upset the policy
ol the government failed and the proh-
lem seems to be in a fair way of he
ing permanently and peacefully settled
IN Germany. where commercial denres-
sion mas existed for some time thinrc
nave taken turn for the better. Trade
mas improved, the factories are busy
anu Ie"eF persons are without employ
WtHt' IN SerVla Peter KarageOrgeyitch
"dS crowned King and for the present
AFFAIRS IN That restless little state are
comparatively quiet.
vi importance to the families involved
were the births of heirs to the thrones
OF Russia and Italy
III spite OF the granting of greater re-
ilSlous freedom, the modification of the
eAHe system and promised reforms and
IN spite of the fact that the country had
great war on its hands serious internal
troubles disturbed the authorities Of
Russia. Won Plehve, minister of the
interior and secretary of state for Fin
land, was assassinated july 26 in ST
petersburg. Riots occurred in St. Pc
tersburg, Moscow and other cities in De-
cember in which many persons were
injured and a number reported killed
Appeals for local self government were
made by the zemStvos and were list
ened to by the car but not granted
The struggle between the reform and
conservative parties promises to be one
or the features of Russian internal his
tory in the coming year.
LasSa, the mysterious city" of Tibet.
is mystery no longer. A British mill
tary-poitical expedition entered its sa-
scred precincts last summer and brought
the unwilling lamas to terms.
Panama Canal Begun.
In glancing back at the history of the
year in the United States the one fact
that stands out more prominently than
all the rest Is the beginning of work on
the great Panama canal. Only a begin
ming has been made but it has brought
the project out of the domain of specu-
latlon into that Of reality. The treaty
between this country and the new re-
public Of Panama which was negotiated
in the fall OF 1903 was ratified and pro-
claimed in Washington in February. Pa
pers transferring the French interests
in the waterway were signed in Paris
April %. 1904 and the property was
formally turned over to representatives
Of the United States at Panama Nav g.
A board of canal commissioners. headed
by Rear Admiral John G.. Walker, had
been appointed earlier in the year. Rules
for the temporary government of the
canal zone were made and Gen. George
W. Davis OF the army was made gov
error. A competent chief engineer was
found in the person Of John F. Wallace
Of Chicago. who Immediately went to the
isthmus and assumed direction Of the
work. 1t has not yet been definitely de-
cided whether the canal shall be a sea-
level one or Of the lock- pattern. The
disposition at present seems to be to
build it with locks, but in such a way
that it can be changed to a sea -level
canal without impeding traffic. The OBJ
lection to making waterway without
locks is that it will take too long and
not that the estimated expense of $780,
000 900 is too great.
National Politics.
For a presidential election year 1904
was unprecedentedly quiet politically.
The national conventions, with the ex-
ception of that of the democratic party
aroused only passing interest. At the
republican gathering in June the nomi-
nation of Theodore Roosevelt was a fore
gone conclusion. The choice of Senator
Fairbanks for the vice presidency was
made without Il contest. At the demo-
cratic convention the situation was diff
ferent. No one knew beforehand who
the nominees were to be, nor the exact
character of the platform to be adopted
The proceedings were followed with in
terest from day to day until Parker and
Davis were nominated and the position
of the party on the financial question
was declared Roosevelt and Fairbanks
were elected by larger plurality than
had been generally looked for. Even
Missouri chose republican electors,
though electing a democratic governor.
When the result of the election In the
states had become known Mr.. Roosevelt
immediately issued a statement declar-
ing that under no circumstances would
he again be a candidate for president on
the ground that he was opposed to the
third term principle.
Commercial Prosperity.
Commercially the year was one OF
general prosperity for the whole OF the
United States. Trade of all kinds was
good. prices were maintained and COM
nlaints on the part Of business men
were infreuuent There was cessa-
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