New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-02
PROSPERITY OF YEAR.
Continued from FIRST page.

portance in the new year will be the award OF
the Panama contracts which are expected to
involve immense financial and labor interests
for q term of years. The government authori-
ties are awaiting with much interest the tenders
to be made by the contractors for the hundreds
of millions Of dollars worth OF work TO be done
on the isthmus IN creating the new waterway
which will be in its effect upon the commercial
future Of the world like the opening OF the STRAIT
Of Gibraltar 10 tho restricted commerce along
the shores of the Mediterranean when II was
found that the Pillars OF Hercules were not the
boundary OF tho world. Since Columbus in the
effort TO sail from Europe to Asia, discovered a
new hemisphere no event in the conquest by
man Of the world has been more fraught with
tremendous consequences than will be the cut
ting through OF the canal which Will enable the
commerce OF the world to pass directly from the
Atlantic 10 tho Pacific without the long detour
around the southern end OF South America ana
Africa Much was secured IN commercial ad-
vantage from the opening OF the Suez Canal by
which the Orient was opened 10 the trade or
Europe. but the Panama Canal will open tho
Pacific to the trade OF both Europe and the At
lantio slope OF the United States and develop
the western sides OF the American continent as
we'll Asiatio ports.
The peace OF the world has been maintained
turbances having occurred in few places.
Perhaps the most important OF these the
revolution in Cuba, which was speedily brought
to an end by the Intervention OF the United
States and the abdication OF the government
officials who were unable TO control the upris-
Ing The Germans in Southwest Africa have
been fighting with the natives and the Dutch
in the Malay Archipelago have had the Achi-
nese and other natives to contend with. In the
Philippines there have been few outbreaks by
savage tribes and the Yaquis OF Mexico have
been the warpath. Tho prospect OF difficulty
with the Ute Indians IN our West was
happily unrealized.
The prospects for further agreement in regard
to the settlement OF international differences by
arbitration will doubtless be increased by the
second Hague Conference for which prepara-
tons being made. While there many
persons hopeful that the stern arbitrament OF
war will not have to be resorted to in order TO
settle future disputes among nations, plans
for disarmament land have been
adopted. Instead the maintenance of armies at
full fighting strength and the addition OF new
vessels to the navies OF the world go forward.
England having added huge battleshp to her
fighting force. all the other great nations are
planning like additions. and the United States
has plans for the greatest battleship yet de-
signed.
In England the government succeeded in put
ting the Education bill through the House of
Commons, but 1t rejected by the House OF
Lords and after futile efforts to reach an agree
ment the measure withdrawn to await new
efforts to solve the perpleXing problem. The
British representative in the diplomatic corps
at Washington will be changed by the success
sion to Sir Mortimer Durand--who has gone
home, where 1t is expected he Will be honored
with peerage-of James Bryce. the we'll known
author and statesman, whose american Com
mOnwealth." in which ex-Mayor Low wrote one
chapter, is widely known in this country
The question o. Church and State has reached
crisis in France which may have serious and
far reaching results. The agreement or con-
tract made when Bonaparte was First Consul In
1901. known as the Concordat by which I'm
partial return for the Church property DESTROYED
In the reVoluuon' the state paid the salaries of
the clergy, and. in consequence. exercised GER
tain control over the Church, worked well 90
long as there was sympathy between officials
and the Church. But friction ensued when the
civil authority increased It's control over relir-
ious associations. and for a number OF years
the relations of Church and State were strained
until they reached the breaking point In De-
cember. 1905, a separation bill was passed 10
go into effect within twelve months providing
for the formation Of associations Of Iaymen IN
manage the Church property. But when this
was to go into effect the Pope forbade the
Church to agree 10 its workings. An effort wa
then made to obviate the difficulty by the holding
Of religious meetings under the former law Of
1881 IN regard to public meetings but this also
failed to receive Papal approval. A new law
was passed by the Chamber of Deputies TO meet
the exigency, but what the working out of the