The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-01-03
Review OF The Year 1908
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10.


of Winston Churchill and Walter Runci-
man. Mr.. Asquith added greatly to his
popularity when he announced on No
vember IL that England stood for a two
power navy Some OF the things that
the Asquith ministry have done are the
passage of the public licensing bill, re-
ducing the number of drinking places in
England, and the pensioning of the aged,
the sum of S,5O0OO0 being appropriated
for this purpose.
The woman suffragist movement was
especially active in England, the suffra-
gettes attracting worldwide attention be-
cause their repeated attacks upon the
House of Commons in their demand for
parliamentary suffrage On July 10 a
monster demonstration was held. Five
thousand policemen were needed to guard
the House of Parliament against the be-
sieging mob of suffragettes, headed by
Mrs. Pankhurst The outburst had been
occasioned by the statement of Premier
Asquith that the women had shown no
universal desire in England for suffrage.
Some of the women stoned the windows
of the premier's house. Twenty We're ar
rested. In Paris the suffragettes made
a vigorous fight for the election of Mile.
Laloi for member Of the municipal coun-
Gil. Mile. Laloi made her campaign cry,
shorter hours and higher pay for wom-
en-" Her candidacy was declared lille
gal.
European policies were much compli-
Gated by the Kaiser. He stirred up
France by announcing Germany's recog-
milton of Mulai Hafld as Sultan of Moroc-
co. Hafd headed revolution and de-
vastated Morocco with civil war, there
, by greatly impeding the reform plans
OF the French in that country.
But the Kaiser caused the greatest hub
bub by his interview in the London Daily
Telegraph. in which he avowed great
friendship for England, told how he had
really won the Boer war for England
and mentioned several other instances
in which he worked for English success
|, This was published in October. Later
what purported to be synopsis of an
interview granted by the Kaiser to a
representative of the Century Magazine
appeared in New York paper, causing
still more of an international uproar In
this the Emperor was made to declare
that England might lose her colonies
through her treaty with Japan, which
practically countenanced the yellow peril:
Japan, even now, he said, was fermentinE
revolt in India; Germany and the United
States would solve the eastern question
{ by dividing the orient against itself
| through becoming the recognized friends
of China.
Such a storm OF Indignation was
aroused by these utterances in the Ger
man press and the Reichstag and the
Kaiser at last humbled himself enough
to announce that hereafter he would saw
nothing without the advice of Chancel-
Tor Won Buelow. Thus liberty took a de-
cided step forward in the German en-
pire
Since the visit of King Edward to Rus
STA Europe has understood that England.
Russia and France will work more close
ly together hereafter. This move has
much piqued Germany The French
English understanding, or entente cor
dale, was largely strengthened by the
visit of President Fallieres to England
and the Ang1o-French fair in London.
Not until the last weeks of the year
did any of the countries to the south of
us betray much turbulence. Then late in
November, several towns in Haiti re-
VOTED against Nord Alexis, General
Simon became head OF the revolutionary
movement, marched his army up to the
gates of Port-au-Prince, and President
Alexis fled with his treasure chest to a
French warship in the harbor. A few
days later Simon had himself formally
elected president of Haiti.
The year closed with Venezuela in a
state of turmoil. The Dutch warships are
parading up and down the Venezuelan
coast, seizing Venezuelan shops whenever
chance offers, and the country is filed
with revolutionary movements. Mean
While Castro, president of Venezuela, is
soJourning in Germany where he went
early in December presumably to under
go surgical operation. Before sailing
for Europe he turned over the reins OF
government temporarily to the vice pres
txTao
seems bent on. obtaining satisfaction for
the diplomatic insults heaped on it Nv
Castro, and there Is no telling what the
new year many bring forth in this quar-
ter of the globe
China was much in the eye of the
world at several times throughout
the year. but at no time SO much
as when word was sent out to
the nations that the Empress Dowager
Tsi-An, who had ruled automatically in
the empire since 1885, and the prisoner
Emperor. KwangHsu, had died within
a day of each other According to official
palace statements the deaths occurred
on November IA and Is, the palace ex-
PLANTATION being that the death of the
Emperor had caused the dowager EN-
press to have fatal apoleptic stroke.
However that may be, this much is GER
passed from the earthly stage one of
the most remarkable characters of mod
ern times, slave girl who rose to alb
solute power over 100000 900 members OF
the human race.
According to decree that the Dow
ager Empress is said to have promul-
gated few hours before her death.
Prince Chun, brother of the late Emper-
or, Is now regent of the empire, while the
new Emperor is his 3-year-old son., Pu
Ii. Immediately after the empire had
passed under new control there was much
speculation as to the palaces attitude to-
ward the constitutional reforms promul-
gated by Tsi-An a short time before her
death. 1t seems now that these reforms
will be allowed to go through, and that
the new regime will carry on the old
ones task Of awakening China and en-
deavoring to preserve 1t for the Chinese.
According to programme China will have
provincial assemblies in 1909, a full con-
stitution in 1916 and parliament in full
power the following year
Considerable friction in the relations of
Japan and China was caused by the seiz-
ure of the Japanese ship Tatsu Maru, off
Macao. on which were found arms and
ammunition intended. China said. for
Chinese revolutionists. Japan protested
so vigorously that China consented to
pay an indemnity. Japanese encroach-
ments in Manchuria caused a general
boycott of Japanese goods throughout
China. Toward the United States, how
ever, China has evidenced the kindliest
of feeling. For example the s10,S00 900
which the United States RENTED of the
Boxer indemnity China decided to spend
for the education of Chinese In this
country. This feeling of friendiiness