Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-01-15

IN"NiN NSo, 1T put llltO erect tOo
hltierto dead letter constitution of
1876 and called into being national
parliament at Constantinople. This
body met amid rejoicing Dec. II.
THE BALKANS. On Oct. : the
"hoie status Of southeastern Europe
as fixed by the treaty of Berlin nS7S,
was suddenly altered. Bulgaria pro-
claimed Its Independence, with Prince
ferdlnand as its car and at the
same time by concerted Arrangement
austria announced to the powers that
she proposed to annex completely the
FORMER Turkish provinces Of Uerzc-
govina and Bosnia, while the Turkish
island OF Crete moved toward a union
with Gree. War seemed unavoid-
able then. and the clouds still lower
In the diplomatic sky as a gloomy
omen OF what the new year may have
In store. The prompt action of the
powers on motion OF Russia I'm agree
Ing to hold a conference to readiust
the balance in the Balkans. the open-
Ing or negotiations between Bulgaria
and Turkey and the military impo-
tence Of Servia and Montenegro COM
bined to prevent an immediate out
break. Later Turkey began boycott
Of Austrian goods, and all the Balkan
states prepared for war.
PORTUGAI.-The ferment of Re
publicanism In the Portuguese mon.
archy after long restraint found vent
In the assassination Of King Carlos and
Crown Prince Luiz Feb. l while they
were riding In the streets Of Lisbon.
The younger son, Manuel who was
slightly wounded, succeeded to the
throne, and the hated Premier Franco
fled the country. Subsequent elections
showed the Conservatives still in a
large majority.
MOROCCO.-On Aug. "A the Oft re-
peated story OF the defeat Of Sultan
Abdul AziZ by the forces Of the pre-
tender. Mulai Hafid, proved to be true,
and the latter demanded recognition
of the powers as the sultan. That was
where the German emperor made
peck OF trouble by recognizing Hafid
without consulting the nations In the
Algeciras conference France firmly OBJ
jected, Spain seconded, and the kaiser
"came down" Then they all bowed
to IIafid together
PERSIA-The Radical first parlia-
ment at Teheran under the constitu-
ton granted In 1907 was wiped out Of
existence In n bloody battle with the
shah's soldiers June %. 400 persons be-
ing killed In the streets, the parliament
buildings battered down and some Of
the Radical leaders executed. The rev.
olutionists captured and held Tabriz.
JAPAN.-The japanese government
reception. the mikadO and the presi-
dent exchanging most cordial greetings.
CHINA. - On Nov 13 Emperor
Kwang Seu and the dOwager empress,
who had been for generation the
real ruler OF China. died. Pu VI, the
infant son OF Prince Chun. had been
designated rs heir to the throne. and
the regency was seized by Prince Chun.
CENTRAL AMERICA hovered on
the verge Of war. but finally the issues
were laid before the new Central
American court Of justice. which was
set up May o6 at Cartago. Costa Rica.
with all the states represented.
VENEZUELA added Holland to the
list of her don't speak" neighbors by
expclling the Dutch minister for some
indiscretion. and the Dutch We're hot
for coercion. They began war Dec 13
by capturing the Venezuelan coast
guard ship. Alix. Sleeper. the American
minister. finally broke eff relations and
quit the country owing to the failure
Of the Castro government responding
to the overtures from Washington rs
to settlement Of claims. The Vene-
zuelan minister later was recalled
from Washington. President Castro
sailed for Europe the last Of November.
CUBA rose to her new opportunity
with orderly elections In December.
Jose Miguel Gomez. the Liberal leader.
being chosen president.
HAITI was torn by two rcvolts, that
led by Juneau and Firmin In January
being crushed. but the second. under
Antoine Simon. resulting In the blood
less capture Of Port au Prince and the
fall Of the Nord Alexis government
Dec. @ AS the forces Of Simon ap-
preached the capital the officers OF
Alexis deserted and the people turned
against him. so that he was barely
able to escape with his life on board
a French warshlp. Simon took posses
sion of the city and on Dec. II was
elected president by the Haitian con-
gress.