The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-01
Greatest of Year Sinking of I'll.
tanic, April IA.
Thirty Aviators Killed, Among
Them Miss Quimby.
SOUTH POLE is DISCOVERED
Chinese Republic Born Since
Last New Years.
Republicans OyerthrOWn After
16 Years. Rule.

New York, Jan. Much notable
history was written in the year of 1912
events of vast Importance and of
worldwide interest followed each 9TH
er in the quick march of the past
twelve months.
The most significant of these, doubt
less, was the revolt of the Balkan
states against the Turkish empire,
which put period to the sultan's an
cient supremacy in eastern Europe.
The sudden rise of the minor states
which comprised the Balkan allies is
one of the marvels of the age. No
less miraculous was the swift and de-
cisive way in which they swept the
Turks across the plains of Thrace and
forced them back to the banks of the
Dardenelles.
The most appalling disaster of the
year was the sinking of the Titanic on
April IA. The loss of this greatest of
all ocean liners, with over 1900 peo-
pie, was the greatest marine tragedy
of all time
1t was not only the multitude of
victims that made the catastrophe so
overwhelmingly sad, but the character
and Importance of many of those who
sunk.
In the middle Oh the nlSnt tHe IL
tanic ran side on gigantic iceberg
while going at the rate of thirty miles
an hour.
Airnen Are UnIucky.
During 1912 large number of air
men lost their lives. And one Amerl-
can woman is numbered among the
victims Miss Quimby, who fell into
the ocean from a height of a thousand
feet. The year claimed 80 airmen,
bringing the total of all aviation vic
tins since the aeroplane was invented
up to 217.
In this year of the most numerous
disasters it is quite significant that
death should claim, by sickness. the
man who invented the f1rst practcal
flying craft-Wilbur Wright
In the political realm the year 1872
witnessed many rer arl1able things.
Perhaps the NEST sit aiTicant was the
completion of the overthrow OF the
Manchu dynasty in China and the in
staliation of the Chinese republic with
DIR. Sun, a Harvard graduate, as presi-
dent.
In America, of course, the most i'm
portant political event was the over
whelming defeat of the Republican
party and the return of the Demo-
cratic party to power after sixteen
years, with Woodrow Wilson as the
new president.
An interesting feature of the politi-
cal movements in this country was the
birth of the Progressive party, with
former President Theodore Roosevelt
as it's father.
South Pole Is Found.
The year 1912 also witnessed the dis
covery of the South Pole by Captain
Roald Amundsen, the Danish explorer.
In the field of science great progress
was made, especially in surgical ex-
periments The Nobel prize, for the
most notable achievements of the year
in the latter field, was awarded to DR..
Alexis Carrell, of the Rockefeller In
stitute Although DR.. Carrell is
Frenchman by birth, he has labored in
America for years. He is to all intents
and purposes an American, and the
work he did for which he was given
the award was performed in an Ameri-
can institute erected by an American
philanthropist.
The year has witnessed the passing
of many prominent men Among the
eminent Americans who died during
the year were Rear Admiral Robley D.
Evans and Ambassador Whitelaw Reid.
The most sensational individual crime
of the year, at least in America, was
the assassination of Herman Rosen-
thai, the New York gambler, by four
gunmen, acting as agents of Police
Lieutenant Charles A. Becker. The
latter and his four hired murderers
are now under sentence of death.
The immediate result of the Becker
crime was the opening of the alder
manic investigation, which revealed the
revolving details of the alliance be-
tween the police and the underworld.
Attempt on Life of It. r.
Another event which stirred the heart
of the nation was the dastardly at
tempt to assassinate Theodore Roose-
welt at Milwaukee by John Schrank,
New York crank, who is now in an
insane asylum
In the matter of legislation. perhaps
the most important features were the
veto of the new Democratic CONGRESSES
tariff bills relating to wool, cotton and
iron. and the farmers free list, by
President Taft. And the defeat in Can
ada of the reciprocity agreement.
Several important opinions were
handed down by the United States su-
preme court. the chief of these being
the opinion touching the Union Pacific
merger. The action taken by the court
resulted in the dissolving of the great
railroad combination which had been
effected by the late E. H. Hartman
Another supreme court decision which
caused much comment was in relation
to the Anthracite coal trust. While
the opinion of the court purported to
be adverse to the trust, many com
mentators hold that it will not injure
the coal interests in the least
Leayenwortll Officer Ronored.
Ieavenworth, Kan, Jan. First Lieu
tenant J. c.. Lee, corps of engineers, left