The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-16

ship was flashing with myriads of brill
liant lights and the great vessel was ring
ing with music and laughter, the Titanic
ran head on into a gigantic iceberg while
going at the rate of over 90 miles an
hour.
Death seemed to reign in the air as well
as On the water during the year 1872
The number of airmen who lost their
lives was unprecedented, and one Ameri-
can woman is numbered among the vic
TINS, Miss Quimby, who fell into. the
ocean from the height of 1000 feet The
year claimed 30 airmen, bringing the total
of all up to 217.
Flying Progressed But Little
Tie year marked some improvement in
the hydroaeroplane, but on the whole the
science of flying did not progress to any
material degree.
In this year of the most numerous air
disasters it is quite significant that death
should claim by sickness the man who
Wilbur Wright.
The great American inventor passed
away at his home in Dayton, o., and was
given one of the most notable funerals in
the history of the city.
In the political realm the year 1912 wit
messed many remarkable things. Perhaps
the most significant was the completion
in China and the installation of the Chi
nese republic with DR.. Sun, Harvard
graduate as president.
In America OF course, the most impor-
tent political event was the overwhelming
defeat of the republican party, and the
rcturn of the democratic party to power
after sixteen years. with woodrow Wilson
as the new President.
Az interesting feature of the political
movements in this country was the birth
of the progressive party, with former
President Theodore Roosevelt as its god
father.
Discovery of South Pole
| The year 1912 also witnessed the discov-
| cry of the south pole by Capt Roald
| Amundson, the Danish explorer.
In the field of science great progress
was made, especially in surgical expert
ments. The Nobel prize for the most no.
table achievement of the year IN the lat
ter field, was awarded to DR.. Alexis Car
rell OF the Rockefeller institute. Although
DIR. Carrel is a Frenchman by birth, he
| has labored in America for years. He Is,
] to all events and purposes an American,
and the work he did for which he was
given the Nobel award was performed in
an American institute erected by an
| American philanthropist Therefore
| America claims the honor.
1 The year 1912 has witnessed the passing
of many prominent men Among the eni-
inent Americans who died during the
| year We're Rear Admiral Robley r. Evans
and Ambassador Whitelaw Reid.
The most sensational individual
lcrime of the yeai, at least in America,
Twas the assassination of Herman Ros-
tenthal, the New York gambler, by four
gunner acting as agents OF Police
Lieutenant Charles A. Becker. The
latter and his four hired murderers
|are now under the sentence of death.
| The circumstances surrounding this
lcrime and the subsequent developments
Iarising from it constituted the most
earnest steps ever taken in probing
municipal corruption.
! The immediate result of the Becker
crime was the opening of the alder
manic investigation. which revealed the
jrevolting details of the alliance be-
tween the police and the underworld.
Attempt to Kill I. X.
| Another event which stirred the
heart of the patton was the dastardly
attempt to asSassinate Theodore Roose-
lvelt at Milwaukee, by John Schrank,
at New York crank, who is now in an
Insane asylum. 1t the matter or leg
jislation, perhaps the most important
| features were the veto of the new
democratic congress tariff bills, relat-
ling to wool, cotton and iron, and the
4 farmers free list, by Presiuent Tafts
ana the defeat in Canada of the re-
Iciprocity agreement.
| Several important opinions were
handed down by the United states SUI
lpreme 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
leffected by the late Il. II. Hartman.
| Another supreme court decision
(which caused much comment was in
lrelation to the anthracite coal trust
IWhile the opinion of the court pur-
lported to be adverse to the trust, many
commentators hold that 1t Will not in
lure the coal interests in the least.
The year 1912 still found our neigh
Ibor. on the south. Mexico. restless and
disturbed by internal dissensions Sew
leral revolutionary uprisings against
the existing administration were made.
One of them, led by nephew of Gen.
Porfrio Diaz, former president of Mex
leo. promised to develop into a formi-
liable menace to the Madero regime.
Hut Diaz was captured within a few
days, together with other leaders.