Gilpin observer., 1914-12-31

The Panama Canal was formally opened
for world traffic ON August Is. The steam
er Ancon, belonging to the Panama rail-
road, passed from ocean to ocean In ten
hours. In September the railroad rate
case showed increased activity. The roads
east of the Mississippi and north of the
Potomac again petitioned the interstate
commerce commission for permission to
advance freight rates per cent, and the
commission consented to reopen the case.
The commission granted the increase.
with certain exceptions, on December IS.
A delegation of railroad presidents WIS.,
tied President Wilson at the White House
and laid before him the unsatisfactory
situation which confronted American
roads. The president was sympathetic.
but expressed his confidence in the inter-
state commerce commission to regulate
the matter satisfactorily.
On September % Secretary McAdoo
aroused great interest in banking circles
by announcing his intention to withdraw
governpent patronage and assistance
from national banks known to be hoard
ing currency or demanding excessive in
terest.
In October the court dismissed all but
one OF the governments charges In its
suit to dissolve the Atlantic steamship
trust. Final argument in the suit to dis
solve the Steel trust was made at Phila-
delphia. and the discussion of increased
railroad freight rates was resumed before
the interstate commerce commission.
At the elections held on November the
Democratic majority in the house of rep
resentatives was reduced from 147 to 20.
although the Democratic majority in the
senate was increased from 10 to 16. Con-
stitutional amendments giving the suf-
frage to women were carried in Nevada
and Montana and prohibition triumphed
In Washington. Oregon, Arizona, and
Colorado. In Missouri the so-called full
crew" law passed by the legislature was
rejected.
Politics In Other Lands.
On January q Michel oreste, president
of Haiti. warned OF the approach of a
large body OF revolutionists. abdcated has
tily and took refuge on a German cruiser.
On February Orestes Zamor was elected
president of Haiti, and on the same day
Jose Vicente Concha was elected presi-
dent Of Colombia.
Early in the year the Chinese adminis-
trative council re-established Confucian-
ism as the state religion of the republic.
At the opening of parliament February 10
King George urged mutual concessions in
the Irish home rule controversy. On
March the home rule bill was introduced
for its third passage through the COM
mons. On May 25 the bill passed the COM
mons for the third time. On September
1s King George signed the home rule and
Welsh disestablishment bills and the par
Lament was prorogued.
On March II. as the finale to a bitter
political and personal controversy. the
wife Of the French minister of finance.
Nine Caillaux. shot and killed the editor
of Figaro, CASTOR Calmette. Her hus-
band resigned his Office at once and n
new cabinet was formed. The trial of
Mme Caillaux resulted in her acquittal
on July %. On March IA a treaty of peace
between Turkey and Servia was signed at
Constantinople, a sequel to the Balkan
war. On May the new Chinese consti-
tuition was published. 1t abolished the
premiership and gave Increased power to
the president. On May 6 Prince Alexan-
der of Teck. Queen Mary's brother. was
appointed governor-general Of Canada.
On May Is Colonel Benavides. leader
of the Peruvian faction which expelled
President Billinghurst. was elected pro-
visional president. Three days later a
group of senators and deputies declared
Roberto Leguia provisional president. The
Peruvian supreme court, however. recog
nized Benavides. On July 21 Ahmed Mir
shah of Persia. On August 26 the French
cabinet was reconstructed on commit
tee Of national defense basis Rene VI
viani. Socialist, remained premier.
On September 10 Turkey notified the
outside world that she had done away
with the arrangement whereby foreigners
in that country have been exempt from
local Jurisdiction in civil and criminal
cases and under which many special priv
ileges have been enjoyed by citizens Of
other countries residing in Turkey.
Two days later a note was presented to
the Turkish government by Great Britain,
France. Russia and Italy. in which It was
affirmed that the special rights Of aliens
can be abolished only by the powers that
were parties to the original contract.
Austria and Germany presented sepa-
rate protest.
On September IS the Albanian senate.
which had driven its recently elected ruler
Prince William of Wied-out of the
country chose Turk for king-Prince
Burhan-Eddin. son of the deposed Abdul
Hamid of Turkey. The European powers
protested, but their wishes were disre-
garded. On October 4. after four months
exile. Essad Pasha, accompanied by an
armed force. entered Albania and took
possession of the government. On the
day following the death of King Charles
of Roumania his nephew. Ferdinand. took
the oath of office as sovereign.
On October 13 n rebellion broke out near
the border of German Southwest Africa,
but was frustrated by the loyalty of the
Beers OF the Union, On October A. Rus
tenn Bey, Turkish Ambassador to the Uni
ted States, left Washington, where he
had incurred criticism by his frank views
OF American affairs. ..t.
Industrial Trials and Triumphs.
The Ford Motor company at the begin
ming of the year adopted a profit-sharing
plan by which 3l0000.000 is TO be distrib-
uted annually among the 5000 wage-earn-
ers OF that concern. The great South Afri-
can railroad strike came to an end. On
January 10 n strike OF the Delaware and
Hudson railroad men. as n protest against
the discharge of two employees. was set
tied within sixteen hours by the federal
board OF mediation and conciliation.
Two great labor controversies had been
left over from the preceding year-one In
the Michigan copper mines. which began
July 23 1913. and another in the Colorado
coal fields. where 1900 men had been on
strike since September 23 of the previous
year. Violence ensued and federal aid
was demanded. On April 20 the striking
miners clashed with the state militia near
rrinidad Colo and fwcnty five peraoua