Evening star., 1916-07-30
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Until the laying Of the Atlantic cable.
fifty years ago, the
The European United States was de-
pendent for its news
SA'""saon' from over the sea upon
the steamships, which made a crossing
in about nine or ten days. In The Star
of July 26, 1866, Is a commentary upon
the European situation based upon the
latest facts brought by vessel from the
other side, as follows:
1.-THE late news from Europe Is very
unfavorable for Austria. 1t Is stated
that the best Of feeling continues to
prevail between France and Prussia
that Austria is not only to lose the
Holstein -Schleswig provinces and Vene-
tia, but the southern Tyrol; and that
she is to be excluded from the German
confederation. which was to be placed
under the control Of Prussia Thus,
Austria, already bankrupt. her troops
Respondent and disheartened at the un-
paralle1ed successes achieved by Prus-
sian arms in a short campaign of fifteen
days and threatened with insurrection
in more than one of her provinces.
seems TO be at the mercy of her enc
mics. The only hope expressed by her
friends is that she will find it easier
to replenish her armies than Prussia.
and thus regain something of what she
has lost. Even if this hope fails she
need not despair, as the great European
powers are too jealous of each other
to allow any one to aggrandize itself
at the expense of the others without
a struggle to maintain the equilibrium
Already the Russian bear is aroused
test for supremacy. Napoleon and Bis
marck are playing a bold game. but it is
too early to judge with what success.
Since writing the above we have
later intelligence by the Hibernlan
showing that the Prussians have de-
feated the federal army and are march
ing on Frankfort; also that the Prussian
headquarters have been advanced to
Brunn. Vienna is threatened and the
next steamer may bring intelligence
captured. This looks as if there is no
prospect of even short-lived peace
which was expected to result from the
negotiations in progress"
1t was thought by the people of this
country Immediately following the civil
war that the prices of neces-
Rising stiles of life which had been
extra ord arily high
1lioos' throughout the struggle
would fall with the conclusion Of peace
This hope was not justified, for prices
remained high for a long time follow
ing the war. In The Star of July 81
1866. Is the following:
There are general complaints
throughout the country of the exorbt
tant prices demanded by dealers for all
the necessaries of life, particularly ar
ticles of food. What is true of other
sections applies with double force in
this city Many families who, before the
war. lived at least comfortably on
moderate incomes, will now find them
articles which they deem necessary.
Meats. vegetables and groceries. which
seemed to he affected every few weeks
with the gold fever go up as the
precious metal advances and stay up,
no matter how low gold comes down,
until the next rise, when we have an
other turn of the screw. Besides, deal
ers in all the necessaries OF life con-
tinually threaten that things will ad-
vance before the winter comes. The ex-
tortions complained of are for the most
part the work of the midd1emen, who
buy up all in the market and then they
make combinations to charge enormous
prices. Efforts are being made else
where to counteract this. A Cincinnati
paper describes a company now or
ganizing there to establish mammoth
garden for the growth of all kinds of
vegetables and fruit and furnish them
to citizens. in wagons. on orders. 1t is
promised that marketing by this new
method shall cost the consumer only
little more than one-half the present
prices asked. The same arrangements
might be made here and elsewhere and
to apply to the purchase or production
of many other articles. At any rate.
some unity of action on the part of our
citizens with a view to forming asso-
Citations to relieve themselves from this
growing evil may accomplish much
good The experiment is worth trying.
a all events.
It was known at this time fifty years
ago that the Great Eastern, bearing the
Atlantic cable, was on
Atlantic cah1e its way from the Irish
coast and there was
Completed. great interest in the
prospect of her success. In The Star of