Events of the Month

EVENTS OF THE MONTH.

BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL BOARD Y. M. M. I. A.

December 18th: R. G. Dun and Co's Weekly Review of Trade issued today says: Close to its annual holiday and halt, the business of the year is surprisingly large. Payments through banks are again 2.5 per cent larger than in 1892, heretofore the year of greatest prosperity; the production of iron and woolens and boots and shoes is larger than ever before; exports eclipse all the past records, and failures for two weeks have been the smallest for corresponding weeks in five years. * * * The commission appointed by the Governor of Colorado to investigate the recent Indian troubles in Colorado have reported, vindicating the game wardens and finding that the Indians were the aggressors. * * * Congress adjourned until Jan. 5th, 1898.

igth: A fire broke out this morning in St. Louis. A five story building is completely gutted. Loss $335,000.

20th: The whole civilized world is disturbed over the seizure of Chinese ports by the Russians and Germans.

21st: The New York World invites Mr. Wm. J. Bryan to abandon the silver cause and lead a united Democracy on a platform based on the mistakes of the McKinley Administration. * * * A special

dispatch from Shanghai, China, states that the British squadron will make a demonstration in the China sea as a warning, it is supposed, that Great Britain intends to oppose the division of China without consulting the British government.

22nd: In an interview just published Gen. Weyler is quoted as saying that the success of Cuban autonomy is hopeless, and if persisted in by the Spanish government will result in the loss of Cuba to Spain.

23rd: A fire this morning in Cleveland, Ohio, which destroyed property valued at $1,000,000. * * * The Chestnut Street National Bank, of Philadelphia, which was regarded as one of the strongest in that city, failed today, involving the closing of the Chestnut Street Trust and Savings Fund Company. The liabilities of the two concerns amounted to $3,000,000. * * * A dispatch to the London Daily Chronicle from Rome says that England has proposed to Russia a conference on the Chinese question, with a view to avoiding dangerous rivalries.

24th: Secretary of State John Sherman issues an appeal to Americans for "money, provisions, clothing, medicines and the like articles of prime necessity" for the suffering Cubans.

25th: It is reported that under the orders of Gen. Gomez, the Cuban leader, emissaries sent by the Spaniards to propose peace, are hanged.

26th: The Spanish government is dissatisfied with the reply of United States Minister Woodford to a Spanish note, and the Madrid press is indulging in more anti-American heroics. * * * The situation in China becomes more complicated. It is reported that Great Britain has

seventeen warships off Chemulpo, Korea, supporting the British consul's protest against Russian and German occupation of Chinese ports, and that Japan has a fleet of thirty warships in readiness to support England's position. * * * The United States is carefully watching developments with a view to protecting American commercial interests in China.

27th: Rev. J. A. Hamilton, secretary of the Congregational Educational Society, having made special investigation of the present status of "Mormonism, " today made a report in which he states that the Mormon Church leaders are doing everything in their power to prevent the continued establishment of non-Mormon schools in Utah. * * * Rus-

sia occupies another Chinese port, Kin Chaw, north of Port Authur.

• • • Word comes from Berlin that Prince Bismarck is ill, suffering with gout and is unable to walk or sleep.

28th: In a speech to a gathering of representative republicans in Indianapolis, Senator Fairbanks stated that President McKinley had said to him, "I am going to keep the bond. I am going to vindicate the 'sound money' plank in the St. Louis platform." * * * Thirty persons arriving in Seattle, Wash., today from Dawson City, say that there will be no starvation there this winter, and that the Klondikers have enough provisions to last them until late in the spring.

2Qth: Three thousand people are rendered homeless by a fire in Port Au Prince, Haiti. * * * Today being the 88th anniversary of the birth of Wm. E. Gladstone, be receives many congratulations.

• • • In a decree issued by the emperor of China, in relation to an eclipse of the sun which occurs on January 2?nd, 1898 — the Chinese New Year's day — his "celestial highness" says, "We are filled with forebodings at this news (the coming of the eclipse), and hasten to seek within ourselves for sins which may have thus brought the wrath of heaven upon the land." He forbids all festivals usual in China on that day.

joth: It is reported that the British naval reserves will be mobilized. These reserves number 28,000 men, 10,000 of whom will be required to complete the manning of the British warships.

31st: Capt. George A. Cornish, the newly appointed Indian agent at the Uintah and Ouray agencies has arrived at White Rocks, Utah. *

• • The director of the mint says there is substantial evidence that the world's product of gold for 1897 will probably exceed $240,000,000, an increase of nearly 20 per cent over 1896. The gold product of the United States for 1897, will approximate $61,500,000; $20,000,000 of which it is estimated, is produced by Colorado.

January 1st, 1898: New York today became the second city of the world. At 12 o'clock noon, Robt. A. Van Wyck entered upon his duties as mayor of Greater New York, the population of which is said to be 3,500,000.

• • • The sixtieth anniversary of the celebration of mass by Pope Leo XIII. was celebrated in the Vatican today. The pope received valuable presents from every country. * * * Autonomy for Cuba became a fact today by the swearing in of the secretaries of the provisional government.

2nd: Smallpox is epidemic in several districts of Cuba, and much suffering is reported among the concentrados. * * * It is an-

nounced that China has again yielded to the demands of Germany. The commandant at the Chinese garrison at Toao-Chou has been dismissed. His offense was the use of strong language to the German missionaries there.

3rd: John Clark assumed the office of mayor of Salt Lake City at noon today. * * * A contract was closed in Los Angeles,

Cal., today for the erection of a beet sugar factory at Ogden, Utah, to be completed in time to handle the beet crop of 1898. The total cost will be

EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 303

$700,000. * * * The statement of the public debt, issued to-

day, shows a decrease in the debt of $10, 114,899. The decrease is due principally to an increase of cash accounted for by the sale of the Union Pacific railroad. * * * Great Britain announces that she will demand the same rights at Port Arthur and Kaio Chou, China, as are accorded Russia and Germany, and will use such force to secure or defend them as may be necessary.

4th: Senator Teller of Colorado expresses the belief that the dismemberment of China means the cutting off of our commerce in the Orient, and the introduction of a competitor in production who will deprive us of the rest of the world and even supply our own people, which we cannot permit without becoming a third or fourth rate nation. He thinks we should join with England in a notice to Russia and Germany, that dismemberment will not be permitted. * * * Wm. J. Bryan arrives in Lin-

coln, Neb., from his visit to Mexico and is accorded an enthusiastic reception by his fellow towns-people. * * * It is reported that rich deposits of gold, equalled only by those in Klondike, have been discovered in Labrador, and that arrangements have already been made for gold-seeking expeditions to start in the spring.

jth: Ex-Governor Arthur L. Thomas is appointed postmaster at Salt Lake City and George A. Smith receiver of the land office. * * * China cedes Kaio Chou bay to Germany. The cession is in the form of a lease.

6th. The Civil Service law is discussed in the house of representatives and a hot debate ensues. * * * "A Washington special to the Chicago Tribune states that Spain is considering a formal request to the United States to use its good offices to stop the fighting in Cuba. * * * The German press is exulting over the success of German diplomacy in China.

yth: The appointment of Arthur L. Thomas as postmaster at Salt Lake City, is confirmed by the Senate.

8th: In a report received in Boston, by the Congregational Home Missionary Society, from its superintendent in Utah, Rev. Winfield G. Hawkes, of Salt Lake City, he says the leaders of the Mormon church are trying to restore their old power over the people and are having temporary success to a considerable degree, thus keeping some of the timid from Congregational influence and steadily hindering Congregational work. He thinks there is a spirit of independence among the young people which will, ere long, produce a conflict beween them and the Church leaders. * * * Secretary of State Sherman, issues another proclamation in behalf of the suffering Cubans in which it is stated that the President has appointed, with the co-operation of the American Red Cross, the New York Chamber of Commerce and one of the representatives of the religious Community, a Central Cuban relief committee, with headquarters at New York, and an appeal is made to all whose hearts are open to the cry of distress and affliction to second the generous efforts now being made in behalf of the sufferers.

gth: Congressman W. H. King arrives in Tampa, Fla., from his trip of investigation in Cuba. He says no one has ever half depicted the awful horrors of the reconcentrados He found them naked and emaciated and dying in the streets.

10th: The senate decided today that the debate on the Hawaiian treaty will be had behind closed doors. * * * The heaviest snow

ever known in the plains of San Bernadino fell today; orange trees break down with the weight. The United States weather bureau at San Francisco has sent out a warning to the citrus growers to guard against heavy frosts.

nth: Extraordinary cold still prevails in California. Snow is re

ported from almost every county. * * * A letter received at Seattle, Washington, states that Joaquin Miller the "Poet of tbe Sierras" arrived at Dawson City, on Dec 4th, badly frozen. * * * In a tornado which swept over Fort Smith, Arkansas at 11 o'clock tonight, forty people were killed, many injured and one million dollars worth of property destroyed.

12th: It was announced in Wall Street today that the Union Pacific reorganization committee had obtained a controlling interest in the Oregon Short Line. * * * After a long and hard fight Marcus A.

Hanna is elected to the United States senate by the Ohio legislature.

• • • Angered by the violent attacks of some of the local papers of Havana, upon the general-in-chief, and the principal officers of the Spanish army in Cuba, about one hundred army officers started a riot by smashing the windows of the offices of the journals and shouting "Long live Spain, " "Long live the army," etc. Civilians join the soldiers and a serious riot ensues.

ijth: By private information sent to the State department it appears that powerful influences are at work to secure Cuban independence. Large holders of Spanish bonds based on the resources and revenues of Cuba are making representations to this country with this end in view. •.•.* Senator Cannon presented a resolution in the senate today requesting the president to transmit to the senate a statement showing what measures were being enforced by the government to protect the lives, liberty and property of American citizens dwelling in Cuba. * * * Secretary General Congosto, of Cuba, telegraphs the Spanish minister at Washington that complete calm reigns in Havana, and the city has recovered its normal condition.

14th: Prominent officers of the Salvation Army confer with the Bear River Canal company with a view to locating a large colony in the Bear River valley, Box Elder County, Utah. * * * Judge

Norrell, in the Third District Court, today rendered a decision sustaining the Summit County ordinance levying a tax for sheep grazing. *

• • Senator Hoar presented a joint resolution in the United States senate today proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, changing the date of inauguration day from March 4th to April 30th.

• • • Thomas A. Edison, Jr., has invented a machine for utilizing the wave power of the sea in furnishing electric power.

15th: A bill was introduced in the senate today to establish the eighthour law in all states and territories. * * * The representative of the Westinghouse Electric company, at Rome, has telegraphed his house that he has secured a contract for lighting the Catacombs of Rome with electricity.

16th : Benjamin Butterworth, commissioner of patents, died at Thomasville, Ga. * * * Rt. Hon. Charles Pelham Villiers, known as "Father of the House of Commons, " having sat continuously in that body for sixty-two years, died in London, England, today; aged 96 years.

iyth: President Dole of Hawaii arrived in San Francisco today on his way to Washington. President Dole states that he is here on a friendly visit to this country and its president and to advise the Hawaiian legation at Washington during the consideration of the annexation treaty. * * * A son of Gen. /George B. McClellan made a speech in the house of representatives today in which he attacked the army of the United States. He said it was little better than a clumsily organized national police force, and declared it should be entirely reorganized. * * * . A decision

was handed down in the Supreme Court of the United States today in which it is held that the heirs of a man who commits suicide when of sound mind, cannot recover an insurance policy issued on his life.