--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hull, Thomas collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 2 number: 3 published: 1899-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hull, Thomas, "Events of the Month," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 3 (January 1899): 236–239.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera23unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera23unse start_page: 236 end_page: 239 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera23unse publication_year: 1899 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Events of the Month EVENTS OF THE MONTR BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL BOARD OF Y. M. M. L A. November 21st, 1898: Governor Wells appoints Richard W. Young to be major of the First Battalion of light artillery volunteers, and promotes E. A. Wedgwood to be captain of Battery A, John F. Critchlow to be first lieutenant of Battery B, and George A. Seaman to be second lieutenant of Battery B. Major Young's commission will bear date of July 12th by authority of the war department. * * * -phe American peace commission presents an ultimatum to the Spanish commission, offering $20,000,000 for the Philippines. Spain is given one week to answer. 23rd: By an explosion of a powder mill at Lamotte, Missouri, six men are killed and several wounded. * * * j^ fij-g which started in the east end of the building totally destroyed the Baldwin Hotel and theatre at San Francisco. * * * General Blanco resigns as captaingeneral of Cuba and his resignation is accepted by the Spanish government. 24th: At the Thanksgiving banquet in London, England, all. the . speeches were expressive of British friendship for the United States and referred to an Anglo-American alliance. 26th: Ex-Queen Liliuokalani visits Salt Lake City. * * * The new battleship "Wisconsin" was successfully launched at the Union Iron Works> San Francisco, this morning. 27th: Charles W. Couldock, the venerable actor, once so well known in Utah, dies in New York City. * * * ^ severe storm rages on the eastern coast and New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New England are snowbound. Many lives are lost. The steamer Portland from Boston is wrecked off High Head, Massachusetts, and over one hundred lives are lost. * * * Spain decides to accept the American offer of $20,000,000 for the Philippines. 30th: The sixth annual convention of the Municipal League opens in Indianapolis, Indiana. December 1st: Mrs. Sarah M. Kimball, for many years prominently connected with the Relief Societies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies at her home in Salt Lake City. * * * The grand jury at Carlinville, Illinois, reports an indictment against Governor John R. Tanner, of Illinois, for "palpable evasion of duty and malfeasance in office," in connection with the coal miners' strike at Virden, Illinois. 4th: A great block of buildings is destroyed by fire in New York. The loss is over $1,000,000. * * * A violent storm sweeps over the Middle and Central-Eastern States and great damage results. 5th: The closing session of the fifty-fifth Congress opens and the President's message is presented. The message in opening refers to the prosperity of the country, the immense volume of business, the increased treasury receipts, the advanced credit of the nation and the maintenance of its currency at what is termed "the world's highest standard." The President then proceeds to the discussion of the following subjects: The Spanish PFar—Reviewing, at great length, the events leading up to it and the course of the struggle, praising the army and navy and the work of the Red Cross Society, and recounting the various steps in the peace negotiations. Agreement as to Cable Messa^res—Expressing his sense of the fitness of an international agreement whereby the interchange of messages may be regulated on a fair basis of uniformity. International Expositions—Exi^ressmg approval of the proposition for a standing appropriation for the acceptance of invitations to the United States to participate in such expositions. The Nicaraguan CanaZ—Calling attention to the urgency of definite action by Congress at this session and the indispensability of the construction of this maritime highway. Events in C/ima—Reviewing the course of recent events there, urging the consideration by Congress of the recommendation of the Secretary of the Treasury, made to the House of Representatives on the 14th of last June, for an appropriation for a commission to study the commercial and industrial conditions of the Chinese Empire and report as to the opportunities for, and obstacles to. the enlargement of markets in China for the products of the United States; and informing Congress that ample precautions had been taken for the protection of the rights of American citizens in China. TAe Pansian Exposition—Expressing the belief that the report of the American Director-General will call for an increase of the appropriation to at least $1,000,000 and urging that it is our province to lead in the march of human progress and not rest content with any secondaryplace. Our Relations with Great Britain—Referring to the tact and zeal with which the task of protecting Americans and their interests in Spanish jurisdiction was performed by diplomatic and consular representatives of Great Britain. Territory of Hawaii—Reporting the action taken in regard thereto after the passage of the resolution of Congress providing for the annexation. Russian Relations—Reporting that the Russian mission in this country and the American mission in Russia had been raised to the rank of Embassies; referring to the invitation of the Czar to this nation to send representatives to an international conference to consider a general reduction of the vast military establishments of the nations in time of peace, and stating that the Czar had been informed of the sympathy of this government with the principle involved in his proposal. Private Property at Sea—Suggesting that the Executive be authorized to correspond with the governments of principal maritime powers, with a view of incorporating into the permanent law of civilized nations the principle of the exemption of all private property at sea, not contraband of war, from capture or destruction by belligerent powers. The Treasury Bureau—Reviewing the condition of the finances of the United States, urging the importance of legislation for the maintenance of the present monetary standard and recommending the formation of a gold trust fund from which greenbacks should be redeemed upon presentation, but when once redeemed, should not thereafter be paid out except for gold. The Army and Navy—Recommending that authority be given the President to increase the army to 100,000 men; and approving the recommendations of the Secretary of the Navy, that the navy be increased by the construction of fifteen new vessels of various classes. The message also recommended that the grades of Admiral and Vice-Admiral be temporarily revived. The President recommends an appropriation and appointment of a joint congressional committee for the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the founding of Washington for the permanent capital of the United States, and concludes his message as follows: "The alien contract law is shown by experience to need some amendment; a measure providing better protection for seamen is proposed; the rightful application of the eight-hour law for the benefit of labor and of the principles of arbitration, are suggested for consideration, and I commend these subjects to the careful consideration of the Congress.'' EVENTS OF THE MONTH, 239 Under the same date Secretary of the Treasury, Gage, submits his estimates of expenditures for the fiscal year, ending June 30th, 1899, which call for $593,048,378. 8th: Central Utah is visited by a severe east wind. 10th: The treaty of peace between the United States and Spain is signed at 8:45 p. m. * * * Colonel Willard Young raises the American flag over the city hall of Marianao, Cuba. 11th: General Calixto Garcia, the Cuban patriot, dies of pneumonia, at Washington, D. C. 13th: President McKinley and party leave Washington to attend the peace jubilee at Atlanta, Georgia. * * * The funeral of General Garcia occurs at Washington, D. C. * * * Four war ships are ordered to Havana. 14th: President McKinley arrives in Atlanta, Georgia, and is given an enthusiastic welcome. 15th: President Lorenzo Snow issues an announcement stating the decision of the authorities of the Church to issue $500,000 worth of bonds, and suggesting that residents of Utah should purchase them. * * * The house of representatives passes the pension bill in twenty minutes, surpassing all previous records in the short time and lack of debate. * * * Senator Calvin S. Brice, former United States Senator from Ohio, dies of pneumonia, in New York City. 16th: Five regiments of regular infantry are ordered to prepare for service in the Philippines. 17th: Major-General Wesley Merritt, the late commander of the United States military forces in the Philippines, arrives in New York, from Paris.