--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - J. M. Tanner collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 4 number: 11 published: 1901-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'J. M. Tanner, "Some Leading Events in the Current Story of the World," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 11 (September 1901): 857–863.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0411unse 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: improvementera0411unse start_page: 857 end_page: 863 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1901-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0411unse publication_year: 1901 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 1901, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Some Leading Events in the Current Story of the World SOME LEADING EVENTS IN THE CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. BY DR. J. M. TANNER, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT OF CHURCH SCHOOLS. The Great Steel Strike* The great strike against the so-called billion-dollar steel trust promises to be the most remarkable in the history of the trade unions of this country. It is not an ordinary strike for an increase of wages, or reduced hours for a day's work, but rather one that may involve the existence of the trade union itself, and the prac- tice of certain manufacturers in this country to demand by written contracts that their employes shall not belong to any labor union. The men left work about the middle of July, and all negotiations, up to this writing, which have been carried on between the parties to the controversy, have resulted in no agreement. To understand something of the subject, one must return to the great iron-workers' strike of 1892, when the employes of the Carnegie mills, known as the Homestead, created so much excite- ment in this country, and it became necessary to call out the mili- tia and use Pinkerton men in suppressing the riots, and preventing the destruction of property. After that strike, the employers compelled, so it is alleged, every employe to enter a contract that he was not, and would not become, a member of any labor organi- zation whatsoever. When the great steel trust was organized some months ago, it included the Homestead and numerous other mills, s Dme of which employed union labor, while others did not. For some time, the union men have been complaining that the scale of wages of the different mills were unjustly arranged in 858 IMPROVEMENT ERA. favor of non-union men. Mr. Schwab, the head of this billion- dollar steel trust, was also the superintendent of the Homestead mills, and Carnegie's interest generally. It was further contended, on the part of the labor organizations, that in dull times, when it was necessary to lay off some of the men, the non-union men and mills were favored. It was contended by the labor union that such a discrimination was a direct blow, by the employers, at the existence of the labor organization itself, in that it was a reward by the employers to all men who would remain out of the union. The demands were therefore made on the part of the union that the same wages be paid to all employes, whether in or out of the union, that the hours of work should be the same, and that there should be no favoritism during the dull times. On the part of the trust, it was contended that the labor union virtually demanded the discharge from employment of non- union men, and that their resistance to the demands of the union was for the protection of those who did not care to join any labor organization; and, lastly, the trust gave out, so the newspapers have stated, that the labor organization was at liberty to unionize all the men they could in the non-union mills. Whatever the future may show to be the exact status of the controversy, in the beginning it would seem that the trust has succeeded in enlisting the sympathy of a number of the leading papers throughout this country, and the idea has gone forth that union men have de- manded that all employes in the mills shall become members of their organizations or be dismissed from work. Should there be an effort on the part of the trust, as is as- serted by the union, to destroy labor organizations in the United States, it is not unlikely that the strike may be extended to the railroads and mines. Four hundred thousand employes are said to be directly involved, and if kindred associations take up the ques- tion, it is asserted that there may be an imperding strike of some- thing like one million men. At the present time, the points at issue are imperfectly defined, and the people generally throughout the country have not been permitted to obtain any very clear idea of the real points at issue, in this mammoth battle between capital and labor. To predict any results that may accrue from the fight, therefore, at this time would be mere conjecture, but those who CURRENI STORY OF THE WORLD. 859 are competent to judge declare that through the strike a million dollars a day is lost to industry. Death of Three Notable Persons— Le Conte, Fiske, and Em- press Frederick of Germany. In the death of Joseph Le Conte, who died July 6, 1901, the country loses a man of national reputation. He was born in Georgia, in 1823. He was a man of great mental powers, and devoted himself to the study of geology and other natural sciences. In 1850, he was associated with Aggasiz, at Harvard. Since 1869, he has occupied the chair of geology and natural history, in the University of California.He has written a very popular text-book on the subject of geology, but is perhaps best known to the peo- ple of this country by his famous book, "Evolution and its Relation to Religious Thought." This book, together with Mr. Fiske's "Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy," has done much to re-establish the faith of those who were thrown into disbelief by the new doc- trines of evolution. The recent death of John Fiske calls to mind a notable char- acter in the history of our country. Fiske, in this country, like Tyndall and Huxley in England, has done much to popularize modern science. He was a man of the broadest attainments, and has from his earliest career been a most indefatigable worker. Like John Stewart Mill, he was a precocious child, and, it is said of him that at the age of nine, he took genuine pleasure in reading the works of Shakespeare and Milton. Before his thirteenth year, his knowledge of Latin was so great that he was at home with Virgil, Horace, Tacitus, and other prominent Latin authors. Among his earliest writings to attract great attention in this country was his "Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy." This work is gener- ally recognized as the foremost interpretation of the Spencerian school of thought. The writer first learned of Mr. Fiske's important contributions to the interpretation of evolutionary thought, in 1887,. while on a mission to Palestine, where he became acquainted with Laurence Oliphant, an eminent English author, who had for years been an associate of Spencer, Huxley, and other eminent authors at the celebrated Athenaeum Club in London. The writer was anx- ious to obtain from Mr. Oliphant a description of the inside life of 860 IMPROVEMENT ERA. those great English philosophers. At that time, there lay on Mr. Oliphant's table Fiske's "Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy." Mr. Oli- phant picked up the book, and, showing it to the writer, said: "This is the best work that has ever been written on evolution. This man Fiske has treated this subject* with the judicially dis- criminating mind not equalled by any other writer on the subject.' In later years, Mr. Fiske wrote two important works on,"The Idea of God," and "Destiny of Man." Both of these works are a de- fense of theism, and personal immortality. While the writer was at Harvard, he had, on two or three occasions, an opportunity to observe Mr. Fiske's movements about the college campus, thus satisfying his curiosity to see one of the foremost writers of our country. Of Mr. Fiske, it must be said that he was a most ener- getic worker and a man of charming personality. He had been invited to deliver an oration in Winchester, England, on the thousandth an- niversary of King Alfred's death, but died suddenly at the Haw- thorne Inn, at Gloucester, on July 4. During the last few years, Mr. Fiske has delivered a number of popular lectures on historical sub- jects; and, as a lecturer, he has been well received both in this country and in England. He will be best known to the people of Utah through his school history of the United States, one of the best books ever written on that subject, for school purposes. The announcement of the death of the Empress Dowager of Germany (born Victoria Mary Louisa, November 21, 1840,) on the 5th of August, recalls the career of one of the most eminent characters among women in the royal courts of Europe. Empress Victoria was the oldest daughter of the Queen of England, being married at an early age to Frederick, the Crown Prince of Prussia. As the German emperor, William I, approached old age, speculations throughout Prussia became rife as to the influence which the com- ing empress would have upon the institutions of the country. Many leading politicians of Prussia have been agitating the question of a constitutional government for the Germans, a government simi- lar to that of Great Britain, in which the king and queen are largely figureheads. After the formation of the German empire, as a result of the Franco -Prussian war in 1870-71, the question was again discussed by the Liberal press of the empire. It was known that Empress Victoria was an exceedingly shrewd woman. CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 861 Sir Charles Dilke ranked her among the first political factors in continental politics. She inherited much of her mother's shrewd- ness and persistency. She was not a character to be easily thwarted in her purpose, and to be overcome by any obstacles, and, at one time, it is said, was greatly feared by Prince Bis- marck. The iron chancellor was pronounced in his views that a form of government similar to that of Great Britain was not at all suited to the wants of Germany. The old emperor, during his lifetime, had never suffered the women of his court to exercise any influence whatever in poli- tics. His empress had never been permitted to share the politi- cal discussions that went on in any of the departments of state, and he was equally persistent in holding his daughter-in-law aloof. It was known that he shared Bismark's views, and until the time of his death Bismarck's policy of course prevailed. Upon the accession of Frederick to the crown of the German empire, Victoria clearly indicated her determination to punish, as far as she could, the old Iron Chancellor for the indignites which she had received at his hands, but Frederick was not permitted to control long the destinies of the new empire, for he soon succumbed to a disease with which he was sorely afflicted at the time of his coronation. It is difficult, therefore, to say what this re- markable woman may Shave done, had her husband been permitted to reign for any length of time over the destinies of this great military empire. Her son, the present Emperor of Germany, was in full accord with Bismarck's views, and his mother was at once relegated, politically, to private life. When one now comes to con- template her death, one cannot help but feel that she suffered bitterly the disappointment which she must have experienced by the great misfortunes which prevented her from exercising the remarkable endowments which she possessed, in the furtherance of human liberty and political progress. She possessed, indeed, a rare genius for statesmanship, a genius which, so far as it affected her personally, has been lost to the world. Some of the remarka- ble powers of this sovereign are reflected in her son; for, what- ever the world, and especially the enemies of Germany, may think of its present emperor, he certainly possesses many of the elements of genius, even though they may be mixed with certain eccentricities. EDITOR'S TABLE. OUR REPORT AND OUR MISSION. The annual statistical report in this number of the Era shows satisfactory progress in the growth of membership, meetings, and literary and educationalwork of the Mutual Improvement Associa- tions. Compared with a decade ago, the advancement is really marvelous. Then we had 347 associations, now we have 542; then a membership of 12,537, now 28,409; then there were 6,258 meet-- ings, now there are 18,841 then the exercises were unclassified, ; with little uniformity or system; now there is a uniform and suit- able method in study, which insures reasonably good results where properly followed. Our local missionaries amount to over two thousand, and the number on foreign missions approaches closely one thousand, while libraries, finances, and all other interests named show commendable increase and growth. A glance at the report, with some knowledge of the printed manuals, and the cir- culation of the Era, our ofiicial organ, also the work of the oflScers from the General Board to the stake and ward laborers, will at once assure us that we have the machinery to do a mighty educa- tional work, and that a fair proportion of that work has been and is actually being done. But educational work, by which is here meant, the obtaining and assimilating of knowledge and information, is not the whole mission of our organization; indeed, it is only one incident in it^ but one which the published report specially emphasizes. The spiritual and religious work, it is believed, would show quite as EDITORS TABLE. 863 satisfactory results. In this latter direction, however, it is fondly hoped that increased enthusiasm will prevail. In some report blanks recently presented to stake superintendents, the questions were asked: "What means have you considered for improving the general conditions of the young people?" "In what respects are your associations factors for good in the stake?" and the replies received are not as encouraging as we think they should have been. Looking at our statistical array of figures, the people, always "Very good for figures, but what utilitarian, will naturally say: have these young men actually done?" It is believed that our workers could give just as satisfactory a showing in spiritual de- velopment, by which is meant all that tends to the formation of good life and character, and in religious development, by which is meant the putting into every day practice the theories of the Gospel, as they have done, in this report, in placing into figures their machinery of intellectual progress. If the boys should be called upon, we are of the opinion that many could answer the questions in a hundred ways by telling some of the things that they have done that are not shown in figures, but that are written in the hearts of their fellows: turned three boys from swearing and breaking the Sabbath; converted one young man to the necessity of attending church; made a good impression upon a stranger by our conduct in meeting; helped a widow to her winter's wood; provided a place for a young man who was in need; helped a struggling boy to attend school, by doing his chores; con- verted several young men to the necessity of paying tithing; kept a missionary in his field by helping his wife to till the farm; helped the bishop to provide entertainments for the boys and girls in the ward, thus keeping them out of bad company; turned in with teams and gave the old folks a pleasant outing in the grove; furnished text books for the meeting house; provided a quartette club which made the ward socials and public occasions pleasant with sweet music; visited a poor sick boy and gave him a boquet of flowers; helped ourselves to enjoy the Spirit of God, by being determined to live right, and to do some kind act to some other person when- ever occasion offered, thus fulfilling the scripture: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this. To visit the