DEATH OF HENRY GEORGE

1897

and Henry George, nominee of the anti-Tammany Democracy. Henry George had been the Labor candidate for Mayor of New York in 1886, at which time, though defeated by Abram S. Hewitt, the Tammany candidate, he had polled more votes than Theodore Roosevelt, the Republican candidate. In each contest the chief plank of his platform was municipal ownership of public utilities. Though debilitated in health, he made a vigorous campaign. On the night of October 28, after delivering four speeches in as many different quarters of Greater New York, he died of heart failure.

Henry George was born in Philadelphia, September 2, 1839. When a boy he shipped as a sailor to California. There he became a printer and subsequently an editor, taking an especial interest in economic questions. In 1879 he published "Progress and Poverty," a work which created as great a stir among economists as Darwin's "Origin of Species" did among scientists. In it he formulated what subsequently became known as the "Single Tax" theory. This may be summarized as follows: All men have an equal right to the use of the earth. Special privileges in the use of the earth should either be abolished, or if in the nature of things they must exist, be taxed up to the extent of the value of the privilege. Public expenses should be paid from this tax alone, all other levies being abolished. The doctrine is a development of Ricardo's definition of rent, and Mill's definition of the "unearned increment." Henry George enforced his doctrine by a number of books, the last of which, "The Science of Political Economy," was published posthumously. His son, Henry George, Jr., has written his biography.

The Venezuelan arbitration treaty was signed at Washington, February 2, by Señor Andrade and Sir Julian Pauncefote, and the final ratifications of the Anglo-AmericanVenezuelan boundary treaty were exchanged at Washington on June 14.

1897

VICTORIA'S DIAMOND JUBILEE

In consequence of the murder of two German missionaries in China, the German admiral on the China station, on November 14, landed 600 men at Kiao-Chau, and seized the telegraph station and magazine. Deprived of their ammunition, the Chinese retired without fighting. Having obtained this foothold, the German Government despatched a strong fleet under Prince Henry to China, and further exacted the inlet of Sansah as a coaling station.

Other events of note during this year were the opening of the Brussels International Exhibition, on May 10, by King Leopold, and later the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. On June 20, the Queen's accession day, services were held in every church of the United Kingdom. Along the entire line of the subsequent procession houses were gorgeously decorated and illuminated by night. Regiments from every colony marched by the Prince of Wales in a review at Aldershot. At Spithead the greatest naval pageant yet witnessed was reviewed by Queen Victoria. English poets wrote laudatory verses for the occasion. The best of all was Rudyard Kipling's "Recessional," published after the Jubilee was over.

A sinister closing feature of the year was the noticeable increase of fanatical assassinations. Señor Canovas del Castillo, the Spanish Prime Minister, was killed by an Italian anarchist named Golli. Afterward, Señor Idiarte Borda, President of the Republic of Uruguay, was assassinated on the porch of the cathedral at Montevideo. In the middle of September an attempt was made to assassinate President Diaz of Mexico. An attempt to assassinate President Moreas of Brazil at Rio Janeiro, on November 5, caused serious disturbances in Brazil. In Rio, the printing establishments of three newspapers which had been hostile to the President were sacked by mobs. Brazil was placed under martial law for thirty days, and many of the prominent deputies were arrested before they could leave the country.

DEATHS OF BRAHMS AND DAUDET

1897

In musical annals this year is noted for the death of Jo hannes Brahms, the musical composer. Judged by his works, which exceed 130, he must be pronounced as the greatest master of symphonic music during the latter part of the nineteenth century after Wagner.

Alphonse Daudet, the brilliant French novelist, died on December 16, at Paris. Alphonse Daudet rose to the highest rank among the novelists of his generation. His celebrated story, "Fromont Jeune et Risler Aîné," issued in 1874, speedily ran through sixty editions, and in dramatized form proved no less popular. Then came the stories of "Jack," 1876; "The Nabob," 1877; "Kings in Exile," 1879; "Numa Roumestan" (a study of the Gambetta temperament), 1881; "L'Evangeliste," 1883; "Sapho," 1884, the brilliant success of which was promptly repeated on the stage; and three novels dealing with the amusing personality, of "Tartarin of Tarascon," a sort of French Baron Munchausen. Alphonse Daudet definitely ended his prospects of entering the French Academy by the publication of his brilliant sardonic novel "L'Immortel."

On December 28 the first production of Edmond Rostand's romantic play, "Cyrano de Bergerac," by the great French comedian, Coquelin, lifted the author to the highest rank among French playwrights.

The long-festering Cuban troubles did not claim serious attention this year until late in autumn, when the town of Victoria del las Tunas, the most exposed city in the eastern part of the island, was attacked by the insurgents and taken after severe fighting. According to official statistics issued by the Spanish Minister of War, there had been sent to Cuba between November, 1895, and May, 1896, 181,738 men, 6,261 officers, and 40 generals, and to the Philippines, 27,768 men, 881 officers, and 9 generals. After the assassination of Canovas, the Sagasta Ministry was shamed into rescind

1897

THE SPANISH TROCHA

ing Weyler's inhuman military measures in Cuba. General Weyler was recalled from his command in Cuba by the new Spanish Ministry, and Marshal Ramon Blanco superseded him with full powers to proclaim the autonomy of the island. The Spanish Cortes voted $600,000 for the starving pacificos of Cuba.

The attitude of the rebels toward Spain was clearly shown in December, when Colonel Ruiz, General Blanco's aide-decamp, who had been sent to make peace proposals to the Cuban insurgents, on the basis of autonomy, was shot by order of the insurgent chief Myia Rodriguez, together with several insurgents who were ready to treat with the Spanish leader. The so-called Cuban Government of the revolutionists was of an itinerant character. The insurgents were still active in the eastern provinces of Santiago and Puerto Principe. By means of a strong line of military posts and blockhouses, known as the Trocha, the Spaniards were able to hold the rebels in check round and about Havana, Matanzas, and Pinar del Rio.

EVENTS OF 1898

Spanish Minister De Lome Applies Insulting Epithet to President Me Kinley in Home Correspondence-This is Disclosed and He Resigns -Bernabé Succeeds Him-American Warship "Maine" is Blown Up in Havana Harbor-Spain Requests Recall of Consul-General LeeThis is Refused-North_Atlantic Squadron Concentrates Near Key West-Congress Votes Fund for National Defense-American and Spanish Boards of Inquiry into "Maine" Disaster Meet-Former Finds Cause to have been External Mine, Latter Finds It to have been Internal Explosion-Lee Leaves Havana-Congress Passes War Resolutions-Ultimatum is Sent to Spain to Evacuate CubaSpain Refuses to Receive It-President McKinley Proclaims Blockade of Western Cuba-Many Spanish Prizes Taken-President Calls for Volunteers-Troops Mobilized at Chickamauga, Tenn., and Tampa, Fla.-European Powers, Save Germany, Declare Neutrality -Ineffective Bombardment of Cuban Ports-Dewey Destroys Montojo's Fleet in Manila Bay-"Winslow" Disabled in Cardenas Bay -Sampson Bombards Ineffectively San Juan, Porto Rico-Sampson and Schley Bottle Cervera in Santiago Harbor-"Charleston" is Sent to Manila-It Annexes Guam en route-Hobson Sinks Collier "Merrimac" in Santiago Harbor-"Reina Mercedes" is Sunk Attempting to Run Blockade-Shafter Lands Troops at Santiago— Young Defeats Spaniards at Las Guasimas-General Three Days' Engagement at Caney and San Juan Hill-Spaniards Retire-Cervera's Fleet Steams Out of Harbor-His Six Ships are Captured or Destroyed-Toral Surrenders Santiago-Malaria Decimates American Army-Camara's Expedition to Manila Turns Back to SpainMiles Conquers Porto Rico-Peace Protocol is Signed-Spain Relinquishes Sovereignty Over Cuba, Porto Rico, and a Ladrone Island, and Gives Manila as Pledge to United States-Merritt Captures Manila Before News of Protocol Arrives-Roosevelt Elected Governor of New York-Powers Appoint King George of Greece to Govern Crete-China Grants Land and Trading Concessions to European Powers-Deaths of Gladstone and Burne-Jones, the Painter -Assassination of Empress of Austria-Deaths of Ex-Secretary Bayard and Bismarck British under Kitchner Rout Dervishes at Atbara, Omdurman, and Karsala · Kitchener is Made Governor of Soudan-Marchand Annexes Fashoda to France, Blocking British Advance to Uganda -France Yields Her Advantage-Loss of French-American Liner "Bourgogne"-Zola Accuses the Accusers of Dreyfus-He Leaves France to Avoid Fine and ImprisonmentHenry, Chief of Dreyfus's Accusers, Confesses to Forgery and Kills Himself A New Trial is Accorded Dreyfus - Death of Puvis de Chavannes, Painter.

T the opening of this year the insurrection in Cuba appeared irrepressible. To protect American in

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terests the battleship "Maine" was sent to Havana. Spain immediately notified the United States, by way of reply, that the Spanish cruiser "Vizcaya" would pay a return visit to New York.