Revolutionary Plot in Italy
ITALY has just defeated a great revolutionary plot said to have been concocted by Socialists. As the result of a blunder on the part of the promoters of the plot, the government brought the whole scheme to light before its promoters were prepared for it, and thus blocked the conspiracy, which it was expected would bring about a practical revolution. Little news has been permitted to be sent out by the government; but it is reported that nearly 200,000 troops were mobilized by the government, which immediately assumed control of all railroad employees. Nearly all the workmen in Italy and many of the agriculturists had been gradually enrolled in the scheme until the leagues numbered 10,000, and the membership more than a million. So great was the power of this organization that it was possible within a day to paralyze the industrial, commercial, and agricultural life of the country. The promptest measures of the government were necessary to prevent the scheme being carried into execution. But it will come sometime, and governments will fall before it. THE proposed railway from Constantinople to Bagdad is being delayed by England and Russia, though from different motives on the part of each. German and French bondholders obtained from the Turkish Government on December 23, 1899, a concession for this line, and the route has since been surveyed. It was a part of the agreement that Turkey was to furnish $6,000,000 per annum, which she was to raise by an increase in her customs charges. Great Britain refuses to consent to this increase on commercial grounds, and Russia objects for political reasons; also because this new railroad will bring Mesopotamian wheat into competition with Russian wheat, and the railroad itself will eventually be a competitor of the Siberian road. With this prospect the road which was to open up Asia Minor may be a long time in building. THE French inventors who have perfected a system of wireless telephony have received from the French Academy of Science an acknowledgment of the value of the invention. It is claimed that when the instruments are put deep into the earth, messages may be transmitted over enormous distances; for instance, bringing commanders of bodies of troops operating at long distances from each other into direct communication. The claim is also made that messages can be received through the sea from shore to shore; or between ships passing on the ocean. The voice is said to be transmitted without the least difficulty, and the most delicate articulations reach the ear. THE Colombian Government has given notice to the Panama Canal Company that it must not turn over its property and concessions to another company or nation without first obtaining the consent of the Colombian Government. This will either result in taking the Panama route out of the consideration of Congress, or else in indefinitely postponing the beginning of work on any isthmian canal. Those who oppose any canal can now urge that consideration of the canal question be postponed until the government can deal with the French company. SEVERE storms have swept the whole country during the week, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The greatest amount of damage was done and the largest number of lives lost in the eastern and southern States. The destruction of property has amounted to many millions of dollars, and probably not less than 100 lives, all told, have been lost as a result of the storm and accompanying floods. In several of the eastern and southern States and some of the western, railroad traffic and telegraph communication have been either blocked or seriously interfered with. Many factories erected alongside of the flooded rivers have been destroyed or temporarily crippled, and thousands of persons thrown out of employment. DURING the week Prince Henry of Prussia, brother of the German emperor, has been making a tour of some of the eastern, central, and southern States, visiting the battle-ground of Lookout Mountain, the grave of George Washington, passing through Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, and receiving enthusiastic demonstrations from the people all along the route. Formal receptions were given him in the various large cities through which he passed, and every effort was put forth to make the royal visitor welcome. The prince has announced repeatedly that his mission is to strengthen the friendship of the two nations. THE London Spectator of March 2 declares that a wave of commercial depression has struck the whole continent of Europe, being most visible to outsiders in Germany, and that in the south of that country, where the margin of comfort is always thin, the wave produces intense suffering. This journal holds America responsible for this in her tremendous expansion of trade. It is due also to the reflex action of opening up Asiatic countries. It is this commercial depression in Europe which is making European countries come to look upon America as an enemy and to plan combinations against her. A NATIONAL memorial service was held for President McKinley in the Hall of Representatives at noon on February 27. There were in attendance the President, Prince Henry of Prussia, the members of the cabinet, the justices of the Supreme Court, the general of the army, and officers of the army and navy who have received the thanks of Congress, the ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives of foreign countries, senators and representatives, and a large number of distinguished guests. The eulogy was pronounced by John Hay, Secretary of State. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, through the medium of the Interstate Commerce Commission, has warned the railroad managements throughout the country that the interstate and Sherman laws will be enforced to the letter, and that the administration will not favor any amendment of the law until the present laws have been enforced and their results noted. The new order is reported to have caused much consternation among the executive officials of the roads centering in Chicago. A CONVOY of empty wagons was attacked and captured by the Boers at Klerksdorp, Transvaal, on February 24. Six hundred British troops and two guns were also captured. On February 27, as the result of concerted action by the British, an engagement took place in which the Boers lost 800 men in killed and captured, together with 28,000 head of cattle, 2,000 horses, and 60,000 sheep. General Botha was captured, but escaped because he was not known by his captors. THE educational authorities in the Philippines are planning lecture courses accompanied with stereoptican views for the purpose of educating the Filipinos in regard to the United States, its development, resources, and people. Large numbers of lantern slides will be sent for that purpose. It has been specially requested that a considerable number of these slides should show snow and ice scenes, the Filipinos having a very hazy idea of such phenomena. THE question of precedence at State functions is now agitating official Washington. The ambassadors of foreign powers have been compelled to take a place second to the members of the Supreme Court, and are protesting that their positions entitle them to a place next to the President of the United States. The question is said to involve the friendly relations of the United States with foreign nations. In a discussion in the German Reichstag on March 3 over appropriations for maintaining German troops in China, the chancellor declared that Germany’s aim was economic wholly and not territorial; that she had no purpose of acquiring territory, and would not interfere in the quarrels of others, her object being to maintain the open door for commerce. THE HOUSE committee on agriculture proposes a $40,000 appropriation for the purpose of establishing telegraphic communication between San Francisco and the Farallon Islands, either by cable or by the wireless system. It is expected that such communication will be of great service to the weather bureau in forecasting weather changes. THE RIVER AND HARBOR bill has been completed in committee and its provisions made public. It carries an appropriation of $60,700,000, a large portion of which will be expended on the Pacific Coast. A REBELLION is now in progress in Arabia, headed by Abdul Aziz Ben Feysul. Many tribes are said to be flocking to the standard of the leader, and the city of E’Riad has been captured. IN Russia the habit of smoking cigarettes made of green tea is growing rapidly, and coffee cigarette-smoking has been adopted in France. Whether these forms of the baneful habit are worse than that of the ordinary cigarette we do not know. It is a disgusting habit in whatever form it is indulged and by whomsoever it is practised. MORE disorders are reported from the mining districts of Spain. The miners refuse to return to work until their imprisoned comrades are released. They have burned the tax offices with the documents which they contained, and are constantly assaulting their comrades who have returned to work. THE Imperial Health Department of Germany is considering the practicability of exterminating the rats infesting the empire. It is known that rats are one of the chief agents in carrying contagious diseases, and it is hoped by exterminating them to reduce the danger from that source. THE British Government has refused Marconi license to establish wireless telegraph signal stations in the United Kingdom for fear of interrupting the extensive experimental work now being carried on by the admiralty, from which that government hopes to obtain most satisfactory results. THE representatives of the European countries who have been in conference over the question of sugar bounties have finally decided to abolish bounties on the production of that article, and to impose a countervailing duty upon sugar coming from countries in which a bounty is paid. SIGNOR MARCONI, who arrived at New York on March 1, reports having sent and received messages by his system of wireless telegraphy while 1,500 miles at sea. The captain and mate of the steamer signed all the messages as witnesses, testifying to the genuineness of the messages. THE Senate subcommittee on the isthmian canal has brought in an adverse report on the proposition of buying the property and rights of the Panama Canal Company. The advocates of the Panama route, however, will continue to work for the Panama scheme in the Senate. THE viceroy of India reports that the rainfall in India has been very light and of practically no value in the famine districts. About 359,000 persons are now receiving relief. A despatch from the Punjab states that 3,000,000 acres of wheat are suffering from total drought. THE Honolulu Merchants’ Association has headed a movement to secure from the Congress of the United States an appropriation for the thorough sanitary renovation of that city; in other words, to have done for Honolulu the same work that was done for Havana. THE United States minister at Constantinople has presented a note to the Turkish Government demanding the punishment of the captors of Miss Ellen M. Stone. The Porte, in replying, repudiates responsibility and denies all liability in the matter. A REPORT from Turkey states that 26 Albanian towns have determined to demonstrate their independence of the sultan by refusing to pay taxes to the Turkish officials. The rebels are said to be now besieging the seaport town of Avalona. NOTWITHSTANDING the reverses which the Boers have received during the past ten days, General Botha declares that the Boer Government has determined to continue hostilities, and has already outlined the proposed summer campaign. ON February 28 the Senate passed a resolution censuring Senators Tillman and McLaurin of South Carolina for disorderly conduct in the Senate on February 22. The resolution then formally restored them to the privileges of the Senate. MISSIONARIES in Nan Ning, China, have been again compelled to flee, a rebellion having broken out in that part of the province of Kwang Si. A pledged escort has been sent with the missionaries to convey them safely to Wu Chow. THE Senate, on March 2, passed the western irrigation bill with only one opposing vote. Even the most sanguine friends of the measure do not look for any such easy victory in the House. THE educational test which Alabama has adopted for the purpose of eliminating the illiterate colored vote is reported to have also eliminated 43,000 white votes in that State. THE senatorial fight on the postponed ship-subsidy bill was formally opened in the Senate on March 3, with a long and carefully prepared speech by Senator Frye of Maine. PROMINENT Englishmen are entering a strong protest to the government against the practice of court-martialing and shooting Boer prisoners of war. FOURTEEN men lost their lives as the result of an avalanche near Telluride, Colorado, on February 28. As many more were more or less seriously injured. GREAT enthusiasm was aroused in the Japanese Diet on February 12 when the treaty of alliance between England and Japan was announced. ON February 20 the pope celebrated the 25th year of his pontificate. The main celebration of his jubilee will be postponed until March 3.