The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 33, June 24, 1897 by Various
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Various >> The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 33, June 24, 1897
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THE GREAT ROUND WORLD
AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT
Vol. 1 JUNE 24, 1897 No. 33.
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[Illustration: THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD
AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT.]
VOL. 1 JUNE 24, 1897. NO. 33
* * * * *
The affairs of Cuba are still occupying a very important place in the
eyes of the world.
The dissatisfaction in Spain over the Cuban policy of the Government has
led to serious political troubles in Madrid.
In every Congress or Parliament there are always two or more parties
opposed to each other, and on this opposition the welfare of the country
to a great extent depends. Were all the members to agree, there would be
an end of progress. It is the discontent that men feel over a present
state of affairs that spurs them on to make changes, and through these
changes all the progress of the world has come about.
In a Congress there are generally two strong parties--one that sides
with the Government, and one that is opposed to it.
This does not mean that one party is always ready to quarrel and find
fault with every measure proposed by the other. It means that there is a
party which belongs to the Government, and is pledged to vote for the
measures it proposes, and an opposition party which watches the
Government, questions its acts, and will not vote for its measures
until quite sure that they are good and helpful.
In countries that are ruled by a sovereign, the Government is not formed
in the same way that ours is.
The sovereign rules for life, and appoints the Prime Minister and the
Cabinet officers, who remain in office as long as they can manage the
affairs of state properly. The Parliament or Congress is composed of two
Houses, like ours, but the Upper House, which resembles our Senate, is
composed of peers (dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons) who
are not elected, but have their seat in the Upper House by right of
birth. Added to these are the Bishops and Churchmen of high degree, and,
in some countries, certain distinguished persons appointed by the
sovereign.
The members of the Lower House are elected, as our Congressmen are. In
Spain they are elected for five years, in England they lose their seats
every time the Ministry changes.
As we have said, the Prime Minister only keeps his office while he can
control affairs. When he finds that the Parliament will no longer uphold
the plans and wishes of the Ministry, he goes to his sovereign, resigns
his office, and a new Minister is appointed.
This is just what has been happening in Spain.
The people, displeased at the way the Cuban affairs were being managed,
complained of the Government, and at the same time demanded that General
Weyler should be recalled from the island.
At first the murmurs were not heeded, but they grew louder, until
finally the people demanded that the Duke of Tetuan, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, should be removed, for they supposed it was his fault
that their requests were not granted.
The Duke himself put the finishing touch to the matter by boxing the
ears of one of the members of the opposition party with whom he got into
a heated discussion over the Morgan Bill.
The Spanish Parliament, the Cortes, was furious over this rude and
extraordinary conduct. The opposition party absolutely refused to have
anything to do with the Government party, to which the Duke belonged. No
business could therefore be transacted in the Cortes, because the
opposition would neither argue nor vote on the measures proposed.
It was suggested that the best way out of the difficulty was for the
Duke to resign, but the Prime Minister, Senor Canovas, was unwilling
that he should do so while Cuban matters were in such a very unsettled
condition. He thought the best thing for the country would be a change
of Ministry, and so he offered his resignation to the Queen.
The opposition rejoiced when the news of Senor Canovas's resignation was
announced. The leader of the opposition, Senor Sagasta, was known to be
in favor of giving the Cubans very liberal home rule, and also of
recalling Weyler. Every one thought that he would be made Prime Minister
in the place of Senor Canovas.
The Queen Regent, who rules Spain for her little son Alfonso, who is not
old enough to govern for himself, sent for Senor Sagasta, and, as it is
always the custom when a Prime Minister resigns for the sovereign to
offer the post to the leader of the opposition party, every one thought
Senor Sagasta was as good as appointed.
The surprise was great therefore when the Queen, after her interview
with Senor Sagasta, sent for Senor Canovas, and asked him to continue to
be Prime Minister.
Senor Canovas accepted, much to the disgust of the opposition, but their
anger knew no bounds when it was learned that the ill-mannered Duke of
Tetuan was also to keep his place.
Spain is very much excited about the recall of Senor Canovas, and it is
thought that the Queen has made matters much worse by retaining him in
office.
The Cortes has adjourned, and will not meet again for some time, but it
is said that the opposition will not forgive the Duke of Tetuan's
insult, and that when the Cortes reassembles, they will clog the wheels
of Government just as they did before.
It was supposed that the Queen would be glad to change her Ministers,
and have the Government in the hands of men who would try to make
friends with Cuba, and end the war, but she does not appear to wish to
make friends with them. She has arranged to saddle Cuba with a new debt
of twenty million dollars and extra custom-house duties.
The twenty millions is to make good the paper money we were speaking
about in No. 30, but as the twenty millions is only to be in bonds, and
not in money, people who understand such matters declare that it will
not help at all; the people will not have any more faith in one piece of
paper than in the other. The extra burden will therefore be in vain.
There has meanwhile been some excitement in Havana over the escape of a
Spaniard named Santiago Barroeta.
He has been holding official positions in Cuba for years, and is besides
the editor and owner of a Havana newspaper. When the war broke out he
joined the Spanish forces and fought to suppress the insurrection.
He was very friendly with Weyler until the Marquis de Apezteguia went to
Madrid, to tell the Spanish Government of Weyler's cruelties.
The General then sought out Mr. Barroeta and asked him to abuse the
Marquis in his newspaper.
This Mr. Barroeta refused to do. For one reason the Marquis was a friend
of his, and for another, he knew that the facts laid before the
Government by Apezteguia were strictly true.
When General Weyler found that he could not make Mr. Barroeta do as he
wished, he began to persecute him, and at last made a charge against him
of stealing public money, and ordered his arrest.
Mr. Barroeta's friends warned him of his danger, and he was able to
escape, and keep in hiding until he could get passage on an American
ship.
Once safely in this country, he set about writing a full account of the
doings of General Weyler. This he is publishing, and as soon as it is
quite ready he will set out for Spain to lay the matter before the Queen
Regent.
He declares that General Weyler is indeed a monster of cruelty, and that
the descriptions which have reached us are absolutely correct. He
asserts that General Weyler has no loyalty or love of his country, that
his one aim is to make money for himself, and to do this he will cheat
his Government, and commit any crimes and cruelties that are necessary
to cover up his wrong-doings.
Mr. Barroeta has letters and documents to prove his accusations against
General Weyler, and a full account of the way the war news is
manufactured in Cuba under the General's directions.
According to his statements Weyler has a friend in the Spanish Cortes,
who cables him when the Government is getting angry at his want of
success, and advises him to send news of a big battle. Weyler then sends
out a few men to seize a Cuban hospital, or murder a defenceless family
of peasants, and as soon as the work is done, cables the news of his
great victory to Spain.
Mr. Barroeta says that Cuba is lost to Spain if General Weyler is not
recalled. He declares that the revolution is now stronger than ever,
that none of the provinces are pacified as Weyler says they are, and
that the only place where there is any semblance of peace is Santiago de
Cuba, and that only because it is under the rule of the Cubans, and is
in fact Free Cuba.
* * * * *
Mr. Calhoun has returned from his mission in Cuba, but we must wait a
few days before we can expect to hear the results.
A report, however, comes from Havana, that one hundred citizens of
Matanzas have sent an appeal for help to our Government, and have based
it on the misery which they say Mr. Calhoun and General Lee saw with
their own eyes.
They speak in a most pitiable way of the hunger and privations suffered
by the people who have been driven into the towns; from the description
given in the paper, these poor souls are now so thin and weak that they
can hardly drag themselves through the streets to beg for bread. They
tell of poor little children dying of starvation in the streets, of the
sufferings of the poor parents who cannot get food to keep life in their
little ones' bodies, and of this crowd of suffering, starving people,
wandering homeless through the streets begging for the charity which no
one can spare them.
The paper in which this is set forth is brought to a close with an
earnest appeal to the United States to send food to the Cubans for the
sake of humanity. The people say that Spain has been deaf to their
appeals, and their only hope is in us.
It is dreadful to think that such distress is being endured at our very
doors, and that we are powerless to prevent it.
It is no easy thing to be the President at such a time as this. Mr.
McKinley must be full of sympathy for these unhappy people, and yet his
first duty is toward the nation he has been chosen to govern; and he
dare not aid the starving Cubans, if by so doing he would bring the
horrors of war upon the people he has sworn to protect.
* * * * *
The war in the Philippine Islands seems to be raging as fiercely as
ever.
A report comes from Manila that the widow of Dr. Rizal has gathered a
company of soldiers together, and is leading them against the Spaniards
herself. She has already won two victories, it is said.
We told you all about Dr. Rizal on p. 254 of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD.
He was one of the leaders of the insurrection against Spain, but had
been careful to let no one know of this fact. One day, however, he
confided the secret to his wife, and she did not keep it to herself, but
told it to a person in whom she had every confidence. This person
betrayed her, and her husband was arrested and shot in consequence.
After her husband was executed she determined to devote her life to the
cause for which he had been sacrificed, and gathered a troop of soldiers
about her, and has since become one of the most daring leaders of the
insurgents.
* * * * *
There is not much news from Greece this week.
It has been arranged that the armistice shall last until the terms of
peace are decided upon. If it is found impossible to come to terms,
either party must give twenty-four hours' notice before commencing to
fight again.
Both Greeks and Turks are forbidden by the armistice to gather troops on
the lands belonging to their enemy, so Turkey has had to stop hurrying
troops into Thessaly.
The Powers are now standing firmly by Greece, and will not give in to
Turkey's demand for Thessaly.
It is said, however, that Turkey will not give back the territory she
has gained, and that the Turks have begun to arrange a form of
government for the towns of Thessaly, and are acting very much as if the
province was already theirs.
The Ministers who represent the various nations of Europe are holding
daily meetings, and consulting as to the terms of peace; but until they
arrive at some decision we must wait to know the fate of Greece.
* * * * *
The striking tailors have not gone back to work yet. Most of them have
been brave enough to stay out and resist the temptation offered them by
the masters to go back to work at the old terms.
A few, however, have been unable to bear the strain, and have gone back
at any wages rather than be idle and in want.
It is these weaker people that the strikers always fear. The success of
a strike depends on all having the courage to wait until their demands
are granted.
When the tailors found that some of their number were at work they were
very much enraged, and for the first time since the strike began became
riotous and unruly.
They formed committees to go the rounds of the various factories, and
see if any tailors were at work in them. Those who were found in the
shops were threatened, and ordered to leave off work at once.
The contractors got angry in their turn when their men were called out,
and many fights occurred, the police being kept busy arresting the
strikers and protecting the contractors.
When the feeling had grown very bitter on both sides, a contractor
appeared in the street where most of the tailors' shops are situated.
This particular man was much disliked by his workmen and the trade
generally. The moment he appeared in sight the anger of the mob broke
loose. Men and women attacked him savagely, beating him and throwing
stones at him. Fortunately for him, he happened to have a pistol with
him, and he was able to hold the crowd at bay until the police came to
his aid.
It is to be hoped that matters may be settled without further violence.
Thus far the sympathy has been altogether with the strikers, as the bad
pay and long hours of the tailors have been well known for a very long
time.
The attention of the Government has been directed to the present strike,
and Mr. Gage, the Secretary of the Treasury, sent a committee to inquire
into it.
He had been informed that the poor pay which tailors earn was due to the
fact that there were more workers than was necessary; and the trade was
over-crowded by Russians and Poles who are willing to work for
starvation wages.
Mr. Gage wished to find out whether too many Russian immigrants were
being allowed to enter the country, and whether he ought not to restrict
immigration for the protection of the tailoring trade.
The result of his inquiries has not yet been learned.
* * * * *
A gentleman in Texas who has read about the sufferings of the strikers,
and the poor wages they are able to earn, has written a long letter,
advising them to go out to Texas, and start fruit farms for themselves.
He says the land is waiting for workers, and the labor required is light
and pleasant. He thinks it would be much better for the tailors to go
where their labor would bring a good reward instead of starving
miserably in cities.
This suggestion is much in the same line as one made by Dr. Senner, the
Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island.
Dr. Senner does not think that the immigrants should be allowed to come
here and settle down where they please.
It is his idea that the Government should be kept well informed of the
places where colonists and laborers are needed, and when people come out
seeking work, they should be sent to those sections of the country where
work is waiting for those who want it.
Every ship brings out families of rough peasants seeking a home and a
living in the new country. Very few of them have friends in the places
to which they are going, and hardly any know whether it will be possible
for them to obtain work when they arrive at their journey's end.
Dr. Senner thinks these people should be directed to go where colonists
are needed, and where their industry will have a chance of bringing in
its reward.
Under the present system the immigrants are allowed to go where they
will, and they crowd into the over-filled towns by thousands, and fail
to make livings there, while enormous tracts of fertile land lie waiting
for hands to come and till it, and make it yield up its bounties.
* * * * *
While we are speaking of immigration you will perhaps be interested to
hear of a fresh race of people who have just begun to emigrate to
America. The very first of these people passed through New York last
week, on their way to Winnipeg, Canada, where the British Government
has given them a large grant of land.
These peasants are the Russniaks or Ruthenians.
They are a people who dwell in Southern Austria and Southeastern Poland,
where these countries join Russia. They really belong to the family of
people who live in that part of Southern Russia which is called Little
Russia, and they speak the language of this district, which is known as
Little Russian.
These Russniaks are not little Russians in appearance. They are in fact
a race of giants. In the party that came over none of the men were less
than six feet tall, and two or three of them were more than seven feet
in height. The women were also very tall and fine looking.
The party consisted of nine men, ten women, and twenty-five children.
One of the number who could speak a little German said that they were
farmers and goatherds, and had come out to Canada on the advice of a
British agent, who promised them that they would be able to earn lots of
money and be free from taxes in Winnipeg.
The dress of these people was very picturesque.
Both men and women wore sheepskin coats, made with the hair inside, and
laced down the front with leathern thongs. Both wore rough hide boots,
the men having the tops of theirs turned down and covered with handsome
embroidery.
The women and children had white homespun linen skirts, embroidered at
the edges, and the men had trousers of the same material.
Neither women nor children had any stockings, and the children had
their arms and heads bare, as well as their legs.
Each man wore a wide, beautifully embroidered belt, from which hung a
long sheath-knife and two or three pouches made of skin, which held
food, water, and tobacco. On their heads the men wore broad straw hats
with cock's feathers stuck at the side.
The women had no hats, but a quaint linen headdress, with a long veil
hanging from it and flowing over their shoulders.
They were a handsome people, and all appeared clean, neat, and tidy.
* * * * *
Word has reached us that the great diamond belonging to the Nizam of
Hyderabad has not been stolen after all, and so Queen Victoria may still
get her present.
If you are interested in the Jubilee there is a very interesting article
in the June _Century Magazine,_ called "Queen Victoria's Coronation
Roll," in which many interesting facts are given about the Queen's
coronation in 1838. She was not crowned, you know, until a year after
she came to the throne.
This article gives extracts from the official documents, telling exactly
how the young Queen was crowned, when she wore her crown, when she
carried her sceptre and orb, and other facts that are useful as well as
entertaining.
One of the very interesting things it tells is the manner in which the
lords and nobles keep possession of their titles.
[Illustration]
In countries where there are peers and degrees of nobility, it is the
custom of the sovereign to reward any great deed by making the doer of
it a peer of the realm, that is to say, a duke, a marquis, an earl, a
viscount, or a baron; baronets and knights are not peers.
In the olden times these gifts of nobility were often accompanied by
some personal service to the sovereign, by the performance of which the
holder of the title secured his patent or right to it. At the time these
grants were made the services had some especial and important meaning.
Nowadays they only seem strange and rather silly. Despite this fact, the
services must still be rendered, else the peer loses his patent of
nobility.
The article in _The Century Magazine_ tells of these things, and how the
Duke of Norfolk is obliged to furnish the sovereign with the glove worn
on the right hand during the coronation service, and also to support the
monarch's right arm during such times as the sceptre is carried in the
hand.
Another earl is bound to carry the sword of state in the procession to
Westminster.
The peers are very proud of these privileges, and make a great boast of
them. The highest honor ever perhaps granted by a sovereign to a subject
was earned by the lords of Kinsale. In the time of King John the head of
the house performed a great service for his King, and when asked what
reward he desired, replied that he had lands and money enough, but that
he should like to have the privilege of wearing his hat in the presence
of his sovereign, and that this right might belong to the head of his
house forever.