The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 46, September 23, 1897

He has shown much kindness and clemency to his people since he came to the throne, and there is little doubt that his subjects will soon learn to love him and trust him in return.

The relations between the Transvaal and England are again being brought prominently before the world.

Early in the spring, when it was rumored that Germany was taking too friendly an interest in the affairs of the Transvaal, Mr. Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary of England, sent a very stormy letter to the Boers, saying that England insisted that the Transvaal should not make any foreign alliances without her consent, and that the treaty between the Transvaal and Great Britain, which is known as the "London Treaty," must be very closely observed.

To this the Boer Government replied that it would be glad to arbitrate that point as well as the amount of the payment to be made for the Jameson raid; and the various other points on which the two governments were at issue.

Soon after this Dr. Leyds, President Krüger's confidential agent, arrived in England, and had a conference with Mr. Chamberlain. They appeared to come to satisfactory understanding, and there was every prospect of a peaceful settlement to the dispute.

Some weeks after this conversation with Dr. Leyds, Mr. Chamberlain was asked by the House of Commons whether he had consented to arbitrate with the Transvaal.

Mr. Chamberlain answered that some points would certainly be submitted to arbitration, but the question, of the Transvaal's right to allow a foreign country to befriend her could not be so treated, because it was expressly stated in the London convention that England had sovereign rights in the Transvaal, and could therefore insist on her wishes being carried out.

When the news of Mr. Chamberlain's speech reached Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal, there was great indignation among the Boers. The matter was debated by the Volksraad or Parliament, and several members declared that Great Britain must be shown that she no longer had any sovereign rights in the Transvaal.

Meetings were held denouncing Mr. Chamberlain's remarks, and finally President Krüger delivered a speech before the Volksraad which caused considerable excitement, as its meaning was an open defiance of England.

In this speech President Krüger stated that the Boers were perfectly willing to abide by the London convention, but he stated emphatically that the convention did not contain a word about the sovereign rights of England, and since it had been made, all such rights had ceased to exist.

The London convention was made in 1884.

In 1881, after the British forces had been beaten by the Boers, a treaty was made by which peace was restored, and the Transvaal recognized as a semi-independent republic, under the sovereignty of England.

In this treaty it was understood that the Boers would have freedom of government as far as their home affairs went, but that no friendships or alliances could be made with foreign powers. The British Government reserved for itself the right of managing the foreign affairs of the Transvaal.

This was in 1881.

In 1884 a new agreement was entered into which expressly stated that England no longer wanted these rights, and that the Transvaal was free to govern the country without interference, and to manage its own foreign affairs as it pleased. One right only did England demand, and that was that the Transvaal should not make any treaty with a foreign country without the approval of the Queen.

It stated that the Transvaal Government must send her Majesty a copy of any treaty it desired to make, and that if England notified the Boers within six months that the proposed treaty interfered with her rights in South Africa, it must be abandoned. Nothing was said in this agreement which prevented the Transvaal from having friendly dealings with foreign powers.

Mr. Chamberlain seems to have become confused about the contents of the London convention of 1884, and to have got it mixed with the treaty of 1881. The brave old President of the Transvaal has, however, determined to refresh his memory.

In his speech before the Volksraad he stated grimly that the Boers would oppose to the last any attempt on the part of England to enforce her fancied rights, and having declared himself emphatically for war, he concluded with one of his quaint, pious remarks. He said the Boers wished to preserve peaceful and friendly relations with the whole world, because wherever love dwelt the blessing of God was sure to follow.

President Krüger's defiance was regarded by the British Government as mere speech-making. The Government refused to believe that the old man wished his words to be taken seriously, and so passed the whole affair over as unworthy of notice.

Mr. Chamberlain has been instructed to enforce Great Britain's sovereign rights in the Transvaal, and notwithstanding the fact that several of the London newspapers are calling attention to the treaty of 1884, he is determined to insist on these rights.

It was rumored some time ago that as soon as the Greek troubles were out of the way, Germany, France, and Russia would take up the Transvaal question.

This may perhaps be the reason why the Boer President so bravely defies the British Government, and if Mr. Chamberlain tries to force the Transvaal to submit, he may find that he has to reckon with these three powerful countries as well as the handful of Dutchmen in the South African Republic.

A terrible tragedy has occurred in Pennsylvania at a place called Hazleton, about twenty-five miles from Wilkesbarre.

Some miners were shot and killed by order of the sheriff of the county.

These miners were out on strike, their strike, however, not being in any way connected with the great coal strike of which we have told you in previous numbers.

These men were dissatisfied because an extra two-hours' work was forced upon them every day without extra pay.

Some mules which had formerly been stationed in another colliery were changed over to the one at which these men were employed, and the care of these animals occupied the drivers an extra hour morning and night, which the miners resented. They therefore struck work.

Two of the drivers did not wish to join in the strike, and the superintendent, seeing this, did his best to persuade all the men to go to work. Upon this the strikers became angry, and bitter words and hard feeling resulted.

Thinking themselves badly used, the men resolved to try and make the strike general in the neighborhood, and began marching from colliery to colliery, urging the men at work to lay down their picks and join them.

The strikers have been very orderly, and have made no disturbance of any kind, but as they were principally foreigners who are ignorant of our laws and customs, it was thought best to have men on hand ready to check them if they attempted any lawless act. The sheriff of Luzerne County, in which Hazleton is situated, was therefore notified to be on the alert, and in his turn sent word to his deputies to be ready for action.

The sheriff of a county is a very important officer. It is his duty to see that law and order are preserved within the limits of his county, that the penalties ordered by the judges are carried out, and to suppress all riots and uprisings in his district.

To assist him in this work he has the right to call on as many citizens as he needs for the business in hand. These men he binds by an oath to aid him in the discharge of his duty and to help him to preserve the peace. They compose what is known as the sheriff's posse, and are a body of men who accompany him and help him to do his duty.

Sheriff Martin, of Luzerne County, called out about ninety deputies for his posse, and had them in the vicinity of Hazleton for over a week before the shooting occurred.

On the day of the tragedy a body of the strikers had determined to march to Lattimer, a village not very far away from Hazleton. They desired to persuade the miners there to join their ranks, and started out about two hundred and fifty strong, marching in a peaceable and orderly manner along the road. None of them were armed, and none showed the slightest desire for violence or riot.

They had arrived within a few hundred yards of their destination when their road was blocked by the sheriff and his posse.

Advancing toward them, the sheriff ordered them to go back to their homes, telling them that they were creating a disturbance and were acting in defiance of the law.

Most of the strikers were foreigners, and, failing to understand what the sheriff said, the foremost men crowded round him, trying to prove to him that they were only parading, and had a perfect right to march through the streets if they only remained peaceful and orderly.

Unfortunately the sheriff could not make out what they meant, and supposed they were defying him.

He therefore proceeded to read them the Riot Act.

This is an act which in the name of the commonwealth orders the persons assembled to disperse and go to their homes.

If the rioters fail to obey they are liable to imprisonment and punishment according to the laws of the State, and the sheriff or person authorized to read the Riot Act is bound to arrest all persons who linger around after the act has been read to them.

When a riot has assumed such a serious character that armed men have had to be called out to subdue it, the Riot Act is generally read, and then the soldiers or sheriff's deputies charge the mob, being careful not to fire on them or wound them unless necessary in self-defence or in performance of their duty.

In this instance the sheriff utterly misunderstood the rioters, and as they crowded around him, trying to make out what it was that he was reading to them, he lost his self-control, and imagining the men were defying and threatening him, ordered his posse to fire.

It was a frightful affair. Ninety well-armed men firing into a crowd of defenceless laborers. Twenty-three strikers were killed, thirty-six seriously wounded, and about forty more injured.

As you may suppose, our whole country is mourning over this catastrophe.

It would seem difficult to find where the real blame lies. The sheriff thought he was doing his duty, his posse but obeyed his orders, and the poor sacrificed miners had no idea what the sheriff was reading to them, nor any intention of offering violence.

The whole neighborhood became so excited over the affray that the Governor of Pennsylvania immediately ordered some of the state troops to Hazleton to prevent further trouble.

The sheriff and his posse are to be arrested and tried for killing the strikers.

The Mayor of Hazleton declares that the shooting of the miners cannot be excused; that if the rioters refused to go home after the Riot Act had been read to them, the sheriff should have ordered his deputies to fire over the heads of the mob; and then, if they still continued rebellious, it was time to think about punishing them.

The Riot Act states that persons lingering one hour after the act has been read shall be seized and arrested, and those who arrest them shall not be held liable for any injuries the rioters may receive; but this is only after an hour has elapsed. According to the accounts that have reached us, the sheriff ordered his men to fire immediately after the reading of the act.

The great coal strike is, however, at an end.

A fresh agreement has been offered, which both miners and owners have decided to accept.

By it the men go to work at sixty-five cents per ton until January, when a new scale of wages is to be used. This scale will be settled by arbitration between this and January.

The masters and men are to meet in joint conference, and both sides promise to abide by the decision of the arbitrators.

It is said that Mr. de Armitt will not pay the sixty-five-cent rate, but will only give fifty-four cents till the new rate goes into effect in January. The leaders have determined to continue the strike in his mines if this report proves to be true, but in the other collieries the miners will go to work.

G.H. Rosenfeld.

INVENTION AND DISCOVERY

Bicycle-Holder.-A clever invention comes to us from California. It is called a bicycle-holder, and is designed for carrying bicycles on street cars.

It is a simple device consisting of two hooks placed on an iron bar, from the centre of which another bar depends which is also furnished with a hook.

The wheel is hung on to the upper hooks, one of which passes through each wheel. The lower hook is so adjusted that the hind wheel rests in it, thus forming a perfect support for the machine.

It is possible to attach two bicycle-holders to the back of each car, and if it works as well as it is expected to do, will be a great convenience to wheel-men.

Road Map.—This is also a boon to bicyclists. The map, instead of folding up to put in the pocket, is rolled on two small cylinders. With the map comes a nickeled wire attachment which fits over the ends of the cylinders and holds a portion of the map firmly extended.

In the centre of the wire holder is a loop which snaps on to the handle-bar of the wheel and enables the rider to carry his map stretched out before him ready for instant use.

As the rider proceeds farther on his journey he can twist the cylinders and unroll a fresh portion of his map. It is an excellent device, and one which can be adjusted to all bicycles.

Wrist-Guide for Pianos.-This is an attachment which can be fixed to any piano, and is intended to show the learner just the right angle at which the wrist should be held.

Children seem naturally to be flabby-wristed when they are trying to learn to play, and to drop the wrists below the level of the keyboard seems to be the chief aim and object of every young pianist.

Years ago there were not so many inventions for making learning delightful to the young, and we distinctly remember the fierce battles which used to take place at each music lesson over this very wrist business.

As no wrist-guide had then been invented, necessity—which is the mother of invention, they say—taught our instructress to make one of her own. Hers was more simple than the present one, but probably even more effective. It consisted of a pair of sharp-pointed scissors which glistened ferociously under the learner's wrists, ready to give them a sharp reminder whenever they flagged and showed a disposition to droop.

The piano was not as popular an instrument in those days as it has since become.

This wrist-guide ought to save many tears and much vexation of spirit to both teacher and pupil.

BOOKS RECEIVED

We have received from the publishers, Thompson, Brown & Co., Boston, a set of the Duntonian Vertical Writing-Books. This series is described by the publishers as follows:

"This is a distinctly new series of Vertical Writing-Books, having some special features of great teaching value. One of these is the specially made paper with water-marked direction lines which pertains only to this system, and by means of which a vertical hand can be much sooner acquired. These lines are not intended in any way as guide-lines to be carefully observed in writing the copy, but simply as a ready means of verifying the work and determining whether the writer is conforming to a practical vertical style or not."

NOTICE

The attention of readers is called to the advertisement opposite the first reading page of this number. This contest cannot fail to be pleasant work, for to read through carefully the poem of Evangeline is a treat in itself. We hope that many of our young friends will compete; and if the proper sort of interest is shown in this contest, others will follow it.