in relation to the slaughter of fur seals in Bering Sea by Canadians. The United States claimed the right to control the seal-fisheries, and sent out armed vessels to capture the sealers. A controversy arose with the British government, but in the end the matter was settled by arbitration. The seals are still permitted to be killed at sea under certain restrictions, and the danger of their extermination continues.

Indian Troubles.-Troubles with hostile Indians had been largely brought to an end by the measures taken in the recent administrations. But in 1890 there was a threatened outbreak of the Sioux from the belief that an Indian Messiah was coming to avenge their wrongs. Several thousand of them gathered in December at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Here the troops tried to disarm them, and a battle took place, in which about two hundred were killed. It seems likely to be the last Indian outbreak.

Pensions. Important measures of legislation took place in Congress, of which the leading ones concerned the currency and the tariff. A pension bill was passed which greatly increased the number of persons to whom pensions are paid. Since that date the annual payment to pensioners has averaged about one hundred and fifty million dollars. No other nation has ever been so liberal in rewarding its soldiers and sailors.

Copyright.-Another important act was one providing for international copyright. Since the government began any publisher could print a foreign book without paying anything to the author. The new law put a stop to this practice, which had long been looked upon as a species of piracy.

The McKinley Tariff.-From the period of the Civil War the tariff had remained practically unchanged. The Republicans had continued in power except during the Cleve

land administration, and then they had the control of Congress, so that no tariff bill lowering the duties could be passed. In 1890 a new tariff bill, known as the McKinley tariff, was enacted. By it sugar and other articles were made free of duty, the duty was lowered on many articles, but it was considerably increased on various others, such as wool. It was advocated not as a revenue, but as a protection measure, it being passed with the purpose of aiding American manufactures.

One of its features was known as the "reciprocity measure." By this certain articles were admitted free of duty if the countries from which they came admitted certain American articles free. This applied principally to the nations of America, but there was reciprocity also with some European nations.

The Sherman Silver Bill.-Another act passed in 1890 was what is known as the Sherman Silver Bill. This modified the Bland Silver Bill of 1878 by providing that four million five hundred thousand ounces of silver should be purchased every month, at market price, and paid for by notes redeemable in coin. This silver bullion was to be coined into dollars.

The Census of 1890.-The census of the population, taken in 1890, showed that there were in this country 62,622,250 people. The first census, taken in 1790, a hundred years before, gave a population of 3,929,214. In a century the population had increased more than fiftyeight millions.

The Australian Ballot.-During the Harrison administration an important change took place in the manner of voting. More secrecy in voting was needed, and this was gained by the use of a system devised in Australia, and which has now been adopted by nearly all the States of

this country. By its use, any one who wishes can make his vote absolutely secret.

The Homestead Strike.-In 1892 occurred a serious labor trouble, arising from a great strike in the Carnegie Steel-Works at Homestead, near Pittsburg. The proprietors hired a force of detectives to protect their works. These were fired upon by the strikers and taken prisoners, men being killed on both sides. The disturbance grew so great that the whole militia of Pennsylvania had to be called out, and the works to be guarded for several weeks before order was restored. The expense was great to the State, and still greater to the company and the workmen.

Important Anniversaries.-During the period now under consideration several important anniversaries were celebrated in this country. In 1881 the centennial anniversary of the surrender of Cornwallis was celebrated at Yorktown. In 1882 Philadelphia celebrated the bicentennial of the landing of William Penn, and in 1887 the centennial of the Constitutional Convention, the latter with imposing industrial and military processions. In 1889 the centennial anniversary of Washington's inauguration was celebrated in New York with grand naval and military reviews and a trade procession.

World's Columbian Exposition.-But the most important of these occasions was that of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus. This was celebrated by a naval parade of all nations in New York harbor, and by processions and demonstrations elsewhere, but in particular by the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, whose buildings were dedicated with imposing ceremonies, extending from the 21st to the 23d of October, 1892.

The Exposition, which was opened May 1, 1893, and

continued for six months, was in some respects the most striking ever seen. In the beauty of its buildings and grounds it has never been equalled. The attendance exceeded twenty-seven millions,-more than double that of the Centennial Exposition of 1876.

In the succeeding winter (1893-94) a "Mid-winter Exposition" was held at San Francisco, and in 1895 a "Cotton States and International Exposition" was held at Atlanta, both extensive in scope, handsome in appointments, and attracting large numbers of visitors.

The Election of 1892.-In the Congressional election of 1890 the Republicans were severely defeated, their majority of twenty-one in the House of Representatives being changed to a Democratic majority of one hundred and

thirty-five. They met with a similar defeat in the Presidential election of 1892. In this the Republicans renominated Benjamin Harrison, and the Democrats Grover Cleveland. Harrison received one hundred and forty-five and Cleveland two hundred and seventy-seven electoral votes. Whitelaw Reid, of New York, was the Republican, and Adlai E. Stevenson, of Illinois, the Democratic, candidate for Vice-President. There was a Prohibition candidate, and also one by a new party, recently organized.

The People's Party. From 1873 onward several political organizations of the farming population had appeared. In 1889 these were organized into a party known as the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union. This in 1892 was absorbed into the People's party, a new organization embracing many of the labor elements of the country. This party, generally known as the Populist, nominated James B. Weaver, of Iowa, and gained twenty-two electoral votes. It also elected several Senators and Representatives.

7. Cleveland's Second Administration. Democratic Supremacy.-For the first time since 1860 the Democratic party had now a majority in all branches of the government, and were able to legislate in accordance with the principles of the party. They had a large majority in the House and a small one in the Senate. This continued until 1895, when another change in political sentiment gave the Republicans a very large majority in the House, while the Senate became equally divided between the two parties.

The Business Depression of 1893.-This marked change in political feeling was undoubtedly due to a very severe business depression, which began shortly after the inaugu