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Show Illustrious Men Name Big Events New York, Jan. G What were the five most notable achivements of 1911? Has the year been one of great progress, pro-gress, and, if It has, in what direction has its greatness been manifested? It is a question on which men are sure to differ, even though all will acknowledge ac-knowledge the dead year as a great one They will differ because of their special preferences for one line of activity ac-tivity above others. But if there is agreement among them on several points, then It Is pretty safe to assume that that agreement agree-ment will denote the verdict history will give In tho case of 191i. Messages wore sent by telegraph and cable to the loaders of thought the world over, asking them to givo their Idea of tho five greatest achievements achieve-ments of the human race had made during tic ended year. The roplles are printed below: Pope Pius. X. It is an invariable rule that the pope must not be quoted in any formal for-mal interview The following statement state-ment of tho pope's views was obtained obtain-ed from a member of his household, to whom was shown the message, and who brought it to the attention of his holiness with a request for an answer: an-swer: The pope believes that the greatest achievements of 1911 were the Eu-charistlc Eu-charistlc congress at Madrid and the entranco of America Into the comity of the great Catholic powers through the creation of the three new American Am-erican cardinals President Taft. President Taft names tho following achievements- First The new treaty with Japan. Secopd The demonstration of the complete success of prophylactic ln typhoid fever, as shown by the fact that in the mobilization of 15,000 troops in Texas for three months there was only one case of typhoid. Third The negotiations of general arbitration treaties with Groat Britain and France. Tho President regards the more negotiations of these treaties treat-ies as of very great importance, whether they aro finally ratified or not Tho fact that it was possible to conclude such treaties with two rf Ha ffi-nt TTiirnnonn nniVAra ha hrtlrlo to bo an achievement of great value. Fourth the progress of the Panama Pana-ma canal. Fifth The final settlement of the construction of the anti-trust law in the supremo court decisions In the Standard Oil and Tobacco cases. King of Italy. The King of Italy, like thc pope, cannot give interviews or statements over his own signature. He authorizes author-izes the statement that ho prefers to limit his survey of the year 1911 to his own country, He thinks, considering con-sidering Italy alone, the greatest events of the vear were First Tho jubilee of Italian unity. Second The aeroplane race from Paris to Romo, won by Beaumont, Third The Inauguration of the monument to Victor Emmanuel L, tho largest monument in the world. Fourth The installation of wireless telegraphy between Italy and America. Ameri-ca. Fifth The first demonstration of tho nractical use of tho aeroplane in war, as given by the Italian troops in Tripoli, Queen of Roumania. The queen of Roumania Bays that there has been no soul progress at all In the year 1911, for there has been no abatement In the cruelty of man to man. Ambassador Bryce. The R.t. Hon. James Bryce, British ambassador to the United States, said that in his position ho could not well express a definite opinion as to the five greatest of the world's events of the past year, lie said, however, that a study of history indicates that the greatness of the greatest events has seldom been realized at the time when thev happened, "The discovery of America," he observes, ob-serves, ''made no considerable sensation sensa-tion optsido Spain. Most of the events of the highest ultimate significance in modern times havo been discoveries discover-ies in the realm of nature or inventions inven-tions in the realm of Industry, and their magnitude is seldom known at first. 'Little was said of the discovery that mosquitoes are the carriers of yellow fever and of the intermittent fevers, yet what immense consequences conse-quences aro already seen to flow from the determination of that fact." Dr. Ehrllch. Dr. Ehrlich. tho .fauous German! physician, said: ' 'v ? "I do not think that tho year 19U produced five great tinman achievements, achieve-ments, to say nothing'- of producing anything which could be ranked as among the greatest. "1 consider the greatest' achievement achieve-ment of tho past decade tho knowl- redge that has been gained incidental i to the discovery of radium with regard' re-gard' to the transformation of matter." mat-ter." Governor Hadley. Governor Hadley of Missouri named the following events: First Limitation of the power of the British House of Lords, Second Tho establishment of a, more representative form of govern ment In the republic of Mexico, Third The practical overthrow of tho Manchu dynasty in China. Fourth The agreement of three great nations, the United JStates, England Eng-land and France, to a general treaty of arbitration. Fifth The enforced plea of guilty in the prosecution of the McNamaras. Admiral Peary. Admiral Robert E. Peary, discoverer of the North pole mentioned: First The great advance in aviation. avia-tion. Second The improvement in wireless wire-less telegraphy. , Third The enormous amount of work done on tho Panama canal. Fourth The revolution in China. Fifth The abrogation of the Russian Rus-sian treaty. Sir Ernest Shackleton. Sir Ernest Shackleton, antarctic ex-'plorer, ex-'plorer, namod: First The record flight from London Lon-don to Edinburgh and back by Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Beaumont Second Burgess' swimming of tho channel. Third The first use of aeroplanes in war, which happened In the Italian Ital-ian campaign against Tripoli. Fourth The sailing of the largest White Star passenger steamer the Olympic of 45,000 tons. Professor HalckcJ. Professor Ernst Halckel, tho great Darwinian and author of "The Riddle of the Universe," said: "I much Tegret not to be able to answer your question, but the truth is that I know of no great human achievements of universal importance that can be credited to the year 1911." Sir Arthur Pinero. Sir Arthur Pinero, the playwright, said: "I have been closely at work, denying de-nying mvself rest, relaxation and pleasure for tho past six months. This constitutes, In my selfish mind, one of the greatest achievements of 1911. "The other four, for the reason given giv-en above, I have not had an opportunity oppor-tunity for observing." Senator Williams. John Sharp Williams, United States senator from Mississippi, mentioned: men-tioned: First Tho movement In China for free and honest government. Second The curbing of tho House of Lords in Groat Britain Third The improvement of the aeroplane. Fourth Tho great world peace movement as indicated in the negotiations negotia-tions of treaties botween tho United States and Great Britain, and between the United States and France, and as also indicated In the peaceful settlement set-tlement by diplomatic negotiations of the Moroccan question, which brought France and Germany and Great Britain Brit-ain to the verge of war Fifth The practical application of vacclnatlve methods to prevent typhoid ty-phoid fever. Yves Guyot. Yves Guyot, economist and ex-minister of finance In France, said: "I cannot see five great achievements achieve-ments during 1911 whereof humanity may be proud. "The most important financial event of the year is Mr. Aldrich's scheme of monetary reform and transformation of national banks. "The application of tho Sherman act to labor cannot be considered a great industrial event. "Nothing has been done toward the progress of old-age pension bills ln Franco or Great Britain, both parliamentary parlia-mentary bills being failures. "The Chinese revolution must be considered the most Important event of the year, provided It succeeds In establishing a durable constitutional goxernment. "Tho coup at Agadlr represents tho policy of tho mailed fl6tt while Italy's action In Tripoli lacks at least one excuse. "I see no artistic achievements." Haddon Chambers. Haddon Chambers, the English playwright, author of 'Passersby," named. First The provisional peace treaty between America, France and England. Eng-land. Second The awakening of China, culminating ln tho demand for a ro-publlc. ro-publlc. Third Tho restoration of Delhi as the capital of India Fourth Lloyd Goorgo's successful conduct of tho insurance bill through tho British parliament. Fifth Tho aoroplaue record flight of over 400 miles. W. L. Courtney. W. L. Courtney, editor of tho Contemporary Con-temporary Review, mentioned: First Ambassador Cambon's solution solu-tion of the Franco-German dispute Second Beaumont's flight around England. Third Lloyd George's accomplishment accomplish-ment of the passage of tho Insurance Fourth King George's visit to his Indian empire. Fifth Professor Bergson's rediscovery redis-covery of the soul. |