istered the tasks allotted to him in an able manner. He is at present vice-president and a director in the Salt Lake and Los Angeles Railway, a director of the Inland Crystal Salt Company, and a director of Zion's Savings Bank and Trust Co. He was treasurer of the old Utah Central Railroad Co., and also at one time the treasurer of the Salt Lake City Railroad Co., and Salt Lake City Gas Co., being one of the original incorporators of the latter, also one of the original incorporators of the Utah Sugar Company. For twenty years he served as treasurer of Utah Territory, and was also at one time treasurer of the Deseret News Company.

Asked as to what he considered a good guiding principle for a young man to adopt in life who desires to acquire honest success, which means a first class character, as well as a good financial standing, he said, "I have always endeavered to make my rule in life, honesty, integrity, and fidelity to duty, and I consider this a good motto for any young man who desires to make a success of his career."

CHRISTMAS.

BY BRIGHAM CLEGG.

How long since prophets heralded the coming of this day,
Made sacred by Christ's holy name; and still we wait and pray

To dawn a greater Christmas morn, when angel bands shall sing,
And earth be robed in purity to meet her welcome King.

Then shall all sorrow flee away, and sin forever cease,
And Babel noise be silenced by triumphal chords of peace.

Long ages, too, have rolled away since that first Christmas morn
When in a rustic stable old, a babe, a God, was born:

Yet still he lives and breathes and moves, in countless hearts of prayer;

Where virtue, love and faith is found, he ever lingers there.

The gentle touch we yet may feel, that healed the leper's brow;
The loving eye that pitied them, looks down in pity now.

The words he spoke of faith and love, we yet may hear today;
His every word and look and act, they live eternally.

How swift have glided by the years since wise men from afar,
Were guided to the holy place by God's appointed star!

But still methinks that star shines bright, in night's dark sinful sky,

Just as it shone that night of yore, to greet the passer by.

It shines to guide along faith's path-while love burns in the breastAll weary pilgrims safely to his promised home of rest.

How long since shepherds watched their flocks, that midnight, clear and cold,

When angels tuned their silver harps, and sang the song of old!

They're singing now-be still, proud world, and cease thy noisy dinThe birthday of our Lord and King, they come to usher in.

Above the clouds of war and strife, ten thousand glad harps ring, And bending near, to catch the ear, ten thousand voices sing:

"All glory be to God on high," a message from our King,
"On earth be peace, good will to men," oh, hear the angels sing!

Be cheerful, then, ye mortal men, 'tis Christmas day, once more,
Let music sweet Christ's birthday greet, and ring from shore to shore.

A present rare, a Savior fair, God's Christmas gift to man,
Who ransomed all from Adam's fall, and gave the gospel plan.

Behold afar his guiding star, 'tis beaming bright today-
It bids us bow, in worship now, while angels chant their lay.

Let bells repeat the music sweet that rings from harps above,
While mortals, we, in melody, give back the song of love.

SOME LEADING EVENTS IN THE CURRENT

STORY OF THE WORLD.

BY DR. J. M. TANNER, SUPERINTENDENT OF CHURCH SCHOOLS.

The Panama Canal.

When Colombia awoke from her delusion and discovered that Panama had revolted and established an independent republic, that the United States had entered into negotiations with Panama, and in the new treaty with the new republic guaranteed the independence of the latter, she began to realize the serious loss she had sustained by her refusal to ratify the treaty with the United States for the construction of the canal across the isthmus of Panama. Colombia's disappointment has therefore become the irony of fate.

The administration at Washington considered the law, which authorized the President to proceed with the negotiations for and construction of the canal across the isthmus, as of full force, after the treaty with Colombia had been rejected and Panama had set up an independent government. The United States was certainly quick to recognize the Republic of Panama; and the question naturally arises, was the new administration over-hasty in this acknowledgement. The recognition of Panama was so quick as to give Colombia no opportunity to demonstrate her ability to subjugate the revolted province.

There is in the world's history a sort of unwritten law of international eminent domain. Upon that unwritten law, a great deal of the world's progress and march towards civilization has depended. The law of eminent domain has always been regarded as essential and eminently just in national life. Were a man permitted to say, "You shall not build a railroad across my land

against my will, because by so doing you would interfere with my right of property and my right to do with my property as I see fit;" such a contention, if it prevailed, would be an impassable barrier to civilization and to commerce. The state says there are well defined instances in which individual rights shall yield to public good. Colombia said to the world, "You shall not promote commerce and civilization by the construction of a canal across a worthless strip of country to which I hold title." The treaty which had been made with the United States was unanimously rejected by the Colombian Congress, after that republic had been most magnanimously treated by the United States. The United States was, therefore, under no obligation to quibble with Colombia about nice and technical questions of international jurisprudence.

When Panama had established its de facto government, if the United States had not availed itself of the opportunity to protect Panama and conclude a treaty with that republic, it would have been the laughingstock of the world. There is an inherent, instinctive sense of justice which the people of the United States, and the world generally, feel over the action of the President in forming a new treaty with Panama, and guaranteeing that republic protection against Colombia. The President, in his message, bases his action in the matter upon the treaty which this country entered into with New Granada, in 1846, and which it maintained with Colombia, after Colombia was substituted for New Granada. Such a defense is rather technical than substantial, and people generally would be just as well satisfied if no explanation whatever is given, because they recognize an inherent justice in our attitude, which may be classed among those things which we instinctively feel are right, but which it is sometimes difficult to explain.

We shall be better off under the treaty with Panama than under that proposed to Colombia. The announcement that Colombia had landed at Darien eleven hundred soldiers, who, it was expected, would march across the country to Panama, for the purpose of subduing the revolting province, will hardly create a ripple of anxiety among the people of the United States. If Colombia hopes. to gain any headway against the people of this country, it will be through guerrilla tactics, by means of which she would expect to

inflict serious injury upon us, as a retaliation, but without hope of regaining her lost province. If Colombia is led into the adoption of such tactics, she may wake up to the realization that she has lost all instead of one province.

The Panama Junta, at Panama,adopted the treaty the day after it reached them, and promptly forwarded it to the United States. General Reyes, who is at the head of the Colombian army, reached the United States at the earliest opportunity, for the purpose of securing a reconsideration of the treaty between this country and Colombia. He was too late; we had already given our word to Panama. According to his own personal statements, he would be quite willing that we should have now the right of way across the isthmus without any money consideration whatever. Of course, the only assurance that Gen. Reyes could give would be to make us understand that he was at the head of the army, and that we should deal with a military government, and not with politicians, at Bogota. However, it will be much more convenient for the United States to deal with Panama, whose capital will be at one end of the canal, than to deal with Colombia, whose capita., Bogota, is far removed from that great waterway. Our government would have been subjected to constant delays through political connivance at a capital so far removed, and over which we could not hope to have a very strong influence.

There are only about two hundred and fifty thousand people in the whole Republic of Panama-some say three hundred thousand. In a republic, they will enjoy the electoral franchise; but a very large percentage of that population is too ignorant to know what the electoral franchise means, much less to use it. It will not be long before there will be more Americans in the Republic of Panama than there are citizens of Panama. We shall then have the South African question over again. Those Americans. will probably demand the franchise, and getting it, they can rule the country in the direct interests of the people of the United States, or they can cast their vote for annexation, and become a territory like Hawaii. It may be, at this time, better politics than philosophy, to say nothing about that matter. However, one given to speculation can very easily foresee conditions that will, before many years, make Panama a territory of the United States.