The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 33, June 24, 1897: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls

In Short

This periodical functions as a contemporary news digest designed for young readers at the close of the nineteenth century. It provides a balanced, accessible overview of international conflicts, governmental shifts, labor disputes, and curious developments from across the globe. By presenting complex events—such as the Cuban struggle for independence or the intricacies of Spanish politics—in clear, instructive language, it aims to foster a well-informed citizenry. The magazine remains a significant historical artifact, preserving the worldview, moral framing, and prevailing anxieties of the Gilded Age for modern audiences.

The Story

The narrative of this volume is one of a world in transition, viewed through the lens of a publication striving to make sense of international volatility. The central drama revolves around the ongoing insurrection in Cuba, a topic that dominates the reporting. The text follows the political instability in Madrid, where public dissatisfaction with the management of the Cuban war leads to a crisis of leadership. Readers are walked through the mechanics of the Spanish government, explaining how a Prime Minister’s resignation, the influence of the Queen Regent, and the conduct of the Cortes determine the fate of colonies.

Parallel to these high-level political maneuvers is the personal story of Santiago Barroeta, a former official in Havana turned whistleblower. His escape from the reach of General Weyler and his subsequent efforts to expose the General’s alleged cruelty and corruption provides a tangible, human element to the broader geopolitical struggle. The text emphasizes the desperation of the Cuban people, citing reports of starvation and the helplessness of American observers, while carefully framing President McKinley’s difficult position as he balances humanitarian concern with the risks of intervention.

The global reach of the publication extends to the Philippines, where the death of Dr. Rizal and the subsequent militant rise of his widow illustrate the widespread nature of anti-colonial resistance. In Greece, the reportage focuses on the fragile state of armistices and the interference of the Great Powers in regional territorial disputes. Domestically, the tone shifts to labor unrest, specifically the tailors' strike in New York. The magazine analyzes the causes of this conflict, from low wages to the influx of immigrant labor, while advocating for solutions that might move workers to more productive, rural areas.

The volume concludes by looking outward again, noting the arrival of a "new race" of giant Russniak immigrants in Canada, the daring preparations of Prince Luigi of Savoy to conquer Mount St. Elias in Alaska, and the anxieties regarding potential conflict with Japan over Hawaii. Through these varied accounts, the magazine constructs a picture of a world where technological progress—like the successful closing of a Louisiana crevasse or the invention of a scientific kite—is perpetually shadowed by the threat of war, the struggle for labor rights, and the complexities of international diplomacy.

How It Unfolds

The Spanish political crisis The magazine details the public outcry in Spain against the handling of the Cuban war, highlighting the Duke of Tetuan’s physical altercation in the Cortes as a flashpoint. It explains how the failure to replace the government led to a stagnant, ineffective administration that failed to satisfy the demands of the opposition.

The struggle for Cuban freedom The narrative centers on Santiago Barroeta’s flight from Havana to escape General Weyler’s persecution. It presents his documented accusations of corruption and manufactured victories as evidence that the Spanish position in Cuba is increasingly untenable.

The humanitarian toll The report covers the dire conditions of starving Cuban citizens and the moral dilemma faced by President McKinley. It frames the situation as an urgent call to conscience while stressing the diplomatic constraints preventing direct American military involvement.

Resistance in the East The text documents the uprising in the Philippines, tracing the transformation of Dr. Rizal’s widow into a military leader. This section underscores the pervasive nature of revolutionary sentiment across disparate colonial territories.

Domestic labor and immigration The magazine shifts focus to the New York tailors' strike, analyzing the economic pressures driving the unrest. It suggests that moving immigrants away from crowded cities to rural lands is a necessary policy for both national stability and individual prosperity.

Scientific and geographical exploration The final section reports on the successful engineering efforts to close the Louisiana crevasse and the upcoming expedition of Prince Luigi to scale the Alaskan peaks. These stories balance the grim news of war with a sense of human ingenuity and the spirit of discovery.

The People

The figures in these pages represent the varied roles of power and struggle during 1897. The Queen Regent of Spain acts as the silent, firm authority, prioritizing the status quo by retaining the controversial Prime Minister Senor Canovas and the aggressive Duke of Tetuan despite widespread public fury. Standing in opposition is Senor Sagasta, the leader of the opposition party, whose perceived favor for Cuban home rule makes him a symbol of potential change that remains unrealized.

General Weyler is cast as the primary antagonist, a figure of "monstrous cruelty" whose alleged corruption is brought to light by Santiago Barroeta. Barroeta emerges as the seeker of truth, risking his life to bring documents and evidence to the international stage. In the Philippines, the widow of Dr. Rizal appears as a figure of tragic resolve, transitioning from a grieving wife to a militant leader of insurgents.

Closer to home, Dr. Senner, the Commissioner of Immigration, acts as the voice of administrative reform, advocating for the strategic placement of new arrivals to prevent urban overcrowding. Meanwhile, the unnamed sheriff in Montana and the young Indian man known as Badger illustrate the violent friction between settlers and Indigenous populations, where the promise of education at Carlisle is shown to have failed to prevent a return to conflict. These individuals are rarely static; they are either caught in the machinery of government or forced by circumstance to act against it.

In Its Own Voice

"Were all the members to agree, there would be an end of progress."

This statement highlights the magazine’s philosophical justification for the importance of political opposition and dissent in a functioning government.

"He declares that General Weyler is indeed a monster of cruelty, and that the descriptions which have reached us are absolutely correct."

This line encapsulates the magazine's stark condemnation of Spanish military leadership in Cuba, based on the reports of the whistleblower Santiago Barroeta.

"The children had their arms and heads bare, as well as their legs."

This descriptive detail appears in an account of the Russniak immigrants, noting the distinct, picturesque appearance of the newcomers arriving in New York.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the necessity of civic awareness in a modern, interconnected world. The magazine argues that progress is driven by the tension between those who govern and those who challenge that governance. It seeks to demystify the complex machinery of international politics, treating the reader as a future participant in the world’s affairs. Beneath the reportage lies a persistent question: how does a nation balance its humanitarian obligations with the reality of international sovereignty? The text also wrestles with the consequences of industrialization and immigration, framing the movement of people and the growth of cities not merely as demographic shifts, but as pressing problems requiring rational, state-led solutions.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of journalism will find this magazine a fascinating example of how global information was curated for young minds at the end of the nineteenth century. It provides a rare, unfiltered look at the concerns of the era, such as the mounting tensions that would eventually lead to the Spanish-American War. The tone is earnest and didactic, reflecting a Victorian belief in the power of education to improve the world.

However, a contemporary reader must be prepared for the period-specific attitudes contained within the text. The coverage of the "Cheyenne Indians," for instance, reflects the biased, colonialist perspectives common in 1897, treating the conflict as a matter of "savagery" versus "civilization." Similarly, the discussion of immigrants from Russia and Poland as a source of labor instability is presented without the nuance expected in modern discourse. The prose is dense, formal, and occasionally repetitive, as it aims to explain complex concepts—like the nature of Parliamentary peers or the intricacies of international armistices—to a juvenile audience. Despite these challenges, the magazine serves as an invaluable primary source, allowing the modern reader to experience the world as it felt to a child in 1897: vast, rapidly changing, and filled with both discovery and conflict.