A prophet would say that this new year must be very important for the Esperanto movement. Shall we not have at least one great International Congress, which will probably take place in August among our kind friends in Boulogne? And will not this impatiently-awaited gathering be honoured by the presence of our esteemed chief, Dr. Zamenhof himself!
This single fact is enough to make the present year famous, but it is indeed unnecessary to wait for the lovely summer time to find signs of progress. Chill winter will bring forth divers new gazettes, which, no doubt, warm spring and hot summer will cause to flourish, till they can obtain some influence among the already numerous international journals.
This fact, the increase in the number of gazettes, is one reason for the non-enlargement of The Esperantist. Our readers may remember that we proposed to enlarge it if possible during 1905. We much feared that the progress of the cause would demand this increase, although we find that sixteen pages are indeed enough for our free time.
And, as it will not now be necessary to enlarge a gazette which will no longer be the _only_ British organ, we are taking pains to enlarge it without enlarging it! This may seem paradoxical to our readers; it is nevertheless true that we have succeeded. Instead of the club news, which formerly was found only in English, we intend to print a series of articles under the title of "Month by Month." These will contain, in the two languages, the memorable events of the preceding month. Thus Esperantists in other lands--who are constantly becoming more numerous among our subscribers--will not lose three or four pages, and inland Esperantists will gain more practice by means of the appreciated literal translations. Here is the Q.E.F. and the Q.E.D. of our problem.
Two different courses now open up before us. We can begin this series with a _résumé_ of the accomplished progress of last year, or we can limit our remarks to the last month. Employing the title given above, the latter of these courses seems preferable, and we now treat of the memorable events of the close of 1904.
It is cold during the winter months, so we will commence our explorations in warmer lands, where the Esperantic Sun has shown itself stronger and more powerful than of old. Farthest off, the vast region of Queensland, Australia, merits our notice. The Editor of the most important journals there has become allied with Esperanto; we have written a short article, which perhaps will appear there later, and from divers parts of the Colony come the usual inquiries from our future fellow-workers. New Zealand is also Esperantically inclined at present, and the several articles already published are bringing in their fruits.