p. 21 | Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 30, 1908

Current Mention

— In a rear-end collision near Melbourne, Australia, April 19, forty-one persons were killed, and sixty injured. The wreckage took fire and was almost entirely consumed.

— Governor Hughes has decided to call an extra session of the New York legislature. It is thought the bill against race-track gambling will be one of the principal measures for consideration, and the friends of the measure are quite hopeful of its passage.

— The Belgian Chamber of Deputies has defeated the Kongo propositions which sought to secure the direct expression of the people at the coming elections. This will delay action on the bill before the chamber which favors the annexation of the Kongo Independent State.

— Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who, on account of failing health, resigned the office of premier of Great Britain on April 5, died at his home April 22. As Liberal leader he had held the office of prime minister only since December, 1905, but was greatly beloved by the common people; and his successor in office, Mr. H. H. Asquith, K. C., says no man “has ever laid down the highest office under the crown more universally and deservedly beloved.”

— A storm which developed many tornadoes covered a wide range in the South, April 24. It swept across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, killing about five hundred people, injuring fatally one hundred more, besides painfully injuring hundreds of others, and doing property damage that is estimated at millions of dollars. Some small towns were practically obliterated. Mississippi seems to have suffered the most.

— After public hearings on different bills to prohibit the sale of liquor in the District of Columbia, the District Commissioners have recommended to the Senate legislation that will, if enacted, result in closing more than two hundred of the five hundred twenty-two saloons in Washington. They recommend among other things that the license fee be raised from $800 to $1,600, that the number of saloons be limited to one for every one thousand persons, and that no license be granted except on consent of all property owners and residents not only of the square in which the saloon is located, but also of the four squares fronting that square.

— The worst snow-storm ever known in Great Britain at this season of the year occurred in England and Scotland April 23, 24. In the eastern part of the island snow fell to the depth of fifteen inches, an unusual occurrence at any time of the year. Railroad traffic was delayed, and much damage to crops is feared. The American line steamship “St. Paul,” which left Southampton on her regular voyage in a snow-storm on the twenty-fifth, ran into and sank the British cruiser “Gladiator” off the Isle of Wight. None of the liner’s passengers were injured, but three of the cruiser’s crew are known to be dead, and a few are still missing.

— Five Japanese cruisers and several destroyers are about to visit Amoy, Foo Chow, Canton, and other southern Chinese ports. Their purpose is supposed to be to stop the boycott against Japanese goods.

— Korea is waking up to the necessity of protecting its remaining forests, and replanting denuded tracts on important watersheds. Japan is furnishing the inspiration which will produce the change from the old order of things to the new. A school for training Korean foresters has already been put in operation.

— In the war upon anarchists, two Chicago judges have revoked the naturalization papers of one hundred fifty-four foreigners; fifty-five were suspected of having anarchistic affiliations, and the other ninety-nine had failed to take an oath that they were not connected with any society seeking the overthrow of the government. In this connection it is interesting to note that the United States assistant attorneys are having a series of conferences with the officials of the Department of Justice respecting naturalization. The purpose of these conferences is to secure uniformity in the construction of the law, and in all matters pertaining to naturalization cases brought to the attention of the authorities.

— The attitude of the American Federation of Labor in seeking to defeat the election of every officer antagonistic to organized labor, was indorsed at a mass-meeting in Washington, April 19, by Senator Dick, of Ohio. Six Representatives also made speeches indorsing the following demands of the Federation upon Congress: “1. To amend the Sherman anti-trust law so that it will not include labor unions. 2. To adopt a bill to regulate and limit the issuance of injunctions. 3. That a general employers’ liability bill be adopted. 4. By an amendment, to extend the application of the eight-hour law to all government employees, and those employed upon work for the government, whether contractors or subcontractors.” President Gompers says: “The representatives of the American Federation of Labor propose to question every candidate for Congress, every man who is a candidate for a legislative or executive office, be it President of the United States, as to his attitude, and the votes of the labor unions of the country shall be cast for those who evince friendliness to the measures.” On the same day the Citizens’ Industrial Association of America transmitted to the presiding officers of both houses of Congress a protest against the “insistent ‘demand’ by the managers of the American Federation of Labor, that your honorable body pass measures of class legislation intended to favor members of organized labor,” and called attention to the things mentioned above. The petition concludes with a prayer that Congress “decline to enact into law any measure intended to benefit the few at the expense of the many, or any law under which certain favored citizens may, under the shelter of that law, oppress others, prevent men from working, or from transacting business, or which will operate in any manner to restrain trade and commerce, or circumscribe the constitutional rights and liberties of the people.”