Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 13, 1905

— Sweden is reported to be mobilizing a portion of her army, to make a show of her military strength “for Norway’s benefit.”

— Twenty-six people are reported killed by a tornado which swept across a portion of Montague County, in northern Texas, July 5, the path of the storm being three miles wide and fifteen miles in length. About fifty people were injured.

— The Supreme Court of Kansas has rendered a decision debarring the State of Kansas from competing with the Standard Oil trust in furnishing oil to the people of that State, by means of the establishment of a State oil refinery. The establishment of such a plant had been earnestly favored by Governor Hoch.

— The tribute of human life paid this year to fourth-of-July “patriotism,” according to figures given by the Chicago Record-Herald, July 5, totals thirty-six people. This leaves room, however, for many cases of tetanus, which does not develop until a week or more after the injury from cracker or toy pistol has been received. Besides those killed, 1,677 persons received various injuries.

— Two hundred residents of the town of Guanajuato, Mexico, lost their lives in a flood which resulted from a violent storm, July 1. The town was situated in a gorge, through which a river flows, and has been subject to floods, but the present disaster is unprecedented. The force of the flood was augmented by the giving way of dams and masonry which confined the river’s flow. Many houses were swept away, and the property loss is estimated at $2,000,000.

— The Japanese have landed a force on Sakhalin Island, backed up by a fleet of war vessels, and have taken possession of the island, the Russian garrison being too weak to offer effective resistance. In Manchuria there is comparative quiet around the opposing armies, neither commander seemingly being desirous of bringing on a general engagement. The arrangements for peace negotiations in Washington between Russia and Japan are making favorable progress, the Japanese peace envoys having sailed from Yokohama July 8, on the steamship “Minnesota.” There are rumors that the unfortunate Czar Nicholas is beset by a plot of the Russian reactionaries who aim to dethrone him and set up a czar of stronger character.

— The final vote in the French Chamber of Deputies on the bill abolishing the Concordat and separating church and state in France, was taken July 3, and the measure was passed by a majority of 108 in a total of 574 votes cast. The general principle of the measure is set forth in the bill as follows: “The republic assures liberty of conscience and guarantees the free exercise of religion, subject to the restrictions of public order. The republic neither recognizes, pays stipends to, nor subsidizes any sect, but provides funds for college, hospital, and asylum chaplains. Otherwise, the public worship budget is abolished, and public establishments connected with religion are suppressed.”

— The Russian battle-ship “Kniaz Potemkin” of the Black-Sea fleet, on which the crew rebelled and raised the red flag, after keeping Black Sea ports and shipping in a state of uncertainty and terror for nearly two weeks, finally surrendered to the Rumanian authorities at Kustenji, on promise of the latter that the men would be liberated at the Rumanian frontier. It is expected that objection to this treatment of the mutineers will be made by the Russian government, and the incident may be the cause of friction between Russia and Rumania.