Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 29, 1910

— The latest census returns credit Greater New York with 4,700,000 population, of which 1,634,000 belong to Brooklyn. The population of London is estimated at seven and one-half millions.

— Twenty-five indictments for murder in the first degree have been brought in by the special grand jury that has been investigating the lynching of Carl Etherington, a detective of the Anti-Saloon League, in Newark, Ohio.

— The census officials estimate the population of the United States as about 100,000,000, of whom about 90,000,000 are resident within the States.

— Just as the new Pennsylvania terminal in New York City is completed, and heralded as the largest building of the kind in the world, the New York Central announces its plans for a terminal twice as large, and to cost nearly twice as much. The plans include a channel two city blocks wide and half a mile long, on either side of which will be imposing office buildings.

— The smallest kingdom in Europe is Montenegro, by common consent of the powers elevated to the position of a kingdom within the last few weeks.

— An order has been issued by Health Officer Woodward, of the District of Columbia, excluding from the public schools for at least two weeks all children who have been exposed to infantile paralysis. This step is considered necessary to safeguard the health of the schoolchildren, in view of the prevalence of this malady.

— The cry of the increased cost of living echoes round the world. From Europe comes the report that the laboring classes of Germany find it impossible to buy meat; and in the south of Italy, once “the granary of the peninsula,” there has not been enough grain raised to supply even the farming classes.

— A number of warrants have been issued for the arrest of manufacturers of marshmallows in Philadelphia. The charge is made that large quantities of sulphuric acid are used in the manufacture of a cheap grade of these candies. The investigation leading to the arrests was caused by the illness of a number of children who had eaten cheap candy.

— Crime among the youth is on the increase. According to the author of “Criminality in Youth,” crimes committed by persons between 14 and 20 years of age quadrupled between 1826 and 1880. This increase is considered alarming; for it is a recognized fact that “the young delinquent is the most dangerous of criminals.” In whatever direction we look, we see evidences of the fulfilling of the sure word of prophecy.

— It is gravely reprinted, as an item of news, in a leading Washington daily, that recently “the phenomenon of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius took place, after prayers lasting 55 minutes, in the presence of a great multitude. . . . Various attempts have been made to explain the alleged miracle. The argument, once brought forward, that there was no liquefaction, was abandoned a considerable time ago, the evidence for the liquefaction being overwhelming.” It is further stated that “the people interpret the rapidity of the liquefaction as proof that the peril from cholera is over.” By such “news” Rome is ever seeking to educate the reading classes.

— On August 29 the government of Japan formally took possession of Korea. Amnesty was granted to certain prisoners, and the taxes of the poorer people were forgiven. “Japan gave $8,500,000 to encourage industry, and to support education, hospitals, and work for the poor. Religious freedom was explicitly recognized. Tariff regulations were continued for ten years, and the Japanese laws regulating copyrights and patents were extended to Korea. Korea’s treaties with foreign nations were continued, and Japan’s treaties were extended to Korea as far as they apply. The name under which Korea is henceforth to be known is Cho-sen, an ancient name for the empire, of Chinese origin, meaning, probably, ‘the Land of Morning Calm.’” Though this annexation had been talked of for some time, it was not expected that it would take place so soon.