p. 30 | Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 6, 1906

Current Mention

— In the two weeks ending August 30, the seismic instruments of the Göttingen University, Germany, recorded twenty-eight earthquakes, the largest number ever recorded.

— All the street-car lines of San Francisco, except the Geary and California Street lines, are now tied up by a strike of the conductors and motormen. They are striking for a rate of three dollars for an eight-hour day.

— A new treaty, or commercial agreement, has been entered into between the United States and Spain, to take effect the first day of September. By this agreement each country is granted preferential treatment on certain classes of goods imported from the other country.

— Federal officials who are investigating the matter of illegal rebates granted by the railroads to the Standard Oil Company have found that in shipments between St. Louis and Chicago alone during the last three years the Standard Oil Company has saved $250,000 in rebates from the railroads carrying their product.

— The Real Estate Trust Company, of Philadelphia, is now in the hands of a receiver. Through the manipulation of the firm's accounts, the president of the institution had misappropriated, or loaned on worthless security, $7,000,000. A few days before the discovery of the defalcation, the president died very suddenly. It was later ascertained that he had taken his own life.

— Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has announced that after the first of October prepared meats from packing-houses must not be carried by the railroads unless those products bear certain labels required by the government. It is expected that many of the packing-houses will be unprepared to carry out the requirements of the law, owing to their dilatoriness in beginning the work of preparing labels.

— Contrary to last week's report, the stranded Pacific Mail steamer “Manchuria” is still on the rocks in the Hawaiian Islands. She was many miles off her course when she grounded, and it was suggested that she had encountered a strong current in the ocean which was responsible for her position. Now the captain of the Oceanic liner “Sierra,” who has just arrived at Honolulu from Auckland and Sydney, reports having encountered a current which drifted his vessel out of its course thirty miles in a single day. There is probably some connection between this matter and the seismic disturbances along the Pacific coast of this hemisphere.

— The main body of the Cuban insurgents is now in close proximity to the forces of the Cuban government, and a decisive engagement is expected at any moment. Americans are manning the battery of machine and rapid-fire guns with which the Cuban government has recently equipped itself. In some sections of Cuba the insurgents have practically denuded the plantations of horses and cattle. Several minor engagements have occurred during the week. The government has given a promise of amnesty to all who will lay down their arms, and considerable numbers are taking advantage of it.

— Some months ago the Trades Labor Council of Racine, Wis., declared a boycott against Otto B. Schultze, a baker. The boycott worked much damage to the baker, and he carried the matter into court on a suit for $25,000 damages. Circuit Judge Fowler rendered a decision in the case on August 28, declaring the boycott illegal, and awarding the plaintiff $6,000 damages. He said: “An injury to one's business and trade is on the same footing as an injury to his tangible property, and the law furnishes a remedy for the one as well as for the other.”

— Conditions in Russia do not improve. Murder and incendiarism are rife, and peasant outbreaks against the landlords continue unabated. M. Stolypin, the new premier, is reported to have informed the czar that he can not improve the situation unless given a free hand, which is a virtual demand for a dictatorship. The famine is increasing and spreading to other provinces. An imperial ukase was issued August 30, authorizing the minister of finance to issue $25,000,000 in four-per-cent rentes to cover the expenses of the relief of the districts affected by the failure of the crops. The quantity of grain required in one district alone will amount to 800,000 tons. Subscriptions are being opened, and it is expected that appeals will be made to foreigners. One of the czar's aides, General Min, was shot to death by a young girl at a railway station, on August 26. On the following day, Gen. Von Liarliarski, governor of Poland, was killed while driving in the streets of Warsaw.