Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 6, 1906

— On November 10 a fire, thought to be of incendiary origin, destroyed property to the value of $1,000,000 in Boston, Mass.

— Heavy rains and melting snow on the Cascade slopes produced the greatest flood ever known along the rivers in the vicinity of Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., November 14. While the reported loss of life is small, the property loss amounted to millions.

— At the National Congress on Uniform Divorce Laws recently held in Philadelphia, a bill was drafted which its originators hope to see incorporated into the laws of all the States. The causes for which divorces may be granted are adultery, bigamy, at the suit of injured party to first marriage, conviction, and sentence of two years for crime, extreme cruelty on the part of husband or wife to such an extent as to endanger life of either or render cohabitation unsafe, wilful desertion for two years, habitual drunkenness for a like period, hopeless insanity of the husband. The committee which drafted the original bill will remain in existence and use its efforts to have the bill passed by the various State lawmakers.

— In spite of the fact that Governor Magoon has received reports from the military commanders in twenty-one towns that absolute tranquillity reigns throughout the entire island of Cuba, there is a general spirit of unrest abroad, due to the uncertainty regarding the future course of the United States. The Liberals are becoming more restive day by day under the indefinite continuance of the government of intervention. General Loynaz del Castillo, the leader of the anti-American sentiment, addressed a Liberal meeting recently, in which he predicted that if the provisional government continued long, the patriots of Cuba would again take up arms in the defense of their independence. On the other hand, there is a sentiment in financial circles in favor of the establishment of a strong American protectorate over the island.

— Although it seems to be a time of comparative quiet in Russia, conditions are far from stable. The terrorists continue their bomb throwing, the governor of Irkutsk, General Rannenkampf, and the prefect of police of Moscow, General Reinbot, both escaping injury from the bombs thrown at them in the streets of their respective cities on November 12; but the terrorists were successful at Tiflis the day before in killing three of the police and wounding four by inducing them to enter a house in which explosives had been placed. On the other hand, that same day saw 104 men sent into exile for minor political offenses. Local governors are dismissing officials for refusing to leave the ranks of the Constitutional Democratic party, and are promising promotion, with the alternative of banishment, if the officials will attach themselves to parties friendly to the government. And in order to have a favorable majority in the Douma to be elected next March, the Imperial Senate has so interpreted the election law that 170,000 workmen and many peasants are deprived of the franchise.