Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 18, 1906

— Three separate tornadoes tore through different parts of Louisiana on October 5. Six persons lost their lives, and buildings and crops to the amount of about $1,000,000 were destroyed.

— Sixty arrests have been made so far in connection with the race riots at Atlanta, Ga. Most of these arrests are of negroes accused of complicity in the killing of a policeman.

— After many postponements of his reception, the American ambassador to Turkey was formally received by the sultan on October 5, at which time Mr. Leishman presented his credentials as the first ambassador to Turkey from the United States.

— England is now building three great cruisers of more than 17,000 tons displacement each. These cruisers will have the effectiveness of battle-ships of the “Dreadnaught” class, and will have a speed much greater. The purpose of this construction is to enable these cruisers to overtake the ordinary cruisers and destroy them by concentrated gunfire of heavy caliber. When completed, these vessels will have cost $8,540,000 each.

— There were wild scenes in Lodz, Russian Poland, on October 10, when five terrorists were hanged and buried. The revolutionists exhumed the bodies, and forced a priest to pronounce his solemn blessing upon them. A squadron of Cossacks charged the crowd, beating them with whips, arresting a number, and compelling the remainder to rebury the exhumed bodies. Other executions are to follow. The major-general of the Sebastopol troops was wounded on October 8 by a bomb thrown by a revolutionist. A large number of extensive estates are being broken up by the government to be sold to the peasants living in the vicinity of the estates. These are being sold at a nominal price, and are helping somewhat to relieve the land hunger of the peasants.

— The new American governor-general of Cuba, Charles E. Magoon, arrived in Havana on October 9, and Governor Taft and Secretary Bacon sailed for Washington on October 13. General Funston also will return to this country on the same day, having been relieved by General Bell. A report from Havana, dated October 11, states that the Cuban revolution of 1906 has passed into history; that reports from all parts of the island indicate that the disarming of the rebels is practically complete. It is now stated that the cost of restoring peace in Cuba will be charged up against the Cuban government; that the expenses now are about $1,000,000 a month. It is stated that President Palma asked for American intervention some time before intervention was decided upon by this country, and Havana papers are much incensed against both him and his closest advisers. In a recent interview Secretary-of-State Root warned the Cuban people that the United States would never permit chaos and disorder to rule in Cuba. His words indicated to the Cubans that another insurrection would mean American occupation of the island.

— Recent floods in the southern part of Jalisco and Colima, Mexico, have resulted in great destruction of property and loss of life. The number of fatalities from drowning along the Manzanillo extension of the Mexican Central Railway is 123.

— During October 10, 11, and 12, the Middle and Eastern States were in the grip of a cold wave that has done much damage. Between forty and fifty thousand bales of cotton are destroyed in Georgia alone, and other crops have suffered as well.

— A press report from San Francisco states that there is prospect of a revival of the Vigilance Committee if the present epidemic of crime continues. It will be remembered that there was but little crime committed in San Francisco after the earthquake, during the time of the prohibition of the saloons; but with their entrance the old reign of disorder began again.

— It has been decided to let the building of the Panama Canal to contractors. It is the belief of the administration that the work will be completed in less time by this arrangement than if it should be done by the government. A number of concerns in this country and in other countries are preparing to enter bids for the undertaking. The successful bidder will be paid for the work on a percentage basis as the work is completed.

— Circulars emanating from some South American or Central American country are being circulated in New Orleans, stating that the countries of South and Central America will boycott manufacturers of the United States who vote for the principles held by President Roosevelt. With the boycott becoming of so much international importance, it is not difficult to see how it can one day become a universal weapon against the people of God in the effort to compel them to honor the Sunday institution.

— All indications point to a strenuous effort during the present year to restore the army canteen to the soldiers’ camps and barracks. At the recent encampment of the Spanish War veterans at Washington, D. C., a resolution was adopted favoring the re-establishment of the canteen. The opinions of the wives of certain prominent officers are being heralded abroad as favoring the canteen. Senator Reed Smoot is preparing a bill which he will bring before the next Congress, authorizing its re-establishment at army posts, and the liquor interests generally are laboring hard to that end.

— A rather spectacular enforcement of law took place in Hot Springs, Ark., on October 8, when 500 citizens, disgusted with the refusal of their city and county officials to enforce the law against gambling, secured a brass band, marched to the city hall, police headquarters, and court-house, and forced State, county, and city officials to raid and close the gambling houses of the place. The committee of 500 went along with the officials to see that the work was properly done. They marched the gamblers to the station, and compelled them to take the first train out of town. The report says that several hundred gamblers, cappers, and disorderly women were driven out of the town as a result of this raid,