Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 1, 1906

—Reports from St. Petersburg state that a mutiny has broken out among the troops at Vladivostock, and the situation is serious. The revolutionists at Moscow are active in plotting the assassination of government officials.

—At Ormond, Fla., in an automobile tournament held January 24, a record was made of five miles in two minutes and forty-seven seconds. Probably no railway train has ever equaled this record.

—Portions of New Mexico and Arizona experienced a sharp earthquake shock on the afternoon of January 25. Buildings rocked, chimneys fell over, goods were thrown from shelves, and plastering fell from ceilings. Many people rushed from their homes in fright, but no loss of life was reported.

—A bill is to be introduced in the Ohio Legislature making it legal to end by death the extreme suffering of persons in the last throes of disease, and the victims of terrible accidents for whom there is no hope of recovery. The discussion of the subject which has resulted, has evoked a storm of objections to such a measure, but one Chicago physician has declared that it has long been a practise among the medical fraternity to administer to such cases opiates in what are known to be fatal doses.

—Considerable sentiment exists in British Columbia in favor of secession from the Canadian federation, the leading cause being alleged discrimination against Columbia in financial affairs. Recently in the provincial parliament, a member from Vancouver made a speech, which was vigorously applauded, demanding better financial terms for Columbia from the Dominion government, and threatening, in case of refusal, to present a monster petition to King Edward for the severance of the political tie binding Columbia to the Canadian union.

—One of the worst disasters of recent years on the Pacific Coast occurred near Cape Beale, British Columbia, January 22, by the wrecking of the steamship “Valencia,” running between San Francisco and Puget Sound. In a thick fog, which had prevailed for some hours, the steamship ran on to a reef about midnight, filled with water and settled upon the rocks, where she was swept by heavy seas raised by a strong wind. The coast was steep and rocky, the weather very cold and stormy, and no ship could venture near the wreck on account of the surrounding reefs; hence rescue was impossible, nor could any one long survive on the wreck; but about forty of the passengers and crew managed to escape on a raft and in the ship’s boats. The rest, numbering about one hundred and twenty, among whom were many women and children, perished.

—The “Black Hand” society, a secret organization which is strong in Pennsylvania, has brought about conditions at Monongahela, in that State, which necessitated a call by the mayor for State troops to protect life and property and restore order. A report states that on January 25, warrants were sworn out by the district attorney for the arrest of eighty-three members of the gang at Belle Vernon, ten at Venetia, twenty-three at Monongahela city, six at Black Diamond, five at Baird, and twelve at Gastonville. The members of the gang are charged with conspiracy, but other charges will be made against them as soon as the information is gathered. It is believed that twenty-one murders committed in Washington County during the past year were the work of the members of the “Black Hand.” From letters which have been found, it appears that this form of organized lawlessness has spread to all parts of the country.

—The political power of the Mormon Church is being felt in Congress in connection with two measures now under discussion in the national legislature,—the Statehood bill and the Philippine tariff bill. According to a statement in the Washington Post, the Mormon interests favor the Statehood bill, but oppose the Philippine bill. “The Mormon Church,” says the Post, “is growing very rapidly in Arizona and New Mexico, which the administration desires to unite and bring into the Union as one State. For this reason Mormonism is supporting the Statehood bill at both ends of the Capitol. Mormon interests are hostile to the Philippine tariff bill because of the rapid growth of the beet-sugar industry in Utah, Idaho, and other sections of the far West where the Mormon Church is strong.” It is learned, says the Post, that polygamy is a common practise among Mormons in New Mexico and Arizona. The Senate will resume the investigation of the case of Senator-elect Smoot on February 6. The latter appears confident that the report of the Senate committee on his case will be favorable.