In the Balkans

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 15, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 15.

In the Balkans.—The situation in the Balkan States has become much more serious during the past week. The Macedonians were not satisfied with the reform measures which Russia and Austria forced the sultan to promise, and the Albanians are opposed to the concessions which the sultan has promised to grant. It is a compromise to which neither of the parties involved are willing to agree. The Mohammedans regard the concessions as granting too much, the Macedonians as granting too little, and the latter have no faith that even these will be carried out. A number of encounters have taken place between the Turks and the revolutionists, and it is reported that many lives have been lost. In some instances whole companies of the revolutionists are reported to have been annihilated. Russia has again warned Bulgaria to prevent Bulgarians aiding the Macedonians. The Albanians also are now in revolt, have shot and seriously wounded the Russian consul, and attacked the regular Turkish troops. The reports state that the sultan has sent sixteen more battalions from Asia Minor to Albania, and that Austria has threatened to take active steps to quell the disorder. The British Government has informed the nations concerned that England’s interests must not be overlooked in whatever action is taken in the Balkan States. The sultan hardly dares to take very active measures against the Albanians, because his own bodyguard is composed of Albanians who are jubilant over the Albanian attack on Mitrovitza. The present situation is regarded by many as more serious than at any time since the present trouble arose.

Among the Strikers.—A disagreement has occurred between the coal miners and operators in the anthracite mines over the ruling of the coal strike commission in the matter of the number of hours to constitute a day’s work. As a result several collieries have been closed. Some of the miners have decided to return to work and allow the matter to be settled by arbitration. The strikers at Keswick, Cal., have been enjoined from interfering with the smelting company or its employees. Considerable violence has been indulged in there by the strikers. The injunction issued against the Brotherhoods of Railway Trainmen and Firemen at St. Louis, Mo., has been removed, the ground for this action being that the company had misrepresented the situation in applying for the injunction. About 15,000 men in the building trades are now idle in New York and adjoining States, because of the refusal of the building contractors to accede to their demands for increased pay, shorter hours, and other concessions. The street-car strike in Tacoma and Seattle continues, a few cars running, but no immediate prospect of agreement. The threatened strike of street-car men in San Francisco has not yet taken place, tho the company has refused the demands of the men. In the strike which threatened to result in a number of vehicle makers leaving Chicago, it has been decided to yield the demands to arbitration.

A war upon saloons has been inaugurated by a young lady of Kokomo, Indiana. She had lost her position in a store at the behest of the saloon element because of a slumming tour which she had made. She then circulated remonstrances, and the commissioners refused licenses to thirteen saloons in one ward. She is now circulating similar remonstrances in other wards, and declares that she will close all the saloons in Kokomo, of which there are thirty-three. The saloons which have been put out of business must stay out for two years at least. At Winfield, Kansas, two sisters attacked two saloons, breaking their way in with hatchets, and smashing a number of bottles and glasses. They were not arrested. A bill has just passed the Assembly of Wisconsin, making it a misdemeanor for any person or firm to bring into the State or sell or give away any cigaret or cigaret-paper or substitutes for them. The same bill passed the lower house two years ago but was defeated in the Senate. Mayor Low, of New York City, has refused to receive a visit from the agents of the Liquor Dealers’ Association, of that city, because of their responsibility for so much of the police corruption in New York. He holds that the Liquor Dealers’ Association is one of the principal obstacles to a genuine reform in the police department.

Earthquakes.—On March 30 an earthquake said to be of unprecedented violence shook the city of Jerusalem. The entire population was panic stricken, but the damage done was not large. An earthquake was felt at Kalispell, Montana, on April 1, which shook down five acres of land into the river, completely blocking the channel, causing the river to flood the bottom lands. Another eruption of the volcano on the island of St. Vincent, W. I., occurred on March 21, lasting until March 30, when the crater glowed with the appearance of a huge electric arc. Young vegetation is again obliterated by the cinders from the volcano.

Troubles in China.—Reports from China indicate that the rebellion in several of the provinces is still in progress. Prince Tuan and General Tung Fu Hsiang are reported to have threatened to establish a kingdom in China out of the provinces of Shensi and Kansu, unless the empress dowager will depose the emperor and put young Pu Chun on the throne. Large bodies of rebels are moving in these provinces, and government troops have been repulsed in encounters with them. Magistrates of many of the cities or villages are reported to have surrendered to the rebels and opened the gates of the cities to them, knowing that they were powerless to resist their attacks. All the Chinese viceroys and governors have united in a protest against the payment of the indemnity in gold, declaring that the resources of the people are exhausted.

Dishonesty in Office.—Not long ago the whole country was discussing the municipal corruption in Minneapolis and St. Louis, and facts were brought to public attention which made respectable people blush for shame. In both these cities dishonest rings were formed for the purpose of obtaining money from the lawless element in return for granting to that element permission to carry on their dishonest business. The same conditions are known to exist in other cities. Now St. Louis has another occasion for unenviable notoriety. It has been charged before the grand jury of that city that the Missouri legislature literally “held up” the manager of a street railway company, compelling him to pay to some of the members $1,000 before he was granted permission to build a bridge from one of the company’s houses to another. At the same time the Seattle grand jury has brought against the mayor, chief of police, and others charges of malfeasance, perjury, and extortion. The grand jury then recommended that these officials resign from their offices.

Riots.—On April 2, during the celebration at Monterey, Mexico, of the victory of General Diaz’s troops over the French, a mob of about 15,000 persons attacked the home of General Reyes, governor of the State of Nuevo Leon. In the fighting which ensued between the mob and the police, eight persons were killed. On April 3 an enormous mob paraded the streets of Madrid, Spain, crying, “Long live the Republic,” and “Death to the minister of the interior.” Twenty persons were injured in the battle with the police which followed. Later a mob of 3,000 workmen and students attacked a detachment of police with stones. A riot broke out recently in Agram, Austria, and assumed such proportions that the entire garrison had to be called out to clear the streets. The trouble was due to jealousy on the part of Croatian students because of the official sanction of the use of the Hungarian and German languages. The spirit of unrest and riot is growing with the other evidences of the decay of this present world.

Aping the Feminine.—The Taylor and Cutter, of London, is authority for the statement that the wearing of that feminine article of apparel, the corset, is on the increase in England among the “smart dressed” young men. This is as truly an indication of degeneracy as is the aping of the masculine by a certain class of women, and the evils are just as great in the one case as in the other. The purposeless man and the aimless woman are both indications of an age given to folly and luxury, an age plainly pointed out in the Word of God as the last generation of this world.

In San Domingo.—The revolution in San Domingo has assumed such proportions that the government of the little republic finds it difficult to cope with it. Serious fighting has occurred during the week, and many lives have been lost. The insurgents have secured control of some of the government’s war vessels, and on land they have entrenched themselves in various places. The rebels are holding Santo Domingo City, and tho the government forces have attacked several times, they have not been able to dislodge the defenders. United States marines have been landed for the protection of the consulate.

In Central America.—The presidents of San Salvador and Guatemala have drawn up an agreement which it is hoped will enable them to avert future wars. The presidents met on the high seas for the interview. The agreement is in reference to the arbitration of all future disputes between the two little republics. A cable from Guatemala states that another revolution has broken out in Nicaragua, but contains no details. The newly-elected president of Honduras continues to make progress toward the capital, and the former president is reported to be making overtures for peace.

In the Philippines.—The religious leader of the Mohammedan people known as the Moros, has recognized American sovereignty over that district, and it is believed that opposition to the Americans in that quarter has come to an end. Visits have been exchanged between the American officers and the leaders of the Moros. The American commander there, Captain Pershing, has been directed to take a census of the Moro people, and will begin the work without delay.

THE coal barons are reported to have decided upon a systematic and gradual rise in the price of coal, so that by next winter coal will be selling at a price considerably in advance of what it is retailed at to-day. This action, it is charged, is taken because of the coal strike arbitration committee deciding on an advance in the wages to be paid the miners.

ADVICES from Paris state that most of the Catholic orders which the Government has ordered to disband have decided to comply with the order at once. Others will take the full time allowed them by the law, and it is intimated that some of them will wait until they have been advised from Rome before making definite plans as to their course.