Kansas Drought and Manila Friars
In a postal card directed to this paper, dated Kansas City, Mo., July 16, the writer says: “In traveling over the State we see for ourselves the wonderful distress which has come to the people on account of the drouth that now almost covers our State. In many places pastures are burned up, hay and oat crops destroyed, streams drying up, and springs giving out, so that it is difficult to find feed and water for the stock. The heat also is so great that people are in danger who are exposed to the sun’s rays. Further, on account of the drouth, provisions are very scarce and consequently very high.” Manila advices say that Catholic authorities have no intention to withdraw the Spanish friars from the Philippines. They maintain that the Filipinos will not object to them as spiritual advisers when well assured that they will no longer exercise temporal authority. There is some basis for this supposition, as the Filipino revolts have always been against the tyrannical rule of the priests in secular affairs, the government of Spain in the islands being entirely manipulated under the dictation of the church. The people having failed to secure entire independence, as they so fondly hoped, will no doubt acquiesce in the spiritual administration of the friars under the new conditions—especially as they are about convinced that they can not help themselves. The friars have a much stronger backing in the United States Government than they had in Spain. And this government is bound by the treaty of peace with Spain to respect existing property rights, and that includes the title of the friars to all the lands they held under Spanish law. The only thing to do now is to give the Gospel in its purity to the Filipino people, and show them that, after all, this is the only medium of entire freedom from Rome. No civil government, either foreign or domestic, can give spiritual freedom; nor can any power, civil or ecclesiastic, enslave the soul that is conscious of freedom in Christ. IN a number of the Pacific Coast towns provisions and fuel are getting very low, and the sufferings that will result from this want are beginning to stare the people in the face. This result is produced by the big strike that has grown out of the teamsters’ strike in San Francisco. Facts like these should emphasize the importance of placing ourselves and families just as quickly as possible where we will not be compelled to suffer so keenly from these tie-ups. Every one should think on these things seriously. No arguing on the subject is needed. The conditions in the world just now make all the necessary arguments. In a very few days the sheriff and detectives have captured the thief, and by his assistance located the $283,000 in gold bullion that was stolen from the Selby Smelting Works near San Francisco on the night of August 5. The robbery was committed by one John Winters alone, and it is a pleasure to record the fact that he was so soon discovered and arrested. He had dumped the bars of gold in the shallow waters of the bay, and it has been nearly all recovered. It is to be earnestly hoped that the speedy manner in which this criminal has been run down will be an admonition to others who may be tempted to do like evil deeds. THE Colombian Minister with his staff has withdrawn from Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. This is a definite acknowledgment that a state of war exists between the two countries. The authorities at Washington have not been able to secure any very definite knowledge in regard to the situation, but enough is known to cause them to take the precaution of having several war-ships in readiness to hasten there to protect American interests. ALTHO the Boer war has lasted much longer than any one believed it ever could last, the end is still out of sight. A despatch states that Mr. Kruger has just received a report to the effect that 89,000 of his countrymen are still under arms against the British. Mr. Kruger made the prediction in the beginning that the results of the war would “stagger humanity.” His prediction is certainly coming true. NEW YORK City continues to be agitated about the corruption that is carried on there under the protection of the police. This agitation comes up continually, and has done so for more than a quarter of a century. Strong men have taken a hand in it, but conditions continue to grow worse and worse. Such facts should cause serious reflection by those who are persuaded that the world is growing better. A MACHINIST of San Juan, Cal., Mocartoa by name, claims to have perfected a process of so magnetizing steel that it will attract gold, silver, copper, or tin. It was accidentally discovered while experimenting with a hope of finding the lost art of tempering copper. THE Hill-Morgan combine are buying up a great fleet of steamers for the Pacific Coast and Oriental trade, to be operated in connection with the Great Northern Railroad. Four ships have already been purchased, for the sum of $1,000,000. MAJOR GENERAL LEONARD WOOD, Governor-general of Cuba, says that he would “advise every young man in the United States looking for opportunities, to emigrate to Cuba.” This is a good hint for missionaries.