News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 23, 1896

FOREIGN.

—The volcano of Kilauea, Hawaii, is again in active eruption. The flow began on the 3d inst., without the usual warning, after a lull of about thirteen months.

—A Lima, Peru, despatch of the 16th inst. says: “The mayor of Miguel to-day seized and caused to be burned in the public square of the city all the Bibles and stock of the local agent of the American Bible Society.”

—Late advices from Japan indicate that the government ministry, of which Count Ito is the head, is doomed to overthrow, the Diet showing a strong opposition to his Corean policy and neglect of government interests in the Liao Tung peninsula after the war.

—The principal steamship company of Japan, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, having made 3,500,000 yen profit by chartering steamships and transports to the government during the war, has decided to open up a line to Europe. Agents have been sent to England to procure five first-class ships for this purpose.

—A late Madrid despatch states that a general gloom prevails there in regard to the prospects in Cuba. Military operations are severely criticized, and the resignation of the Cabinet is predicted in the near future. The latest news from Cuba states that the insurgents have cut off all communication between Havana and the interior, excepting two short railroads.

—A letter has been received in London from a reliable source in Harpool, containing a complete collection of the facts and figures regarding the recent atrocities in Asiatic Turkey. From these figures it appears that 176 places have been plundered, and that out of 15,250 Christian houses 8,054 have been burned. The death list foots up 15,845 persons killed. This estimate is looked upon as being correct in every particular.

—A Berlin despatch of the 15th inst. announces the intention of Emperor William to grant amnesty to a large number of political offenders serving sentences in German prisons. It is stated that nearly all the editors and socialists who have lately been convicted of lese-majesty will be released. This move is for the purpose of conciliating all parties in the empire on account of the government’s strained relations with Great Britain.

—Mr. J. H. Mulligan, American Consul at Apia, Samoa, arrived in San Francisco last week, on a business visit. He reports very hard times in the Samoan Islands; says there is but one successful crop (coconuts) grown there, and this year even that is very short. Cotton has been abandoned, sugar is a failure, and tobacco can not be grown with any degree of success. The people complain of the heavy burden of a foreign treaty government, and are very anxious to be allowed to manage their own affairs.

—During the recent invasion of the South African Republic by a number of British subjects under Dr. Jameson, a Committee of Safety was formed for the protection of Johannesburg, which is mostly composed of foreigners from various countries. The invaders were defeated with heavy loss, and the leaders arrested. These have been sent to England for trial, as the British Government disclaims responsibility for the rash act. But the Boer government also arrested the committee at Johannesburg, on the ground that it was also hostile to the government. Among the number were a few Americans, four of whom are Californians. Late despatches to their friends indicate that they are in a most critical position, and in imminent danger of severe sentences. Urgent appeals are made to the State Department at Washington to intercede in behalf of the prisoners, with assurances that all possible effort is being made for their relief.

—Dr. F. E. Clark, president of the United Societies of Christian Endeavor, who recently traveled through Turkey, gives the following as his experience: “No sooner had I set foot on Turkish soil than every scrap of printed matter in my possession was taken away from me—every book, pamphlet, newspaper—and I saw none of them until I had shaken the dust of Turkey from my feet. Moreover, as it was known that I was to address public audiences at various places throughout the interior of Asia Minor, I was cautioned that there were some words which I must not use, such as, ‘fellowship,’ ‘union,’ ‘brotherhood,’ ‘Christian Endeavor,’ etc. Very often my interpreter would tell me that there was a Turkish spy in the audience, and would imply in the polite language of the Orient that I must mind my p’s and q’s if I did not wish to find myself in a Turkish jail before night, with half of the congregation to whom I was speaking.”

—It is reported that the long-standing boundary dispute between Chile and Argentina has culminated in the occupation of the Cordilleran passes by Chilean soldiers.

DOMESTIC.

—The total number of business failures in the United States in 1895 was 13,013, about three hundred more than in 1894.

—Recent copious rain showers in this state have changed the agricultural prospect from gloomy forebodings to hopeful expectations.

—The next Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago, beginning July 7, and the next national gathering of the W. C. T. U. has been set for San Francisco in November.

—On the 16th inst. thirteen Italian counterfeiters were arrested in New York City. An important feature of the raid is the capture of the United States chief of the famous Mafia, the assassination society now so well known by its name and deeds. A large amount of counterfeit money was also secured.

—As a means of reducing the expenses of the government, Congressman Skinner proposes to cut one third from the salaries of all government employees until such time as the mints are open to the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 of gold. It is safe to say that Congress will not vote a reduction of the salaries of its members.

—According to the census of 1890 there were at that time 7,470,000 persons more or less tinctured with negro blood in the United States. Of these all but 581,000 were in the old slave states. At the present time a recent report gives the following estimate of the religious standing of this people: Methodists, 1,190,000; Baptists, 1,403,000; Presbyterians, 30,000; Disciples, 18,600; Episcopal, 5,000.

—The total indebtedness, public and private, of the United States for 1890 is placed by the official bulletin at a minimum figure of $20,227,170,546. Over five and one-half billion dollars represents the debt of railroad companies alone, while real estate mortgages foot up $6,019,679,985. Against these figures is the estimated total wealth of the country, $65,000,000,000, which from 1880 to 1890 increased over twenty billions.

—A Rome correspondent announces that the pope, through Cardinal Satolli, has made a proposal to President Cleveland to arbitrate the dispute between England and Venezuela. It is further stated that the pope was much hurt last year, when England refused the offer of Venezuela to submit the matter to his arbitration. It is announced in Caracas that the reason of England’s refusal was the fact that in the Vatican are documents showing that Venezuela’s claim is just.

—Japan is looming up as a formidable competitor in various articles of manufactured goods, notably of cotton. Every steamer from San Francisco goes out laden with raw cotton, which is taken to Japan and returned in cloth at prices very much below anything that American manufacturers can afford. In ten years the cotton cloth industry in that country has grown to 700,000 spindles. In the article of matches, also, the Japanese imports are sold at rates here that would prove ruinous to our home manufacturers.

—Dr. John Rusk, of the Militant Church, Chicago, has invited Colonel Ingersoll, the noted infidel, to preach in that church some Sunday morning. In addressing the invitation Dr. Rusk says: “The Militant Church is organized for the purpose of bettering the conditions of mankind, regardless of creed or lack of it. The motto of our men’s club is, ‘Act in this world, theorize in the next.’ Some of our most earnest workers hold your views, while others are devout Christians. All work together, however, think for themselves, and no criticism of creed is exchanged.”

—The Good Roads Parliament at the Atlanta Exposition recommended the construction of experimental steel-track highway at various points throughout the country. The track submitted, and which was approved, is the patent of Hon. John O’Donnell of New York. It is five inches broad on the bottom, with half-inch raised sides, in which all vehicles may run. The ties and timber, with track, will cost about two thousand five hundred dollars per mile, and the roads will need to be macadamized, but the increased weight that might be hauled, and increase of speed, it is figured out will earn millions to the country if widely extended.

—While there is a strong and growing sentiment in religious circles in favor of settling national controversies by arbitration, there is also a feeling of distrust on the part of the governments that the judgments of the arbitrators are not certain of execution. There is no means but force for compelling execution when the judgment of arbitrators is not satisfactory to both parties. Of the proposition to arbitrate the Venezuela difficulty the London Globe says: “How could a court be constituted whose decisions would be sure to command equal respect from both sides? To this day the Americans have not carried out the Bering Sea award, and the arbitrators have no means of enforcing it.”

—The latest war scare in this country is the outgrowth of a mysterious naval movement on the part of Great Britain. A flying squadron sent to sea with sealed orders was interpreted to mean concentration of a strong naval force at the Bermudas, as a menace to the United States pending the controversy over the Venezuela boundary question. In reply to inquiry of our State Department, the assurance has been received that the British Government has not the remotest idea of sending a fleet to any point that might be construed as a threat to the United States. A Washington despatch says that positive assurance has been given that Great Britain is willing to settle the Venezuela question upon a basis satisfactory to this country, provided it shall not put that government in the attitude of backing down.