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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 26, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 9.

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News of the Day

ON February 12 the House of Representatives passed the oleomargarine bill. The bill makes oleomargarine, or imitation butter or cheese, transported into any State or territory for use, sale, or consumption therein, subject to the laws of such States or territories, even tho it may be introduced in original packages. The bill also imposes a tax of 10 cents per pound on oleomargarine made in imitation of butter. When not so made, it is subject to a tax of only one-fourth of a cent per pound. Attempts to evade the law are to be punished by a fine of from $50 to $500 and imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 6 months.
GENERAL BELL, who has been operating in Batangas against the Filipinos, reports that the insurrection in that province is crushed out; but that many of the armed Filipinos have gone to other provinces, and are making their presence felt there. Secretary of War Root has been anxious to reduce the number of troops in the islands as much as possible; but a cable message from the military governor asks for additional troops, and protests against the policy of reduction. Evidently the military governor considers that there is still work in the islands for the troops to do.
A DESPATCH from St. Petersburg dated February 14 states that a disastrous earthquake has occurred in Transcaucasia, destroying the town of Shamaka and many smaller towns, with a great many of their inhabitants. Nearly every building in Shamaka was leveled, and great fissures opened in the earth. The smaller villages in the vicinity were not damaged to so great an extent. The latest reports state that fully 2,000 persons lost their lives, the most of whom were women and children.
ENGLAND and Japan have entered into an alliance for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of China. In some quarters this new treaty is regarded as a virtual ultimatum to Russia to relinquish her hold on Manchuria and cease her designs on Korea. The Russian press, however, hold that Russia would have signed the treaty herself if she had been requested to do so. By the terms of this treaty each of the contracting parties agrees to come to the other's assistance in case she is at war with more than one power at the same time. Article 1 states the purpose of the treaty, which is to maintain the independence and integrity of China and Korea. The signing of this treaty is said to have already strengthened the Chinese officials in opposing Russia's demands.
THE Senate, on February 17, ratified the treaty with Denmark for the purchase of the Danish West Indies for the sum of $5,000,000. The islands comprising this group are known as St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. Senator Bacon moved to strike from the treaty that article which declared that the civil rights and status of the islanders would be determined by Congress. He took the position that the Constitution of the United States extended to the islands when they became part of the United States. His amendment was rejected without division. Congress has definitely decided that the Constitution of the United States is operative only where Congress shall permit.
THE greatest snow and wind storm since 1888 visited the Atlantic coast on February 17. The wind in some places reached a velocity of nearly 60 miles an hour. The fall of snow along some parts of the coast reached 12 inches. Traffic in the large cities was practically blocked for the greater portion of the day, where the streets were piled high with the drifted snow. The track of the storm was 200 miles wide, and extended from Virginia to Maine. There was much suffering among the poor and destitute in the large cities.
THE Ministerial Alliance of Salt Lake City has unanimously adopted the report of its investigating committee, which asserts that polygamy is both taught and practised by the Mormons of Utah in open defiance of the laws of the State. This report is to be used as a petition for the passage of an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting polygamy, and will be sent to the judiciary committee of Congress.
Two thousand persons have been invited to the launching of the German emperor's yacht at New York and to the luncheon following. This number includes only governors of States, high officials, and the wealthy aristocracy of New York City and vicinity. At this luncheon the President and the German prince will occupy an elevated platform in view of all the guests.
THE Venezuelan gunboat Crespo was captured and scuttled by the crew of the rebel steamer Libertador on February 7, the rebels destroying what guns they could not remove from the captured vessel. On February 12 an engagement took place between the gunboats of the Colombian Government and the rebels, but neither side suffered serious damage.
A MEMORIAL from the Federal party of the Philippines has been transmitted to the Senate of the United States. The memorial asks that the Philippines be regarded as a territory of the United States; that civil rule be established; and that free pardon be granted to those who have taken part in the opposition to the rule of the United States.
A REPORT from Constantinople states that the captors of Miss Stone have been attacked by an other party of brigands who sought to secure the prisoners in order to get the ransom money. Twenty men were killed during the fight, but the original captors of the missionaries were victorious, and the missionaries themselves were not hurt.
A COMPANY of 150 mounted British infantry were entrapped by a company of Boers near Johannesburg on February 12. The British lost 12 killed and over 40 wounded. Messers Wessels and Wolmarans of the Boer delegation in Europe have sailed for the United States to make a tour of the country in the interests of their countrymen.
ON February 14 riotous strikers practically took possession of the city of Trieste, Austria. Troops fired into the mob, killing 16 persons and wounding many more. The riotous demonstrations are said to have been the worst Austria has experienced in many years. The whole city has been placed under martial law.
THE postoffice appropriation bill has been completed in committee, and carries an appropriation of $137,916,598, an increase of $14,133,910 over the current appropriations. The largest item is $41,250,000 for railway transportation of mails. The rural free delivery gets an increase of $1,250,000, making $7,529,000.
A WEALTHY syndicate is reported to have secured from the Canadian Government absolute control of all vacant ground and all ground to become vacant in the richest portions of the Klondike. Reports from there indicate that unless this action is rescinded, the Klondike will be deserted within a few weeks.
THE largest sugar mill in the world is now in operation on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The mill has a capacity of 500 tons of sugar a day.
A TERRIBLE story of cannibalism comes from the west coast of Africa, where a company of French explorers have been conducting operations. The natives fell upon one party of the explorers, killed some, and bound others, devoured some of those who were killed, and were preparing to treat the rest of the party in a similar manner, when a relief party came to their rescue and drove off the natives, killing 30.
THE whole city of Des Moines, Iowa, is reported under quarantine, owing to an epidemic of smallpox. The report states that practically the whole city has been exposed, because of the fact that the form of the disease is so mild that many continued at their occupations for several days after the attack.
RAILWAY men are now planning a railroad to cross the southern part of Asia, bringing Cairo, Egypt, and Shanghai, China, into direct communication. The project is to be accomplished by utilizing such roads as have already been constructed and constructing whatever new lines are necessary to fill the gaps.
THE airship of M. Santos-Dumont, in which he has made many short trips in safety, became unmanageable during his ascension on February 14, at Monaca, France, and came down with him into the bay at that place. The inventor was rescued, but the ship was practically destroyed.
A SWEDISH chemist comes forward with the claim that he has perfected a process by which milk can be converted into a powder which is soluble in water, and can then be reconverted into its natural condition. The process costs less than one-fourth of a cent per quart.
THE chief sanitary officer of Havana, Cuba, reports that from September 28, 1901, to the present time, not a case of yellow fever has developed in this city. This, he claims, is due entirely to the killing of the mosquitoes, by which the infection has been carried heretofore.
IN a battle between officers and mountaineers near Middlesboro, Kentucky, on February 12, 6 men were killed and many wounded. The mountaineers were defending a notorious saloon, in which more than fifty persons had lost their lives since its establishment.
REPORTS from Spain state that 80,000 laborers are now on strike in Barcelona. Many have been killed and wounded in conflicts between the strikers and troops. Serious labor troubles are also reported from Rome, with clashes between the troops and strikers.
A CHARTER has been granted to the Denver, Kansas, and Atlantic Railroad to construct 1,248 miles of new road, extending from Denver to Paris, Texas, by way of Oklahoma. Several branch lines will be constructed in Oklahoma and Indian Territories.
TWO society women of New England, between whom the intensest rivalry exists, have carried it to the extent of importing palaces from abroad for their abodes. These palaces were torn down, shipped to the places desired in New England, and there rebuilt.
NEWS comes from Venezuela that there have been numerous uprisings in the interior. Government troops sent to subdue the uprisings have been defeated by the rebels, and some of them have gone over to the enemy.
ARRANGEMENTS are now being made for the leasing of a strip of territory 8 miles wide across the Isthmus of Panama, so that in case it is decided to build by that route, territory will not be wanting in which to dig the ditch.
PRINCE HENRY of Prussia, brother of the Emperor of Germany, sailed from Bremerhaven on February 15 for the United States. The Kaiser's yacht Hohenzollern is now at New York awaiting the arrival of the prince.
SUCCESSFUL experiments in wireless telephony are now being carried on in France. The instruments are simply connected with the ground, but conversation can be easily carried on over short distances.
CHINA has dismissed the German officers who were training her army, and has employed Japanese officers to do this work, as the Japanese do not require the large salaries which the Germans were receiving.
PLANS are now being made by both President and congressmen at Washington for the relief of the Cubans by legislation which will give them freer access to our markets than they now enjoy.
A CABLE from Constantinople states that the Bulgarians are planning an uprising in Macedonia during the coming spring, and that they are endeavoring to have the Greeks join them.
MISSIONARIES who have been visiting the Indians of Riverside and San Diego counties, California, report that the Indians are in a pitiable condition, and that many are actually starving.
THE bill for the repeal of the war revenue taxes passed the House on February 17, every vote, 278 in number, being cast to the affirmative.
A DESPATCH from India states that in the Punjab the plague is epidemic again, and that 1,000 deaths are occurring daily.