Mormon Political Power and War Hardships
In the testimony given during the week before the Senate Committee in the case of Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, it has been brought out that the president of the Mormon Church is supreme over the members of that church in the matter of politics; that members must vote according to the dictates of the church, or suffer its serious disfavor. This testimony will have more bearing on Senator Smoot's case than that given during the previous week on the matter of polygamy. A move is now being made in Salt Lake to create a new party which will endeavor to break the political power of the Mormon Church in Utah politics. It is to work in direct opposition to any candidate which may be favored by the church; but it is a fact that in all but three of the counties of that state the Mormons are in the majority. One of the sad conditions of the present war in the Orient is the suffering brought about among the Chinese of Manchuria through the taking of their homes by the Russian troops. The people are driven from their homes that the soldiers may have lodgings, and generally the people are poor, and unable to provide comfortable accommodations elsewhere. Adding to this the fact that the weather is very severe, and that provisions of all kinds are being taken by the troops, one can imagine something of the hardships which the inhabitants are now undergoing. Property damage to the extent of more than a million dollars is reported from the Wyoming Valley, in Pennsylvania, and over two thousand families have been rendered homeless. Industries all along the river have been closed down on account of the floods. The business portion of Plymouth was inundated, and families living in the flooded section were unable to leave their homes for higher ground on account of the rapid rise of the water. The discontented elements in Russia are making the most possible of that government's distress in the Far East. The revolutionists are posting up circulars in prominent places in St. Petersburg, urging the people not to pay the war tax nor to make contributions to assist in the military operations. There is said to be among a large portion of the Russian population a distrust of the government, especially as to the wisdom of the present war. The Japanese Government is urging upon the Korean emperor the necessity of his proclamation of the recent treaty between Korea and Japan. It seems that Korea has not yet advised the other nations that such a treaty has been concluded, and Japan fears that this may work against her interests in the future unless the proclamation is speedily given. The race disturbances in the city of Springfield, Ohio, are being held in check by the presence of thirteen companies of the state militia. Negro agitators are urging the negroes to avenge the lynching of the colored criminal and to burn the white residence and business districts in retaliation for the burning of the negro quarters on the levee. France is beginning active work in strengthening her coast fortifications, and the German press is urging haste in the completion of Germany's naval program, and other nations are looking to the perfection of their powers of offense and defence. So the world is getting ready for its great battle. The report of Fourth Assistant Postmaster-General Bristow called out a storm of protest and indignation in the House of Representatives on March 9, and from the remarks of the congressmen it is evident that an investigation of the entire Post-office Department will be ordered. Officials of the Grand Trunk Railroad have deposited $5,000,000 in the bank of Montreal to the credit of the finance minister as a guarantee for the construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad, which is to parallel the Canadian Pacific across the Dominion of Canada. President Roosevelt has thought it necessary to caution all officials to abstain from any act or speech which might irritate either of the powers at war in the East. The caution is published as an executive order, and applies to all officials, civil, military, and naval. Further rioting has been reported from Kishineff, Russia, where mobs have been parading the streets of the Jewish quarter, smashing windows, looting houses, and beating men and women. The mobs were finally dispersed by the military. The Senate has ratified the treaty recently concluded with Emperor Menelek, of Abyssinia. The treaty is to last ten years, and provides for trading posts and telegraphs and various means of transportation in Menelek's territory. A despatch from Rome states that six Italian villages were destroyed by an earthquake on March 10. The inhabitants are now living in tents. No lives were lost.