War, Russian Reform, and Consumption Cure
The matter of peace or the continuance of war between Russia and Japan, still hangs in the balances, with the chances largely in favor of war. As we go to press, Japan refuses to withdraw her demand for indemnity, and Russia refuses to pay indemnity in any amount whatever or under any guise whatever. President Roosevelt has made personal appeals to both monarchs in the interests of peace, and altho the appeals have been received with favor, it is understood that the envoys will meet for the last time on August 28, without hope of reaching an agreement. In this case, we may expect to hear of a renewal of the war without delay, as both parties have long been preparing, and are now closely facing each other. The czar's ukase calling a popular assembly is looked upon from vastly different view-points by different classes of the Russian people. In some cases public meetings, largely attended, have protested strongly against its provisions, principally because there is not enough of power given to the assembly, and because it is not coupled with the promise of much-desired freedom. They demand for the Russian people immediately full civil rights, freedom of the press and of speech and meeting, and universal suffrage. A report from New York states that the New York Post Graduate Hospital announces the discovery of a vegetable fluid which has been accepted as a positive cure for consumption. It is stated that every tuberculosis patient treated by the vegetable compound has recovered. If this be authentic, there is no doubt but that it will become a matter of general knowledge before many weeks, unless the secret of the ingredients become the property of some rapacious trust. The whole province of Warsaw, Russia, has been placed under martial law, and hundreds of arrests have been made. The Socialists have declared a general strike. In Odessa district there are reported fresh agrarian riots. Peasants are destroying the property of the land owners, and some estates have been entirely demolished. In the city of New York during the past year there were 59,196 births, of which only 11,903 were of pure American parentage. Italians stood next to Americans, with 11,298. The third highest, in point of numbers, was the Polish and Russian Hebrew, with 9,688. Two successful trials of air-ships have been made during the week past, one in New York and the other in Portland, Oregon. In both instances the air-ships remained in the air for some time, and both were said to be under perfect control. Reports from New Orleans indicate a general decrease in the number of yellow-fever patients. The total number of deaths to date has been 226. New cases continue to develop, but the spread of the disease seems to be under control. The Swedish Government is now taking measures to settle amicably the matter of Norway's separation from Sweden. It is said that King Oscar is now willing that one of the members of his family should be the first king of Norway. A mob of about a thousand Buddhists recently attacked a French Catholic Church in China, and killed eighteen priests. The French Government is demanding the punishment of the guilty. Owing to a collision between a Japanese transport and a British ship 127 Japanese invalided soldiers were drowned on August 2, in the Inland Sea. France is threatening to seize a town on the border of Morocco because of the unprovoked arrest of a French subject by Moroccan officers.