Catholic Military Organization
By Editor
A significant move is that recently reported from Chicago in reference to a great Catholic military organization which is now in process of formation. The organization will include every state in the union, and will have national headquarters to direct its operations and extensions. Delegates were present at the meeting in Chicago from several of the Catholic military organizations, and others signified their hearty accord with the plan. It is difficult for a Christian to see the necessity for a great military organization in any church. Peter, the rock on which the Catholic Church is supposed to be founded, received a fitting rebuke from the Master for the use which he made of a carnal weapon. Peter accepted the rebuke and never repeated the offense; but that church goes on with its military organizations as tho the Master they profess to follow had given explicit directions for the advancement of His kingdom in the earth by the use of the cannon, sword, and bayonet. This federation of Catholic military organizations is full of significance to those who know what the Bible teaches regarding the future work of that church. The Russian and Japanese envoys at Portsmouth, N. H., have reached an agreement, and peace is now within sight. The cessation of hostilities will not be authorized, however, until the envoys have signed the treaty, which is now complete. It will be signed in a few days. Japan, at the last moment, withdrew her demand for a cash indemnity, and will allow Russia to retain half of Saghalien Island. The provisions of the treaty have not been made known. But Russia evacuates China; Japan secures preponderating influence in Korea, and gets all of Russia's possessions in the Liao Tung Peninsula, which includes Port Arthur and Dalny. Japan also secures fishing rights off the coast of Siberia. The Japanese people are said to be very indignant at the peace terms. The war party in Russia is also dissatisfied, as they hoped to see Oyama beaten in the battle with Linevitch. Great praise has been showered upon President Roosevelt for his part in bringing about an agreement between these nations. Bishop Potter's saloon, so called because at its opening the bishop gave an address, and had the doxology sung, has been forced to close its doors for lack of patronage. The bishop's blessing on the saloon, like the pope's blessing on the Spanish Armada, on Maximilian's army in Mexico, on the wife of Maximilian when she returned from Mexico, on the army of the confederacy, and on the Spanish army in the late war with the United States,—seems to have had a contrary effect to that designed. This saloon will make no further pretense to running as a "sanctified saloon;" the scripture texts will be taken down; and it will be run like any other dispensary of the home-destroying and life-blighting liquids. The Lord will not bless evil, as this saloon incident shows; He will not curse the good, as the experience of Balaam proves. A treaty has been signed between England and Japan, by the terms of which either is to go to the assistance of the other when attacked by a third power. The purpose of this treaty is to maintain the continuance of the conditions that will exist in the East as a result of the treaty of peace between Japan and Russia. Japan desires the continued integrity of China, the continuance of her predominating influence in Korea, and the discontinuance of Russia's aggressive action in the Orient. It is thought that it is to act also as a check to Russia's southward movement toward the Indian frontier. The Interparliamentary Congress, called together in the interest of international arbitration, met at Brussels in the Palais de le Nacion, on August 28. Delegates are present from the parliaments or congresses of all the principal nations of the world. A draft for a model arbitration treaty has already been presented to this congress. The last engagement of the Russo-Japanese War was fought on August 31. It was an encounter between relatively small bodies of men. The Japanese are said to have lost to the Russians 130 prisoners, and quite a number were killed. The Russian loss was 8 killed. The remnant of the Japanese retired, bearing their wounded. Chicago has another strike on its hands, this time it is a strike of the printers, who threaten to close all the shops of that city. They are demanding an eight-hour day. President Mitchell, of the mine workers, has announced that the miners will strike after the first of April next for recognition and an eight-hour day. Chicago is now to pay for the damage done during the railroad strike of 1894 by the mobs of strikers that set fire to railroad property within the city limits. The road sued for $140,000; but the court has awarded to it $100,000. The total solar eclipse of the sun on August 30 was observed by companies of scientists at Assouan, Egypt; Alhama, Spain; Guetalma, Algeria; Tripoli; and St. Johns, Newfoundland. All were successful except the last named. Secretary of War Taft has not met with an enthusiastic or even cordial reception in China. The streets have been placarded with anti-american posters, many of which are exceedingly discourteous to the visitors. Three thousand of the inhabitants of Saghalien have been landed by the Japanese on the Russian mainland. This forced emigration is said to have been attended with great suffering. The yellow fever record in New Orleans up to the present time is as follows: number of cases, 1,878; number of deaths, 277. The disease has broken out at Pensacola, Fla., also. Cholera has broken out in Germany, and is spreading.