Church and State in Ecuador and France
A report from South America states that Ecuador is following the example of France and closing the Catholic nunneries. On the 27th of last August a law was passed by the Congress of Ecuador abolishing convents, and this law is now being put into effect. The nuns are given the option of retiring to the public hospitals, where they will be cared for at the expense of the various cities and towns, or of leaving the country. In the latter case they would be given $2,400 in gold each. The convents and other Catholic property are being confiscated by the government. It must seem strange to the Catholic hierarchy that nations that have known Catholicism so long and have been so under its guidance and teachings should take such steps against “the church.” It gives peculiar force to the statement recently made by a high Catholic official to the effect that the Catholic Church in America did not envy the condition of that church in countries where the church has been dominant in political affairs. An animated discussion took place in the French Chamber of Deputies on October 22 over the question of the government’s action toward the Vatican. By the decisive vote of 325 to 237 the Chamber supported the course of Premier Combes in severing diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Among other things the premier said: “The separation of church and state has become inevitable. Those who advise a revision of the concordat are dupes who would condemn the government to final humiliation. I am in favor of a free church, but with the same freedom as our other institutions have. Let those who will do penance before popes. I have no taste for such practises.” The majority is larger than the premier had last season, and seems to insure the carrying out of the premier’s policy. The pope is much distressed over the stand of the French Government, and attributes it to the work of the Free Masons. The Russian Baltic fleet, which has started on its long voyage for Port Arthur, committed an unexplainable outrage on a British fishing fleet in the North Sea on the night of October 22. These unarmed and inoffensive vessels were engaged in taking care of their catch, when the Russian vessels suddenly opened fire on them, killing two men and injuring eighteen. Two of the fisher vessels were sunk by the Russian shots, and others of the fleet were badly cut to pieces. England will insist upon an apology, and an investigation of the whole matter, with compensation for the killed and injured and for the property destroyed. The British people are much wrought up over the affair, and it would take but little to fan the flame of indignation into a popular demand for war. There are many indications of late that Germany and Russia are drawing closer together, and that England and Germany are less cordial in their relations. Germany is evidently seeking to occupy the place which was until recently held by France in the esteem of Russia. At the same time the English public has become aware of the fact that German spies are busy in England making maps of the coast, of the harbors, and of the topography of the country. The military attachés of Germany and Russia have been specially attached to the persons respectively of the czar and emperor. This gives them the privilege of much greater intimacy with the two rulers, and insures a closer touch between the latter. These things portend a realignment of the European powers. The condition of the Russian sick and wounded is rendered more distressing because of the system of “graft” in vogue among high military officials of Russia. Contributions to the Red Cross work are small owing to the fear of the donors that the funds will not reach the war victims in the East. There is a great deal of peculation by those through whose hands the funds must go. An association of nobles wished to equip a hospital train for the East. When it was ready to start, permission for it to do so was repeatedly and inexplicably delayed. It was finally ascertained that before the train could proceed, a highly placed Russian official must be given a substantial sum. When this sum had been provided the train was allowed to proceed. Experiments of the Department of Agriculture in the attempt to eradicate the Texas boll weevil have proved a failure. Professor Wilson, who has been conducting the experiments, says: “Experience has demonstrated that the boll weevil has come to stay, will be as permanent a pest as obnoxious weeds and grasses, and will spread until it covers every part of the leading cotton-raising districts of the South. It has gone one-hundred miles into Louisiana this year, and the crop-pest commission has given up the fight and taken down quarantine.” It has been hoped that the ant imported from Central America would destroy the pest; but the experiment was a disappointment. Notwithstanding Russia’s experience in the loss of great battle-ships by torpedo attacks, the Washington Navy Department has drawn plans for a 20,000-ton battle-ship, which will be about 4,000 tons larger than anything now built in this line in the world—providing Congress authorizes its construction. This giant among war-ships would have, instead of four 12-inch guns in her main batteries, as now provided in battle-ships, ten 12-inch guns placed in turrets and broadsides, and her secondary battery would be made up entirely of 3-inch quick-firers, which would number 20, and be designed principally for the repelling of torpedo-boat attacks. The Tibetans declare their inability to pay the large indemnity of $3,750,000 which the new treaty with England calls for, and this will probably lead to a prolonged British occupation of the Chumbi Valley. China’s opposition to the ratification of the treaty is said to be increasing, as she believes that it will result in the eventual control of Tibet by England. There have been several reports of late of political unrest on the Isthmus of Panama. There is also a report in circulation that Colombians are massing for an attack on Culebra. For the present, American marines will be maintained on the isthmus. It is part of the mission of Secretary Taft to bring about harmony among the discordant elements on the isthmus. The situation in Italy is still unsettled. An army of about seventy thousand troops will be in readiness to take the field for the maintenance of order during the coming elections. The War Office has issued instructions to the military commanders for the distribution of troops pending the campaign. The change gradually coming over political affairs in Europe and Asia is noticed even in far Afghanistan, whose ruler is now showing marked friendship for the British, and is sending his son on a mission to the local ruler of India, Lord Curzon. Prince Fushimi, adopted brother of the Emperor of Japan, is now on his way to the United States to improve, if possible, the friendly relations now existing between the two countries. The consumption of raw cotton by the mills of the United States has increased 107 per cent. since the year 1880, or from 953,049,105 pounds to 1,979,966,331 pounds. An earthquake which was quite general over Scandinavia and Denmark occurred on October 24, and is reported to have caused much damage to property. The defense of Port Arthur, it is said, will go down in history as the most heroic and stubborn on record in modern times.