News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 6, 1907

Citizenship for Porto Ricans.—President Roosevelt, in his visit to Porto Rico, November 21, said to the Porto Ricans who greeted him there:

"I shall continue to use every effort to secure citizenship for the Porto Ricans. I am confident this will come in the end, and all that I can personally do to hasten that day I will do."

He was very enthusiastically received. Many banners were displayed along his route, with the inscription: "We ask for self-government; we want to be American citizens."

AN ENGLISH ENGINEER en route from Tokyo to London reports that the war spirit is at fever heat in Japan, that preparations for war are being pushed along every line. Japan has two military arsenals, employing approximately 50,000 workmen, operates four shipyards, and works for the production of armor plate and material for big guns, and a powder factory.

A FRIGHTFUL accident occurred at Pittsburg, January 9, when the accumulated gas at the base of the furnace in a large steel plant became ignited, resulting in a terrific explosion. Tons of molten metal were showered around the furnace for a radius of forty feet, overwhelming the workmen in a fiery flood. About twenty were killed, several of them being consumed by the fiery metal.

IN spite of the evidence of oppression, thousands of half-starved natives, maimed and scarred by their masters, several strong Catholic organizations assert that reports of cruelty in the Congo are false. They protest against any interference by this government. Because King Leopold is a Catholic should make no difference in the cause of the oppressed natives.

A DESPATCH from Paris states that hereafter all French coins will bear the inscription, "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity," minus the old device, "God Protect France." Evidently France means to make a complete separation of civil and religious matters. But after all their boasts, earthly kingdoms owe their dominion to God, whose "kingdom ruleth over all."

THE plan of keeping all the big warships on the Atlantic Coast will be changed, and the fleet of the Pacific is to be increased, until there are two large squadrons of vessels on this seaboard. Four of the most formidable ships now attached to the Atlantic squadron, including the battle-ships, Kentucky and Kearsarge, will be sent around the Horn and added to the Pacific squadron.