Current Events

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 27, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 38.

That Mr. Ballinger has proved false to his trust as secretary of the interior was the decision of the five Democratic members of the committee who had the Ballinger, Pinchot, Glavis, et al case under investigation. They urge that the secretary should be asked by proper authorities to resign his office. The Republican members issued no report. An independent report was given by Mr. Madison, the insurgent Republican from Kansas, which also declared that Ballinger "was an unfaithful trustee of the people's interests, and should not be retained."

A new world's health organization, headquarters of which is in Cincinnati, Ohio, is waging a campaign against kissing. Their claim is that some of the most dreadful diseases, like consumption, are imparted by kissing, and especially kissing the baby by well-meaning but infected relatives. For that reason they are circulating a pledge, and have organized an anti-kissing club, the motto of which is, "Kiss not." Their plan is to induce mothers to put these mottoes on buttons on the bib of every baby to be worn till the child is eighty years old.

Drs. Ehrlichs and Hala of Vienna have compounded a new remedy which they claim is a cure for contagious blood diseases. It is a compound of arseno-benzol. It is also arbitrarily named 606. American physicians are studying the matter, and think that in some way it may prove to be a specific for cancer. It may prove to be, as have many other highly lauded medicines in the past, an utterly false hope.

Boston is trying to prevent tuberculosis by feeding anemic school children with "penny lunches." The effort so far, it is reported, has met with success, both financially to the schools that have adopted the method, and in the desired physical effect on the children. There are now nine schools serving 2,000 children.

That President Diaz of Mexico has assured Mormons that polygamy will be permitted without interference of the Mexican authorities, is a statement made by Hamilton Smith, a priest of the Mormon Church. Smith declares his people will abandon Utah, since the United States has enacted laws restricting certain practises of the Mormon faith. We pity Mexico.

In an article describing the insecurity of British rule in Egypt, Dr. A. Berger, a well-known oriental traveler, asserts that he has positive information that the Egyptian Nationalists have smuggled in firearms and have a concealed arsenal of over 40,000 English repeating rifles with plenty of ammunition.

Fernando Mesa, Spanish consul at Lisbon and formerly a member of the Spanish embassy at Washington, was assassinated September 1 on board a train from Paris to Lisbon. The assassination, it is said, was due to his allegiance to the Spanish government in its dispute with the Vatican.

Asiatic cholera of a virulent type has broken out in Southern Italy, and a Turin despatch states that King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Helena are displaying great anxiety over the situation. So far the death-rate has been very high.

Floods in the Indus Valley are causing the collapse of many mosques and temples. Robberies, political murders, and the finding of concealed stores of firearms indicate a state of unrest throughout India.

Rolan Moeller, a young civil engineer of Denver, Colorado, fasted fifty-seven days and lost fifty pounds, but regained his hearing, which was almost destroyed by catarrh.

It is said that Col. O. P. Colt, the head of the rubber trust, will succeed Senator Nelson W. Aldrich as United States senator from Rhode Island in the next Congress.

Funds have been allotted for a project by which it is hoped to irrigate annually an area of 263,000 acres in central India, in a district which suffered considerably during recent famines.

Twenty-one of the principal cities in Iowa have been scheduled by a Philadelphia wireless company for wireless stations before January 1.

A ferry-boat on Lake Michigan sank September 9, and thirty persons drowned. Forty-five were rescued.

Ireland, the poorest country in the world, spends annually $55,000,000 for drink.

Canada proposes to have an international exposition at Winnipeg in 1914.