Persia’s Spheres of Influence and Crisis
Altho Persia is already divided into two "spheres of influence" by Russia and England, Germany has announced its intention of opening it to German capitalists. Germany was unfortunate in being born into the circle of the great nations after the world had been divided among the powers. Hence her industrial expansion will always involve international relations. In the Persian situation as it now stands, one journal has put it, "England and Russia will have to divide their Persian spheres of influence, or Germany will have to abandon her purpose to force open the trade doors of Persia, or make the new East a battle-field." In view of this, the same journal elsewhere says the situation makes certain a desperate crisis in the Orient. "The Western Watchman," of St. Louis, publishes a column article from London in its issue of June 23 to prove that King Edward VII died a Roman Catholic, shrived by a priest, namely Bernard Vaughan, S. J. The last place the king visited before leaving the continent for England, just before his last illness, was the grotto at Lourdes. It is also said that he wore around his neck a scapular, such as is worn by devout Catholics. A scapular consists of narrow strips of cloth tied with strings, and generally having upon it the figure of a cross, or some other badge. That the king died a Catholic would not surprise us. The defection of the whole royal family does not change God's truth. Mexico will celebrate the centennial of its struggle for liberty next September. It was in September, 1810, that the Mexican revolution against the Spaniards began. A national centennial commission is arranging a program. The powers will send delegates to the celebration. Certainly the men of to-day need to learn the lesson of past struggles for freedom. As showing the tendency to extravagance, the increase in Government expenses is worthy of note. In the four fiscal years 1886-1890, during the 49th and 50th congresses, the appropriations amounted to $1,136,454,697.68. During the four fiscal years 1902-1906, under the 57th and 58th congresses, the appropriations were $2,139,006,651.58. Elwood Haynes announced to the American Chemical Society, which met in San Francisco, the discovery of a new steel substitute, an alloy of cobalt and chromium. It is unoxidizable, and will not rust under any conditions. While costing a little more than steel, it has more utility. The German kaiser will shortly begin an anti-socialistic sheet with himself as editor. It is reported that Emperor Wilhelm has been studying American journals, and that he intends to introduce a tinge of "yellow" in his paper. The entertainment that Paris extended to the king and queen of Bulgaria on their recent visit cost the French Government $20,000; that of Roosevelt, $5,000; and that of a Chinese prince and several Moroccan nobles, $5,000. July 4 to July 28 the British navy engaged in mimic war. The area of the maneuvers was from Gibraltar to the North Sea. The monetary value of the fleet involved is $600,000,000. It is the largest fleet of modern history. The governor of Missouri has issued a proclamation warning the Negro that he must not gloat over the results of the fight at Reno. Sad that such a thing seems necessary. According to the St. Louis "Globe-Democrat," men are allowed to smoke in a church at Dayton, Ohio. The same journal says the church may soon be a competitor of the "club." Six hundred seventy-two boxes of ice-cream cones were seized by a United States marshal at New York. A complaint had been made that they were unfit for human consumption. According to a newspaper report, 14 divorces were granted in Reno in 1905; 58 in 1906; 82 in 1907; 111, 1908; 146, 1909. The German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle died July 10. He was the first astronomer to see Neptune.