News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 16, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 32.

Much of the discussion on prehistoric man is based on measurements of the crania of early man. As our readers know, such study generally involves Evolution. The recent study of an instructor at Columbia University over the head forms of immigrants tends to show that head forms vary exceedingly in race types under new conditions. This is taken, even by scholars, as indicating the precariousness of classification upon crania alone.

The Syriac hymn-book that has been recently discovered shows acquaintance with John's Gospel. Dr. J. Harris, an English scholar, and Dr. Harnack, of the University of Berlin, unite in assigning the hymn-book to the period before 100 A. D. Some regard this ancient document as the most important found within the last fifty years as far as being a verification of the New Testament.

Thirty-seven countries have sent seventy scholars and diplomats to the International Monetary Conference which is sitting this summer at The Hague, working to secure unification of the laws of exchange and international coinage. The representative of the United States is Charles A. Conant.

Mr. W. D. Allen of Chicago would be glad to spend ten million dollars to help the poor; and he thinks that one of the very best ways—and who would say that he is not right?—would be to expend that in the abolition of the dramshop, so as to prevent men from using their wages for that which is a curse and not a blessing.

During the last ten years, the Federal Government has consigned thirty-six war-ships to the junk heap. Together these ships cost the United States $9,803,495, but when sold they brought only $266,779. For instance, the Hornet cost $117,500. It was recently sold for $5,100.

In an address before the graduating class of the Boston College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. J. H. Kellogg said that in case the present rate of increase of insanity continued, the whole world would be insane in 265 years.

The Chinese imperial edict forbidding the cultivation of opium has had a happy result. In a recent tour of 1,200 miles through the province of Szechuen, where formerly the farmers grew little else than opium, a commercial agent did not find a single plant visible.

One of the happiest little kingdoms of earth is Bulgaria, where there is said to be full liberty of the press, perfect understanding between king and citizens, and no caste. The king's court is merely a group of common people.

Moving-picture films are now made to represent the growing flower or insect. The bursting of a bud, the unfolding of a fern, the evolution of a chrysalis into a butterfly, would certainly be fascinating pictures.

While twenty years ago life in Rhodesia was very primitive indeed, now the traveler in the southern districts of that territory rides in luxuriously equipped railroad coaches, with sleepers and restaurant cars.

According to an estimation of Dr. Zeller, a German statistician, in every 1,000 of the earth's inhabitants, 346 are nominal Christians, 114 are Mohammedans, 7 are Israelites, and 533 are of other beliefs.

The various librarians of the country report a decrease in the circulation of books. Among the reasons assigned for this has been the growing interest in moving-picture shows.

The University of Chicago is building a Memorial Library in honor of William R. Harper, its former president and famous Hebrew scholar. The library is to cost $600,000.

Man's battle with the air has its fatalities as well as the strifes between man and man. Fourteen experimenters with flying-machines have perished since September, 1908.

The primaries in Texas compel the legislature to submit to the people of that state a constitutional amendment involving state-wide prohibition.

Pottery of Egyptian workmanship has been discovered in Italy. It is an eloquent affirmation of the trade relations of the ancient world.

The Chinese government, it is reported, has asked Lord Kitchener to take charge over the reorganization of the Chinese army.

In New York and Massachusetts fines are permitted to be paid on the instalment plan. This is certainly a humane system.

A French statistician claims that after an "analysis" of 872,265 households, only 135 couples are happy.

The Federal Government will establish cooking schools for the purpose of supplying cooks to the army.

There are 1,405 charitable societies of New York unconnected with ecclesiastical bodies.

It is interesting to note that the Bible is the best selling book in India at present.

Seven were killed within three days in Imperial Valley by the great heat.

Tarsus, the natal city of Paul, is now lighted by electricity.

King George of England will be crowned in June, 1911.