--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - J. M. Tanner collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 9 published: 1904-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'J. M. Tanner, "Some Leading Events in the Current Story of the World," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 9 (July 1904): 706–713.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0709unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0709unse start_page: 706 end_page: 713 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0709unse publication_year: 1904 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Some Leading Events in the Current Story of the World SOME LEADING EVENTS IN THE CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. BY DR. J. M. TANNER, SUPERINTENDENT OF CHURCH SCHOOLS. Progress of the War. As soon as Japan secured the undisputed control of the sea, she was in a position to commence her movements on land. The initial point in the land campaign was the Yalu River. This river separates Manchuria from Korea. The latter country the Russians were in no position to hold. The fighting there amounted to light skirmishes by which the Russians merely hoped to retard Japanese movements to the north. It was believed that the Russians would have ample time to concentrate their forces on the northern banks of the Yalu and so entrench themselves on the hills as to offer a most stubborn resistance. The battle of the Yalu which occurred on May 1st was the ini- tial land contest. Every preparation for crossing the Yalu had been carefully made. The artillery at Wiju covered the movements of the troops over the river and the Japanese soldiers at once be- gan to storm the position of the Russians in their hillside fortifica- tions. The Japanese were first obliged to cross the Ai Ho, a trib- utary of the Yalu, with a division of the army, but the smaller stream offered no serious impediment for their soldiers fought while they were in water to their waists. Everywhere Japanese arms were victorious. It was immediately manifest that they had better Even the Japanese cav- artillery and were more skillful in its use. alry showed up to good advantage. The Russians were compelled to^retreat and move their position as far back as Feng Wang Chang. CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 707 The Japanese strengthened their outposts in order to hold the position which they had gained; and General Kuroki, who had cov- ered himself with honors, began the adjustment of his troops for further contingencies, while General Oku farther to the south-west began to close in upon Port Arthur. Just what position Kuroki will be found to have taken is un- certain. There has been much speculation as to his plans to sur- round Kuropatkin. It is more likely that he simply stands a men- ace to any movement of the Russian army to the south for the relief of Port Arthur. It is. curious to note the diversity of im- portance attached to the battle of the Yalu. Some English jour- nals, pro Japanese, class it among the decisive battles of the world. French papers, pro-Russian, refer to it as a part of a number of frontier skirmishes. The Battle of Nan Shan Hill. The most brilliant military achievement of the present war is the capture of Nan Shan hill May 26th. Port Arthur lies at the extreme southern point of the Liao-tung peninsula. About thirty miles north of Port Arthur the peninsula narrows to a distance of about two miles by the indentations of the Talienwan on the east and the Kin Chau bay on the west. The defense of this narrow neck was considered of vital importance. At Kinchau there is a strong fort and near by is Nan Shan hill which was considered im- pregnable. It may indeed be considered a mountain since it is something two thousand feet high. Breed's hill or Bunker like hill would be a mere ant hill in comparison. The hill near the top is very steep. On its crest the Russians had lodged a large number of heavy cannon and quick firing machines. For days the Japanese, reconnoitered the hill and drew from the enemy the fire of the cannons whose balls were examined carefully to determine the character of the field pieces which must be met in an effort to take the hill by storm. The Russian force charged with the defense of the hill is said to have numbered between twelve thousand and twenty thousand men. On the morning of May 26th at 9 o'clock the charge of the began amidst deafening cannonading and fearful carnage. The hill guns of the fort mowed down whole companies of the Japanese who seemed to be simply infuriated by the awful spectacle of death about them. The soldiers kept on charging up the hill, climbing over the rows of dead bodies of their comrades until late in the afternoon they penetrated the outer ranks of the Russians. The first Japanese soldiers to lead the bayonet charge were quickly followed by others until the Russians, finding the attack irresist- ible, fled to the south in the direction of Port Arthur. The capture of Nan Shan hill cost the Japanese thirty-five thousand men in killed and wounded. It is reported that the Rus- sians lost something like eight hundred men. As the Russians were pursued for some distance in their retreat, no accurate account of their loss can be learned at present. Against such undaunted men as stormed Nan Shan hill, what defensive methods of modern war- fare can prove effectual! The whole world was astounded. It is to be doubted whether in all the history of war such determined and unflinching resistance to overwhelming odds was ever surpassed. With equal precision and courage, the Japanese army at once began to move in upon Port Arthur and fasten its death grip upon the fortifications which it was believed could only be taken by pro- cess of starvation. The fleet has brought over the great siege guns, and the world will be given another evidence of Japanese military prowess and strategy. No doubt the Japs will be provided with mortars, or high angle firing guns, such as we have for de- fense on our sea coasts. These twelve inch guns throw projectiles of a thousand pounds a distance of five miles. What makes them so effective in besieging a fortress is that the projectiles may be thrown a distance of two miles into the air; when they fall and explode, their destruction is equalled only by a torpedo. These ex- plosives may be dropped with great accuracy; and we are informed that the Japanese have supplied themselves with balloons so as to locate the points upon which attacks can be most advantageously mad^. The period of one year which it was predicted would be necessary to carry Port Arthur may, in the light of recent prog- ress, be shortened to one month. Senator Quay. The old Roman adage,that "of the dead say nothing but good," is not observed in the case of Pennsylvania's senator who recently CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 709 died. After a political leadership in that state covering a period of some thirty years, it is remarkable what a variety of opinions prevail concerning Senator Quay's political career. That he was a man of most extraordinary resources, no one doubts, and it does not seem possible that he could control the political affairs of a state so completely by methods that were wholly and always un- scrupulous or vicious. That he has resorted to tactics in political life that were questionable is asserted by his enemies. It will be, perhaps, impossible on this side of eternity to determine just what Senator Quay's rights are to the honorable consideration of the American people. Over his virtues and his vices, politicians will continue to the end to contend. It is quite generally conceded that as a soldier in the Civil War he was brave and patriotic. He was possessed of fine literary tastes and had uncommon mental powers. To his friends, it is said, he was always loyal and that his word was as good as his bond. In political life he possessed the virtue of remembering and re- warding every service rendered him. When the great opposition he had to contend with at different periods of his political career is taken into consideration, it must be acknowledged that his mas- tery over the minds of men was something of the Napoleonic type. He does not appear to have been of magnetic personality, but rather secretive and taciturn. For sixty years Cameron and Quay have managed in a masterly manner the political life of the great state of Pennsylvania. Such a period covers almost half the his- tory of our national existence. Perdicaris Kidnapped. On the evening of the 18th of May, a Moorish brigand with his followers entered the house of Ian Perdicaris,an American citizen at Tangier, Morocco, and carried him off to await the ransom of their prisoner by this country. The demand for a large ransom was an- swered by our Secretary of State by the dispach of three gun boats and cruiser to Tangier. Mr. Perdicaris was a New Jersey million- aire who had gone to Morocco to enjoy the oriental life which seems to have a certain fascination for Franks (western people) who have lived a considerable time in oriental countries. Mr. Perdicaris was born at Athens, in 1840, at the American Consulate while his father was Consul General to that country. He evidently inherited some of his preferences for life about the Med- iterranean. At Tangier he had built a beautiful palace and did much to improve, it is said, the sanitary condition of the city.An Eng- lishman, Mr. Varley, a step-son was also taken at the time of the capture of Perdicaris. By a recent treaty between England and France, England agreed to recognize the paramount influence of France in Morocco. This, no doubt, means that France will soon take a hand in the internal administration of the country just as England is doing in Egypt. In recognition of this treaty, our government appealed to France for her good offices in securing the release of Perdicaris. This pleased France, because was an early recognition of her it claims to guardianship in Morocco. However, France took some exception to the appearance of our fleet in Moroccan waters. Our government was frank to say to France that if the latter would guarantee the restoration of Perdicaris, the fleet would at once be withdrawn. Rasouli had often been the guest of Perdicaris and was a, leader among the Berbers that constitute a class of lawless sub- jects of the Sultan. Perhaps no more than one f outh of the coun- try is under responsible government, and brigands have things very much their own way in the greater portion of Morocco. A New Canadian Transcontinental Railway. A bill which recently passed the Dominion Parliament practi- cally assured Canada a transcontinental line of railway extending- from Moncton, in New Brunswick, to the Pacific Coast. The cost of the road is estimated at from $165,000,000 to $185,000,000. Un- der the terms of the bill, the Canadian government assumes a lia- bility for the greater portion of the road. Some question has arisen as to the value of the road in the eastern division, that is, from the Atlantic to Winnipeg, a distance of 1875 miles. With the exception of a few points which this eastern division will touch, the entire road will be practically through a wilderness which awaits development by settlers. This eastern portion is largely covered by forests and it is hardly likely that settlers will care tO' CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 711 clear away trees when so much land can be had in the prairies of Manitoba and the north-west. There is no doubt, however, about the value of the road after it leaves Winnipeg on its way to the northwest, whose immense grain fields are increasing yearly with great rapidity. The present transcontinental line, the Canadian Pacific, is wholly unable to move the great crops of grain that are yearly taken from the West. This line will undoubtedly have special value to the settlers in Al- berta. From present indications it will run north of the Canadian. Pacific railroad, but it will undoubtedly contain spur lines extend- ing down to our colonies and greatly enhance the value of our pro- ducts in that section. Canada is really a new El Dorado. Postal War on Patent Medicines. ^ For some time our government chemists have been analyzing patent medicines and other nostroms that have found so general a use throughout the country. These medicines are purported to cure any and all diseases. In recent years their advertisements have amounted in themselves to so many millions of dollars that it was evident that the sales of these medicines must have been something extraordinary. Many of these were analyzed and found to contain substances that had no healing properties for the dis eases it was claimed they would cure. Many of them contained a large percentage of alcohol, which had an exhilarating effect upon the patients who mistook a temporary state of partial in- toxication for a cure. The postoffice department has issued an order prohibiting the transportation of certain medicines through the mail, medicines that have been passed upon by government experts. The prohibi- tion of the use of the mail also extends to papers that advertise these fraudulent medicines. The Boston Transcript, commenting on the subject, has this to say: "Now, with the necessary amount of faith, a patent medicine may accomplish a cure in one case where it will not in another. To exclude it, the postoffice department must determine that it will not, even with the required admixture of faith, effect a cure; and we do not believe that it is within the province of the post- office department to decide which medicines are of value in par- ticular cases and which are worthless." The postoffice department might refer this matter to Congress^ -especially to the Senate of the United State, which has recently had unusual opportunities for determining what is genuine in re- ligion and what is not. The Senate might give a full hearing on the question of patent medicines and decide where even an admix- ture of faith would not be effectual. Colorado's Troubles. On the night of June 6th, when a squad of non-union miners at Independence, Colorado, were about to take the train for their homes at the close of their shifts in the mine, a dynamite bomb was exploded under the station platform and sent thirteen instant- ly into eternity. Next day two died from the effects of injury. At Victor, on the 7th, while a meeting was being held by non-union men and mine owners, a disturbance arose and two more non-union men were killed. This lawlessness was attributed to neglect on the part of the peace officers elected by the unionists. It was believed that the sheriff connived at the outrages per- petrated by union men. A mob of non-union men and mine owners thereupon called at the sheriff's office and demanded his resigna- tion. Upon his refusal, a coil of rope was thrown at his feet. The threat was sufficient to bring his resignation, and a mine owner was appointed sheriff. Wholesale arrests then began. Union stores were looted and their goods thrown into the streets, though the officers put a stop to such vandalism and at once took steps to protect the stores. Bodies of unionists were escorted to the Col- orado line and ordered to keep out of the state. Governor Peabody, who was at the St. Louis fair,hurried home to assume charge of affairs in his distracted state, which for the past two years has been the scene of one of the greatest labor un- ion straggles witnessed in this country, or anywhere else, for that matter. The Cripple Creek district has been the scene of terror, and outrages on human life have been there altogether too com- mon. Non-union men have showed a determined effort to work and many of them have been shot down as they were returning to or CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 713 from their work by men in ambush. The militia has been in con- stant demand and the state at times in certain districts has been in a condition bordering on anarchy. The struggle on the part of organized labor and its contest with capital may lead to a panic of the most distressing character. Capital is naturally timid; and if it should retire from its regular channels of commerce and manufacturing, it is easy to compre- hend the appalling distress and starvation that would follow. The temper of the struggle is the most alarming, and the more so be- cause it grows rapidly in its intensity. A very large proportion of working men are non-unionists and they are apparently as bit- ter as their opponents. No thoughtful man can contemplate the labor trouble of our country without the gravest apprehensions over the outcome. If the struggle becomes desperate, it vrill cost millions of property and rivers of blood. The horror of it all is that when once it has passed certain limits, it will be beyond the control of either side, or of both sides. Like an avalanche, it will gather irresistible force as it goes. The principle of federation is like a drag net. It will draw in the discontented and the contented alike. The organizations of labor are so complete and so well equipped for immediate action that a civil conflict may come like an avalanche without a moment's warning when all men think themselves secure.