--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Anderson, Edward H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 10 number: 10 published: 1907-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Edward H. Anderson, "Events and Comments," *Improvement Era* 10, no. 10 (August 1907): 842–848.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera10010unse 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: improvementera10010unse start_page: 842 end_page: 848 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1907-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera10010unse publication_year: 1907 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 1907, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Events and Comments EVENTS AND COMMENTS. BY EDWARD H. ANDERSON. — The Fourth of July. The most notable celebration of Independence day was held at the Jamestown Exposition grounds, this year. The first annual re- union of the lineal descendants of the signers of the Declaration was held. There was a military parade, orations by Governor Hughes of New York, and President Woodrow Wilson of Princetown University, whose address excited more comment, than any other delivered on that day. The Italians on Staten Island, now a borough of New York City, 25,000 strong, celebrated the 100th anniversary of Guiseppe Garibaldi, the celebrated Italian Patriot and maker of kings, who was born July 4, 1807, at Nice, and died June 2, 1882. He was leader of the independent corps, known as the "Hunters of the Alps" during the war of Sardinia and France against Austria, in 1859, and took part in many patriotic movements and revolutionary campaigns. He came to the United States as an exile in 1850, having entered the service of the Roman Republic in 1849. He was naturalized as an American citizen, and for a time followed the occupation of a candle-maker on Staten Island. His cen- tennary was generally celebrated throughout Italy, also. In London a noted celebration was held. It began with a reception, for which more than 5,000 cards were issued, at the residence of Ambassador Reid, and closed with a banquet at which Mr. Reid, Sir Henry Mortimer Durand and Mark Twain, who has received the degree of Doctor of Letters from Oxford, on this trip, delivered addresses. The princely hospitality of Ambassador Reid is a common subject for comment in the London papers. He pays $26,250 for the rent of his palace, his household is managed on almost royal lines, and Dorchester House has a retinue of servants, a splendor and a formality, closely approaching that of royalty. Mr. Reid's salary scarcely pays for the floral decorations at his dinner parties. The casualty list this year was larger than ever. The collection of facts by the Chicago Tribune shows that 59 persons lost their lives and 3,807 were injured. The number of dead will be materially increased by fatal cases of lockjaw now coming in. Several people were killed by stray bullets from pistols- or rifles in the hands of no one knows. EVENTS AND COMMENTS. 843 Rhodes Oxford Scholars.— During this summer, 35 out of the 37 citizens of this country, the first of the American Rhodes scholars, who became Oxford students in 1904, will return to the United States. Already, by the middle of July, the Utah representative, Mr. R. H. Jacobson, had returned. He comes, as the others do, with honors, and a title of B. A., and is said to be enthusiastic over the opportunities for learning at Oxford, as well as delighted with his experiences. In athletics the Americans have now a fair standing, and the misconceptions which arose by an over-emphasis of the athletic clause at the freshmen's field- day in their first term, when the American Rhodes scholars won over two- thirds of the events, have now entirely disappeared. Oxford will not expect hereafter that every succeeding generation of Rhodes scholars from America will possess transcendent athletic prowess. Mr. Jacobson rowed for his college, (Exeter) as also did Johnson of Washington state. Mr. Schutt, of New York, and Mr. Young of South Dakota, early won their "blues," and twice rep- resented Oxford with much credit against Cambridge. Many of the Americans excelled in Rugby, and they have taken to all outdoor sports except cricket, but instead have given the aboriginal small boy baseball, so that their coolness for cricket is forgiven or overlooked. The second Rhodes scholar from Utah is Robert Hartley, who will enter this fall. The income from each scholarship is $1,500 annually, which- is ufficient to- live on, and travel on the continent during vacation. Examinations for the place are qualifying, not competitive, and the candidates must be married and between 19 and 25 years of age. Child Labor and Child Idleness.. —Thos. Speed Mosley, the Pardon attorney to the Governor of Missouri, touches a very important subject in a re- cent article on the Problem of Child Idleness in the North American Review. Owing to public opinion on the subject, the child-labor problem, of which we have lately heard so much, he thinks will be speedily solved. But how about the prob- lem of child-idleness? The census of the United States for 1890, showed that of 52,894 convicts, 31,426 were ignorant of any kind of trade. In one reformatory, having on its records the names of 3,154 boys received during a period of several years, and ranging in age from ten to twenty-one years, it was found that not one had ever been apprenticed, and none had any knowledge whatever of a trade. "If they had, " was the prompt and positive declaration of the superintendent, "they would never have come here." In this reformatory every boy is taught a trade, and seldom is one ever heard of as a violator of law again. " 'Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined. ' The child-idler is simply the adult idler in the making. And, as Archbishop Tillotson quaintly said: ""Idle- ness and luxury bring forth poverty and want; and this tempts men to injustice, and that causeth enmity and animosity. The boy who is allowed to grow up un- skilled in any oceupation is the boy who is most likely to lapse into the state of mental, spiritual and physical stagnation which the author of Anatomy of Melan- choly has aptly characterized as 'the cause of naughtiness, the chief author of mischief, one of the seven deadly sins, the cushion upon which the devil chiefly — . 844 IMPROVEMENT ERA. reposes, and a great cause not only of melancholy, but of many other diseases' and he might well have said of crime." If a child is brought to maturity without knowledge of useful work, he is placed in a class most likely to commit crime; but teach him to make an honest living in any honorable and useful way, and in all probability he will continue to ply his trade . His mind will be occupied with the duties of his calling, and he will pass by the idle and dissipated, at a time when the human mind is most sus- ceptible to the influences that make for crime. While over-work, and work for money-making only, are of course evils, "before making it impossible for the youth to acquire practical (as well as theoretical) knowledge of gainful pursuits, we should reckon the latent dangers that lurk within the possibilities of a gener- ation brought up without effective knowledge of useful work." Election in the Philippines. —An election was to be held in the Philippine islands for a new Legislative Assembly on July 30. The recent registration of voters was quite disappointing. Only 7,902, out of which number 856 were Americans, registered in Manila, when it was expected that over 18,000 would be listed. There are 784, 095 men of voting age in all the islands who can read, and 539,749 who can read and write. was conservatively estimated that out It of this large number, at least 130,000 would register, including 10,000 Americans in the islands; but from the result in Manila, it is estimated that only about 55,000 have done so. The native leaders made great efforts to arouse interest in the election, but the apathy of the Filipino remained the same. A native paper seej in the registration an indication that, in case the country should become independent, a few men would rule and make laws for the eight millions of inhabi- tants. Our Fleet on the Pacific. — One of the leading events of July was the an- nouncement, July 2, that the government would sent the entire Atlantic battleship fleet to the Pacific coast. The assertion was at first denied but later confirmed by Secretary of the Navy Metcalf, at Oakland, Cala. , July 4. He said that eighteen or twenty of the largest battleships would soon pass from the Atlantic around Cape Horn to Pacific waters. He held also that there is no significance in the order from a military stand point, that he could not say how long the ships would stay, and he hoped the talk of Japanese troubles would be dropped by the news- papers, as he knew of no reason why Japan and the United States should not be on the friendliest of terms. Latest reports state that the fleet, consisting of six- teen ships, will be under command of Kear Admiral Evans. Viscount Aoki and other eminent Japanese say that Japan will not regard the movement as unfriendly In Tokyo, on the 8th, Admiral Sakamoto, said that in case of war with Japan a majority of the American crews would probably desert, not being patriotic enough to fight. He said, also, that American naval officers, though brilliant figures at balls and other social gatherings, were very deficient in professional training and practice. He thinks- the Americans are like the Russians. S. EVENTS AND COMMENTS. 845 Rockefeller and Standard Oil.-On July 6, John D. Rockefeller, upon whom at last, by a ruse of U. S. Marshal Charles L. Frick, a subpoena was served, July 3, at the summer home of Mr. Rockefeller's daughter, near Pittsfield, Mass., testified before Judge Landis, of Chicago, in the case of the Standard Oil Co., charged with violating the Inter-state Commerce law. Mr. Rockfeller said his position in the company was purely honorary, as he had rendered no service in the past te;i years. He did not know much about the business, only in a general way; he did not know the earnings. Charles M. Pratt, the company's secretary, was then questioned by Judge Landis, and he testified that the capital was $98.- 300,000, with 40 per cent dividends in the past three years, and that the net earnings had largely exceeded the dividends, having been 81 millions in round figures in 1903; 61 millions in 1904, and 57 millions in 1905. The Indiana Com- pany, recently found guilty, was controlled by the parent company in New Jersey. By the statutes Judge Landis is permitted to impose fines of $29,400,000 in these cases. Raisuli Again.— The Moroccan bandit has this time distinguished himself by capturing the organizer of the Sultan's body guard, Kaid Sir Harry Aubrey Mac Lean, a scotch officer who has been in the service of the Sultan for many years. At the time of his capture the Kaid was acting as a special emissary of the Sultan to Raisuli, to offer him gifts of horses, tents and pardon of past offenses, in the hopes of winning him back from the pretender Bu Hamara, whom he joined a few months ago. The Kaid was met in the mountains near Tetuan by fifteen of Raisuli's men who offered to escort him to their chief, provided he would leave his bodyguard behind. He did so, and when he met Raisuli he wa3 told he was a prisoner, to be held as a hostage, for a large money ransom. This is Raisuli's third theft : first Walter B. Harris, a correspondent of the London Times then, in ; 1904, Don Perdicaris, an American citizen and his son-in-law for whose release he received $55,000, and now the Sultan's Kaid. Explosion on the Georgia. — In some inexplicable manner two bags of powder ignited in a turret of the battleship Georgia at target practice in Cape Cod Bay, July 15. Three officers and 18 men, the entire turret crew, were en- gulfed in fire; eight were killed and the remainder seriously injured, one of whom has since died and two others are not expected to live. The true American will feel a thrill of pride, in reading of this fearful fatality, as he notes the bravery, and gallantry, of the wounded in the turret and of those who rushed through peril to The persjnal bravery of the men their rescue and to their duties to save the ship. during that trying hour goes to show how gloriously the traditions of the navy are upheld. President Roosevelt was inexpressibly shocked at the horrible accident, and at the death of the gallant officers and men, and, a9 Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, directed that he be kept fully posted in regard to further particulars. Logan Choir.— There is a movement on foot to purchase a pipe organ, cost- A recent preliminary canvas of the business ing $8,000; for the Logan tabernacle. ; 846 IMPRO VEMEft T ERA. houses, by Prof. Geo. W. Thatcher, and M. J. Ballard, resulted in a subscription of $3,000 for the purpose, and it is believed the remainder may be raised by sub- scription and from concerts. The choir has at present a membership of 250. The "New Theology." —In view of what was saii by Elder B. H. Roberts in the late M. I. A. Conference and what Elder Claude T. Barnes, expresses in this number of the Era, about Rev. R. J. Campbell and Sir Oliver Lodge, scientist, relating to their connection with this subject, an article in the July 5 number of the North American Review, by Charles Johnston, on "The New Theology in England' ' will interest students of the new religious movement among Era readers. Mr. Johnston, who is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and who was born in Ireland, in 1867, but has resided in the United States since 1896, sees signs that 1 'we are in the midst of a religious awakening equal in power and promise to any in history, more impersonal than any in history." He gives this as the substance of Sir Oliver Lodge's scientific thought on God: ' 'The most essential element in Christianity is its conception of a human God of a God, in the first place, not apart from the Universe, not outside it and distinct from it, but immanent in it; yet not immanent only, but actually incarnate, incarnate in it and revealed in the Incarnation. The nature of God is displayed in part by everything, to those who have eyes to see; but it is displayed most clearly and fully by the highest type of existence, the highest experience to which the process of evolution has so far opened our senses. The Humanity of God; the Divinity of man, is the essence of the Christian revelation." Then Mr. Johnson has this to say of the two men: "Here the central thought of Sir Oliver Lodge, speaking as a represen- is tative of the foremost science of our time. One can not fail to see that, point by point, he is teaching the same doctrine as Mr. Campbell: the immanent God; the personal self as only a fragment of the higher self; the higher self as a link, a stepping stone to the divine consciousness; the incarnation of Jesus, his life and death, as revelations of divine consciousness, and therefore a prophecy of that future when 'we shall be like him in glory.' The thoughts, the very words, are the same. Not that either borrows from the other, but the same spirit is blowing on the hearts of both, telling of a new awakening of the religious life of man- kind." This new awakening began in 1820, when the boy Joseph Smith, saw his first vision of the Father and the Son. The State Agricultural College.— The Board of Trustees of the Agricul- tural College of Utah has recently been completely reorganized, and consists now •of the following personnel: —Lorenzo N. Stohl, Brigham City; Thomas Smart, Logan; Susa Young Gates, Salt Lake City; John Q. Adams, Logan; Elizabeth C. McCune, Salt Lake City; J.W.Whitecotton, Provo; and Dr. A. S. Condon, Ogden. The officers of the Board of Trustees are: Lorenzo N. Stohl, president; Elizabeth C. McCune, vice-president; John A. Bexell, secretary; John L. Coburn, assistant secretary and Allan M. Flemming, treasurer. ; The college faculty consists of some 55 teachers with John Andreas Widtsoe, A. M., Ph. D., President and Professor of Chemistry. Dr. Widtsoe the new head of the State Agricultural College is now at Logan where he has taken up the duties EVENTS AND C0MMEN1S. 847 •of his new office . He is by training, and ability specially qualified for the position which he has just assumed. His education has been obtained in the leading in- stitutions of America, and Europe. Only two years ago, when certain difficulties arose at the college, he quit the position of Professor of Chemistry, and Director of the Experiment Station, which he held with pronounced credit for some years after his graduation. During the two years past he has occupied the position of Dean the Agricultural School of the Brigham Young University; and the growth of this department of that school, under his guidance, is strong evidence of his ability to promote agricultural interests. The school of which he has now taken the Presi- dency, is supported jointly by the State of Utah, and the United States govern- ment, and offers exceptionally fine educational opportunities for young people. It has revolutionized agricultural methods in Utah, in the past few years, and with Dr. Widtsoe at its head should continue to advance with rapid strides. Excursion to Canada. — To those of our friends who desire to make a visit to their Canadian neighbors, the announcement in this issue of the Era of the 0. S. L. , for rates, will prove interesting. Agents all along the line will be able to give the figures from the various stations. July 30 is the date. Members of the General Board Honored. Elder Bryant S. Hinckley, — member of the General Board, Y. M. M. I. A., since April 1900, was selected, in the latter part of April, to fill the vacancy in the Presidency of the Liberty Stake of Zion, occasioned by the death of Elder Philip S. Maycock. Elder Hinckley is the son of the late Ira N. and Angelina Noble Hinckley. He was born in Coal- ville, Utah, July 9, 1867, and is an educator by profession. He graduated from the Brigham Young University at Provo, in 1889, and the Eastman National Col- lege, New- York, 1892, and later attended the University of California. He taught seven years in the Provo institution, and has taught as long in the Latter-day Saints College, Salt Lake City, Utah. He spent his boyhood in Millard county, where his father was stake president for a number of years. Dr. John A. Widtsoe, a member of the General Board since June 1906, has Deen elected President of the Agricultural College of Utah, to succeed former Pre- sident W. J. Kerr, who goes to preside over the Agricultural College of Oregon. Dr. Widtsoe is the son of John A. and Anna C. Gaarden, and was born near Trondhjem, Norway, January 31, 1872. He came to Utah in 1884, with his mother and younger brother Osborne Widtsoe, of the Latter-day Saints University. He graduated from the Brigham Young College, Logan, in 1891; and from Harvard with the highest honors in 1894. He taught as Prof, of Chemistry in the Agri- cultural College during 1904-8. In the latter year he entered the University of Goettingen, Germany, from which he graduated with the degrees of A. M., Ph. D. in 1899. During his European stay he visited Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and France in the interest of his studies. On his return, in 1900, he was made di- rector of the Experiment station of the Agricultural College. He has mada a special study of Chemistry, and he has done more than any other man to further scientific farming in Utah. In 1906 he was offered a position in the Brigham 848 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Young University, Provo, where he was laboring when called to the Presidency of the Agricultural College. We wish both these our co-laborers every success in their new callings, con- fident of their thorough fitness and qualification for their labors. Steamship Disaster on the Pacific.— On Saturday midnight, July 20, the steamship Columbia was sunk off the Mendocino coast, by being run down by a lumber-laden coaster, San Pedro. Over 100 lives were lost, 106 people were saved, and 38 out of 54 of the crew. There were 190 passengers. The Columbia was bound for Portland having left San Francisco on July 20 at 11:30 a. m. Among the passengers from Utah was Blanche W. Musser, Salt Lake, E. Peterson, Brigham City, both of whom were saved. The ship George W. Elder, northbound from San Francisco, sighted the wrecked steamer, stood by, and had the passengers transferred. A large number of children were on the Columbia, and not one was saved. The crew of the wrecked steamer acted promptly, and be- haved splendidly, and many heroic acts are reported. All who were saved wore life preservers which were new and answered every purpose. Oil in Southern Utah. — About the middle of July the discovery of oil was reported from the vicinity of Virgin and St. George in Washington County. Af- ter some five years of prospecting a quantity of oil has been struck in a well the quality of which is said; to be superior to that of California. The discovery has led to the location of many claims in the vicinity, and land which was formerly selling at $1 an acre has already advanced to $5. The discovery has created considerable excitement not only in Utah, but also in Los Angeles many of whose capitalists are interested in the find. Visitors and prospectors take the railroad to Lund, and thence by stage to Virgin, 80 miles. Some talk of building a rail- road to the new oil fields is indulged in, and it may be that either or both the Rio Grande and S. P. anH L. A. will shortly penetrate to the fields.