All the speakers were greatly blessed by the Holy Spirit. Many investigators were present who gave their addresses after meeting, and some of them wanted to know if they might entertain a missionary for two or three days. The hymns rendered by the choir, led by one of our local men, were greatly enjoyed, and the sweet influence of the Spirit of the Lord prevailed during the whole proceedings. We have already seen that much good has resulted from this meeting."

Elder James King writes from Te Ante, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, January 16: "A memorial service was held at Ohiti, Hawkes Bay, December 30, 1906, at which services the large white marble monument erected to the memory of Hokimate Ranmaewa, wife of Ranmaewa of Wanganni, was unveiled and dedicated by Elder James King. Both husband and wife connected themselves with the Church in the early 80's, when the gospel was first preached in New Zealand. There were several noted chiefs present at the services; viz., Te Henken, Hakopa Kohungan, Te Rua, Taranaki, and several others. Some of these, though non- 'Mormons,' praised the work of the elders and wished them Godspeed. A large 'hakari' feast was held under some large pine trees, and all partook of the high class food which was served out without restraint in the good old Maori way. This can only

be thoroughly understood by those who have had the privilege of dining at one of these feasts, and who have enjoyed the gentle hospitality of this dusky race. We all enjoy the reading of the ERA. I deem it one of the very best Church publications."

This remarkable case of healing is translated from De Ster of November 15, 1906, published by the Church at Rotterdam, Holland, and the translation sent to the ERA by President Alex. Nibley: Little John, the eleven-year-old son of Sister H. S. of the Rotterdam branch, has suffered greatly for a number of years with his eyes. They were badly inflamed and pained him continually. He was slowly losing his sight and was unable to attend school longer. When on a certain day in the beginning of last August, it was announced in Rotterdam that President Joseph F. Smith would be in the city the following day and attend meeting, little John said to his mother: "The Prophet has the most power of any missionary on earth. If you will take me with you to meeting and he will look into my eyes, I believe they will be healed."

According to his desire he was permitted to accompany his mother to the meeting, at the close of which President Smith moved to the door in order to shake hands with the Saints and friends as they passed out of the hall. As the little fellow approached him, led by his mother and his eyes bandaged with cloths, President Smith took him by the hand and spoke to him kindly. He then raised the bandage slightly and looked sympathetically into the inflamed eyes, at the same time saying something in English which the child could not understand. The little fellow was satisfied. The Prophet had acted according to his faith; and according to his filial faith so did it come to pass with him. Upon reaching home he cried out: "Mama, my eyes are well; I can't feel any more pain. I can see fine now, and far too." Since then his sight has been splendid. He attends school again, and one would never think that anything had ever ailed his eyes.

EVENTS AND COMMENTS.

BY EDWARD H. ANDERSON.

Raise in Salaries.—In the legislative appropriation, the salaries of the VicePresident of the United States, the Speaker of the House, and the members of the President's cabinet, have been increased from $8,000 per annum to $12,000 each; and those of Representatives and Senators from $5,000 to $7,500.

Russell A. Alger Dead.-In Washington, January 24, Senator Alger died in his 71st year. In the Civil war he participated in 66 battles and skirmishes, rising from captain to the rank of brevet major-general of volunteers. In 1884 he was elected governor of Michigan, and four years later was a prominent candidate for President before the national convention of Republicans. Nearly a decade later, he served as Secretary of War-1897-9-during the Spanish-American conflict, in which he was severely criticised for inadequacy in the conduct of the army and its supplies, though through no fault of his, as was later recognized. After the death of Senator McMillan, he was appointed to fill his place in the Senate, in September, 1902, and later elected by the legislature for the term ending March, 1907.

Spanish Cabinet Crisis.-The Liberal cabinet in Spain, formed last December, and headed by Marquis de Armijo, has resigned, and Senor Maura, expremier, and leader of the Conservatives, has been recalled to office. This makes five Liberal Cabinets that have been formed and that have fallen in Spain during the past 18 months. The fall of the last one delays the religious reforms that were in process of formation, following the lead of France. The return to power of Maura is favorable to clerical interests. New elections will be held, and the sessions of parliament have been suspended.

Kosciusko Monument.-The United States Government is to erect a statue in front of the White House, Washington, to the memory of the Polish patriot, Thaddeus Kosciusko, who was born in Lithuania, in 1746, and who died at Solothurn, 1817. Models have been submitted in competition by noted artists, and a jury of art experts had decided that the best was that of Mr. St. R. Lewandowski, of Vienna. Recently President Roosevelt dissented from the verdict of the committee, severely criticising the design of the Vienna artist, and declared his preference for a model submitted by a sculptor of Lemberg, Austria, whose name is not given. Kosciusko, who received his education in the military school at Warsaw, is a name closely associated with American liberty. Disappointed in a love suit, he quitted his native country, betaking himself to America, in 1776, where he attracted the notice of General Washington, and was appointed by

him an engineer, with the rank of colonel, and aftewards general of brigade. Three years after peace had been declared in 1783, he returned to Europe, and was appointed, in 1794, generalissimo of the insurgent forces. In a battle near Cracow, he defeated the Russians, but in a following battle his army was defeated, and he was himself wounded and taken prisoner. He remained in captivity tɔr two years, being liberated on the accession of Paul I of Russia, in 1796. He later visited England and America, finally settling in Switzerland, where he lived in quiet retirement. In 1817, just prior to his death, he issued from here a letter of emancipation to the serfs on his estate in Poland. The year following his death, his body was removed, at the expense of Emperor Alexander of Russia, to Cracow. A peculiar monument, in the shape of a mound 150 feet high, formed of earth from all the principal battlefields of Poland, has been raised to his memory in the vicinity of Cracow. The selection of the Washington Monument is now in the hands of a government jury of award, which shall have the final determination in the contest. The jury consists of Secretary Taft, Senator Wetmore of Rhode Island, and Representative McCleary of Minnesota.

Esperanto.-Many attempts have been made to found an international tongue, but it is believed that now at last this has been accomplished in Esperanto. Dr. Louis Lazarus Zamenhof, a Russian Jew, is its originator and expounder. The movement began with the issuing of a little pamphlet at Warsaw, in June, 1887. From Russia it spread to Sweden where it has had some of its steadiest and most hard working adherents. Then Austria took it up, and France, England and America have followed, the United States being among the latest countries to join the movement. The Japanese have also taken to it with great enthusiasm. From an article by Joseph Rhodes, vice president of the British Esperanto Association, in the North American Review, it is learned that thirty-one countries, up to June, 1906, have been penetrated by the new language, and 377 societies, 349 in Europe, and sixteen in America, seven in Asia, three in Africa, and two in Oceania, have been formed. He guesses that at least 300,000 people are now studying the language. There are twenty-eight Esperanto magazines in which the national language appears side by side with the international, and eight national periodicals containing a regular Esperanto column. There are at present ten societies in the United States, in seven centers, and in the past three months the North American Review has published, semi-monthly in its regular issues, a division devoted entirely to a study of the grammar of the new language. One or two young men at the University of Utah are known to have become interested in the language, and they pronounce it practical and easy to acquire, its roots being taken from other languages in about the following proportion: 36 to 60 per cent Latin; 30 per cent Teutonic including English; 28 per cent Slav. Mr. Rhodes declares that it has "an exceptionless grammar so tiny that a scholar could master it in an hour or so." He says further, "that it is a language that defies competition on the score of facility.'

The German Elections.-On the 25th of January, important elections were held in Germany. The Reichstag was dissolved by Imperial decree on the

13th of last December, as a result of its rejection of a supplementary budget for South Africa, the granting of which had been strongly urged by the government. The government then appealed to the voters to return to parliament members who would enable it to dispense with the support of the Clerical or Center party, and defy the opposition of the Socialists. It was the common opinion in Europe that the government would not succeed, but that the Clerical and Social parties would be represented in the Reichstag in increased numbers. The election, however, resulted in several surprises; Socialism was vanquished at the poles, the Clerical party or Center, which, generally considered, had been the mainstay of the government, was punished for its recent opposition, and the success of Chancellor Von Buelow, who is the mouth-piece of the Kaiser, appears to have been almost complete. A new party has been made out of sixteen or more different political denominations, which sent members to the Reichstag. The Kaiser has learned that he has the nation on his side, and the elections indicate a strong public defense of the German colonial policy. It might be stated in this connection that the Reichstag, which is the lowest house of the German parliament, is made up of many political groups and is a body of almost 400 men. The dissolved Reichstag had as many as nine parties of ten members each, and five or six other parties without quite so many members. The Clerical, Catholic, or Center party numbers 104.

The Jamaica Earthquake.-A great earthquake nearly destroyed Kingston, Jamaica, January 14. Jamaica is an island located about eighty or ninety miles south of Cuba, the third in extent of the West Indies, and the most valuable of those belonging to the British; it has an area of 4,256 square miles, is 146 miles in length east and west, and 49 miles broad at the widest part. Kingston is situated on the south coast, on a harbor six miles long by two miles wide, separated from the sea by a narrow slip of low land. It has a population of about 50,000. Many people were killed by the earthquake and buried in the ruins of falling buildings. Fire followed the earthquake, and swept through a part of the business section of the city, destroying much property. As soon as the extent of the earthquake was known in the United states, several American naval vessels, commanded by Rear-Admiral Davis, sailed from Cuba conveying medicines, tents, and food supplies for the relief of the sufferers. The landing of the American relief forces came near creating strained relations between the United States and England, but the matter was happily averted by the better judgment of the heads of the English and American governments. Sir James Alexander Swettenham, governor of Jamaica, repudiated the assistance which was offered by Rear-Admiral Davis, and as well as told him that his services were neither needed nor desirable. President Roosevelt and cabinet refused to recognize the insult, and later the British authorities conveyed to the government of the United States "cordial thanks for the prompt and powerful assistance which the United States navy under Rear-Admiral Davis rendered to the inhabitants of Kingston in their suffering." In England, however, several journals approved the course of General Swettenham who, however, later resigned, evidently because of his serious discourtesy and blunder. There is, however,

no lack of English publications which uphold him. This affair, in connection with the exclusion of Japanese school children in California, has had a tendency to strain the heretofore friendly relations between the United States and Great Britain.

Library Donation.-On the 21st of January. this year, Elder James Duckworth, formerly president of the Australian mission, who is at present pursuing a business course at the Latter-day Saints University, donated $1,000 for the purchase of books for the department of Modern English in that institution—a gift highly appreciated.

New Senators.-Senators Crane of Massachusetts, Frye of Maine, and Cullom of Illinois, Republicans, and Bailey of Texas, Democrat, have been reelected. From Kansas, Representative Charles Curtis has been elected in place of Senator Benson; from Delaware, Henry A. Richardson has been chosen in place of Senator Allee; from Michigan, Representative William Alden Smith has been elected to succeed the late Senator Alger; and from Nebraska, Mr. Norris Brown has been chosen to succeed Senator Millard. These are all Republicans. The legislature of Tennessee has elected ex-Governor Robert L. Taylor, Democrat, to succeed Senator Carmack of the same party. In Idaho, William E. Borah, Republican, has been chosen in place of Senator Dubois, Democrat, and in Montana, Representative Joseph M. Dixon, Republican, in place of Senator Clark, Democrat. Simon Guggenheim, Republican, was elected from Colorado, in place of Senator Patterson, Democrat; and Senator Henry E. Burnham, Republican, New Hampshire, was re-elected.

Senator Smoot Wins.-By a vote of 42 to 28 the United States Senate, on the 20th of February, decided that Senator Smoot is entitled to his seat in the Senate. The action is a vindication of justice, and a deserved triumph of right over sectarian bigotry.

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Died. In Mayfield, December 31, 1906, Peter C. Scow, born Denmark, August 11, 1844, came to Utah in 1866.-In Nephi, January 1, 1907, William David Norton, an Indian war veteran, born Alabama, 1832. He came to Utah in 1851. In Spring City, 1st, Sarah Ann Zabriskie, born Tennessee, October 5, 1828, came to Utah in 1852.-In Mill Creek, January 1, James Madison Fisher, born Pennsylvania, July 22, 1833, came to Utah in 1850. He was a pioneer, scout, and Indian war veteran,-In Aetna, Canada, Bishop Richard Piling was buried December 31, 1906.-In Grantsville, Friday, 4th, Charles G. Parkinson, born England, February 11, 1834, came to Utah in 1853.-In Clarkston, Cache county, Agnes Beveridge Jardine, a faithful Relief Society worker, born Scotland, May 20, 1829, came to Utah in 1859.-In Kanab, Monday, 7th, Joseph Gurnsey Brown, a pioneer of 1849, an Indian war veteran, and faithful churchman, born New York, November 8, 1824.-In Cove, Cache county, Thomas Titensor, born England, October 27, 1829, and came to Utah in 1861, having joined the Church in 1847. In Salt Lake City, 8th, Carl J. Larsen, a young Sunday School worker of the 25th ward, who came to Utah in 1884, and filled a Samoan mission in 1893-6. -In North Ogden, 8th, the funeral services over Lafayette W. Williams were held. He was a pioneer of the place, arriving in 1854, and was born April 15,