I I I 1 1M 0 A" VOL. XIX. ST. HELENS, OREGON, FltlDAY, MARCH 14, I90L NO. 13. ORE MIST sr w ,r vr w w w w w RALPH HAHDEIOT 5 HCDIATIOn BY VILLI CHAPTER V CON TI N U ED. Such was WyelifTo' scheme for tlio purification of the Church, ml. thoimh it seemed to affect the Church alone, it in not (lllllcult to see how it brought him at onvo into contact Mini con Mid with the political system. It in pos aihlo tluit it waa ilia political problem of the relation of thu kingdom to the papacy, on which lie win consulted a learned doctor, that started WycIifTu on hi career as a roformer. lint lie thla uh it may, hi theories, when fully develop! ami pushed ardently into practice, had much more wide reaching )litlcul coni-eiiienceH, Ail tho rerv antsof Chrlnt, ho held, all miiiUter of religion, all teachers ami exemplars of the teaching of Holy Writ, should subsist on voluntary alma: worldly possessions Htllled and choked their spiritual usefulness. Now in hi" lime a fourth, or even a third, of all the land of Knidund wan held by the Church ami religious order. What wan to bo done with it If 1U present holder wure dinpoi-HefBed? Wycliife proved uy elaborate arKument that secular author lty not only might lawfully take poa- session of all this wealth, but wan bound in duty to ao do, men of religion holding . it contrary to the rule of Christ. But for whose use should it le appropriated? On this point also Wy cliffa'a teaching was clear and omphat ic. All the worldly wealth of the Church and the orders, beyond what auflliTd for a simple maintenance, he longed of right to the poor; the men of religion were but the proctors of the poor in their tenure of it, and wero act' ing as fraudulent trustees when they spent it on sumptuous bulldiugH, rich fare, large retinues, or coarse sensual ity, while the poor wandered housoloss, ate and slept with the swine,, tottered about with naked sides and shaking Hps and hands. Ife siwcifled two uses to which the wealth of "worldly clerks and feigned religious might be turned. i'urtly it should be given to secular lords, who should in return givi to the iKior protection and equitable govern meiit, and partly it should be seined to meet tho eximnses of just and neces- wiry wars. Wycliffe did not hesitate to urge that for this national purpose shrines should be strimsjd, and the waste treasure hung on stocks and stones used for the defence of tho realm. It was this last doctrine that brought Wycliffe and the poor priests, whom he sent forth as models of a true Christian priosthood, into vital contact with the practical politics of a time when nil classes of tho laity were groaning uhnder the burden of tinprcmtcntedly heavy taxation. Especially the poor eat, who had hitherto escajied direct taxation, were likely to receive this new gospel with gladness. Wycliffe' heresies on excommunication and trans- substantiation and other ioint of church doctrine might interest theo logians only; here wag a doctrine that the poorest understanding could grasp a basis from which his disciples could act with powerful effoct on the masses of the people. It must not be supposed that all tho agitators of the time, whoso teaching , corresponded more or less with Wy cliffo's," wore direct disciple of his. The heresy was in the air; what he chiefly did was to furnish it with a reasoned foundation in Scripture ami the dicta of the fathers and doctors of the Church. Ralph Uardelot, as we have said, joined the merchants' party as they rode out of Sudbury, waiting for them and cantering up to meet them. The merchant looked narrowly at his eager features, as if to divine what strength and temper lay behind. "Yon have left off your priest's dress," said the morchant with a smile, as an excuse for the closeness of his in spection, "unless I was deceived by the twilight last night." Uh, replied lialph, "we poor priests not little storo by the fashion of our clothing. I put on our russet habit only because without it I could not so readily get an audience. The people aro not tired to preaching from any one in an ordinary layman's dress. I shall put it on again when I have need of it." As they rode along, the merchant, who was apparently inclined to be di putatioua as well ss inquisitive, re sumed one of the topics they had boon discussing in the Friars' meadow. "You spoke last night." he began. "In strong contempt and reprehension of the purely contemplative life, and quoted the opinion that the man who withdraws from the world and gives himself entirely to prayer and devout meditation is guilty of the loss of as many souls as he might have saved if he had remained in the world and taught erring men the truth." "I am of that opinion," said Ralph. ''You know Master Roger Chowley of the Arohbishop'a college?" "I know him well," said Ralph. "Rut he was not In my mind aa a pat torn of the life contemplative." "It is not of that I would speak," said the merchant. "I grant him swinish, foul traitor to his profession, like many more who live by feigned religion. But I had talk with him yesUrday, and he tella me that your pteaching had the effect of making the good women of Sudbury . attack and cruelty maltreat the tax farmer." "My preaching!" cried Ralph, taken aback at this accusation. "Did you not, as he Rays, tench them that the poor commons should not be oppressed with taxea for foreign wars w yy ir vy w w w w w w w w AM MINTO. while so much wealth, that should be used for the relief of the poor, Is wasted liy worldly clerks on their own carnal pleasures?" "Yes," cried Itulph, "but I coun felled no outrage. On the contrary, I henought the people to have patience, and told them that conscience and jus tice were at last awake and active in high Ji luces, and with God', help would soon bring them amendment of their wrongs. I counselled them to endur ance and hope." The merchant smiled and shook his head. "And tlioy remembered a part of your pruuehing ami forgot the other part, lint Udl me, if these jioor people should be punched for their violence, would the guilt of that punishment not lie on youT" "In that case," said Ralph, sadly, "I should have much to answer for. liut this painful thought moves me all the more to work for the amendment of their wrongs." "How?'.' asked the merchant, abruptly. "The great and powerful," answered Ralph, "do not know how the poor live, nor what they suffer. I live among them and learn, and when my knowledge is complete I trust that God will give me strength to stir the heart and conscience of power." "Words alone will not do it," said the merchant, gravely. "Your Master Wycliffe says also," he resumed after a paiiMS, "that tithes should not tie paid to clerka of irreligious and unprofitable life; that it ia lawful to withhold tithe from such men. Rut what poor man in these ravening times can keep lands or goods or life, if ho stand by himself? I heard, when last I waa in England, of a case in Lincolnshire, whore a poor man w hom one of vour master's priests hud persuaded to resist the extortion of an unworthy clerk, was seized and thrjwn, heavily fettered and manacled, into a strong prison underground, where Ida feet and hands were gnawed by rats." I know," said Ralph, with a pained expression. "Iiomiiius wycliue wept tears of pity and righteous anger when he heard of. it, and since then has warned us never to stir men to such resistance till they can find a protector, He has strong holies of moving the great lords to take the matter in hand." Therein, cried Pinion, with more energy than he had yet shown, "he is in error, rut not your trust in princes They but play with the simple doctor. They but use him to servo their own ends. Let him asRail the temporal dominion of tho Po, aa he hath done in his excellent tract Do Pominio, lot him denounce the employment of pre lates in foculur affairs, and they tar him on to the buttle. But for restoring tho true order of Christ and his apos tles, by the bowels of-Judas, they have no more thought of that than this dumb beast that bears mo! Nay, nay; the poor commons must help them selves. I see thore is no help to be hojied for from this crazy, silly dupe of a subtle doctor." Ralph stood aghast at this impeach ment of his master. "Domiue Wy- clifTo," he said, after a pause, in which he tried to subdue his angor, puts no trust in subtle disputation in this mutter. It is not by his own words that he hojes to bring the great lords to the side of truth and pure religion, lie knows full wall that if a greater Lord than they doea not touch their hearts, his reasoning is in vain." 'Yes," returned Simon, in the Rame bitter tono, "hut Christ sometimes chooses humbler instruments than great clerks of Oxford, great masters of logic and rhetoric." Their road now lay over a wild heath, which had once been roughly cleared on both aides, as the law directed, to the extent of 20 paces, to destroy the cover for lurking robbers. Roads wero not so safe then, we need hardly remind the render, as they are now: any thick copse or cluster of hawthorn bushes might conceal a bund of lawless desper adoes, and at this time ol the year many such bands lay in wait for trav' elors to Stourbridge Fair. ilie prudent merchant looked ao earnestly ahead that Ralph imagined him to be on the watch for signs of such unpleasant neighbors. Looking ahead himself, he saw nothing but a ragged beggar hobbling along towards them in the distance. "Do you see that beggar?" cried the merchant. "What would you aay if I were to toll you that he is one of the Instruments that will do more for the reformation of England than all the poor priests of your Master Wycliffe? Such men as lie are my poor priests." Ralph stared at him ia mute aston ishment. "Listen to what I say to him," said the morchant, giving signal to the wagoners to stop. Ralph listened, but whatJi heard considerably increased his bewilder ment. The following was the conversation that passed, after tho merchant had tossed a small coin to the beggar in re sponse to his salutation. Simon "Are you ready for the pageant?" Beggar "Why do you ask, master?" Simon "Because I moan to be there. Do you find many willing to play?" Beggar "Have no fear. The pa geant will poceed." Simon "God be with you. Here, return me that coin, and I will give you a better. John Truenian and his fellows will all be there." The beggar went on his way. "You heard what passed7" said the merchant to Ralph. "Yea," answered Ralph, coldly, "but I do not understand. What is the pa geant?" "Our pageant," said the merchant, "is the deliveranoa of Israel from Egypt. It will be played by the Ham mermen. Will you take part in it? Ralph supiwMod him to refer to one of those rude dramatization of Scrip turn known as mysteries, which all over England at that time were per- formed on holidays by various guilds of craftsmen. Ralph was astonished his companion's question, and bewild ered by his mysterious manner. He answered, coldly. "I have no taste for such profane mummeries. They rode on for some distance in constrained silence, each busy with his own thoughts. The eider traveler had the air of a man who weighed some im portant matter in his mind, and found it hard to come to a'conclusion. Every now anil then a shade of vexation crossed his fa-e, and he twitched his reins impatiently. Soon after they joined the Roman road at Wixoo there appeared a castle some half a mile to the right, situated on a mound in the mldde of a marsh The merchant observed his companion' start when it came in sight; and re membering the tale of the previous evening, at once drew hi own conclu sions. "That is Sir Richard Rainham's cas tle of Sturmeie, is it not?" lie asked ion seem to know the country well, Ralph answered. 1 have heard ol this knight," re turned the merchant. "What hope has your master Wycliffe of bringing such aa he to a senso of their duty? How can he be persuaded . to protect where he has been used to plunder? Aa soon might you hope to tame an old wolf or a tiger." "He must be controlled by the stronger." "But who at court dares control him in these distracted times? There ia but one power that can control biro and such as he. Our pageant is de signed to make that power manifest.' "You speak in riddles," said Ralph coldly. "Then I will apeak mora plainly, The power I mean is the power of the poor commons. Singly they are noth ing; united they would be irresistible, I and my friends aim at uniting them The hour is at hand when they will ap pear in union. That is the pageant to which you are bidden. You may not come, but I know you will not betray me. "I know nothing to betray. But if your pageant is a repetition of the bloody rebellion of the Jacquerie, let me implore you to pause. What can an unarmed rabble do against trained and mail-clad men-at-arms?" "Whut ran your preaching do against tlio stupendous power of the church? You preach singly ; we propose to act In union. "In civil war!" cried Ralph. "Yon cimnot be so desperate!" "There need be no war. The poor commons will only demand their rights; they will ask only to be re lieved from unjust extortion, high' handed robbery, cruel and wanton im prisonment, stripes, maiming and mur dor. They will not want leaders among the good nobles : it is only the worth less and godless that are their enemies; from them there ia but one deliverance possible Doleantur ex libroviventium Expunge them from the book of the living." (To be continued) Thought th Doctor Knew. ' At the last annual meeting of the As sociation of Military Surgeons of the United States Major John Van R. Hoff, in the course of his speech accepting the presidency of the association, told the following story: "A lady was passing through the wards of an over crowded military hospital when she suddenly encountered two men sawing and hammering on some boards. She looked at them in some surprise and wonderingly askod : 'What aro yon do ing there, my men; ihey looked up at her and one of them said: 'What are we doing? Why, we are making a coffin, that's what we are doing.' 'A coftin?' she asked. 'For whom are you making a coflin?' 'For that follow over thore in that bed. Don't von see him?' The lady looked in the direction in dlcated and saw a man apparently in good condition and watching the opera' tion with great interest. 'Why. that man is not dead, aud, indeed, he does not look as if be wero going to die. Can't you postpone this work?' 'No,' the men said, 'we can't postpone it. The doctor told us to make the coffin, and he knows what he gave him.' " Sword Mad Prom 1,000 Bit of StctL The Japanese are the manufacturers of a wonderful sword. The blades of these sabers are made from magnetic iron ores. The steel is produced in small, very thin sheets and the work man begins by fixing one of them to the end of an iron rod which serves as a handle. To this are soldered other small sheets until the mass has a length of about 8 inches, width of about 2 inches and a thickness of a little more than a quarter of an inch. This bar is brought to a white heat, doubled on it self and hammered until it is down to its original dimensions. This process is repeated 15 times. Pour similar bars are then soldered together, doubled upon themselves, resoldered and heated, the operation being repeated five times. This process makes the superposed lay ers so thin that a saber contain at least 1,000 sheets of metal. Estimates on Unmlncd Anthracite. A Philadelphia banking firm has cal culated that there atill remain unmined 5,073,775,000 tons of coal in the an thracite regions. The same calculators estimate the tonnage for the present year at 50,000,000 E VENTS OF THE DAY FROM THE FOUR QUARTER8 OF THE WORLD. A Compreheaalv Review of the Important Happening of tht Past Week, Prcienttd ia a Condensed Perm, Which I Most likely to Prove of Intereit to Our Many Reader. Prince Henry has started on his home ward journey. A compromise on the Cuban reci procity question is probable in the sen ate. A hurricane which struck Omaha, Neb., caused an immense loss of prop erty. Eight thousand men are on strike, at Boston as a result of the freight hand lers trouble. The British have suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Boers. Gen eral Methuen was captured. Seretary of the Navy Long has re signed, lie will be succeeded by Rep resentative W. H. Moody, of Massachu setts. The American cup defender Colum bia will cross the ocean to race if any yacht can be found on the other side whom owner is willing to make a match. The postal bill has been passed by the house. By this measure carriers are not only continued under the salary system, but the maximum wage is in creased. Prince Henry sent a wreath to be placed on Genreal Grants' tomb. The president has signed the Philip pine tariff bill. A messave is expected from the ores- ident on the Cuban question. All arrangements are completed for the homeward journey of Prince Henry. Russia has taken advantage of the bandit trouble in China and sent troops there. England will reorganize her army and place it on the same plan as that of the United States. Two boats collided nn iha Pmitsin river and 160 Chinese drowned. Queen Alexandra launched an Eng lish battleship. Taft savs that in two vears at the most, the Filipinos will be able to maintain a permanent government of their own. The revolutionary movement in Rus sia is spreading. Prince Henry visited the military academy at V est Point. Fifteen persons were killed and many injured in a train wreck in Texas. ine bpanisn regency may be pro longed, owing to the incapacity of King Altonso. The president will not permit his daughter to attend the coronation of King Edward. Five men were killed and "several in jured in a coal mine explosion in I'ennsylvania. The steamer on which Prince Henry will return home is being fitted up for the royal party. Six firemen were seriously injured by coming in contact with live wires at a fire in Beatrice, Neb. The street car strike at Norfolk, Va., remains unbroken. The Eastern state are in the midst of another snow storm. A candy trust, with a capital of 15,- UOU.uuu, la the latent combine. Bliss Alice Roosevelt will go to Cuba to visit General and Mrs. Wood. Boer envoys called on the president, but were told by him that he was una ble to help them. Canada will pass a Chinese exclusion law similar to that before the United States senate at present. The house is considering a bill authorizing the purchase of the Giant Tree tract in California for a national park. Rear Admiral J. A. Howell will be retired the 10th inst. Next to Admiral Dewey, he ia the ranking officer of the navy. Prince Henry visited Niagara Falls and crossed over to the Canadian side, where he was welcomed by representa tives of Lord Minto. A number of the leaders in the Bar celona, Spain, riots have been executed. Thomas J. Humes, Republican, waa elected to succeed himself as mayor of Seattle. Santos-Duraont will visit the United States and give an exhibition of bis fly ing machine. The difficulties between the National Cash Register Company and its em ployes have been settled. William H. Moody, of Massachusetts. has been mentioned as a successor for Secretary of the Navy Long. The pope told an American visitor that there are 20,000,000 Catholic in the United States. Prince Chlng says the Chinese gov eminent will protect rights of Amer icans in the Canton-Hankow railroad concession. Colonel John A. Polk, aged 82 Years? cousin of President Jntnna IT. Polk and doorkeeper of the house during President Cleveland's first adminlstra- Ion, died at Kansas City. 8,000 MEN GO ON STRIKE. Boston Freight Mandlera Making Hard Fight for Unionism. Boston, March 12 War between the organized teamsters, freight and express handlers .of Boston and -two great railroad corporations, the New York, New Haven 4 Hartford and the New York Central & Hudson River Railroads, the latter locally known as the Boston A Albany, broke out today, The strike, which is a sympathetic one already involves 8,000 men in and about Boston. Stopping work because of the dis charge of union men who have refused to handle non-union moved freight, the various organizations now on strike made every effort today to extend their sphere of influence to affiliated bodies, while the corporations energetically tried to fill the strikers' places and to receive and dispatch goods offered them Both met with - some measure of sue cess. Tomorrow the local employes of the great express companies, the Adams and the Jew York & Boston, two com panics which handle practically all of the fust freight in Southern New Kng land, will refuse to work, while several smaller bodies of organized labor, such as the brewery teamsters and the piano movers, as well as freight handlers in East Boston, will be idle. On the other hand, the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, after succeeding today in moving considerable freight by Italian labor, will alignment the force tomorrow, and the Boston & Al bany expects to have a large number of men at work in its freight sheds. The action of the express men in joining the freight handlers will quiet j affect the freight business with near by business centers like Worcester Springfield, Hartford, . New Haven Providenco, Fall River and New Bed ford. LONQ 8TEP8 OUT. Secretary of the Navy Handj Hii Kulgrution to the PreiidenL Washington, March 12. The third change in the cabinet of President Roosevelt occurred when Secretary Long submitted his resignation in a beautiful letter, it being accompanied by one equally felicitous by the presi dent. The change was made complete by the selection of Representative Will iam Henry Moody, of the Sixth con gressional district of Massachusetts, as Mr. Long's successor in the navy de partment. This change has been expected for a long time. Mr. Long bad intended to retire at the beginning of the lute Pres ident McKiulev's second term, but he consented to remain until certain lines of policy in which he was involved were more satisfactorily arranged. Then when President Roosevelt suc ceeded, though anxious to return to private life for Secretary Long will never again enter public life a strong feeling of loyalty toward Mr. Rooxevelt induced the secretary to defer his re tirement until it was convenient for the president to make a change. Recently Mr. Long has been in Massachusetts making arrangements with his old legal connections to re-enter the practice of law, and he baa bad his bouse at Hing- ham put in order for his occupaton, When Mr. Long entered the cabinet originally he was an active member of the firm of Hemingway & Long, a well known legal firm of Boston. He- has always maintained a silent connection with the concern, and will again be come an active partner. DANGER TO SHIPPING. Immense Ic FIoci Reported Off the Coast of Japan Early Sprint, In the North. Port Townsend, Wash., March 12. The British ship Bann, the last of the storm-bound fleet off the entrance to the Straits of Juan do Fuca, has arrived, 98 days from Iquique, 34 days of which she was storm-bound off the straits Seven times the Bann got inside of Cape Flattery, and as no tug was there to pick her up, she was compelled to put back to sea. The Bann reports no other vessels off the Cape. The British steamship Oceano reports to the local United States hydrographic office as having encountered an im niense ice floe about 200 miles off the Japanese coast, abreast the entrance to Sugar straits. So extensive was the ice floe that the steamer was compelled to change her course and steam for several hours tc avoid coming in collision with the ice.- The ice floe is in the direct path of vessels sailing to the Orient, and as it is quite extensive, it is dan gerous to navigation.- The captain of the Oceano says the ice is from four to six feet out of the water, and some of the bergs are many feet across, and cannot be seen until the vessel is among them. This is the first time ice has been seen off the Japanese coast in that vicinity. It is thought that the floe came from iiehring htraits and the Arctic ocean, and that through some unknown cause the ice pack in the Arctio has broken earlier and that it in dicates an early spring in the north. Urge Firs at Paris. Paris, March 12. The biggest blaze seen in Paris since the burning of the Opera Comique, in 1897, broke out last night in the corner of a block of ware houses in the Rue Montmartre. The warehouses were occupied by 10 firms, and the lower floors of the building were filled with silk, velvet and woolen goods. These materials caused the fire to rage furiously and the flames spread rapidly to the upper portion of the buildings, used as residences. NEWS OF THE STATE ITEMS OF INTERE8T FROM PART8 OF OREGON. ALL Commercial and Financial Happenings of Im portance A Brief Review of the Growth and litprovements of the Many Industrie Throughout Our thriving Commoawealth latest Market Report. Agitation has been started in La Grande for aJ26,000Jpoblicbuilding, The first ticket in the field! in Coos county was that of the Socialist party, lwenty-six homestead entries were filed at the Oregon City land office dur ing February. The Clackamas county Socaliists held their convention in Oregon City March 8 and nominated a full ticket. From six to twelve contracts for 1902 hops are filed in Salem every day Prices range from 1134 to 12 cents. Forty thousand pounds of hops, owned by G. W. Perkins, of North Yamhill, sold at i)4 cents per pound few days ago. The Sumpter city conucil has passed an ordinance authorizing the mayor and recorder to borrow money for the city to pay its outstanding indebted, nesa and to issue warrants therefor. Since the Washington Ycounty tax rolls opened March 1, the sheriff has collected (40,000 of the (100,000 levy. Everybody wants to get the benefit of the 3 per cent rebate for prompt pay. oient. The Wasco county Republican con vention, beld in The Dalles March 8, was one of th$ sbaipest political fight the county has ever known. One hun dred and seven delegates were in at- tendancej The meeting was held in the courthouse and delegates to the state and congressional district conven Hons and candidates lor the various county offices named. The principal issue lay between the two aspirants for congressional honors, Malcom A Moody, the present incumbent, and State Senator J. N. Williamson. The first ballot showed the Moody forces to be in possession, 70 to 37. A large cold storage building and ice plant will be erected at The Dalles. Bandon, in Coos county, has raised its quarantine against places outside of the city. During February 32,800 acres of state land was sold. Most of it was in the eastern part of the state. Complete returns from Wasco county Republican primaries show that Moody supporters received 72 votes and Will iamson 34. ' Fish Warden Van Dusen says the legislature will be obliged to make some provision at its next session for increasing the revenues of the fisheries department if the proposed work in connection with artificial propagation is continued. The new tax law is having a good effect in Lian county on payment of taxes. There is a universal desire among taxpayers to secure the 3 per cent reduction. A large force in the sheriff's office is kept busy day and night. At the close of the first five days of colletions almost (25,000 was taken in. PORTLAND MARKETS. Wheat Walla Walla, 6565Jc; bluestem,66i67c; Valley, 6565ic. Barley Feed, (2021. : brewing, (Zl21.50 per ton. Oats No. 1 white, (1.1501.25; gray, (1.10Q1.20. . Flour Beet grades, (2.80(33.40 per barrel; graham, (2.50(12.80. Millstuffs Bran, (19 per ton; mid dlings, (21; shorts, (21.50; chop, (17.50. Hay Timothy, (121S; clover, (7.50(38; Oregon wild hay, (56 per ton. Potatoes Best Burbanks, (1.101.25 per cental ; ordinary, 7080c per cen tal, growers' prices; sweets, (22.25 per cental. Butter Creamery, 25830c; dairy. 1822,c; store, 13(3 15c. Eggs IZ6 for Oregon. Cheese Full cream, twins, 13(3 133c; Young America, 1415c; fac tory prices, llKo less. Poultry Chickens, mixed, (4.00(5 4.50; hens, (5.00(3)5.50 per doxen, 10 12c per pound ; springs, lie per pound (34 per dozen; ducks, (56 per dox en; turkeys, live, 1Z1ZKc: dressed, 143 15c !per pound; geese, (8 per dozen. Mutton Gross, 4c per pound; dress ed, 7 7 e per pound. Hogs Gross, ojc; dressed, oh 7c per pound. Veal 88S for small; 737JS for large. Beef Gross, cows, 34c; steers. 444c; dressed, 6)$7Mc per pound. Hops 1213ic per pound. Wool Valley, 18 15c; Eastern Ore gon, 812c; mohair, Zl21c per pound. Snuff is coming into fashion again, says the London Daily Chronicle, with the early ictorian fashions. Snun taking increases the size of the nose and keeps it in a state of perpetual ir ritation. Australia has, proportionately, more churches than any other country, the number being 6,013, or 210 clinches to every iuu,uuu people. England nas 144 churches to every 100,000; Russia only 65 to the same number. OF NO CONSEQUENCE. Trodble in Morong Province I not Serious Chaffee and Wright Report Washington, March 11. Desiring to ascertain the facts as to condition In the province ol Morong, Luzon, Secre tary Boot recently cabled inquiries to Commissioner Wright and General Chaffee, which bsva brought the fol lowing replies: "With reference to your telegram of the 6th Inst., the facts from Morong are: About a week ago the president of Cainta was kidnapped. The perpe trators of this act was a new organiza tion gathered in Morong province about 60 strong. They were vigorously searched for and driven to hiding and will probably be captured in a day or two. They have inflicted no material damage. No special significance need or should attach to this event. "CHAFFEE." "There is no foundation for the state ment of insurrection in Morong or that the inhabitants are fleeing. Small fragments of ladrone bands, dispersed and driven out of the mountains of Lo gons by Bell's operations, and from Cavite through recent operations of the constabulary, In the mountains there, having about 15 guns, gathered In the mountains of Morong and probably aided by a few outlaws of that section, raided the village, kidnaping the pres idente. A small detachment of con stabulary under a native sergeant at tacked them but made no impression, being short of ammunition. Assistant Chief Atkins was on the ground in few hours with an adequate force o! constabulary, and, assisted in every way by the native governor of the prov ince and the inhabitants, gave pursuit. They have already killed two, injured one, captured six and are running the band down. The presidente has been released without harm. So far from there being hostility on the part of the mass of people to American authority, they give us full information of what la passing and aid us as much as possible. These ladrones do not interfere with the whites and confine their oDeration. to levying tribute upon and occasion ally Kidnaping natives in remote local ities, lhere is nothing new in this, aa it was in existence under the Spanish government, less so now than then. They are being rapidly broken up and exterminated by the constabulary. There is no political significance in their operations. WRIGHT." RUSHING WORK ON WARSHIPS Phenomenal Advance at the Union ham Work ia Construction. Washington, March 11. Apparently phenomenal advance in the work oa some of the war vessels building at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, is the feature of the monthly progress re port issued by Admiral Bowles, chief of the oureau of construction and repair. The report shows a gain during the month of February of 12 per cent on the battleship Ohio, 20 per cent on the protected cruiser Tacoma, and 5 per cent on the monitor Wyoming. More over, 1 per cent of the work on the ar mored cruiser California, which vessel had formerly been the only one of that class of vessels, showing no start, was completed. It i: j a to c&uinuiou at me navy uenart ment that during the prevalence of the strike at San Francisco a great mass of material had accumulated and made ready for placement, and with the end ing of the strike and the return of the men to work, it had been possible within the last month to make a ormt change in the status of the work on the vessels. Freight Handler Strike. Boston, March 11. Four hundred and fifty freight handlers employed in the freight houses of the Haven 4 Hart ford Railroad at South Boston struck tonight because of the refusal of the company to reinstate several men who had been discharged for refusing to handle freight delivered by the R. 8. Brine Transportation Company, aganist whom the union teamsters are on strike. Although strike of freight handlers bad been threatened for the past two or three weeks, it was from an entirely unexpected quarter that it fin ally came. The strike is expected to be far reaching in its effect. ' . Priest Captured by Bandits. Peking, March 10. Bandit soldiery have captured priest at Jehol, about ' 100 miles northeast of Peking. Both the French and Russians are anxious to send troops to rescue the priest, but as Jehol is a rich mining district, the court has ordered General Malyuwan to hurry and release the prisoner, in order to forestall the entry of foreign troops into the district. . Result of Shamaka Earthquake Rank, Russian Trans-Caucasia, March 11. The official report of the commit tee which has been investigating the recent earthquake at Shamaka show that 126 villages, with a total of 9,084 houses, were included in the area of the disturbance; that 3,496 houses were destroyed and 3,943 damaged. Besides the dwellings 4,163 farm buildings, 11 churches, 41 mosques, 11 factories and , three acboelheuse were seriously dam gL ,