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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 1904)
VOL. XLIY. NO. 13,690. PORTLAND, OREGON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1904. PRICE FIVE CENTS. MUST AVENGE II Britain Sends Urgent Note to Russia. OUTRAGE STUNS ALL Action of the Baltic Fleet "Unwarranted," KING EDWARD SO DECLARES His Stand Made Plain in Mes sage to Mayor of Hull- NO OFFICIAL WORD FROM CZAR Everywhere the Opinion Is Positive That There Must Be No Dilly-Dally-Ing or Limit as to Terms of Reparation. .LONDON, Oct 24. Great Britain today sent" a long and urgent note to the Rus sian government officially detailing the circumstances of the amazing and unex plained attack by the Russian Second Pa cific Squadron the night of October 21 on British fishing boats in the North Sea. The text of the note has not been ghen out, but it Is officially stated at the For eign Office that It contains the significant announcement "the situation is one which, in the opinion of His Majesty's government, does not brook delay." Meanwhile the conservative public and press are remarkably undemonstrative. As usual the Jingo element demands war, and even in official quarters some go so far as to say it may be necessary to stop the Pacific fleet pending settlement of the whore affair, though this extreme meas ure, it is believed, wilj not be necessary. Everywhere there is evidence of the very positive opinion that this Is no time for the usual diplomatic dilly-dallying: that J there must be no delay and no limit set ! by Russia to lier apology or the extent of J compensation for sufferers by what King 1 Edward himself terms "the unwarranted J action" of the Baltic squadron Command ers. Message of King to Mayor. The King eent the following message to the Mayor of Hull: "Buckingham Palace, Oct. 24, 1904. To His "Worship, the Mayor of Hull: The King commands me to say that he has beard, with profound sorrow, of the un warrantable action which has been com mitted against the North Sea fishing fleet, and asks you to express the deepest sym pathy of the Queen and His Majesty to the families of those who have suffered from this most lamentable occurrence. "KNOLLYS." Francis Knollys, Baron of Favors ham. Is the private secretary of King Edward. An official statement of the Foreign Of fice follows: The Foreign Office has been in communication with representatives of the fishing industry at Hull and Grimsby, and has obtained a full statement of the facts connected with, the at tack durlnxr the night of October 21 by the Russian second Pacific squadron upon part of the Hull trawling fleet. Urgent representations based on these in formations have been addressed to the Russian government, and It has been explained that the situation la one which. In the opinion of His Majesty's government, does not admit of delay. The deep resentment of the whole Brit ish public, however, is reflected by the incident at the Victoria station tonight on the arrival of Count Benckendorff from the Continent. A crowd gathered and hooted him and attempted to break the windows of his carriage, There is no attempt anywhere among the men of responsibility to magnify the occurrence Into a deliberate act of war, but In view of the present Inability to find an explanation there Is being poured upon the heads of the officers of the squadron a flood of Invective and insinuation, though Incompetence first, and thereafter complete panic Is the most generally ac cepted explanation. No Official Word From Russia. Thus far no official word has been re ceived from St. Petersburg as to the at titude of the Russian government. The fact that it had been decided during the day to prepare a semi-official note ex pressing the regret of the Russian gov ernment and Its willingness to make full reparation so soon as the. responsibility is fixed was communicated by the Asso ciated Press to Lord Lansdowne and was the first Information on the subject he had received from St. Petersburg. The absence during the day Of Count Bencken dorff, the Russian Ambasador. neces sarily caused some delay, but the Russian Charge d Affaires, who called at the For eign Office on request by note from Lord Lansdowne, -unofficially expressed deep re gret, and, as far as It was possible for him to go, gave assurance of sDeedy ac tion by the Russian government. Lord Lansdowne, In this interview, told M. Sansonoff, the Charge, that he desired to see Ambassador Benckendorff Tuesday morning. Lord Lansdowne asked M. Sansonoff if be could offer any explanation of the affair, and the Jotter replied he only knew what had appeared in the papers and that he had not received any word up to that time from St Petersburg. Lord Lansdowne gave no , suggestion as to what might be done in the matter. At the Russian Embassy it was stated "the "whole affair was so obviously a mis take, from whatever cause, that Russia's course 'was plainly dictated, namely, apol ogy and ample compensation." All eyes are now turned toward St. Petersburg; awaiting word from the Russian govern ment. Earl Onslow, president of the Board of Agriculture, speaking la Stlrtmgsnlre to night, said. It would be well If explana tions were not sought for this "extraordi nary Incident" until the country had some authentic Information. The whole affair, he said, seemed so unaccountable that one could not help feeling sure that there would bo an explanation of what must have been a gigantic blunder. Earl Ons low added that the country might rely upon one thing, namely, that the Emperor of Russia, "who Is known throughout the world for his feelings of humanity, could not fail to bo depressed by such an accident." EMPEROR MAY ACT TODAY. He Has the Report of Vlce-Admlral, but World Must Wait. ST. PETERSBURG. Oct. 24. (Mid night.) No official or unofficial explana tion of the unfortunate affair off Dogger Bank is forthcoming up to this time, and the world must wait until tomorrow to hear Vice-Admiral Rojestvensky's version of the firing upon the British fishermen. Rojestvensky has communicated direct to the Emperor, but at 11:30 o'clock tonight the Admiralty announced It had not yet received a report. At the same hour the Foreign Office issued a statement express ing the regrets of the government for the deplorable Incident, but explaining that no formal action Is possible until Admiral Ro jestvensky's official report of the affair has been received. "While no formal action has been taken the deepest regret Is expressed In all quar ters, and the purpose of the government to make amends, if Rojestvensky shall be found to have been In fault, has been proclaimed In every government depart ment. Emperor Nicholas himself was greatly aggrieved when he heard the news while he was Inspecting the crulsd Oleg at Cronstadt this afternoon, and Foreign Minister Lamsdorff expressed to Ambassador Hardlngo his deepest person al regrets. The Russian Embassy at London has also been directed to convey similar ex pressions to the government of Great Britain. It is felt that this is all that can possibly be done pending the receipt of Admiral Rojestvensky's statement. That a horrible blunder has been com mitted Is recognized and deplored every where, and nowhere has an attempt been made to Justify the firing upon innocent fishermen. It Is felt that Rojestvensky 13 too good a man and officer to be con demned summarily. It Is agreed that he is entitled to a hearing, but even the Ad miralty regretfully admits it is at a loss to admit what explanation could Justify such an apparently cold-blooded act as the affair is made to appear by foreign re ports. It developed during the day that the Admiralty ha'd strong reason to believe an attempt would be made against the squadron during Its passage through the Great Belt or the English Channel. So specific was the Information that even the present crisis has not diverted attention from the possibility of such an attack yet occurring. The failure of the steam traw lers with their nets out to obey the signals from the Russian warships, or the ner vousness of some officer who imagined that fishermen working with their nets In the water were laying mines, may be re sponsible for the blunder. As soon as the facts are established it Is certain the Russian government will -voluntarily offer the fullest reparation. It Is hinted that the Emperor tomorrow will send a- formal message to King Edward conveying his profound sorrow for the In cident, and offering to make what repara tion Is possible as soon as the responsi bility can be fixed. These advance assur ances. It Is hoped, will bo met In an ami cable spirit by Great Britain. Notwithstanding the provocation which may seem to exist for most vigorous and uncompromising demand for redress. Am bassador Hardinge had not presented any Instructions from his government up to 8 o'clock tonight, and up to midnight It had been Impossible to ascertain whether instructions had actually been received. In diplomatic circles the gravity and delicacy of the situation Is Tecognlzed. Unquestionably nervousness exists, but In view of the sentiment In government cir cles here the feeling prevails that an amicable adjustment will be reached. This evening the censor passed all telegrams relating to the subject, which Immediately became the all-absorbing' topic in every public resort. The war in the Far East, seemingly, was temporarily forgotten. Notwithstanding the latent sentiment of hostility against Great Britain which smoulders In almost every Russian breast. the reports of the blunder of the Baltlo fleet have aroused only expressions of sin cere regret, coupled with hopes that when Rojestvensky's report arrives It will place a different complexion on the Inci dent. The authorities are dumfounded by the press reports of the affair and cannot credit them. For this reason the censor today declined to allow the publication until late this afternoon, and then It was confined to a simple announcement that the Russian squadron had sunk two fish ing smacks. Unfortunately in meeting such a situa tion, the Russian government machinery Is so cumbersome as to render the prompt action which such a situation seems to demand almost impossible. Everything will depend on the character of the Brit ish demands. Here, it Is considered, lies the principle danger of a possible rup ture. If they go to the extent of demand ing the punishment of Vlce-Admlral Rojestvensky, or even. the recall of the squadron, as some of the British news papers Intimate, it Is likely to create a situation here which would make It hard. If not Impossible, to humble Russian pride to such an extent. Strange to say, the Incident did not have, any effect on the Bourse, 4s clos ing where they did on Saturday. Suspends Its Consulates. TVILLEMSTAD, Curacao, Oct. 24. It is reported that the Vmezuelan govern ment has suspended its Consulates e at Trinidad and Curacao, decreeing 23 per cent additional Import duty exclusively against those Jjpr-tg. TRUSTS AID HIM Parker's Right -Hand Men Make Big, Haul. MOST OF IT FORNEWYORK Standard Oil Interests Are Be lieved to Have Put Up. EVIDENCE IS QUITE STRONG News of the Work of McCarren and Nicoll Is Being Heralded Far and Wide In the Hope of Reviving Drooping Spirits. "WASHINGTON, Oct. 24. (Special.) A special to the Star from New Tork says: "The Democratic claim on the Presi dential vote issued last night, in which New York, Indiana, Connecticut and New Jersey are claimed for Parker, as well as enough more to elect hlra, follows, an increase of confidence at the Democratic headquarters which has been noticed since the National Com mittee received big campaign contri butions last week. There is no question that the Democratic Committee got the money. The first installment was gob bled up by Tom Taggart. who took it to Indiana. The Indiana budget amounted to nearly $100,000. "It is not known outside of a few close-mouthed fellows at Democratic headquarters how much last week's haul amounted to, but it is admitted that it was a big sum. It Is generally supposed to have come from Standard Oil interests, through McCarren and Delancey Nicoll, who are in touch with Standard Oil people. It Is trust and cor poration money, however, and is mighty acceptable to the Democratic managers. It will be used in this city and state in the last days of the campaign. The news of the big haul has already gone to other states with the object of heartening' Democrats in Connecticut. New Jersey and Indiana, through the announcement that flush finances rive promise of brightened prospects In New York." CARNEGIE SURE HE WILL WIN Roosevelt His Man, and the One to Revise the Tariff. NEW YORK. Oct 24. (Special) The Times prints the following inter view with Andrew Carnegie, who ar rived yesterday from Europe: "From what I see of the betting, I do not think that Mr. Roosevelt will need my vote. I am sure of his elec tion. Although I will not be able to vote, the ticket will have my prayers. "The Republican party," added Mr. Carnegie, "is the one to revise tariff when that becomes necessary. I should like to see the duty taken off industries that do not need it and placed on those that do. I have always been a tariff re former, and if I were President I would revise it." GIVES ROOSEVELT 311 VOTES. Boston Journal Completes a Canvass of the Country. BOSTON, Mass., Oct 24. (Speclal.)-The Journal today publishes results of a tele graphic canvass of the Republican State Committees of the country, and predicts Roosevelt will secure at least 311 electoral votes. The Oregon chairman Is quoted as follows: "Republican success In Oregon Is as sured. The National ticket will receive a TYPICAL SPECIMEN OF BATTLESHIP IN BALTIC FLEET WHICH FIRED ON BRITISH FISHING BOATS THE OSLXABXA. The Oallabla Is typical specimen of the battleships composing the Baltic fleet. She is of 12,674 tons displacement, mounts 4 10-lnch, 11 6-Incb, 16 3-Inch and 27 quick-firing and machine guns, Is fitted with six torpedo tubes, and has a trial speed" of 18. knots. Her normal coal capacity is 1060 toaa, but she can stow 2066 in an emergency like the present. The Os labia Is a sister ship to the Pereevlet and the Poltava, of the Tort Arthur squadron. large majority, and we will return the two Republican Congressmen from this state who have already been elected. "FRANK C. BAKER, Chairman." Money All That Can Help Parker. NEW YORK, Oct. 24. (SpeclaL)-A dispatch to the Herald from Hartford, says: "A prominent Democratic leader at this place says: "If we can get $150,000, and get It quick, we have a chance to save Con necticut for Parker. Unless we can jret at least that sum, I fear we are beaten. As the state stands today Connecticut is for Roosevelt by 10,000" TTRTNZE IS AGAIN DEFEATED. Supreme Court Passes on Case Involv ing Title to Montana Mines. WASHINGTON. Oct. 24. The Supreme Court of the United States refused to grant the petition of F. Augustus Helnze for a writ of ceretlorarl In the case of Helnze vs. the Butte- & Boston Colsoli dated Mining Company. The case in volves title to the Snohomish and Tram way mines, near Butte, Mont. Helnze claimed a one-half Interest In the Snohomish claim and a third Interest. In the Tramway. The Circuit Court of Ap peals for the Ninth Circuit decided against him, and the effect of today's decision Is to leave that verdict In effect. Burton Case Advanced. WASHINGTON. Oct 24. The United States Supreme Court today granted the motion to advance the case of United States Senator Joseph R. Burton, of Kan sas, to November 2S. At that time the court will also pass upon the petition for a writ of certiorari. CONTENTS OF TODAY'S PAPER Russo-Japanese War. NORTH SEA INCIDENT Britain demands Russia, promptly apologize. Page 1. King Edward declares the attack was "unwar rantable." Pase 1. Emperor has received report of Vlce-Admlral, and may express regret today. Pase 1. Russian Minister has narrow escape, from aa excited crowd on his return to London. Page 1. British papers demand Russia apologize at once and sire details later. Pace 3. Captain of trawler declares Russians opened Are without the slightest warning. Page 6. MUKDEN CAMPAIGN Oyaina is being reinforced. Page 6. Both armies are Intrenching. Page 6. Weather la very cold, and there is a great scarcity of fuel. Page 5. Political. Trustn make large contributions to Democratic campaign funds. Page 1. Parker condemns present method of conducting campaigns, especially part he assumes the. trusts play. Page 2. Acting Secretary- of the Treasury Taylor In- forms Parker he is mistaken In declaring publication of information regarding Govern. mental expenditures Is prohibited. Page 6. Domestic. Harrlmaa Is fighUng the. battle c his life with the Rockefellers to retain control of the Union Pacific. Page 1. Armored cruiser Coloi udo 1 ttvt fastest -In her Class. Page 0. Episcopal deputies concur In amendments of bishops to marriage canon. Page 6. Sports. Major Delmar lowers record for unpaeed trot ters. Page 7. Pacific Coast League scores: Los Angeles 9, Seattle 3. Page 7. Pacific Coast. 'Washington Socialists ask Supreme Court for third place on official ballot. Page 4. Oregon exhibits have received many gold med als at "World's Fair. Page 4. Four Japanese ordered from Pendleton to Join army In field. Page 4. Commercial and Marine. Hops active and one cent higher. Page 15. San Francisco wheat depressed by weakness -of cargoes. Page 15. Bidding by shorts raises Chicago wheat market- Page 15. Anglo-Russian incident has little effect on stocks. Page 15. Few ballast ships coming to Portland. Page 14. Steamer Coos Bay disabled at eea. Page 14. Sailors' Mission benefit on Dumfriesshire. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. Delegation from California will be present at formal opening of Fair. Page 10. Local company contracts for electric automobile trucks. Page 10. Manual training classes open in Stephens School. Page 14. C "W. "Walton found guilty of shooting police man by Jury in six minutes. Page 11. Sheriff Is only waiting for warrants to raid poolrooms. Page 10. Striking telephone operators say their finances are In good shape. Page 11. Heirs and legatees of Burrell estate come to agreement. Page 10. Sheriff raids two poker game. Page 16 . FIGHTS FOR Harriman in .Battle of His Life, ROCKEFELLERS HIS FOES They Want to Convert Union Pacific Bonds Into Stock, CONTROL WOULD BE SECURED Harriman Would Find HImaelf In the Same Position He Placed Hill and Morgan in the Great North ern Flurry. NEW TORK, Oct. 24. (Specks!.) E. H. Harriman, Kuhn. Loeb & Co. and the affiliated banking: interests of the Stand ard Oil Company all deny most emphati cally that there has been any difference of opinion between the Standard Oil Com pany and H. H. Harriman. This denial has been current now In "Wall street for ten days, but no one Is yet persuaded It Is genuine. The contrary Impression is founded upon facts so patent and so convincing to the "Wall-street wiseacres that it would take a great many Standard Oil denials re peated many times to persuade this public that perfect peaco reigns in 120 Broadway, the big offices where E. H. Harriman and the directors of Union Pacific dictate their policies to the 20.000 miles or so of railroad directly under their domination. The facts of the case, as seen in "Wall street, are as follows: There has arisen a very distinctly dif ference of opinion between 3Ir. Harriman and the Standard Oil Interests in the board of directors over the question of whether the convertible bonds shall be converted Into common stock or shall be funded Into interest-bearing bonds at 4 per cent. The Standard Oil crowd wants the bonds converted Into common stock, because this- creation .would entail the creation of $SO.O0O,0GO additional stock. This new stock would compel Mr. Harriman either to spend 550,000.000 of cash In buy ing half of It to keep control of the road or to allow" the control of the road to pass Into other hands. The "other hands' would be tho hands of the Standard Oil people. The gist of this matter Is the nature of the convertible bonds. To maTte the mat ter clear, the .following table of the stock of Union Pacific and the convertible bonds Is interesting and necessary: Common 108.770.000 Preferred S9.551.S00 Convertible bonds 86,647.000 Total 294.960,800 The bonds are convertible into common stock at any time before May 1, 1906. If they were converted, the stock would be as Just quoted. There would be 2,943,653 shares of stock entitled to vote at the annual meeting of the Union Pacific To control the meeting and the election, Mr. Harriman would have to own or hold proxies for 1,475,000 shares, or over half the stock. If, on the other hand. Mr. Harriman can prevent the bonds from being converted Into stock there will not be any need for any such amount of stock. It must be remembered always that the bonds have no vote. Neither would they have a vote If they were converted Into other bonds, but they would If converted Into stock. If they were converted Into bonds, the only voting securities would be tho stocks as they stand today, as follows Common 108,700,900 Preferred 99.551,900 Total 208.322.S00 Harriman Could Not Do It. One-half of this would be only 1,041,161 shares, or about 450,000 shares less than would be required in case the conversion plan prevailed. Now If Mr. Harriman had to go Into the market and buy this 450,000 shares of stock at the present prices, It would cost him nearly $50,000,000 cash. He could not do It. If this con version Is allowed to take place the con trol of Union Pacific will go out of the hands of E. H. Harriman. The holders of the convertible bonds will become the owners of 820,000 shares of stock, and will .have tho balance of power. The City Na tional Bank, the Standard Oil bank, holds a great block of the convertibles and will hold-the balance of power If the conver sion goes through. That bank will give its proxies to R H. Harriman as long as peace continues, but not afterward. This is the whole basis of the story scattered far and wide over this country a week or two ago. They called It, in po lite "Wall street circles, "w- difference of policy." To E. H. Harriman it is a most Important difference of policy. It means the difference between owning outright the control of Union Pacific, which owns control of the Oregon Short Line, Oregon Railroad & Navigation, Pacific Mall and Southern Pacific, and owns a large slice of J. J. Hill's Northern Securities Com pany, and owning just a little less than half of the stock of Union Pacific The reason why E. H. Harriman Is not willing to own less than an actual out right control of Union Pacific Is not hard to And. There is a very formidable list of reasons in the financial history of the past five years. Summed up, "they amount to the simple, but palpable, fact that no railroad Is safe if control of It Is left In the "Wall street market. No railroad mag nate can sleep easily these days If he does not absolutely own the control of his railroad. Tlffe aro so many and such powerful Interests working for the con trol of great systems and the consolida tions, of great railroads that no system, however great and however powerful, Is beyond the danger of being raided and captured in the open market as Gates captured Louisville; as Harriman captured .Northern Pacific; as the Moores captured Rock Island: as the "Vanderbllts captured Lake Shore. Mr. Harriman fears that If this conver sion takes place, and he Is not able to buy In the 550.000,000 of stock In the market, his road and- all Its controlled roads will pass under the domination of another in terestnamely, the Standard Oil Interest. The following Instances of such changes during the last five years will illustrate, Mr. Harriman playing a part in several of them: Control of Lake Shore bought in the open market by New Tork Central. Control of Baltimore & Ohio and of Norfolk & "Western bought in the open market by Pennsylvania. Control of Southern Pacific bought In the open market by E. H. Harriman for Union Pacific Control of Northern Pacific bought In the open market by E. H. Harriman right under the noses of J. P. Morgan and J. J. Hill, who wanted it for the Northern Securities Company. Control of Northwestern taken from Vander bllts by Rock Island and "only restored at a great price. The stock was rushed to 300. Control of Rock Island Railway taken la the market by the Moorea. of Chicago, while the Cables slept secure in the feet that no one bad ever tried to steal thi road before. Control of Louisville & Nashville taken from Belmont by Gates and bis frienda, who sold ehort'becacse they did not know any better. Control of Chicago & Alton taken In the open market from E. II. Harriman while he was quite certain of his ownership, so cer tain that only a week before the annual meeting- on October 4, 1904, he did not know he had lost it. Would Become Gould Highway. "With these tremendous examples before him, E. H. Harriman Is not willing to let go the control of Union Pacific even for a few months. He knows, the fearful power of the big-moneyed Interests In "Wall street. He knows that If the Rocke feller Interests and George Gould should grow a little closer together so very little closer together the Union Pacific would become a Gould highway to the Pacific Coast. The alliances of the big powers are constantly shifting and changing. If the Standard Oil Interests predominated In Union Pacific, It might come about next year that the Standard Oil Interests would vote with the Rock Island or with. J. J. Hill, or with George Gould. No one can say. In any event. If the allegiance be tween Harriman and Standard Oil were broken at all. It is manliest that the Union Pacific and all Its controlled and affiliated roads would be at once lost to B. H. Harriman. The pet ambition of a lifetime would fall at once to the ground. These are simple facts. About them there has already been woven a host of rumors, stories, myths and fancies. For months there will continue to be a host of stories. It may transpire some time with In the next year that the largest part of the convertible bonds has been converted. On the other hand, a plan for funding them may be brought out. At any rate. It may be taken as a fact that there 13 going on a fundamental change In Union Pacific. m ATH IS5H0WN Englishmen Meet Rus sian HIS ESCAPE NARROW London Crowd Is 8ent on Violence. ATTACK MADE AT DEPOT Diplomat Is Followed Almost Into the Embassy. POLICEMEN NOW GUARD HIM Message Describing the Hostile Dem onstration Is Dispatched to the Czar and May Add to the Existing Delicacy of the Situation. LONDON, Oct. 24. Count Benckendorff, the Russian Ambassador, returned to London tonight from celebrating his silver wedding with his wife's relatives In Si lesia, and barely escaped assault from a crowd at the Victoria Station, which fol lowed him almost Into the Embassy. For tunately for the Issue of peace or war, nothing resulted; yet, throughout the night, a special force of police was com pelled to guard the Russian Embassy. Count Benckendorff has been always re garded In official circles here as a friend of peace, and he was as much opposed as was Count Lamsdorff to the Russo-Japanese war. Indeed, he is almost an Anglo phile In sentiment. There is no doubt that Count Benckendorff was deeply hurt by tonight's demonstration. After escaping from the hostile crowd that met him at the station, he drove at a gallop to the Embassy. Half a dozen rowdies followed, but the Ambassador ar rived unharmed. His noisy pursuers en countered a cordon of police that had been hurriedly dispatched to guard the Em bassy. After singing "Rule, Britannia," the disturbers dispersed, no arrests being made; but the police continued to guard the Embassy as If It were a British fort ress. "With such vigilance did they carry out their task that when Prince Sviatopolk Mlrsky, a. cousin of the new Russian Min ister of the Interior, and Second Secretary Of the Embassy, arrived, he had hard work getting In. Count Benckendorff had telephoned him to come to the Embassy to write a long cipher message to St. Petersburg describing tonight's hostile demonstration. In reply to a request for some statement to the Associated Press, the Ambassador sent word he could say nothing, but it was 'gathered that he had sent a dispatch to St. Petersburg which- may add to the existing delicacy of the situation. Prince Sviatopolk Mlrsky said: "The attack, on the trawlers was ob viously either an act of war or a great mistake. No sensible man can now think It was an. act of war, and therefore. It was a mistake; and when you have made a mistake, all you can do Is to apologise and pay for it. Neither the trawler nor tonight's affair Is likely to produce a clash between-two powers who have every reason, from a selfish point of view, to preserve peace between themselves." Russian Minister Expresses Regret. LONDON, Oct- 25. The Dally News claims to have obtained the following statement from Count Benckendorff: "I am ill with fatigue of a long Journey and anxiety, but I authorize you to say for me to the people of England that J am absolutely certain that what occurred was a deplorable accident and nothing else. My regret and my country's regret Is, I am sure, unnecessary for me to speak of." " TOM EICHAEJ3S0H IE THE CHAIB Executive Committee of Transmlsels sippi Congress Meets. ST. LOUIS, Oct. 24. Preliminary to the convening tomorrow of the Transmissls slppi Commercial Congress, a meeting ol the executive committee was held today at which Thomas Richardson, of Portland, Or., presided. Fourteen states and terri tories and Alaska were represented at this meeting, which was the largest In. the his tory of the organization. The committee- decided to appeal to the delegates to confine resolutions to sub jects of National Import, that the senti ment of the Transmlsslsslppl region might be so crystallized as to influence the leg islation of the National Congress. It was also decided to make all world's fair com missioners from Western States, delegates-at-large. A resolution was adopted au thorizing the congress to elect a delega tion of five to attend the. Interstate Com merce Law Convention, which convenes here Friday. H. D. Loveland, of San Francisco, was recommended for chair man. WARSHIPS P0R BRAZE. She Will Place Contracts Abroad ff the Building ef 22.- RIQ JANEIRO. Oct. 24.-iTb.e- Cbea&ei of Deputies has adopted a. W author! atas, the government to place contract abroad for the building of 28 warsfelja.