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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1905)
j?4- t Jldiiiil5 VOL. XLV.-ST0. 13,98. PORTIiATTD, OREGON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1905. PRICE FIVE CENTS. KANEKO BRINGS WDRDFRQMTOK Japanese Agent Again With Roosevelt. CLOSE SECRECY OBSERVED Neutral Powers Urge Agree ment in Conference. BRITAIN REFUSES TO HELP Japan Stands Firmly for Her Terms. Conference Likely to Adjourn Again, Which Will Be Point for Roosevelt. OYSTER BAT. Aug. 21. President Roosevelt has not abandoned hope of a successful issue of the Washington Poace Conference. Neither has he relaxed his efforts to prevent a rupture between the conferees when they reconvene tomorrow afternoon at Portsmouth. Events of importance succeeded each other rapidly here toQny. On an early morning train, Baron Kaneko, a confi dential representative in this country of the Japanese Government, arrived in Oyster Bay quite unexpectedly. He has a general Invitation to visit the President at any time and was received as soon as he arrived at Sagamore Hill. That he was the bearer of important information Is. known, but the nature of his message Is not disclosed. He re mained with the President three-quarters of an hour. At the conclusion of the conference the Baron declined even to discuss the mission, although he politely expressed regret at his ability to on lighten his interrogators. Japan Can Yield Xo More. Surrounded y half a dozen newspaper men he talked with apparent TrankneskT but his words were not 'luminous with in formation. He expressed the opinion, tpfclch he was careful to note was simply his own. that Japan had made every concession in the conference that a "vic torious power could be expected to make and that the Japanese people would" re cent any serious recession by the envoys from the position they had taken. "I think we will know tomorrow evening at 3 o'clock, whon the pleni potentiaries moet In Portsmouth," said he. "By that time they will have de termined the matter." "Do k you mean that they will have heard definitely from their govern ments by that time?" Toh. I assume so," he replied. Baron Kaneko was asked if a propo sition had boon made to submit any point of dlfforcnoe that had arisen be tween the envoys to The Hague tribu nal." " 'Oh,I know nothing at all about that. What I read In the newspapers is all I know. The American newspapors have the ability to go at one's Innor mind." Following Baron Kaneko's visit. Pres ident Roosevelt had his acting secretary, Mr. Barnes, with him for two hours. In addition to the matter which the Baron had presented to him, the President re ceived and considered an accumulation of dispatches and letters. Late In the day Important messages wore received from Portsmouth, the responsos to which occupied the President's attention for a considerable time. Not the slightest Indications of the charactor of the correspondence were per mitted to become public The President, acting as an intermediary between the two warring governments, feels that se crecy Is even more incumbent upon him than as though the matter relr.ted wholly to him personally or to the United States. The President declines either to affirm or deny any of the statements made about the proposition which he submit ted to the Russian envoys through Baron Rosen. Powers Press for Pence. There is strong reason for the state ment, however, that the proposition ln 'olved far more than a mere suggestion that the matters in difference between the envoys be submitted to the arbitra tion of an Impartial tribunal. The state ment heretofore made in these dispatches that poworful pressure, not alone from President Roosevelt, but from neutral powers of Europe Is being brought to hear upon the governments of Russia and Japan to insure a successful issue of the conference can be reiterated. Whether that influence takes the form of a sug. gestlon of modification of Japan's terms or an insistence that Russia make the best bargain she can, or of an entirely new plan to bring about agrccmont, can not be ascertained. No intimation of the President's opin ion of the result of the meeting when the conferees reconvene is given but that hope yet springs from ihe conditions sur rounding the conference Is evident. " " SUSPENSE AT PORTSMOUTH Awaiting Results From Roosevelt. No Yielding Among Japanese. PORTSMOUTH, N. H., Aug. 21. The result of President Roosevelt's efforts to save the peace conference from failure remains in suspense. No direct reply to the President's proposition communicated by Mr. Witte has come from Emperor Nicholas today, but - other advices re ceived from St. Petersburg indicate that the Emperor and his counselors are un- shakon in their determination nolthor to cede territory nor pay war tributes. What the President is doing on the Jap anese side remains as deop a mystery as over. Little "light is shed upon the visits of Baron Kaneko to Oyster Bay. The Jap anese do not even admit that he is their medium of communication with the Presi dent. They go no furthor than to reit erate that Mr. Roosevolt understands theJrjosltion, and that they have the fullest confidence In him. They .show not the slightest indication that they have in any wise changed their position, or are prepared to yield more than they were last Friday, when the plenipotentiaries adjourned until Tuesday. If Mr. Witte docs not recolve fresh In structions before 3 o'clock tomorrow aft ernoon, when the conference resumos, therefore, the situation will be exactly what It was when the adjournment was taken on Friday. It Is safe to assume that in the absence of such a reply the conference will be prolonged beyond to morrow, and every delay, in the opinion of the President's friends, means hope, faint though it may be. Roosevelt Plays for Time. President Roosevelt's object was offi cially described today as being to "pro long the negotiations." There is warrant for the statement that Mr. Witte per sonally sympathizes with the President's proposition, no matter how It may be re garded by his imperial master and the letters' advisers. It Is a mistake to sup pose that, in considering such a proposi tion, the Emporor consults a regularly ordained council. Throughout the con ference he has been calling In council such advisers as he deemed wise, some of his relatives, the Grand Dukos, members of the court and certain chosen Ministers. The Grand Duke Nicholas NIcholaevitz, one of the most powerful of his relatives, is known to be absolutely opposed to yielding an lota beyond what Mr. Witte has already conceded. As an alternative, he favors the continuation of the war. The spirit of all the advices received has been such as to preclude hope of an 11th hour change. Only One Power Backs Roosevelt. The general belief here is that Presi dent Roosevolt, who has the moral sup port of one of the .neutral powers, has not received the active aid he expected. Groat Britain's declination to offer ad vice to Japan is disappointing, though the motives that actuate him in refusing to do anything that might be cxcistrued as an attempt to oxerclse pressure upon her ally tending to rob her of the fruits of her victory, are fully appreciated. There are evidences here that co-operation by Great Britain would have been resented by Japan. Among the .Japanose the only note of hope Is sounded. With general reluc tance, they seem almost .resigned to the shipwreok. of the conference. They de--clar that their position Is unchanged, and tfifty'sp-ak-tjronflwlne the -war with a snap of ifielr black yes which speaks volumes for their confidence in the "suc cess .of Oyama when the word ls-g4vcn to" advance. ARGUMENTS OF EACH SIDE Protocols Will Show Position on Four Disputed Points. PORTSMOUTH, Aug. 2L-Both the Rus sians and Japanese have almost finished the preparation of the protocols to be submitted at the mooting of the confer ence tomorrow afternoon. The features of the protocols are the presentation ot the reasons advanced by both sides for the divergence of views upon the articles upon which no agreement was reached. In article 5. the cession of Sakhalin, the Japanese claim, that they are entitled to the island as weU by reason of their na tional rights to its possession as because of Its present occupation by the Japanese forces. The Russians, on the contrary. Insist that up to 1S5Q Japan had never claimed any right to Sakhalin, and at that Ume only 25 unmarried Japanese lived in the south of the island, during the fishing season. Admiral Peoutlatlne opened the eyes of the Japanese to the value of Sakhalin when he wont there In 1SS54 and initiated negotiations for the possession of the en tire island by Russia. It was then that Japan, in order to make good her claims, tried to colonize the island, and stated that the Aino race, which lives there, belonged to the same family as the origi nal inhabitants of the northern islands of Japan. In 1859. Muravieff, Governor-General of Amur, tried to persuade Japan to yield her claim to the south part of Sakhalin, but did not succeed, as the Americans had already begun to support the Japan ese in their attitude against Russia, The reports of all the Russian Consuls In Sakhalin up io the year 1670 stated that the Japanese efforts to colonize the Island had failed because of rigorous climate. Then negotiations between Russia and Japan started in 1S53, and continued for 20 years, ending with the treaty of 1S75, by which the sovereignty of Russia over the whole island was recognized. With regard to article 9, the protocol repeats the arguments already sot forth several times in the Associated Press dispatches. The Japanese claim reim bursement for the expenses of the war on the ground that they were forced by Russia's aggressions to resort to arms for self-preservation, and having been victorious at all points on sea and land are entitled to reimbursement. Russia, on the contrary, denies absolutely that Japan Is In a position to dictate such a condition, as Russia does not acknowl edge defeat and appeared at the confer ence not imploring mercy, but because of her love of peace and her willingness to conclude peace on ah. honorable basis. Russia declares that a claim for In demnity under the circumstances Is un precedented, and reviews the historical occasions where Indemnity was paid In support of her contentions. Most of these precedents, have already been made pub lic In connection with a recent Associated Press Interview with M. Do Martens. The protocol also states that Russia, through out her history, has never paid a war indemnity, not even when Napoleon the Great Invaded the Muscovite empire in 1S12 and occupied Moscow. With regard to article 10 (the interned warships). Japan Insists that the surren der of interned warships which have sought refuge in neutral ports as a spoil of war. is not contrary to international law. Russia, however, asserts that in ternational law affords precedent for a claim for the possession of property in the safekeeping of neutral powers. Finally, with Tegard to article 11 (the limitation of the Russian naval power in the Far East), the Japanese assert that it is indispensable to secure a lasting peace. Russia rejects the whole Idea as being offensive to Russian honor and dignity. Whue declining, however, to (Concluded os-Psxe i.) NO CONCESSION ' ON UN POINTS Russia Insists Japan Must Change Terms on Sakha lin and Indemnity. FINAL ORDERS SENT WITTE Willie Refusing Indemnity, Czar 3Iny Pay Liberally on Other Scores Concessions Ex pected to Be Acceptable. ST. PETERSBURG. Aug. 22. (1:40 A. M.) The Russian government's final Instructions to Mr. Witte, outlin ing' the course that ho shall pursue at the peace conference at Portsmouth are still in process of being put into cipher prior to being- forwarded to America. With the receipt of. St, Petersburg's last message the briof breathing; spell will have ended. St, Petersburg loaves the final word with her representative at Portsmouth. The Associated Press is in a position to state that, when the nature of those communications becomes generally known, it will be seen that In a sincere desire tooffect a satisfactory settle ment the government has gone as far as its extremely vital state Interests will permit. It can further be said that for this reason the government Is firmly convinced that,jji case of failure of the negotiations, the responsibility will not rest with Russia, which has conceded much already. While it Is impossible to learn the actual contents of the government's communication to Mr. Witte, it can be declared that the requirements of state make concessions on the questions of Indemnity and Sak halin, as those questions were original ly presented by the Japanose, impossi ble. It is certain that, in the mattor of concessions, the four points now in dispute have been eonsiderod and stud led here In the light of the concessions Russia already has granted on the other eight articles. Russia Hopeful and Grateful. The foregoing: is a brief but accurate outline of uh platform upon which Mr. Witte will moet the Japanese plenipo tentiaries tertay. Baron Rosen's re- potAs regarding his Interview -with President Roosevelt have been re ceived here and their perusal by ths gpvernmont has only inoreasod their feeling of gratitude and appreciation for Pros I dent Rose veil's continued ef forts. Baron Rosen's communications to the Emperor are such as do not re quire a special answer. Hopeful feeling was notable here yesterday that poace was still possible, and it Is believed by some that Rus sia's answer will give material evi dence of such a sincere desire to reach a settlement that Japan will practical ly be forced to accept it or appear be fore the wprld as utterly unreasonable and insatiable Plan to Settle Indemnity. It is believed that the questions of the surrender of Intorned ships and the limitation" of Rusia's naval power in the Far East will be satisfactorily settled. There then remains the ques tion of the payment of indemnity and the cession of Sakhalin by Russia. The first may be overcome by Russia's following- Japan's load in avoiding the use of the word "indemnity," but consent ing to make certain payments to Japan on other scores, the chief of these being Japan's bill for keeping- 100,968 prison ers, which Is expected to be very heavy. The sums mentioned as the possible payment on account of these prisoners range from 550,000,000 to SlSS.ew.eeO. Little or nothing is obtainable here re garding the possible disposition of the question In regard to Sakhalin. Interest has been manifested lately in the attltu.de of the Japaneso people and It is recognized In some quarters that the Japanese government and princes may have to shape tholr course to meet and satisfy the demands voiced by the Japanese public There Is reason to believe that- the idoa that Japan might not bo able to find money to continue the war has not been considered here as a serious weakness of the Japanese position. GREAT VALUE OF SAKHALIN Russians Show Strategic Value and Wealth of Islands. PORTSMOUTH. N. H.. Aug. 21. Tho following statement from an authorita tive source represents the Russian view of the military and strategic value of the Island of Sakhalin: "To appreciate Its military value. It must be borne in mind that the Island, which is about COO miles long, lies almost against the mainland, being separated from It by the Strait of Tartary. which in some places is only four miles wide. Physlcall it might almost be considered a part" of the Asiatic Continent. To al low Sakhalin to pass Into the hands of Japan would be like America allowing Long Island, or England allowing the Isle of Wight to pass into tho possession of an ambitious foreign power. The danger from Sakhalin's passing to Japan would indeed he greater for Russia than the loss of Long Island by America, as the length of Long Island Is scarcely one fifth that of Sakhalin. "There is no doubt that whoever con trols Sakhalin, besides being in a position to threaten and invade the Atlantic Coast, would be In a position to absolutely pre vent communication between the main land and the Pacific through the Sea of Japan. The Island has an area of be tween GO and (5 kilometers, and. although Its general shape Is that of a fish, at cer tain points Its width is only 15 miles. It Is therefore peculiarly adapted for of fensive and defensive purposes. It could easily be transformed Into a formidable military and naval stronghold, from which expeditions, might be launched and evidently supported. "Little use has thus far been made of the island. The population. Including the natives, who belong to the Aino and Culliaks races, and the exiles, most of whom, after their terras of servitude, be came settlers, amount altogether to only 3S.000 souls, that Is. less than one to the square mile. Exploitation of the re sources of the island has been hampered by the rigorous climate, lack of commu nication and It Is -almost without roads and covered by almost Inaccessible for ests. The development ot the resources by Russia was anticipated as a conse quence of the completion of the Trans Siberian Railroad. Large profits were ex pected from Its riches, as it contains great quantities of coal, coal oil, timber, naph tha. Iron and other minerals. The chief resource, however, thus far, has been tis fisheries. Enormous shoals of fish, espe cially herring and almon. swarm In Its waters. Tho herring at certain times of the year are exhaustless. Besides being used for food, the oil Is extracted and the fish pressed into large blocks and shipped to Japan for land fertilizer. The average number of herring taken annually amounts to 50O.OO3.O)." The Russian authority denied that the Japanese were prevented from fishing In the waters of Sakhalin. He admitted that they wore subjected to certain rules and restrictions, the object of which was to prevent the extermination, of the fish, but that was all. He said that along he coast of Sakhalin whales In considerable numbers are found. These were the ob ject of exploitation by American whale fishers. Since the year 1665 he said that American firms had applied to the local government for permission to exploit the riches of the Island, especially the coal mines. ) "The Insignificant military forces which Russia had In the Island." he concluded, "arc another proof of our sincere belief In peace. We had not made the least preparation for military operations, eith er offensive or defensive. The few thou sand soldiers who were there were there chiefly for the purpos of guarding the 5000 convicts who were kept In the island, and some of these soldiers were former con victs, who. after having served their term of penal service, were allowed to enter a kind of local militia." RUSSIAN JEWS DESIRE PEACE Memorial to Czar's Envoys From Former Hebrew Subjects. PORTSMOUTH, Aug. 21. A memorial was presented to Mr. Witte and Baron de Rosen from the Russian Jews of Law rence, Mass., today by Walter E. Rush forth. After extending greetings, the documents contlnuos thus: Whereas. It feos pleaeed hi Imperial high ness. Nicholas, Emperor ef all the Russia., to delegate his excellency, M. Witte. and Karon 5e Rssen to represent the fatherland at the peace conference .with the Imperial envoys Of Jsin. be It Resolved, That we. Jewish residents of Law rence, extend to them a brotherly welcome and devoutly play that sueec3 may follow tholr effort looking for an honorable peace between the warring countriw of Ruwla and We are aot unmindful of the powerful na IMmi you represent, nor of the high and noble &Stes you have rendered your country and Aiaa!ty lf the $st- Tboujcn Americans, we jtiive the natural lore of all people for the TSsMl of tbelr Wrth, and It is -ur earnest, our soltetant prayer andTioje thK the white dove of p&e shall Rn&ihn abiding place at the result of your duberatlwrt and that pros perity and happiness. hah" take the plaoe of Moodtfeed, rtet aBdTdUcdntent. not only at home, but abroad everywhere. The memorial Is signed by about 600 Russian Jews. IiITTLE HOPE IX BRITAIN. If Roosevelt's Mediation Falls, Peace Is Considered Remote. LONDON, Aug. 21 The morning news papers are not very hopeful of the result of today's peace conference at Ports mouth, and rather place reliance on President Roose1'Ujlt's efforts to secure the prolongations of the negotiations than on a disposition of either side to con cede something toward securing a peace ful settlement. It Is felt here that, unless President Roosevelt Is able to prevent a complete collapse of the negotiations, peace pros pects are most remote, since, if the pres ent conference falls. It will be very diffi cult to persuade the belligerents to send plenipotentiaries to another conference. Fervent hopos are expressed that suc cess should crown his efforts, upon which a million Russian and Japanese soldiers is depending. The Dally Telegraph says editorially: "If President Roosevelt can keep the envoys in Portsmouth, something will be gained, but. If he falls In the role of an honest broker, not In the BIsmarcklan sense, but In the sense of one manlfcstly seeklng no commission for himself or his country, who will succeed." BRITAIN DID XOT INTERVENE Did Not Ask Japan to Modify De mands on Russia. LONDON. Aug. 21. Tho Associated Press was informed at the Forcgn Office today ..that President Roosevelt has not requested the British government to make representations to Japan on the question of peace. The Foreign Office thinks it would be Impertinent for the British gov ernment to request Japan to modify her demands. The government believes that Japan's demands are moderate and that she should not bo deprived of the fruits of her victory. The Foreign Offlce-further" said'Ifd'd not believe that, Japajjr would modify the terms put forward at the opening of the conference. Official reports received by the Govern ment from Russia take a gloomy view of the situation. The members of the British Cabinet are divided, some taking a peaceful view and others believing that hopes of peace have been dissipated. Rouvler Stays at Home. PARIS. Aug. 2L Officials, both govern mental and diplomatic, apparently are preparing to lend every assistance to avoid the failure of the peace negoti ations at Portsmouth. Premier Rouvler has suspended his vacation In Switzerland for tho purpose of attending a special cabinet council next Thursday. Mr. McCormlck, the American Ambas sador, will return from. Carlsbad Wednes day for the purpose of being ready to ex ercise any friendly influence in his power. M. Jusscrand. the French Ambassador at Washington, who is spending his vacation In the country, will also return to Paris In the middle of the week. According to the Foreign Office, Premier Rouvier's return has no direct connection with the peace negotiations. However, it will afford him an opportunity to con sider the situation at an opportune mo ment, and It Is the expectation that the crisis will be prolonged beyond the week, while the plenipotentiaries communicate with their respective governments regard ing their inability to agree. UNITE TO FIGHT BIG BEEF TRUST Wholesale Butchers and Con sumers Building Three Packing-Houses. RAILROADS PROMISE AID Organized in Secrecy, Tlicy Begin Attack In Chicago, After Estab lishing Plants In Twenty Other Cities. CHICAGO. HI.. Aug. 21. (Special.) Carefully laid opposition to the. beef trust, which, Jt is asserted, will reach gigantic proportions shortly, began op erations at the partially completed packing plant owned by the Independ ent Packing- Company this morning. With the utmost secrecy two com panies the other the Western Packing & Provision Company have organized In Chicago, and their plants will cost nearly $500,000 when completed. While the packers of the beef trust circle were warding off the attacks of the Interstate Commerce Commission as to private car lines and the Federal grand Jury as to combination nnd con duct of their business, the wholesale "butchers, hotel men and restaurant men, as well as other large consumers of meat were secretly organizing with a determination to succeed so strongly In their minds that no word reached the public till this week. Railroads Promise Aid. Men interested in the new concerns say the railroads have privately given assurances that they will aid the In dependents to almost any extent, as they have tired of what they term the packers' manipulations and sometimes treachery. The two plants now nearly completed are both In the stockyards district. The Independent Company's $150,000 packing plant is at West Forty-first and Halsted streets, and the Western Company's 5300,000 plant Is at Morgan and Thirty eighth streets.. The third and largest in dependent plant will be built next Sum mer, and will cost more than 5300,000 la Itself. The company which will build It Is ready to obtain Its charter, but will defer aetlon until actual work on the" plant begins. " - Organize in Many Cities. Wholcsalo butchers, meat dealers, hotel and restaurant men have organized In 20 cities of the country, and are getting ready to build similar packing plants. Negotiations are partially completed with organizations having capital, energy and fight In New York City, where two pack ing plants have already been quietly erected, one at a cost of $1,500,000 In San Francisco, one in Mobile, Ala.; one In Granville, Mich., and two others in large cities of that state; one in Buffalo, and several scattered through the South. West and North in cities of 100,000 to 150.000 population. Building ilp-to-Date Plants. The style of packing plants being built and to be built Is an exact replica of the model plants of the big packing com panies recently-put up in Western cities. The Independents now will be able to convert all by-products, thereby solving their one great problem, aside from rail road rates, which has confronted the In dependent packers In their attempt to wriggle out of the grasp of the combined packers and to compete with them. For the first time. It appears, the Idea has occurred to the Independent competitors that they may also manufacture by-products, and In this way be on exactly the same economical footing for production as the big packers. HOPE IS IN TECHNICALITIES Thurston Expresses Belief . Verdict Against 3Iitchell Will Be Reversed. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Aug. 2L Ex-Senator John M. Thurston, counsel for Senator Mitchell, reached New York yesterday. In an In terview bearing on tho Mitchell case he virtually admits Mitchell's guilt, but ex presses a hope that the Senator may ul timately escape on technical grounds. Hero Is what Thurston says: - 1 'feel quite hopeful of obtaining a re versal " Qf the , verdict against Senator Mitchell when -the case, which has been appealed to the United States Supreme Court. Is opened again next Spring. There are several points on which I believe we can obtain this reversal. One of these is the wording of the indictment returned against Senator Mitchell, which should specify the particular crime with which he Is charged. This It does not do." Another technical point which Sen ator Thurston says may gain a reversal of the verdict is tho fact that under the statute of limitations the 'alleged crime was outlawed before the indictment was returned. WANTS TO CONSULT- MOODY Reason for President's Delay In Ap pointing Oregon Judge. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash ington, Aug; 2L Officials of the Depart ment of Justice have heard nothing from Oyster Bay relative to tho appointment of a Federal Judge for Oregon, but believe the delay Is due to the desire of the President to personally consult Attorney General Moody before making the ap pointment. The Attorney-General Is in New England with Boston as headquar ters and, as far as known here, has not seen the President since he started to pick a successor to Judge Cotton several weeks ago. HYDE CRITICISES CRITICS Cotton Statistician Says Revised Es timates Arc Incorrect. LONDON. Aug. 21. John Hyde, former ly statistician of the United States De partment of Agriculture, who Is at pres ent in London, is under the care of a physician, and Is prohibited by his physi cian from atnedlng to business. To the Associated Press tonight he said: "I have Just seen for the first time tho revised cotton acreage report Issued by the United States Department of Agri culture on July 25. The crop-estimating board reduces teh official estimate of June 2 more than 1.100.COO acres, and even goes so far as to say that I made the estimate lower than the reports received from official reporters employed by the bureau warranted. To this statement I give unqualified denial, and assert that tnc most trustworthy of the various set3 of figures on which the report of June 2 was based afforded the most ample war rant for my estimate. "It Is only by an entire disregard of the reports of county and township corre spondents that the department's acreage reports can be prevented from once more becoming the laughing-stock of the world. When concerned only with the condition ot the growing crop, except un der special circumstances, the reports of county and township correspondents are not without value. When, however, these correspondents report either upon the acreage or upon the size of the crop In bales, their reports are absolutely 'worth less." Hollander at .Santo Domingo. SANTO DOMINGO. Aug. 21. The United States cruiser Galveston arrived here from New York this afternoon. Dr. Hollander, -the representative ot the President, who will Investigate the claims against the government of Santo Domingo, was, a passenger. The political situation Is quiet throughout tho country. Gcnernl AVood at Washington. WASHINGTON. Aug. 21. Mojor-Gen-eral Leonard Wood arrived here toJay. Accompanied by his aide. Captain Dorey, he called on General Bates, acting Secretary of War. General Wood will shortly leave for the Philippines, but the exact date of his departure Is not known. New Postmaster at Santlam. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash ington. Aug. 21. Postmasters appoint ed for Oregon: Santlam, Linn County, Samuel Harris, vice Sarah D. Harris, resigned. CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 73 eg.; minimum, 57 deg. TODAY'S Fair and dlghtl? warmer; north westerly winds. i I'eflco Conference. Roosevelt again discusses compromise with Kaneko. Page 1. Czar sends Witte limit of hla concessions. Page 1. . Japanese unwilling to yield and both nations ready to renew war. Page 1. Rum la gives reasons far holding Sakhalin. Page 1. RtiHNta. Liberals denounce National Assembly as h tim ber. Page 2. Cossacks protest against service In suppress ing riots. Page 2. Poles start general strike as protest against exclusion from Dauma. Page 2. Foreign. Japanese sealers massacred by Russians In Kamchatka. 'Page 3. National. Taft party, at Jote and Cebu. going next to Tientsin. Page 4. Sultan of Sulu offers to marry Miss Roosevelt. Page 4. Court of inquiry report on Bennington dis aster, recommending court-martial. Page 3. Statistician Hyde defends his cotton statis tics. Page 3. Chinese envoy sent to America to study ex elusion auestion. Page 3. Politics. Indian Territory holds convention on separate statehood. Page 4. Philadelphia machine strikes back at Mayor Weaver. Page 4. Domestic Three great independent packing-houses in Chicago and others in other cities to fight . beof trust. Page 1. Earthquake shakes Mississippi Valley. Page 5. f American fleet prepares to entertain British. Page 4. Yellow fever patient causes panic in New Orleans court. Page 4. Sport. Bat Nelson says he has tha punch to whip Brltt. Page 7. Cheroawa leads ail tha Indian athletic games. Page 7. Pacific Coast. Big Bend country in Washington will produce a bumper wheat crop. Page 6. Incendiary sets Are that destroys flaxmlll and stacks near Salem. Page 6. Rev. B. II. Babb. of Los Angeles. loses life in effort to save his sons. Page 6. Circus man knocked off car near Kalaraa and badly Injured. Page 6. Governor Geer says there Is no profit la being a United States Senator. Page 8. Willamette, farmers robbing land by contin ued wheat cropping. Page 0. lewis anI Clark Exposition. Admissions, 19,916. Page 14. Nebraska has a big day at the Centennial. Page 14. Ogden celebrates at the Exposition. Page 14. Prizes for Portland yell at the Lewis and Clark Fair. Page 14. Commercial and Marine. Advance. in many leading grocery lines. Page 15. " Hopbuyers and seller apart In their views. Page 15. Wheat liquidation at Chicago on reports of Russian exports. Page 15. Hitch at Portsmouth checks stock speculation. Page 15. California Summer fruit season nearly ended. Page 15. Telephone runs. Page 5. Comerlc arrives. Page 5. Atbos' heard from. Page 5. Jape take prize-ship. Page 5. Portland and Vicinity. Big Congress of Irrigation begins its sessions, taking up important topics. Page 1. Stool-pigeon for detectives placed under ar rest. Page 18. Indian School Institute begins today. Page 11. Bitter tirade against Hebrew leads to arrest. Page 14. Circus attracts large crowd. Page 11. Irrigation. Congress telegraphs Its apprecia tion to President Roosevelt. Page 10. Interesting papers mark the opening of the Historical Congress. Page 7. RESS FO THEARiD LAND Topics for Consideration of Delegates to Irrigation . Conference. ANNUAL SESSiON BEGINS Committees. Are Xamcd and Honor ary Vice-Presidents for States Represented Chosen From Among tho Delegates, y TELEGRAM FOR SENATOR CLARK. The officers of the Congress were in structed to send the following tele gram to Senator Clurk. who Is ill in New York: "By unanimous vote of the Congress we are directed to Inform you that its first official action is to express its profound regret at your enforced ab sence, by reason of serious illness, and to extend its heartiest congratulations on your eonvalescenec. Your unwaver ing loyalty to the cause through all the years of its history, and the dis tinguished ability with which you pre sided at the Congresses held In Ogilen and El Paso, are recalled with pleas ure and satisfaction, and we express the hope that we may have the bene fit of your presence and counsel at future meetings for many years to come. GEORGE C. PARDEE. President. TOM RICHARDSON. Secretary. The thirteenth annual session of the National Irrigation Congress has disposed of the first day programme of formal ad dresses and today takes up the detail work of the sectional meetings, and dem onstrated In the first presentation of th subject of American progress by placing water on ie arid lands that there Is a topic related tp peopling the West that Is very much alive and must be considered Immigration. During the first meeting yesterday fore noon the subject loomed up in the forrc of a resolution that aroused determined debate and vigorous opposition. From Portland this week will be dispatched fur ther pronouncement upon the topic that last week created the greatest interest In another convention. Other Matters, Too. There are other matters, too. that will arouse warm debate. There Is an element Included among the delegates, particular ly from the states that have been re ceiving some Investigation and up to the present time no definite results from the reclamation Service, that in the proceed ings of last night's session declared there can be no successful fruition of many large projects unless the laws are so changed that holders of large tracts may retain their entire acreage to hold or sell at their pleasure. F. H. Newell stated this was Impossible under the present law, and that It Is his fear that sections not getting the property-owners together and taking advantage of the law may find it too late when they do finally agree at some future time, because the fund will have been appropriated to other sections that have not delayed. While the sectional method of holding the session has been strongly commended as the most successful ever attempted, and which was adopted at El Paso last year as the permanent plan for the ses sions. It Is not looked upon with favor by many of the delegates at the Port land session. The subject was the excuse for a lengthy discussion last evening, and vigorous objection was raised by some of the delegates to the failure of any pro vision for another general meeting before Thursday. Delegates From Foreign Lands. Selection of committees, as reported to the executive committee and Secretary Richardson last evening, showed that there are delegates accredited from 23 states, from Russia and Mexico. The total number of accredited delegates Is In excess of 2000. and the number of dele gates and visitors present Is about 123). of whome more than 500 'delegates have registered. Kansas City Is playing a silent game In the struggle for the next annual con vention, and it was asserted last even ing that a large number of delegates have been pledged to vote for the metrop olis of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas, although it has not been known as an active' candidate for the 1908 meet ing. Oklahoma City delegates are said to have a trump up their sleeves that will be played at the proper time. Denver, Boise, Chicago and Reno are the other active candidates and the contest prom ises to be Interesting. Members Who Are Honored. State delegations held meetings yester day afternoon at which the members of the committees on resolutions, nomina tions and executive, and the honorary vice-presidents were chosen. The mem bers of these divisions, by states, are: Oregon Vice-president. R. C. Judson; executive committee, Fred S. Stanley; resolutions. Will R. King; nominations. G. A. Stearns. Utah Vice-president, L. W. Shurtleff; resolutions. C. W. Penrose: nominations. Fred J. Kelsel; executive, Fred J. Kclsel. Texas Recommended for second vice president. Congressman J. H. Stephens; resolutions. J. H. Stephens: nominations. George EL Barstow; executive, John Hall. Iowa Vice-president, Dr. George P. Neal; resolutions, Charles F. Saylor; ex ecutive, H. C. Wallace; nominations, John L. Kamrar. Minnesota Vice-president. John A. Stees; resolutions. John McAlplne; nom inations. M. J. Costello; executive, H. B. Hutchlngs. New Mexico Vice-president L. B. Prince; nominations, L. K. McGaffey; resolutions, L. B. Prince. New York Vice-president. Wilbur F. Walseman; resloutions, Truman G. Palmer; executive. Truman G. Palmer; nomination. E. G. Fenton. Missouri Vice-president. Thomas F. Crittenden; resolutions. John W. Noble; executive. Matthias Shulter; nominations, George F. Parker. Wyoming Vice-president. Clarence F. Johnston; executive, F. S. Price; resolu- (Contlnued on Page 10.)