Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 1900)
20 THE SUNDAY OREGONIAK, PORTLANDj MARCH 25, 1900. CAMPAIGNING IN EARNEST AGAIN Captain Percy Willis Tells of the Movements of General Wheat- on's Brigade Insurgents Hard to Find and Five Cities Deserted. NAIC, Iiuzoa Island. Jan. 16. (SpacSti 1 correspondence-) Since I last -wrote, -we ' .have been campaigning in earnest again. At .Pasay, the Forty-flfth Infantry was attached to Wheaton's expeditionary brig ade for a move south into Cavlte Province. "Wheaton's brigade consisted, of the Forty fifth, Thirty-eighth, Twenty-eighth and the Fourth Infantry: a battery of artil lery, a machine gun battery, a detachment of engineers, and part of the Fourth" Cav alry. We left Pasay at G A. M. January 7. Keveille was sounded at 3 A. M., but we had such heavy loads to put on the bull-carts that it took a long time to get everything in readiness. Bach company had two "bull-carts. Every man carried two days rations In his haversack, and we had seven days rations on the carts. At Paranaque we bad to ferry over men, horses and bulls and carts across the Paranaque River. An Improvised ferry was found there consisting of a platform laid across two big canoes or small cascoes. This was pulled back and forth by a rope. Part of the Infantry crossed in canoes. I was interested in watching a native cross his cart and horse In a canoe. He unhitched the horse, put him in the canoe. Then he ran the vehicle astraddle of the canoe on its axle, and got in the canoe and paddled it over as unconcerned as you please. "We passed through Las PInas and came to Bacoor, where we rested for lunch. Hero we found a garrison of the Fourth Infantry. Natives Surly snd Inhospitable. The natives all along here are surly and inhospitable. My two Lieutenants and I took our lunch alongside a native house occupied by a young man and his wife. The man had been a Lieutenant in the Insurgent army, and the woman was a worse insurgent than he. "We could get no information from them. The woman tried to find out from us where we were going, but we gave her evasive answers. They can send out runners across coun try that will outdistance our cavalry and carry intelligence to the insurgent army. We got into Imus late at night, and made camp the best we could. Lieutenant Che ney, Fourth Infantry, we learned, had been killed that morning near Imus, and several men wounded. "While on a recon nolssance with one company, so we were informed, he had run onto the insurgent trenches, and charged them with the above cad result. More cheering news was In store, however. About 9 P. M. all the officers assembled at Regimental Head quarters for Instructions .or the ollow ing day. "While there, we learned that Colonel Berkhelmer, with one battalion of the Twenty-eighth, had met the enemy entrenched not far from Imus. They charged and captured the entrenchments with slight loss, scattering the, insurgents in every direction. They found CO dead and 40 wounded insurgents In. the trenches as the result of our Infantry fire. Msht March. Early the morning of the Sth, we moved on Perez Desmarlnes, with the Thirty eighth Infantry in the advance. The day was hot and abandoned blanket rolls were found all along the road. Our men were tempted to throw them away but had strict orders not to do so. An officer walked at the rear of each company to see that the order was complied with and to prevent straggling. Our bull carts ,cam"e up at Imus about 1 o'clock in the -morning and were again in place in the wagon train. "We expected to find in surgents at Desmarlnes but they had left. "Wer arrived about noon and stayel for dinner and an early supper. About dark we started on a night march to Buena Vista. As there were no roads we left the bull-carts behind with the Quartermaster Sergeants and a small guard. The First battalion moved out first with a guide to locate and clear the trail. The Second and Third battalions followed about an hour later under com mand of the Colonel. Our guide got on the wrong trail and Instead of following the first battallonwe took an entirely dif ferent direction, and went about two miles before wo discovered the mistake. "We took the back track to Desmarlnes and started again, on the right trail this time. About 12 o'clock at night we crossed a river in a deep canyon, crossing on an old Spanish dam about 50 feet high and constructed of stone. Fortunately, no one fell over the dam. The horses swam the Stream above the dam. "We came up with the first battalion about 1 o'clock lh the morning, and made camp, or, rather, lay down and slept on a plowed field. The next morning we pushed on to Buena Vista, but were again too late. The in surgents had left the day before. Buena Vista. However, we captured a large store of ammunition and found several of their wounded In their hospital. There has been a fine church at Buena Vista, but It is destroyed. It is finely situated on an emi nence commanding a good view of the surrounding country. There are only two or three dozen nlpa huts in th town, but the church, with its surrounding buildings and walls, must have cost nearly $200,000. How the friars got the money out of the people to build these things is a mystery to me. They must have lived here In magnificenpe like the barons of the Middle Ages, among their serfs. There Is a fairly good road to the place, and a great deal of money had been spent on it. On this road, not far from the town are two of the finest stone bridges I ever saw, crossing canyons. 70 or SO feet deep, and about 100 feet wide. In tho afternoon we pushed on to Quln tana, over the trail, passing another in surgent hospital, with two wounded men in It, climbing many hills and fording sev eral streams. At Qulntana I saw the first waterwheel I have met In the Philippines. There is a stone dam across the little river, and a small canal cut through the rock brings the water to the wheel, which propels a crusher for sugar-cane. Hunting Insurgents. About dark, it was reported, from sev eral outposts that insurgents could be seen in the neighborhood. I went out to look for them with two companies. A small camp of 10 or 12 men and a few horses was discovered about half a mile from Qulntana. The Insurgents fled, leaving behind four saddles, i bolo and a quan tity of rice and some chickens, which they evidently intended for supper. The next day, the 10th. we returned to Buena Vista, where three days' rations for our bat talion were brought out on pack mules. The first and second battalions returned to Desmarlnes. Early on the 11th, the third battalion returned to Qulntana, where about noon wo were Joined by the first and second, and received orders to march to Nalc, on the coast of Manila Bay, about 10 miles distant. Securing a couple of native guides, we started. These guides, under the direction of Lieutenant McKlnlay, who can talk both Spanish and Tagalo, rendered efficient service. For five or six miles the trail ran through a wooded country, with no Inhabitants and little water. About half way to Nalc we met an insurgent Red Cross attendant, with four wounded men from the fight at San Francisco de Malabon, They were bound for the hospital at Buena Vista, not knowing that place was held by Amer ican troops. The Town of Nalc. "We reached Nalc about 8 P. M. and found It occupied by nine troops of the Fourth and Eleventh Cavalry. They had had a fight for the town the day before. losing, one man killed and several wound ed. Nalc is a large town, and has a very1 large 'and fine church in good repair. It belongs to the Dominican Brotherhood of Friars, but they have all been driven out hy the insurgents. A couple of native priests now officiate at all religious serv ices. It is only a few miles from here to the mouth of Manila Bay. A depot of supplies has been" established her. Cas coes laden with commissary "and quar termaster stores have been towed down from Manila by tugs. A small river runs through Nalc, and empties Into tho bay about a quarter of a mllo away. The cascoes are poled up the river and un loaded at the town. A municipal gov ernment has been established, and the natives are cleaning up the- town. They are also employed In uploading the stores. One Friendly Community. " On the 15th, I went on a reconnolssance with 92 men, and four officers, to Near ate and Marlgondong, two towns to the west and southwest. Tho first is a town of 3000, and the latter of 10.000 inhabitants. No Insurgents were seen. The people were very friendly, and, what is unusual, most of them talked Spanish. The native priests of both towns and the local Presl dente of Marate invited me to their houses, and showed me much hospitality and friendship. All the people were very friendly. Our soldiers have strict orders to take nothing without paying for it, and to treat the people kindly. The church at Marlgondong is large and fine. It be longs to the Recoletos Order of Friars, but is now ruled by a native priest. I find great hostility to the different orders of friars. The people are all Catholics, but they object to these orders, who own all the land, collect the Tents and live like lords. They want only the regular Catholic priests, who will look after their people. They want the friars .expelled from the islands, and their property con fiscated. Leaaing Filipinos tell me there will be no lasting peace till this is done. Very Little Resistance. "We got little news .here. Two of our battalions havo pushed on south. Gener als Wheaton and Schwan are after the Insurgents, driving them south to Batan gas Province, where they are said to have 6000 troops. Cavlte Province has been an easy conquest, so far. -There are no such series of entrenchments down here as the Second Oregon met la their advance north last Spring: In fact, I have seen very few trenches so far. The hospital-ship Relief Is anchored off shore, and Is taking some of our sick men on board for proper care and treat ment. This is a good thing. "We have no adequate hospital facilities here. One of the latest stories is that Aguinaldo has escaped from the island, and taken refuge In Hong Kong. No one seems to know tho truth concerning him. The Insurgents are all aware of the fact that he Is a fugitive, and that disheartens them. He was the leader of the whole Insurrection, and they considered him Invincible. With him out of " the way, the war will soon cease. Our troops are scouring the coun try everywhere hunting for insurgents and finding few. As soon as Batangas and Camarincs north and south are overrun the war will be over. CAPTAIN PERCr "WILLIS, Forty-flfth Infantry, U. S. V. INTO ROUGH TEERITORY. ' Expedition Under Colonel Darat In vades a Broken Region. TAAL, Batanzas Province, Jan. 30. (Special Correspondence.) The 'Third bat talion of the Forty-fifth Infantry, Major Birkhaueser commanding, with five troops of the Eleventh Cavalry, under command of Major Carson, left Nalc January 24, bound for Lemeri, via Marlgondong, Ma gallanes, Nasugbo, Llan, Tuy, Balayan and Caluca. Colonel Joseph H. Dorst, Forty-flfth Infantry, commanded the expe dition. "We took pouches, shelter halves and three days' rations In our haversacks. Tho heat was great and a half dozen men pltyed cut before we had gonefive miles. As we had no wagons nor ambu lances, they returned to Nalc as best they could. About a mile beyond. Marlgondong, we bade good-bye to the wagon road and took a mountain trail. The column strung out In single file was about a mile hi length. A deep gorge was encountered about two miles from Magallanes. At the bottom of the gorge ran a clear mountain stream, resembling the Santlam or Molalla In Oregon. "When the advance guard reached the water they were fired upon by insurgents from the top of the oppo site mountain. One man was shot through the arm. They returned the fire, and com pany L, half-way down the mountain side, poured In a few volleys by squads. The Insurgents vamoosed and could not be fcund when we climbed up the opposite side of the canyon. We camped at Ma gallanes that night. A few dozen nlpa huts make up the town. The discoverer of the Philippine Islands ought to have a better town named after him. Reveille was at 4:30 on the 25th, and we pushed on towards Nasugbo. About four miles from that place we ran into another bunch of insurrectos. This time they were perched on a high, wooded bluff, com manding the trail. Company L was 6ent on a detour of about two miles over as rough country as I ever crossed, to take them in the rear. We arrived Just in time, shot one down and captured his gun, a Remington. One troop of the Elev enth Cavalry accompanied us on this de tour. These cavalry will go almost any where that Infantry will, leading their horses over tho dangerous places and ridng where they can. On the 26th we en tered Llan without opposition, leaving Na sugbo about three miles to our right. Crossing a range of high hills we entered Tuy. This is one of the most dilapidated looking towns I have seen, consisting of an old stone church and a lot of tumble down nlpa huts. At Tuy we turned di rectly south, towards Balayan, having a good road, shaded most of the way by trees on cither side. Batanzas seems a poor province compared with Cavlte and Pampanga. There are few rice fields ana but little prairie land. There are large plantations of sugar cane, but the sugar mills have been burned. I presume these plantations were the property of wealthy Spaniards, and the mlils were destroyed In the insurrection of 1S96. From Tuy to Balayan very few native huts were seen. On the 27th we entered Balayan. It Is quite a large town on tho sea. Here wc Issued one day's rations of hard tack. bacon and coffee, which we had brought on pack mules escorted by one troop of uie x-ieventn. as many or our men had had no breakfast and all the rest had had a scant ration, thl& was a glad task. Here Colonel Dorst bought! up a lot of hulled rice and cornmeal with which to eke out our rations. It should be stated that the Filipinos keep their stores of rice with the huks on It. They shell out every day enough for their Immediate use. They cut a hole In a block of hardwood and fill it with rice. This they pound with a club to loosen the husks. Then Ihey put the ripe In a flat basket, shaking It and tossing the rice till the -wind blows tho chaff off. The rice with the chaff on is called palay. It resembles oats In ap pearance, and is used for horse feed. Movlnsc South to Taal. Passing through Balayan and along the coast we entered Calaca. It Is a large town and was completely deserted, with the exception of the priest and one edu cated Hocana. The cavalry from Taal had evidently struck the enemy there a few days before, as a dead Filipino, with the insurgent uniform on, was lying in tho bed of tho creek. Pushing on from Calaca we struck out for Lemeri. It was a hot, dusty march, with the wind blowing sand in our faces ail the way. The road was fairly good, and wo made good time, as the end of our journey was at hand. Suddenly, as we came to a turn in the road, tho white houses of a large town on the hillside by the sea came Into view, and we knew It wasTaal. Lemeri and Taal lie side by side.' They are virtually one city. Only a small river separates them. Lemeri has about 12,000 and Taal about 30,000 popula tion. Taken together they make a fine town, the best I have seen in the Philip pines, outside of Manila. There are many stone business houses and warehouses, and a number of fine residences. The two towns are connected by a fine stone bridge, crossing the River Taal, which flows out. of Lake Taal a few miles above the city and empties into the sea 'at this point. There Is a fine church in both Lemeri arid Taal, the one m Taal being much tha larger. It is situated near the top ot the hill commanding a fine view of the surrounding country. Toirns Deserted. A battalion of the Forty-sixth Infantry were the first troops here. Under Major Johnson they had a fight in Lemeri, killing four insurgents and losing one man killed and one wounded. The Forty-sixth wera relieved by the Twenty-eighth, one battal ion of which-regiment, under command of Major Morgan, is still here. The two towns are deserted, the people having fled at the approach of our troops. They have been invited to return, and promised pro- FKEIGHTHOUSE OF THE SIBERIAN RAILWAY AT MEDVEJYA. tectlon if they behave themselves, A few are now coming back every day. There are still Insurgents In small parties In the neighborhood. Our outposts are fired upon every night. These are only small bands, and hard to locate and difficult to engage In a fight. Colonel Dorst just re turned from a two days' hunt for them with two companies of the Forty-fifth and two companies of the Twenty-eighth, and all the cavalry. They were unable to find the enemy, x'he fight is knocked out of them In this part of the Island. They sent in a bluff to the Twenty-eighth in the shape of a threat that they would be given until the night of the 29th to leave the town, in default of compliance with which they would take It by force. The Twenty-eighth calmly waited for them, but, beyond firing on the outposts, they did nothing. His Excellency, Don Fellp Agoncillo. quondam representative of the Filipino Republic to the United States, re. sides In Taal. He has a fine residence on the main street, not far from the bridge He Is not here now, but Is supposed to bo somewhere In Europe working for recog nition of his defunct government. He is a lawyer, and evidently nn educated man, as he has quite a library of legal bocks and historical and rellg'ous works, printed mostly in Spanish. Hke the rest of his fellow townsmen, I presume, he'wlll have a cordial Invitation to return to his ne glected domicile and resume the practice of his profession under American pro tection. ' The steamer Nueva Senora del Carmen came into the bay yesterday, bringing a load of commissary and quartermaster's supplies, and a little mall for the Twenty eighth. She anchored about 500 yards out In the bay. The stores were landed in small boats. Fire in Camp. The second evening here a fire broke out by accident In ono of the nlpa huts cc- cupled by Company K, Forty-fifth. A ' torles, extending from the Ural River and strong wind was blowing, and it spread . mountains east to the boundary of the Chi rapldly, burning about 20 houses occupied nese Empire, and from the line of the rail by Companies I. K. L and M. The com- I way south to the territories of Central panles turned out and fought fire for sev- Asia known as Turkestan. Not all of the eral. hours. No facilities for tho wcrk Immense area Is' steppe land, nor Is It all were to be had. The men carried water , arable. Steppe means prairie, and the from the river In stone jars and threw j eastern portions of the tract outlined In sand on the fires with fiat sticks and j elude the spurs of the great Altai range boards. A few houses were torn down to of no I'lta ns. To the south the deserts prevent the spread of the configratlon, and alter preax euoris n was sioppeu. This Is a very windy place. It has been blowing ever since I have been here and seems to have no Inclination to stop. Taal is built mostly on a hill, like San Francisco. It ought to be a very healthy place. About seven miles from here Is Bauan, and about six miles further inthe same direction Is Batangas, "the chief sea port of Southern Luzon. Each of these cities has a population of about 40,000. AJ they are occupied jy American troops, - THE TOWN OF ISIL-ICUL ON there are not many cities In Batanzas Province left to the Insurgents. There Is no postofilce in Taal. "We have no envelopes and no stamps. We are In luck If we get a letter off on an occasional steamer, marking the envelope, "Soldier's letter," and leaving the postage to be paid in the United States by the recipient. We have applied for fresh meat for the sol diers from Manila. If we get that I sup pose the postofilce will soon follow. Lake Taal Is 14 miles up the river of the same name which flows from It. The lake Is 72 miles In circumference, and has many villages surrounding It. In the mid dle of the lake Is a volcanic cone, 1200 or 1500 feet high, of bluish-colored lava. This volcano has a wide and deep crater from which volumes of smoke occasionally pour. Taal River was formerly navigable for small boats, but the channel Is now me Kueslan markets ever since they bc obstructed by accumulations of dirt and , gan to offer them' at the great fair of Nljnl vegetation. It Is understood that the channel is to bo sounded with a view of taking some light-draft gunboats up to tho lake to chase any Insurgent craft that may be found there. Off to the southeast about 15 miles a 1 mountain, 2500 feet high, rises abruptly from the plain. It Is evidently an extinct volcano, although Its sides are wooded to a considerable height. It forms a con spicuous landmark for many miles. I presume our next move will be towards Batanzas. with a view of pushing on to Tayabas Province, but In the military service one knows little of his movements until he receives his marching orders. CAPTAIN PERCY WILLIS. Forty-flfth Infantry. U. S1. V. Just the Man. Grlmpus You say he has good editorial capacity? Crlmpus You bet. He can shy a manu script eight feet Into a waste basket nine times out of ten without missing it! Judy. MADE LITTLE IMPRESSION SIBERIAN SETTLEMEKTS UNCHANG ED BY WESTERN CONTACT. Towag Rooting: Baclc in, the Centuries Have Small Population. Charac teristics of the Kirghiz. OMSK, Siberia, Aug. IS. Between tho Ural Mountains and this city the Siberian railway passes through a wide expanse of tho best agricultural lands of the country. Nearest of tho European provinces of the empire as It is, this region has been re ceiving the first attention in the effort to colonize Siberia, and the government has spread thousands of pioneer settlers over these steppes In the last few years. Tho same proximity to tho navigable rivers which form the Obi induced settlement, as a matter of fact, long before the Govern ment began to encourago pioneering, so that along the Tobol, the Ishim and the Irtish villages appear at frequent Inter vals. As the trains rattle along over the now railway these older villages appear far In the distance, flat against the hori zon, with no evidences of Ufo visible from f the line. Aoaarently they have not been stirred In the least by the coming of the modern civilizing force. They have names and Inhabitants, but they live virtually wlthln themselves, and come little In con tact with the outer world. This condition will be gradually diminished as the newer immigration from Russia mixes with the older and outlying settlements, and the re sult will be Interesting to watch. Of tho cities between Chellablnsk and Omsk. Kurgan, on the Tobol River, and Petropavlovsk, on the Ishim, are the only ones larger than villages. It Is to be ex pected that .some day they will be places of importance and considerable population. The name of the first is taken from the presence of a large tumulus or "kurgan" surrounded by a wall and ditch, once the residence cf a Tartar P-Ince. wYo was sub jugated by one of his neighbors not long before the Russian conquest of Siberia. With a .history thus dpting back through several centuries, Kurgan has still not more than 15.000 Inhabitants, but the es tablishment of an important dairy Indus try In the vlclnltv and the coming of the railway have helped the p'ace vislb'y, and progress of late has been rap'd. Pet ropavlovsk, he city of Peter and Paul, was not a Tartar capital, like l's ne'gh bor, but was established lorg after, about the middle of the last century, a. a Rus sian outpost. When the line of fortifica tions against the" Kirghiz was established Pe.ropavlovsk was one of the m st Import ant of the stations, and the fortress bu It then still stands on a bluff overlooklrs the river. The town is zrowirff with the coming of the railway, as Kurgan Is. and now has a population of nearly 20.0C0. Tartars Still Predominate. This was the country of the Kirghiz Tar tars before the Russians came, the land that Is still called the Kirghiz steppes. That great area thus characterised Is not altogether definite as to Its boundaries, but, roughly speaking. It may be consid ered to Include the provinces of Uralsk,, Turgal, Akmollnsk, Semipalatinsk and Semlrechensk. There are all Asiatic terri- j of Turkestan encroach on the steppe, sometimes with drifting sands and again vvlth salt deserts and marshes which for bid cultivation. Generally speaking, how ever, the Kirghiz steppes offer much val uable farming and pasture land, fairly convenient to the railway or to navigable river systems. The Kirghiz themselves still hold sway In this region In numbers, and In their dominance over the Industrial conditions. In the SSO.Oto square miles Included in I these provinces or governments, there Is j" awe - - THE SIBERIAN RAILWAY. a total population of about 2,750.000. Of these, probably 2.000.000 are Kirghiz. The Russian census of 1SS0 gave to the Prov ince of Turgal, which extends southward from Kurgan, a total population of S64, 6C0, of whom C51.200 were of that people, and to the Province of Akmollnsk, which lies to the south of Omsk, Omsk being the capital of It. a population of 559.491, of whom 369,2) were classed as nomads. The Kirghiz pays little attention to the settled agricultural pursuits, devoting their time to their flocks and herds and the Industries growing out of them. The caravan routes across the steppes from Central Asia to the cities ot Siberia and to Orenburg, have been filled with their ( camel trains whenever trade demanded tujivejance, ana cameis' nalr and the fab- i rlcs woven from It have been favored In rtuvgorou. it is rrom the Kirghiz that the Russians have received the delicate tex tile called the Orenburg shawl, and they, too, contributed the original kumyss of mare's milk to the Russian dietary Motley Collection of Tribes. Tho Kirghiz speak a language kindred to that ofv the other nomadic Moslem tribes far to the south "of them In Central Asia. They aro not a pure type, how ever, but include a motley collection of related tribes who were attracted Into this portion of Asia In tho 13th century by the great migration of the Mongpls, and who squatted here, on the road taken by tho great exodus, on the first lands which the wanderers from the mountainous re gions to the east found suitable for a nomadic 'fe. As among the varied peo ples of this migration the Turkestan tribes predominated In number, all the Kirghiz adbpted their language, but the various clans and tribes have preserved to this day their tribal and clan names. & so that they are still easily distinguish able. The most available Russian statistics of tho industrial life of these people show prosperity In their flocks. To each 100 of the .population the figures credit 100 horses. 60 cattle, 5S0 goats and 15 camels. The Russian settlers are colonizing the lands which are best adapted for crop-raising, leaving the grazing lands to the nomads, who have roamed over them for centuries. The profit for both Is mani fest. The farmers are beginning to fur nish grain and other products of the.soil to the wanderers, and the latter find for the first time a market close at hand for the cattle they raise. It Is only tho northern edges of the Kir ghiz steppe region that the traveler passes through on the Siberian railway, the lino coinciding approximately with the bound ary between those provinces and tho provinces of Siberia proper. Omsk itself is In the extreme northern part of the province of Akmollnsk, not more than half a dozen mile3 from the line, and Petropavlovsk Is just about the same dis tance within tho province. The natural drift of trade and curiosity, however, Is toward tho railway, and the traveler finds the little crowds of loafers who are gath ered at each station to sco the train pass mostly made up of the Tatar element which once overran Eastern) Eurone and L threatened tho world. They are exceed ingly Interesting to watch, and they seem to bo paying the stranger the same de gree of attention. They are but little modified by what contact they have had with Russian civilization, but to some extent they have adopted Russian drss, which makes them look less Oriental than the people of Tashkend and Samarkand, Bokhara and Merv, with whom I have been traveling for the few weeks prior to this portion of my Journey. Horr ICIrsrnlae Look and Live. These Kirghiz, kindred to tho Tartars of Chlnkiz Khan and Tamerlane, are.a race of good physique, their height about what wo call "medium," their bodies sturdy of form. Almost always clean-shaven, their faces show all the characteristics of the Genuine Mongol type. Their cousins of Turkestan Inclined to be too dignified to show curiosity at the presence of a stran ger and displayed an Oriental calm, which I suspected at times tobe forced. In the effort to show their indifference. The Kir ghiz here, however, along the line of this railway, are frankly curious to see all that Is going on, and do not try to conceal tnelr Interest. They are, apparently, too dignified ever to laugh, and seldom havo I seen them smile, but they display the other emotions as readily as do the other people on the platforms with them. I have had no opportunity jet to test the hospitality of the ancient race, but I am told that they aro exceedingly Itlnd in their welcome to strangers who come among them and who will accept their own manner of life and form of entertain ment in tho spirit which tenders it. Of course their -customs are primitive and their life without a trace of what West erners call comfort. They live In round topped tents of felt similar to those of the Turkomans In the Merv oails. In Turkomanla the tents are called kibltkas, but here In Siberia where that word is applied to one of the most primitive of Russian vehicles, the tents have the name of yurts. In both regions, however, the vljlages are known as auls. These tents are built over a framework of woven wicker work. The covering of felt Is sometimes an Inch thick, and so serves perfectly to keep out cold or heat, rain, snow or sand, whatever sort of a storm may be In progress. The apex of the tent has a round hole left as a vent for the smoke which.rlses from the fire built di rectly underneath. The chief articles of diet of the Kirghiz aro meat, cheese and fermented milk In various forms, some times made Into kumyss and sometimes Into other beverages. With tents, cloth ing, blankets and carpets all made of the wool from their own flocks, with food al most altogether produced from the same source, with several hundred thousand squaro miles of open steppe of the sort they liko best for their nomadic life, peo pled not more thickly than three Inhab itants to tho square mile, the Kirghiz of tho steppes are quite as well off as they care to be, and virtually independent of want. TRUMBULL WHITE. DOGMA UNCHANGEABLE. Our Mnrslificld Censor In His Custo mary Genial Vein. MARSHFIELD. Or.. March 19. (To the Editor.) In an editorial of the 12th Inst., entitled "Dogma Tenacious of Life." ou censured the Pope and the dogma in sush a form and style that you seem to be In want of some Instruction. It is not my purpose to discuss now the merits of Bruno or of Mlvart, nor their guilt before the public, and to show respectively the moral, physical and social right of every individual and every community, contra dicting progressive might against Tight, whlgh might condemn or justify both Bruno and Mlvart; but If the editor Is In need of such information, I will be glad to go Into the matter regarding Bruno or Mlvart, or the dogma of the Catholic Church and show whether the dogma of the Catholic Church Is to follow the editor of The Oregonlan, or vice versa, with full reasons on both sides. That the dogma of the Catholic Church Is the same today ns it was 300 years ago and before, !s because it does not labor under the same political pressure as The Oregonlan does. The Pope as such Is Infallible, Independ ent of any and all outside Influences, oft any and every nature and from any and every sldo, which prerogatives would ill fit The Oregonlan. Were the Pope and the dogma under the dictatorship of an Associated Press, which receives golden types In exchange for partial style for obvious and respective purposes, thus forcing the editorial dogma to surrender unconditionally to the big guns; were the Pope and the dogma of the Catholic Church In a helpless condition and based on the principle not to Incur the Ill-wIU of the mighty, and to catch the votes of the masses for Its barkers, then all wouldj admit that the Pope could not express himself as freely as he did, nor would the dogma bo today the same as It vas 300 years ago, and before. You should know that the dogma of the Catholic Church doe3 and cannot change, and that, not withstanding whether kingdoms, empires, states and The Oregonlan smile or frown upon It. the dogma. Intact, the same as It was 300 years ago, as It was before and as It Is now, does and will last Intact, when kingdoms fall and empires pass away, and even after The Oregonlan falls, and as long as the world lasts. But what wouldbecome of The Orego nlan If It could or would not changa its barometer according to tho vicissitudes of tho political climate? What would hap pen If his editorial, dogma would not change? Does The Oregonlan Intend to remodel tho dogma of the Catholic Church according to the progressive might against everlasting and unchanging right? This dogma has no flexible backbone, no auto matic, reserslble, front, nor turning sides; It does not bow down. Is not silenced nor Influenced by might. But we can sym pathize with you In your grief and Indig nation at the unchangeableness of the dogma of the Catholic Church; wo know that It only comes from tne kindest of feelings for the welfare of the Catholic Church. You hate to see it havo an In flexible standard of right and wrong, knowing yourself that such a thing doe3 not pay nowadays; in fact, without flexi bility of principle, you think that It Is impossible to get along, and out of your kindness of heart you wish to notify all your friends. If you have forgotten the true history of Bruno and the cause of his punishment, I will be glad to give you authentic Information in the matter. Some of my previous articles, through your kindness and appreciation, you havo Inserted on the "market" page. I do not think that my articles are of enough val ue to put them on the "market." Any other humble place In your paper will do. JOSEPH SCHELL. "Better live well than live long." You may experience both if you take Hood's Sarsaparilla. THE BURNING QUESTION OUB TRADE RELATIONS WITH IN- fiULAR POSSESSIONS. Congressmen. Want t Get tk Paexto Rlcaa Matter Before Snprema Court Washington Topics. WASHINGTON, March 19. The .most in teresting topic of conversation among the members of the House of Representatives for Beveral weeks, and probably which will continue to be the foremost topic dur ing the remainder of the session, is the Puerto Rican tariff bill and Its effect upon the coming elections. Representative Tongue, Is one of the most earnest talkers on this topic of any member of the House, and Is wilUnff-t express his Ideas fully and frequently when asked for an opin ion. Mr. Tongue is of the opinion that the Philippine question, should never have been allowed to come into the subject at all. He also believes that a great mistake was made by Mr. Payne In proposing a free-trade bill and then coming back at the House with a tariff bill. Ho also be lieves that many of the goods exchanged between the United States and Puerto Rico should have free trade, and that a sufficient tax upon tobacco and other ar ticles should be levied to raise the revenue needed. Mr. Tongue is also of the opinion that when the effects of the Puerto Rican bill are thoroughly understood that there will be no objection to It, and bo agrees with Secretary Root that It Is absolutely necessary to get the matter before the Suoreme Court In order to have a Judicial opinion which will define tho status of the Islands, for whatever Is done for Puerto Rico will probably be followed in regard to the Philippines. What the Court May Do. In this connection, I heard a very in teresting suggsSjtion as to what tho Su preme Court nsght do in regard to tha Philippines. It came from a member of the ways and means committee of the House, who is regarded as a very good lawyer and who has no doubt as to the Constitutional power of Congress to levy a tariff on Puerto Rican or Philippine goods, and to govern the islands as it chooses. He says that the Supreme Court will probably hold this whole . question largely as a political one, as It would if a treaty with a foreign nation was In dis pute. He thlnk9 that the court will say that the United States has the power to govern the islands through Congres sional legislation, and that the Constitu tion does not extend over the Islands, Of course, nobody has a right to say what the court will do, and some people might think it contempt of court to predict a decision of that body, but In this talk It Is merely casual gossip and Is not based upon anything that comes from the Judges. Public Land Hearingra. Representative Moody has determined to take a firm stand In the committee on public lands as against having time oc cupied with "hearings upon all sorts of sub jects and upon bills of no importance whatever, and which afford only an op portunity for certain members of Con gress or certain Interested parties outside of Congress to air their views. The hear ing nuisance has developed to a wonder ful extent In Congress during the past few years. It has got so that nearly every man who wants to talk on any particular subject can have a bill Introduced, re ferred to some committee and, through the request of some member of Congress, ob tain a hearing. He then, goes before the committee and argues In favor of the bill. Perhaps he is the only man In the United States that wants the bill, and po?sIbly his only object In getting before the com mittee Is to have the Government print his argument, which in all future time can "be circulated at Government expense. 'The public lands committee has had a great many bills of. this kind, and a number of bills of meritorious charncter, in which hearings havo been granted. Probably there are a large number of bills which would have been reported long ago had not the time of the committee been taken up In hearing. Mr. Moody wants some business done, ajid he will probably succeed. He will be assisted In thte by Representative Jones, of Wash ington, who Is also In favor of shutting off the talkers. To Protect Seals. We had almost forgotten that we had any seals to protect until the announce ment w as made that a number of revenue cutters, consisting of the McCulloch, which placd an Important part in the sea fight. in Manila Bay; the Manning, Perry, Rush, and probably the Bear, would be sent to Alaskan waters and would co-operate with British warships to prevent pelagic sealing. These cutters will no doubt go ahead just as they have done In the past, and the seals on tho Islands and such other portions within the limits described by tho modus vivendt will bo protected, as far as possible. Still It is believed that when the poachers re turn to Victoria, It will be found thai they have made a good season's catch somewhere in the Pacific, and havo en countered no serious difficulty even with the revenue- cutters of the United States, assisted by the smaller vessels of the Brlt- f Ish navy, which has headquarters at Van couver. Alaskans Satisfied. If the pending Alaska bill Is enactett Into law at this session, there will be little complaint from the people of that terri tory for some years to come. Up to the time the committees of tho House and Senate had reported those bills, there were a large number of Alaskans In Washing ton, appearing from time to time, and working with the committees to have the bills shaped along a line that will meet tho approval of the people to be affected. Foremost amojig them was J. G. Price, selected at the Skagway convention, to represent Alaska at Washington. Before he left, Mr. Price said that he was more than satisfied with the results that had been obtained. He thinks that If the bills pass, all of the crying needs of Alaska will be met for a long time to come. "1 want to tell you," said Mr. Price, on tho day that he departed from Washington, "that I owe much of my success to the help that has been given me by various articles that have appeared from time to time in The Oregonlan. On numerous oc casions, when some point was in dispute, I would quote from The Oregonlan, and can truthfully say that such a reliable au thority never failed to convince the com mittee. Then, too, I am very grateful to Representative Moody for his many courtesies, and the consideration ho has shown me. His co-operation has been most valuable In helping me along, and the influence, he brought to bear with the members of the committee is shown in the results. Senator McBrlde also assisted me a great deal before the Senate commit tee, and he shows a very intense Interest In Alaskan matters. I hope when the bill Is enacted that the Improved con ditions In Alaska will so build up the commercial relations between our territory and Oregon that the members of the Ore gon delegation will see some substantial return for the efforts they expended in. be half of the people of Alaska." The Crater Lalce Pari. The Oregon members of the House are likely now to accomplish something that has failed in times past, the establishment of a National Park around Crater Lake. Tho citizens of Oregon have long wanted this beautiful and picturesque spot pre served, as a National Park. In the last Congress Representative Tongue had a bill for this purpose, and the committee on public lands of the House finally reported It, but It was never considered. Through the efforts of Representative Moody the bill has now been reported, and It Is far superior to that which was reported last year, because It excludes miners from that region, and men under the gulsa of pros pecting will not be permitted to deface tht natural beauties of the Crater Lake re gion. Everybody knows that there are no minerals to speak of, or of any worth, In the Crater Lake country. The Ore gon members have also made a ten strika In having the bill placed on the "House" calendar, Instead of the "union" calen dar. This allows the consideration ol the bill In what Is known aa the "morn ing hour," when the committee on publld lands Is called. It Is no doubt true that the bill will now go through, and Oregoa will have a National Park of which It may be very proud. Fort Hall Reservation. Senator Shoup and Representative Wil son, of Idaho, are having considerable difficulty In getting any kind of an ar rangement for the consideration ot the Fort Hall Indian reservation bill, which has passed the Senate and has been re ported favorably by the House commit tee. In the first place there are only a few methods by which a hill of this char acter can be brought up by unanimous consent, which means that a single objec tion will prevent Its consideration; by suspension of the rules, which will re quire a two-thirds vote on the part of all the members of the House present to pass it, and recognition for suspension of the rules is very hard to obtain; by se curing a rule from the committee of rules for the consideration of the bill. Now the most feasible of these three is suspension if Speaker Henderson would consent to give recognition for It It is very seldom that a rule Is granted for tho consideration of any bill of a local nature like that re garding the Fort Hall Indian reservation. It Is possible that Senator. Shoup may at tach It to some agreement for their ces sion of lands In Oklahoma Territory, and by that method it would be sent to the nouse-and put In conference, and would have to be considered. The suggestion has been made also that It be added to the Indian appropriation bill, but very stren uous objection is made by Senators to this programme, and Senator Shoup Is en deavoring to secure consideration of some other by some other means. There is quite a demand for tho passage of tho Fort Hall bill, and for this reason tho Idaho men aro doing their best to get it through. GoinBr to Europe. This will be one of the greatest years of European travel ever known. More Amer icans are preparing to go abrond than ever before, and steamship passages have-been engaged long In advance of the sailing dates, and during some months it is- im possible to get passage on any of the b'g liners. The European shipping is less able to accommodate the rush than ever be fore, because so many large shlp3 havo been withdrawn from the English trans port lines to become transports for Brit ish soldiers to South Africa, and are be ing used to carry food and supplies to tha soldiers. Every available craft that can be used as a transatlantic vessel is being brought into requisition in order to ac commodate the rush of Americans who Intend to visit the Paris Exposition and take In every other part of Europe. A great many people think this Is one of the very 'worst years to go, because tho prices of everything will probably be so high, much higher than ordinary. Tho State Department here shows the effect of the proposed European rush, because more Americana have made application for passports than have ever been filed before in the history of tho department at the same season of tho year. Would It Be Any Betterf Just now we bc a great deal In the pa pers about the Sultan of Sulu and his many wives. It seem3 to be quite a fa vorite topic in some circles to point out that the Sultan has a great many wives, that he follows the Mohammedan religion, and that he also has slaves and that his various officials have been too much mar ried and also havo too many slaves. This may be all true. It Is a very bad state of affairs. Probably the people of tho United States would never have heard of it had it not been for the fact that the Sulu group was Included in the Islands which were ceded to the United States by Spain. Then it was discovered immediately that there was a very serious moral condition In the Sulus. The question naturally arises whether this condition would havo been any better had the islands remained under the rule of Spain, or If after the treaty of peace wras signed, or rather be fore it was signed, the United States should have turned what interests we had in the Philippines over to Aguinaldo and his Tagals. It occurs to the average- per son that it Is doubtful if Spain would have corrected the evils existing In the Sulu group, and from what we know ot Aguinaldo It Is equally doubtful whether he would have been able to make any Im pression upon the savage Moros. The probabilities are that he would not havo tried, nor would Spain have tried. Per haps in time the United States authorities may endeavor to bring about some re forms among the Sulus. At all events, the conditions have not been made worse because tho group came tinder the Amer ican flag. A. W. DUNN. Hard Bird to Kill. Philadelphia Inquirer. Visitor Whar yo old man dla ebenln'T Mrs. Blackly He's dun gone out shooU In', ez usual. Visitor Whod he shoot af tab. nlto? Mrs. Blackly Some kin ob a bird dat dey calls "kraps." Ho nebbah brung enny home, but he do spen' lota ob money foh ammynlshim. o Pardonable Retort. Father (calling from head of stairs at H:S0 P. M.) Jennie, don't you think It's about time to go to bed? Jennie Yes, papa, dear. What on earth keep3 you up so late? Chicago News. It may be true of virtue that "But to wish more virtue is to gain," but it is not true that wishing for health brings us a etep nearer the realization of our wish. Health must be sought and striven for. There are more than half a million people who have found health, each in the same way, and by the same means. That way and means are open to you. If you are suffering with obstinate, linger ing cough, bleeding of the lungs, bron chitis, emaciation, weakness, a condition which if neglected or unskilfully treated, leads to consumption, begin at once the use of Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Dis covery. It never fails to help. It per fectly heals ninety-eight out of every hundred who give it a fair and faithful trial. Sick persons are invited to consult Dr. Pierce by letter absolutely free of all fee or charge. Every letter is held aa strictly private and sacredly confidential, and all answers ore sent m plain envel opes, bearing no printing upon them. The experience of Dr. Pierce often en ables him to suggest auxiliary treatment specially adapted to the individual case. Address Dr. R. V. Pierce, Buffalo, N. Y. "About one year ago I began to be troubled writha dry, hacking- cousrh. and a hotting through my breast so that I could hardly go about or do my house work for myself and husband," writes Mrs. Alice Holton, of St. Albans, Kanawha Co . w. Va. "I let mv trouble so on until about eight months ago I got one of Dr. R. V. Pierce's little pamphlet. I learned of a great remedy for such diseases, and I wrote to the World a Dispensary Medical Association la a short tirao after reading the httle book. They soon gava an answer and advised me what to do. I fol lowed their advice and I soon found relief by the use of Dr. R. V. Pierce's Golden Medical Dis-?5v.e.17- x havc USi tbre bottles of it and now leel like a new person." Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets do not become a necessitv to the svstem thev have relieved of accomnlatiens and ob- ! sanctions. WISHING