PORTLAND, OREGON, SUOTAY MORISTNG, FEBRUARY 1904. PRICE.. FIVE rEN&Si yol. xxm.-yo. 8. 21, SOlfCIlN Russian Warships -Off Coast of Japan. STEAMER IS GIVEN CHASE Vessels 'Are Evidently the Vladivostok Squadron. SEARCH IS MADE FOR CABLE Czar Will Probably Proceed to the Front In the Spring, to Take Command of the Army. THE WAR SITUATION". News of a small skirmish at Wlju shows that both armies have thrown reconnoitering parties forward to the Talu River. Wlju, near the mouth of the river, lies on the sreat Corean highway, which passes through Pins Tans, reported to he occupied In force by the Japanese. It Is of easy access, therefore, from a Japanese base, as well as -from the Russian railroad. The HMeslans were reported to have a con querable force of cavalry within close distance of the Talu. and the present Hklrmlsh confirms the reports. It Is In cavalry that the Japanecs are most de ficient, and their loss of a small de tachment was probably due to this lock. The Russians officially confirm the news that China Is sending troops to Klnchau, a short distance by Tall from Nlu Chwans. The gravity of this movement lies In the largo foreign houses at Nlu Chwang. where the American Consul has already expe rienced trouble In endeavoring to ad- -just conflicting interests. Japanese fleet -was observed February IS cruising off that port. Reports from Northern Corea say the Coreans are showing a. decidedly friendly attitude to the Russians. The Manchurlan Railroad is conveying troops -without difficulty to the various points of concentration. Native reports say that the Chinese pirates, since the outbreak of hostilities, have been displaying much activity in Eastern Asiatic waters as to almost para lyze the coasting trade. BRIGANDS GUARD RAILWAY. Russia - Greatly Fears Japanese At tack on Manchurlan Line. SPECIAL. "WAR SERVICE. NEW YORK. Feb. 20. The Tientsin cor respondent ot the "World cables as follows: 'So great is the danger that the Man churlan Railway will bo cut by Japanese spies or roving bands of Manchurians, that the Russians are paying Manchurlan brigands a heavy sum -per month to guard the railway." SUGGESTS ONLY ENDLESS WAR Russian Journal on Sympathy of Great Nations for Japan. ST. PETERSBURG. Feb. 20. The "Viedo mostl publishes an editorial article on the pride shown In Great Britain and the United States in their pro-Japanese sym pathles, and asks -what these will ultl mately cost the "cultured West." An swerlng this question, the paper says: "Aside from the question of the yellow peril, it is hopeless blindness not to see that Russia stands as a barrier between the approaching rising ot Asia and old Europe, and to desire that this barrier be swept away is absolute imbecility. It is said that Japan represents civilization. The same thing was said In 1SS5 about Prussia, and it was not suspected that the success of Pruslsan arms would be a continual source of alarm, and only ended when the Franco-Russian alliance re-established the political balance ot Eu rope. "One may bow down to the cultured advance of Japan, but It brings to West ern nations the idea of endless wars. The East Is now an area ot European compe tition. What China will do In a week or in months, when her war position is more clearly denned and her .neutrality guaran teed by the powers on the American re ceipt is one of those fictions which Eu rope Is so used to paying for with a most expensive armed peace. Russian victories will protect the West from the horrors America is trying to keep off bydlplo macy. For Russia this heavy cross is its glory." CZAR LOOKS SI He Feels Keenly the Out break of War. 1 of hot beef daily, besides the. regular .ra tions supplied from the special-kitchen cars. APPEARS LITTLE IN PUBLIC Sole Recreation Consists in a Morning Saunter in Garden, SOVEREIGNS WRITE TO HIM CHINA DENIES REQUEST FOR AID Alexleff Presumes Too.Muchlln'Ask-: Ing Troops to Guard Railway. TOKIO. Feb. 20. Advices to tho Japan ese government from Pekln say that while at Mukden, Viceroy Alexleff asked the Chinese troops to aid In guarding.. the railroad, so -as to prevent the Interrup tion of traffic. The Chinese refused the request and asked for Instructions from Pekln. The Chinese'1 government told them to Inform Alexleff that as Russia- had in sisted the Chinese "were unable to guard the railway In time-of peace, surely Rus-, sla could not expect them to guard it' In time of war. .Emperor William Expresses His Sym pathy, and Concludes With Sig nificant Words, "God Is With Us." SPECIAL "WAR SERVICE. VFAv VOJUk.'Feb.20. Tho American orlnts tlfe foilowinff,cabla from Its 'Lon don con-esponaent'r-'-" A dispatch from Toklo today, "says: "Cannonading was toeard this morning jl Mlhonosekl, north .of Shlmane Penln aula. "Three unidentified 'warships appeared off Okurljt and Kutogori today apparently searching for a cable. "The steamship Tamagawa Maru, which has arrived at Shlmonesekl, reports that she was followed seven miles off Fusan by four Russian warships and that the chaso was abandoned near Tsushima." (The Russian ships mentioned are evi. dently tho Vladivostok squadron.) CZAR MAY GO TO FRONT. Will Probably Take Charge of the Land Forces In the Spring. SPECIAL. WAR SERVICE. NEW YORK, Feb. 20. The American's "Rome correspondent cables as follows: "It is reported here that the Czar in tends" to proceed to the front in the Spring to take personal command of the army." MERCHANT SHIPS ARE WARNED Russian Minister Tells Them to Re main South of Shanghai. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 20. The Minis try of Finance has warned the Russian SmerchfSft tehlpa to remain south of Shanghai, as the Japanese have a squad ron composed of one battleship, two first and two second-class cruisers and 11 torpedo boats off Amoy, China, for the purpose ot intercepting merchantmen. A dispatch received here from Harbin, Manchuria, dated February 20, says the railroad is in working order and that the Japanese who attempted to blow up the Japanese bridge over the Sungarl River have been hanged. Bands of Chunchus (bandits) have been observed under Jap anese leadership and are being pursued. Almost all the civilian inhabitants of Harbin have left, and the remainder of the population is .quiet The movement of troops is causing heavy traffic on the railroad. All of the Japanese laborers on the railroad have also fled, and the Chinese laborers have returned to work after their New Year celebration. France Fears No Japanese Invasion. PARIS, Feb. CO. The Foreign Office hero, here declared to be absurd the report circulated yesterday In New York, al leged to be from Paris, to the effect that 60.000 Japanese troops had been con centrated at the Island of Formosa, with the intention of invading French posses sions in the Far East In case of France siding with Russia against Japan. The Foreign OfHce also denied the report that President ioubet Intended to visit the Czar, and added such a visit had not been considered. FIRST LAND ENCOUNTER. Cossacks Attack Japanese Troops in Corean Territory. yST. PETERSBURG. Feb. 20. A dlspatcu jlrom xrQTi Aruiur louuy iuv3 me ursi y land encounter occurred yesterday. A picket of Cossacks attacked a small de tachment of Japanese troops on Corean territory. The Cossacks captured some Japanese prisoners, on whom thoy found maps and papers. The collision was presumably between reconnolterlng parties. A general engage ment is not anticipated Immediately. A special Port Arthur dispatch says the WILL ARM VOLUNTEER FLEET Russia Proposes to Have Steamers See Hard Service. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 20. It is re ported here upon good authority, but the report lacks official confirmation, that all the steamers of the volunteer fleet are to be armed. Grand Duke Alexis and Grand Duko CSnstantlu, uncles of the Czar, have asked His Majesty's permission to go to the front. It is said here that Viceroy Alexleff wiV exercise general supervision over th. : aval movements in the Far East. Cou-.i Kutaissoff, War Governor ot Irkutsk, has returned to his post to hasten the forwarding of men and war materials across Lake Baikal. A Russian correspondent of the As- (Con eluded on Page Thxite.) ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 20. The Czar, according to those who have access to his presence, feels keenly the outbreak of hostilities and sorrows at the burdens war entails. Since the receipt of the news of the bombardment of Port Arthur,. His Majesty has been much occupied with conferences, and has appeared in public only on one or two occasions, to review the departing troops, or to show himself at the window of the "Winter Palace to accept patriotic demonstrations. Persons who have seen His Majesty say he Is look ing sad and careworn, and his well-known kindness of heart causes him to feel acutely the loss of his brave men. His Majesty's sole recreation now con sists In a morning saunter in the garden adjoining the palace. The ground Is cov ered with snow, but still he walks about. Invariably accompanied by five Samoyed dogs, which are trained to march in single file behind him. The Czar selects one of the dogs to bead the procession. "When His Majesty addressed some troops a few days ago and admonished .them In these words, "Remember your enemy ls5b"rave, bold and cunning," he could not disguise his emotion, and his voice shook very much. He is grieved over what he con siders to be the treacherous condur.t of the Japanese. Kaiser Expresses Sympathy It is known that the Czar has received at least three personal letters from Euro pean sovereigns expressing their sympa thy. The potentlarles are Emperor "Will iam, King Christian of Denmark and King Oscar of Sweden and Norway. The letter from Emperor "William was brought by Colonel Von Schenk, commander of the Alexander Third Regiment of Prussian Grenadiers, of which the Czar is honorary Colonel, and concluded with the significant words: "God is with us." , The epistle from the Czar's august grandfather, King Christian, is said to be more than an ordinary exchange between close relatives, and the missive from King Oscar is of the friendliest character and contains the warmest assurances for Rus sia in her hour of trial and for the Czar personally. Military activity is proceeding on an ever-increasing scale, and all is In readi ness for the mobilization of the entire Russian army should that become neces sary. In a fortnight 100,000 additional troops will be in Manchuria. Three army corps of Siberian rifles have already been organized, and a fourth soon will be com pleted. There Is also a brigade of Cossack artillery armed with excellent mountain guns. Stories of privation suffered by the sol dlers on the military trains going to the East' are grossly exaggerated. Covered freight trucks have been converted into really comfortable cars for the men. The sides are lined with folt, the windows have been cut, stoves set up and the movable shelves used for sleeping are re moved In the day time. Each car can carry 40 men, but only 36 are taken. Each man Is allowed three-quarters of a pound HIT HIS POCKET Spokane Shippers Corn-bine-Against'Hill. - WILL DIVERT THE FRE1CHT i Agreement Signed to Ship Only by 0, R. & N. Road. TO FORCE RATE REDUCTION CONTENTS OP TODAY'S PAPER War In the Far East. Russian fleet appears oil coast of Japan, and boom ot cannon la heard. Page 1, Czar will likely proceed to the front to com mand the army In the Spring. Page 1. Czar Is much downcast over the war, and ap pears little In public Page 1. Russians expect Japan to lay siege to Port Arthur, and are preparing for long resist ance. Page 2. ,i Fear that powers will become involved In tho war causes collapse of prices on the Bourse at Paris. Page 2. Congress. Spooner and Tillman have lively debate as to action ot Roosevelt la Panama Justifying the secession of the South. Page 3. Senator Hansbrough introduces a bUl to end the lieu-land evil. Page 3. House discussion of the naval appropriation bill develops into a great political debate. Page 3. General. Perry S. Heath resigns as secretary of he National Republican Committee; Elmer Do ver will temporarily succeed him. Pag 3. President Roosevelt announces his campaign - plans. Page 14. Fourteen people meet tragic deatn in fire In Paris factory resulting from an explosion. Page "13. Commercial and Marine. New York stock market dull and narrow. Page 15. Review of the week In Wall street. Page 15. Large gain In cash -Item shown by Xevr Tork .bank statement. Page 15. 9 Hay wheat touches 41.07 at Chicago. "Page 15. High produce prices at San FranclacogPage 15. Transport Buford sails from SanFraacIsco for Portland. Va.ce 12. Overdue French bark La Bfuyere arrives, Page 12. Pacific Coast. Spokane shippers boycott HlU"!loer Hxrf com bine to patronise O. R. & N. Page 1. Hood River farmers agree to buy Irrigation plant. Page C p&cifls Coast traffic agents la session at Ash land. Page 7. Depositors In Uellingham bank say Dlx Is in nocent ot embezzlement for whlcn be Is in the penitentiary. Page G. Treasurer Martin, of Grant County, commits suicide. Page 7. Sports. Morengo and Oregon Kid are favorites for Hunt Club race. Page 10. Portland and Vicinity. Court decides that life sentence operates as divorce. Page 2S. Location for fireboat slip is offered to the city, Page H. Police force la inspected by Mayor and Police Committee. Page 10. Merchants Who Pay $750,000 a Year Boycott Merger Roads-Will In voke Elklns" Law to Obtain Justice. "YYoodlawn and Piedmont residents demand city Features and Departments. Editorial. Pace 4. Church announcements. Page 23. Classified advertisements. Pages 23-27. Book reviews. Page 30. How to prune roses. Page 29. Today's opportunities for young men. Page 31. Plea for annual flowers In Portland gardens. Page 23. "War news that escaped the censor's eye. Page 31. Memorials to George Washington at the Na- tlon's capital. Page SO. Mr. Carpenter's letter. Page 32. The Tankee's business foothold In Corea. Page S3. Locomotive that "walks" like an elephant. Page 33. " Birds and babies, by Jerome K. Jerome. Page 32. McLoughlln and Old Oregon. Page 37. Social. Pages 20-21. Musical. Page 23. Dramatic. Page 18. Household and fashions. Pages 34-33. Youths section. Page 38. Commerce which Is Working to give the Interstate Commerce Commission pow er to enfor'ce"Its" decrees. All .Complaints Ignored. . The movement nas grown out of the recent meeting of the freight managers of-; the "Western roads at Chicago, at which every request of the Spokane men '-was ignored. There Is hardly a. large shipping firm In the city that did, not have some complaint laid before' that body of .f reightmen, and they were! not only' ignored, but in some cases the rate on their goods was actually raised. Rely on Elklns Law. The association was formed 15 years. ago and this is the third concerted at tempt that has been made by it'to se cure better rates from the railroads, the first being before the Interstate Com merce Commission in 1S93. At that time thousands of dollars were spent In a vain attempt to beat the railroad's. Then the association embarked upon a scheme similar to the one now on hand,' but aa it did not have the Elklns bill to aid it. It soon went to the wall. The shippers combined and secured a traffic manager to route their goods, but it was not a week before the railroads began to get busy with passes and rebates, and In less thr.n six months the association was dismembered. The hope of the shippers now Is the Elklns bllL CAUCUS WRECKS FALL. SPOKANE, "Wash., Feb. 20. Spokane shippers, who-pay to the railroads In freight rates annually $750,000, mot yes terday and combined to throw all their traffic to tho O. R. & N. until the Great Northern' and Northern Pacific Hall- roads offer satisfactory rates. The firms represented are members of the Spokane Shippers' Association and unanimously passed the resolution de manding a transcontinental rate which will not exceed the Coast rate plus 25 per cent of the return local rate from the terminal points. The resolution adopted was: 'Whereas, We know that rates of freight to Spokane from Eastern points should never justly exceed the prevail ing rate to terminal points plus 25 per cent of the corresponding pervalllng rate from terminal points back to Spo kane. Therefore, be t Mtesoivea, xnai unm suca au ad justment .pf freight "jgites con bo er- lectea Wlinour. increasing uuy now in effect to Spokane from Eastern points, we agree toglve all our busi ness to the O. R. & N." Firms in the Combine. The following firms signed tho reso lution and solemnly pledged themselves to keep the agreement: Chllds Bros. & Day. HollyrfSdjisdlf, Jonos & Dlllinghama jjphn "W. Graham & B. L. Gordon & Co. Spokane Drug Company. Spokane Paper Company. Crane Shoe Company. Empire Candy Company. Shaw-Borden - Company. F. B. "Wright & Co. Grpte Rankin Company. . Bo'othe McCllntock. Best Clothing Company. Cohn Brothers. Griffith Heating, Plumbing & Supply Company. Jensen-Klng-Byrd Company. Spokane Paint & Oil Company. Tull & Gibb3. Miller, Mower & Flynno. "White House Drygoods Company. Spokane Implement Company. "Washington Liquor "Company. A canvass of the meeting was taken and the firms present added up their freight rates for the past year at $750, 000. A committee of seven men was appointed to canvass the shippers of the city, and the association expects to have other shippers join them until the association has 54,000,000 in freight rates at Its command. The shippers present have 17 cars of gods coming from the East now and Immediately diverted them to the Union Pacific by wire. The members are pledged to stick together and the clause in the Elklns law which makes It a felony for either tho shipper or transporter to give or take passes, rebates or other conces sions is relied upon to hold them In line. A committee of three was ap pointed to co-operate with the commit tee on legislation of the Chamber of PUSH WHEAT Anxious Buyers;" Run May Up to. $1.07. . ARMOUR HAKES -MILLIONS Efforts to. Keep. Prices' Down by Selling of No Avail.. 'EXCITEMENT IS EVER INTENSE Foreign Markets Continue Firm, War Scare Is Unabated, and Advices From Grain-Producing Districts Bring Little Relief. f m Fierce Fight Among Republicans in Seattle's Tough First Ward SEATTLE. Feb. 20. (Special.) The en tire front of Butnlck's Hall was broken out, every window in the building demol Ished and doors broken from their hinges In a Republican caucus fight in the First Precinct of the Second "Ward tonight. Eight chairmen were swept off their feet at various times during. the evening. coal oil lamp was exploded and shooting flames of fire ran across the floor, threat ening the destruction of the building and endangering the lives of nearly 1000 men who attended the caucus. The fire was stamped out, the burning wick being thrown through a broken window by ward worker. For four hours the caucus struggled and fought, the street outside the building be ing filled by a mass of voters so thick that street-car traffic on Jackson street was suspended. Though there are but 6S5 qualified voters In this precinct, more than 1500 persons took part In the struggle. The fight was precipitated by efforts of supporters of H. I. Jaffe, R. E. Fee and A. Kistler to control the precinct. All are candidates for Councilman. "While the struggle Inside the hall was In progress, the. Fee men had a rump caucus on the sidewalk and elected a slate. Later Jaffe arjd Kistler compromised and the three slates were nominated. The trouble blew over as quickly as It had arisen. ln the First "Ward separate caucuses wfjre heia In three precincts. "William Holt lsflghtlngthe Clancys, who are attempt- !8&&&P VihghG Wvs ;fc$dj GREAT GAIN" IN THREE MONTHS. May wheat, opening'. 51.02H- High point. $1.07. Clcainsr. $1.05. November price. 76c. Gain in three months, 29c. in tae-i:iwi locked, 'but thriTolt-cicn; whometSater to caucus. Rival caucuses were nem m tne. saawi room lnJiiie Fifth Precinct. Supprtr cm- hf Amolit'Zhlndferi locked thft '.flotirif fonJohn Megrath's forces in the intfftr Precinct' of -tpe Sixth, ward, hut suhse- Quently compromised -and admitted. Me- grath's men.- -; Spirited caucus fights- were held In other city preclactft. Councllmanle fights result ing In bringing out nearly the entire party vote. The caucuses wer6 the most spirited meetings held'ln years?' WAR CALLS FOE '04 TK0HEY. n Uelr3$cinc CHICAGO, Feb. 20. (Special.) With a roar and a bound that was Irresistible May wheat today leaped to 11.07, a jump of 4& cents in 30 minutes, and more mil lions were added to the Armour pile, and stuffed into the pockets of the farmers who were wise enough to hald their grain. The wheat pit all day was a scene of excitement and the clamor which arose never ceased or abated from the opening of the session until the gong announced Its close. Yesterday the excitement was most in tearte, when the price reached and crossed the dollar line, but today there were no varying degrees of Intensity, and the nerves of every man In the wheat pit were at the highest tension tfuring every min ute ot the session. The advance in price seemed to be Irre sistible. Armour, who for months has been the undisputed monarch of the wheat pit, sold millions of bushels of the grain In a futile- effort to hold the price down, iuvf qjevtgbushf l- sold, there were two itaPbuts.tfr1irhtti!crir jhI? ft -ishomi SRrnrrL i&miea vrfthjfctHVslBgla ffiea qlbiylng ivrncat. r -. At the 6Wen c. "May avheat sold as Idch aftiYugijr ''dfeort ajparently proved Russia Officially Notifies St. Louis She Will Not Participate. ST. LOUIS, Feb. 20. Official confirma tion of Russia's Intention to abandon par ticipation in the Exposition was received today In a cablegram to President Francis from Commissioner-General Alexandrov sky at St. Petersburg. The cablegram fol lows: "Notwithstanding the best of feeling to America and a readiness for participation In the "World's Fair, Russian tradesmen think their patriotic duty Is to give the money appropriated for the Exposition, to the Red Cross and wounded soldiers. I am going personally as the chief delegate of the Red Cross to the Far East, ily sincere thanks for your kind attention to our staff and me personally. My best re garda to all directors and chiefs." None of the Russian exhibits has been shipped to St. Louis, but a large railroad exhibit and a number of other exhibits were In readiness for transportation at St. Petersburg. Four hundred thousand dollars was to have been spent on Russian exhibits. and thiidelce, mpuntcrw?agC- $tQ3.and then, tt;0I, nivphaIttitiSmA3Te4che5 the main to eltjif tJKjauw xMVr oa which caused yes tefdiyS sjahc-i Uuhl Jar riei The conditions in the EurapraiuandT&sg-' llsh markets. continue unchanged;'', and, wheat is held there at an unusual pre mium. The local receipts of wheat have been unusually smail, and. advices from the grain-producing districts contain lit tle promise of relief from those quarters. The new high-record mark was estab lished on the opening sales. July opened c lower to c higher at 92c to 83c Strong Liverpool cables were mainly re sponsible for the initial advance. There was heavy liquidation of May at the start and the price quickly sold off from Jl-04 to $1.0231. The principal long offered July freely and that option declined to 924c Later, on light offerings and Monday'3 holiday, the price was forced up to $L07. fluctuations of &c to ?Jc occurring be tween the sales. July advanced to 96c. Liberal profit-taking resulted In a sharp decline. May dropping back to $1.05 and July to 94c. The close was strong with May at $1.05?4, a net gain for the day of 3c. July closed 2c higher at 95. The market hesitated somewhat at tr outset and a momentary calm prevailed, but suddenly a buying wave struck the (Concluded on Page Three.) ALTHOUGH A GREAT. STRONGHOLD, RUSSIA NOW CONSIDERS HARBIN A BETTER BASE FOR WAR OPERATIONS PAN O KA3II C VIEW OF POKT ARTHUR. From Lealie'a "Weekly.