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.