"r. W'T '""M3 11 1 ""s rf'.gm.'.;,J IIJlJJIIL'lll)HL II )J.L " OMLY EVENING EDITION I WEATHFR FORECAST-. Tonight and Sunday occasional rains. DAILY EVENING EDITION Money makes the mare go, and East Oregonlan advertising makes business come. VOL. 18. PENDLETOX, ORECiOX, SATURDAY, MAKCII 25, 11)05. NO. 531fi ASSESSMENT E Assessor Strain Replies to an Attack Made Upon Him by the Baker City Herald. HE URGES GllfcAT HEED UNIFORM VALUATIONS. Mr. Strain Shown Up tlie Sophistry of the Herald" I'ocdtion and tho Un fairness of Jim Attack He -Is Not Only Willing, .But Anxious it Meet Baker County's Assessor and the Railroad Officials in Open 4ebate "All Property Should lie Assessed According to Earning Capacity." In the fight which Assessor Strain Is making lor a higher assessment for railroad property he has evidently .struck home In Baker county, Judg ing from .an Interview with the as sessor of that county, which appeared In the Baker City Herald a few days ago. In It he was vehemently at tacked Cor !enilng- a olrcular letter to a number of citizens of that coun ty. When seen this jnornlng and asked concerning the letter and the object of Its circulation, Mr. Strain said: "Tea, 4 have mailed out several hundred letters to the taxpayers of Baker county. It Is my Intention to Bend this letter to the various rail road counties of the state. The peo ple of my own county and of the other counties receiving this letter are entitled to a candid explanation of my purpose. We are having a little litigation 'in this county with the O. R. ft N. They have given but one Important reason why their assess ment should be cat. ' That reason Is that other counties have assessed the O. It. & N. property at less than 1 have done. All property should be assessed at a uniform rate throughout the state. This Is especially true now since the passage of the recent law providing for a pro rata divi sion among the counties of tax on livestock, according to the time It is Itept In -each county. "Therefore, In order to accomplish uniformity of valuations of railroad jvroperty and of all property, one of two things must happen: I must either reduce my railroad assessment to meet outside counties, or they must raise theirs up to mine. -The .object of my circular letter Is to present my side of the case to the people of the state, as well as to their official. "lart Tin-in Meet Me." "If the assessor of Baker county, or of any other county, thinks my as. sessmiMit of S 12.675 per mile Is too high, let him arrange a public meet ing between himself and me. If the railroad people feel that I am mis representing them, let them meet me before the board of equalization, or before an audience of Baker county taxpayers. In this way thepenple can hear their own assessor, or the offi cials of the railroad as well as my eelf. "A to the Herald article, I am In clined to believe that the editor has spoken without due consideration, for . many of his statements are erroneous. For instance, he says that the O. R. & N. is now three years behind In the payment of their taxes in Uma tilla county. The facts are that the company Is behind hut one year. They did not puy their 1903 tax. but It was not collectable until March, 1904. The 1403 tax Is now in litigation with the county successful In the circuit court, and the case will come up for settle ment by the supreme court In May, or about fourteen months after the taxes were due. "Then, again, the Herald article as serts that the W. ft C. R railroad as litigating its tax. But as a matter of fact, that road has paid Its tax prompt ly both years In time to get the dis count. The assessment of the W. & C. R. Is 15940 per mile against S12. 675 for the O. R. & N. But the earn ing capacity of the W. & C. R. Is only about $1500 per mile, whereas that of the O. R. & N. is 14600 per mile. Basis: Should Bo Earning Capacity. "In this connection I wish to state my position In relation to the assess ment of property, which Is that Its value should be measured by Its earn ing capacity. This policy will gener ally Impose a light tax on a new rail road or a new venture of any Rind and a fair equitable tax on well es tablished, profitable Investments. This Albert Bell Captured. Tncoma, March 25. Albert Bell, bunk swindler and mall thief, who escaped from the federal prison on McNeil's Island Wednesday, was captur- ed at noon, hiding In the hay in the prison barn. AGAIN policy I bellevt will encourage the building of new roads and of new en terprises of all kinds. However, It Is the only equitable method of arriv ing at a true valuation of property for purposes of taxation. "As to uttendlng the assessors' con vention at Arlington two years ago,' I think I gave a very good reason at that time for my absence. It will be remembered that that convention wns called quite lute In the season, after other property had been assessed at the various rates prevailing In the different counties. Consequently, It was Impossible to fix a uniform value on railroad property while other property was mot so assessed. "As to the recent assessors' conven tion in Portland, it will be remem bered thut I prepared a paper, which was published In the Portland Jour nal, and which set forth my views as strongly as I am able to present them. "Now, then, I propose to meet any representative of the railroad, or any of their friends or apologists before the taxpayers of Baker county or of any other county, and discuss this matter fane to face with the taxpayers as Jury. Finally, as a proof of the Justice of my valuation of the O. R & N. property, I desire to cite the fact they are fighting the payment of their tax In this county solely upon tech nicalities. They have never produced any proof which even tends to show that their assessment is too high. NEW TRIAL FOR CURTIS JCTT. Caleb (Powers Will Soon Be Tried On- Fourth Time. Frankfort, Ky., March 25. The .ap pellate court today granted a new trial for Curtis Jett, under sentence of death for the murder of 3. B. Marram at Jackson court, and also overruled the petition of the state for a rehearing of the rase of Caleb Powers, convicted of complicity in the assassination of Governor Qoebel, and granted a new trial. Powers will soon be tried for the 4ourth time. A POSTAL CARD CAMPAIGN AGAINST SAVINGS BANK. One. of the Strongest Financial 'Con crnm In Cincinnati In Undergoing a Great Strain, Hot Promises to Meet All Claims, and Aim to In atltutc Investigation Through the Medium of the PoKtal Department Offers of Assistance. Cincinnati, March 25. The run which started yesterday on the Cnion Savings Bank & Trust company, one of the strongest financial concerns this city, continued today. The bank Is crowded and the police maintain order. All demands are promptly met. The bank has received many offers of n smI stance. Officers of the bunk assert the run was started by malicious rumors -deliberately started by means of postal cards, and will request the postal an thoiities to Investigate. Wll INVESTIGATE THE U. P. Ktocklavidcrs Are Dissatisfied Willi Harriiuan. New 'York, March 25. There 1s talk today of a protective committee of Union Pacific stockholders to In vestigate the property and the Har- rimnn management. It Is believed that the Investigation will show that the contnol rests elsewhere than In the hands of Harrtmnn and his friends, and an appeal may be made under the laws of Utah, under which the company is organized, to put the real owners 1n control. The law per mits the ousting of a minority man agement on 39 days' notice. The sell ing of the Union Pacific and South ern Pacific, which recently unsettled the stock market, Is traced to Har rlman, according to good authorities. It was said that, realizing his loss of control, he wns liquidating his hold ings regardless of the consequences. Morgan and Rockefeller brokers have quietly absorbed the Union Pa cific stock thrown over by the Har rlinan brokers, and It la beginning to dawn in the street that Harrlman no longer represents the Rockefeller In terests, as Intimately as he once did. SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERT. McMlnn's Orchestra at Mush- Hall at 4 O'clock. McMlnn's orchestra will give its regular Sunday afternoon concert in Music hall tomorrow commencing at 2 p. m. The following Is the pro gram that will be followed: March "A Night Off." Selection from Thannhauser. "St. Louis Rag." Overture "Orpheus." Thombone solo "Nazareth," (sa cred), Frank Hayes. March "On Jersey Shore." No admission Is charged for admis sion to the concert, and the .public Is MALICIOUSLY STARTED Invited to attend, IKE INTRIGUES IN MONGOLIA SCARE RUSSIA Their Emissaries Active Among missions by Russian Authorities Admit tfie loss of Nearly and Sickness, Wounds and Prisoners Peace News In Russia Cause Unbounded Thanksgiving Among the People Reported Terms of ' Peace Would Cede Liao Tung Pe nlnwila to Japan, and Concede Her the Protectorate or Korea Maxim Gorky Will Be Prosecuted on the diarge of Sedition. St. Petersburg, March 25. The re tirement of the bulk of Llnevitch's force northward continues. A Russian correspondent warns St. Petersburg authorities of the dangers of Japanese activity in Mongolia, where he says their emissaries are enlisting the Llmaa and arousing their old warlike spirit. Enormous Military Supplies. St. Petersburg, March 26. The publication by the Army Organ to day of figures showing the strength of the forces dispatched to the Far East, haa created a sensation In mil itary circles, and the war office is being freely criticised for revealing military secrets. The figures given show that up to March 12 the war office had dis patched 1J.097 officers, 761,467 men. 146.408 fiorses, 1521 guns and 726, 321 tons of ammunition and sup plies to the front, declaring that their transportation has strained the Siberian railway to Its utmost capacity. The Army Organ admits that the Russian troops In the Far East at the beginning of the war did not exceed 60,000, and denies that Russian of ficials failed to properly estimate the strength of Japanese military re sources, but frankly admits that the talents of the Japanese officers and wonderful spirits of the Japanese sol diers were miscalculated. Based on these figures. It is esti mated the Russian losses in killed, wounded, prisoners and sick reach 600.000, leaving the Russian effect ive strength now at 300,000. Skirmishing Along tlie Front. St. Petersburg, March 25. Llne vitch reports under yesterday's date: "A Russian patrol was fired upon by Japanese cavalry. Our Infantry is occupying the village of PuIJuachu. There has been no change of posi tion of the armies during the day. Murch 23 detachments of Russian cavalry repulsed a force of Japanese cavalry. at Shuan Ing Ausa. The same day the Russians repulsed the Japanese at Nan Shen Tsl." Russian Position Hopeless. Kobe, Japan, March 24. Richard Little, correspondent of the Chicago News, and three other foreign war correspondents, arrived as prisoners of war on the Awa Maru today. They are well treated and will probably be released soon. Little says the battle of Mukden was a splendid affair on the Russian side as well as the Japanese. Several villages were taken and retaken sev tral times. Little and his companions are sur prised to learn the Russians have not asked for an armstlce, and say the Russian position In the field Is hope less; that Kuropntkln has lost all his heavy guns and the railway line. Mukden is not much damaged. The Japanese refrained from setting fire 0. B. & N. OFFICIALS VISIT PENDLETON H. M. Adams, assistant general freight agent of the O. R. A N. and J. H. O'Neill, traveling passenger agent of the same system, are In the city this afternoon from Walla Walla on a tour of the lines. Mr. Aoams is elntert over the prospects for heavy wheat crop and heavy wool clip in Umatilla county this year, and, ex presses surprise at the remarkable Improvement In the breed of sheep In this county. "Ten years ago six and seven pounds per fleece were considered good averages for range sheep In Eastern Oregon and now they tell me you are shearing sheep In this coun ty that average 12 pounds each. "This Is the most remarkable story I have listened to for many a dny. It proves what can be done by Intelli gent husbandry and systematic la bor. It costs no more to care for one of your Rnmbouillets shearing 12 pounds thnn It did to care for a scrub shearing six pounds, and you have twice the weight of mutton and twice the weight of wool on the same hoof. It reids like a romance and yet I do not doubt It, when I think of the wonderful progress made In other Industrial lines In your coun the Lamas Damaging Ad Military Department. One-half Million Men by Death to any part. The tombs of the Man churia kings are practically undam aged. Captain Judson and Surgeon Colo nel Harvard, American attaches, also captured at Mukden, arrived this morning. Modifying the Censorship. St. Petersburg, March 26. The preliminary press censorship on books In Russian as well aa in for eign languages, has been removed End of War in a Fortnight. London, March 25. From what Is considered a source of undoubted authenticity comes the statement to day that the end of the Russian-Japanese war will be an accomplished fact in a fortnight. Dispatches from St. Petersburg lend an air of prob ability to rumors that Russia haa de cided to Initiate peace negotiations. Reported Terms of Peace. ' St. Petersburg, March 25. Reports that peace is about to be negotiated with Japan are spreading throughout the .country and everywhere the peo ple are falling on their knees in thanksgiving. It Is said the terms on which the war will be ended Include a Japanese protectorate over Korea, its .lease of Llao Tung peninsula, and 'the mak ing of a free port of Vladivostok. Russia, It Is said, will give Japan 1600,000,000 stock In the the E.ist China railroad and other China rail road stock and grant Japan fishing and hunting rights in the Island of Sakhalin and In Kamchatka penin sula. Helping Pay the BiUa. London, March 25. An Exchange Telegraph dispatch from St. Peters burg states that the czar has order ed the payment of 500.000 rubles to ward the expense of keeping the Russian prisoners held by the Japan ese. Morgan May Loan to Russia. St. Petersburg, March 25. It is re- ported that J. P. Morgan has Inti- mated !to Russia that he can arrange for a loan which could be secured by the hypothetlcation of valuable for est lands. Russian Squadron Enters Caiutl. Port Raid, March 25. Admiral Ne bogatoff's division of the second Pa cific squadron, which arrived from Crete yesterday, entered the canal this mornmg. Win Prosecute Gorky. St. Petersburg, March 25. The au thorities have definitely decided to prosecute Maxim Gorky, charged with drawing up proclamations with the object of overthrowing the gov ernment and disturbing the - public order. The penalty Is three years' Imprisonment in a fortress. Gorky ty and Eastern Oregon." Mr. Adams assures the people of Pendleton that his department is ready to assist Umatilla county In any possible way to Increase business, widen out the industrial possibilities or bring new enterprises Into the county. . Mr. O'Neill, who Is known by every man, woman and child along the O. R. N. system has been busy for the past three weeks since the tourist rush began, learning the names of the tourists' babies an danswerlng ques tions of the great northwest, the Mecca of the crowds now coming Westward. He believes Umatilla county will receive Its share of the substantial settlers that are 'now leaving the crowded Eastern states and hopes to be able to direct many of them to this county to become cttlxens. His department Is one of the busiest on the system at this time and the busy days have not yet arrived. He believes Portland will take care of the Immense crowds in a graceful manner and will do all In his power to direct the homeseeker to that sec tion of the state best suited to his ability and occupation. is still at Riga and In broken health. Rojestvensky Kails. London, March 35. A dispatch to Lloyds from Tana Tav, Madagascar, says the Rojestvensky fleet sailed from there today, destination un known. Internal Ixiun Called For. St. Petersburg, March 25. By Im perial decrees Issued today, the new Internal war loan of $100,000,000, will be issued at 5 per cent. Half the loan will be offered for public subscription. WARNED ABOUT ANARCHISTS. "Gobllnsl Get y' Ef ' Don't Watch Out." Madrid, March 26. The govern ment authorities have received word from the New Tork police that two dangerous anarchists have embark ed from that point bound for Barce lona. The police at Barcelona are instructed to keep careful watch for them. GRAIN MARKETS. Quota ttons From An Points Handling Umatilla Produce. Chicago, March 25. May wheat opened at 11.12 H and closed at $1.13. Corn closed at 49 and oats 38 . Dry Goods Company Burned Out. Columbus, O., March 25. Fire which burned all night has destroyed the building of the Columbus Dry Goods company, and damaged ad Joining property, entailing a total loss of 1250,000. $21,552 Relief Fund. Brockton, Mass., March 25. The relief fund for the benefit of the suf ferers from Monday's explosion and fire In the Grover shoe factory has reached 121,652. 10 E PREPARATIONS BEING MADE FOR MAY DAY PICNIC, (Governor Chamberlain to Be One of tlie Speakers of the Day Elabor ate Basket Dinner Surpassing Any Former Effort Will Be Served Citizens' Club Will Prepare Excel lent Program for Echo Picnic and Invite Pendleton to Attend. In the next four weeks the Cltl' zen's club of Echo expects to com. plete arrangements for the most elaborate country picnic ever witness ed in Umatilla county, to be held at Echo on May 1. The club Is now in communication with the Mormon band of La Grande, and hopes to secure this organization j to furnish music for the occasl on. The Mormon band consists of 28 pieces and is one of the leading musical organization in Oregon. Aside from the musical program, literary exercises will be rendered and leading speakers of the state, in cluding possibly Governor Chamber lain will be present. One of the most complete basket dinners ever served In the country Is to be prepared for the occasion. Those who remember the basket din ner given by the women of Echo at the picnic last spring can estimate their ability as entertainers. The people of Pendleton and surrounding country are cordially Invited to attend and take part In this May Day event Rioting in Crete- Athena March 26. Reports from Crete state that rioting has broken out there owing to disputes which have arisen over the efforts to unite Crete and Greece. A number of peo pie were injured, and the situation is serious. Primary School Burned. Sacramento, Cul., March 25. The Lincoln primary school at Fourth and O streets, burned at an early hour this morning. Loss. $25,000, fully Insured. Presumably the work of the work of tramps. Wil l, TRY HUNTINGTON HERE. Baker County Case Removed on a a Change of Venue. The case of A. H. Huntington, ex sheriff of Baker county, has been transferred from that Judicial district to this and will In all probability be tried here, before Judge EIUb, at the June term. The change of venue was granted by Judge Robert Eakln, before the creation of the new Judi cial district by the legislature. The circuit Judge of that district Is now Samuel White, who, during part of the Huntington trial was the district at torney, and as such prosecuted the ex-sherlff. Huntington Is accused of defaulting to the extent of something over $10,000. Colfax. Wash., had 2121 population in 1900. It Is now somewhat over 2700. MM COM C RETIRING PERMANENTLY His Health is Badly Broken and is Said to Be the Cause of His Retirement. IS NOT DETERMINED WHO WILL BE HIS SUCCESSOR. Taft Is Acting Secretary of State and 'tlie President's Chief Advisor No Developmental In Halation to the Venezuelan Trouble Today -Twenty-three Graduates of the Govern ment Naval Medical School Ad dressed by President Roosevelt Secretary Hay Arrives at the A so re Somewhat Improved. Washington, March 25. It la stat ed on the best authority that Secre tary Hay will not resume his place in the cabinet on his return from hla present vacation. Ill health la the sole cause of his determination to retire. The president Is now canvassing the names of several eminent gentlemen with a view to asking one to become Hay's successor. Among those con sidered are Joseph H. Choate and Whltelaw Reid. Hay's friends had. Hoped a few weeks' rest and change of air and scenes would enable the secretary to resume his place at the head of the state department, but that hope has now been abandoned. Hay at the Aaorea London, March 25. A dispatch from Pantadelgada, Azores, states the steamer Cretic has arrived there with Secretary Hay aboard. Hay ia feeling well, though keeping to his stateroom. The dispatch reports a comfortable passage. No Developments. Washington, March 263. Secretary Taft, who Is acting in an advisory ca pacity to the president on affairs of state, had a conference with the president this afternoon on the Vene zuelan situation. On leaving, Mr. Taft said there were no developments today. Addresses Graduate. J Washington, March 25. President Roosevelt this morning presented di plomas to 23 graduates of the Gov ernment Naval Medical school, fol lowing the ceremony with a 10-mln-ute address. Maurice Barrymore Dead. New York, March 25. Maurice Barrymore, the actor, who has been an Inmate of the Long Island Actors' home for the past six years, died this morning of paresis. He was father of Miss Ethel Barrymore, and Jack Barrymore. the well known actors. REMOVAL OF LAND OFFICE. Will Bo Transferred July 1 From Or egon City to Portland. Portland, March 25. President Roosevelt has signed the order di recting the removal of the land office at Oregon City to Portland. The date at which the change Is to be made Is left to the discretion of the commis sioner of the general land office. It is believed that the change will go into effect on July 1, at which time the offices and equipment will be installed In new quarters at Portland. The announcement of the order for the removal came as somewhat of a surprise to Senator Fulton, who is said to have regarded the matter as deferred Indefinitely. Th,ls opinion was based on the fact that no action was taken on the matter when the change was advocated by himself and Senator Mitchell a year or so ago. In the opinion of the senator the change was made by the administration for reasons of economy purely. REEF TRUST INVESTIGATION. Grand Jury Trying to Get. at Whole sale and Retail Beef Prices. Chicago. March 25. L. M. Byles, private secretary of Nelson Morris, a Cudahy manager, was among the witnesses summoned today by ths grand Jury conducting the beef In vestigation. Wholesale meat dealers are also being subpoenaed. It Is understood the Jury Is seeking to get at the prices of beef, both wholesale and retail. The Jury has adjourned until Monday. Building Collapsed. St. Louis, March 25. Ths Washington state building, which Is being wrecked on the World's Fair grounds, collaps ed at noon as the result of high winds. Three workmen were seriously Injured.