TROOPS TOO ACTIVE
RUSSIA AGAIN THREATENS TO MARCH
ON PEKIN.
Lea Mr Requests the Recall of ForcelOut-
slde of Wall MlnUter of the Czar
Says HisaovernnientMay Bo Com-
pelled to Believe China Is Abandon-
Ins; HerNeatraltty.;
London, March 21. The Standard's
TienTein correspondent says that Paul
Leessr, Russian minister to China, has
renewed his protest against the jdis
patch of Chinese forces outside the
great wall and has intimated that an
less they are withdrawn, Russia may
be compelled to act on the assumption
that China is abandoning her neutral
ty in favor of Japan. The minister is
aviso reported to have renewed his
threat that on the slightest movement
on China's part, Russian troops will
march on Pekin. It is said that in re
ply to this, the correspondent adds,
China refused to recall her troops.
There are vague rumors of unsuccess
ful attempts of the Fort Atrhur and
Vladivostok fleets to join forces.
SUNK BY LINBR.
British Submarine Boat Ran Down and
Her Crew Lost.
Portsmouth, England, March 21.
British submarine boat No. "A-l" was
run down and sunk off the Nab light
ship today by a Donal Curry liner and
11 persons were drowned including
Lieutenant Mansergh, the senior officer
ngaged in the submarine work. The
liner passed on and reported that she
had struck a torpedo.
At the time she was struck the sub
marine boat was off the lightship en
gaged in the maneuvers, and was lying
in seven fathoms of water waiting the
approach of a battleship. The boat
was one of the newest of the fleet of
submarine vessels and was built from
the latest models, but she tad always
been a bad diver. She was inspected
recently by both King Edward and the
Prince of Wales.
The name of the liner which struck
the submarine boat is the Berwick
Castle, from East London, South Af
rica. The loss of the boat was not
known for several hours after the
liner had reported to the manuevering
fleet that she had struck a torpedo.
The officers of the liner say that they
aw a glistening torpedo like shape in
the water, and it is supposed, there
fore, that the submarine boat rose just
before she was struck. There is no
doubt that all the members of the crew
died in the steel tube. It is thought
that the Berwick Castle, in striking,
upset the trim of the boat and spilled
the gasoline in the tanks, rendering
her helpless. The crew was battened
down and must have met death from
suffocation in the absense of air and
owing to the fumes.
QRBAT INSURANCE TRUST.
Fire Companies Will Have Uniform Rates
in All Cities.
Philadelphia, March 19. The In
quirer tomorrow will say the National
Board of Fire Insurance Underwriters,
at a meetingg held in New York City
today, came to an agreement by which
all fire insurance companies in this
country and all foreign companies rep
resented here will form a combination.
Uniform rates, says the Inquirer, are
to be fixed for the same class of risks
in all cities, uniform legislation in all
states and cities is to be advocated, and
all technical work of all the companies
is hereafter to be done by a central
board, instead of local, state or city
boards, as has been the custom.
Old insurance men state this is the
first time the companies have been able
to agree upon plans, although the sub
ject has been frequently porposed.
A special committee ot seven was ap
pointed at the New York meeting to
carry Out the plans, and an assessment
made upon each company doing busi
ness in this country to make up a fund
of $ 100,000 annually to carry on the
work.
Oreat Building Strike Almost Sure.
New Yoik, March 21. Twenty
thousand bricklayers and laborers, and
about 2,000 ironworkers are on stiike,
and unless a settlement can be reached
at once the strike probably will spread
until about 100,000 men are involved.
The employers, considering it improb
aole that any settlement will be
reached, are preparing for the strike
which they think will follow. Mem
bers of other unions who will be out of
work because they cannot proceed with
building without the bricklayers, aie
said to be indignant.
Cuba Authorized to Make Loan.
Havana, March 21. It is said here
that Speyer & Co., of New York, re
cently interrogated the United States
government as to whether the Cuban
loan of $35,000-,000 for the payment of
the revolutionary war veterans was
satisfactory to it and in accordance
with the terms of the Paltt amend
ment. The reply received, it is said,
was to the effect that Cuba was entirely
authorized to close the business in ac
cordance with the contract.
President Signs Supply BID.
Washington, March 21. The presi
dent today signed the legislative, exec
utive and judicial appropriation bill.
This is the second of the big supply
bills to become a law.
GOOD SUM TO FAIR.
House Committe Win Favor $700,000
Appropriation.
Washington, March 19. The house
subcommittee on industrial arts and
expositions today favorably reported a
substitute for the Lewis and Clark ex
position bill, recently passed by the
senate, carrying a total appropriation
of $450,000. The substitute bill con
templates the expenditure of $250,000
for a government exhibit, $75,000 for
the eretcion of a government building,
$175,000 for the erection of buildings
for the Alaska, Philippine, Hawaiian,
Oriental and Oceanic exhibits, and
$250,000 for an Alaska exhibit, in ad
dition to amounts heretofore appropri
ated for the Alaska exhibit at St.
Louis.
At its next meeting, the full com
mittee will consider the substitute bill,
and may possibly add an appropriation
for a forestry building.
In additibn to making provision for
the various buildings and the govern'
ment and Alaska exhibits, the subeti
tute bill provides for free admission of
foreign articles imported for exhibit
purposes, and creates a government
board to collect, install and care for
the government exhibit, as was done
at St. Louis and authorizes, in connec
tion with the government exhihit, a
fish commission exhibit and a life sav
ing station .
The subcommittee will further re
port in favor of authorizing the coin
age of 250,000 souvenir gold dollars,
which are to be coined at such times
and in such quantities as the expo
sition authorities may desire. These
coins are to be sold to the exposition
corporation at part and may, by them
be sold at a premium of $1 each, thus
enabling the exposition to increase its
earnings.
While the suocommttee made no
recommendaton as to Sunday closing
of the exposition, it is expected that
the full committee will amend the sen
ate bill by striking out the Piatt Sun
day closing amendment, and leave the
matter entirely in the control of the
state.
Chairman Tawney, speaking of the
subcommittee's report, says that an ap
propriation of $450,000 for Portland is
equvalent to an appropriation of $600,-
000 or $700,000 at any other expo
sition, as Portland will enjoy the ad
vantage of having many of its exhibits
already collected, requiring only tran
shipment from St. Louis. He says
Portland will have a better government
exhibit than Buffalo had for $300,000,
and should also have as fine if not finer
exhibit from Alaska, the Philippines
and the Orient than will be made at
St. Louis this year.
PRBSERVB FUR SBAL INDUSTRY.
Senate Desires President to Negotiate
With Britain for Change In Rules.
Washington, March 19. After elimi
nating all but three sections of Senator
Dillinghams' Alaskan seal bill, the
senate committee on foreign relations
has authorized Senator Foraker to
make a favorable report on the meas
ure. The bill as originally introduced
was practically the same as had been
presented in the house by Representa
tive Tawney, of Minnesota. The first
scetion of the bill prohibited the kill
ing of male fur seals on the Pribyloff
group of seal islands, except 5,500 to
be used as food for the natives of the
islands, and this was stricken out by
the committee.
As passed, the bill provides that
the president of the United States shall
negotiate with Great Britain fot a re
vision of the rules and regulations
which now govern the taking of fur
seals in the open waters of the North
Pacific ocean and Behiing sea, pursu
ant to the treaty articles of award of
the Behring sea tribunal of arbitration
made at Paris, August 16, 1893.
The revision of the regulations is for
the purpose of restoring and preserving
the fur seal industry"and to abate the
killing of nursing mother seals on the
high seas.
It is provided also that the president
shall endeavor to conclude negotiations
with the governments of Russia and
Japan for the purpose of securing their
areement to any satisfactory revision of
the rules that may be had.
Only Settlers Can Remain.
Washington, March 19 Senator An
keny and Representative Jones today
received letters from General Counsel
Bunn, of the Northern Pacific railway,
stating that his company intends to
deal liberally with bona fide settlers on
the lands within he "overlap" limits,
which passed to the railroad company
under the recent decision of the su
preme court. Settlers who settled
upon these lands in good faith-prior to
July 1, 1898, and have made their
homes thereon, will be permitted, un
der the act of 1898, to retain title.
Wants to Use Chinese Read.
Pekin, March 19. Russian commis
ariat officers have applied to the Chi
nese railway officials at Hsin Min Tun
for permission to use their line for the
transportation of troops and stores.
The officials have replied that the
matter presents many difficulties, and
that they must refer the application to
the authorities at Pekin. Some ques
tions were also asked regarding the
possibility of purchasing fodder and
other supplies.
No Hope for Mrs. Miles.
Washington, March 19. Mrs. Miles,
wife of Lieutenant General Nelson A.
Miles, retired, is lying ill at her home
injthis city. Her condition . has been
exceedingly critical and although some
improvement is noted today, no hope
is held out for her recovery.
TO SELL FORESTS
SENATE 60MAUTTEE AGREE ON RE
PEAL OF TIMBER ACT.
Highest Bidder Wffl Have Privilege of
Cutting fcOff Trees Funds Will Be
Used for Irrigation Work Wooded
Tracts Can No Longer Be Entered
Under Homestead Commutation Law.
Washington, March 18. By unani
mous vote, the senate committee on
public lands today .favorably reported
a compromise bill intended to modify
the public land laws so as to minimize
the opportunity for fraudulent opera
tions, and to insure the . settlement of
the public lands by bona fide entrymen.
This compromise is the result of a pro
tracted and heated discussion of the
public land question, and, to a large
extent, carries out the - recommenda
tions of the public land commission.
The bill agreed upon authorizes the
secretary of the interior to sell to the
highest bidder the right to cut and re
move timber from any unappropriated,
non-mineral surveyed public lands after
first having such timber appraised and
giving due notice of such sale. The
funds derived from timber sales in the
arid and semi-arid western states are
to be placed to the credit of those
states in the fund ultimately to be ex
pended in the construction of national
irrigation works.
The bill repeals the act permitting
the entry of timber lands, though it
does not affect the acquisition of stone
lands. It provides further that lands
chiefly valuable for timber shall here
after not be subject to entry under the
commutation 3 la use of the homestead
law. This last provision removes the
most objectionable feature of the com
mutation clause, and the one under
which the government has heretofore
been generally iniured. The
tee did not feel justified in going furth
er m me way oi modifying the land
taws.
The unanimous report on the hill to
day is thought to insure its early pas
sage Dy tne senate, and it may get
through the house this session, though
there are several members of the house
public lands committee who will op
pose it and attempt to prevent a fav
orable report. Nevertheless, advo
cates of reform in the land laws are
greatly encouraged by the action of the
committee today and regard it as a
long step in the right direction.
No bill introduced in com? reus in uv.
eral years has been pushed with more
vigor by its friends, or fought moie
stubbornly by its enemies. For two
years the committee on public lands
has had the measure almost constantly
before it. Last year the committa re.
ported the bill over the head of the
chairman, Senator Hansbrough, but
ne servea -notice tnat it could not be
passed, and it died with the concrrem.
This year all the Democratic members
ot tne committee except Senator Du
bois and three Republican members,
Bard, Nelson and Dietrich, were
again against it, making a majority of
one in favor of reporting the land bill.
Chairman Hansbrough declined to nut
the motion for reporting the bill with
out having a chance to be heard in op
position to the measure. He wan
charged with filibustering, but re
mained steadfast. Chairman Hans
brough talked to members of the com
mittee individually, and gave as his
view that the bill, if passed, would un
set the land laws of the entile country
and turn to uanada the great stream
of immigration that was now building
up the west. He declared the home
stead law vital to the interests of the
unimproved west, and suggested to the
friends of the bill that a measure he
introduced for the repeal of the timber
and Etone act only, lie won Senator
IMelson to the same view, and the bil
was introduced bv Senator Ouarles and
approved by the committee.
On Trial for Soliciting a Bribe.
Kansas City, March 18. Jesse J.
Jewell, state senator, of Kansas City,
was brought to trial in the criminal
court here today upon a charge of so
liciting a bribe. The charge is that
Senator Jewell went to J. W. Hess,
manager of a baking powder company,
and offered for $9,000 to influence leg
islation that would be beneficial to the
company. tL. C. Crow, attorney gen
eral of the state, and his assistant,
Samuel B. Jeffries, will peisonally con
duct the case.
Trade Suffers Heavly by War.
Odessa, March 18. The influence of
the war on trade, and especially on the
coast of foodstuff, is daily growing
more marked. The prices of flour,
beef and other necessaries continue to
soar upward and are already almost be
yond the reach of people even in mod
erate circumstances. Reports from
Kieff, Kharkoff , Pollava and even As
trakhan and Caucasian ports show a
similar state of affairs existing there.
Everywhere trade is suffering.
Russian Qunboat Now Dismantled.
Shanghai, March 18. The disarma
ment of the Russian gunboat Mandjui
has now been completed, and all of the
essential parts of the guns are in the
possession of the Chinese port authori
ties. The officers and crew of the Mand
jur have taken passage on a French
steamer for Russia, after having first
pledged themselves to take no part in
the war unless Jirst exchanged.
CANAL-ZONB LEGISLATION.
Any That Is Enacted- Now Will Be of
Preliminary Nature.
Washington, March 17. Whatever
legislation may be enacted at the pres
ent session l elating to the Panama
canal will be largely preliminary in
character. The president has discussed
the matter with members of congress
and with such members of the isthmi
an canal commrssion as are in the city,
but it is understood that no definite de
cision yet has been reached as to what
are the precise needs of legislation on
the subject.
General Davis called attention to the
provisions for executive regulations con
tained in the bill, providing for the con
struction ot the canal and suggested
that they were ample to cover all needs
in the direction of governing the caaal
zone.
Suggesting the machinery for the
government of the zone, he mentioned
the appointment of a governor or per
fect chosen from the commission. In
addition there should be a secretary of
state, , an attorney general, treasurer,
sanitarian, superintendent of schools,
justices of the peace, police judge and
three judges of courts of the first in
stance.
The work of sanitation would cost
$500,000 , the first year and the polio
ing of the zone would necessitate the
expenditure of $300,000 a year. Aut
onomy foi the people of the zone Gen
era! Davis believed to be a thing for
distant consideration. The nature of
the work would attract the rougher or
criminal classes. The total cost of ad
ministering the government after pre
liminary expenditures had been met
would amount to $1,000,000, accord
ing to the belief of General Davis.
ARMY TO STRIKE.
Japanese are Ready te Begla Their For
ward Movement.
Wei Hai Wei, March 17. The ex
tensive forward movement on the part
of the Japanese army may be expected
to be begun at once.
The Haimun has encountered very
little ice and in skirting the coast line,
it is clear they are nearly clear, and
that nothing now stands -in the way of
the Japanese transport fleets proceeding
to the landing places selected in the
northern part of Corea.
The fact that the Japanese have re
called all correspondents from the head
quarters of the army at Ping Yang also
indicates an important movement Is
contemplated. The Japanese com
manding general, Baron Hasegawa,
who, with the imperial guards, will
take the lead in the movement against
the Russians north of the Yalu river,
is etrongly opposed to permitting any
correspondents to accompany his col
umn until after the first land battle
has been fought, and it . is known he
has succeeded in winning over to his
way of thinking the members of the
staff.
General Hasegawa was chief 'aid to
Field Marshal Oyama during the'opera
tione which resulted in the capture of
Fort Arthur by the Japanese in 1894,
and is expeeted to strike quickly and
effectively against the Russians.
WILL BUY IN NORTHWEST.
Japan Wants to Secure Oood Horses for
the Army.
Vancouver, B. C, March 17. Ten
thousand horses for the Japanese army
will be purchased within the next ten
months in Eastern Oregon and Wash
ington. The contract for the supply of
these remounts has been awarded to
Dr. Armstrong, of Nelson, B. C,
through the consulate in this city.
The agreement specifies that 1,000 ani
mals per month be delivered, and this
will make ten months before its expir
ation. The price is not mentioned,
but it is needless to state the quality
of the horses will be of the best; in
fact, the announcement has been made
here that none other will be accepted.
Rome of the horses will be procured
from the ranches near Kamloops, B.
C, and other points in the interior of
the province, but by far the greater ma
jority will be purchased from the
breeder b in Eastern Oregon and Wash
ington, where the strain is better, and
where good horses have been bred with
great care for many years past.
. Statehood BUI Completed.
Washington, March 17. The state
hood problem today was taken up by
the subcommottee of the house commit
tee on territories, recently appointed to
draft statehood bills for Arizona and
New Mexico and Oklahoma and the In
dian Territory. The bill making a
state of the first two named was practi
cally completed. Th difficulty of ad
justing the taxation ' and other ques
tions with regard to the admission of
Oklahoma and the Indian Territory as
a state are the next to be taken
tip-
Do Not Believe Report.
Paris, March 17. The St Petersburg
correspondent of the Echo de Paris says
that rumors to the effect that the
Vladivostok and Port Arthur squad
rons have been united are receivexlwith
increduilty by the general staff. The
correspondent believes the rumors are
probably due to Vice Admiral Maka-
roff's frequent sorties. He says Gener
al Zilinsky is now Viceroy Alexieff's
chief of staff and is acting under his
orders.
Colombia May Yet Fight.
Paris, March 17. The Paris edition
of the New - York Herald publishes a
letter from Dr. Jorge Holguin, ex-minister
of foreign affairs in Cloombia,
and now financial agent of the Colombi
an government, denying that Colombian
has withdrawn its suit against the Pan
ama canal company, or has recalled the
troops sent against the republic of Pan
ama.
Texas Itch or Mange
Mange Is caused by an Itch mite
which inhabits the horse, ass, mule or
steer, and may migrate to man, where
It may thrive as well. An old bulletin
of the Minnesota Experiment. Station
says that, though very small, it can be
readily detected moving along the
scurf of an Infected skin, if a strong
magnifying lens is . used. It forms
small galleries beneath the scurf skin,
In which it hides and multiplies. If
the hide of an infested horse is warmed
by the sun or In a warm stable, the
mite becomes very active, and Is found
quite readily by those trained in such
work. Like all burrowing itch mites,
they cannot exist for a long time If re
moved from their burrow and exposed
to the dry air; In moist places they can
exist, however, for many days, even
for many weeks. Horses invaded by
such parasites show their presence by
being restless, which Is caused by their
incessant itching about the bead, mane,
tail and back. Numerous open sores
and scabs make the presence of the
itch mite very certain and plain. As
a remedy, remove the scabs by the use
of soapsuds and brush, and apply a
tea made of boiling one and one-half
ounces of tobacco In one quart of wa
ter. This application should be re
peated after fifteen days to kill the
new brood that may have hatched in
the interval. Cleanliness in the stable
is another important factor, and if a
case of this .disease has been found in
a stable, all blankets and rubbers
should be whitewashed with quicklime
containing one-fourth pound of chlo
ride of lime to one gallon of water.
Home-Made Hax Stacker.
Charles W. Jones, of Marion Coun
ty, Iowa, sends the Homestead a
sketch and description for a device
of a swinging hay stacker. The pole
Is made to turn in an iron band shown
in the illustration, which is not solid.
but held together by two bolts. The
iron in the band should be one-half
inch thick and two inches wide. The
pulley that is fastened to the sled can
be put at any convenient point as need
ed, according to where the stacking is
done. The runners of the sled should
be staked down by four good stakes
very much as horse power is staked
- SWINGING HAT 8TACKEB.
down. Any blacksmith can make the
irons for these stackers.
Trotting the Horse Down Hill.
Many drivers think the horse should
trot downhill because the load does not
pull back on him, and apparently can
not understand the philosophy 'that
would do otherwise, says Prairie
Farmer. To trot when there is a
heavy load pulling back on the traces
is exhaustive to the horse's muscular
energy. Trotting downhill, especially
with a load in addition to its weight
pushing down upon him, is far worse.
The former, if not carried to excess,
will be readily regained by the aid of
a little rest and nourishment, but the
latter jars and jams the shoulders,
weakens the tendons and springs the
knees, and may even bring on paralysis
of the nerves and muscles. The horse
left to its own inclination will slacken
its pace when once it comes to a de
cided down grade and will go carefully
down the hill, unless it has been
trained to a different habit under the
spur of the whip. If It Is necessary,
for some reason, to drive fast down
hill, put on the brake to, at least, pre
vent the wagon pushing the horse; if
it can be made to draw a little on the
traces it will help materially to lessen
the Injurious effects.
Winter Feeding; of Lambs.
Whatever may be the ration given
the lambs this winter, it must not be
forgotten that exercise is necessary to
their well-being. Don't turn them out
into the cold to shift for themselves,
but provide a place on the warm side
of the barn, protected from wind and
containing a shed where they may go
when they will and where they may
be thoroughly protected from bad
weather.
While they are In the exercising
yard provide them with some roughage
to pick over to keep them busy and
contented, and also see that they have
an opportunity to drink several times
during the day. If the weather will
not permit of this outdoor exercise.
then Some Place ahnnM h nnvrlrieA nn.
der cover where the lambs will have
a chance to stretch their legs. Try the
plan and you will find that it pays
well.
The Buying: of Seeds.
Very shortly . seedsmen will offer
their catalogues to the public, and as
the farmer looks them through he will
be astonished at the variation in prices.
In some cases. Naturally economical
he will feel that he ought not to pay
a dollar for seeds that are quoted by
another seedsman at 70 cents or less,
so he buys of the cheaper seeds and
wonders why his crop Is so small and
his soil so full of. weeds. '
Recent tests of. seeds by an agricul
tural expert revealed the fact that a
certain grass seed offered at 25 per
cent below the market price contained
so much foul seed that when cleaned
and the true seed measured the price
paid for that seed was actually one
third more than the highest price asked
for pure seed. It must not be under
stood that the assertion is made that
all seeds quoted at less than the regu
lar price are inferior, for one may be In
a position to sell some one variety of
seeds cheaper than his competitors,
but it is always cheaper to be on the
right side and buy the best seeds of
reliable seedsmen. The crop will more
than make good the difference In the
price of the seeds.
'Scantling- Telephone Pole.
D. W. Predmore, of Nebraska, de
scribes a scantling telephone nnle that
may interest some readers-where tim
ber is scarce and
lumber Is high. In
stead of long tele
phone poles a sub
stitute can be
made by two pieces
of 14-Inch crib
wvt v.0 vuu via
either side of a
fence post, letting
the board come
down about three
feet on the post. A.
foot long can be
nailed between the boards about four
feet above the top of the post, and at
the top of the post a piece of 2x4 two
feet long. It will be seen at a glance
the saving and yet it will answer the
purpose.
Use of Mutton la Growings
Mutton as human food is gaining
rapidly in popularity. Good authori
ties predict that the time Is rapidly
approaching when as many sheep and
lambs will be slaughtered In this coun
try as there are hogs and cattle
slaughtered now. History shows that
in old countries mutton is the poor
man's meat, because it can be raised
at less cost than any other, and also
that it is the best and most wholesome.
Wool brings a good price, mutton is in
demand, and the farm needs fertilizing.
Then why not every farmer grow
sheep, and those who feel so inclined
operate a sheep ranch? It is a paying
business.
Working Butter.
In working butter never slide the
paddle over the surface, as such treat
ment injures the grain. The best meth
od is to remove the milk by using a
gentle downward pressure. Excessive
washing is also injurious to the grain
and general appearance of the article.
Stop churning when the butter fat
globules begin to adhere to each other,
draw off the milk and wash in two wa
ters at about 35 degrees, stirring slow
ly and no longer than is absolutely
necessary to accomplish the purpose,
says the American Agriculturist cor
respondent. The Popcorn Belt.
There is more popcorn shipped from
the town of Odebolt, Iowa, than from
any other station in the world. In 1892
the shipments amounted to 144 cars,
and the crop of 1903 is estimated at
250 cars. At the ruling prices, which
range from 80 cents to $1 per hundred
pounds, the value of the popcorn crop
will reach nearly $50,000. An average
yield of popcorn Is about a ton and a
half to the acre, so that in average
years the crop from an acre will bring
from $25 to $30, delivered at the rail
road station. The fodder Is of good
value for winter feeding.
Bilk aa a Kartn Crop.
It is asserted on the part of the De
partment of Agriculture that a South
ern farmer's family can earn more in
eight weeks by silk culture than it
could in a year by raising a crop of
cotton. The one crop, moreover, does
not exclude the other. Mulberry trees,
the leaves of which form the food of
silkworms, can be grown along the
fences of cotton fields and in odd cor
ners of the farm. No great outlay is
required for stock or plant In fact,
silk growing can be prosecuted as a
by-industry, like poultry raising by
women and children.
Heavier Horses.
The farmer to-day requires heavier
horses than he has been using to do
his farm work profitably. The two fur
row plow, the wide harrow and other
Implements require power. One man
with a good three-horse team and mod
ern Implements will do as much work
and do it better than two men can
with four light horses. Robert Nesa,
Quebec