The Omaha Daily Bee. E If Ytro Want to Know About the War and Know That You Know Read The Bee. Bcc Kill have the news first- The Bee Hill hive It RIGHT. ESTABLISHED JUNE 19. - -t 1871. OMAHA, MONDAY MOUSING. MAKCII 21, 1K04. KIN'.LE COPY EIVE TENTS. DANGERS OF TIIE FOG 8teanhip New York Meet with Two MU hapa in On "Day. FIRST RUNS AGROUND ON FRENCH COAST Ooean Liner Later Btrno'i by British Troopl ihip Assays. EXCITEMENT FOLLOWS THE COLLISION Bo Ji Teaieli Make fur Sou'hampton Seri ously Damaged. ANOTHER TROOPSHIP REPLACES ASSAYE pni(t o tho Hewr York Csioat Be Estimated latll the Vessel Ilea Been Pat lata Dry Dock. SOUTH AM PTON, March 20. The Ameri can line steamship New York, Captain Young, from New York, March 12, for Plymouth, CluTlmurg ,and Southampton, mot with two mishaps toduy, grounding oft Cape La Hague, France, In the early morn ing and later coining Into collision in the English channel with the peninsular & Oriental steamship Assuye, under contract to the British government and used as a troopship, bound from Bombay with BOO troops on board. The New York grounded whllo approach ing Cherbourg at 2:30 o'clock this morn ing during a fog. The sea was smooth, however, and the tldo was fn the flood, and within an hour and a half the vessel was floated without assistance. The ship's bottom was damaged and there was wa ter In Its hold, but It was able to pro ceed. During the voyage up the channel a dense fog descended. When off Hurst Cas tle, England, the Assays suddunly ap peared and It was found impossible to avoid a collision. The New York's bow crashed into the Assaye's starboard bow, tearing a great gap in that vessel. The New York's bowsprit and figurehead were carried away and the latter was smashed Into fragments. There was great excite ment on both vessels. The boats of the Assays ware lowered and the troops were mustered, but the bulkhead of the troop ship saved It. , Both vessels were able to enter Southamp ton, and the New York was docked at 6:30 o'clock for temporary repairs. Nobody was Injured. It will be impossible to estl mats the damage to the New York until it baa been put into dry dock. It is believed both vessels have been some what seriously injured. Another troopship will replace the Assays. When the Nsw York grounded at Cape la Hague the passengers, who were asleep, hardly felt the shock. James Boilers, a passenger on the New York, says I "At 1:80 this afternoon, while he waa at luncheon there was a grating noise, followed by a tremendous shock. Everyone ran to the deck and It was found that the New York's bow waa firmly fixed n the, aid of the Aeeayay Mr. Sellers waa close enough to observe the marvelous discipline aboard the troop ship. Not second was lost and there was no sign of hurry, and while the boats were being prepared for launching the soldiers were mustered with the precision of an ordinary drill. "As the vessels parted," concluded Mr. Sellers, "we saw a gaping hole In the A aye ten feet wide, end sticking on our tern waa a portmanteau and other portable property. There waa no panlo on our boat. Had we struck the Assays amidships It would have sunk." PERSISTS IN MUSICAL REFORM Special Teacher Appointed by Pape for the Chair la the Slstlae Chapel. (Copyright. 1904, by Freea Publishing Co.) ROME. March 20. (New York World Ca blegram Special Telegram.) Notwith standing the grumbling, Plus X still per- lsts In carrying out the reform in sacred muslo. In order to set at peace the other .jkoman churches ha has appointed a specla teacher of Gregorian chant for the ringer of the Slstlne chapel in the person of Prof, Rolla, a friend of the composer Perosl, who Is to give dally lessons as long as neces sary. Parosl has composed a new "Blabat Ma ter," which is to be produced for the first time In the city of Munich, where the oora poser haa just arrived. It is the pope's de- Ire that the new composition be sutstl tuted for the too theatrical masterpiece of Rossini. MISS BEACH MODEL FOR COIN Her Flgere Is to Adora the British Two-Shilling IMece. New (Copyright, 1904, by Press Publishing Co. LONDON, March 80. (New York World Cablegram Special Telegram.) Susan Ev, elyn Hicks-Beach, the statuesque daughter of Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, lately chan cellor of the exchequer, was the model of the figure of Britannia which Is to adorn the face of the new British coin, a florin or two shilling piece, worth about 60 cent In American money. The original drawing of Miss Susan much larger of course than the figure on the coin Is now one of the most treasured adornments of the family home. SIX INJURED BY EXPLOSION Gas Tank la Restaarant Wrecks the Betiding and Endangers Uvea. PITTS BURO, Kan.. March M An explo sion of a gas tank In a restaurant owns by Crupper Bros. In this city tonight In jured six persona three of them serious' y and caused a property loss of 15.000. Th Injured: Eugene Cropper, crushed under falling timbers; probably fstal. Joe Peoples, serious. Mtsa Maud Blackraan, serious. J. H. Thompson, a waiter; cut and bruised. Ward DeBar. cut about face and head. William DeBar. cut by flying glass. The rntlre building wss wrecked. Eugene Cropper snd J. II. Thompson were the only persons In the restaurant. Miss Black man and Peoples were walking In front of the restaurant and were blown arrest the .Street by the force of the explosion Ward nd William DelUr, serosa the street, wer cut by flying glass. The roof waa blown off the bulldlug and scattered for a dialanos of bait a. block. 'IT TO DIG IN BABYLONIA - erk Man Finally Receives Concession from the Sanaa. V V (Coi 1!W4. by Press Publishing Co.) CO Vi '"INOPLE, March 20. (New York 'Ahlcgram Special Telegram.) Dr. . I New York hsa received an unronrt .l concession from the sultan. ftef a long period of tiresome negotiations. to carry out his plan of excavations on the site of the ancient city of Babylonia.' On two other occasion's Dr. Banks was In formed that his petition for the right to make excavations in that district could not he granted, but still he persisted in his efforts. For several years the Oermsn Orient so ciety has been at work In the region of Babylonia and Its explorations have brought to light things of Interest concern ing the biblical period. In hi early re- usala to grant concessions to Dr. Banks the sultan expressed the fear that there might be a clash between the German and American explorers that would tend to In volve Turkey In the unpleasantness. When he Anally became convinced that there was r,o danger of a conflict of Interest he agreed exto id the concession to the New Yorker. Dr. Banks' concession extends to Rls- mays, which Is near the spot where the University of Pennsylvania made extensive excavations some years ago and from which the institution obtained tablets of great historical and archeologlcal value. MOROCCO BLOCKS NEGOTIATIONS. Great Britain Wants France to Settle First with Spain. MADRID, March 20. The Associated Press learns that the British government has declined to negotiate with France re garding Morocco until Franco will complete arrangements concerning Moroccan affairs with Spain. In consequence of this, ne gotiations to the latter end have been re sumed this week at Paris and Mndrld. Hence, when the pending Ancto-French treaty is published It will be found that the status of Morocco, so long one of Eu rope's most thorny problems, remains un changed. The action of the British foreign minister, Iyord Lansdowne, in assuring Spain that Morocco will not be allowed to enter Into the Anglo-French negotiations until Spain shall accept the French proposals, hus created keen satisfaction and Is regarded as strengthening Spain's position in Eu ropean and African matters. impossible: to ukt ceylon tea, Merchants May Hesort to the Old Mon golian Caravan Ronte. MOSCOW, March 20.-Owlng to the dis continuance of the trips of the volunteer fleet steamers, no tea Is coming from Cey. Ion by water. The practlcnl suspension of freight trains, over the Transslberlan rail. roads makes it almost impossible to get tea from China. One merchant, who has 20,000 chests of tea enroute In Manchuria offers to sell it at a nominal price to the government for the use of the soldiers Because of the difficulty In delivery here, the' merchants have decided as a last re' sort to return to the old Mongolian cars. van route through Klakhta and will peti tion the government to afford them facili ties. Tl'HKET Mt'ST CAmt Y OCT REf6rMS Warned of the Consequences If Pres- nt Plana Are Delayed. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 20.-The Rue slan and Austrian embassies today renewed their pressure upon the Porte to accept un altered the Austro-Rusalan scheme of re forms In Macedonia. The Russo-Austrlan note pointed out that counter proposals of the Porte made on March 17 which objected to the placing of foreign officers in com mand of the gendarmerie In Macedonia did not tally with Turkey's original acceptance of the reform scheme. The note warned the Porte of the grave consequences that would follow any further May. The sultnn received Baron von Blebersteln, the Ger man ambassador. In private audience yes terday. ATTEMPT. MADE TO RAISE VESSEL. British Submarine Boat Shows Little Effect of Collision. PORTSMOUTH, March 20. Attempts were mtde today without success to raise the British submarine boat No. 1 A, which was run down by the Donald Currle line steamer Berwick Castle Friday afternoon. The principal damage appears to have been dons to the conning tower, which shows the marks of the collision. The hull of tho vessel appears to be intact The Berwick Castle arrived here today undamaged. The officers of the vessel de cllned to give sny Information concerning the accident pending an official statement. ENGLAND HEEDS NEW GOVERNMENT John Redmond's Idea of Seearlnst Home Rnle for Ireland. MANCHESTER, March 50. John Red mond, addressing an Irish demonstration here today, said that the first business of the party was to strike down the present government and then to see that no gov. emment was put Into office which would not grant horns rule to Ireland. He said It waa ridiculous for liberals like Herbert H. Asqulth to call home rule an "academic question." BUSINESS IN SOUTH IS GOOD President of Southern Railway Com pear Talks of Conditions la Ills Territory. (Copyright. 1904. by New York Herald Co. NEW YORK. March 20-(New York Her aid Service 8eclal to The Boa.) During recent visit to New York Samuel Spencer, president of the Southern railway, said tli.it "In some lines of Industry, hownv.er the agricultural Interests In the south were very prosperous, sail Mr. Spencer, "conspicuously iron i steel. I noticed a vary material decrease, Our busl ness is of such a general charac ter that It Is being well maintained." Mr. Spencer denied that the Southern railway waa trying to borrow several mil lion aonr. i urse rfponi, ne said, "are all due to the fuct that the Southern, as shown in the last annual report, has cer- tincaies or iiu!ettednea amounting to X,8uO,000. This Indebtedness will In du time be funded, but no steps looking toward this end are now being taken." Eaatneers' Brotherhood Organises, CHICAGO. March 20 -A general rhnlr men s association was formed her toili st a meeting of the chairmen of commit t"es of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En gineers from all the rIIrad systems the country. M. D. Cartie of the Missouri rarine svstem waa made chairman and I M. Rogers of the Milwaukee wss name h secretary of the r- w organisation. The purpose or me axiitvn. it Is said. Is t bring stout uniform c.ndltlins on all the mfir.-id ststen.s ln.f .r ss the engineers sre arYectsd sn$ t 'ens hie th br -thcrhond te meet the General Managers assoclttion with a corresponding body of men who mill be constantly In touch with Uta trglnntrr W SUA Mta V4 jmo viuuy RANKING ABUSES ARE MAN. UiiaM of the Privilege Said to Have Injurious Effect. HOW PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS MADE Case of the Army Canteen Is Cited as Instance Where Congress Was Induced to Art Against Better Judgment. (From a Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, March 20. (Speclat.)- The controversy which has arisen over the lleged misuse of the franking privilege by Hev. Wilbur F. Crafts and others interested n certain pending legislation has caused widespread discussion over the methods in ployed In working up public sentiment. Rev. W. P. Brownlow of Tennessee, who Wilms paternity of the "good roods" bill. s known to have permitted his frank to be used In the transmission of thousands of Illustrated nonfrankable circulars hroughout tho country. Officers of certain temperance societies are snld to have dis tributed several million speeches under ranks which would be no violation of the aw were It not for the fact alleged that after being sealed the franked envelopes were reopened and nonfrankable matter nserted. That this allegation i.as a very solid foundation In fact Is evidenced by the e-eceipt here during tlw past few days of hundreds of such speeches accompanied by circulars having no connection with official publications, which were shipped back to Washington by the recipients In the original government envelops. In some cases these contained, In addition to argu ments favoring the temperance or prohibi tion cause, appeals for money to pay the expense of mnlntnlnlng the bureaus here which send such things out. Sentiment Versus Expert Judgment. That such efforts frequently do a vast amount of harm seems to be evident from statistics gathered by the War department. It was through just such a propaganda that congress was induced, against Its better judgment, to abolish the army canteen. The misguided but well meaning people who secured this legislation believed that the army canteen, where beer and light wines were sold practically at cost to the enlisted men were conducive to drunken ness. Nearly every officer of the army tes- ttflod to the contrary, but the advice of those best Qualified to judge was un heeded and the canteen was abashed There were at the time 137 canteens one at each army post. Since then 4.M2 dives of the lowest character have sprung up around these 137 posts and, according to the medical authorities of the army, the result Is appalling. Drunkenness has It- creased 400 per cent among the enlisted men. Crime of all grades, from murder down, 800 per cent. Diseases due to de bauchery have Increased 280 per cent and insanity 76 per cent, and all this In spite of the fact that at the time the canteens were closed the United States military establish ment consisted of 104.800 men, whereas the number Is now reduced to 87,300. These fig urea are not Imaginary, but are taken from the official records of the War department They seem to demonstrate conclusively that a grave mlatake was made when the can teen was sboltshed ' In response o a worked up public sentiment. Propose an Official Gaaette. A proposition is cn foot, and there are prospects of a successful outcome, to tabllsh an crucial gazette in which shall be chronicled every day the doings of the de partments. There are at present quite a number of dally publications issued by the government in addition to the Congressional Record. Hut they are "scrappy" and lack anything like uniformity. Tka State de. partment, for Instance, publishes a dally bulletin of extracts from consular reports, The treasury Issues a bulletin dally of na tional banks to be organized and national banks authorized to commence business. and several of the bureaus of that depart ment publications containing Information as to receipts and disbursements, the na tional banknotes recorded for redemption the dally cash balance held by the treasurer fend similar news. The Postofflce depart ment puts out a regular dally bulletin of postmasters appointed and commissioned, changes In the star route service, establish ment of rural free delivery routes, appoint ment of rural free delivery letter carriers and other Items of similar Import. Now It Is proposed that instead of a score of publlca- Hons emanating from the various executive branches of the federal service there shall be one official department gazette which shall contain all this Information, and In addition thereto the names of all persons appointed to or discharged from the publio service, the award of contracts, and In fact everything of a public character Hone In the departments from day to day. Each office. If the pUn Is carried out. will be re quired to send to the editor of the Gazette such Items as are to be made public, and the editor will simply arrange them for the printer who will Issue the publication each morning. Just as the Congressional Record is Issued today. The plan would Involve no additional expense whatever. On the con trary, there would be a decided saving, as Instead of a score of publications there would be but one, and that prepared by a competent man. For All Veterans of Slsty-Two. The new rule promulgated In the pension office, on Wednesday last under which any veteran of the civil war who has teached the age of 62 years can draw a pension of $4 per month, is designed to head off the movement In favor of a general service pension bill. It is estimated that the amount required to carry out this order will be about 16,000.000 the first year, while the service bill now being so vigorously pushed will add from UO.OuO.OOO to $0.0O0,0u0 to the annual pension charge. The service pension bill proposes to give every veteran of the civil war, who has reached the age of 62 years, amonthly pension of 12. with out reference to his physical disabilities. The new order prepared by Commissioner Ware and endorsed by the secretary of the interior, grades the payments from 16 to P.2. and while It Is designated to cut off the business of the pension attorneys, It will scarcely have that effect, as every man drawing the smaller sum will be al most sure to Immediately apply for an In crease, snd the attorneys will be only too glad to help him, otherwise their occupa tion will be gone. Plan Congressional Campaign. The beginning of the political campaign of 1904 Is announced In the call for a Joint caucus of the republicans of the senate and house to meet in the hall of the house of representatives on Monday night for the purpose of reorganizing the congres sional committee which will have charge of the campaign to elect members of the houee next November. Senator Allison, chalnrnn of the republican caucus of the senate and Representative Hepburn, rhnlr i:n of the house caucus, have Issued thlr Joint call for this meeting. It is interest ing In this connection to po'nt to the fact (ConUnud en Second, Pagij MAKING EXPOSITION READY Lagoon and Lake Being Filled and Exhibits Are Being Put la Place. ST. LOUIS. March 20. The filling of Ar rowhead lake with 'water at the World's Fuir grounds today, marked the beginning of the completion, it) Its details, of the ex position. This body of water skirls tho Philippine reservation on the east and north and contains about 9,000,0V) gallons of water. It Is to be usd for homes for the lake-dwelling tribes of the Philippines, und will also afford fire protection. Tho filling of Arrowhead lake forma the first effects of the exposition. The lagoons will be filled during the conilng week. All thesu bodies of water will be obtained from the city mains. The fir? filling will not be filured, but thcrcattc and throughout tho fair all the water will be filtered in the luko und lagoons. J installation hus alff) begun on the ex hibit of cracksmen's wnd burglars' tools at the World's Fair. Tjie dlspiny hss teen gathered from the museums of the police departments of all the large cities of the world and includes many Interesting relics of men famous in t(o annals of crime. There will be on exhibition skeleton keys, jimmies and diirk ltiliterns of the latest styles, besides the Implements used by the modern safe blower :.wfcen ho attacks a steel strong box. Antong the unique fea tures Is the pistol with which Jesse James creutcd so much hawoo at Independence, Kan. UTAH ACTOR ENDS HIS LIFE Turns on the Gas at a Lodging House In Detroit and Is Asphyx. latod. DETROIT, March SOj-Robert Leeland, an actor and writer of Several melodramas, was found dead today In his rooms in a iodising house on Columbia street. He had committed suicide by stuffing up every crack and crevice in the rcom and than turning un the gas. Leeland was 0 yetirs of age. He is said hv friends to be the son of a wealthy banker in Salt Lake City, Utah, named Smedle; Leeland was last s n alive on Thurs- day morning, and it s believed that ho turned on the gas died Thursday cft- ernoon. His prepare1 ns had been most caraful. He even removed the tip from the gas Jet to Insure a! rapid flow. He left a note on the table In the room, saying: "My only request is that I be burlod here at the expense of the city. I have no money. I have spent hundreds of dollars while here as a member of various theatrl cal companies. Don't notify my parents It Is unnecessary." On the back of this note he had written that weakness and illness, as the result of an operation for appendicitis and an sttack of typhoid fever, had Incapacitated him for work. "I am very well connected," he wrote. "Probably better than anyone in the theatrical profession. Last season I played a leading role in The Chaperonea. BURGLAR'S FIRE IS FATAL Shoots Two Officers After Desperate Running Fight and Then Shoots Himself In' tho Bead. K j NEW YORK. March m. While In pursuit of a burglar today, Folloeman Hugh J, Enright and Jaoob Bachman were shot, tho former dying after being taken to a hospital and the latter being mortally wounded. The man who did the shooting and who gave the name of Michael Brush was captured after he had shot himself In the head. His wound is not serious. Brush and another man who escaped were detected robbing a bakery on Third avenue by a private watchman, who raised an alarm and En right and Bachman par- rued Brush down East Fifty-fifth street, The fugitive ftred at Enrlght. shooting him through the stomach and a moment later shot Bachman, in the stomach and leg. Other policemen took up the chase and brought Brush to bay after he had taken refuge In a cellar from which he fired a number of ohots from two revolvers at his pursuers without effect and then shot him self In the head. Brush was later identified as Jacob Huter, who In 1901, was sentenced to two years In the penitentiary at Trenton. N. J., for burglary. ORGANIZING WOMEN'S UNION Agents to Be Sent Out by Central So ciety to Form Local Trades I'nlons. BOSTON, March 20. With the object of promoting women's trade unions In the United States the executive board of the Woman's National Trades Union league, at Its annual meeting here today, voted to send a ireneral organizer and secretary throughout the country, who will act as a business agent, organize unions among women and investigate lockouts and strikes. Among the members of the board present were Miss Jane Addams of Hull House of Chicago, vice president; Miss Gertrude Barnam, state secretary of the Woman's Trade unions of Illinois, and Miss Lillian B. Wald, head worker of the college set tlement of New York. PLATT HOLDS THE REINS Old Chief Will Retain Active Leader hip of Republican Party la New York State. NEW YORK. March 20-At a conference held this afternoon between Senator Thomas C. Tlatt, Governor Odoll, Colonel George W. Dunn, chairman of the repub lican state, committee, and many promi nent republicans, after an exchange of views and plans of Senator Piatt and Governor Odell. it was decided that Sen ator Piatt should remain as he has been in the past, the active leader of the party. It was further agTeed that where there were local contests for leadership In the party there should be no Interference in favor or against any one, either by Sen ator Piatt or Governor Odell. Autl-Llrenae Ticket. TABLE ROCK, Neb.. March . (8peela!.) An snti-llrenee caucus was held last night at the city hall and the following were nominated for village trustees, there be ing three to elect this year: C. I. Norrls. J. D. Ixngwell, A. E. Heywood. The first two named are now members of the board and the latter was nominated in place of F. M. Linn. Bo far this is the only tlrkat in the Arid. Ground Thoroughly Soaked. PA PILLION. Neb., March . (Special.) A hervy, cold rain, driven by a strong wind, has been falling throughout Sarpy county all afternoon In some sections It was scoot wnled by hall. The ground is receiving a thorough soaking, putting It In good condition for spring work, which bas bsgua. EMPEROR OPENS PARLIAMENT Special Sew Ion Convene! to Provide Fundi for the War. BRILLIANT CORTEGE TO ASSEMBLY HALL Distinguished Gathering Crowds the Space and Hears the Heading of I ho Speech from tho Throne. TOKIO, March 20-Wlth stately cere mony the special esslon or Parliament convened to provide the money needed to wage the war against Russia was opened this mortJng. The emporor, clad In tho uniform of a generalissimo, rode In the great state coach from tfie palace to the Parliament bouse and personally resd his address to the peers and commoners. For the first time the crown prince amended the ceremony. He followed his rather to an Improvised throne In the peers' hall and stood close by his light side while he read his appeal to his subjects. The emperor lfft the palace at 10:30 o'clock, accompanied by a guard of Im perial princes, aides and members of the Imperial household. His esoort consisted of two troops of Lancers, one preoed'tig the other. Following came the coach carrying the emperor, princes and staff. Tho bril liant uniforms, coaches and pennants of red and white silk carried by each Lancer made the Imperial procession an attractive picture. Lines of rollce and gendarmes kept the streets clear and walled back the populace, which received Us nder In absolute silence, tho highest mark of re spect. Long before the emperor reached the peers' chamber the members were In their places. The. peers, all uniformed occupied the right side of the chamber and the com moners, all in evening dress, filled the left. The seats, which occupy llslng tiers, had been removed and the members slood I'l semicircles, with the presidents and l?e presidents of the house in advance cf each main group. The members of the cabinet headed by Premier Katsura, occupied a position on the right platform close to the throne. Brilliant Scene In Hall. The diplomatic gallery was filled, nearly every legntton and staff being present. Sir Claude McDonald, the British minister. General Hamilton and Colonel Hume rep resented Great Britain. Minister Grlsrom, Colonel Wood, Commander Marsh and Sec. retariee Ferguson and Laughlln of the United States legation, were also officially present. The other galleries were filled-with Japanese civil officials and military en1 naval officers. No women were present. When the emperor entered the members of Parliament bowed low. The emperor, advancing to the front of the platform, bowed to them and Immediately ascended the throne. Premier Katsura advanced to the throne and handed the address to the emperor. The latter read It In a voice low but firm, which carried to every corner of the chamber. The emperor, attended by the crown prince, personally opened the special ses sion of the Diet at 11 o'clock this morning. Following la the speech from the throne: We hereby open the Imperial Diet and address earn and all the members of the House of Peers and the House of Repre sentatives. We announce with high satis faction that our relations with th treaty powers are steadily growing In cordiality snd understanding, rompteei ny en ear nest desire to maintain a nermanent neice In the extreme east our government, by our command, entered Into negotiations with Russia, but we regret that, owing o an absence of sincerity on the part of Russia In its Deaceful crofesslons, ve have been compelled to appeal to atma. t;nd. havln taken that step, we cannot hesltato until the ohlect of the war .t Httalnd. Our forces. In the presence of unwonted hardsh is nnd Privations, are now rtl"play Intf their steadfast loyaltv and valo- end we hone that all our subjects w'lV ci- operate In perfect unity for th enhance ment of the glory of the empire. Requests Consent to Budgets. We trust that you will fulfill the duty lni.nmhpnt iinnn von and irlve rordlnl con sent to these budgets and bills, which are specially urgent In connection vlth 'he situation and which we have oidered the ministers of state to lay before you. The members remained with bowed heads until the reading was concluded. The president of the House of Peers then as cended tho platform, advanced to th throne and received the address from the emperor. The emperor then stepped to the front of the platform, bowed, left the chamber and returned to the palace. In view of the extraordinary reply to the throne, passed at the opening of the last session In December, wherein the House of Representstlves condemned the policy of the cabinet, which was declared to be Incompatible with the progress of the empire and to be temporizing, the House of Reprerentatlves today appointed a com mittee to prepare a response. After the Joint session the committee met, prepared and presented th following: Reply nl the Ilonse. We. your majesty's humble scrvnr.ts cf the House of Repri'scntatlvs. reciiectfiilly express our gratitude for your malHty's praclous nctlon In openlnir the imperial Diet and f'r the words addressed to us by your mnJeFty. This empire has Invariably endeavored to maintain the peace In the far east, but Russia, which lacks the sincerity to renect peace, has violated Its treaty with China and repeated declarations to the nownrs. We are extremely impressed with tho fact that your majesty has declared war. The executive arms at th front are rencatprllv obtaining victories. Tills Is solely duo to your imperial majesty s innuence. It shall be on- constant endeavor to bring to the discharge of our executive functions, the utmost care and circumspec tion, so that your majesty's august Instruc tions mnv be obeyed and the Important trust re nosed in us by the nation may le ec't'lled with. With profound respect and huml'ltv. the president of the House of Representatives, Masahlsa Mntsuda, presents this. The peers wl'l meet tomorrow to prepare a response to the speech from the throne. VETERANS OPPOSE LYNCHING Mississippi Confederates Adopt Strong Resolutions on the Subject. MEMPHIS. Tenn.. March SO. A specli! to the Commercial Appeal from Grenada. Miss., says: "An antt-lynchlng crusade has been Inaugurated by he W. R. Barksdale ramp. United Confederate veterans of this city. The following significant resolutions were unanimously adopted at a lurgely at tended meeting of the camp: First That we are unalterably npsosed to the lynching ot a human being, unvt perhaps for the one unmentionable, ciime. Second That us confederate veterans and law-abiding citizens of Mlttsli-slppl and of tha United States we ar violently, ve hemently and eternally opposed to the practlre of burning a human being f r uiiy clime whatsver. Third That we appeal In thundering tones to all confederates, their wives and daughters, and to that glorious organiza tion, thw DaughtHTS of the t'onfedei ary. one and all. to arise In their might and bv precept and example, by voice, ue'.lon and pen to help put a stop to this diaboltca I. liHrbumiis. in, lawful. Inhuman and ungodly crime it burning human being. Kourth That e heartily approve of and appluid the action of Governor Vardaman In bis recent successful efforts to Skve a criminal from a aoob bent cu burning. NEBRASKA WEATHER FORECAST i Fair and Colder In West anil naln In East Portion ,lond Tuesday Fair. Temperature at Omaha Yesterdsyi Hoar, Deg. llnnr. Ilea. n a. m...... ;m t p. ni 4'i Ha. m lilt a p. m 41 T a. m it . in W 8 a. m ..... , no 4 p. m KT n a. m a:l ft p. in...... 1 a. m il l p. m :wi It a. ni :! 7 p. ni ia m 4 1 S p. n ..... . p. m :T DISCREDIT 9TOR" OF CtPTl HH. Russian and Japanese Forces ot in Close Touch. LONDON. March 21. Nothing has reached here to confirm the report that battle has taken place on the Ynlu, In which the Russians are alleged to li.ivo captured 1,800 prisoners. A dispatch from St. Petersburg to n news agency, dated yesterday, says there haa been no change In the situation und that all Is quiet on land nnd sea from ling Yang to the Yalu river, und the Japanese line to Gensnn. There havo been slight skirmishes between scouts, but no battle has taken place, as tho distance be tween the opposing armies Is great. Th" bulk of the Russian force, tho, dispatch adds, has not yet passed the Yalu river. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Dally Telegraph says that the military authorities were startled by the attempt of the Japanese to land In Helena bay, as the nearest force that could have been used against them consisted of three rifle resl mcnts at New Ohwang. The weather hav ing hindered the Japanese In landing, ener getic measures are now being adopted to prevent such a descent. Among the other devices havo been the concentration of troops at Foo Choo, twenty-two miles north of Helena bay. in cabling the fact that all British and Amer ican residents at New C'hwang must re main within the walls, a correspondent of the Dally Chronicle nt Now Chwang says: "I was arrested while attempting to leave yesterday." lO MORE CHAMiKS 13 FAR EAST. Minister of Marine Denies Stories That Are Afloat. PARIS, March II. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Echo de Paris has had an Interview with Vice Admiral Avcl- lane, the Russian minister of marine, who said it had been necessary to replace Vice Admiral Stark, the condition of whoso health was deplorable, by an encrgetio Vlceman like Vice Admiral Makaroff, but the mln'ster denied thnt the presence of either Vice Admiral Makaroff or General Kouropatkln affected the position of Vice roy Alexleff, adding that Vice Admiral Makaroff's telegrams to the cznr came through the viceroy's hands. The min ister said he did not expect there would be further changes relating to the em peror's principal representatives at the seat of war during the hostilities. Minister Avellnne said he hoped that the Retvlzan and the fzarovltch and the cruiser Pallada would be ready to resume service in a fortnight. He declared that the separation of the Russian squadron had proved to be most useful, and finally confirmed the statement that the Mediter ranean squadron would return to Llbau when that port Is free of Ice. The corre spondent says he learns that the Russians nre fortifying the moutJT of the Yslu at Wlju as well as the Ta Tun river. EXKCITING MEX BY WHOLESALE. Courean Court Takes Busy Streak After Years of Idleness. (Copyright. 1904, by New York Herald Co ) SEOUL), March 37. (New York Herald Cablegram Special Telegram to The Bee.) i no supreme court here Is clearing the local prison by wholesale executions nlehtly. In the last three nights ' six prisoners have been decapitated and thrrty elght hanged. Many of the victims have been in Jail for years without trial. Now they have been hurriedly tried and con demned to execution. Some wre former students In Japan, and others were thieves, highwaymen, embezzlers of public funds, political offenders und traitors. All suffer the same penalty of death, and as the bodies are carried out. strings of ten or twenty condemned men bound together re fill the cells Just vacated. It Is probable the representatives of the foreign powers will Investigate and, if Justified, take action. The prison Is heavily guarded, as It Is f.u.red the Pcdlers' Guild, which Is principally composed of the city's rougher element, may force nn entrance and liberate the prisoners. FEW TROOPS ALONG TIIE RAILROAD Lino Through Manchuria la Poorly Guarded Against Raid, (Copyright, 1904. by New York Herald Co.) YIN KOW. March 30. (New York Herald Cablegram Special Telegriini to The Bee.) Two Americans who urrlved ut New Chwang on Saturday from Vladivostok say that half of the population at Vladivostok were unaware of the recent bombardment there until the next day. No damage was done. All the women and children have left. The Americans could see a few sol diers between Tnsl Chow and New Chwang, but witnessed no preparations to defend the former station or the railway line. Forty" miles north of New Chwang ons railway bridge was defended .by a single gun. South of that point nothing had been done. Harbin and Mukden are swarming with troops, who seem to be concentrating there. BIG CAR BARNS ARE IN RUINS Flv Employes Are Severely Bnrned While Flahtlng the . . Flames. I CHICAGO, March 20-Fire tonight de stroyed the Union Traction company's car barns at Division street and Western ave nue, causing llfiO.OOO 1,8. Five employe, while fighting the flumes before the arrival of firemen, were Imprisoned In the burn ing structure by u falling roof and till were painfully burned before they could be rescued. More than fifty street cars were burned. The building wits feet long and 2O0 feet wide. This is the scond of the Union Traction company's burns to burn within a week, both fins thought to be of Incendiary origin. Ker. liarles uiminahsm. CHICAGO. March . The Rev. Charles W. Cunningham, Methodist Episcopal clergyman of Wray, Colo., Is dead at the Wesley hospital in Chicago, after an operation for appendicitis. He came to Chicago to vl.'-it relatives. Movements f Ocean Vessels March 1641 At New York Arrived : Norge. from Copenhagen. Oirlstiuiia snd Chrixtiuiisitnd. At Southampton Arrived: New York, from New York, via Plymouth snd Cher bourg. At Queettstown Helled: Etruila, from Liverpool., fur JSrsr V ork. I BATTLE SOON Belief ViadifO'to'c fqn!rrn ii Seeking to Join One Pon Arthur, LIKELY TO BRING ON SEA ENGAGEMENT Fleet in luediterranoii Ahi Si'i for Un known Prst ca'.ioa. MILITARY IS BUSY AT VLADIVOSTOK DefHTisos of Main Coait and Sakhalin Island Being Strengthened. RESTRAINT IS PLACED ON fORFIGNERS t'se of River Paitk Is Not Forbidden, Owlug to rresrnce of Amer ican and British 1 Warships. (Copyright, 1904. by New York Herald Co.) ST. PKTERSIiUKG, March 20 (New York Herald "n blegram Special Telegram to The Bee.) It Is believed hero that the Vladivostok squadron Is making an effort to Join that of Port Arthur. The Idea also prevails that a sea engagement may come st any moment. Fleet's Move M jsterliins. CANE A, Island of Crete. March 20. Tlia Russian battleship Ossllabia. with Admiral Wlrenus on board sailed at 11:30 o'clock this morning for unknown destination. Three torpedo boats followed the battle ship. The Russian armored cruiser Dtml trl Donskol arrived here this evening. Military Pluns Work Out. VLADIVOSTOK. March 20. The Russian military plans nro proceeding satisfactorily here, along the main coast and at Sakhalin Island. Many Inhabitants continue to mi grate to Khabarovsk and Nlkolsk, and some women and children are returning ta Russia. The first detachment of the Red Cross from Russia has arrived and will be dls trlhutd among the field hospitals. Mora than a hundred nurses have been sent from i hero to Manchuria and Cotea, The delivery of Russian malls to tho frontier and to port Is working fairly well tnd the telegraph excellently. Letters reach Vladivostok twenty-two daya after leaving St. Petersburg. Foreigners Are Restrained. NEW CHWANG. March 2a The foreign, consuls today officially notified their gov ernment that the Russian commander ( the garrison has fcrblddon foreigners to go beyond the mud walls cf the rutlve city with the single exception that they are allowed to use tho river hank between the foreign settlement und the foreign gun boats. This exception is made solely on account of the presence of the United States gun boat Helena and the British gunboat Esple--gel, for otherwise they would be cut off. The Russian order particularly forbid visiting the forts on the I.lao river and also Wutaltzu, a village two miles south of the) fort. The order Is declared to be a neces sary military measure on account of the ar rangomenta being made for tha defense of , the coast. Foreigners still have access to the west nnd north shores of l.tao and use the rail- , way and telegraph, although the Chines managers of tho telegraph lino have In structed their employes to withdraw to Thlen Chuang Tal In the event of hostili ties. This action and also the threatened withdrawn of the railway staff Is severely condemned on account of their being out side of real danger Tho German consul st Tien Tsln. In an official statement, enys the purpose of his visit here Is to investigate the cnuties of alarm and the danger to German residents. The Russian authorities have given notice that no consular communications on affairs crlginatlng In or connected with Dnlny or Port .Arthur will he received. Responsible Russians hre have a well defined impres sion thnt American or other consuls will not be allowed nt Mukden, Antung or else where In Manchuria. CHINESE ARMS MESACE RIISIA. Forty Thousand Troops Drilled by Foreigners Ready far Field. PARIS, March a). The Figaro's corre spondent In Berlin telegraphs that a Ger man officer wiiu has J.nt arrived there from Manchuria says serious operations In the far east will not be Ijuji before the end of June. The princlfpui oostacle to Rus sian victory, according to thla officer, la the fact that 40.000 Chinese troops, well trained and with German and Japanese Instructors, ere menacing Russia's Hues of communica tion. Russia, with the support of Germany, will protest against this concentration ot Chinese troops. According to the Toklo correspondent of the Petit Parlalenne official confirmation haa been received of the destruction of tho Russian torpedo host destroyer Skerl at Port Arthur by the explosion of a aub marine mine. The correspondent saye that the mikado yesterday bade adieu to 495 officers who were leaving for the front. A special dispatch from St. Petersburg says the project la favored of conveying heavy war material by transport from Cronstadt to the mouth of tho Yenisei river and thence by barge to the Irkutsk depot and Lake Baikal, leaving the rail way free for tho conveyance of troops. BISY FORTIFYING AT SiEW CHWANG Constructing Railroad to Fort to Trausport Gens. (Copyright, 1!(4. by New York Herald Co.) YIN KOW, via Tien 'IVIn. March 20 -(New York Herald Cabherram Special Telegram, to The Uce.) The Russian administration here has Informed the Consuls at New Chwang that no persons will henceforth bo allowed to pass the city walls without a HhIh1 permit. The consuls have rc-ferrej tho matter to the ministers at Peking. The RusMlana are buying all the wood in Now Chwang and convoying It toward the river mouth, and are also at work on the construction of a light railway to con vey guns from the railway station to tha fort. APPRECIATION OF ICING F.DWAHU, Russia Drains to Sre Importance of Hole He Pla. (Copyright. i:4. bv New York Herald Co.) ST. PETERSBURG, March . (New York Herald Cablegram Special Telegram to The Bee.) The high importance toward good ends of the political role played by King Edward, to which recently attention was directed by the Herald, Is beginning to be highly and fully appreciated here. Tie Novo Vremya, which U greatly antl ETigllsh, auys It la an event of surpassing political Importance. " V-