T The armies facing each oilier along the ShakheRiver arc still marking time , ami , if reports of the clabjrat : < ! defensive works they are constructing are true , 1 hoy , have no immediate in tention of doing anything else. Both armies are throwing up triple and quadruple lines of heavy defenses , protected in front by wire entangle ments , pits and mines. It would be it bloody task now for either force to drive the other out of its position. At Port Arthur the Japanese are con- tanning their heavy attacks against the fortresses from northeast to northwest and west of the doomed city. With a single unimportant exception no of ficial information as to progress has lately been given out since , but rumor would indicate that material gains * have been made on the Rihlung and Keekwan mountains north and north east of the chy , and that the assault is now concentrating in the neighbor hood of the Etse forts on the west. The last fighting at Port Arthur of which AVC know anything was over a week ago , when the Japanese were repulsed in an assault on Fort Etse , and the Russians accidentally explod ed one of their own mines un-ler themselves. The Russians were still in possession of the main line of forts and Liaotishan , but their outer works were all taken , and the Japanese par allels were rapidly creeping in. The defenders are reduced to about 5,000. One of Stocssel's favorite devices to nerve up his troops lias been to warn them that if they fell into Japanese hands they would get no quarter. Of late Nogi has Jjeon trying to disprove Stoessel's statement by feeding his prisoners well , giving them food , to bacco , and clean clothing , and then ending 1 hem back by night into Port 'Arthur to spread among their com rades the story of their treatment. In consequence , there have been a num \ ber of desertions , and the purpose of the rank and tile of the Russian armv to hold out to death has been weak ened. IJy far the most interesting feature of the week has been the peace talk. probable event. But from the Russian point of view perhaps it is worth try ing , on the ground of everything to gain and nothing to lose. Supposing , however , as is more like ly , Togo whips the Baltic squadron. Then Russia can gain nothing by con tinuing the war. She never can bring out over the railroad enough troops to drive the Japanese back over the mountainous regions of Korea. Tho best she can hope to do under any cir cumstances would be to regain the in terior portions of southern Manchuria , leavingthe coast towns of Newchwang , Port Arthur , Dalny , Takushan , An- tung , as well as the Liaotung penin sula from Pitsewo southward , in the hands of the enemy. The interior i.-ountry thus denuded of all outlet to the sea would be worthless. That peace rumors are already rife , springing from so many and such authoritative sources , leads to the cheerful probability that the war will be over within six months at the out side. side.The The dearth of news from.the front Is compensated for by the many signifi cant bits of information from other sources. From Russia , for instance , we hear of the ever more frequent rioting of tire reservists who arc being called to arms. The half-starved peas ants and artisans , discouraged by the stories of suffering and disaster that come from the front , and knowing that their wives and children must be left dependent on already pauperized communes , are summoned to fight in a cause which has no interest for them , nor any rational purpose. They find themselves gathered together by the thousand often without food or shelter , and they begin to loot and riot. Of course , they are shot down , but the regular soldiers who shoot them are probably as rebellious at heart themselves , if one may judge by the startling general orders for die suppression of the revolutionary prop aganda in the army which accidental ly came to light a month or so ago. The spirit of the soldiers of Japan is in the most complete contrast to LAST DAYS IN PORT ARTHUR. Lord Lan.sdowue. the British Foreign Secretary , strongly intimated in a pub lic speech that the time had come t- > end the conllict. Baron Hayashi , Jap anese minister to London , in two or three interviews , has talked peace. Roosevelt has let it be known that lie twill move for peace whenever such good om'ees are acceptable to the com batants. St. Petersburg dispatches say that the Czar himself is not averse to the arbitration of the Russo-Japanese troubles before Tin * Hague. The Rus sian students at the universities of Odessa , Kieff and Kharkoff have peti tioned the government to put a stop to the slaughter. Among the Russian people generally the war is far from popular. Japan feels the expense bo- ginning to tell , and also feels that when Port Arthur falls she will hnvo won practically all she was lightinir for Port Arthur. Russia's evacuation of Manchuria , and Japanese control of Korea. It would be a matter of supreme difficulty and inferior utility to drive the Russians oack to Harbin. The Japs do not feel that the attempt is worth while. The only hope for Russia to turn the tide of war lies in her securing con trol of the sea. The only way she can do this is for the Baltic squadron to overcome Togo. This is a most im- that of the Russian soldiers , but at that Japan has her troubles. Her latest foreign loan will cost her six and two- thirds per cent. Her budget for next year , including general and war ex penses , amounts to ? : " 00.000.000 , and if the war lasts two years longer and costs no more than present estimates , her debt will reach a total of at least $1,000.000.000. an enormous burden for a country in which the average in come of the people , expressed in mon ey terms , is so low as it is in Japan. Under such internal conditions as these in the two countries it certainly must be regarded as highly rational on Japan's part to seek for peace on moderate terms , and highly irrational on Russia's part to insist on protract ing the struggle to the bitter'iid. . Russia insists on the restoration of luir prestige at all costs , and by prestige she means her military prestige in Asia. She could' gain a higher pres tige , in Europe if not in Asia , by treat ing at last with Japan as a power on equal terms 'with herself. Had she been willing td do this a year ago the Avar would never have begun. The forced issue of paper roubles has not lowered the purchasing power of Russian money. The Japanese are pay ing-for supplies with vouchers , which ihc natives receive with suspicion. FIVE EPOCH-MAKING S.EGCS CtUPSLD BY PORT ARTHUR. Locality. AVar. Duration. Survivors. Losses. "Snlmstopol Crimean 334 days 3-15,000 210,000 Kars Russo-Turkish KM days 23.000 22.000 Vicksburg Civil 05 days 77,000 103,000 "Richmond Civil 1 year 34,000 181,000 jyietz Franco-Prussian 72 days 270,000 70,000 Paris Franco-Prussian 133 days 000,000 40,000 Plevna Uusso-Turkish , 142 days 80,000 70,000 Port Artlrar S mos 150,000 170,000 In these two sieges the loss of life was greater than at Port Arthur.- PRESIDENT NOT YET ELECTED. Electors ? .Iay Choose Cleveland or Deba if They See Fit. Most persons , if asked , would unhesi tatingly declare that the people of the . -.ted States last Tuesday elected The odore Roosevelt to be President for four years following March 4 next. As a matter of fact we did nothing of the kind. The nest President will not be elected until the second Monday of next January. What wo did at the polls was to choose in each State a number of men , equiva lent in number to the Senators and Rep resentatives from the respective common wealths , and these men , known as elec tors , are to elect the President. On Jan. 1) tli'jse electors will meet in their respective States and cast their ballots , first for President and then for Vice President. These ballots will be sent to Washington and on the second Weduesj j day in February the President of the Senate , in the presence of both chambers of Congress , will count them and declare the result. The person having the ma jority of all the electoral votes cast will be declared President. If it should have happened that Mr Swallow , Mr. Watson , Mr. Debs or some other presidential candidate received enough electoral votes so that no candi date had a majority over all. then the three having the greatest number would be presented to Congress and that bodj would choose. As Congress is Republi can , Roosevelt would be selected. This year there are 470 electors. Sup pose Mr. Swallow had carried enough States to give him 25 electoral votes , Mr. Debs enough to give him 22 and Mr. Watson enough to give him 38. This would make a total of S3 votes , which , taken from the 470 would leave 391. Now , again , suppose that of these 391 electoral votes 230 were cast for Mr. Parker and 101 for Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. Parker would clearly have a handsome plurality , but he would not have a ma jority over all 239. In spite of the fact that he had 09 more votes than Mr. j Roosevelt , Congress would have the right i to select Mr. Roosevelt , and , being Re publican , would do so. I In voting for "Roosevelt electors" ' or "Parker electors , " the people are not even positively certain that the electors . selected will cast their ballots as they arc expected to do. ' Of course , honor binds an elector to cast his ballot for the nominee of the party for which he stands , but there is no legal compulsion about it. When the electors for Alame meet on the second Monday of next Jan- | uary , for example , they may. if they see fit , cast their ballots for Mr. Parker , or for Grover Cleveland , or for any Amer ican citizen eligible to the ollice. The electors could make the choice of Mr. Roosevelt unanimous , or they could defy the will of the people and select Mr. Watson. They could make Mr. Parker President and Mr. Roosevelt Vice Prcsi- i dent , or vice versa. The presidential electors are merely a number of well-known and responsible citizens Avhom the people elect to pick out a President and a Vice President for them , on the theory that a body of men thus selected will be apt to make a bet ter choice than the people as a whole. In case of the death of Mr. Roosevelt before the second Monday of next Jan uary , there will be no new election. The Republican leaders of the country. Act ing for their party , would select a new candidate and tho Republican electors would vote for him. j GEN. BLACK TO SUCCEED WARE , Chicasoan Is President's Choice for Pension Commissioner. - Gen. John C. Black of Illinois , former ly commandor-in-chief of the Grand ! . \m- > \ J ' * civil service commis- ' sioner , will succeed Eugene F. Ware as commissioner of pen sions on March 4 , .Tamos L. Davcn- l.orr , Hie present iirst deputy , serving ! 'or the vacancy from Jan. 1 until ( Jen. Black shall take office. By cab inet authority Gen. Black is said to be the P r e s i d e n t's .I.LC..W. 1. \.i. . ciOco for the office. Gen. Black was pension commissioner under President Cleveland and was the last man to fill the office Avithout criti- j cism. He Avas a Democrat until 1SOG , I when he voted for McKinley. Gcn. Black , draws a pension of $1.200 a year in addi- ' tion to Ins present salary of Jp.500. The resignation of Commissioner of Pensions Ware was some time ago ten- $ j$8rin v\ .liw&rt'yaj&.v'/f # ' / , . / Ji Z * dered to the President and accepted , to take effect Jan. 1. Commissioner Ware at the time refused to discuss his action , except to state that the newspapers had been "resigning" him for the past tAVO years. For at least one year , however , it has been definitely known that he would retire sunn after the fall elections and return to his home in Kansas to resume his law practice. All Arotmd the Globe. There arc twelve Christian chaplains in the Japanese imperial army. The King of Siam has purchased a supply of souvenir gold dollars issued in commemoration o the Lewis and Clark exposition. A report sent to Washington from United States immigration inspectors in San Francisco declares that a large per centage of the inmates of asylums for orphans in that district are aliens sent to this country for the purpose of being placed in these institutions. ABOUT GOVERNORS-ELECT. Biographical Data on Some Hlcctcd Chief Executives. The capacity of the people to deter mine betAveen national and State is sues and to vote on each independent of the other was manifested in several of the State elections , notably in Mas sachusetts , Minnesota and Missouri , where Democratic 'Governors were elected in spite of tremendous Roose velt pluralities , and in New York. \vhere Higgins , although elected , ran luO,000 behind the President. The lat ter is the widest variance ever sliovrn In a vote betAveen President and Gov ernor. Twenty-nine States elected Gov ernors , in five of which the present chief executives were re-elected. . The following biographical umuary contains the chief facts of interest con cerning the Governors-elect : Colorado Alva Adams ( Dem. > Alva Adams , Governor-elect of Colorado , is a native of Wisconsin and is 5G years of n if 11 \ T f\ * TO M Cfe ; mm &m : member of the first Colorado Legisla ture and was Gov ernor of the St.-ite in 1SS7-9 and 1S07- 9. He is married and lives at Pueblo , where he conducts a 1 a r g e mercantile business. Cov. Ad- ams is a conserva- live man and not in i sympathy with Colo- ALVA ADAMS. rado lawlessness or lawbreakers. Delaware Preston Lea ( Rep. ) Pres ton Lea , Governor-elect of Delaware , was the compromise gubernatorial candi date of the Republican party. He is an influential banker , 58 years of age. is married and has four children. Georgia Joseph M. Terrell ( Doni. ) Joseph M. Terrell , re-elected Governor of Georgia for u second term , is a law yer by profession , 43 years of ago and has been active in State politics for twenty years , having been almost con tinuously in office during that time. He is married and lives at Greenville. Indiana J. Frank Ilanly ( Rep. ) J. Frank Hanly , Governor-elect of Indiana. is n native of Illinois , 41 years of ago and a lawyer by profession. He has served one term in his State Legislature and one in the lower house of Congress. J. FRANK HANLY. He is married and has one daughter. He is a teetotaler , never enters a saloon , does not use tobacco , is a pillar in the Methodist church and teaches in the Sun day school. He lives at Lafayette. Massachusetts W. L. Douglas ( Dem. ) _ \vn.ini r. DniiirlMs. Governor-elect of Massachusetts , is a , > manufacturer a t j Brockton , a native j of the State and 59 I years of age. lie is \ a self-made man. j the basis of whose j large fortune was j advertising. He is j married and has two \ children , and lives ! in a palatial rosij j deuce. His election j was one of the elec- i vyytflfW < v. w , . ( * * ? jJil < * rfJ5rt w. L. DOUGLAS. tion-day surprises. . . . Idaho Frank R. Gooding ( Rep. ) Frank R. Gooding. Governor-elect of Idaho , was born in England. Mr. Good ing has been in the sheep business for a number of years and has made some of little educa money. Though a man tion , he has much force of character. Minnesota John A. Johnson ( Dem. ) John A. Johnson. Governor-elect of ' , 4 > # * &S. : : - , Minnesota , was born I in St. Peter. Minn. . i still his home town. I in 1SG1) . When ± 2 j years old ho became a country editor and i is still owner and ! editor of the St. I Peter Herald. lie j was married in 1SD4 to Miss Eleanor Preston of Wone- woc , Wis. Mr. Johnson was forced N A. JOIIXSON. to go to work at an early age in order to support his mother. South Dakota S. II. Elrocl ( Rep. ) Samuel II. Elrod. Governor-elect of South Dakota , is a native of Indiana and is 46 years of age. Ho has resided in Dakota for twenty-two years : is married and has two children. lie is a lawyer by profession. North Carolina R. B. Glenn ( Dem. ) Robert B. Glenn. Governor-elect of North Carolina , is 50 years old. is mar ried , has one son and one daughter , both about 'grown. He is a lawyer and en- Joys a leading practice. Utah J. C. Cutler ( Rep. ) John C. Cutler , Governor-elect of Utah. Avas born Feb. G , 18-1G. at Sheffield. England. His parents joined the Mormon church and brought him to Utah in 1SG4. He is a merchant and a stockholder in many Utah industrial concerns. He is a zeal ous devotee of the Mormon church. Tennessee James B. Frazier ( Dem. ) James B. Frazier , re-elected Governor of Tennessee , is a native o tne State , by profession a lawyer and is 48 years of age. His great-grandfather was a mem ber of the first constitutional convention IllInoiH Charlea S. Dcneen ( Rep. ) Charles S. Doneen , Governor-elect of Illi nois , was born in Edwardsville , 111. , in 1S83. His father was a college profes sor and his paternal grandfather a pio neer Methodist pre.'ciier. He has nerved in the Legislature and as attorney for the sanitc v district. He is married and CHARLES S. Iras three children. Aggressiveness and tenacity of purpose are his chief charac teristics in professional and political life. New York Frank W. Iliggins ( Rep. ) Frank , Wayland Higgins , Governor- elect of Xow York , is 58 years of age. / gjMOs $ - ffij tJSre-.yWtacaKIW He is married and has the handsomest residence in Olcan , where he lives. Ha is very wealthy and his fad , if it may bo called such , is to watch the develop ment of a business in which he may be interested. He has no time for the rec reations which many , < -\4-l-i ro * c * i/riio rri f rtT : -.iXiv \ \ iiiGGi.NS. . . . . . uieir enjoyment and physical well-being. He owns half the town in which he lives and conducts a big general store. He is interested in oil wells of Pennsylvania , pine lands of Wisconsin and iron mines of the Mesaba range. He also has an ownership in steamers which ply along the Atlaiitii coast and on the great lakes. Nebraska John II. Mickey ( Rep. ) John II. Mickey. Governor-elect of Ne braska , is a farmer and banker and is the present Governor of the State. II was born on a farm in Iowa and Aval educated at the public schools and at the Iowa Wosleyan university. lie served in the Union army during the war of tht rebellion. His home is .in Osceola. Be fore becoming Governor he was a mem ber of the Legislature and president ol the board of trustees of the Wesley an seminary. He is married and prominent in the Methodist church. Not until hits > n the second day after election was it known that Mr. Mickey had been re- elected. The fusionists up to that time claimed the election of George W. Berge and the election figures reported seemed to justify the claim. Missouri Joseph W. Folk ( Dem. ) Joseph W. Folk , Governor-elect of Mis souri , is a native or . Tennessee and is 35 { years of age. He came into national prominence through the prosecution of municipal bribery cases , and his efforts in this particular mado him a conspic uous candidate for 1 Governor from the ? outlet. He is mar- , ; rioil to a lady of his t native rotate , among jua i/u \ , . whose noted accomplishments is house keeping. Michigan Fred M. Warner ( Rep. ) I < " red M. Warner , Governor-elect of Michigan , is MO years of age. He is a manufacturer of cheese , owning and op erating eight factories. Mr. Warner is married and has four children , two sons and two daughters. He has no fads and his predominating characteristic is gen iality , lie lives at Fnrmington , in Oak land county. Wisconsin Robert M. La Follette ( Rep. ) Robert M. La Follette , re-elected Governor of Wisconsin , is a native of that State , a lawyer by profession and 41) years of age. lie is of French Hugue not extraction. lie served two terms aa district attorney of Dane county and three terms in Congress from the Third District of Wisconsin. He was twice an \r r.ouEnx ir. LA FOLLETTE. unsuccessful candidate for the guber natorial nomination , but was nominated and elected in 1DUO. He is married nnd has a family of four children , two sons and two daughters. Rhode Island G. H. Utter ( Rep. ) George H. Utter. Governor-elect ol Rhode Island , was born in 1S54 at Plain field. X. J. . is editor , publisher and pro prietor of a daily newspaper , and th only paper east of the Rocky mountain that publishes a Sunday afternoon edi tion. He is married and has four chil dren. dren.West West Virginia W. M. O. Dawsor- ( Rep. ) William M. O. Dawson , Gover nor-elect of West Virginia , is a nativ. of the State and about 50 year * of age He began life as a printer , then becau > an tdi t and in now a lawyer. &v < * > < & & I FACfS ABOUT THE ELECTION. Total popular vote 14.5OO.OOO i Roos. veil's * total vote R.n.-.O.nuO I'an.'T's total vote * 0.113.500 plurality * 2.21..OOO ; Carried h.v Roosevelt 32 States Population (11)00) ( ) 2.25)3.342. Carried by Parker . ' . . .It ? States Population (1900) ( ) 21.120.83 ! ) . Maryland In doubt ( Population 1.1SS.044. ) Tiic Klectoral College. I'licodore Roosevelt 33.1 Alton II. Parker 133 Roosovelt's majority -02 Maryland ( In doubt ) 8 The New Congress. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Democrats . . . . . . . ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! . ! ! ! ! ! ! . 133 SENATE i $ Republicans 58 Democrats 32 Kbtimatcd Pluralities. Roosevelt. Pnrlcer. \laliama 50.000 Arkansas 20,000 California 112.SS3 Colorado 12.000 Connecticut 38.197 Delaware 5,833 Florida 2O.OOO j Georgia 62,990 Idahc 2.1.0(10 ( Illinois 297.4O ) Indiana 75. < XH ) Iowa ltl.1.370 Kansas 141.000 Kentucky 14.000 Louisiana G5.00O Maine 37,818 Maryland 212 Massachusetts SR.279 Michigan 150.00O Minnesota 125.000 Mississippi 50,000 Missouri 1.1.75.1 Montana 10.000 \l \ Nebraska 72.712 I New Hampshire" . ' ! . . " ! ! ! 22'otir ; New Jersey 71.330 \ " New York 174,000 I > rtli Carolina 50,000 : il North Dakota 2.1.000 Ohio 250. < XX ) Oregon 44.000 Pennsylvania 491.52.1 Rhode"Island 15.974 South Carolina 50,000 ul South Dakota 41.30.1 &J Tennessee 20.000 Texas 150,000 Ttah 27.000 f Vermont 30.810 Virginia 27.000 Washington 55.000 West Virginia 29. < K > 0 Wisconsin 132.OW Wyoming 7.000 Tot a I 2,772,533 558,996 Estimated. Souse Figures oil the Total Vote. Roosevelt. Parker. Ca lifornia I'.lS.-KiS S5t(5S5 ( Colorado ! l .000 81.00O Co'.ineeticnt 111.351 ; 73.1.10 Delaware - jJ'J 1 9- Geor"ia . . . . . . . . . . 25 , : > : 5 & 8:51 : Idah(7 47,500 22,500 Illinois ( ; . .t.0S ) ( 332.COS Iowa 2x .703 i3i.iS4 : Kansas 217.000 70.000 Maine 05,721 27.903 Maryland 10S.397 10.S.1S.1 Massachusetts 254.5.12 108,273 Nebraska 117.852 f'-1'1.0 New Hampshire 5.1,521 33,101 New Jersey 2io..ir,0 : 189.230 New York Sll.WiO G37.00O Pennsvlvania S3O.125 335,000 Rhode Island ! . 21.921 South Dakota 09.892 2SrS7 Vennont 4Or,91 9.881 AVatihin ton SUM * * ) 35,000 West Virginia 13I.WO 1O5.000 . Wisconsin 310.0OO 184,000 Popular Vote and Pluralities. Roosevelt. Parker. Plurality. 100 i * tvG.500 ; * ( > , 113.500 2,213,000 MeKinlev. Ilryan. 1000 7.217.S10 G.M7.S2G : 559,984 McKinivy. P.ryan. 1S9G 7.101.771) 0.5U2.925 001,854 Cleveland. Harrison. ' 1892 n.55UUlS 5.17.10S ! 380,810 ! Harrison. Cleveland. isss 5,410.210 5.is.23 : ; ; ; * * 98oi7 Cleveland. P.lalne. 1SSI 4,911.017 4.8-18.331 G2CS3 Garlield. Haiu-oek. 1SSO 4.419.053 4.H2.U35 7,018 Tilden. Hayes. 1876l.2c51.SiM 4.u.950 : ; : 250,935 Grant. Greele.v. . 1872 : : , . ,97.070 2.si : I.o7 : > 729,975 Grant. Seymour. ISftS * * * 3. < M 1,071 2.709.013 305,458 Estimated. * * Plurality for losing candidate. "Mississippi , Texas and Virginia did not Tote. Previous .Landslides. Great as r\Ir. Roosevelt's majority in the electoral college is. it is by no means unprecedented. In 1820 James Monroe received 231 electoral votes to one cast for .John Quiii- cy Adams , a majority of 2 0. In 1840 William Henry Harrison re- ceived 2o4 votes to < > 0 for Martin Van. Buren. a majority of 174. In 1S.)2 Franklin Pierce received 254 votes to ' 12 forVinfield Scott , a major ity of 212. In 1S ( > 4 Abraham Lincoln received 212 votes to 21 for George B. McClellau , a . ; sif 1 wi * * A.I * * * * * LllilJOl II . > 04. IVJ . In the election of 1872 Grant received 250 votes , while SO Grooloy electors were choson whosevotes wore divided when the collose met by reason of Greeley'a death. Grant's majority being 20G. The revolution in San Domingo is ex tending. Sp-.iin has decided not to permit Sun- iay bull fights England Avill build two battleships to ? ost $7.iOOOOi > . Haytian o\ilo.s are ready to start an other revolution. England 5 < holding Thibetan territory 'or an hidt-mnity. A treaty of peace was signed between Chili and Bolivia. A Yale graduate has been appointed trotai of Tien-tsin. France and Spain have signed tha igreement regarding Morocco. All officers of the It.ilinn army have een recalled from their leaves. Emperor William has made a Jewish siillionaire , James Simon , a peer. A big strike of driA'ers and stoker * : u Italy threatens to become general. The Cuban Congress 'has adjourned vithout accomplishing any legislation. Hendrik Witboi has declared against the Germans in South Africa-