The Omaha Daily Bee. Itiik Article br a RuMlan ex Officer. Illustrated by Fhotne, In NEXT SUNDAY B BEE. If The Be 5ay It Happened It Did. Rumors Are Labeled If Printed. RUSSIAN ARMY. , EBTAHUSIIEI) JUNE 19, 1871. OMAHA, SATURDAY MOUSING, MAIiCH o, . 1904 TWELVE PAGES. SINGLE COPV THREE CENTS. 1? t il 1 nutho I slevln (X. lp.'-flrui I PREACI1ES POLYGAMY President Joseph Bmith of Mormon Church IdmiU He Hat Done 8 k BELIEVES IT A REVELATION FROM GOD In Ctferno to Law, Howe's', Ho Poet Hot Adtiso Its Practice. TALK MERELY TO SET HISTORY ARIGHT Gives Founder of Oltoroh aid Not Young u Author of Doctrin HOAR AND FORAKER HAVE SHARP TILT (questions br Former Prwilng the Witness 1x4 t P to the Dialeulty Which U Finally Smoothed Over. WASHINGTON, March 6 Prudent Jo seph 8m Kb. of the Mormon church was called to the stand by Senator Hoar at the opening of today' proceedings before the senate committee on privileges and elec tions In the Investigation of protests against Reed Smoot of Utah. Senator Hoar de sired Information on the subject of the rights of women In the church and whether they hold any priestly authority. Mr. Smith said the women are regarded as the equals of the men In all matters of voting, bjt that In holding "priestly au thority" women are not regarded on the same plans. He explained that the women have a charitable association known as the Women's Relief society, in which they have authority to perform certain prescribed du- This authority Is confined to the re- It of distress, but women are not or dained high priests, apostles or elders. Mr. Taylor was asked about M. F. Cow ley, on of the apostles, and Cowley's talks on doctrine, and In answer to questions by Senator Dubois, said Cowley was elected as an spostle In 189T. When He Preached Polygamy. Reading from the Desrret News of June 21. 1903, regarding a speech by Smith at the Weber state reunion, Mr. Taylor asked Smith if h was oorrectly reported In say ing that the doctrine of plural marriages was a revelation by Ood to Joseph Smith, Jr., and to reject that would he equivalent to a rejection of Ood himself. Mr. Smith said he believed he was correctly reported, and when a list of names of those present. Including 4hat of Senator Smoot, was read, Mr. Bmlth said tho list was correct. He declared that he would not have had the article published If he had been consulted Pressed for a reason, he said that he was under Injunction not to teach the rightful ness of polygamy and that he had refrained from so doing In pubUo. Senator Hoar called attention to the fact that the speech was tasohlng polygamy In private to the Important and Influential gathering af the reunion. Mr. Smith said his statement wts merely to set right a "tw JfMHVXJMMy president who Inaugurated, the aystem of plural mar riages Some giersons held that Hrtgham Young vras tns nrat," he said, "and I knew It was Joseph Smith, and I brought forward my aunt. Bethuheba W. Smith, who had re ceived the. endowment from Joseph Smith at Nauvoo. She was the last living wit tiess and I took that occasion to refute i raise statement. It was a matter of his tory and not a teaching." Mr. Smith said he hod avoided teaching; polygamy, but that the manifesto had not In any manner changed his conviction on the questions of plural marriages. Hoar and Foraker Clash. Benator Hoar asked him why he avoided practicing with what he had held to be a rommand, and toe witness answered It was because of the mere recent manifesto stop ping the practice. Senator Hoar persisted that, according to the witness' own statements, the prac tice had not been stopped, and Senator Foraker Interposed abruptly that the wit ness had gone over that ma;ter fifty times, end he could see no purpose of the con- nued questioning a loryr that line, anator Hoar resented . ths Interruption Ml said Senator Foraker'a statement sug frested that he had asked one question fifty times and had received fifty answers. He objected to the Inference, and when Sen ator Foraker arose to answer he. too, stood up. The two senators faced each other In what threatened to ba a serious clash. Senator Foraksr said the senator from Massachusetts "could say what he plsased. of course, but I have not said he asked fifty question," "I accept the disclaimer from the senator from Ohio." responded Hoar, but the ng gresslv manner In which It was said failed to relieve the sltuailo After more heated words Benator Beve ;e, who occu pied a position directly t 'een the two, requested permission to .t question. He said he wanted to ad .ss "Mr. Smoot" and Immediately su',stltutd the name "Smith." In ths laughter that was pro voked both senators sat down and the hearing- continued. Chorea and tho Manifesto. Senator Beverldge desired to know Whether the church considered that the laws wore being obeyed when polygamous cohabitation had continued since the mani festo of 1880. and Chairman Burrows made the question more personal. He said: "You have said today that yeu were obey ing the laws In not teaching polygamy since the manifesto. Do you think you were obeying the law In having; eleven children from different mothers since that UmeT" "I obey the law so far as teaching- is con cerned. I have not said that I have obeyed the law In my practice. As I have said I before, I preferred to take my chances with the law rather than to abandon my plural family. Polygamy has not been taught In the church by any of the offi cials. Ths church has obeyed the laws even If I have not." said Mr. Smith. Reveladea ea Polygamy. Reference has been made many times to the revelation commanding; plural mar riages and Senator Foraker said that al though the ground may have been cov ered before, he would like to have entered Into the record to this question, when where and how the Injunction in favor of polygamy was received by the church. "What I want to know is whether the practice Is srbltrary or merely permissive?" Mr. Smith explained that the revelation was made to Joseph 8ml th. jr., at Nauvoo, L-"1-" but was not publicly proclaimed s on acocount of the feeling against th It prophet. I He said It had been taught by Joseph I Bmlth to Brigham Young and hi associates knit Tir. r,r n it kv VAiina t. . L. . . Us) Salt Lak Twisty U 147 and in Urt Cuottaued oa Nlatk Tsgo. :ENTH VICTIM IS DEAD Sf Terribly Injared Inirr -Is Thirty Hoars After Collapse and Dies. March 4. After living more ra under the mass of steel r debris of the collapsed In West Forty-sixth than t - beams Hotel D street, C died early asek, a cement worker, day while being carried to Flower hospital In an ambulance. This In creases the known dead to fifteen. The finding of a live human being amidst the mass of Iron work, brick and mortar shortly after 2 o'clock this morning was perhaps the most sensational thing of the kind In the history of similar disasters In this city. From the hour of the collapse hundreds of men have struggled amid the wreckage, with derricks, to get to the bot tom of the pile, where more than hi If a dosen dead fellow workmen were known to lie. Suddenly, when a heavy beam had been hoisted, a man half pinioned below was seen to move. A great shout went up and hurry calls were made for an ambu lance. Owing to the position of the Im prisoned man great care had to be exer cised In freeing him and nearly an hour elapsed before this was accomplished. Meanwhile the surgeons had crawled Into the pile and reached his side. He was given stimulants Internally and Injections of whisky, with cocaine, and hopes were strong; of saving the man who had escaped death Ir. the crash and then fought off suffocation and starvation so long. He was carefully lifted into an ar,, ilance, but died before tho hospital was .ached. One arm had been broken and there was a great hole In the man's head. His vitality must have been tremendous to survive so long with these Injuries, not to mention his position In the debris. At the hospital Lnaek's Identity was quickly established by means of a union card In one of his pockets. That several bodies, pOHslbly nine or ten, are still hurled In the ruins. Is tho opinion Coroner Schoeler expresesd today after a conference with Foreman Hatpin of the Iron workers on the, building Hnd Joseph Teamans, walking delegate of the Asphalt and Cement Workers' union. Yeamans said eighteen men of his union lmd been employed on the building, only three of whom had been accounted for, and Hatpin told the coroner that nine or ten men, had been working- as houses m I ths and lathers on some upper floors, for whom no ac count had yet been given. EMPEROR PARDONS AMERICAN German Holer Raises Sentence of Man Who Deserts Kaiser's Army la Youth. ( BERLIN, March 4 Emperor William upon the request of Ambassador Tower, has pardoned Edward Engesser of Buffalo, N. Y., sentenced some time ago at Baden for desertion, to six months' Imprisonment. Engesser left the army In 1870 as an act of youthful Indiscretion. He returned to Ba den In December last and was Immediately arrested and convicted. Mr. Tower found that the case was within German treaty rights, but he requested Engesser'a petition admitting his technical guilt, to ba brought tfttb emperor . attention, - - WHEAT AND FLOUR RATES DROP Import Detirs Lowered by Spain Be cause of Rise la Price of Wheat There. MADRID, March 4. Owing to the great rise In the price of wheat on the Spanish markets, the government has presented a bllll In the Chamber of Deputies, which provides for a considerable reduction of the import duties on wheat and flour. BUCHAREST, Roumanla, March 1 The Flnanoe minister has laid before the chamber a bill Imposing; heavy protective duties on Imports. The duty on coal la among the heaviest. ROUTS THE REVOLUTIONISTS General Mania, at Head of Uruguayan Forres, Wins a Complete Victory. MONTEVIDEO? Uruguay, March i.-It la officially announced that General Munis, commander of the Uruguayan forces, has routed the troops of the revolutionary leader, Sarlsavc, st Unks de Qusquaychico. The rebels fled, abandoning a number of killed and wounded. Bottles with tho Rebels. 8ALONICA, Macedonia, March 4. Th Albanian Insurrectionary movement at Ipek la ended. The government has promised the Albanians protection from the cattle tax. Saver U skirmishes have occurred near Amatova. The Insurgent chief, Apos tn, and Yovan are strongly entrenched near Gumanje, awaiting an attack. Craters ta Eruption. PARIS. March 4.-MU1 advice received t Madagascar from Mayotte. Comoro Islands, say that three craters of the Great Cnmoso Island have been in a stats of eruption since February 26. There have been some victims among the natives. Ready fur Reciprocity. MELBOURNE. March 4-Premler Bekln ha announced In th House of Represen tatives that th federal government 1 pre pared to alter the tariff In favor of Great Britain, making sacrifices. If necessary, to secure reciprocal preferences. Bound for Philippines. PERIM. March 1-The flotilla of United States torpedo boat destroyers bound for the Philippines under convoy of th auxil iary cruiser Buffalo passed here outward bound st 30 o'clock this morning. Earthquake at Lima. LIMA, Peru, March 4. A tremendous earthquake, -which did much damage, oc curred her at 6:30 this morning. Nothing comparable with It has been experienced during the last thirty years. Wtlimts Is Very sick. HANOVER. Prussia, March 4. The con dition of Field Marshal Count von Walder see is causing anxiety among his friends. Hs hss been 111 for some days and is losing his strength. GIRLS TAKE PLACES OF BOYS Fifty Strike Breakers Put 1 Work by the Weslera I'aloa Telea-raph Company at Catenae. CHICAGO. March t Fifty girl strik breakers were today put to work by th Western Union Telegraph company to de liver messages. A number of other girls who were employed In the place of boys when th strike occurred and who quit when an lajunctloo against the strikers was taoued by the federal court appeared ha th vicinity of th Western Union main office today and helped the striker as pickets. Tbsga ar TOO boys ga strike. - N IN A BOX OF CAM Woman Who Beceives it Eats Part of Con tents and is Dangerously IlL ACCUSES BOONE WOMAN OF SENDING IT Authorities of that Place Refuse- to Arrest Her Without Formal Com plaint, Which Dakota rartles Say They Will Make. PIERRE, S. D., March 4 (Special Tele gram.) A case which has Just occurred In this city promises to equal the famous California one In which murder by a box of poisoned oandy sent through the mall was the means of causing death.. The victim in this caee, while yet alive, la so low that the attending physicians hold out no hope for recovery. The victim Is Miss Rena Nelson, who lives with her parents on a farm six miles north of this city and while the poisoned candy win received and oaten the first of the week, the matter has been kept quiet until there cou'.d be no question of the existence of poison In tfia candy and the custody of the party sup posed to have sent the candy secured. The remainder of the box of candy, which was mailed at Bonne, la., was sent to tho state chemist at the agricultural college at Brookings and who pronounced that It contained corrosive sublimate and the ef fects of the poison on the victim were those of such poison. Miss Nelson accuses Mrs. 8. Dye, of Boone, la., of being the party who sent the poison. Hack of it all Is a story of either a Jealous woman or a gay deceiver. While visiting Boone lost year Miss Nelson met a Mr. Dye, who accom panied her to several places and between them grow up a feeling, which resulted In an engagement. Dye representing himself to have been divorced from a former wife. After Miss Nelson's return home a cor respondence was kept up between the two and some time In the winter Miss Nelson received a letter from a Mrs. Dye claiming that there was no divorce and accusing her of interference In family affairs nnd later an unsigned threatened letter threatening of trouble If the correspondence was kept up. The first of the week a box of candy was received through the mal! from Boone, la., and a part of It eaten. The same day Miss Nelson received a letter from a friend at Boone saying that Mrs. Dye was threat ening to make it hot for Miss Nelson, If the correspondence did not cease. The letter was not read until after the candy had been eaten or the box would have been probably viewed with suspicion. Sheriff Laughlln wired the authorities at Boone, requesting the arrest of Mrs. Dye, but they refused to act without a warrant and he will leave for Boone In the morning with the necessary papers. The case will probably bring out a legal fight against coming to this state on the part of th accused. FEAR HEAVY CATTLE LOSSES Last Storm Has Proven Unusually .MJeora eu-th Blank Ullle ' ' Ranges STURGIS, 8. D., March 4.-;Spedal.)-The loss to the owners of the larger cattle outfits who are wintering their cattle on the ranges has already been large, and that their misfortunes will be further In creased there seems no doubt. The cattle drifted with the late storms frpm their ranges Into the settlements, where they tarried for days without feed and water, The owners are doing their utmost to drive them back to where they can get grass enough to keep them alive, but many are so weak that Jt is doubtful if they can be brought back to their feeding grounds. The snow of last Sunday, which fell to a depth of nearly a foot and a half, has added much to the gravity of the situation, and stockmen agree that It will be the cause of adding greatly to the mortality. The smaller outfits, which have their cattle con fined within winter pasturage, are not losing any. It la thought the losses will have a tendency to break up the open rang system. The limits are narrowed by fences and the conditions are bad, and yearly growing worse for those who depend upon the open range for winter provender for their herds. I'.x press Messenger Arrested. CHEYENNE, Wyo., March 4.-(Speclal.) L. E. Dunning, an express messenger running between Cheyenne and Ogden, was arrested at Ogden yesterday, charged with robbery and grand larceny. It is alleged that Dunning opened boxes and trunks In his car and extracted the valuables there' from He is said to have secured tSOO worth of goods from one shipment. Among other things. It Is alleged, he stole a quan tity of diamonds and Jewelry from the trunk of Miss May Hammond of Omaha, who was traveling to the Pacific coast, Dunning is said to have confessed his guilt and will plead guilty. GOOD CHANCE TO RECOVER War Department Clerk Shot by Crasy Soldier Not la Hopeless Condition. WASHINGTON, March 4.-Robrt Man ning, the War department engineer who was shot yesterday by William O'Brien, passed a comfortable night. The indica tions now are that the wound Is not as dangerous as it first showed and Manning has a Food chance of recovery. O'Brien appeared in the polios court today on a warrant charging him with as sault with Intent to kill Manning. As sistant United States District Attorney Given suggested that the man be com mitted to Jail and the Jail physicians no titled to confer with the St. Elisabeth asylum authorities and report to the courts. Ths court concurred In this suggestion and tn prisoner was sent to jail without bond, pending proceedings looking to his return to the asylum. He was on parole from that Institution when he did ths shooting. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FLOOD Prominent Kansas Cltlseas Will true Congress to Appropriate fl.BOO,. OOO for Rlier improvements. KANSAS CITY. March 4.-A delegation of prominent clttsens left here tonight for Washington, where they expect to appear on Monday next before the house commit tee on rivers and harbors and maks a plea for an appropriation of tl.600.000 for river Improvements. Kansas City suffered greatly a result of the great flood last June and th delegates will, tn support of their plea. say that because of th havoc wrought to big business Interests th cKy now faces a criais in Us history, and that it Is badly In need of aid at the hand, al tk) govern mart. 1 ' ' AGREE UPON REED FOR JUDGE Iowa Delegation Finally Settle Vpon Successor for Judge Shires. (From a Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON. March 4.-(Speclal Tel- egrnm.) At a meeting of the Iowa dele gation this afternoon It was decided to recommend William Thomas Reed f Creaco to succeed Judg Shlras. lately re signed from the United States district bench for the northern district of Iowa. This decision was reached after about one hour s deliberation by the seven members of the Iowa delegation Interested In this appointment. The selection of Mr. Reed was brought about through the votes of Representatives Blrdsall and Cousins, who joined with Senator Allison and Repre sentative Haugen, who have throughout been the staunch supporter of Mr. Reed. When Representatives Connor, Cousins, Thomas, Haugen and Blrdsall came over from the house and went Into the commit tee room of Senator Allison they found awaiting them the two senators. Though the supporters of Mr. Jlealy and the other candidates were disappointed that thulr candidates did not win there pre vailed u general air of relief that the lung contest hud ended. Senator Dolllver nnd Representative Connor stood for Mr. Heuly until the finish, and Judge' Thomas re mained faithful to Mr. Wright. Mr. Blrdsall, who has long held the key to the situation, went over to tho Reed sup porters and carried with him Mr. Cousins, thus carrying the day for the man from Cresco. Prenldent Roosevelt wis Informally told of the action of the Iowa senators and members, and doubtless Mr. Reed's nom ination will be sent to the senate at an early date. Representative Klnkaid today appeared before the committee on public buildings to advocate appropriations for public buildings at Kearney and North Platte. He t$ seeking an appropriation of $1:15.000 for Kearney and Ua,0i for North Platte. Oscar McKay has been upvolnteU regu lar and Thomas J. McKay substitute rural carriers at Carroll, Neb. Postmasters appointed: - Nebraska, Hav ana, Frontier county, Thomas W. Arnold, vice R. L. Duckworth, reMlgtuul. Iowa, Brownvllle, Mitchell county, Albert E. Mc Rorle, vice F. C. Reeve, resigned. Wyo ming, Atlantic City, Fremont- county, Law rence L. Glessler, vice R. C. Hunt, re moved. CREST OF FLOOD IS REACHED Alleghany River Begins to Recede at Twenty-Xlue-Foot Height h Vast Losses aad Ttoneoads Idle. PITTSBURG, March 4.-The crest of the flood reached here this morning when the llerrs Island mark showed twenty-nine feet one Inch In the Allegheny river at that point. The river Is slowly receding and no further damage is apprehended. The cold wave checked the rise. The damage done by the flood will prob ably not exceed 1250,000. Along Line creek and the Turtle creek valley especially, tho damage was beyond any dons In recent yean, Jn ths two cities IV was not' so great, tout many industrial establishments alosg th two rivers were compelled to close down and thousands of men were thrown out of work. The rail roads of the district suffered to an un usual extent end land slides added to the handicaps -Imposed by the high water It self. While the rise came with great sud denness and many narrow escapes were reported, no lives were lost In the flood. TOLEDO, O., March 4. The cold wav has postponed all Immediate flood danger at Toledo. Th up-river gorges are frosen hard and the lmmedlato bodies of water held back by them will remain until a thaw. A veritable lake Is held back by a gorge below Grand Rapids and that town has been under water for two days and nights. There Is much distress there from exposure to cold and the lack of pro visions. CLEVELAND, O., March 4. With th temperature only a few degrees above the saro mark, thousands of people, dependent upon natural gas for fuel In their homes here, suffered from the Intense cold today because of the washing away of the gas mains of the East Ohio Gas company, lead lng from this city to the West Virginia gas fields. Manufacturing plants In which natural gas Is used have closed down until the mains are repaired. Similar conditions prevail at Akron and other towns supplied with fuel from th same source. WILKE8BARRE, Pa., March 4 The Susquehanna river Is rising slowly, but re ports from the upper part of the state and from New York state axe that the tribu taries are overflowing their banks. Th cold weather la holding the flood In check, NEW TIME TABLE FOR OCEAN Joint Schedule Adopted by Pacific MaJl and Oceldental Oriental Companies. SAN FRANCISCO. March 4.-The Pacific Mall and the Occidental & Oriental Steam ship companies have adopted a new Joint time schedule, according to which vessels will depart from this port for the port of the Orient at Intervals of about eleven days. The schedule includes seven vessels four operated by the Pacific Mall and three by the Occidental company. The with drawal of three steamers of the Toyo Slien Salsha caused the present schedule to b Irregular and th new Bchedul makes no provision for the Japanese points. The new schedule of sailing will be Inaugurated wMh the Coptic, which will leave here April 2, though originally scheduled to leave on March il. Under the new schedule the steajners will remain In port from eleven to twelve days. BURLINGTON GETS BIG LOAN Borrows Five Million Dollars for Hlne Months to Retire Kotes Issaed Last Summer. CHICAGO, March 4.-The Illinois Trust and Savings bunk has lent $6,000,000 to the Chicago, Burlington gt Qulncy Railway company. The rate of Interest is said to be 6 per cent and the time nine months, Tht purpose of the loan Is said to be the retirement of 66,000,000 6 per cent notes Is sued by the Burlington last summer. Accept the Reduction. ST. LOUIS, March 4. The strike of th laborer at th World's fair grounds was declared off today and the 1,000 men who walked out Monday resumed work at the reduction announced. The men struck because then- wages were cut from a to SO oepts an hour. President Francis told tho committee representing th strikers that their wages had been cut because th World's Fair company could not afford to pay more than cents aa hour. The delegates were Impressed with Mr. Francis' statement and promised t recommend to th aiea ta return la Werk and accept the reductleav RUSSIAN PRESS OPTIMISTIC Hails with Satisfaction Toas of Americas Dupatohei on tho War. REGRETS STRAIN, PRLDICTS FRIENDSHIP Deprecates Effect of Estranged Re lations Between Two Nations and Insists Prudence Mast Ulti mately Surmount Impulse. ST. PETERSBURG. March 4,-The Rus sian press halls with great satisfaction th American dispatches of the last few days as indicating a change In the disposition of the Washington government toward Russia. The Bourse Gasette and the Novoe Vre:nya this morning discuss In a sober minded fashion Russo-Amcrlcan relations and the danger of a permanent estrange ment. The Gusette says there is some thing profoundly regrettable In the present relations between those two world powers. They transcend the bounds of common oalc. The nosltion taken bv America since lust June and the nntl-ltUMslun newsuaner campaign In the I'nlted States are so in explicable, that they seem like a night mare. Blnce the beginning of Its history America has Inspired the liveliest feeling of friendship and admiration among Rus sians, and dlplomatb; and political expres sions of these feelings have oeen continuous and constant. In Russian social circles there has ever been a veritable worship of the classic land of liberty and the Amer icans nave always heretofore made rtiissmn friendship the cornerstone of their foreign policy. Evil Spirit Broken Loose. Suddenly, as If an evil spirit had broken oose. the Americans, despite their prac tical turn of mind, began to do every thing to stimulate Japanese aggressiveness and seem now to be anxiously awaiting Japanese victories in Asia, where Im portant American commercial Interests are centered. As a matter of fact, hostility between the United States and Russia would be as great a misfortune to civilisa tion In the twentieth century as was the rivalry between France and Uermuny In the nineteenth. The duty of every rl(,ht inlnded man Is to arrest the growth of this animosity. Kusslan diplomacy owes it to the Amer icans and to the whole civilized world to do Its utmost. We are not called upon to re-echo hostile sounds coming from beyond the Atlantic, because unfriendly sentiments do not exist among us. The latest udvlces purmlt the belief that It will b much (-aster to remove the misunderstanding than the enemies of Russia may think. Picks Out Good Omen. The Novoe Vremya says It does not know whether the Washington cabinet Influenced such Incidents as the gift of $10,000 by Charles R. Crane of Chicago, to the Young C sarins' s fund for Russian soldiers and sailors, the pro-Russian Irish demonstra tion In New York and the quieter tone of the British press, but the paper believes It notes an Important change In American official tactics, beginning with a disinclina tion to favor the Japanese cable project, followed by th report of Secretary Hay's dissatisfaction with tho anti-Russian press campaign, which disposition was furttier proved by his not Insisting on dispatching United States consuls to Antung and Mukden at this time, which quite agreees with President Roosevelt's decision to allow Mr. Morgan, appointed United States -con sul at Port Dalny, to remain at home for the present, and not send the battleship Kentuoky to the socne of the hostilities In the far east. The paper adds: Wi are certain this change Is as agree able to the Americans as It Is to us. The antagonism of Washington distressed, but did not frighten us, for things could not come to a rupture, as prudence must end always In dominating Impulse, and there being no serious reason for a quarrel, th privctl-al Yankees must realize that the tel?gram of the American consul at Mos cow to Chicago to the effect that American business In Russia was suffering by reason of the anti-Russian feeling said to exist In tl I'nlted Slates. rerjrer nted the feelings not onlv of the Moscow merchants, nut ot all branches of Russian trade. What he predicted happened In the case of Englnnd arter tne rimean wiir. unniiHn ni.-up.ii Into the British snoes. In conclusion the Novoe Vremya says All U well that ends well. If the llzhr. cool fog which has been hanging over Washington is dispelled and the good old feelings return, we snail do tne nrsi to wei com them. English Tension Less. PARIS, March 4. To the gratification of France, better relations between Russia and Great Britain are promised as the re sult of the visit of Count Benckendorff. the Russian ambassador to Great Britain, to St. Petersburg. From an authoritative source It is learned that Count Benckendorff not only carried verbal assurances of the ab solute neutrality of Great Britain in th war, but that ha was the bearer of docu ments establishing the fact that the Lon don government did not want war and had used determined efforts to prevent it, urg ing on Japan the fact that the British proas did not represent the attitude nor wishes of the British government. Official advices from St. Petersburg show that Count Benckendorff's representation cleared sway many suspicions entertained by the Russian authorities. Russia does not desire unfriendly relations with Of wet Britain. It heretofore has met the British government half way, and It Is understood that Count Benckendorff was charged with most conciliatory measures by ths osar. The regretted actions of various European countries in arming Is not considered as having any other bearing than preparation for eventualities, which, In the present optimistic frame of mind of the authori ties, are not likely to come to pass. , There Is doubt still in official circles re garding the policy of Germany toward Russia. Advices received here Indicate that Germany assured Russia that France In spired the recent note of Secretary Hay regarding Chinese neutrality, while France claims, and Russia la satisfied, that Ger many mad the first suggestion to th UnlleJ States. CZAR HAS EXilUn'S ASSURANCES. King Edward Sends Autographic Dee. laratton of Friendship. LONDON, March 4. The Russian ambas sador, Count Benckendorff, who returned from St. Petersburg Wednesday, visited King Edward and presented the king with an autograph, letter from the czar. This was In answer to a letter sent by the king, who on hearing that Count Benckendorff Intended going to St. Petersburg rb bid farewell to his son, who was bound to the front with his regiment, sent for the ambassador and asked him to hand the czar an autograph letter, in which King Edward In the most friendly terms empha sised Great Britain's neutrality during the war in the far east and said he trusted that the czar would puy no attention to the press reports Intimating that Great Britain was not rcutral, nor to pay any attention to unfriendly comments of the EnglUh papers, which the king regretted. Japanese Fleet Weakeaed. PARIS, March 4. The Temps published a dispatch from St. Petersburg, which says the Russians have taken advantage ot the stormy weather, which has prevented fur ther operations on the part of th Japanese fleet, to improve their defenses. The dispatch also says that the Japanese fleet has been weakentd by damagea sus tained since February 15 to the extent ot six cruisers, Ave torpedo boat destroyer and on, gunboat. NEBRASKA WEATHER FORECAST Fair and Colder Saturday! Sunday Fair. Temperature at Omaha Testerdayi Hour. Beg. Hour. Heg. fi a. m..,,,, 22 1 . m .H.H a. m lit 2 p. m !W T a. m tti S p. m ...... 4 M a. m if 4 4 p. m 4 9 a. ni ST B p. m 40 lO a. m atl p. m -4" It a. m HA 7 p. m 4 12 m 3T R p. m as t p. m 3T SUMMARY OFJTHE WAR NEWS American Minister to Corra Said to Have Taken Step Which May Cause Trouble. (Copyright by New York Herald Co.. 1H)4.) NEW YORK, Mircli 4. (New York Her ald Service Special Telegram to Th Bee.) Mr. Allen, th- Unit ad States minister to Corea, ncc rd!ng to dispatches from several Independent s lurces, has decided to send United States marlr.es fro.n Seoul Into the very heart of the gone of military operations In nori.'.irn Cop; In order to protect some mines owned by American citizens. Tho State department Is as tounded at the pr ipose 1 action of the minister nnd discredit the report. S.uh an Invasion would be impvccdented and would almost ltu'vitablv result in a cluch with one or both o. tho oppos ng forcs. The Japanese minister to Berlin Is quoted as authority for the statement that Japan's soldiers have scored several successes in Corra. Practically the only news that pasnes the Japanese censor Is that sent by diplomatic reports. Public opinion In Russia toward Amer ica 1m becoming less hostile. Coul and stores are reaching Vladivostok despite the watchfulness of the Japanese navy. The four Russian cruisers are still In port. Little news Is obtainable concerning op erations on land or sea. Strict censorship Indicates Important movements are under way. ACCISE JAPS OF DEEP TRKACHEHY Russians Say Effort Was Made to Block Port Arthur Early. ST. PETERSBURG. March 4. A resident of St. Petersburg, who has just arrived here from Port Arthur, having left the day before the first Japanese attack, tells an Interesting story which seems to Indicate that the Japanese planned to cork the har bor before tiring a shot. He says that on the day of his departure a big merchant man. Hying the Japanese flag, approached the entrance and In the narrowest part of the channel suddenly stopped, signalled: "I am sinking," and commenced to settle. Luckily, a tug with steam up was close by and towed the Japanese vessel Into a shallow part of the outer harbor. Tho merchantman was loaded with Iron. Its captain declared he had been caught In a storm and the pumps, which hod kept the craft afloat, broke down just as the entrance of Port Arthur was reached. The wife of a Russian naval officer at tached to the armored cruiser Rossla, who has Just arrived here from Vladivostok, described th scene at th outbreak of hos tilities. On the morning of February a shot was flred by the flagship and signals Were hoisted, calling all seamen and others who were on shore leave to eome,en,board There was great excitement and enthusi asm among the people on the streets. Th warships In the harbor were Imbedded In the Ice and crowds gathered about them. watching the ships receive their war colors and cheering as the Ice breaker opened channel. At 2 o'clock In the afternoon, headed by th Rossla and accompanied by the hurrah of the people gathered on the Ice, the fleet steamed out. An Imperial order has been Issued sum moning the reservs subalterns and first class reserve men of European Russia to the colors for a six weeks' course of train ing. A similar order has been Issued to the naval reserves. This Is Interpreted as Indi cating that everything la being made ready for the mobilization of the whole Russian army. If necessary. According to a service organ, the cost of the rations of the Manchuria troops aver ages 40 kopecs, each of which ZD are for meat, $ for tea and 9 for bread. The average for the Llao Tung soldiers Is 46 kopecs The St. Petersburg postofflce employes sre starting a fund to build a torpedo boat, to be named Post-Telegraph. DKMtMM A RAILROAD CONCESSION. According to Request May Cause a tVaah vrllh France. (Copyright, by New York Herald Co.. 1904.) SEOUL, March 4.-(New York Herald Cablegrum Special Telegram to Th Bee.) The Japanese minister has demanded that the Coreaji Foreign office grant a con cession for the Seoul-WIJu railway to th Japanese In accordance with article 4 of the Japanese -Core an protocol. Japan Is ready to start construction Immediately. Fifteen miles of the grading of this railway have already been completed by the Corean government under French engineers, but no rails, locomotives or cars have been purchased yet. Ths proposed arrangoment may possibly create an Issue between the Corean and French governments, as a concession was originally granted In 1K6 to French cltl zens. who, falling to arrange the financing ot the road, allowed the concession to lapse In 1W9. Under the sgreement the railway was to be built only by the Corean gov ernment under French engineers, with French materials. The steamer Isdomeyeus has arrived at Chemulpo with thousands of tons of ma terials for the Seoul-Fusnn railway, the construction of which Is being rapidly pushed forward by the Japanese govern ment. The Japanese hospital ship Kosal has ar rived at Chemulpo with a twelve-foot red cross painted amidships. HISSIA ASSIMES THE AGGRESSIVE. Expected Port Arthar Squadron Will Engage In Big Movement. PARIS, March 4. Information received from official sources In Corea confirms pre vious reports to the effect that the Chln ampo Is free from Ice, that th Japanese have ceasod debarking troops at Chemulpo and that they have taken advantage of the opening of the Chinampo to land troops there thus expediting the forward move ment. Official advices from St. Petersburg con firm the reports that a decisive move ment la anticipated on the part of the Port Arthur squadron now that Admiral Makaroff has arrived there and that the torpedo boats especially will be brought Into play, and that in spite of reports to the contrary, Russia Is understood to have an ample supply of torpedoes for these craft. Coadltloa of the Treasury. WASHINGTON. March 4.-Today's state ment of Uie treasury balances In trie gen eral fuud. exclusive of the llaL'.uwtj f J g ld reservs In the division of r,tn( tion, shows: AvalUbls caau balances, l-J.iTi.wji: gold, llJ6.lia.Ui. tj HINT AT VICTORIES Japanets Ministsr States Land Forosi Ears Scored Several Snooessss. PURPOSELY KEPT QUIET FOR PRESENT Fear of Other Conn tr its Becoming Involved Less Acoto. REPORTS OF FURTHER BOMBARDMENTS 8t. Petersburg Beports Landing of Large Japanese Forces in Corea, PAPER THINKS RUSSIA WANTS QUARREL Figures Out that it Foresees Defeat and Prefers to lavolve England ta Avoid Vame of Being De feated by a Midget, (Copyright, by New York Herald Co., 1S04.) BERLIN, March 4 (New Tork Herald Cablegram Special Telegram to Th Bee.) It may be that there Is a reason for the dearth of news from th seat of war. I learn from an excellent source that the Jnpnnese minister in Berlin yesterday In formed a former minister of state that the Japanese had scored a, number of military successes that were being suppressed for Fpeclfic reasons. In the meantime, however. In official circles the attitude of Franc toward Rus sia in the event of active participation by China in the far east continues to b much discussed. The following may be regarded as the official view: "It la well known that th Russian gov ernment has favorably received China's declaration of neutrality, and It is generally known In various cabinets of Europe that' the Kusnlan government is very desirous that the war thus forced upon it shall be restricted territorially as far as circum stances) will permit No steps were, there fore, taken In Paris which might In any way implicate France. Count Lamsdorft more than once announced that nothing was further from the czar's Intention than to bring about a general conflagration.' These declarations are strengthened by the fact that the kaiser Is animated by equally peaceful sentiments, and the rsppr6chement of England and France has developed into an important political factor. "Consequently the action of America with regard to the neutralization of Oi'na ' was unanimously accepted, ven by Russia Itself. - It has raised no objection to main taining tho Integrity of China and Its sov- ' erclgnty in Manchuria. This neutrality was , very welcome, although doubt were enter tained as to whether the Pekln government would be able to raise forces sufficient to repress any Internal opposition to the prin ciple. In diplomatic circles it Is1 felt that the powers would not have been able to effectually guarantee the neutrality of China for the simple reason that they would be powerless to oppose the wishes of tho Chinese war party, should such a party gain the upper hand. "Even In Russia there seems to b no wish for French Intervention. On cannot disregard the fact that such a step would Inevitably entail Interference by Chreat Britain. It may, therefore, be considered ' that the participation of China In the War will not bo looked upon aa a casus belli by France. England and France appear unltsd ' In their endeavors to keep China up to its engagements. They are supported by Prince Chlng and the viceroy, but much will depend on the attitude of the empress dowager, some of whose Illusion, even th failure of the Boxer rising, have not 'et shattered. Report of Bomhairdments, (Copyright by New York Herald Co., 104.) TIEN TSIN, March 4. (New York Usrakt Cablegram Bpeclal Telogram to Ta Baa.) Port Arthur has been bombarded by Japa nese si ilim at Intervals for three days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, first at fif teen kilometers dlstanoa from the forts and then at attven. Entire Fleet Guarding Troops. VLADIVOSTOK. March t-Vta St. Pe tersburg (delayed According to Informa tion received forty Japanese transports, escorted by the entire naval fleet, have been energetically landing troops In Corea at Fu S.ui and Chemulpo. It Is estimated that fully 100,000 men hav disembarked, and It Is supposed that an Immediate ad vance Into northern Corea Is contemplated. From the fact that the Japaneso fleet is thus employed, It Is felt that no Immedi ate attack upon Vladivostok or Port Ar thur will be made. Th reported landing of 300 Japanese at Song Chin, Plakstn bay, on the northeast coast of Corea, has been confirmed. There Is a rumor abroad that a quantity of transport material and ninety tons of salt Huh have been dls-nvered laid sway in secret places In the ; I jhborhood of NJk olskl. They were : ntly Intended for the use of the Jup. orces toward th end of the guinmci Spectator Has a Theory. LONDON, March 1 Th Spectator points out how "the Kuutlan feeling of resent roout against Great Britain Is steadily ris ing, the Hussion being convinced tliat the Brillfch hav been the chief cause of their difficulties by encouraging the Japanese to go to war." Without considering whether there 1 any truth In this view coulineus th Specta tor, the Important fact is that It Is held by the Russian people and that "public opinion Is in such a state of excitement ttat war with Great Brluin would be ex tremely popular." Proceeding to explain why the military party should try to "establish ths binnlll.. tlon of a po.'wlbl defeat by Astatic power," the Spectator remarks: - ' "A great European. War would, obliterate