The Omaha Daily Bee i OMAHA, MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 6, 1903. VOL. XXXVII NO. 227. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. Tnniini i;c vcvrn i:vn China and Japan Ine Diffi- culty, Another PATHS SEEM TO BE BL WAR 1 v , Diplomat! of Both Count; V ' pt Busy with Complication ... SITUATION ALARMING TO OTHERS Latest Complication it the Seizure of Japanese Ship. WAR IS 1T0T LOOKED FOR NOW I nlfH Coatlmailsa of Irritating Complications Caa Be Stopped, Hmr, Back Mar Be the I'ltlnaata Ooteorae. TOKIO. Msrrh 1 The fates seem almost resslvsd to embroil Japan and China by fair mrans or foul. No sooner do.a one diplomatic issue appear to b on the eve of satisfactory settlement than another one crops up to prolong the agonv and keep the Toklo foreign offle ar.d the Chinese foreign board more or less busy. The Kanto, a boundsry. the Ts'n-Mln-Tun-Fukumen railway, the Ncrth Mmchurtan customs and the telegraph ques'lcns all these have now ceased to - excite mu :h roncern In the minds af those who can sea below the surface of the current, but on the other hand, as though the Chines them selves,1 were determined to furnlrh the Japanese opposition with Its strongest argu ments In favor of a mar sprit ed jo"ey. vls-a-vls. the middle kingdom, whose Chinese warships seized a Japanese mer chant steamer the Tatsu Maru In Chinese territorial waters, Just outside Macao har bor, and escorted 11 to Canton on the charge that It was engaged In an attempt to smuggle arms and ammunition Into China. To add to the Irritation Inseparable from such a course of action, the Chinese commander hauled down the Japanese flag rn route and ran up the Chinese dr ain ensign In Its stead. The Jspanese foreign office has demanded the immediate release of the Tatsu Mnru and the punishment of the officials rcsponrlble for Its ee:ure, Quite Irrespective of the merits of the case, the Japanese minister maintains the act'on of the Chinese authorities in seising and hauling down the Japaneee flag was an in suit to Japan. Facta la the Controversy. The facta of the case aa nearly as can be ascertained from both aide appear be these: The Japanese contention Is that the vessel left Kobe on January 81 wlt:i ninety-four cases of rlflee and forty cases of ammunition consigned by the Ataka Bhokel of Osaka to Messrs. Kwong To & Comoanv of Macao, who are licensed o the Macao government to deal in arms. It Is asserted that the Ataka Bhokal had ob tained the necessary permit from the Macao authorities with regard to the arms and ammunition and that the uaual customs end police fomatttle had been compiled with Bt Kobe. The fact that the Tatsu . Maru anchored outside Macao harbor la I explained ty ihe statement-that Its Man vm too great to permit it to enter the harbor in safety and that the intention of ik. contain and the consignees was to have the cargo discharged Into lighters. According to the captain's story, the ves sel was surrounded by four Chinese gun' boats and was shortly afterward boarded by the Chinese commsnder, who declared that although the steamer was in posses sion of a certificate Issued by the Portu guese authorities at Macao, the Chinese government was Informed that It was bound for Macao with a cargo of 134 cases ot arms and ammunition consigned to a Chi nese. and that he had been ordered by the taotal of Canton to stop the discharge of this cargo. Later two customs officials and twenty bluejackets boarded the steamer. The Incident created no small ex citement among the steamer's passengers, some apprehension being entertained that the Japanese warships In Hong Kong har bor might attempt a rescue, In which event It Is deemed probable that the Chinese gunboats would have sent the Tatsu Maru to the botton without further ceremony. It was to safeguard the vessel against any attempt to escape that the Chinese com mander tan up the dragon of the Chinese, this technically placing the vessel under arrest. rialat Arms for Insurgents. Further Inquiry has elicited the Informs tlon that the selsure of the Tatsu Maru was brought about through a report sent from Kobe or Osaka to the Chinese author Itles to the effect that although the rifles and ammunition were consigned to a firm In Macao, they were really to he smuggled Into the hands of Insurgents In the Interior of China. Acting on this assurance, th Chinese authorities took immediate steps to seise the steamer. It Is surmised tha the Information of the Chinese government may have ben a Chinese residing in Japan In the meantime the situation regardtni the captive steamer has been found Impos slble of adjustment, and yesterday a high official of the Foreign office had the fol lowing to say with regard to Japan's course of action: "Japan will not resort to force In con paction with the selsure of this vessel un lss compelled to do so by the action China " Postal Service aa Weapon. TEKINO. March H.-Chlna's ac M y I recover full sovereignty In Manchuria ha arousv) the Japanese to cp'Kstion. Japat ..has rslsed the standard of Its p etal of y.f Vrs. Increased the effectiveness of Its pos l system, which is one cf the Ja-anes government s special inmruinems ei aparv .-. . slon, and Is harrasrlng the Imp-rig' Chinese poai oy sum me-ans as ir-e lonow.na: jaiu refused Chlra certain p etil rrl Te ' on the "outh Munchur an railways to which it Is entitled, hat hrnfcei rp-n Chinese mail bag, Sicrftlv c-v-fisca'e I ene nisi' tag and v contents and cord.ictt a parcel! pest over Its railways wrlle rcf'.irlm tt a r tliu parcels tf the Chinese pest. China has been awar3 for so-ne time ! that Japan was u n I s e-a-tment o .communications to tx:e-d Its au:h-ri y In Manchuria. Jsran ruVs'l'u el for Itt mlli tsry post, when It rax withdrawn a, th time Of the evj?uton, a co.rp'ete ro til estsbllhment unilcr a postai comm sVo-wr of the Imperial Ja;anese tos', who naldei at Dalny. China's method of baullrg this sgfMvarton has been the re-estab'ishment of Its own posts whle'.i were dlsorganirel by the wsr. The number of postoffies was in creased from forty-three to e'ghty-four snd w.ll be further Increa-el to -J) hy Aprl. I'.ul. China has not so far had the tern rity to mention Its nstural r'ghis In Mane hurt on account of th mentis which the Jar a nese government holds over It, and since It Is Impossible to oust Japan China's only re maining weapon is competition. CONDITION OF THE WEATHER Temperature st Omshs yesterday: Hour. Deg ... 10 ... 17 ... 14 ... 13 ... 12 ... 13 15 17 IS 2ft 23 24 25 24 24 23 u APANESE NAVAL STRENGTH weaty-Flve Armored Kb. I pa and Forty-erea Crnlaera oa the Register. TOKIO, March . Borne reliable figures re now to hand showing the present trength of the Jspanese navy as compared with Its strength when the war broke out. Details are appended, but the totals msy be briefly slated, vis., 167 vessels of sll descriptions representing a tonnage of 283.- 42 tons before the war, and 204 vessels and 615.082 tons at the present day. Further scrutiny of the figures shows that Japan today possesses more then twice the num ber of battleships It had before the war, a third as many more armored cruisers, three more other cruisers, nearly three times as many destroyers, but three fewer torpedo boats. Its naval losses during the war in cluded two battleships, the Hatsuae and TiMlma; eight cruisers, the Takasago, To- hlno, Salyom. Miyako, Helyen, Atago. Oshlma and Kaimon; two destroyers, the Akatsukl and Hayators; seven torpedo boats: or a total of nineteen vessels and 46,616 tons. On the other hand, as against the two battleships, torpedoed by the Russians, the Japanese bagged at Port Arthur and in the battle of Japan sea, five battlesrlps, repre senting 62.524 tons, I.e., the Orel, now named the la ami; the Peresvlet (Sagaml), Poltava (Tango), Retvlzan (Hlzen) and Pobleda (Sue). In addition there were taken eleven unarmored cruisers, 71.276 tons; five de stroyers, 1,740 tons: or a total of twenty one vessels, representing 135,540 tons. Thus the net gain without further building on Japan's part Is seen to be two in number nd 88,924 In tonnage, the discrepancy be tween these divisions being due to the fact that Japan's chief gains were in battleships and cruisers. Critics of the expansion program are naturally asking why, in the face of these figures, which indicate an advance of fully 90 per cent. Including new constructions, the government should still persist in mak ing appropriations for the army and navy more than 36 per cent of the total national expenditure for the next fiscal year. Lead- ng financiers and business men do not hesitate to point out that so long as the above disparity Is maintained the country must expect to Invite foreign distrust, while forthcoming attempts to negotiate a new loan are likely to encounter no small op position and even If successful will prove so anly at the cost of a sacrifice of pres tige in the shape of some form of hypothe cation. The following figures are given: Strength when the si r commenced: Bat- tlAMnH Mtv ILL Aft tnna i.rmnni1 n.rtltiwrfl- elght, 73,9t2 tons; other cruisers, forty- four. 111.470 tons: dostroyers. nineteen. 6.169 tons: t or pert o boats, eighty, 7,u tons; total, 11) ( snips. Voi.iw tons. Built during or since the war: Battleships, four. 71.600 tons, vis: The Katarla .Kashlma, Akl and Bateuma, tne last two oi wnicn are now receiving their armaments. Armored (riiluMr. fntir M HA tnnm viz- Thn Tmiktilm Ikoma, Kuruma and Ibukl, the last two of which are now receiving their armamenta. Other cruisers, five, 7,006 tons, vis: The Tone, Todo, Mogaml, etc., all of which are under construction or receiving their arm aments. Destroyers, thirty-three, 12,573 tons. Torpedo bosts, five, 760 tons. Total, fifty-one vessels, 14S.6S9 tons. Present force: Battleship 13. 191.3S1 tons: armored cruisers 12, 130.6R3 tons: other cruisers 47. 1S5.252 tons; destroyers 65. 20.6o tons; torpedo Dots 77, 7,268 tons. Total, 04 ships; 65,0fc3 tons. The unarmored Russian cruisers cap tured have been renamed as follows Nikolai I (Ikl). Bayan (Aao). Paliada (Tsugaru). Varyag (Soya), Aplakln (Oklne sMma). Benlavin (Mlshlms), Novlk (Su- suya), to be used as one of the training squadron at Tokeauka; Majurla (Manshu) Angara (Anegawa), Kazan (Kaniaki) and Sungarl (Matsuye).. The five Russian destroyers captured have been renamed as follows: Reshlteelnt (Tamahlko), Vledvl (Satsuki), Bilnul (Fu mlzuki), Oandamak (Shlrlnaml) and Vo- sadnik (Maklgumo). WIRELESS PICKS UP FLEET Message Received at Pol at Loma . front Battleship Cos neetleat. BAN DIDGO. Cal.. March S Point Loma wireless station at an early hour this morn Irtg was In communication with the battle ship Connecticut, flagship of Admiral Evans' fleet. It is believed thst a message was received for the Navy department a1 Washington, but absolutely no Information will be divulged by the operator at Point Loma wireless station. WASHINGTON, March 8, No official advices have been received at the Navy department concerning the battleship fleet since its departure on February 29 from Callao, Peru, for Magdalena bay. While naval officers are unable to give the exact location of the fleet at this time. It is be lieved that It la near the equator southwest of the Isthmus of Panama. The estimate puts the fleet about 1.400 or 1,600 miles from Magdalena bay. t'nder ordinary condition the fleet averages about 240. miles a day, so that it Is figured It will reach Magda lena bay about March 14. k LIMA, March 8. Rear Admiral Ralgad gave a banquet tonight on the Peruvian crulsr Almlrsnte Grau to the officers of the American torpedo flotilla. The ban qut-t took the form of a farewell to th Americans, who will leave here tomorrow morning to continue their voyage to tha north. NEW YCRK FOR FOWLER BILL Merchants' Asaoclatloa Meads (oi mltlee to Pre seat Views to Coagresa. NEW YORK. March S.-A delegation of members from the committee on rorameri clal law of the Merchants' association of New York left today for Washington to present their views on currency legislation to the secretary of the treasury, Srnato Aldiirh, Speaker Cannon and other mem bers of congress. The committee has endorsed strongly the Fowler currency bill and will endeavor to satisfy the leadera in congrvsa that the passage of this bill Is demanded by the bu lness men of the country. HOTXMXaTTa OI OCKAJf STSAJCgaTirB, Part. ArrtTrc, SslUd. KKW YORK ....St. Paul KOTTCHDlkM ...RiailM SOUTHAMPTON. BU ImsIS OL&SOuW Furs. IS if: ::::::: V2'm.m:::::::::;:::::: ty V,.r 4 p. m . A f S p. m Iff P- m 1 7 p. m p. m 1 I p. m CURB TO SPEAKER'S POWER Congressman Norris Ha Plan for a New Committee on Rales. ALL AGREE CHANGE IS NEEDED Hands of Oae Maa Mast Be Cheeked, gar Members of Co ear ess. (From a Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, March 8. (Special.) here Is a growing group of republican representatives in congTess who believe the time Is not far distant when the rules of the lower branch of congress must be hanged and the enormous power of the peaker abridged. The agitation which Is olng on today to broaden the scope of gislation, rather than to limit It, Is the result of years cf calm and dispassionate discussion looking to a modification of the power now placed in the hands of the speaker and his committee of rules. In the last couple of weeks there has been heard more discussion over the Inability members to secure consideration for their bilta than In the whole of the fifty- nth congress. The discussion In no sense took on a criticism of the distinguished occupant of the speaker's chair, but was the nature of a protest against the enormous power which the speaker wields over legislation. Suspension day, as a day wherein bills on the calendar, other than money bllle. ay be considered, has become a flay wherein the speaker Is supreme. A repre sentative In congress who has a bill upon the calendar and who may be permitted to pass his bill under suspension of the rules hence the name "suspension day must first see tha speaker of the house and secure his consent to recognition before the bill stands the ghost of a show for consideration. The speaker of the house examines Into the merits of the measure, and although It may have the nanimous report of a committee at its back the speaker may yet decide the legislation Is unwise and consequently the member whose bill is under discussion does not go on the speaker's little list for recognition. And with the speaker against the measure no matter how meri torious a bill may be It stands a mighty poor chance of receiving consideration at the hand of congress. Speaker's Autocratic Power. During the last suspension day It' was made more than ever apparent what a mighty power the speaker was In the matter of legislation. Instead of a repre- entatlve rising In his place to call up a bill under the suspension of the rules the speaker became a composite member and from his list called the names of the members who had previously seen him and whom he bad agreed to recognize to call up bills. The speaker called- the name of "the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Boutelle." but Mr. Boutelle was not on the floor at the particular moment and for the time being the measure In which the gentleman was Interested was aide-tracked and the speaker passed to the recognition of some one else. It was only an incident, but It showed how in the course of tho years Increased power has been given to the presiding officer of the house through amendments to the rules. Time was when a suspension day meant what It says, when representatives would scramble for recognition at the hands of the speaker and the measures sought to be passed received both atten tion and earnest consideration. Today, however, things are wholly and com pletely different and the speaker is In mere senses than one the biggest man In the nation next to the president. Representative Victor Murdock of Kan sas, who is a self-constituted candidate for the presidency among the red-headed mem bers of society, voiced the growing senti ment of opposition to the present rules of the house when he said: "I believe that tha present method of legislative procedure cannot last; that It has In it the error Which will correct It, and that there will come In the train of the correction not dis order but order. That it should come Is to my mind of much more Importance than any single item of expenditure. How It will come I do not know, but I believe that Its first manifestation will be a public demand for simplification of the rules for the election of the committee on rules by the house and for a larger membership of the committee, and eventually a demand that tha doors of all committe rooms be opened, that all proceedings In committee and all votes In committee be recorded and be made accessible to the membership of the house and to the public." This statement. when made on the floor of the house by Mr. Murdock during the consideration of the postofflce appropriation bill, was re ceived with loud applause from both sides ot the chamber. Norris Haa a Plan. During a discussion of the present rules of the house and the unlimited power possessed by the committee of rules, Con gressman Norris of Nebraska outlined to a group of his colleagues a new thought as to the selection of the committee on rules. Mr. Norris has a scheme to make the committee on rules consist of fifteen members, with a chairman to be elected by the committee and a clerk. He pro poses that the country be divided Into fif teen districts, and that the fifteen mem bers of the committee be selected by the representatives of the respective districts Nine districts, he proposes, anoujd be rep resented by the majority party, and six districts by the minority. That la to say if all of New Kngland should be made one district, the representatives from the New England states would meet In caucus and select from out of their number one mem ber for the committee on rules. Repre sentatives from the several other districts would do likewise, and with the committee on rules aelected and a chairman elected it would be In a position to report meaa- urea for consideration and rules for adop tion Independent of the speaker, and In this way all sections of the country would have their day in court and favoritism would be wholly eliminated. Congressman Norris recognises that the scheme may be Utopian, and. In view of the right of th speaker to appoint all committees, Imposa! ble of passsge; but he believes with many of his colleagues that a change is necessary in the rules of the house In order that the country may have the benefit of legists tlon which la now marked for slaughter by either the committee on rules or th speaker. Reaterdahl Evokes Retort. An echo of Henry Reuterdahl's savage attack upon tha L'nlted States navy an the inefficiency of our fighting ships ws heard in tiie house the other day, when Mr Olcott cf New York had read at the deck (Continued on Socond fagai SOUTH DAKOTA TEST TUESDAY Primaries Thea May Deris Which Faction Haa Coatrol of that State. SlOt'X FALLS, a D., March t (Special.) The first test of strength between the stalwart and Insurgent republican factions of South Dakota In the present campaign will take place on Tuesday of this week, when primaries will be held In vsrlous counties of the state for the election of del egates to the county conventions, which In turn will elect delegates to the stste con ventions, which are to elect delegates to represent Bouth Dakota In the national conventions of the republican and demo cratic parties. The primaries will be the first held under the new primary law, which was enacted by the Insurgent republican legislature of a year ago. The proposed enactment of a primary law was one of the chief Issues upon which the Insurgent republicans won a victory in the state in 1906 and elected their congressional and state ticket. Under the new law, the county conventions, to which delegates will be elected on Tuesday, will be held on March J4, or exactly two weeks after the primaries. The state con ventions will be held on April 7. Both the stalwart and Insurgent repub licans profess to be confident of winning a victory at Tuesday's primaries. The new primary law provides that In counties where there Is no content the county cen tral committees may elect the delegates to the state convention. In a number of coun ties this course was followed and the pri maries were dispensed with. The republican state convention, which will be held at Huron on April 7, for the election of eight delegates to represent the republicans of South Dakota In the repub lican national convention, will be made up of a total of 49 delegates. Thus the fac tion hlch controls th convention must have not less than 246 of the delegates. In the counties which already have elected delegates to the state convention the stal warts secured the greater proportion of the delegates and now lack only about seventy five of having a sufficient number to con trol the state convention, while In the pri maries on Tuesday the Insurgents will have to capture nearly 200 delegates If they are successful In controlling the state conven tion. On the face of things It would appear al most certain that the stalwarts will win out, but this Is by no mrans certuln, for the reason that the delegates required by them, although smaller In number than the number needed by the Insurgents, will have to be captured largely In territory which two years ago was strongly Insurgent. Be cause of this the Insurgents are yet confi dent of securing the additional delegates necessary to give them control of the statit convention. The stalwarts; on the other and, are equally as .confident that they will In the primaries on Tuesday elect enough delegates to "five them a good working majority In, tie state convention. As both factions havti been united In sup port of Secretary Ta t as the republican nominee for president; efforts were made some weeks ago to call off the fight be tween the factions for control of the state convention, which will have nothing to do but elect rVlegaMs t" 'rut'.'rvial conven tion, but the bitterness between the fac tions was of so pronounced a nature that the efforts In behalf of peace between the two factions until the June primaries were unsuccessful. ALIA TRIAL AT DENVER TODAY Belief that Defense Will Rely I'pos a Plea of Insanity to Pave Ilk Life. DENVER, Colo., March 8. Giuseppe Alia the prist-klller, will be placed on trial In the criminal branch of the district court at 10 o'clock tomorrow. Alla's conflicting statements regarding the shooting have led many people to be lieve he must be Insane. However, four of the most expert brain specialists In this city have given It as their opinion that Alia Is perfectly sane, and this after ob serving him since his return to this city from Colorado Springs, whither he was taken to avoid possible mob violence. Alia had practically recovered from the fear of summary vengeance and was In fair con dttlon to be studied by men skilled In the detection of mental faults. Notwithstanding public announcement through the press of the results of the ob servations of the specialists appointed by the district attorney, the defense has en gaged three alienists to be present during the trial. They will sit In the courtroom and observe the defendant for the purpose of detecting any sign of Insanity. Should they be successful, no doubt the defense will be quick to grasp that as a means of saving the life of Alia. On the other hand, the prosecution has summoned eight alienists to be present whose expert knowledge will be used to off set any claim of Insanity that might be rulsed by Alla's attorney. BIG MISSIONARY GATHERING Twenty-Five Haadred Delearates Are Expected to Attrad Plttsbara Co invention. PITTSBURG, March 8 -The first inter national convention under direction of the Young People's Missionary Movement of the United States and Canada opens Tues day morning In Exposition Music hall, and will continue three days. At least 2,500 del egates from all parts of the world are ex pected. Nearly hn!f tbnt number are now here. The convention will be a gathering of secretaries of home and foreign mission ary movements, members of such boards, representatives of national, state and county Sunday aehool and young people's organizations and many others who are interested in mission work. The Young Men's and Young Women's Christian as sociations, representatives of the students In theological senlmaries and colleges and leaders In work among young people, will be among the delegates. No such gathering of the whole mission ary movements of the various churches of North America, It Is said, has ever been attempted, and every Protestant denomina tion will be represented. Some of the best speakers In the country will be present. FATAL FIGHT IN PENITENTIARY Gnard Killed and Wardca and Sev. rral Prlsoacrs Scrlooslv Woanded. BUTTE. Mont.. March 8-In a f'a-'it at the state penitentiary at Deer I.o 'ge f I' morning Guorl Robinson had his throat cut from ear to ear by a-vral ccnvlcts, r"yig almost l-ntan.ly. Warde-n Frank Con'ey h-d his throat cut and was stalibed In the bod' severul times, but not refer he had emptied his revolver at the convicts and wounded three of them, all seriously. None of tho convicts escaped. PRESTON STILL AN ENIGMA Man with Many Ballet Smiles as He Sees Both Shores. BUT STICKS TO FOOLISH STORY Flaally Says He la Only a Teamster from lllgglns, Texas, with a Secondhand Dearer Hat from Kawtowa. Still a mystery to the police and hospital authorities, J. B. Preston, who walked Into the police station Saturday with three dan gerous bullet wounds In his body, only smiles as he contemplates the possibility of his life being withdrawn from the sum of human existence. The mysterious stranger has given up some more Information, but there la little to indicate that he is more than a private among the powers that prey and drift with out a compass on the ocean of human life. As he lay in St. Joseph's hospital Sunday he said that his last place of employment waa In the Panhadle psrt of Texas, where he was a teamster for L. J. Smith, a Santa Fe railroad contractor. This part of the man's story will be In vestigated today by the police, wires having been sent to the small town of Hlgglns In the Psnhandle country. Between the smiles and the glimpses which Preston takes st both shores, he sticks firmly to the story that he first told. that he was shot about 3 a. m. Thursday morning by a negro, near Ninth and Doug las streets. Then he goes on to toll how he took several rummer glasses of whisky at the request of his pals, and walked almost mile to some house near Twenty-sixth and Farnam streets. One Ballet Extracted. But Captain Savage has another Idea of the story- W'hen Dr. F. J. Schleler clipped bullet out of Preston"s hip Sunday morn ing, where he felt it Just under the skin. It was discovered that the lead was flrod from a 45-caliber gun. It Is an unusual sized bullet. To detectives It would appear that such bullets are used further west than Omaha, where the same slsed cart ridges are used In revolvers and rifles. Tho captain haa received Information that a aafe was blown last Tuesday morning at Brighton, Colo., Just twenty miles from Denver. Two of the robbers were captured the third escaped wounded. Preston wears a hat with the name of a Denver firm In it. The suit which he wore when he dragged himself to the police station Saturday was evidently not the suit he wore when shot. It had no bullet holes In It. Preston's hands do not appear to be those of a man Who ever took such violent exercise aa pulling a pair of bell cords over the backs of a team of mules on a railroad grade. Life has treated him well, at least up to some time last week when he stopped tha bullets. The fact that Preston says he came from the Panhandle country and wears the hat from Denver was mentioned to him by a representative of The Bee. Secondhand Hat Story. 'I bought the hat In a second-hand store In Kansas City," said Preston, "Were you working in Kansas City?" "No; I Just came through there." "Where were you wording lastT" "In Hlgglns, Tex." "For whom?" "For L. J. Smith. He's a contractor grading on the Santa Fe. I was teaming for him." The map of Texas ahows that there la a town calied Hlggina, that It Is In the Pan handle of Texas, In Lipscomb county, and on the Sante Fe railroad. The fact that Preston cannot now give the exact location of the house where he says he was taken, though he gave It Sat urday, : Is considered a shaky part of his story. "I think It was five or six houses from the corner, he said; "but I was pretty drunk, and so were MotcaJf and Billy. It seemed to be all of a mile walk, though." "What do tho doctors say about your getting well?" he waa aaked. "They say It's a very serious case," he replied. "Blood-poisoning might sot In and, if It does, of course I'm a goner." "And If it should set In, would you have any change to make In the statement you have given?" Looking into the face of death, Preston answered: "None at all." Dr. Schleler believes there Is a good chance for the man to recover. RAILROADS WANT MORE PAY Short Lines Say They Do Not Receive Adequate Compensation for Carrying; Malls. WASHINGTON, March 8.-An effort la being made before congress to secure a Just apportionment of the compensation now given by the government for the transportation of United States malls by rail. More than 900 "short line" railroads have Joined In a petition to congress for readjustment of the pay for carrying mails. These short line roads are Inde pendent lines and most of them reach towns, vlllsges and hamlets not readily accessible by any other route. These lines now receive S42.7S per mile per year for carrying 200 pounds of mall per day, and $f4.13 per mile per year when the amount of mall averages 600 pounds per day. The figures show that ihe larger roads receive anywhere from two to four times as much aa the "short lines" for mail car rlage, and In addition they also receive extra compensation for carrying the rail way postal cars. It la pointed out that the rural free delivery service of the govern ment handles the malls at an expense of about 11 centa per mile, while the weight of the mall doea not exceed an average of seventy-five pounds per day. The short line mail Is carried by the roads at an average charge of les than 6 cents per mile. To remedy what Is believed by some to be an injustice. Representative Taltoott ot Maryland has Introduced a bill amending the postal raw so as to equalize the pay of the trunk lines and the short lines throughout the country. JEROME HAS ANSWER READY Goes to Albany Today to Present the Docnaaeat to Governor Hashes. NEW YORK, March .-Dlstrlct Attorney Jerome will leave for Albany tomorrow to tender to Governor Hughes his answer to the charges filed with the governor by W F. King, former president of the Mer chants' association. Mr. Jerome was in his office today work Ing on the answer, which he said will make a book containing tS.OOO words. SERIOUS BREAK IN THE SLATE Pallor to Scad Monks to Dcavrr niaarraaarea Plans of Bryaa. (From a Staff Correspondent.) LINCOLN. March 8. (Special.) In falling to send II. H. Hanks of the First district to the national democratic con vention as a delegate the district con vention of the First district has seriously interfered with the plans of the Bryan leaders. If not with the presidential can didate himself. Mr. Hanks had practically been decided upon to uiake a speech for Bryan In the Denver convention. He was not to make the nominating speech, but he was to second the nominating speech, which It is likely will be delivered long before the name of Nebraska la reached on the roll. A prominent democrat who is on the Inside said yesterday that Hanks was to have made a speech, but for some reason the plans all miscarried and he was left at home. Some of the big lead ers of the lost cause here are of the opinion that Bryan will be placed In nomination by an easterner and all that Nebraska will do will be to socond the nomination. That honor was to have fallen to Hanks. "Since the democrats have discovered they can smash a slate, even though Bryan himself favors it," said a demo crat here today, "a move will be started to get the scalp of Brother-ln-Law Tom Allen at the first opportunity. This op portunity will come In September. It will be a little late to change chairman, but It Is likely to be done. If Metcalfa would consent to take the chairmanship there would hardly be a democrat In the state line up for' Allen. But of course Metcalfe won t hear of such talk. At this time the democrats are absolutely without an organisation, and yet Allen has been at the head of the machine for years. If Jim Dahlman would get out of the race for governor he could be made chairman, hut he has the bee In the bonnet and of course he Is an Impossibility." That trip which Governor Sheldon and his staff expect to make across the country to San Francisco In May to deliver the silver service to the battleship Nebraska and to be present when the officers and men of the Atlantic fleet are entertained will be the greatest trip ever made by a bunch of Nebraskans. The plans are now ncubating for a special train, one car or two of which will be for the exclusive use of the executive and his staff and the remainder for the use of any good look ing Nebraskan who may care to Journey across the country to be present on this historical occasion. It has not yet been figured out what the cost will be nor what routes will be taken going and coming, but the plans are to wake up all the coun try west of here and keep the people won dering for years to come. RESOLUTIONS PRAISE DRUMMY federatloa of Improvement Claba Acts and Scads Sympathy ta Family of O Hirer. Resolutions of sympathy for the family of Detective Drummy, which praise the character of the officer and his devotion to duty, were passed by the Omaha Federation of Improvement clubs at the last meeting. March B, and have' just been made public. ir.e resolutions sent members of the Drummy family and copied on the books of the federation follow: Whereas. In the death of nffiz-er a a Drummy of the police force of this city Omaha and the people of this county aa well, have lost one of the most efficient, bravest and most valuable officer and detective that this community has. snd recognising that his untimely death was Incident to the faithful performance of his duties, and the circumstances surrounding Tim uphhi whs one to wn rn an hrv true and faithful officers are at all, and any time subject. In order that the Iowa of the state may be enforced and the clti sens thereof protected in life and prop erty; therefore, be It Resolved, Thst the Federsted Improve ment Club of Omaha and through It all other Improvement clubs of this city and county deplore the loss to our county and state of so faithful, courteous and brave an officer, that we recoimlze and com. mend the prompt and efficient and worthy acts of his fellow officers In capturing and preventing the escape of the assassin; that we realise that such deplorable cir cumstances may arise In any and all peaceable and well gox-erned communities and that we extend to the widow, chil dren and family of ssld Officer S. B. Drummy our sympathy and regret for the loss of a husband, father and citizen; a loss mai mat is rirst. tneirs. and secondly, the city snd state's, and be It further Resolved. That these resolutions ha spread on the minutes of this federation and a copy of same sent to the widow and children. J. P. A. BRENCHERT, Secretary. SAFEGUARDS AROUND KING Every Precaution Helnar Taken at Barcelona 4o Prevent Any Vio lence to Ills Majesty. BARCELONA. March' 8. The city ta be ing extensively decorated and no official ef forts will be spared to give King Alphonso a creditable and enthusiastic reception on his arrival here on Tuesday. Nevertheless the greatest concern Is felt aa to the king's aafety, owing to the activity of the Bar celonlan revolutionists snd anarchists, who recently have created almoat a reign of terror In thla city. There have been five bomb explosions here since January 1, and not a single culprit has been caught. Only a few days ago placards were posted throughout Barcelona stating that an at tempt would be made upon the life of the king ahould he carry out hla determina tion of visiting thla city. The placards were torn down by the police, but the fear that an outrage will be attempted remains. General Linares, who was In command of the Spanish forces at 8anttago, and who Is now captain general of Catalonia, will be In supreme command of the military ar. rangements and. In conjunction with In spector Arrow, late of Scotland Yard, and now chief of police here, la taking every precaution to insure the safety of the king, who will be his personal guest. DEATH RECORD. David Waldo. KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 8 Davll Waldo, a wealthy horseman well known throughout the United States snd who formerly owned a race track hre. ws killed near Independence, Mo , In a runaway accident last night. His body was found late at night lying in the road, where It had been thrown from a wrecked burgy wr-leh lay nearby. He was a graduate of Wash ington and Lee unlverclty In Virginia a-d father of Jed and William Waldo, who were famous Joe-keys a few ye-r axo. Charles Aldrlrh. POONE, la., March 8. Charles Aldrleh curator and founder of the Btate His. torical department of Iowa, died today of grip and kidney trouble. He waa born In 1828 In New York atate. Ills body will He In state at the capltol, Des Moines, on Wednesday. TAFT GETS NEBRASKA Convention in Omaha Thursday U Elect Delegates for Big Ohioan. NO DELEGATES FOR LA FCLLETTE Presidential Preference Votei Sho United Republican Sentiment. SIX MENTIONED FOR DELEGATE! Resolutions in Many Counties Indi cate Representatives to Chicago. FOUR DISTRICTS TO MEET This Week Will See Conventions la Third, Fifth, Second and Sixth, Besides the State Con vention. . ; ; s KXUSX.ICAN STATS OOKTBVTIoSr. Total dslagatsa accredited 93 Ifecsasary to majority .....Ma Dsleg-atas for Taft ... 773 Adams li Hitchcock 4 Antelope l'Holt 1 lloone it Howard I Box Butte 4 Jefferson 1 Doyd " Johnson 11 Frown 4 Kearner I Buffalo l"'K.ya Paha I Burt H Kimball I Butler 11 Lincoln 11 Cass 18; Madison 15 Cedar U' Merrick 8 Chase 2 Nemaha 8 Cherry 7'Nurkelia 11 Clay 14lotoe 17 Colfax l'awnee IS Cuming 10' I'crktns I Cutter I"' I"hrlps 7 Pakota S Platte IS Pawnon I'; PolU 8 mmel 3'Red Willow Illxon 1 Richardson 17 Podge 10 Rock 3 Pouglas l'i2'Rallne 1 Punriy 3 Farp.v 7 Fillmore 13 Sp.unders 19 Franklin 8 gpwsrd IS Frontier 7 Sherman S Furnas 10' Sioux I tinge Ftenton Ourfleld S Thayer IS Grant I1 Thurston 6 Grecloy Washington 11 Hamilton 121 Webster 11 Harlan 8 York 17 Haye 2 Delegates for Boosevslt 5 Hall 17iflrott'a Bluff 4 Lancaster Mi Wayne 10 Delegates nnlnstructed 47 Banner l'Knox 14 Cheyenne f Pierce 7 Pawea &Shetidan 4 Keith S Valley 8 Delegates not yet reported 11 Blaine 1 Imp 1 Gosper 4' Mcpherson 1 Hooker llThomas 1 Logan l;Vheelor 1 Thla exhibit shows Just how the republi can state convention which Is to meet In Omaha next Thursday stands on the ques tion pf presidential preference. That the convention will be an overwhelmingly Taft convention goea without saying, and the prospects are more than good that there will be no division vote whatever on In structions to govern the national conven tion delegates. It la significant that, although presiden tial preference votes were taken at pri maries or caucuses In a large majority of the counties, only five or six counties fell into the trap set by the little bunoh of professional politicians, who sidetracked them to Roosevelt In order to keep them awsy from Taft. The La Follette fever which was to swriep over the stste like a prairie fire, ac cording to Its spokesman, failed to mater ialize, and not a single instructed La Fol lette delegato will have a aeat In tha whole convention. Up In Dixon county, where the outspoken advocacy of La Follette by former Congressman McCarthy was ex pected to be potential, Taft carried the pri maries and McCarthy got up in the county convention and declared that while ha ad mired La Follette, the aentlment of Ne braska republicans waa unquestionably for Taft, and that Taft waa a big man In every way qualified for the presidency and that he too would be for Taft. In fact, from all reports, tha greatest harmony of purpose prevails among ra publicans everywhere in Nebraska and tha leaat factionalism known for many years. The only dissension seems to be located In Platte county, which has filed two sots of delegates, each claiming to represent the republicans of the county. But the differ ences between them are not over tha presi dential candidate nor over any Issues to ba decided by the convention, but really over local leadership. Inasmuch as both factions have commissioned delegates to both con gressional and state conventions, their rel ative claims will have to be threshed out first In the Third district convention, which meets at Norfolk. For delegates-at-large to Chicago only six names have been taken up In the dif ferent county conventions, namely, Gov ernor Sheldon. Senators Brown and Bur kett. Congressman Boyd, Victor RosewaUr and Allen W. Field. Senator Burkett s se lection by the First district takes him out of the list, although Washington county Instructed for him as delegate-at-larg. Six counties have, by resolution, endorsed Vic tor Rosewater, these counties bavins; nearly 200 delegates. Almost as many are committed to Governor Bhnldon. Senator Brown haa hla home county of Buffalo and tour or five others, and Jud Fluid haa Lancaster, Johnson and Tork, with a conditional Instruction from Buffalo, de pending on his outright declaration tor Taft, first, last snd all the time. Burt county declared for Congressman Boyd ga well aa for Governor Kheldon and Victor Roaewatar. Valley county weat on record against sending anyone to Chicago who ta holding stats or fedora) of floe. Besides the stats convention tha repub licans will have four district conventions this week, the one for the Third district already referred to at Norfolk on Tues day and ona for the Fifth district at Hastings on the asms day. The conven tions for the rieennd and Sixth districts will be held at Omaha en the same dsy with the state convention. The outcome of the First district re publican convention, whliU decided upon benator Tlurkett and former flats liana tor J. A, Amndd aa national convention dnlagataa, seems to have ple.lrd republi cans all over the state eaorpl a fW In Lancaster county, Lancaster irels one of the delegates, Lui net the one tli Suemles cf IljrUcit evidently Wanted, The Lin coln News .ti.i.li t':iere is a fretting di posi.lon amend the sU iauiit! ouu'da of Lancaster, which log. I her witil It snake up the district, to anmgoniee Lancaster and frees out Its fr.vsr-ed sans and laraenta tha sltsauea eWejOjft, It "hU