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l lTo buy or oil uytbl I I or WANT CrlN try our WANT COLUMN Vol. XXI. No. 30. LEWISTOWN, FERGUS COUNTY, PIONT., WEDNESDAY EVENING, FERRUARY 23, 3904. Price Cents. REPUBLICAN IN POLITICS, AND DEVOTED TO THE IINiERAL, AGRICULTURAL, STOCK AND WOOL INTEREIs OF THE GREAT JUDITH COUNTRY, BIG BATTLE REPORTED Unconfirmed Report Says Japanese Met Heavy Losa in an Attempt to Take Port Arthur. JAPANESE SPIES ARE HANGED Fighting During, Past Week Has Been Desultory-Land Forces Have Not Started Fighting. Special to the Argus by Courtesy of Great Falls Leader. Paris (via St. Petersburg), Feb. 24. -An official report from Admiral Alexieff this afternoon states: "The Japanese fleet made an attack upon Port Arthur yesterday morning and after a terrific engagement was repulsed. The Japanese suffered a loss of four cruisers, two transports, all of which were sunk, and 3,000 men." The Russian loss was not given. Special to the Argus by Courtesy of Great Falls Tribune. St. Petersburg, Feb. 23.-Three of ficers of the Japanese general staff disguised as Chinese coolles, attempt ed to blow up a bridge in Manchuria. They were captured and hanged by Russilans. St. Petersburg. Feb. 23.-Said a prominent Russian official today: "How the Japanese can hope to suc ceed when our army in the east is strengthened to a point equal or su perior in numbers to that of our ad versary, we are honestly unable to comprehend. It will not be difficult to place two, four or even six hun dred thousand additional men in the field. When our troops are concen trated and ready they will finish by driving the Japanese into the sea." London, Feb. 23.-The Nagasaki cor respondent of the Daily Telegraph, cabllng under date of February 22, reports that the Japanese squadron has captured tour Rus,.an torpedo boats at Part Arthur by asing Rm elan signals. This dispatch appears te confirm reports from various quar ters of a fresh attack on Port Arthur by the Japmnase. The report reached Nagasaki from ahefoo, and it adds that the Russian crews of the four torpedo boats have been transferred. No other news of this attack has been received in London, but the Che too correspondent of the Morning Post in a dispatch dated February 22, says the statement is current there that the Japanese torpedo boat de stroyers in the attack on Port Arthur on February 14, sunk or damaged two Russian battleships, In addition to the torpedo boat already reported. It is possible, therefore, that the report of the Telegraph's Nagasaki correspon dent also refers to the earlier attack. Viceroy Alexlers retirement to Harbin is now an accomplished fact and a correspondent of the Associat ed Press cables that Port Arthur is now strictly a naval stronghold and the forts are being manned by natal gunners. Only 20 foreigners are now at Port Arthur, and they are traders disposing of their merchandise. Some of them are under suspicion and there is likelihood of their being arrested. There are many complaints of unwarranted arrests, unexplained expulsion and defamation of charac ter by the Port Arthur police. The report that large bodies of Cossacks and other troops are occu pying New Chwang and Hein Ming Tin are unfounded. A dispatch to the Daily Mail from Hong Kong says a British squadron is concentrating there and that a cor responding French concentration of warships is occurring at Sagon, Indo China. This is supposedly a result of the Anglo-Prench understanding. According to the Nagasaki corres pondent of the Daily Telegraph, the American squadron, the vessels of which are variously reported at Che foo and Shanghai. Is going to make a demonstration at the mouth of the Yalu river. London. Feb. 2a.-Indefinite reports of the movements ot troops in the vicinity of the Yalu river and state ments of an attempt to cut the Siber ian railway are published this morn ing. The Wei Hal Wel correspondent of the Times describes a visit to Chemulpo, Korea, on February 19, and the Japanese landing operations there, which, he says., demonstrated that the Japanese military organiza tion is superior to that of any Euro pean power. A general Japanese ad vance along the Pekin road to Ping Yang, Korea, the correspondent con tinues, is expected shortly. The orig inal plan was to land at Masampho but the naval successes enabled the Japanese to begin operations at Che mulpo. As soon as the ice breaks up troops will be established at Ping Yang In sufficient strength to guard agains( a sudden Russian descent. It is believed that while the sea power of Russia at Vladivostok is intact. the Japanese will not attempt to land on the eastern coast of Korea. As an evidence of Japanese intention, it is worthy of not that her cruisers are busy patrolling toward the northwest of Korea, and that she is not landing artillery at Chemulpo. Everything suggests an immediate dash for a strategic position in northern Korea, the correspondent concludes, and it is possible the Russians are consid erably further south than is supposed. Alexieff is Opposed. St. Petersburg, Feb. 16.-Public opinion in Russia, even among milli tary men. is strongly opposed to Vice roy Alexieff. who is accused of Inca pacity. A movement is on foot in favor of the immediate appointment of General Kuropatkin, the war minis ter, to command the Russian land forces and to give Admiral Skrydloff command on the sea. A meeting of the council of the em pire was held today. It was attend ed by the heir presumptive. Grand Duke Michael and other grand dukes. Vice Admiral Markaroff, the ice breaker specialist of the Russian navy and until lately commander-in chief at Kronstadt, has gone to the far east. Landing Operations onVast Scale. Berlin, Feb. 17.-The admiralty here has received confirmation of the re ports that Japanese landing opera tions on a vast scale are taking place on Korea's northern coasts, and it is assured by the German authorities that Japan will be ready by early spring for a farword land movement, supported by properly equipped bases. Probably 250,000 men (according to the estimates made at the German ad miralty) will be in the field before a collision takes place with the Rus sians in force. Tales of Russian Cruelty. Toklo, Feb. 16.-The government is receiving additional circumstantial re ports of the alleged cruelty of the Russians toward Japanese refugees from Manchuria. The Japanese con sul general at Tlentsin has just tele graphed the authorities here, giving a recital of the story told by thirteen women who have just arrived at Shankalwan. The thirteen were re siding at Harbin and started south on February 9th, with 300 companions. One-half of these, with the women,, reached Mukden on the 10th and were ordered to leave the train by Russian soldiers, who cruelly abused them and detained the party, which they finally divided, the men being ordered to pro ceed to Port Arthur. The women were sent to Newchwang, where United States Consul Miller provided food and transportation for them to Shan halkwan. The women say they saw several Japanese refugees cruelly beaten and wounded. They say that the Russian soldiers robbed them of money and Jewelry. Some of the Japanese es caped punishment by bribing the sol diers. The Japanese USvernment and people are deeply stirred by these re ports of abuse and suffering sustain ed by the refugees. They point to their own correct attitude toward the Russians in Japan and denounce the Russians as barbarians. The sinking of - Nakonoara Mare and the treatment of refugees is cre ating a feeling which betokens a bit ter and relentless war. It is improb able that the Japanese will retaliate in kind, whatever excesses the Rus sians commit. The Japanese are unable to under stand why the men and women refu gees from Harbin were divided. It is suggested that Russia intends to hold the men at Port Arthur in the hope of avoiding a bombardment This, how ever, appears extremely improbable. No Japanease Vessels Dstroyed. London, Feb. 18.-The Japanese le. gatlon here received an official dis patch from Toklo saying that It was not true that aqy Japanese vessels had been destroyed so far in the var ions naval engagements and that all necessary repairs had already been made. The Japanese fleet remains In" tact. This message also denies the report that the Japanese were driven ftrm the neighborhood of Kinchow after a skirmish in which 150 Japanese were taken prisoners, and declares that the Japanese made no attempt to land at Pigeon bay. It says the Japanese forces up to the present time have made no attempt to land at any point where they could come in contact with the Russians, and that consequently all reports of land actions and Japan ese losses are untrue. Harbin Base of Russian Operations. Paris, Feb. 19.-A representative of the Matin, who has reached the cen ter of the Russian military concentra tion at Harbin, after great hardships. due to the trans-i8berian railway trains being crowded with thousands of soldiers, in a dispatch from Harbin yesterday confirms the announcement that the place will be the main base of the Russian operations. Thus far the base has succeeded in maintaining its communication with Port Arthur. The concentration of troops, the cor respondent says, proceeds systemat ically and provision has been made for the speedy arrival of 12,000 men from the divisions of Moscow, Kieft and Varsovie. Before twelve days shall have elapsed the Russians will have disposed of an army of 400,000 men through Manchuria. Intense de moralization exists among the popu lace and the people of the surround ing villages are flocking into the town seeking to reach western Russia. The railroad trains, however, are blocked and over 2.000 voyagers are thus held up. The intense cold prevailing in creases the suffering and adds to the difficulties of bringing forward troops. Russia is Counting on Germany. Paris, Feb. 19.-The Figaro this morning publishes a telegram, said to be from a high Russian official and sent from the frontier, sayang that Colonel von Schenk, the commander of the Emperor Alexander regiment of the German guards .of which the czar is honorary colonel, was receiv ed by the czar on Monday and handed to his majesty an autograph letter from Emperor William un the war in the far east, and especially on the subject of Great Britain's attitude. Continuing, the Figaro's Informant says official circles in Russia continue to count on Germany's unreserved support and discuss openly the possi. ble change of the equilibrium of Eu rope, which might result from the grouping together of Russia, Germany (Continued on page Five.) HIS POSITION UNPARALLELED "First Citizen of the Republic" is the Title Given Hanna by Wal ter Wellman. ENTRANCE TO PUBLIC LIFE The Cool Reception Accorded Him by Old Republican Leaders and His Subsequent Triumphs. Chicago,. Feb. 16.-Walter Well man in a Washington special to the Record-Herald says: Marcus Alonzo Hanna died regard ed by many as the first citizen of the republic. That he was a power in the land everyone knows. But his power came not from offical station. not from great wealth, not from any of the usual sources of power. He was a great man, not because he had helped to make a president of the United States; not because he was the official head of the Republican party as the chairman of its nation al committee; not because he was a United States senator-but because he was Mark Hanna. Few men In the history of the country had achieved position com parable to that which Mr. Hanna had achieved when fate overtook him. It was a position unique, well night .n precedented, altogether adndirgie. When death called him this man of strikingly simple character, this mere business man, this man of affairs, who lacked the polish, the learning, the eloquence of our traditional states men, was undoubtedly the second most powerful man in the dominant party at Washington, the second In influence over policies and legislation. Only the president of the United SlaLes had more potent voice than he-the president with all the paraph ernalia and panoply of executive and political power behind him; Mark Hanna with Just himself and his friends. Hanna and His Friends. Mark Hanna and his friends! Here we strike the keynote of it all-a note that rings true and sweet, a note that should go singing through the land and reverbating down the corri dors of time, an inspiration to the men and women of the future. It is a song with a lesson in it, a lesson so useful and beautiful that in some slight degree it softens the bitterness of this hour. Mark Hanna rose to power through the love and confidence of his fellow men, through the faith men and wornm -n placed ina his sterling character. his fine sense, his wisdom and his jus tice. He was potent in all the public activities of i... time and country be cause he had more devoted personal friends than any other living Ameri can! Thus it was at the end; but it was not so at the beginning. Mark Hanna started his career as a public man under a cloud. One of the most marvelous stories in the annals of our American life is the story of Mark Hanna's rise and progress during his last five years his coming Into his own. Well do I remember the day Mr. Hanna made his debut upon the stage of the the ater of life at this capital of the na. tion. It was December, 1895. H had come to Washington as the known manager of the movement that had been set on foot some time earlier for the purpose of making William Mc Kinley president. A. linkmana flumrrli6s An Unknown Quantity. Mr. Hanna was then known to few public men. When he came here to attend the meeting of the Republican national committee, just before the presidential campaign of 1896, he had to seek acquaintance with the leading men of his party. It cannot be said that they gave him warm welcome. They knew little about him, save that he was a business man with a pen. chant for politics, a hobby of taking up some friend in public life sand try ing to make a president of him. They knew he had once tried to do this with John Sherman, and now he was essaying the same achievement, with far better chance of success, for Wil liam McKinley. Not much was known of his meth ods or character, but the little that was known did not win warm ap proval. He was supposed to be a ty pical business man in politics. He was an organizer, a man who carried business principles and methods into politics-that much everyone knew. In the animosities and jealousies incident to a spirited contest for the presidential nomination, it was nat ural for those who favored other as pirants than Mark Hanna's man, to assume that he was debauching the party; that he was buying up the "nigger" delegates from the south; that he was becoming a man of power through the use of his check book. And so it came to pass that at the outset of his career Mr. Hanna was regarded by many who should have known better as a somewhat vulgar parvenu in politics, as a brutal over rider of all the niceties and ameni ties of public life; as a man who might, indeed, make a president of the United States, but who could never make anything of himself. Prejudice Died Hard. When Mr. Hamna had won his first great success, the prejudice which had thus been aroused against him subsided slowly. We all know that in politics it is true that nothing suc ceeds like success, and yet there was constantly at work tat other princi ple of human nature, the persistent and unreasonable stubbornness of a prejudice, the immortality of a sus plcion. Mr. Hanna's success was signal and complete. Thanks to the persnoal popularity of McKinley. thanks also I to the perfection of Mr. lanna's or ganization, early planned and skill-r fully executed, the national conven-' tion of 1896 was thoroughly and eas ily dominated by Mr. Hanna and the other friends of McKinlhy. A "Paravenu in Politics." With McKinley as the candidate. Hanna naturally became, campaign manager. A man unknown, a man without public record and without training either in politics or states manship, was thus thrust forward to leadership of the party in al of its practical affairs. It is well remem bered by everyone who was cognizant of the events and inner movements of those days, how many of the lead ing men, the old wheelhorses of the Republican party, said to one anoth. er: "Well, this paravcnu has nomil nated his man by his own peculiar methods. Now let us see what luck he will have in electing him." So Mr. Hanna, having made his friend McKinley nominee, was now forced to take command of the cam. paign. What he did and how he did it, with what matchless energy and resourcefulness, with what good sense and good tact, and. above- all, with whft ooed humor. every one remem her'. FOURTEEN DEAD. Great Loss of Life in a Paris Fire Celluloid Factory Burns. Paris, Feb. 20.-Fourteen employes of a celluloid factory at th e corner of the Boulevard Sebastopol and Rue Etienne Marcel, lost their lives today in a fire which started by an explo sion of gas. About 20 other employee were injured. The explosion, which occurred in a room on the fourth story, daove bricks and jpieces of glass against the house on the other side of the street, and Immediately afterwards enormous jets of flame burst out of the win dows. Soon the entire structure way on fire. Simultaneously with the appear ance of the flames a num..er of menr and women employed on the upper stories, and who had b,'ee eating their luncheon, appeared at the winl dows and shrieked for ass;stance. Three men attempted to drop from a window to the balcony beneath, but missed It, fell to the pavement and were killed. Firemen arrived shortly afterward and devoted themselves first to sav Ing as many of the endangered per sons as possible. Several were res cued. One couple showed great pres ence of mind, occasionally opealng a winda e1r aJ.4, lW!los Is to pre vent the sp r of the Ire. It was not long ,before .ne tiames were under control, and then a search was made for tht dead. In a corridor leading to the street five of the vic tims were found against the wall. They had been asphyxiated and then incinerated. In all, 14 bo.les were conveyed to the morgue, where they are waiting identlfication. Five persons were taken from the building badly burned, two of whom, it is feared, may die. A large crowd quickly gathered about the scene of the disaster, until it was estimated that about 5,000 per sons filled the streets in the vicinity of the fre. Order was preserved by a strong force of police. The damage was estimated at $10,000. DESPERADO HUNT. Northern Offiers Determined to Wipe Out Jones Gang. Great Falls, Feb. 19.-The killing of Outlaw Frank Jones at the Tandy ranch sixty miles north of Poplar in Valley county by officers last Thurs day is being followed by the organ ization of one of the most determined man hunts since Kid Curry made his famous hold-up of the Great Northern express train. last night Deputy Sheriff John Moran and seven Indian scouts of the Belknap agency left Poplar for Mid dle Forks, for the purpose of effect Ing the capture of the remainder of the Jones gang of outlaws. The mem bers of the posse are. mounted on the best horses obtainable and each man is armed with a 31I-30 repeating rifle and an automatic Colts revolver. The outfitting of the party was done by John A. Davis and Major C. R. A. Scobey, of the Belknap agency. The men of the posse are all picked for bravery. Deputy Moran. who is in charge, is the man who killed Out law Jones Thursday. He is an officer of few words, but "quick on the trig ger." Six of the outlaw band are known to have been afoot near the Tandy ranch Tuesday, having lost their horses in the blizzard of Sunday and Monday. and the posse is riding hard to reach them before they shall have secured new mounts. Sheriff Harry Cosner, of Valley county, has left Glascow at the head of a second party and the officers ex pect to meet in the vicinity of the outlaw's rendezvous on Middle Forks. It is not expected the outlaws will surrender without a battle and the posse go to bring them in dead or alive. It is said that "Dutch Henry," the alleged lieutenant of Jones during the latter's life time, is in command of the desperadoes forc.es. News of a fight is expected at any time. Middle Forks is sixty miles north of the Great Northern railway and close to the Canadian line. The coun try is sparsely ~ittlýed and very diffl cult. WHEAT SOARING. May Grain Goes Above the Dollar Mark-Effect of War Rumors. Chicago, Feb. 2".- A sensational ad. vance of 4% ce#nts a bushel was scor. ed in 30 minutes today by wheat for May delivery. The phenomenal price of $1.07 was reached. the chief Incen tive being rumors of the Russo-Japan ese war spreading to other nations. The talk of stoppage of wheat shlp. ments from Russia and froma Argen tina was a secondary aector. The day on change was on." of the most exl citing in a nunlmer of Year. Com" pared with yestferday the nal figures today are 3 cents higher for May wheat and 2% cents for Jully. DOMINICIANS MUST BE GOOD The United States Uses Forcible Measures Against the Insurgents of the Island. ONE BAND WAS FIRED UPON American Shells Do Slight Damage to the City of Pajarito-Citizens Lodge a Protest. Paris. Feb. 21.-A dispatch from San Domingo says that the Unitcd States cruiser Columbia and the training ship Hartford have bombarded 1)u rate, which is o'cupied by the insur gent s. Government Whips Rebels. \\'alhington. I' b. 2'1.-- .ate tonight, I.the state department rectived a ca blegram from Ministr Powell. dated :at Santo DTomingo . ebruary I fth, saynlll . "A declsive battle has I,i 'n fought between the geverninenlt forces and the insurgents. It extteded over two days and resulted In a victory for the government. The siege bas been raied and the insurgents are in re treat." Report of the Action. Washington. Feb. 21.-A belated dispatch, dated February 12, from Capt. J. M. Miller, of the cruiser Co. Ilulbia. whirb. with the Newark, I. in kan Domingo waters, bring ofl-. cial conarmation of the Associated PRss dispatclles regarding the bom barlment of the insurgents by the ewar '9csNls. of a position near the capital city. the landing of marines and Billu jackets to punish the revolu tionisis and their sulbsequent re-em barkatioa. According to Capt. Miller's dis patch, the affair occurred on a river about 2" miles from Santo Domingo, presumably at PaJarilo, the place mentioned in the press dispatches, as the locality of the bombardment. The insurgents who were stationed on the mainland fired on a United States merchant vessel, the New York. which was under the convoy of a launch of the Newark. The shots fell so dangerously near the war ves aels that the action of the Insurgents was construed by Captain Miller as an attack on the vessels, and a bat tery fire was opened on the revolu tlonists. This was followed up by the debarkation of 40(H marines and blue Jackets from the Columbia and the Newark, who made a successful land. ing ashore. They dislodged the in surgents from their positions and chased them into the country. At. ter accomplishlng this the marines and bluejackets again took to their boats and returned to their ships. One man, a bugler named Painter, was seriously wounded by the acci dental explosion of his firing pielce. There was no other casualties. Close attention is being given by the administration officers to affairs in Santo Domingo. A number of war ships are being kept in the waters so that American interests may be zealously protected in case of trou ble between the regular government and the Insurgents. Forcible inter fereneo in the affairs of the country, however. have been avoided up to this time, so far as the news recely. ed by the department is concerned. Another Account. wnomnr Oculnt. Santo Domingo, Thursday. Febru ary 1.--The Clyde liner New York arrived here this morning, convoyed by the United States cruiser New ark. and Minister Powell instructed the captain of the vessel to discharge his cargo at the wharf. An agreement had been made by Minister Powell and Commander Miller, with the in surgents and the government that neither party should fire while the New York was at the wharf discharg ing. The government kept this agree ment but the Insurgents fired on the steamer and on a launch from the Co lumbia, which was entering the riv er. Eight rifle shots damaged the New York's woodwork, endangering the lives of passengers and crew. The commander of the United States warship then decided to shell Pajari to. near this city, the place occupied by the Insurgents, and to land 300 marines with the object of punishing the Insurgents, for insulting the Unit. ed States flag and damaging an Amer ican steamer. At 2:30 o'clock the Newark appeared and opened fire, discharging ten shells, and the Insur gents fired upon the marines while they were landing, wounding some of them. The marines returned the fire and the insurgents ran away. The marines landed were divided into two columns and searched the houses, woods and bushes. They then follow ed the insurgents, who fired while the marines were reloading. The result of the bombardment is not known. The New York left here at 5 o'clock p. m. for the roadstead, after landing her cargo. All Is not quiet and it Is supposed that the insurgents have re treated a considerable distance. Re ports from the interior are favorable to the government. Great misery ex. Isis in the cIty for want of food, and the arrival of the, Clyde line steamer is a great relief. The steamer could not land a portion of her cargo at Monte Cristi, being prevented from doing so by a Dominican warship. Citizens Protest. Santo Domingo. Friday, Feb. 12. Marines from the United States cruir er Columbia remained stationed at Pajarlto (near Santo Domingo City) until late this afternoon, when they withdrew. During the occupation the Insurgents withdrew to a great dis. tance. The shells from the cruiser Newark caused some damage in Pa jarito and the surroundlng country. A protest signed by promlnent eltl zens has been distributed to the pub lic against the action of the United States warship, which is described as an insolent outrage against the iI erty or the republic and a disgrace to the national dignity. The Newark left hlis afternoon for Gnuantanamo. President Morales arrived here' t day. The day passed quietly but to night firing began at the west gate of the city. We Don't Want it. Washington, Feb. 21.-It is author itativ'ly stated that the question of iithe annexation of Santo Domingo to the ( nited States has never recelved tht. slightest consideration on the part ,I the United States and more over the administration is unable to take a position or adopt policies oth er than the protection of American Interests in Sant lmingo. because of the absence of satisfactory informa tion as to conditions there. HANNA'S SUCCESSOR. General Charles Dick Seems to be the Most Likely Candidate. \Vashington, I''eb. 21. CongresbU.nu ('has. Dick, chairman of the hot-l-' commintee on militia. represnts 1nte famous I9tth district of Ohio. It is I, constlitl(uency that was serve'ld by the late I'r,'sldent (;arfleTd for nine, terner and by J.ndge I-. it. Taylor for six. Joshuta It. ltlddings also represented the distrlt. Voters out there, usualiV pick agixl representatives and stickk oI thetm. There have been only hall a dozeln congressmen from the dis trict in half a century. i)lck is serv ing his fourth term. G(;n. Dick is now spoken of to ulc ceed the late Senator Hanna. and it is said that the senator. just prior to his death, expressed a desire that Gen. Dick should be chosen. Gean. Dick's chief distinction in con gress came from his authorship of the I)ick militia bill. Through it the gov. ernment provides for the national guard the same sort of equipment that Is given the regular army. The bill al so raises the standard of efficiency of national guard organizations desir ing to secure aid from the govern ment. The Republian organization int Ohio, which is probably not excelled inl the country, Is a monument to the p iitlcial skill of Gen. Dick. He has serve d as chairman of tho executive comnmittee and has had direct charge, of the work of building up the or ganization. A tribute to its effective ness was the election of Gov. IHerrick last fall by I14,o0o votes, the largest plurality ever given a candidateo for governor in Ohio. and the election of a legislature that is almost solidly Republican. In recognition of his skill as a po litical leader. Gen. Dick was sent as a delegate-at-large to the national Re. pubhlian convention in 1900. He will go in the same capacity to this year'; convention at Chicago. Congressman Dick served in Cuba during the war with Spain as lieu tenant colonel of the Eighth Ohio vol unteer Infantry, the "President's Own." G;ov. Nash appointed him ma jor gene.ral of the Ohio national guard. Li!n ..o. ln.es. a( A I,.-re 4. 1Q0Q It,' He was born at Akron in 1868. lHe worked in a store, then In a bank and later b.came a grain commission mer. chant. They elected him auditor of Summit county for six years. He took a prominent part In the campaign for the nomination of McKinley for presi dent and was secretary of the Chica go headquarters in 1896. A NEAR NEIGHBOR. Fast Steamers Have Shortened Dis tance Between Us and Japan. San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 20.-Geog raphy tells us that Japan lies about 4.500 miles from the United States. with the 'aciflc ocean dividing the two lands. World-making has placed the two countries much nearer than this, and the great ocean. instead of dividing, connects this land with the island kingdom. Twenty years ago Europe was as far from our Atlantic seaboard as Ja pan is today from outr Palflic coast. Science has shortened the distance. Swift steamers now make Europe a little more than five days from New York, and equally fast steamers make the trip from San Francisco to Japan In less than two weeks. With Hawaii a part of the United States, Japan is only ten nays away. With the stars and stripes flying over the Philippine group and the imperial flag of Japan over Formosa, the vi dette posts of the two countries are separated by only a stone's throw. Many passenger and freight lines operate between American Pacific ports and Japan, so. Instad of divid ing the countries, the Pacific has be come a well used highway of Interna tional commerce. It was the United States that open ed Japan to western commerce, and this country has ever since loaned 1 helping hand politically, socially and morally in the efforts of the mikado's kingdom to take a place among the powers. Japan appreciates this. She is not one to forget a good deed, even though it has been actuated by the selfishness of commerce and the sor did desire for gold. Notwithstanding the lposition she holds relative to this land, Japan, by reason of her geo graphical positlon, has peculiar rela tions with Korea, China and Siam. With them she enters into intimat? relationship, leading them slowly but surely from the darkness of the past into the light of the future. Toward Russia, whom she Is now shaking to the foundation, Japan has always occupled a position as a :tval. Hostility between the two cou'ntries has never been heavily veiled. Ja i.', has. :'iways been looked upon by her neighbors as the only eastern na tion capable of stopping the onward march of Russia in the east. Britis't diplomats realized this when they formed the alliance with the Yankees of the Orient. The empire of Japan comprises 161, 000 square miles, a trfle more than the state of Californal. Her coast line is 18,000 miles long and the Isl'ands are narrow. Besides the four lilands forming Japan proper, Hondo, Shlk.. Ju. Kyushlu and Hokkaido, sometimes called Yeso, the empire Includes some 4,000 small islands, of wrhlh the Kur lie group is the most Important. THE TREATY IS RATIFIED Panama Convention Commands Solid Republican Vote and Half of the Democratic Strength. LAST STEP IN NEGOTIATIONS Authorities Will Now Pay Over the Fifty Million Provided and Work of Digging Begin. Special to theI Argus by Courtesy of Great Falls Tribune. Washington. February 23.-The I'nitile States senate today ratified without anmendment the treaty with llllllanaa for a canal across the leth mus Iy a \'ote of u;s; to 14. Foulrteen I'tuNcrlat:; v|oted' for ratiflcation and I.ll'.tiln against. Two I)Dmocrats. C'larl, ,, Montana and Stone' of MIs .l,,rt. were paired in favor of the t rart\ý and three I)Democrats were pair , , against it. so. In the total vote six teen IDmocrats were for the treaty and > \-vnteen were against it. Gib sIoni . ,t'led for it. MARTIN SWINGS. Butte Murderer Goes to His Death in the Early Morning. Special to the Argus by Courtesy of Great lalls Tribune. Biutte. February 23.-At 4:16 o'clock this morning the trap was sprung and James Martin was sent to his death. As thi trap dropped Martin's body stiffened, the capped head swung for ward and the noose and knot did thelir deadly work of execution. He di.played good nerve to the last. COMMISSIONERS INDICTED. Cascade Grand Jury Brings Charges Against Two. Special to the Argus by Courtesy of Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls. February 23.-The grand jury today filed in the district colrt accusations charging County C'ommissioner Louis Roilawick and W. ID. Delphy with misconduct and malfeasance in office. They were notified to appear at 10 o'clock Sat urday, March 5th. Commissioner F. D. Cooper resigned last week. and his successor has not been named. Cochran Elected. New York, February 23.--lourke Cochran has been elected to congress to succeed George H. McClellan, May or of New York. A small adv should not be expected to pull orders to the amount of ten cents or at the outside a quarter. Such advs are more for creating inquiry, and should be supplemented by good follow-up literature.-Whites Saylngs. CONVENTION CITIES. Helena Gets First and Billings Sea. end Republican Convention. Helena. Feb. 22.--One discordant I ,ie vas struck today at the meeting of the Republican state central com. imittee. State Senator W. F. Meyer. of Carbon county, was the cause of it and it was due to the fact that Walter Aldlerson, publisher of the Red Lodge Pit ket, had been appointed postmas ter of his town despite the protest and' :Lgainst the wishes of Senator Meyer. It developed that Postmaster Alder son owed his place to William lind. say, chairman of the Republican state committee, and not so much to Con gressman Dixon as' had been suppos ed. Senator Meyer attempted to take some prestige and influence from the chlialrnn of the state committee, but his attempt was fruitless, and he re tile.d from he fieldl worsted, while .\r. Lindsay scored a signal victory. The' tonvention fixed the place for holding the two Republican statecon. ventions by unanimous votes, and without any contests. The conven tion to elect delegates to the Repub lican national convention will be held at Helena Tuesday. April 12, and the convention to nominate a state tick et will be held at Billings at a date to be set by Chairman Lindsay probably between September 1 and 20. Committeeman Frank E. Wright, of this county, being unable to be pres ent, he was represented by C. M. Bair, of Yellowstone county. A new apportionment based on one delegate to the state convention for every 55 votes cast for Congressman Dixon was adopted. Under the new rule Fergus county loses three delegates, leaving a delegation of 19 from this county. The following resolution on the death of United States Senator M. A. Hanna was then unanimnusly adopt ed: "Resolved, That the Republican state central committee of Montana has learned with profound sorrow of the death of Hon. Marcus A. Hanna, chairman of the Republican national committee, which occurred at the city of Washington on the ,5th Inst. "Resolved, That through his death the nation has lost an able, devoted and patriotic servant and the Republr can party has been deprived of the aid and counsel of a leader of maten. less ability and unswerving loyalty to Wte organization and the principles of the party. "Resolved. That the heartfelt sym piathy of this committee be extended to the sorrowing widow and family of o lr departed friend. Rlesolved. That the secretary be di rected to transmit an engrossed copy of these resolutions to the bereaved widow of our deceased ieader, and also a copy to Hon. Henry C. Payne, acting chairman of the Republican na tional committee." Rusty Mike's Diary, December 24, 1903.--E you got a distempery hoes en sell it fur a good one you needn't think thet feller es going to buy aay more hosses of you-eta jest the same sellen calico.