Newspaper Page Text
COST TO RUSSIANS
THEY HAVE LOST 500,000 MEN
IN THE FAR EAST WAR.
War Office Criticisms Backed Up by
Exact Figures up to March 12—
Thought Lightly of Japanese Sol
diers—Exposing Secrets Causes Sen
sation in St. Petersburg.
Stung by the wholesale criticism
lately heaped upon the war office for
its unpreparedneM and incapacity in
providing the Manchurian army with
men, guns and munitions, the govern
ment lays hare what has been done
since the opening of the war, giving
the exact figures.
From these it appears that up to
March 12 the war office has dispatched
13.07.S officers, 761,467 men. 146,308
horses, 1521 guns and 8,163,821 tons
of munitions and supplies to the
front. Declaring that the transporta
tion strained the Siberian railroad to
its utmost capacity, the army organ
admits that the army in the far east
when the war was begun was hardly
worth the name (no figures being
given) hut it is known that the troops
did not exceed 60,000 men, practically
defenseless heeause the emperor de
sired to avoid war. and. therefore, re
frained from sending reinforcements.
which surely would have provoked it
Taken by Surprise.
The criticism that the war office
failure to adequately supply Port Ar
thur is mot by the statement that it
■was provisioned for a garrison of 12
battalions, the decision to put 30 bat
talions there being taken so late that
the original calculations could not be
remedied. While affirming that the
quick firing guns and field guns of the
Russians are superior to those of the
Japanese, the war oflieo explains that
the, misfortune in the insufficiency of
the mountain guns was due to the fact
that when the war broke out Russia
was just adopting a new pattern. It
is denied that the war office was do
ceived in regard to the available
strength of the Japanese army or the
organization Of the Japanese reserves.
but the organ frankly admits that the
talents of the officers and the wonder
ful spirit of the soldiers were miscal
culated.
Nearly 500,000 Men Sacrificed.
The publication of this article has
created a sensation. Many of the mil
itary men are censuring the general
staff for disclosing secrets, and find
a practical admission that the war has
cost almost 500.000 men in killed,
wounded, prisoners and sick, as the
whole effective army in the far east is
now believed not to exceed 30,000 men.
The preliminary press censorship on
books in Russian, as well as foreign
languages has been removed. The
books now printed go to the censor,
by whom their sale must be authorized
within seven days, or. if it is alleged
that they violate the criminal law, the
question of confiscation must immedi
ately be submitted to and decided by
the courts. Heretofore manuscripts
were sent to the censor, and some
times were held for months and years.
He had the arbitrary right to prohibit
their publication WimOUt any con
firmation of his decision by the courts.
Raise Steel Workers' Wages.
Officials of the United States Steel
corporation are reported to have com
pleted all plans preparatory to mak
ing the announcement of a sweeping
wage increase, to go into effect April 1.
The amount of the increase is not
known at present, but it is stated that
with the exception of tonnagemen in
the steel mills, ail employes will re
ceive the full amount of the former
reduction. The total increase for the
year will, it is said, approximate
$9,000,000. The advance will affect
30,000 workmen in this district.
Indexes Cut Out.
No connty official has a right to in
troduce in his office any system which
will save money to the taxpayers of
the county at a small expense unless it
is definitely authorized by statute, ac
cording to "a decision of the supreme
court rendered iv the case of John L.
Dirks vs. Hie county commissioners,
auditoi and treasurer of Spokane coun
ty.
Largest Ship of France.
La Province, the splendid new ship
of the French line, was launched
March 22, at St. Nazaire. She will be
the largest French ship afloat, being of
19 160 tons, exceeding the tonnage of
the largest French battleship by 4500
tons.
Deadly Duel in a Saloon.
Silverion, Col., March 27.—At
Eureka, 10 miles north of here, Mar
shal Mackenzie, a well known mine
promoter of this county, was fatally
shot by Arthur Rice, a mining man of
Eureka. The men had trouble over
the possession of some mining claims.
CREATION OF COUNTIES ILLEGAL
Idaho Court Holds That New Counties
Were Improperly Formed.
Idaho's legislature may oreate new
counties,but lias not the power to abol
ish old counties,'is the substance of the
decision of the supreme court of Idaho
Monday afternoon in declaring that
the action of the last leigslature in
creating the new counties of Lewis and
Clark was unconstitutional and void.
The views of the court were given
from the bench, the written opinion
not haviug yet been filed.
This means a complete victory for
Rathdrum, which had been making a
hard fight to retain the county seat of
Kooteuai county, which was abolished
by the act of the legislature, the terri
tory being taken to make the new
counties.
The court holds that although the
legislature may create new comities
from parts of old ones, it can not abol
ish the old county nor deprive any
place of the county seat. In the state
of Idaho the county seat may be re
moved only by a vote of the people,
and the court declares that the legisla
ture can not do indirectly what it has
not the power to do directly.
Farmers Reing Swindled.
A number of people in the vicintiy
of Pendleton, Ore., have recently been
buncoed by a couple of sharpers,
whereby the people have been induced
to sign notes which in effect are for
1816 each, when they supposed they
were giving notes for if 15 each.
The contract notes were for the de
liveiy of graphophones. An order was
taken for the machine and 20 discs and
the purchaser presumed they were get
ting the entire outfit tor $15. How
ever, the contract was so worded that
it rear" #15 each, thus bringing the to
tal to $;U5. The word "each" was at
the opposite end of the contract from
the amount, and the latter was in
blackfacid type.
A humorous side of the a flair is that
at the top of the note or contract was
printed in small type th^ following:
"It is expressly understood by the
signer of this order that he signs it up
on his own judgment, after due delib
eration, without any undue influence
baying been used or rleying on any
other representation made by the agent
other than that written or printed in
this order."
Coming Events.
Washington A. O. U. W. grand lodge,
Tacoma, April 12-14.
Order of Railway Conductors of
America, Portland, May 9-14.
Washington M. \V. of A. state en
campment, Spokane, May .5.
Montana State Federation of Wom
en's clubs, Deer Lodge, June 6-8.
Lewis and Clark Fair.
Lewis and Clark centennial exposi
tion, Portland, June 1 to October 16.
Events: National American Woman
Suffrage association, June 29-July 5;
American Medical association, July 11
--14; Transcontinental Passenger asso
ciation, June 5; United Commercial
Travelers, interstate convention, June
9; Traveling Men's day, June 10; Na
tional Association State Dairy and
Food departments, June 20; Pacific
Coast Electrical Transmission associ
ation, June 20-21; American Library
association, July 2-7; International
Anticigarette association, July 15-17;
Charities and Corrections association,
national conference, July 15-22; Ne
braska Lumber Dealers' association,
July 17-1S; Gamma Eta Kappa frater
nity, national convention, July 20-22;
North Pacific sangerbund, July 21-2:5;
W. C. T. U., national conferences, June
27-28.
Disorder at Yalta.
Sebastopol, Crmea. —The news of
the disorders »t Yalta greatly excited
the local population. According to
the latest advices the chief of police of
Yalta has been seriously wounded.
Warships and three companies of
soldiers are being sent there. Passen
gers bound for Yalta are remaining
there.
Kioters have destroyed nearly all the
warehouses and vodka shops and the
police station and a number of shops
have been set on fire. Troops are
guaiding the postofflce and treasury
building. The arrival of reinforce
ments of soldiers is expected momen
tarily.
Smash Immigration Record.
With a total for the last week of 26,
--000 aliens and with the prospects of
at least 23,000 more to come in on
the steamers arriving this week, it
is probable that all immigration fig
ures will be broken before the spring
is ended. From all parts of Europe
aliens are beginning to arrive and it is
likely the resources at Ellis island:
will be more than taxed in providing'
for them.
Congressmen Sail for Havana.
The United States transport Sum
ner, bearing the congressional party
of 14, has arrived at Santiago de Cuba
and sailed after a few hours for Ha- [
vana. During the stop the congress
men visited the battlefields in the vi
cinity. They were greatly interested
also in industrial conditions.
AGE LIMIT ARGUMENT
GOVERNMENT CHEMIST AIiKIIS
WITH DR. OSLER.
That a Man Is Old at 40 and Hit Abil
ity Ceases at 60 Years of Age—Or.
Wiley Holds Out Consolation of
Science for Future—He Tells All
About It.
No statement made in recent years
by any member of the medical frater
nity created as much discussion in tin
public press as lie recent declaration
by Dr. Osier that a man is old at 4"
and his utility ceases about the age
of 60, according to medical science.
Because of the many exception! tak
en to this so called medical d< i
enunciated by the famoui specialist,
few member! of the medical fratei
tiitv have dare.l to express them*
along similar lines, even though thej
looked upon the Osier theory ai con
talning many element! of truth.
Dr. Harvey \v. Wiley, chief of the
government chemical bureau and ■
persona] friend of Dr. Osier, In an In
terview the other day Indorsed the
Osier theory thai man is oldal 40 ai.<i
his utility erases at 60, bui added thai
Bclence is already working t<> Incn
the span of human life and In a fen
years a man may be i 1" years of
and still be young, While Indorsing
the theories of Dr. Osier, Dr. Wiley
holds out the consolation <>i science
for the future.
"is the average man 'old' a 1 CO? It
is regrettable but nevertheless true.
said Dr. Wiley. "The average man at
60 today is laid on the shelf. The veins
in his body have hardened and that is
the real siKti of age, As loii^ as man's
veins remain fresh his body is Invigo
rated, tissues are bullded up as <|iiic k
ly as they decay and fear of death
need have no terrors; hut when the
blood vessels harden, one of them iv
apt to snap at any time, and this, in
a vast number of eases, is the cause
of death today."
FIVE MEN LOST THEIR LIVES
Drowned in the Missouri River While
Building a Dyke.
St. Joseph, Mo., March 18. —Five
men lost their livna iv the MisMtun
river here ypsterday. The dead.
Billy Lewis.
()scar Lewis.
Harry Talent.
Harry Smith.
Howard Hutchison.
The men were engaged in dyke build
ing operations on the Kansas nide, op
posite the water pumping station.
They had been brought to, the Missouri
side each evening by a small steamer,
but ou account of a heavy wind and
rainstorm this evening the steamer whs
delayed and the men,rather than spend
the stormy night in a shack on the
Kansas bank, determined to cross in h
skiff. About midstream the overload
ed skiff was swamped by the nigh
waves and four of the men sunk iv the
muddy water and were seen no more.
Hutchison was seen swimming, but
sank before help could reach him.
None of the boides has been discovered.
Victoria, b". C, March 29.—Mail
advices were received here from Pekin
by the Empress of Japan today that
high officials of China recognize that
China will have to pass through a
grave crisis threatening the very foun
dations of her independence and in
tegrity at the close of the war, and
that to avert anarchy and chaos the
empire must bo well armed and ready.
I The Manchn civil and military author
ities are accordingly rearming the
various banner organizations, Manchu,
Mongol and Chinese. To the end of
February, 28 battalions over and above
. the 7000 Manchus equipped with good
I arms in 1902, had been provided with
I either Mannilcher or Mauser magazine
I rifles. Factories are working to pro
, vide 550,000 more for the Chinese forces
:at Pekin.' These forces will form the
, nucleus of a modern Chinese army to
jbe organized without delay. An army
of half a million men is expected to be
ready, well armed, for the defense of
Pekin before June.
Paduchft, Ky.—Mrs. Mary Brock
i well, whose three children, aiff-d :t, 4
and 5 years, died from poiaoninu: under
suspicious circumstances laßt Satur
day, broke down and confessed that
she killed them by u'ivinj them mor
phine and coal oil. Hhe stated that
George Alebrton promised lo nmrry h*r
|if she woald K»-t rid of the children
Alberton was arrested as an accessory.
The New York Tribune says that the
condition of Russell Saßf, who h»
--j been confined to his home for nonie
| time, is much more MffOM thau h*»
been reported. His physician riHita
liim daily and says he ha* a |M 4
chance for reooverT.
Iron was discovered in Virginia (the
first metala found In America) In 1716.
GIBL TRil* »C«CID£.
Eva Thibaut. Aped i ;, Leaves . Not*
Explaining fitsh Act.
Itavm.la'e, \Va»h, Maroh 27 —Era
TMI-aut, a**-*! i». «tH, ; hrnulf I inda>
mornh «. The tiauet entered t! • W-ft
breast. Jtitt minting )ho heart. pcM
iratiii. tho Ifft lung nd ramc tut <i(
tho tia«k just Uft «f <ho Bplnai rord
Sh>' roaenlcd » r*i drer tn tn t roat
and went out Jn th«* timlKT al»«»i : hnU
a mil«» and *bot b«»r!*tf. U. Ccjlkm
bocani.- meujr at b«: <llsapjK> :.ran< •
an«! wvnt in »earrh c»f h«r. and fnund
her lying U»id«' a lor In a dyii. s con
d it ion.
n
■
!»Tl<! I
The pir! has Ik^'H »«'iryinK n\< r her
mother, who left h<*r biiband l»«> atis«>
he drank ami cam 1 !. ■) The r jthcr
went to lVnnsylvjiß'.'.i alHtui two
months apo. wbtre h«T \ rother r« J'U»«
The sirl rlaim* to hay«- Itlitten in 'oral
letter! to hi-r t: ■ •■!.• t bil recelv 4 do
anpwor
Th only ricrnn" pho v yes for f loot
Ins herself is that t^h«* It tired < 1 Hv
inc. She tiayj, that *!ion plio hot
herself It was hrr in««nti:sn to kit and
the reason hlie didn't I If. i>pr s»>art
was that sho was a li!t!<* nerruuu
l>r Hoys Hays t>h<% lias lit 11** r! inco
of recovery. Th«* pirl i»os prcpsinji
to be rnarricfj toon and rsws ttvet bet
■weetheart, an»l wants hiii to h« li «ho
room wiih h«r. lit- takes it v«-ry .ard.
and rannot k''* in the r;xsni »"i hout
faint!' Era's father a.,d Oratt«lli
l>oth had to ho valrbod by S irrifT
Btarwicb to keep thrni from inj amp
thonisi'lvoß. Tlu-y Imth wanted i Klin
to kill themsclrcs. T!n» rwng wiinan
was always well thought a! iii the sosi
niunity.
RUSSIA FOR PEACE
St. IVtt-rbsun:, March I —Tin As
sociated Press i- in a posit.on to an
nounet that h step in the cirt-ctii a of
peace has actually :.;i- , ell t. .ken.
Kussia da- indirectly made knows to
.Ihl'mii tin- negative condition* ijH.n
which peao* may be cocclu'led,unan'ly
no ooncessioa <>f territory, sal m in
demnity, learing Jaiian to detersiu<>
whether Degotia>tiosa can hi b*-i:ai up
on that |i;<M> No reply I inn • *JiHIl
has yet reached the Knw ,ii |p »-m
Uietll.
Through what channel cr chi»snels
Ku- has indirectly con urn sated
with Japan the Am*«%■: *reai » not
In a position to state .'■ .i initcl , al
though there i- reason to Im Hove that
it is through the United Maim. I in
practically certain that France, and
possibly, (treat liritaui, m tie tv. • al
ii"- of tin- belligerent* mi i tie I'j iti-il
States, as ill.- cuuutry acting for up
an, have been i«i=r i-« -1 Ol Russia's po
sition. I'r-nliii 1 Boowrelt'ii frn-«dlv
disposition and i«r !•■<■! v». hiiiri ■mm,
however, are well understood 'lcie, «nd
without Baking directly that i ley c> alii
be known to I*r»--i-i- nt Itootu- fit
through Ambassador < aanin ; tieco.adi
tions to which the c<-nld ti« t a^ ih",
while thus giving Japan anopfortn aty
of knowing ufticially what the baiii- of
peace. negotiatiouH want be.
Russia avoids the attitude if m in,.*
for peace 01 actually Kubmittm r |>r< fo
salM, and, tw^ides, tlie I iii!>. HI !• •»
and (treat Britain and the j.>» m> gen
erally in a jxisition wh«-re thej* <•< aid
offer.Tapau advic»i» an to the jreaf u
abtenani o! the n.npi mm \m
Having Inn »i>|.ri-*^ <•! Ku.«s ii »-
Bitiou, Japan 1.1 - two a!tera»>):ivf —
either to dnclint absolutely to o ■• » •«•-
tiHtimi.-. on i^uch u&?i»nr iudicvte *r
<p\aii attitu'i< If the uegi'tUtit>j«
op«;ued Ilu^-ia probably will *•• i r
pared to make bioad canc*+>i<"M *n
collateral Ittaes, as Blatrd by tl.« - .■,
sociated Pi-^a.
A prominent diplomat U !:.-•: « i ■
scribes the •.■....•.:. of 1; .-■..« *• i J
lows:
"The goveixment is* now for |ear,
but continues to prepare foT »ar '
It ih said that France v oat toft CBn •
hand in the negotiation!* and thai tta
report that I*«'la«:e na« lmt-a •■*• ' *>
Met in the capacity of :;,!.ra.'-;i-ti.- •
denied.
Rumor of t» « Czar % Suicide.
Paris, MaMfe 31.—An mwafi' d
report from ht. iVu r»bunr i» f>cblk ft fd
here to the effect that Enipar i Bit to
•1m made an «t»»-n| • »■ commit It •>
cide and woacd»-d u-.:i>- .'. m the K.i it
The rumor futrh»-r «ay* that tb^ *i»
peror'a •!••>:».:i fru-r*t- by '>• l »
tcrvention of (ii- tßi.thrr, the ram . •
dowager.
The 1100 000 Looked Good.
The American board of man.i
ern fi>r fureigo mi«*ion« ha- ai.:.< tin d
that its prudential <•• c.&.;::•- had i •
cepti-d the r»-p(.ri of tb« at;.! «
reconimending tf.» mcctplmac* of >) *
gift of |10C».0O0 by Jolmi D 1. <ri>t •
ler, but that final actiua a*4 bcea p> •
noajajd for two weeks.
Third Squadron Leave* Suez.
Th* whole of Vire AdtcSrai Ma* -
pat off aq«n4ron has tailed ao-- i
ward, from Sun
OYAMAINTERVIEHLO
JAPAN'S GREAT WAI KMtll
IS A HARD »W»l
Says Japan Was Force* to rtgfct Tka«
War in Interests eff '-tr— n i—a»
Peace and Safety cf Their ruiwiiif
—He Has High Regard fa* Ruas^aa
Soldier*—He l> in (k«4 h tJ .-
Vlnkow, Manh 2v-FV!d Mot&aJ
Oyana has given his fir»i iuuriiew
since i. -u.\: n into <be field. ll* e»»
•1 am oc!jr a wildier." fc* said. "Ml
a politiiian. The Japaarse
mint will arranr< t«-rta» of pMMt
*!«• Lh« tar r»*>»- \V«> trn-r f&R«i
to fight (his war in tbe interest* cf
iutiTi-ational {M>ar«' and for Urn» saltty
if ii count r>. rtnwmariy, I hurt- •
hiKU rocard for tfcf Uu»!*s». Tfeey
ar«> wihlirri*. Th«» ofCr« r* ac 4 m^b aw
brara and abl«« and havp foasJil ««tt.
During »hy war K*t«<vn t'tsua *o4
Japan I was il. i iwiiwin i «rf ?fe«
army which raptur«»d f^»rt Ar!.fe«r.
Witli a division an<] • half >J tnxipm
w«> t<K>s tho city in Ore hours, Tb** re
sult thia tiino shuns won4«"rfel 4&B*r
enco l«tu*in th«« ltuj=>:ai.« a:.-> ife^
C'lilni'htl, with ulitmi «t» had |»r»»i«as
"Our army, both »ildi«*r» at,4 «f
--c-?r»«, furriii-.i thei' duty as i«»f »i»»
know tjicy wciuid. I was mi&ixtrr of
war for Japan for 16 y«»n», durir.*
which iitiii runs* r:pt ion la«« »#r«
passed. I have « :■.-. It watrbe4 lbs
making of the Juparx-s.- army, wblda
ha* proved wuat I say, that it* nSSnrrs
ami '(,■ men havo fulQllrd «-i#Ty feopr.
as I believe they would in th«» oitai
days, It'll the Japan. s. array was
mmposed of the S«inuri i>n»f»»s¥ioßal
flfbtlog men. The modern army *a«
drafted from all classes, yet all -mm
hopes have been fully r»>a!is«-d by th*
work this army has dove in a'tuaJ
war
Field Marshal Oyarna dniinrd t«
discuss the future man ami or
plant- of "if JapantM* array. He mi
niati il thai ho »as r«-ady to romlsne
ih«' war ns hmj; as ncri'SKarj.
11. >-. reports to the contrary,
Fit-lil Marshal Oyama'H h«a!th in «*•
cellcnt. With his i-taff. he Is comfort
ably quartered in five Chinese house*.
placed at his disposal by tbe Cb!neaw
viceroy.
ARTESIAN WATER ON EAST SMC.
' I Present Supply Could Be Greatfy
Augmented.
Prank C. Calkins and N. 11. Itarton.
who have been iiivcsrit: tin water
resources of rast «.iiir»l Washinmoa
with a view to determining ■> what ex
tent the supply may be id. r■»>..: and
to til i| whether then is )ii •( - of obtain
ing artesian flows in any portion «if
that region, have completed their in
vestigation, and In their rr-port recent-
I) rna<l*' public by In interior depart
ment they say that with property di
rected experiments and development
work, it is reasonably certain that the
preser.t supply romd I* greatly ttug
mented. Win 1 they an confident
that the water is present thry do not
hesitate to cay that its economic*]
use remains an open question.
According to thcCaUiinn-Darton re
port the conditions in Doviglao, l.vi
"In. Kiltitas, Franklin and Vakiioa
counties, the scene of their investiga
tions, «jo not warrant any fanciful pre
dictions when the questions of econ
omy and water supply are considered,
j They rcfuee to raiso falno hopes, an<f
rat* r than to mislead the BMfli on
the east side of the Cascades they
, have been very conservative in th»»}r
; statements with respect to the possi
•biiitieg In this section of the country.
Mukden Prisoners Reach Tokio.
The first of the Mukden prisoners
have arrived at Tokio • n route to the
Narasbimo barracks. They were
I trans»f»Tred at the Omcrl station
around and avoiding '!•• city. There
imera no crowds and consequently
then was no demonstration. The
prisoners were poorly clad.
The business mi s association Hi
I arranging for a monster celebration
of the capture of Mukden for April 3.
the anniversary of the accession of
Emperor muni Tenno, 660 B. C. It
i* planned to havu a parade of 100,000
from Hitiiya park to Uyeno park, stop
! ping at the palace to cheer the em
p*-ror. The exercises will Ik* held in
Uycno park.
Land Law Changed.
The Pea land law Is a thing of the
past. The last session of congress
i pasted a bill which was Intended to
Iplarr a check on Irregularities in lieu
laad scrip, but which has been found
to be a repeal of the law of 1897 al
lowing homesteaders who relinquish
i their land on a forest reserve to ao
qnire scrip.
