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neutrality
for UNCLE SAM
President Issues Proclamation Re
girding Russo-Japanese Trouble.
k --HANDS-OFF” POLICY
D scums Hit Sets Forth Provisions of Nsu
trality Laws of United States in
all Important Phases.
P- -ident Roosevelt Thursday issued
proc amation declaring the neutral
a
this government in m the Kusso- o 11c ~n
ity of
war. The uocument, "r. mont after
Japanese
cf>t*in CT forth the existence of a state
cf war and that tne laws Of the United
Ctatp<! without interfering with the
’
expression cf opinion . . ot , any sym
free
pathy, or with the open manufacture
or S aie of arms or munitions of war,
nevertheless impose upon all persons
who may be within their territory and
jurisdiction the duty of an impartial
neutrality during the existence of the
contest, proclaims the provisions of
the United States neutrality law,
which law forbids the acceptance of a
commission to serve either belliger
ent or enlisting or hiring or retaining
another person in the service of
either; fitting out and admitting or
commissioning vessels of war; increas
ing the force or armament of any
armed vessel of either of the bellig
erentss arriving in United States
ports; setting on foot any military ex
P edition against either belligerent.
‘That free ships make tree goods,
that is to say, that the effects or goods
belonging to subjects or citizens of a
power or state at war are free from
capture and confiscation when found
on board of neutral vessels, with the
exception of articles of contraband o*
war; that the property of neutrals on
board an enemy’s vessel is not sub
ject to confiscation, unless the same
be contraband of war.
The proclamation declares that no
person within the United States shall
take part in the war. and warns all
citizens “that while the free and full
expression of sympathies in public
and private is not restricted by the
■laws of the United States, military
forces in aid of either belligerent can
not lawfully be originated or organ
ized within their jurisdiction; and
that while all persons may lawfully,
and without a restriction by reason ot
the aforesaid state of war. manufac
ture and sell within the United States
arms and munitions of war, and other
articles ordinarily known as ‘contra
band of war,’ yet they cannot carry
such articles upon tl*e seas for use or
service of either belligerent, nor can
they transport soldiers and officers of
either, or attempt to break any block
ade which may be*lawfully establish
ed and maintained during the war
without incurring the risk of hostile
capture, "and the penalties announced
by the law of nations in that behalf.”
GOOD ROADS” BILL IN SENATE.
Measure is Introduced by Senator Gailin
qtr of Massachusetts.
Senator Gallinger, of New Hamp
shire. who has for years been a cham
pion of the “good roads movement.”
has introduced a bill for national aid
in the construction of roads.
“The constitution of the United
States,” said Senator Gallinger, ’’put
do such limitation upon the govern
ment as to prevent the co-operation
provided for in this bill, and, so far
a s public policy is concerned, that re
mains to be settled by the consensus
opinion of the people of the United
States.”
warship orc^ted to san domingo.
^ebeis Under Jiminez Destroy Amor c n
Property and Department Takes Action.
a’uws has reached The state depart
ment. that the Jiminez rebels were
tear! n S up the American railroad be
’-'-veen Puerto Plata and Santiago, in
can Domingo. The state department
has °aused a warship to bo ordered to
file former port.
-ow Rates Louisiana and Texas Polntr
For Ng W Orleans Mardi Gras visitors.
February 17, is and 19th the Texas
^ Pacific New railway will sell tickets Louisi
Orleans to points in
ana and Texas, as far West as Ft
' "Worth, at rate of one fare for the
r °»nd trip, good to roturn nntjl March
’ ^04. For rates and other informa
tion. can on O. B. Webb, Passenger
Ticket Agent, St. Charles Hotel,
‘ mv Orleans.
Vve are ready to enter your name on
•eur subscription books. You will net
Fiss the small sum necessary to bo
corre 0 'jr subscriber.
proteciion of china
Seems Earnest Desire of Powers, Ac
cording to Replies to Secretary
Hay's Preposition.
The move mado by Secretary ITay
i m connection with the proposed neu
tralization of China has aroused the
g'reatest interest in diplomatic circles
at Washington, and in consequence,
Thursday being the regular weekly
diplomatic day, many more than the
usual number of ambassadors and min
isters called at the state department.
It is understood that while, as a mat
ter of courtesy, the representatives in
- Washington of the powers signatory
I l 0 the Pekin trea ty were informed by
Secretary a Hay of the nature of his
ton . . . , ,,
P ’ yet ulls was on y r
j their Information.
The secretary is negotiating direct
ly with the European foreign offices on
“ lis subject ’ through the resident am
bassadors and ministers. It is stated
that some> but not all> of the countries
addfessed have replied and that their
replies were generally favorable and
satisfactory. But is is declared to be
too early yet to publish the text of
Secretary Hay’s note and any of these
replies. It is intimated, however, that
this may bo done as soon as the ne
gotiations on this point have been con
cluded.
As some doubt was expressed in cer
tain quarters as to whether Japan
would consent to be bound in the
fashion proposed, it can be stated that
such information as the state depart
ment has on the subject is to the ef
fect that Japan would welcome an in
ternational agreement neutralizing
China. An intimation has been thrown
out that one reason for this apparent
sacrifice by Japan of the prospective
fruits of victory, if sue succeeds in
her campaign, is a fear that most of
the great neutral powers may grow
covetous of more Chinese soil and
seize the opportunity when the bellig
erents are exhausted to extend their
Chinese holdings.
Having in mind her own bitter expe
rience ,as the outcome of the Chino
Japanese war, it is said that Japan
would rather forego the appropriation
by herself of Chinese territory than
have the same appropriated by other
powers, which had not been put to
any expense or suffering to gain it.
One of the incidents of diplomatic
day witnessed with great interest by
a number of persons in the neighbor
hood of the diplomatic room of the
state department, was the meeting of
the Russian ambassador and the Jap
anese minister. Count Cassini was
chatting with the Austrian charge; Mr.
Takahira wag alone. The Russian,
w’ho is dea nof the diplomatis corps,
bowed with marked politeness and for
mality when he received the minister,
not once, but twice, and the Japan
ese returned the bow in like manner,
Without speaking they parted.
HANNA’S CONDITION IS PRECARIOUS.
Senator Grows Weaker as Fever Advancas
and Doctors are Apprehens'vc.
A Washington special says: Sena
tor Hanna’s condition is very serious,
If not precarious. His physicians real
ize this and are watching the case
with the greatest concern. The sena
tor was considerably weaker Thurs
day, and as a result his pulse had run
up at 6 o’clock p. m. to 104 a minute.
The increased weakness is the uire.'t
result of the fever, as the official bul
letin show there were no complica
tions. The physicians hope that the
fever has reached Tts worst stage, but
whether or not it has they declare
they are unable to say. They are sim
ply waiting for developments and real
ize the pationt has lost ground. Ex
traordinary precautions are being ta
ken to secure quiet in and around the
hotel, so that the senator may get all
the natural sleep possible. Motormen
on the street cars almost a block
away have been requested not to ring
their gongs, as the r sudden clanging
1 seemed to irritate the senator. After
the evening visit of the physicians
Senator Hanna slept for about an hour
and a half, which considerably refresh
ed him. Dr. Carter remains at the ho
tel all the time, so as to be on hand in
case there is a call for him.
------
MILITIA HELD IN READINFSS.
Governor of Tennessee Dertermined to
Check Mob Spirit at Coal Creek.
Sheriff Williams is to have full au- i
thority at Coak Creek, Tenn., as the
governor wishes to maintain order
through the civil authorities in pref
erence to the military. But. if neces
sary to enforce the law, he says he
will call out the militia. Governor Fra
zier has made the following statement:
“For fear they co not, the militia
will be held ready to go at a moment’s
notice. I believe any good people at
Coal Creek deplore any unlawful acts
and are ready to help the officers pre
serve the peace.”
p'^OM HORROR
ORIOLES WAKE
Plucky Peoplt of Maryland Metrop
olis Put *. t Courage.
WILL REBU1L1? WASTE
Great Vaults and Depositories Found
Intact With Their Millions
of Money Treasure.
Amid ruins still hot and smoking
Baltimore has begun its resurrection.
With the dawn cf a clear winter day,
whose brightness was in itself an in
spira lon > 1 e ap “ J gave way to er.
ergy ’ and from the governor of the
state to the least private citizen the
people of the distressed city aroused
themselves to meet the appalling con
ditions that confront them.
It was a day of conferences, The
governor, the mayor, and various mun
icipal officials met and threshed out
the problems that are theirs by virtue
of public office. From this conference
came a decision that Baltimore for the
present needs no outside help, but will
endeavor with her own resources and
those of th etseta 8HRD HRD DLLL
, those of the state to meet the emer
j gency. At this conference also was
developed the machinery for an advis
0 ry legislative commission to act in
conjunction with the legislature.
Labor is already in demand and the
; newspapers contain display advertise
; ments for men to begin the work of
clearing the ruins.
All things considered, the public
stock-taking that engrossed the busi
ness world of Baltimore Tuesday was
satisfactory. But this does not mean
that the great fire was a lesser calam
j ! ity than has been pictured in these dis
patches. The words that have hurried
over telegraph wires, restorod by al
most superhuman energy to meet a
waiting world s demand for naws,
, have given out but an inadequate con
ception of this catastrophe of a cen
tury. The bald fact is that 140 acres
of Flisiness buildings, representing
property to the approximate value of
$125,000,000, were destroyed within
| twenty-four hours,
A great cloud was lifted Tuesday af
j ternoon wffien it was discovered that
practically all of the vaults and strong
rooms and safes of the financial con
cerns whose buildings were destroyed
ere unhurt. A tremendous loss in se
curities had been anticipated here, and
when vault after vault yielded up ita
treasures unharmed the joy of the
guardians was boundless,
From the Continental Trust Compa
riy’s safe alone paper to the amouunt
cf more than $200,000,000 were recov
cred. The news cheered the w’hole city
and encouraged immediate and thor
ough investigation, Merchants and
their assistants, smoke-soiled and be
grimed and hollow-eyed from anxiety
and loss of sleep, worked like labor
ers in the smoking ruins to uncover
their safes, and in nearly every in
stance they were rewarded by intact
contents.
Another surprise was the discovery
that three financial concerns, whose
homes were directly in the fiercest
sweep of the flames, were practically
unharmed. These were the Contlnntal
Trust Company, jL.rovvn Bros.’ bank
and the Mercantile Trust Company.
No one ventures to offer an explana
tion of the remarkable escape of these
buildings in the center of a heat so
intense that metal trimmings of the
skylights melted and dripped through
on to the desks. In the Mechanics’
bank the time locks on the vaults were
still running.
There are between $11.0»0,000 and
$12,000,000 now in tfia vaults of the
sub-treasury, of which over $7,000,000
are in gold.
Biq German Bank Goes to Wall.
The banking firm of Stephen Luehr
mann & Sons, at Bremen, Germany,
has failed. The assets are estifir «*.-•
a t 5250,000 and the liabilities at $1 -
500,000. Besides Bremen, the princi
pa j p i ace s affected are New York, Lon*
den and Paris,
WAR NO IE IS SOUNDED.
Russia Finnally Announces Offic iai/y a Dec
laration of Hostilities.
. A Washington epecial says: Count
Cassini, the Russian ambassador, call
ed on Secretary Hay about r.oon Wed
nesday and left with him tne announce
ment of the czar declaring war on Ja
pan.
This action is said at the state de
partment to constitute a formal de
claration of war. It is now for the
president to determine whether he will
issue a neutrality proclamation. Th?
count’s communication with the de
partment was in writing.
?SE!
DAY SET FOR CANAL VOTE
Sen f, rs Ha !, tcr Fcb '
ruary 22—Katificaticn is Prac
tically Assured.
A Washington special says: The
l final vote on the Panama treaty will be
taken in the senate on Fecruary 22.
j This has been agreed upon. The treaty
will be ratified by considerably more
than the necessary two-thirds vote.
There are but two changes appa
rently from the poll sent out three
weeks ago. In mat poll Senator Over
man, of North Carolina, was put down
as doubtful; he has since announced
he will vote against ratification. Sen
ator McLaurin. of Mississippi, was
counted for the treaty. He is now in
the doubtful list. The count as made
by a senator who has kept c ose watch
of the proceedings shows the demo
crats to be lined up as follow's:
For Ratification—Clark, of Arkansas,
Money, Mallory, Taliaferro, McEnery,
Foster, Bacon, Clay, Latimer, Sim
mons, McCreary, Gibson, Patterson,
Stone and Cockrell—16.
Against Ratification—Bailey Culber
son, Pettus, Morgan, Tillman, Over
man, Daniel, Martin, Carmack, Bates,
Blackburn, Gorman, Teller, Dubois,
Newlands, Clark of Montana—16.
Doubtful—McLaurin, of Mississippi.
More democrats would have voted
for the treaty if the republicans had
agreed to the adoption of resolutions
on the general line of those introduced
by Senator Bacon looking io a settle
ment of the differences between this
country and Panama, but the republi
cans have taken the position that the
treaty should first be ratified before
anything of that kind can be carried
through.
TWO HUNDRED OF CREW LOST LITE.
Details of Naval Battle Wherein Two Rus
sian Sh r ps Were Destroyed.
A special from Tokio, Japan, says:
In the navdl engagement at Chemulpo,
where the Japanese fleet destroyed the
Russian vessels, Variag and Korietz,
200 of the Variag’s crew lost their
lives.
The crew of the Russian cruiser
numbered 570. Many lost their lives
under fire, but a Targe number drown
ed in attempting to escape.
The men loyally aided their officers
and it is said not one of the latter
was drowned in getting ashore.
Many swam to the foreign men of
war in the harbor, which promptly low
ered boats and went to their rescue.
Besides the French cruiser Pascal, the
Italian cruiser Elba and tne British
cruiser Talbot aided the refugees
One hundred and fifty, many of them
wounded, reached the Talbot.
Sir Cyprian Bridge, the British ad
miral in command of the station, has
ordered that the wounded Russians
shall not be handed over to the Japan
ese unless they so desire.
The Japanese did not lose a man.
None of the fleet was damaged. The
engagement was watched by four for
eign warships, including the United
States gunboat Vicksburg.
It is probable that the Russian offi
cers and sailors who surrendered u>
the Japanese after the battle fought off
Chemulpo will be sent to Shanghai
under paroles on the first neutral ves
sel available.
All of the sailors of the Variag, Ko
rietz and transport Sungari were ta
ken on board the British, I rench and
Italian warships off Chemulpo.
GREAT FLOOD OF PENSION BILLS
Passed in the House Under Unanimous Con
sent Asked by Speaker Cannon.
A Washington special says: Speak
er Cannon Friday took the bit in his
teeth and ran completely away with
sanctified legislative precedent in the
house. Incidentally he broke all pre
vious records in the dispatch of pri
vate pension bills. Under his guid
ance, 320 ot these measures of relief
received favorable consideration of
the committee of the whole and pass
age by the house in the short space
of 135 minutes. The house passed
the bills “on bloc” under unanimous
consent, which the speaker himself
asked for.
SHARP ADVANCE IN PRICE OF SILKS.
Russo-Japanese War Has Quick Depressing
Effect Upon Special Product.
A New York dispatch says: War in
the Far East has already affected the
silk piece goods market of tne United
States. The majority of prominent
importing houses have just announced
advances in prices of 10 per cent on
Habutai and other silk fabrics manu
factured in Japan.
They give as their reason the fact
that many of the operatives and skill-,
ed hands in the various factories have
been drafted for war purposes, and
tbeir places cannot be filled.
DARING JAPS
DAZE RUSSIANS
More cf Czar's Ships of War Put
Out of Action.
LIST REACHES SIXTEEN
First Two Days of Hostilities Prove
Disastrous to Russian Fleet--Mer
chant Vessels Also Captured.
A cablegram to The Associated
Press at San Francisco from Nagasaki
states that the Russian cruiser Variag
which was reported to have been sunk
at Chemulpo by the Japanese fleet,
was captured and arrived at Sazetlo.
The dispatch also states that in ad
dition to the Russian vessels damaged
in the torpedo attack at Port Arthur,
that seven other vessels were cap
tured.
There was no casaulties among the
Japanese and their vessels sustained
no damage.
It is also reported at Nagasaki that
General Kuropatkin has arrived at
Harbin to take command of the Rus
sian land forces.
The above dispatch indicates that
since the opening of hostilities the Jap
anese have captured or disabled six
teen ships of the Russian Asiatic fleet.
Three were disabled by torpedoes in
the Monday night attack on Port Ar
thur, four were disabled in the day
naval battle off Port Arthur Tuesday,
seven other vessels were captured and
one disabled and another sunk at Che
mulpo, making a total of sixteen ;a
'.wo days.
Two Thousand Russians Captured.
A special dispatch received in Lon
don Wednesday from Tokio reported
that three transports of the Russian
volunteers’ fleet, conveying about
2,000 troops, have been captured by
the Japanese off the Korean coast.
Summary of Russian Losses.
A summary of the losses sustained
by Russia in the first 'twenty-four
hours of the war with Japan shows
that t:* R Russian warships were
placed out of action in one way or
another, and that the Japanese did v not
lose a ship. The losses were as fol
lows:
Battleship Retzivan, torpedoed and
beached at Port Arthur; battleship
Poltava, hole below water line, at Port
Arthur; armored cruised Beyarin, dis
abled by Japanese fire at Port Ar
thur; cruiser Polada, torpedoed at
Port Arthur and beached; cruiser No
vik, hole below water line at Port Ar
thur; cruiser Askold, hole below water
line at Port Arthur; cruiser Diana,
hole below water line at Port Arthur;
first-class armored cruiser Variag, cap
tured at Chemulpo, Korea; torpedo
gun vessel Korietz, destroyed at Che
mulpo.
The Japanese have also captured at
least five Russian commercial steani
ers, including Ekaterintoslav, Mouk
den, Russia, Argun and Alexander.
They were captured by the Japanese
in Korea and adjacent waters at va
rious times since Saturday by small
cruisers. Some of the steamers are
rich prizes, The small steamer Koeik
is detained at Yokohama, its status not
being clear.
UNCLE SAM IS AROUSED
Over Dastardly Act of Dominicans and
Prepares to Take Retaliatory
Measures.
A Washington special says: Spe
cific instructions have been cabled
Rear Admiral Wise, commanding the
training squadron in Dominican wa
ters, regarding the protection of Amer
ican shipping interests there.
The firing on the Clyde line steam
er New York by a governmtnt gunboat
as reported in cable dispatches pub
lished Wednesday morning has arous
ed indignation ia official circles, and it
was said at the navy department that
the probable course of action after
such an outrage would be the seizure
of the government gunboat by Rear
Admiral Wise.
FOURTEEN killed in a wreck.
Trains on Canadian Pacific Road Crash
With Disastrous Result.
A special from Ottawa, Ont., says:
Fourteen persons were killed and more
than a score injured in a collision be
tween two passenger trains on the Ca
nadian Pacific near Sand Point Thurs
day.
An official statement given out by
the railway company places the re
sponsibility for the wreck upon the
crew of the westbound train. Conduc
to*’ Nidd, of that train, admitted that
his engineer had orders to stop at
Sand Point, but failed to obey them.
*