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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 1902)
6 THE MORNING OREGONIA3S THURSDAY. AUGUST 14, 1902; Entered at the, Postofflco at Portland. Oregon, as second-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Hall (postaco prepaid. In Advance) Dally, with Sunday, per month $ 85 Dally, Sunday excepted, per year... ."7 50 Dally, with Sunday, per year.....'. S 00 Sunday, per-year 2 00 The Weekly, per year I 50 The Weekly, 3 months 60 To City Subscribers - , Dally, pr week, delivered. Sunday cxcepted.lSc Dally, per week, delivered, Sundays mcluded.20c POSTAGE RATES. United States, Canada and Mexico: 10 to 14-pagc paper.... lc H to 28-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion Intended for publication In The Oregonlan should be addressed invaria bly "Editor 'The Oregonlan," not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to adver tising, subscriptions or to any business matter 'should be addressed simply "The Oregonlan." Eastern Business Office. 43, 44. 45, 47. 4S. 49 Tribune building. New Tork City: 510-11-12 Tribune building, Chicago: the S. C. Beckwith Special Agency. Eastern representative. For sale In San Francisco by L. E. Lee, Pal ace .Hotel news stand; Goldsmith Bros., 230 Sutter street; F. W. Pitts. 1008 Market street: J. K. Cooper Co.. 746 Market street, near tho Palace Hotel: Foster & Orear. Ferry news stand; Frank Scott. 60 Ellis street, and Is. Wheatley, S13 Mission street. For sale In Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner, 259 South Spring street, and Oliver & Haines. 305 South Spring street. For sale in Kansas City. Mo., by Rlcksecker Cigar Co.. Ninth and Walnut streets. , For sale in Vallejo. Cal.. by N. Watts. 405 Georgia street. , For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co.. 1217 Dearborn street, and Charles MacDonald, 63 Washington street. , For sale In Omaha by Barkalow Bros., 101 ,Farnam street; Megeath Stationery Co.. 130S Farnam street. ' For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co.. 77 West Second South street. . For sale In Minneapolis by R. G. Hearsey & Co., 24 Third street South. For sale In Washington. D. C by the Ebbett House news stand. For sale in Denver. Colo., by Hamilton & Kendrlck. 900-912 Seventeenth street: Louthan & Jackson Book & Stationery Co.. 15th and Lawrence streets; A. Series. Sixteenth and Curtis streets. , TODAY'S WEATHER Partly cloudy, with moderate temperatures. Southwest to north west winds. YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum tem perature. 70 deg.; minimum temperature, 52 deg.; no precipitation. PORTLAND. THURSDAY, AUGUST 14. WAS IT NOT A MISTAKE? The rebellion and civil war in Colom bia may have the result of diverting our efforts for an isthmian canal from Panama and of throwing us back upon Nicaragua. Such result. In the opinion of The Oregonlan, should not be re garded as unfortunate. Nicaragua, In the judgment of the great majority of the people of the United States, always has had advantages over Panama. It was the earthquakes In the West Indies that produced the panic which turned the scale in our Congress against Nica ragua; yet there is no proof that Pan ama Is less liable than Nicaragua to seismic disturbance. Both indeed are within the volcanic and earthquake belt that girdles the earth; and though there are recent seismic signs at-Nicaragua, more than at Panama, yet experience proves that the most destructive great earthquakes do not always occur in lo calities most subject to slight disturb ances, but very commonly give little or no warning. "Within the historic per iod there has been no earthquake of serious character in the region known as Central America; but of course it is impossible to say that there will be no heavy earthquakes in future, either there or in Panama. Durinir a lone: period. Indeed the greater part of a century, the people and Government of the United States have had under consideration the con struction of a ship canal at Nicaragua. Lake Nicaragua and San Juan River offer advantages that always have at tracted attention. Of the 169 miles of distance by this route the lake and river will supply 121 miles of natural water way, needing little expenditure; and the area of the lake is so considerable as to equalize and control the flpw of the river, so that the latter Is not sub ject to great vicissitudes of rise and fall. In the lake and in the greater part of the river vessels can move with unrestricted speed. The time of transit for steamers from ocean to ocean need not exceed twenty-four hours. At Pan ama the locks will be so numerous and the total "lift" so. great that the time can hardly be less though the canal will be comparatively short. From New York to the eastern en trance of the Nicaragua Canal the dls tance is 2021 miles; from the western entrance of the canal to San Francisco the distance is 2776 miles; and to Port land 3219 miles. Total distance from Portland to New York by Nicaragua, C240 miles. By the Panama Canal the distance will be nearly 1000 miles greater. This is no inconsiderable mat ter, especially for sailing vessels; for the seas north of Panama, for a long distance, are especially subject to calms, and vessels- often He there for weeks without wind enough to flap their sails. It is true that a great deal of work has been done at Panama; and yet it is questionable whether if we buy the Pan ama Canal, paying forty millions of dollars for it and undertaking its com pletlon, we shall not find the expend! ture greater than the cost of construe' tion at Nicaragua. The Oregonlan believes that it was an unwise act on the part of our Con gress to give the, preference to Panama over Nicaragua. Both for physical and political reasons it seems to have been unwise. The awful . catastrophe of Mount Pelee arrested the attention of the -world, .and the idea somehow got a foothold in Congress that Panama was less liable to convulsions of na ture that would break up an artificial waterway than Nicaragua. No sound reason for tlis assumption has been ad vanced. All these countries are, of course, liable to political convulsions and revolutions, but the Central Amerl can States now are quiet and long have been so; while Colombia, in which Pan ama is included, Is in the throes of a civil war, which it would appear w shall have to take part in or settle omehow, if we are soon to take up the project of the canal at Panama. PROSPEROUS LAND OP WILIiAM- ETTE. ' The reports of diminished grain yield in the Willamette Valley, particularly of wheat, are cause for rejoicing rather tha,n for repining. They do not mean misfortune and hardship for the farm ers, but they do mean that the agri culture of that section no longer rests on the narrow base of a single crop. The Willamette Valley is capable of finer development than grain culture will permit, of -a better economic bal ance and more substantial industrial activity. This comes through turning the historic grain fields over to meadows and orchards and hqpyards and gardens of all sorts. Why should the Willam etto Valley struggle to produce a sur - plus of wheat when, it can apply Its energies to much better advantage In other directions? And the day may come.when -it will do better to import Its bread than grow iL There is proba bly not a wbeatraiser in the Valley this ear who does not wish his grain area were 6et in produlcng hopvines. There is richness in the hop crop this season. .Probably the Willamette val ley could market Its product for $3,000,- 000 or more. Thanks to the instru mentality of the contract system, how ever, it will receive materially less than the market price. But the Valley will do well on Its hop crop; and it Is safe to say that next year the grain acreage will be still less and the acreage of hops still greater. There will be large pro duction of potatoes and onions this sea son because the prices of those commod ities last Winter were exceptionally high. An abundance of fruit and a greedy, market is another combination that no well-balanced orchardlet can And it in his soul to rail against; and Oregon orchardlsts are certainly well balanced this year. Oregon agriculture has had its time of trial, but that is not this year. It has learned by hard knocks the virtue of a broad basis of diversified products. It has learned that It pays to turn rough produce Into butter and pork and poul try; that it pays to put perfect fruit on the market, and that the effort to attain his end is well spent. It is not a waste of land to turn It to cow pasture these days, .as the profit from golden butter amply attest. "Willamette Valley farmers are kings this year, and It Is not at all to be wondered at that the railroads find it easy to start homeseek ers hltherward. Let them come and also attain to regal estate. There is plenty, of "room. And, as we think of it. the boundaries of the Promised Land, as given In the good Book of Revela tion, are not much more extensive than the Valley of the Willamette. SENATOR SPOONER'S UXIO,UE POSI TION. No other man of this generation has occupied the place In government of the United States that Senator John Colt Spooner holds today, and it may be doubted that any other man ever held his unique position. He Is in a political office, but It is not prominence In poll tics that gives him his commanding in fluence, at least not In partisan polltlca He Is a statesman in even sense of the term, and In no sense is he merely a politician. Moreover, he Is not ambi tious, which gives to a man of his at tainments and position additional power and effectiveness, and It Is, perhaps, the rarest quality of men who reach high rank in governmental affairs. The State of Wisconsin has sent to the United, States Senate some notable men, among whom were Judge Doolittle, Matt Carpenter and Judge Timothy O. Howe, but for breadth of vision, prac tical foresight, unselfish wisdom and many-smea effectiveness no man of them has approached the high standing or Senator Spooner. Hie influence is probably greater than that of any other officer of the Government, because it reaches out in so many directions. He is both a brilliant and a wise man. As a Senator he measures up to the very nignest standard. He Is a practical lee. islator of the best type, a great debater. an orator, a diplomat, a man of wide and ready and trustworthy Information in .the affairs of the world, and so mod est and unassuming that many times otners get the credit that is justly his due. This, of Itself, makes him friends and extends his power. In a notable article on this remark able man, contributed by Walter Well man to the August number of the Re view of Reviews, the secret of Senator bpooners great success is partially re vealed in this statement: In Congress, as everywhere. th tn.n . toward specialization. line or another, become as proficient as possi ble In that, and give very little attention to other subjects. Mr. Spooner has never been a specialist. He has carefully avoided irfnntiiv- 'k "nseii who any particular topic or ques tion. He Is an "all-around" man. Even imng 01 importance Is his specialty. He Is so willing to work, so eager to Investigate, so tireless and so alert, and his sincerity and Judgment are so highly valued, that all the specialists consult him. Ho is a sort of vn sultatlon doctor tor all the legislative practi tioners. 11 aoes not matter what it Is Cuba. me i-nnippinos, rorto Itlco. our colonial rol icy in general, tho Isthmian canal, war tax reduction, finance, the tariff every chairman of committee who has an Important measure to take in on the floor seeks the advice of the Senator from Wisconsin before doing so. As a lawyer and maker of laws, as a watchdog against the furtive slipping in of blunders, as a suggester of stronger and better methods, as a deviser of practical schemes which will meet existing conditions in the Senate and the country, he is without a peer in public life. The natural result despite himself, and not at all through his seeking is that his finger Is felt In nearly every big legislative pie. His Impress is more or less upon every policy. every great act. Somotimes his work is known to the country, as In his happy solution of tho isthmian canal problem, but oftener it is not. He cares not who gets the credit, so the work is done, and done right. All this is characteristic of Senator Spooner at every stage of his career. He has never engendered suspicion. He "was attorney for a rich railroad in Wis consin before his election to the United States Senate in 1885, bOt the poorest and most Insignificant man who knew him had unquestioning confidence In his honesty and courage. And when he was elected to the Senate over his old chief. General Lucius Falrchlld, whom he had served as private secretary in the Governor's office, there was "no bit terness, and General Falrchlld paid un hesitating tribute to the native talents and sturdy accomplishments of the new National character. But Senator Spooner's influence extends far beyond the United States Senate, as is shown by Mr. Wellman, In the following para grapn: If we now add that Mr. Spoonor's counsel is as eagerly sought at the White House as it is In the Senate, and a often accepted, we shall begin to understand the unique position which tho Wisconsin Senator holds in the American oovcrnment. While Mr. McKinley was Pros I dent, few weeks passed in which Mr. Spooner was not asueo. 10 me wnue House for consul tation. Tnrougnout tne trying days which lm mediately preceded the outbreak of the war with Spain, Mr. Spooner was one of the three or four advisers upon whom the hard-pressed President most eagerly leaned. Two or three of the scenes In the Cabinet-room at these evening conferences upon the weighty question of war or peace were of a dramatic character, and the manner In which Mr. Spooner demon strated his moral courage and patriotism on at least one occasion will bo worth a special chapter as soon a3 It shall be proper to pub llsh th inside history of that period. Three Presidents of the United States Harrison. Mc Klnley and Itoosevelt urged Mr. Spooner to accept places In their Cabinets. Part of Spooner's greatness is that he does not pose. He probably know. his strength, but he makes no spectacle of it. What other statesman have we had since the day of Lincoln who was so absolutely' content with well-doing And what a profound lesson he is to set before the salf-centered politicians of high and low degree the little actors that crowd every stage of life and ob sequlously seek "recognition," careless whether it be earned or not! J Retirement of Senator Spooner would be a National misfortune, whether vol untary or the result of partisan bicker ing. Wisconsin could not afford it, the Nation could not afford it. There will always be need for a man .of his breadth and culture and practical wisdom In the councils of his country. His range of vision is large, his grasp of details marvelous, he is resourceful, of modest bearing and of undoubted fidelity to high standards. Such men serve Ore gon as well as they do Wisconsin in promoting the National welfare, and there should be every encouragement to their retention in public life. Of course it is not to be said of Senator Spooner that he 13 Infallible, and there may be good reason to differ with him on some of the policies he advocates, but this may be said without in any manner questioning his patriotism or his genius for large affairs. THE RECEPTION OP THE BOERS. On Saturday next the Boer Generals Botha, Dewet and Delarey will arrive at Southampton and will be officially welcomed by the Colonial Office, Lord Kitchener and other prominent persons, and will witness the naval review. On Sunday they will be received by King Edward, and then will follow tenders of hospitalities from all sides. Of course. It is easy to say that this hearty reception of the Boer leaders Is due chiefly to far-sighted political sagacity. but this explanation is not necessary and will not endure examination. The Boer Generals are honorable men, quiet, sober. Intelligent and self-restrained. They have not consented to make peace without due reflection, and they do not need to have bouquets thrown to them to persuade them to keep the peace they have made. They appreciate the Importance of. cultivating good feeling between the Boers and the English Government, and they know that it would seem churlish to treat with contempt official courtesies that have their foundation In good sense, good will and sound statesmanship. They know tuat but for the English people under Elizabeth their Dutch an cestors would have been beaten in the struggle of the Netherlands against Spain; they know that twice In the present century England has stood be tween Holland and national extinction; they know that the English are a gal lant foe and a generous conqueror. Why should not theee intelligent Boer Gen erals accept the official and unofficial hospitality tendered them In a respon sive spirit as conducive to the growth of that good feeling between the Boera and the English that is on both sides felt to be desirable? John Bull has his faults; but on the whole he likes a brave, able and hon orable foe. The British .soldiers and sailors treated Bonaparte with most profound respect and admiration dur ing the voyage to St. Helena; the naval officers of the squadron were as courte ous to their fallen foe as if he had been their Admiral". The treatment of Napo leon by Sir Hudson Lowe excited so much Indignation In England that Lord Holland denounced It In Parliament, and so did the Duke of Sussex, one of the sons of George III. The Duke of Wellington gave Washington's picture the place of honor in his dining-room; the Duke of Wellington welcomed Mar shal Soult warmly on his visit to Eng land, and the people of London alwaj'3 gave the great French soldier hearty cheers when he went - abroad. Soult had fought the English in Spain from Corunna, in 1809, to Waterloo, in 1S15; he had been the right arm of Napoleon In France's fearful contest with Eng land, t But in fifteen years after Water loo all England cheers Soult with en thusiasm. The English cheered him because he was a stout soldier who had put up a great fight against an English army, a fight that made Wellington welcome him as a foe worthy" of Eng land's best steel. It is the same free masonry between stout soldiers that was manifested between Grant and Lee, between Sherman and Joe John ston. Brave men always feel this re spect for each other; brave nations can always afford to doff their caps to each other. And that Is all the craft there Is behind the official and unofficial hon ors tendered the Boer Generals on their arrival in England. In the case of Kruger It Is different. Kruger Is a man.of great courage and craft, a man.of superior native abilities, but Kruger fonced the Boer War upon England against the counsels of the Boer Generals who fought the war to Its conclusion. Kruger Is a compara tively Illiterate man, of low-bred notions of political and military honor, and but for his evil counsels the Boer War would never have taken place. It is easy to understand the difference of feeling with which this cunning old po litical gray fox, Kruger, is regarded by the English people, and the gallant military leaders of the Boers In bat tle. The English Government knows that but for Kruger's evil Influence the Orange Free State would never have at tacked Great Britain and his conspiracy would have failed at its birth; the Eng lish Government knows that Kruger overruled the counsels of General Jou bert and precipitated war by the In vaslon of Natal. The difference between the sentiment which the English Gov ernment and people entertain for Kru ger and that which they feel for the leaders of the Boer Army is something like the difference of feeling with which we regarded the original members of the secession conspiracy of 18S0-61 and the great Confederate soldiers who were noh secessionists, but were dragged by the current of events into support of secession. If the Boers prove them .selves to be as loyal and Industrious In peace as they have certainly proved themselves formidable In war. Great Britain will surely have no cause to re gret any pains she may take today to obtain and retain the good-will of the famous military leaders of the Trans vaal and the Orange Free State. Kru ger Is a toothless old Hon, who can only growl, and his growling, which did not prevent peace, will hardly serve to en danger Its present life. The Boer Gen crals will obey the natural Impulse to grasp the hand of friendly greeting ex tended to them by Lord Roberts, Lord Kitchener, by the leading statesmen of England, and by the King himself. FRANCE AND CHURCH SCHOOLS. It is not surprising that there Is some resistance In Brittany against the clos ing of the schools under the provisions of the religious associations law of the French Republic Recently the mill tary were unable to expel the Sisters at La Nouce in face of an armed on position, and peasants headed by Bre ton noblemen and landowners in sev eral places were reported as guarding convents. The Province of Brittany has always been devoted to the religious or ders, and was Intensely loyal to the church and the King against the first French Republic Out of Brittany came several of the famous leaders of- the royalist conspiracies against Napoleon. Intelligent Roman Catholics say that the harshest enforcement of French law is better than the condition of Catho lics In Germany. If all the schools of the congregations are closed. Catholic France vi have a liberty of teaching that is not enjoyed to the same extent In Germany by Catholics. France has more friars than Germany, for the Ger man law of 1887 re-enacts the banish ment of Jesuits and "similar orders." The "authorized orders" in Prussia and Germany are -subject to most burden some regulations. They require not only the government's permission, but are subject to the state's caprice. The French Republic does not author ize all the congregations, but those au thorized are not treated .In an arbitrary manner. For thirty years the Baden Catholics have been demanding the re turn of the male religious orders, but in vain. To this day no monk can cross the unfriendly .frontier of Baden, de spite the friendly vote of the Landtag. The law of 1S87 in Prussia still restricts the liberty of the Catholic seminaries, narrows the powers of the bishops and leaves all doors open for conflicts when ever the Kaiser shall change his whim or Prussia no longer feels the need of the aid of. Catholics and of Rome. All Prussian curates must be acceptable to the government, while In France the bishop can move his clergy about freely, save in the case of deans. The Roman Catholic correspondents of the American newspapers all agree that not only the French Republic Is far more liberal in Its treatment of the Roman Catholic clergy, but that Luther- anlsm Is dying in Germany compared with the vitality of Roman Catholicism In France. The present House has a membership of 357, with a Republican majority of 47. The House to be elected in Novem ber will consist of 386 members tinder the new apportionment. Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Arkansas, Colo rado, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Washington, West Vir ginia and Wisconsin gain one. each by the reapportionment. Minnesota, Mis souri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania gain two each, and New York, Illinois and Texas three each. Seventeen of the twenty-nine new places are In Republi can states. The Democratic Congres sional Committee predicts that the De mocracy will earn the House by at least thirty majority, while the Repub licans promise a majority of at least twenty-two. The Democrats expect to return four Democratic Congressmen from Massachusetts, but the Springfield Republican says the Democrats have only a fighting chance to carry more than two districts. The Democrats claim one of the five Congressmen from Connecticut, when Connecticut Is about as sure of sending a solid Republican delegation to Congress as Maine or New Hampshire. Labor disturbances may cost the Republicans a good many votes, as they did In 1892, when the Homestead disturbances were believed to have done much to defeat the Re publlcana The high prices of coal and meat and other necessaries may be fol- j lowed by the same political revolt that was provoked by the rising prices stim ulated by the McKinley tariff enact ment of 1890. But, on the other hand, labor is well employed, and the inde pendent press, which is on the whole favorable to the Democracy, confesses that the expected Is that the Republi cans will carry the House by a reduced majority. ' Last week the Catholic Total Absti nence Union held its thirty-first annual convention at Dubuque, la., having been organized at Baltimore In 1872. This Roman Catholic organization has a membership of 85,729. This society Is proud of the fact that the pope in a let ter to the clergy of the United States pronounced "the practice of total absti nence" to be "the proper and truly effi cacious remedy for the prevailing vice of drunkenness." "The more strongly will all be induced to put this bridle on the appetite," continued the head of the Roman Catholic Church, "the greater are the dignity and Influence of those who give the example." Accordingly, he admonished pastors to "do their best to drive the plague of Intemperance from the fold of Christ by assiduous preaching and exhortation, and to shine before all as models of abstinence." The National secretary of this society, the Rev. Alexander P. Doyle, looks for ward to the time when "drinking cuS' toms shall be made odious and the fre quentatlon of saloons shall grow to be disreputable." It Is certain that every where there Is Increasing abstinence or at least Increasing "temperance. Total abstainers, even among clubmen, are now becoming frequent. This Is due largely to the fact that business circles no longer tolerate the practice of tip pllng, and something perhaps to the fact that the increasing practice of ath letics has convinced young men other wise incredulous that the highest state of athletic perfection was Inconsistent with even a moderate use of alcohol The protest of a correspondent against having carpets and rugs cleaned upon a public street corner is well based. There Is an ordinance that forbids this practice. If we mistake not. If so. It is the duty of the Health Department to see that It Is enforced. There Is no other menace quite so dangerous to. health; and the possibilities of which are so disgusting to contemplate, as that connected with beating, shaking and airing carpets and rugs where the germs of tuberculosis and other dls eases only less appalling are liable to be given In impalpable dust to the air. ItA this practice prevails at the corner of Park and Hoyt streets, as charged by this correspondent, let it be stopped by the duly constituted authorities. Weat Teaching Wall Street. New York letter In Philadelphia Press. No one. here pretends to say that the Western contingent has exceeded Its rights so far, or that It has done anything which has the appearance of Illegality There are many In this city who rejoice somewhat that this Western contingent has disturbed the complacency, the self-satls faction, the sense of superiority in knowl edge, experience and position which have been characteristic of some men of influ ence who were corn in iscw loric, or who early came to this city. The feeling Is that It may do them good to learn that they do not monopolize all knowledge or all authority. In another way that lesson was learned at the time of the Civil War, when the greater generalship, that of those who compassed the victory in the end. was from men who came out of the then unconsidered vYcst. That leroon too, was learned In politics, supremely taught to Setfard. Evarts, Greeley and the New York polltielana of Influence of their day by Lincoln. Now It seems as though the same lesson Is to be taught to our financiers. . THE DIRECT PRIMARY. The Springfield Republican prints the following: letter from a correspondent In Minneapolis: "Some time sdnce I sought to restrain you from too arduous hoping In connec tion, with the new primary election and nominating invention which this town had the distinction of originating and giving its first trial. I sought to give the Idea that the whole town was not so carried away with the distinction as to prevent all of Its voters from withholding their heels from contact with the ground until the results should proclaim themselves; that a system which compelled the voter to wear a party straltjackct at the pri maries and led at once to the selling of -so much space by the newspapers In ad vertising the virtues of candidates might be Ideal to some minds, but couldn't catch the doubting Thomases offhand. "When the results of the primaries were made known, we found we had renomi nated for one county office a salaried offi cer against whom a suit was pending for appropriating some 510,000 of fees illegally. The suit was sidetracked for election pur poses, but the Supreme Court has finally ordered him to cash In. Another county officer was renominated and elected, and has been since removed from office for misappropriation of fees. The fact of his having since the exposure restored some $10,000 Is supposed to account for his es caping conviction at the trials which fol lowed. Both were Republicans. A candi date for District Judge was nominated by each party, either of whom would hardly have been chanced by the old-tlrae conventions. In the city the Mayor is head of the Police Department, and little more. The Common Council and several boards, to some of which the Mayor be longs, ex. officio, do the rest. Last term the Mayor was a Democrat, under whom the nollce had been confessedly better handled than for many years. It was, however, at this election considered essen tial to certain 'business Interests' to pre vent the re-election of Governor Llnd. who had showed a dangerous tendency to promote the assessment of 'privileges' at market rates, or at the same ratio thereto as Is paid by private property, and to do similar thlnus that might "unsettle values.' So, therefore, when 'Genial Doc tor' or 'Doc Ames announced his candl dacy for the Republican nomination for Mayor, there were wide mouths and eyes. for the candidate was not unknown, hav ing' served thrice as Mayor aforetime. There were even those among the voters who boldly declared that he had a surplus of reputation, and this sentiment was strong enough to lead to the nomination of an Independent candidate by petition gentleman with prohibition proclivities. A goodly majority, however, both at pri marles and polls, deemed It necessary to strengthen the party In every way In a Presidential year, and so we have tne Doc' for Mayor. "About his first official act was to re place an even half of the police force with his friends. A brother, a hero of the Philippine War. was made Chief. He shortly announced at a meeting of prominent club that he was about to cleanse the city pay-rolls of all but Re publican names, and that he had taken a prominent 'liberal divine (at the time on the platform) into political partnership with him. But now a grand Jury singu larly lacking In patriotism has been In session, a body to whom the good name of the ar , of the police, Is naught. cannot bring myself to tell why, but this Mayor, this Chief, and some half dozen 'captains and detectives have been indict ed, and they seem to be" convicted as fast as tried, too. "But we still have the new way of nom inating candidates." An Estimate of Tracy. St. Louis Globe-Democrat.. The Inglorious ending of the career of the convict and outlaw Tracy by suicide effectually deprived him of a place In the pantheon of crime. It may be assumed that he was effectually trapped, and that escape was Impossible. The worst that could happen to him was to be shot to death, or. It wounded and .taken alive, to be subsequently executed. A great crim inal would have taken the chance ot escaolns: the penalties of the law. Self- destruction was not a brave act In the circumstances; rather does It indicate an unexpected depth of moral and physical cowardice, which makes Tracy a very commonplace ruffian and deprives him of what little sympathy would have gone out to him had he taken "what was com ing to him" as a brave, if wicked, man should have done. He would not have shot himself if he had not been afraid he would not have been afraid if he had been a really great criminal. Very few sensational murderers are great criminals. Mostly they are coward ly brutes at heart. Tracy was no ex ceptlon. In killing himself he rendered society a service, but if he had been what he wanted to be considered he would have given society as much trouble as possible. If wounded beyond the power of further resistance he would have looked forward to the possibilities of de lays In his conviction, planned fresh escapes, and experienced a gruesome sat Isfactlon In the thought that his final exit from the world would be under con dltlons which most great criminals con slder highly creditable. He was not of the stuff which the heroes of crime are made of. In the last analysis he was despicable coward with the insatiable blood lust of a carnivorous beast. A Peer' Serenity. London News. Mr. W. L. Jackson, M. P., who now be comes a peer. Is remarkable for a slow. measured utterance and an Imperturbable serenity. hen he was Chief Secretary for Ireland he baffled the pertinacity of "Nationalist members at question time by repeating. In reply to supplementary questions, the answer which he had Just read to the question on the paper. Thus "The hon. member cannot have noticed the nature of my reply to the hon. mem ber for . My answer was ," and then he would read It again. Occasionally Mr. Jackson would get as far as a fourth or a fifth repetition, and would carefully state, to the general amusement, the num ber that he had reached. AH this was done with a perfect freedom from lmpa tlence and a masterly deliberation that were fully appreciated by a laughter-lov ing House. The Fleecer Fleeced. Life. "You have been victimized." we say to the honest rustic, who is proudly display Ing the gold brick he has brought home from the city. . "You have been victimized," we repeat, "This is but an imitation gold brick the man has sold you." "Sold me?" he repeats, shrewdly. "Sold? Well. I guess not. I traded him canta loupes for that." Laughing the merry, care-free laugh of conscious victory, he chirrups to old Dob bin, and goes on down the pike. Decay of British Society. London Rambler. Fifty years ago London society was se lect. Conversation was an art cultivated most carefuly. Every one had time to talk, and talked to the point. Politics were discussed judiciously, and women opinions wero received with attention There was none of the continual chaff that now makes up nearly the whole con versatlonal powers of most people, en tirely destroying real wit and humor. What Did He Expect t "This suit doesn't fit me at all," com plained the customer, dropping In at the shop tho next diy. "My dear sir," said the merchant tailor, "what do you suppose we keep a high priced London Journeyman here for?' Uncle Jerry. "I notice," said Uncle Jerry Peebles "that William J. Bryan keeps on howlln' calamity and pocketln' prosperity." THE CABLE AGREEMENT. Chicago Post. Congress made no mistake -when it re jected the bill for an "all-American Gov ernment cable to Hawaii, China and the Philippines. The advocates of Govern ment construction and operation objected to a private cable system on various grounds, but their strongest argument was the danger of extortion and abuse of monopolistic power. It Is, however, al ways possible for the grantor of a special or exclusive franchise to protect the pub lic against oppression and abuse. Prl- ate enterprise Is not to blame for the un satisfactory results of the present system of managing public utilities. Popular rights and interests are often neglected or deliberately sacrificed by corrupt leg islators, but this does not discredit the principle of private enterprise (duly and reasonably regulated) in the field of public utilities. The proposition of the Pacific Cable Company, as 'modified by the Attorney General and the President, Insures infi nitely better terms and conditions than Government cable could possibly have Involved. The company gets no subsidy, no financial aid of any sort, from the Gov ernment. It Is to have access to the sur veys and soundings of tho Navy Depart ment, and of courso the Government will undertake the protection of the landing places against foreign attack. This latter guaranty Is a mere matter of form, for in any case the Government owes and gives such protection to American citi zens. The proposed contract confers no new privileges upon the company in this direction. On the other hand, the comoanv binds itself to complete the system by Januarv 1, iaoa; to land the cable on American soil only; to give priority to Government bust ness; to surrender control to the Govern ment In times of National emergency: to sen tne system to the Nation at any time on appraisal by five arbitrators: to enter Into no combination for the purpose of arbitrarily regulating rates; to charge not more than 50 cents a word to Honolulu and Jl a word to Manila, and to give the Government half rates on all official mes sages. There are other stipulations, which tance. Surely even the unconscious "Natlonall- zatlonlsts' will admit the excellenco of this arrangement. The sen-Ice will be better In every respect than under Gov ernment operation, and the evils of private monopoly are obviated by the necessary degree of control. Consrress may suggest additional stipulations, but ia luieruuiy eaie to predict tne ratifica tion of this equitable and businesslike agreement. Here is a valuable nhinet lesso nto franchise grabbers and to Na tionalization's and munlclpallzatlonists. xnere is a goiaen mean between nnresrii lated private monopoly and Government monopoly. Purltnnlxm In Literature. Macmlllan's MumjIiip What has been the i-nite nt tvi t,, innuence upon American literature as 1 whole? If yet but half divplnnpd tVi! lit eraiure certainly exists, and the first and most POWeriUl influence which Yiaa mnMul Its youth has. been th nii.naiimuA shadow of that austere Calvinism which has affected. If not on the nirfiu least by undercurrents, the work of well- nign every writer who was born under its Dan. borne or Its effects hnve indeod been excellent. One la rortnin mnni cleanness which distinguishes the works 01 American writers over those of every other nation, and stands nut- n morinui contrast to much of the literature of England and still more of thit of the continent, But on the other hand Purl tanlsm has much to answer for To tta Influence can be traced many of the de lects tnat are ooservablo In American lit erature. In that literature in general mere is little that Is rich or rare, too much thit Is commonplace and simple. Cold Calvinism has chilled the Imagina tion, and it Is only where thn wii-mo- blood of the South has had play, as In .foe or i,anier, that a more generous "color has been given to the work. A Lincoln Story. Chicago News. One day In the Summer of 1857 Ahrahnm Lincoln was sitting in his office when he was visited by one of his neighbors, an excellent larmer, out one inclined to In crease the size of his crops even after harvesting. He had given on this par ticular morning a skillfully padded ac count of the hay iie had put In. "I've been cutting hay. too." remarked ivrr Lincoln. "Why, Abe. are you farming?" ies. n na; you raise7" "Just hay." "Good croD this vear?" "R-roiion "How many tons?" "Well, t dnnf know Just how many tons, Simpson, but ray men siacKea ail tney. could outdoors and then stored the rest In the barn." PERSONS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT. Adellna Pattl is among: those who enc-ne-ort seats for the Wagner performances at Bayreuth mis monu. The best-paid native opera-Mnger in Russia is tho tenor, Ssoblnoff. He gets 24.000 rubles a year about as much as Jan de Reszke gets in America in tnree weeks. A Paris Journal relates that Prince Metter nlch once asked Jules Jantn for his autograph. Janin took a sheet of, paper and wrote over his signature: "Good for a hundred bottles of Johannesburg, to be placed in my cellar." The Prince sent them. An attempt Is being made by O. P. Austin, chief of the Bureau of Statistics In the Treas ury Department, to Improve the collection ot domestic trade statistics. Dr. J. T. Crowell. an expert attached to the bureau, has been sent to some of the principal cities to confer with members of boards of trade and others as to the establishment of improved methods. Judge Nathan GofT. who has Just denied the application for writs of habeas corpus In the cases of tho miners who were sent to Jail for contempt by Judge Jackson, has been a Fed eral Judge since 1802. In 1881 Judge Goff was appointed Secretary of the Navy. He was a member of Congress for four terms, and was twice a candidate for Governor of West Vir ginia. He is 39 years old. He Is a Republican. Of the 10.500 kilometers covered by Sven Hedln on his recent tour, 0000 were through regions never before explored. He brought home more than 3000 photographs. It will take him two years to work up his literary material, first In a book of travel for the general public. then In scientific treatises. In the meantime he has been asked to lecture before all the lih portant geographical societies in Europe. After finishing his books he intends to start at once on a new voyage of discovery In Central Asia. Too Late. "Dowglas, Dowgla. tendlr and treu." Dinah Maria Mulock Craik. Could ye come back to .me. Douglas, Douglas, In the old likeness that I knew, I would be so faithful, so loving. Douglas, Douglas, Douglas, tender and true. 1 Never a scornful word should grieve ye, I'd smile on ye sweet as the angels do; Sweet as your smile on me phone ever, Douglas, Douglas; tender and true. Oh. to call back the days that are not! My eyes were blinded, your words were few; Do you know the truth now, up In heaven, Douglas, Douglas, tender and true? , I never was worthy of you. Douglas; Not half worthy the like of you; Now all men beside seem to me like ehadowa- I lovo you. Douglas, tender and true. Stretch out your hand to me. Dougla?, Douglas, Drop forglvenes from heaven like dew; As I lay my heart on your dead heart. Douglas. Douglas, Douglas, tender and true! On Woman. v Oliver Goldsmith. When lovely woman stoops to folly And finds too late that men betray Wha't charm can soothe her melancholy. What art can wash her guilt away? The only art her guilt to cover. To hide her shame from every eye. To give repentance to her lover And wring hla borom. ia to die. The Prizefighter. "Washington Star. That mighty Idol of our youth. How pltously it quakes! For when he taks he speaks untruth. And when be fights he fakes. NOTE AND COMMENT. It never rains in Oregon in dry weather. No hat Is too disreputable-looking to be a Panama- Tracy has been Identified; but have any of his pictures? The Boers are to be lionized with the British lion outside. Kitchener is now a hero. That's noth ing. Just remember Lord Roberts. Wonder if the Lewis and Clark board Is looking for a site up Salt Creek? Another of Abraham Lincoln's close friends has died, but that does not dimin ish the number. Of course, the Haytlan cable hasn't been cut. How could there be a revolu tion In Haytl without it? "Baffled, but not beaten." may take a man no nearer the north pole than the Presidency. Ask Bryan. We trust that the Fair site, the fire- boat and the Alaska steamship line aro not among the junk issues. If tO be a Private citizen the- hlirheat honor of an American, lust think to what ,degredatlon Bryan has stooped. The mall is fast, the telephone Is faster. but swearing is Instantaneous, and even then you have to wait for central for an answer. The only way to reduce armaments !s by means of more armaments. It la a simple question of survival ot the strong est armaments. Union coal strikers were reported as having resolved to cut oft the ears of "scabs." But would they make their vic tims deaf to reason? Perhaps the farther off we go for a Fair site the better. But it was the knocker who said that distance would lend enchantment. ' We find that neither the farmers nor the railroads are to blame, so, of course, it must be the exporters. Yes, let's give it to the exporters. Some I-told-you-so hopgrowers would not have been so wise had prices gone down Instead of up or perhaps they would have been wiser. It Is said that Funston did not swim tbe river. Now we understand how he was a hero and let others talk about it. The mystery Is cleared up. Although Citizen Bryan is not a candi date, he would have the party know that it shall have no other candidate before him. Everybody ia warned to keep off his sphere of Influence. The Boston Transcript declares that there have been "too many expositions, and that the country has had a surfeit of them." Perhaps we shall be saying the same thing after our Lewis and Clark affair Is over. Four American teachers in Cuba have been killed by the natives. Evidently the natives have the making of good citi zens. Of course, they went beyond the limit of the American youth, but they will learn better by benevolent assimila tion. If Governor Geer could think of a way to boll down those votes' that wero marked (mechanically) for him on the Australian ballot Into votes for Geer on the roll-call in the joint session of the Legislature, he doubtless would be get ting the pot ready for the fire. But those votes are too unsubstantial for inspira tion. The Standard Oil Company threatens to move Its big tanks from Portland If the city crowds it outside the city. Of course, such a threat Is a stunning one. If the City of Portland should burn up altogether. It wouldn't matter, for we should still have the Standard Oil Com pany with us. By all means don't let the company move out, eevn If It threat ens to do so. Cuba submitted to the Piatt amendment limiting its independence on conditio .1 that the United States give trade con cessions. The United States has broken its agreement, but persists in keeping Cuba bound. This Is the whole situation in a nutshell. Cuba, of course, owes everything to Uncle Sam, but that does not excuse Uncle Sam's failure to Jive up to his contract. Treacher and murder of our soldiers In the Island of Mindanao, with every circumstance of atrocity and horror, are again reported. Yet when our people there retaliate and punish such acts, an outcry goes up from our pseudo-philanthropic antls. Cruelties doubtless have been committed by our soldiers. In retali ation for acts a hundred times more numerous and atrocious which they and friendly natives have suffered, but in al most every state of thte enlightened and compassionate country lynchlngs hava been reported within recent years mora horrible than anything charged against our soldiers In the Philippines. The for bearance and huraan'ty of our soldiers, under trying circumstances, have been great. Indeed. PLEASANTRIES OF PATtAGItAPHERS His Object. Cltlman I see you raise your own vegetables. Suburbanite No! I simply plant a small garden so as to keep the chick ens at home. Life. Hard Lines. "What did your old undo leave?" "A lot ofjdlegusted relatives, and a Jubilant young widow we'd never heard of be fore." Philadelphia Press. "Yes, Biggins Is going to send his daughter across the water for her voice." "Thinks it will be cultivated In Europe?" "No; he's got an Idea that maybe she'll lose It on the way.'' Baltimore News. Fame. "Why do you think your town Is en titled to distinction?" asked the tourist, "Be cause, stranger," responded the native, "wo barred out automobiles and refused a Cameglo library." Chicago Dally News. He I thought you used to have a rarrot? She We did. "What's become of It?" "Dead." "What was the matter?" "Oh. we lived so close to the golf links I guess the poor thing died of envy-" Tonkers Statesman. Early Hours. City Boarder (at farmhouse) Do you still use candles here?" Mr. Hay seed No. slrree. In the Winter we use a lamp. Don't need It In Summer, you know. It's bedtime before It glta dark. New York Weekly. "May the Wing of Friendship Never Moult a Feather." "Did you remember to call and In quire after dear Mrs. Boreham?" "Yes; but I quite forget what the answer as." '"That's of no consequence. I'm so glad, you Inquired." . Punch. Sapient Suggestion. "If we dig this canal across the Ithmus," Inquires the erudite Sena tor, "what will we do when a volcano begins erupting alongside the right of way? "Turn the canal Into the volcano," suggests the prac tical Senator. Judge. The Right Man. Mr. Oldsport So you want to marry my daughter, eh? Do you drink? Young Uptodate Like a fish. Mr. Oldsport Smoke and gamble, too. I suppose. Young Up todate Certainly, sir. Mr. Oldsport Then taka her. by all means, my boy. She and her mother will now give up trying to -reform ma when you're around. Brooklyn Life.