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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 1902)
THE MORNING OEEGONIAN, MONDAY, DECEMBER' 29, '1902. .Entered at the Postofflce at Portland, Oregon Mcond-class matter. t x18 SUBSCRIPTION BATES. By al&ll (postage prepaid. In advance) Ptlly. with Sunday, permon'h ...J 85 Dally. Sunday S tS peaVV. 7 50 Dally, vita Sunday, per year..... 9 00 Sunday, per year ."-.. . 2 00 The Weekly, per yeaVV.V.V.V.'.V.VlV. . . . . ISO The Weekly, a montha!.m.I!ir. 50 To City Subscribers-: TvtnS 13 devered. Sunday excepted.!5c DaUy. per week, delivered, Sunday lncluded.20c POSTAGE RATES. United States, Canada and Mexico: JO to 14-page paper lc U to 2S-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. dtocusa'ia Intended for publication In The Ortgonlan should be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to adver tising, subscription or to any business matter should be addressed simply "The Oregonlan." Eastern Business Ofllce, 43. 44. 45. 47. 48. 40 Tribune building. Jfew York City; 010-11-12 Tribune building, Chicago; the S. C. Beckwlth Special Agency, Eastern representative. For sale in Son Francisco by L. E. Lee. Pal ace Hotel news etand; Goldsmith Broa.. 233 Sutter street; F. W. Pitts, 1O0S Market street; J. K. Cooper Co., 740 Market street, near the Palace Hotel; Foster & Orear, Ferry news stand; Frank Scott, SO Ellis street, and N. Wheat! ey, S13 Mission street. .0r fle la 1,03 Angeles by B. F. Gardner, 0 South Spring street, and Oliver & Haines, 805 South Spring street. For sale in Kansas City. Mo., by RIcksecker C1ar Co., XInth and "Walnut streets. For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co.. 217Pearborn street, and Charles MacDonald. 63 Washington street. For sale In Omaha by Barkalow Bros., 1C12 Farnam street; Megeath Stationery Co., 1308 Farnam street. For-fale ln Salt Jjeiko by thc Salt Lake News Co. 77 West Second South street. For sole ln Minneapolis by R. G. Hearsey & Co.. 24 Third street South. For aale in Washington, D. C, by the Ebbett House news stand. For sale in Denver. Colo., by Hamilton & 2?M 000-012 Seventeenth street; Louthan J011 Book and Stat,onery Co., Fifteenth and Lawrence streets; A. Series. Sixteenth and -urtU streets. TODAY'S WEATHER Occasional rain, with southerly winds. YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum tem perature, 41; minimum temperature, 33; pre cipitation, none. PORTLAND, MOXDAY, DEC. 29, 1902. THE CURRENCY REFORM BILLS. "We have received copies of the cur rency bills offered ln the House by Rep resentative Fowler, of New Jersey, and Representative Pugsley, of New York, and are able to form a much more Intel ligent estimate of their provisions and I probable value than was possible from xne very inadequate summary carried ln the press dispatches. Mr. Putrslev's is the more practical and safe, Mr. Fow ler's the more- valuable as an educa tional agency, and possibly for that rea son It Is to be preferred in spite of its penis. The purpose of the two bills is the same an emergency, or, better, a sun plemental currency, and the methods of getting this added circulation out are -very much alike. The radical difference between them is in getting the circula tion back when It Is no longer needed. This is the supreme test of banking re form. Redundancy is infinitely more to be feared than stringency. With our icc-cui. tuuumuun at almost S3U per capita, we are today ln more peril from jnnation than from scantiness. Green back Inflation hurt us up to 1879. Silver i.ii.ii i j ai . . ., jnuauuu uu me storm oi jlo3. a re dundant currency drives oua gold and fcneurages extravagant speculation, while for a limited currency supply there are a hundred automatic amellor ative agencies of Treasury, clearing houses and private ingenuity. It may be laid down as a safe proposition that a supplemental circulation, however se cured, easy to get out but cumbrous and costly of retirement, would do more harm than good. Mr. Fowler's proposal is for a supple mentary note issue by National banks, equal to 25 per cent of paid-up capital, unsecured except by a guarantee fund of 5 per cent, and a tax of one-half per cent on their outstanding value. The cotes are a first lien upon the assets of the bank. Mr. Pugsley proposes a sup plementary issue equal to 10 per cent of the face value of the bank's bond secur ity, and another supplementary Issue, by banks having a surplus fund of 20 per cent, equal 'to 20 per cent of capital upon specific security, not necessarily Government bonds. We understand that Mr. Fowler's bill is estimated to release some $180,000,000 of notes, and Mr. Pugs ley's some $150,000,000. As will be seen, there Is little to choose between the methods of Issue. Experience and the ory forbid a question as to the safety and acceptability of every dollar of the Fowler or the Pugsley bank notes. The difference is as to their retirement when redundant. In this respect Mr. Pugsley goes direct to the mark. He taxes the circulation 3 and 4 per cent, orders its retirement in any event within twelve months after Issue, and places peremptory retirement in the power of the Secretary of the Treasury at any time. These provisions ere adequate, probably too drastic. The tax alone would be better. A bank will hesitate to go to the expense of a cur rency of so precarious a life. Mr. Fowler taxes the notes no higher than ordinary notes bear under the amended law of March, 1900. He wisely facilitates their retirement by freeing month limitation of the National bank ing law. But his chief reliance and the most interesting and Important feature of his bill is the redemption machinery lie introduces, a faint Imitation of the famoue Suffolk system, which is the I beatific vision of nearly all currency re- lorraers. tavu. oiuiit. is to redeem its own notes in gold, and no bank can pay out over its counter the notes of any bank outside its own redemption dis trict. It must send them to a bank in their redemption district or to some bank ln its own redemption city. The manifest idea is to drive the notes back to their own bank of issue and indirectly force their retirement as soon as urgent need for them has expired. It is idle to attempt to predict what the effect of these bills or either of them would be In practice, although their au tnors turn iiiu ununciai experts are ready with enthusiastic and unhesitat $cg assurances. We have but to reflect -upon the complexity of the problem and the unascertained influence of new ele ments to be Introduced to see how pre carious must be any prophecy. Either the Pugsley or the Fowler notes would inject Into the circulation a new and .strange form of- currency, as good as gold, no doubt, but discredited by un familiar and untried discriminations of its term of life and its availability. The ideal of the currency reformer is a note that is not too good to be hurried upon .occasion to its maker; but an ideal banking currency is one-thing and heterogeneous currency with a part of it limited to local redemptive potency tnd the rest unlimited In practice if cot in theory are two entirely different things. The least popular aversion to these new hills would powerfully dis-. courage thelr emission, whereaa a. uni versal acceptance of them and indis criminate minglkig ln the general circu lation would tend to defeat Mr. Fow ler's redemption idea or to render abort ive Mr. Pugsley's precipitate retirement. There is no trouble about redemption of bank notes where the business com munity Is used to it But the financial habits, confidences and prejudices of the people are not to be overcome by mere act of Congress. THE NEW YEAR MOOD. The best Item in yesterday's issue of The Oregonian was the symposium of New Year thoughts by prominent Port- landera It could have been made better In only one way, and that is by the addition of a few articles by Portland women. "We hope some of the great hearted and big-brained women of Port land will .begin right away upon an arti cle for The Oregonian to be printed at holiday time a year from now, for they will certainly be called on. There is only one thing in this world better than the advice and companionship of a good man, and that is the advice and com panionship of a good woman. Mean while, we urge all who have not already done so to take a few minutes and read the short articles referred to in The Sun- day Oregonian. It is a most Impressive exhibit ln the deep things of human life when men of the world llf V up the veil behind which social convention hides them and give us a glimpse of their secret thoughts, their view of the great problem of hu man destiny, their Idea of how to make the most of life. These utterances, upon each of which is stamped the Impress of sincerity and of spiritual energy, how ever spasmodic, are of no mean value, for they represent the result of a soul's hard battle with the storms and te tations of life. Our only hope of prog- ress in anything worth while on the journey of life lies in availing ourselves of the experience of others. It should mean much to us. therefore, that Gov ernor Chamberlain, busy lawyer and politician as he is, undertakes to make the world better by chiding the tongue of malice and bespeaking the cheering word for the little heroisms we see around us every day; when Judge Will iams, from his almost SO years of ac quaintance with American life, speaks out to condemn the father who spends his evenings from home; when Arch bishop Christie and Rabbi Wise select for their lesson the all too lightly re garded value of each precious passing hbur; when Dr. Eliot and Dr. Hill reflect their own solemn, impression of Individ- ual sponsibillty; when the supreme pla of moral energy appeals to such extremes of philosophy as Dr. Hutchin son's and Thomas Strong's; when Chief of Police McLauchlan finds it ln him to denounce those whited sepulchers of so ciety who rally to the defense and pro tection of those human parasites, the unspeakable male outcasts of the half- world The Instructive thing about these New Year sermons Is the sharp contrast they afford to the general tenor of dally life. They are pitched upon a high key of serious thought. We are all apt to be materialists, some of us for six days In the week only, some of us for 364 days in the year. We have one philosophy of selfishness self-assertion, self-seek Ing, self-gratification, which we live by; and another philosophy of New Year's day. which we dream by. Well, which Is the better? Probably every man and woman who reads these little sermons will admit that the mood of the New Year resolution is a loftier mood than that of the materialistic philosophy in which our days are so largely cast. Pudd'n'head Wilson says that April 1 is the day that reminds us what fools we are on the other 364. May we not say that January 1 is the day that reminds us on how low a plane the other 364 are spent? The prominent men in any com munity are few for whom the spiritual life has not a real existence, and who never look toward it with longing and self-condemnation. It should be every man's ideal to make his New Year Ideal his every-day ideal. This can only come, as Judge Pipes says, by making it a habit. Some of the contributors to The Oregonian's symposium have realized that ideal. We shall not single them out, but more eloquent and convincing sermons than anything they could write are their lives ln this community, - an open book, consistent with their creeds. A GAP IN IMMIGRATION WORK. The Harriman immigration bureau can do a certain kind of work very ef fectively. It can find the people who want new homes and tell them where they may better their condition and how to go there; it may compile and distrib ute "literature" and organize lecture bureaus and give stereoptlcon shows that direct attention to the new country and even arouse a measure of curiosity. But all thl9 will fall short of convincing the incredulous home- seeker. Cheap railroad rates that will enable the man of family to make a personal examination of the promised land at small cost will go far to supple ment the advertising work of the bureau and increase its efficiency. But much interest and a measure of confidence must be established before this stage of immigration activity is reached. A conspicuous need of the service is adequate representation of this country by agencies not seeking or reaping pri vate gain. This Was shown in a letter from Mr. J. J. Reasor, printed the other day, in which he spoke of the good re sults from circulating the New Year's Oregonlan in the Mississippi Valley, and a similar sentiment appeared yesterday morning in the report' of the Secretary of State i of Washington, who recom mended a large issue of the handbook of statistics that had been found of great value ln directing attention to that state. When some Institution or authority not interested particularly in selling real es tate or otherwise getting direct profit from immigration puts forth such Infor mation it commands, more confidence than would the same matter issued by Immigration agencies or chamber of trade or county societies. In other words, the homeseeker is a wary bird and he fears a barb in everything that looks like a bait. He wants information rather than advertising matter. A book complied for circulation at home, giving an authentic account of social and Industrial progress for some definite period and a statement of gen- eral conditions, would be the very best immigration document possible to send out. It would be something more than a mere catalogue of the advantages found here. What will inform our home people will Inform outsiders. Such a compilation made carefully and in good faith would not.be aubject to the dls- count that usually attaches to "boom i literature." It would be of value at women were. to act together ln the mat home and abroad, and It would do al ter they wouldsoon attain their end, work in the immigration field that could hardly be done -otherwise. Not only would it inspire confidence where doubt now abides, but it would prepare home- seekers for the actual conditions they are called upon to meet in the new coun try and thus contribute to the content ment and prosperity of the new citizens. HARRIMAN OX PACIFIC TRADE. President Harriman, of the Union Pa cific,- the man who Is responsible for the present Jack of facilities for handling the Oriental trade out of this port, is quoted by a San Francisco paper as fol lows: T.he great central highway across the conti nent, ending at San Francisco, must and will carry the bulk of the traffic to and from the Orient. We shall tunnel the Sierra and build a straight road from Chicago to San Francisco, the New York of the Pacific Coast. It will be as good a road as the Pennsylvania road to Chicago. That will be the world's highway be tween the Atlantic and the Orient. It is our duty now to see that the business naturally passing through the central part of the country is not diverted to its borders. The recent severe "jar" sustained by Mr. Harriman and his associates by the fight that was put up by our enterpris ing neighbors on the north, over the awarding of the Government freierht contract to a Seattle firm, may convince that financial genius that the "borders" of our country contain not only busi- ne9 - Dut Business rustlers The above statement undoubtedly reflects Mr. Har- riman s attitude on the transportation problem in this city, but the wisdom of such a policy Is questionable. In his ef fort to build up San Francisco at the expense of the rest of the Pacific Coast, Mr. Harriman is in a fair way to lose some pretty good traffic. The present policy seems to be to drain everything possible out of Oregon and divert It to San Francisco. Some of our business, however, prefers the "borders" to the route which Mr. Harriman has provided fr "s. and ln the absence of , any outlet to the Orient over a Harriman steam ship line, our shippers are sending their freight to Puget Sound. This month they have sent more out of Harriman territory to be carried to the Orient by rival lines than was car ried by Mr. Harrlman's own line. By- depriving us of a service adequate for the demands of the trade, Mr. Harriman in a measure stifles trade in this terri tory, but he gains nothing by such a policy himself, for he secures none of the business for the terminus of his highway that "must and will" carry the bulk of the Oriental traffic. The as sumption of the railroad -magnate that there can be but one highway across the continent indicates a rather narrow view oz a pretty wioe country. ine limita- tions tnus placed on a Dig country are on a parity with those expressed a num ber of years ago in the statement that "the Almighty's jurisdiction never ex tended west of the Mississippi" or "never a law of God or man got north of fifty-three." The fallacy of the Har riman Idea is proven by the steady ex pansion of the northern ports and the corresponding decline or lack of growth in the California metropolis. Another thing which Mr. Harriman should not overlook ln eliminating all other ports from the Oriental traffic is the fact that Oregon end Washington turn out more products which nnd a market in the. Orient than can be se cured from the State of California, and one of the richest dividend-payers on his entire system is the O. R, & N. Co., which should be essentially a Portland road. The business interests of this city are slow and conservative, patient and long-suffering, but after they have been trodden on sufficiently they will follow the example of the worm, and turn. When they do, Mr. Harriman will find a railroad with Portland capital behind it going into Southeastern Oregon, another into the Big Bend, and still another into the, Clearwater. These roads will be projected for busi ness and not for .bluffing purposes, and they will bring enough additional traffic to Portland to induce the operation of a steamship line to the Orient with a schedule of sailings -sufficiently fre quent to suit others besides the operat ors of rival linea Mr. Harrlman's ex pression of favoritism for the "center" of the country as a route for trade is not particularly happy. Trade fre quently runs ln eddies, and the center of an eddy is always dead, while the borders" are particularly active. MONTANA WOMEN AND THE BAL LOT. Women of Montana are about to at tempt; again to get an equal suffrage amendment to the constitution. They already have greater franchise rights than their sisters In most of the states, but the example of the adjoining State of Wyoming moves them to another campaign for full recognition in the con stitution. The Legislature to convene next Monday will be asked to authorize submission of the amendment to the vot ers. In that state the approval of only one Legislature Is necessary to put proposed amendment before the voters; In Oregon two Legislatures must ap prove before such a measure may go to the general election. There Is no evidence of marked change of sentiment in Montana since prevlous efforts in the direction of woman suffrage were made. The mat ter In 1SS9 was before the constitutional convention, which rejected all woman suffrage proposals. In 1895, and again two years later, the Legislature refused to send such proposed amendments to the people. There is scarcely room for doubt that the same fate awaits the new resolution. Women of Montana may now vote at all school district elections, and women taxpayers have the right to vote upon all questions submitted to the taxpayers of the state or any division thereof. But the privilege that is with held is just the one, of course, that is most eagerly desired by the "equal suf frage" party. The record of Pacific Coast States is. not one to inspire much hope for full woman suffrage. Washington as a ter ritory had perfectly equal suffrage, but it was rejected from the new constitu tion at the polls in 1889, and in 1898 the Legislature refused to authorize submis sion again. California defeated a woman suffrage amendment In 1396, and the next year the Legislature refused to submit the question to another popular vote. The voters of Oregon defeated proposals to amend the constitution for women ln 1895, and again in 1900, and in 1901 the Legislature declined to submit the question. The movement has made co progress in these states in recent years, if, in deed, it has held its own. While there is sufficient gallantry among our Legis lators to get the questions submitted to the voters at frequent intervals, the pop- ular will Is invariably registered against the universal suffrage so yearned for by certain of the women. If all the for they constitute a large part of the public whose sentiment is not to be ig nored. But most of the women stand with most of the men in the belief' that full suffrage for women at this time is undesirable, and while this sentiment prevails it is useless to fight spectacular campaigns for the same old goal, defeat. The general outlines have been made public of the provisions .of the treaty just negotiated between Cuba and the United States. In return for the gen eral 20 per cent reduction on Cuban Im ports into this country, Cuba agrees to give not less than a uniform tariff re duction of 20 per cent on all American grown or American-made articles ex cept tobacco. A number of articles, in cluding pottery, salt fish, copper-made machinery, iron and steel glass, cotton and some cotton goods, ships and boats, whisky and brandy, ore to have the benefit of 25 per cent reduction; while a reduction of 30 per cent is to be ac corded to a list of articles, which in cludes cutlery, shoes and platedware; and a 40 per cent reduction is to include watches, umbrellas, knit goods and pre served fruits. During the operation of the last reciprocity treaty with Cuba our exports thither, which were com posed of provisions, breadstuffs, manu factured goods, coal, coke and oil, began to assume large dimensions before they were interrupted by the outbreak of the insurrection. Our imports from Cuba were proportionately large, Including 949,778 long tons of sugar in the fiscal year 1894. This constituted about one- half of our total consumption of sugar at that time. Our Imports of Cuban to bacco reached their highest figure in the fiscal year 189G, when they amounted to considerably more than one-third of the total value of our domestic tobacco crop. In the fiscal year 1893 we Import ed fruits and vegetables from Cuba to the value of about $2,500,000. We are disposed to agree with the conclusion of the New York Journal of Commerce, that with the permanent restoration of Cuba to the path of industrial progress and the new treaty of reciprocity it Is safe to assume that the trade of eight or ten years ago will shortly be exceeded, and that Cuba will once more become for the United States an extensive and profitable market. The exports of domestic products for the eleven months ending with Novem ber are, ln round numbers, $139,600,000 less than they were for the correspond ing period of last year, and are lower than In any recent year since 1897. By far the largest share ln the- falling- off Is accounted for by the decline in bread stuffs, which show a value for the eleven months of only $168,255,856, as against $252,567,046 for the corresponding period of 1901. The export of cattle and hogs has declined from $32,000,000 to $20,000,'- 000, and that of provisions from $172, 000,000 to $147,000,000. Cotton shows a smaller ratio of shrinkage, but the value exported was less by $14,000,000 than ln 1901, and by $26,600,000 than In 1900- Even mineral -oils share ln the general decline, having dropped from $65,000,000 in 1901 to $60,000,000 in 1902. The one item of our export of provisions in which there has been any notable In crease Is that of canned beef, which has advanced from $4,470,027 in 1901 to $7,284,179 in 1902. But in bacon there has been a decided decline, and in lard a somewhat less marked one, while the exports of hams remain about station ary, and fresh and salted pork are also on the down grade. The returns for the eleven months bring out ln still stronger relief the gradual disappearance of our dairy products from the export table, the value of our butter sent abroad having dropped from $3,751,957 ln 1901 to $1,420,653 in 1902, and that of cheese showing a decline from $2,835,774 to $1,896,363. Two-thirds of all the but ter and cheese exported in the last, eleven months went through the port of New York. While It Is said to be the policy of the State Land Department to refund, with interest, money received on school land purchases that are defeated through mineral adjudication, It Is nevertheless true that In many instances complete refund Is not made. If a purchaser give the state his notes for deferred pay ments and pays Interest on those notes, as well as the principal when due, the state will not recognize his claim for interest money thus paid. He must lose that absolutely. And the state also fre quently declines to pay the 5 per cent Interest on the principal, on the assump tion that the purchaser knew the law and took the risk. The injustice of this position would be apparent even if the state should not contribute to the wresting process by which its own con veyances are avoided. But when It does thu9 contribute, no terms fit the state's attitude truer than bad faith and dis honesty. California and Texas are learning from the Pacific Northwest how to get settlers. California has had tourists in abundance, but the settlers, the home bulldera, the tillers of the soil, have favored the Northwest. The Southwest has been rather sleepy until recently. But it is waking up, and the St Louis gateway, opening directly into that coun- try, is letting large numbers of lmml- grants into Texas and Oklahoma. Many are also going, through New Orleans. Oregon will not get Its share of the im migration of the West without entering Into active competition for it. Oregon must make itself known In a way that will command the confidence of home- seekers. As a part of a vigorous campaign against tuberculosis, the Austrian gov ernment contemplates building fresh-air sanitariums where the children of the poor can be treated without charge. The buildings will be erected on high ground in the forest districts around "Vi enna, within 'easy reach of the city. Pure milk will be a special feature of the diet of patients, "Vienna holds the highest death rate from tuberculosis of all cities in Europe, and it is believed these fresh-air and practically open-air Institutions will prove valuable allies in fighting a disease which, as all experi ence shows, cannot be subjugated by medicine. . . .In deciding a suit upon a franchise tax, Justice Brewer, of the United States Supreme Co.urt, said: "Whatever prop erty Is worth for the purpose of Income and sale, It is also worth for the purpose of taxation. To deny the existence of intangible property is to insult the com mon intelligence of every man." In an other case Chief Justice Fuller, of the same court, held that the value of a franchise Is found by adding the market value of the stock and bonds and de- ducting the assessed value of the tangl I ble property. Herein Is a valuable sug- I geetioa for Oregon, legislators. SPIRIT OF THE NORTHWEST PRESS f Thinks It Only Proper. Albany Herald. A Salem saloonkeeper is distributing tur keys among the poor people of that city. This Is only right, as the saloons are con siderable of a factor in keeping many people poor. Thinks He Is Strong;. Newberg Graphic. Mr. Pulton is probably the most popular man who could be elected, and at the same time a man whose ability matches his popularity. Factional politics1 should not be allowed Ho cheat Oregon out of sending a strong man to represent her with Senator Mitchell ln the upper House of Congress. Perils of Perpetual Hostility. Vancouver Columbian. The Oregonlan devoted a column Sunday to the matter of the nude in art, referring to the picture recently placed in the White House at Washington. The big dally says It is all right to have such pictures around and pays the artists a great testimonial. It is no more right to exhibit the picture of a nude person on canvas, printed to nature, than it is to let people walk around without clothes on. TheTe Is no difference morally. Only a debased and depraved mind can find thoughts to de fend such work,, much less have it hung on walls of public places and In homes. Not an Enviable Job. Lebanon Criterion. No one in the state is in a more trying position than Governor-elect George B. Chamberlain. rot many days hence no will hand out a few political plums to hie loyal supporters. It has been a long time since the Democrats have had a seat at the pie counter, and they are a greedy set. Chamberlain has not only a lot of loyal Democrats whom he wishes to reward, but his promise has gone out to some good (?) Republicans of Marion and Multnomah Counties, and so the trouble is on. If he rewards the Republicans, he will lose standing with his own party, while, with out Republican help, he cannot expect anything In the future. Democrats and the Senntorship. Salem Statesman. An up-the-Valley paper complains that the Democratic papers arc over-anxious that Governor Geer should be elected United States Senator. Such Democratic papers as have expressed themselves along this lino have merely declared that the laws of the state and the action of the people under them should- be respected. What objection can be urged against this? Any? Will any man in the state pretend that Senator Mitchell could have been elected at the last session If quite a num ber of Democrats had not been "over anxious" for his success? Is the up-Val ley paper, or any other, ready to express Its disapprobation of Senator Mitchell or of his particular friends because of this support? And if not, why not? Rail-way Pensions Not Charity. Spokane Spokesman-Review. Every railroad wants sober. Industrious and reliable employes, and there becomes a surer guarantee that this sort of man will be secured if it Is known that the faithful employe will be cared for when he has outlived his usefulness as an active railroad man and Is compelled to retire. The knowledge that a pension will bo forthcoming after a certain number of years of service can hardly fall to make the employe more loyal to his road and result in his giving the best service of which he is capable. There snould be commendation for the roads that are es tablishing this pension system, but it should not be regarded as a wholly disin terested move or one that is prompted entirely by philanthropy. It is the com mon-sense proposition that if It Is Im portant to employ good men It Is worth while to accord them good treatment. Another "Most Popular." Forest Grove Times. The Geer men, the Fulton men and the followers of all the other candidates for Senator are pitching into each other with such hearty good will that we would think that not one of the gentlemen named was fit to bo sent to Washington, or had any claims on the party, but not one word is said against our favorite candidate, Con gressman Tongue. And a good many who really do the electing think that he is the coming man. A Representative, not from this county, said that while he was nom inally committed to one of the other lead ing candidates, yet he believed Tongue wns hv nil odds the beet man for the ulace who had been mentioned, and he expected to vote for him, unless his own candidate won out early, which did not seem likely Congressman Tongue la the best fitted man for the place that has been mentioned; he is the most popular man in the state, and his election would do more to harmonize the different factions ln tho party than the election of any other man who could bo chosen. Disgust With Arnold Narrative, Olympla Olympian. Arnold In this tale has dwelt largely on what he considers the wrongs he suffered at the hands of the Government. Taking his own statement as true, he should have been hanged along with tho balance of the traitors after the assassination of Lin coln. He maintains that he had nothing to do with the assassination, and knew nothing of it. That may bo true, and probably It Is true, but had he known pf John Wilkes Booth's plan to kill the Pres ident, there Is little, doubt but that he would either have acquiesced In It, or at least kept quiet and let the tragedy pro ceed. This is the only conclusion that can be arrived at from his own story. He says he was concerned in and willing to aid Booth ln the plan at one time formu lated to kidnap Lincoln and take him to Richmond. How much would Lincoln's life have been worth in Richmond during the war? Not as much as the life of Puget Sound clam before the watering mouth of a hungry Slwash. The plan to kidnap was finally abandoned, but only because the traitors could not catch Mr, Lincoln where they felt safe ln seizing him. And yet this man at this late flay bewails bitterly about the way he was used by the Government. Docs Tobacco Stimulate Ideas T Tacoma News. Some of the experiments tried by the up-to-date psychologists with a view of ascertaining one thing or another with reference to the action of the mind are wonderfully ingenious, but many people will be Inclined to doubt the reliability of conclusions based upon such observations, A French writer Is quoted by Public Opinion In a description of some experi ments which were made in order to dem onstrate the proposition that tobacco as slsts intellectual labor. The experiment consisted in the subjects associating as quickly as possible a word to one which was shown written upon a card, the re sponse being made by pushing a button attached to a chronometer, which Indi cated tho duration of the Intellectual op eration. The sittings took place every day at the same hour for 17 consecutive days. each sitting lasting one-half hour. At every seance there were present 150 words to associate, and on the even days the sub jects smoked two cigarettes of Turkish tobacco during the timo taken up with the first 100 associations. The results were not very clear, but exceeded by a great deal that which might have been expected from delicate experiments which are fre quently influenced by imperceptible causes. The averago duration of an asso elation was 50 to 70 hundredths of a sec ond. and when the subject smoked the duration of the association was smaller, namely, five to 10 hundredths per second this being tho regular condition during the 17 days. The action of the cigarettes was thus manifested by a constant dim! nution in the association time, In other words It was proved to the satisfaction of the psychologists making the experi ments that tobacco assists Intellectual work. SONGS IN A WOMAN SUFFRAGE CLUB New York Sun. The Political Eouallty league of Chi cago Is one of the most earnest and famous- of the many famous and earnest clubs of women. If woman Is ever ele vated to her proper sphere by the side of the tyrant man at primaries and the polls, the completion of the great wont will be due, in no small degree, to the efforts of the Chicago Political Equality League. The leaders of that club neg lect nothing that can make its labors for emancipation solid, fruitful and con tinuous. It has frowned upon the fri volity which has found its way into some women's clubs. It has lived for graver purposes than cakes and tea. Other clubs might attract or entertain; the Political Equality Club lived for political equality and nothing else. Other wom en's clubs might be butterflies or hum ming birds; this was an eagle. It was proud to be grand, gloomy and peculiar, as its enemies called It. Caramels Are for the many. Only select souls can thrive on a diet of severe thought. The Political Equality League was known far and wide for its zeal, the aus terity of its principles and its unwaver ing devotion to one high purpose. There was something of the Spartan, the old Roman, ln Its inflexibility. There Is some thing sad in that "was." It sounds like an epitaph on the lofty slngle-mlndcd- ness of the Political Equality League. For the high ideals have been forgotten In part. At a meeting last week a mere man sang Prince Poniatowski's "Yeo man's Wedding Song," which contains such alien and sentimental matter as this: Though I've little -wealth, but sov'reign health, And am only a yeoman free. "When heart joins hand, there's none in the land Can be richer in Joys than we. What has political equality to do with commonplace, old-fashioned notions like these? How does the joining of heart and hand promote the passage of a Constitutional amendment to prevent woman from continuing to be the slave of domineering man? The Roman ma trons and the Spartan virgins sighed. They had not left their happy homes and traveled through mud and rain for the sake of hearing about a yeoman free and his bouncing bride. They must have shuddered and put their hands jver their ears when the musical man person began to troll out "How Fair Art Thou:" Oh. at thy feet how happy in silent pain to die. But rather -would I rise, my dear, and to thy bosom lly, To press a thousand kisses on thine enchanting brow, Then, drooping down and dying, yes dying, still be sighing; How fair art thou! Tush, tush! what words are these for a meeting of the Political Equallty League? It is as easy to Imagine Jeremy Bent-.a.m and John Stuart Mill doing cakewalk, or Herbert Spencer war bling- "Dear Midnight of Love." Mrs. Catherine Waugh McCulloch must have expressed the emotion of all the truly serious souls in the meeting when she said that "we didn't come here to listen to love songs." The secretary of the league pleads that it wants "to get hold of young women as well as old." It is hard to see how the utterance In song of a desire to press a thous.and kisses on thine enchanting brow Is going to lead anybody, young or old, ln the direction of political equality. Is this once stern and rockbound club to become a league for the cultivation of love songs? Jloxr Oregon Was Made. New York Times Saturday Review. The Pacific side of our continent has Its particular geological history. Once ln the far section there was an ocean, and it Is the bed of this which, elevated now, forms the land. "The floor of the sea from which these beds were lifted was In fa vored places, strewn today with shells. fragments of corals, or of bones, all bear ing record of the life of the period in which they Were covered by the ocean sediment." Then. too. there were natural disturb ances, accompanied by enormous heat, and there were outflows of lava. That ancient ocean eea bed was crumpled up; tnere were left deep channels between certain elevations, and so geologists believe that on tho Western coast there were two great islands. The professor of geology of the University of Oregon writes: "It was these two Islands that grew into Oregon." Human conception falls in the comprehen sion of such a thrust as that, which would push up the crust of the sea and build a range of mountains like the Rockies or the Himalayas, 15,000 or 20,000 feet above the ordinary level. So as to fix the newer world, nature erected a great dike on the coast Mr. Condon presents most interest ingly all those phases of life which fol lowed. Most of them are still visible by the fossils. At the conclusion of the work tho author writes in regard to the ad vantages of science, and shows what ad vances geology has made during the last 75 years. That study makes us better un derstand the mighty power of our God. We are none the leas Christians today be cause some 2000 years ago the belief was current that all the animals were cooped up In the ark. The fine quality of tho book is to be commented on. It is a long way from New York City to Portland, Or., and yet the type and get-up of "The Two Islands" are wonderfully good. Politics and Booker Washington. Nashville American, Dem. Booker Washington may or may not bo a Democrat; we have been informed by those who claimed to know that he is. If the President has made appointments in Alabama on Washington's advice, It will be noted that Democrats have been given the most desirable position. If the Ala bama Republicans, who have had some difficulty in reaching or maintaining sat isfactory positions at the feed-trough, suc ceed in proving that Booker is a Demo crat, it will not Injure him among South ern people, and it will hardly change the President's attitude in the matter. Wash ington can' probably prove, however, that from a strictly orthodox standpoint he Is neither a Republican nop a Democrat, but rather an independent, who Is Inclined to stand with the Democrats in local elec tions. A Neatly Turned Paragraph. New York Sun. Another death in Altrurla. The Hon. Eli Hyman, who had "slept In sheds and sta bles for 20 years," has gone to sleep for good and all in the Toronto General Hos pital. They found $17,000 in an old hand kerchief of his and $14,000 in the lining of a pocket. He had an income of $3000 last year. It is expected that he will "cut up" to the amount of $100,000. Thus virtuous toll and self-denial have their reward. He made himself happy In his life; and now somewhere his heirs bices his memory and perhaps crack a bottlo to saving habits. When Pa Says Grace. Boston Courier. When Pa says grace. He looks up like the world to him TVa3 full of good things to the brim, His eyes are like an angel's, while The sweetest, most forviglng smile Is on his face. Ho takes his place Before the goodies Ma has spread As if upon each dish he read Some pious message from above. An' every glance saems full of love, When Pa says grace. An' yet he'll chase The cat downstairs, an' elam the door, An' growl at everyone before The meal time comes, an' often Jar The air with words not like they are "When he says grace. Ma says tho trace Of that sweet spirit which reveals Itself In thankfulness at meals,' Is everywhere, an' ought to-be At all times preeent as when we Are sayln' graco. An' ln that case I'm 'clined to think, rememberln' how Pa frets and ruffles up his brow "When he sifts ashes or saws wood. It's appetite makes him feel good twhea he sots grace NOTE AND COMMENT. Good morning! Ready to resolve? A scandal, says the cynic, is a love affair In print. A bad egg may be defined as a man with a fowl record. Portland Is ahead of Germany. We have our Castro right where we want him. An anxious world Is waiting for Emperor William's verse in reply to Mr. Kipling.' Why is It that the young woman, when He Is beside her, can never find the hymn? A good many so-called actors who tread tho boards should be forced to walk the plank. The State Botanist of California will shortly issue a brochure on eeds tor - Gras3 Widows." The Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, but the lamb with wool finds the devil is after his fleece. It is confidently expected that so soon as the New York American has consulted everybody with a photograph on the di vorce question there will be given-a sym posium by leading society men entitled "Women I Have Married." The sunshine yesterday lent a grace to the city that It has sadly lacked for many days. The mountains showed like shad ows on a film, and the sky, though wintry and chill, was good to look upon. To the optimist, it Is worth the while to paddle along through rain and mud just to have the gallant pleasure of spending one day under the sun and to breathe air unladen with mist. But the ordinary Westerner was never built for the inside of a house; celling and walls are tdb. confining, and the very faces of the passengers on the streets told of waking desire and eager an ticipation of the season when the rains will roll away from our hills and the booming northwester resume its empire in the sky. "What ups and downs there are ln life even in one short twelvemonth of exist ence!" gloomily observed Mr. Younghus- band, as he climbed out of the connubial couch at midnight's chilly hour, fell over a rocking-chair, and then llmpingly madb his way toward a crib in which a fretful Infant with sole-leather lungs was wildly pawing the atmosphere and emitting hair- raising howls of agony. "Yes," he went on, bitterly, reaching for the complaining bundle of humanity in tho crib and cradling it on his arm. "one brief year ago I prided myself on being chief partner in the matrimonial firm. Now, hang it, I find I am only floorwalker in the" Infant swear department!" And with a hoarse chuckle at his own wit, he continued to walk. Through some Inadvertence tho follow ing inquiry has been received at this desk, and, In order not to show Ignorance, an attempt will be made to answer it a la Fairfax: Dear Mr. Editor: I am a pretty girl. I am 15 years old, and I love Mr. Tommy . Ha is 16 and very dark, with curling hair. We have gone home from school together for 3 months, but now ho is playing handball and says he is too busy to see me home. This defended me very much, and I haven't spoken to him for 3 days. I love him very affection ately and I want your advice. TESSIE JINKS. P. S. Krowshayed him a necktie for his birthday and he doesn't ware it annymore. P. S. Ho has kissed me regular for 3 months. Miss Jinks, your case is a hard one. Haven't you a gingham apron that will attract his eye? Men of his r.ge like good I dressers. If you do your hair up In a bun it will show him that you are independ ent. If these efforts fail, he Is faithless. Get another fellow. Avoid curls. From the Dillon (Wyo.) Doublejack, we cull the following choice bits: GLOSSARY OF OBSOLETE WORDS. Whisky meant tarantula juice. Teamster " skinner Restaurant " grub house. Biscuits " death wads. Butter " walking boss. Milk " slxteen-to-one. Walter " hash trammer. Revolver " hog leg. Frightened " chilled Hit " wham. Table " grub pile. Tin plate " nose bag. EXAMPLE OF OBSOLETE EXPRESSIONS. An intoxicated teamster entered the res taurant and called for biscuits, butter ana milk. The waiter refused to serve him. and the teamster drew a revolver and fired several tlm?s at the frightened waiter. He then helped himself from every plate, and beat the table with his fists and yelled and threw butter on tho waiter. TRANSLATION. Soaked with tarantula Juice, a skinner butted into the grub house, and howled for death wads, walking boss and slxteen-to-one. Tha hash trammer balked, and the skinner slung out a hog leg and smoked 'em up a batch, and tho trammer got chilled. He then fed his faco from every nose bag. and whammed the grub pile, and landed music from his wind tanks, and chucked tho walking boss on the hash trammer. Did you ever hear of horses being so tired that they had to kick their front feet forward with their hind one3 to get along? This is tho way Dave Miller, tho "skinner," says he drove in from Rawlin3 Wednesday. The editor wishes to announce that he don't want to kill anybody; ho thinka the boys ought to take his paper without that. In Dillon there are no morgues, no grave yards and no "dead ones." Miners ln these hills who do not subscribe for this paper on sight ar; requested to take oft their weapons and fight fair. PLEASANTRIES OF PAUAGRAPITERS "Some men," said "Uncle Eben, "takes a heap credit foh bein patient, when dey3 only Jes' dilator'." Washington Star. Beryl She says she won't marry until she meets her Ideal. Sibyl What is her Ideal? "A man who thinks she's his Ideal." Baltimore Herald. The Newman New3 reports thi3 of a young ster there: "We had the minister for dinner yesterday," said one. "Shah," replied tho other, "we had a 'possum." Atlanta Constitu tion. Miss Elderlelgh My friends say these photo graphs fall to do me Justice. Mr. Frank Of course they do. But. then. Justice should al ways bo tempered with mercy, you know. Chicago Daily News. In 1005. Miss Smyth I suppose you find many case3 of extreme want during your visits among the poor? Miss Charity orker Yes, I visited a family today and actually they hadn't a drop of gasoline for their automobile. Judge. Mrs. Manners Mrs. Jones has had to part with her cook, you know; and she Is now try ing to break in a green girl. Mrs. Nlfflns Mercy! But of course sho won't' keep her. Mrs. Jones has often told me' that green was awfully trying to her complexion. Boston Transcript. Husband I can't see, my dear, what good that border of fur does around the bottom of your skirt. Wife Well, it does lots of good. It shows the neighbors that you can afford It. Chicago Daily News. Hassett The way people rave over slender girls make's me tired. I think the plumper a girl is the prettier sho is. Gepsett Ahl I con gratulate you, old man; so Miss Dumpling has accepted you, eh? Philadelphia Press. "Intrinsic value should never figure In con sidering a Christmas gift." '"It never does witb me," answered Miss Cayenne. "What touches me is the thought that anybody has beei willing to bravo a crowd of holiday shop pers for my sake." Washington Star. Deacon Jones Don't you think It wrong for your husband to go fishing on the Sabbath? Mrs. Brown Wrong? It's positively wicked the way he wastes his time and his money on tackle and bait, and hardly ever brings homo more than one or two nxeati little fishes. Bos ton Transcript.