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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1903)
POWERS COMING WEST WlLIi HELP PACIFIC XORTHWEST LEAGUE IX ITS FIGHT. President of National Association CoralnR From Peace Conference to Scat of Baseball "War. CINCINNATI. Jan. 11. Following the adjournment of lost night's joint confer ence of committees of the National and American Baseball Leagues there was an Informal conference of the National rep resentatives here during the night and to day. While the time was spent largely in festivities over the declaration of'peace, there was much talk about the meeting of the National League here on January 19, one week hence. President Roblson, of the St. Louis club, who still remains with President Herrmann, of the Cincinnati club, said the meeting next week was called simply to say "amen" to the proclamation al ready made. It was stated by others that with Ave of the eight National League clubs already fully committed to Indorse ment, no trouble was expected from Bos ton or the two clubs of Greater New York. The National League absentee today v as James A. Hart, who returned to Cili ce go last night with Ban Johnson, Com iskey and Klllllea, of the American League. Pulliam and Dreyfus left today, tho latter feeling good over the agree ment shutting tho Americans out of Pitts burg. P. T. Powers, president of the Na tional Association, also remained to talk over the plans for the future, and re turned East today. Powers says Baltimore will not be taken into the Eastern Xeague unless there is r-ome guarantee of remaining there. He will go to California to assist the Pacific Ncrthwest League In blacklisting jump ers, as soon as the coming conference of tho three presidents, Pulliam, Johnson and Powers, is held to formulate an agreement and uniform rules for the rat ification of the three bodies. SITUATION UNCHANGED. Baseball War Progresses by StealtH and Managers Are Reticent. The local baseball situation has shown no change during the past week except ing that the presence of Jack Grim and Harry Green has been noticed In the field. Grim comes back from Spokane with a determination to organize a club' which will be an ornament to the Pacific North west League and a rival to the pennant "wlnnlng team of 1901. Green, who follows cloee on his tracks, says that he will back that club. Green and Grim held several conferences 3'esterday, but neither one of them could be discovered during the after noon or the evening In order to ascertain the result of their meeting. On the other hand, the Pacific Coaet League is just as secretive. Manager Vigneux, of the Portland club, admits that he has signed a full team, but he will give no names other than those which have been, pub lished. "What is the objection?" was asked. "Certain reasons," replied Sammy, with one of those smiles which have made him famous. "Certain reasons" were interpreted as an intimation that the new league had engaged new players that It did not wish the old league to tamper with. "Well, we would not like to have the Northwest League . to meddle with our players, said Vigneux. "We are dicker ing with some men now, and while they are too level-headed to listen to North west League often?, I do not wish to sub ject them to temptation." "How will they do on the diamond?" "All first-class ball flayers in every po sition." "Good Pitchers?" "To tell .their positions," said Vigneux, evasively, "would be to give away the line. We shall certainly have good pitch ers, but I cannot name them, now." "Your team wrlll be completed soon?" "Just as soon as we receive the an swers to our letters from tha players we dre now dealing with. And when those answers are received," he added, "I can assure the people of Portland that they will have one of the strongest minor league teams in the country." Luby, once the pride of Anson, has dropped into a minor league. Last year he pitched for Manchester, of the New England League, the club which won the championship. Luby was an old team-, mate of Peeples, of Helena, an "Piggy" Ward, of Butte. The three, together with Huston, McGuIrk and Polhemus, all re membered In the Northwest, were in the Texas League when it disbanded In 189L Luby and Huston, the star pitchers of the league, both received offers from An son, and the former accepted. The lat ter refused, as he and the four others named had agreed to go in a bunch and not separate. Anson would not take them in toto, and so all came to the Northwest. They joined Spokane and won the pennant for that club In the initial year of profes sional baseball In the Pacific Northwest. Manager Hanlon, of the Brooklyn Na tional League club, is in no hurry to get Charlie Irwin for next season, as he is satisfied with Sam Strang for third base. Irwin is a graduate of the Pacific North west League of 189L Abner Powell, now managing the New Orleans team in the Southern League, picked him up In Chi cago as an amateur, and brought him out to Seattle, where Powell then managed the team. From the Puget Sound city Irwin returned East, a full-fledged pro fessional, and he played under and won the applause of the great Captain Anson, who the year before had refused to em ploy him even as a substitute. Since then Irwin has traveled all over the circuit and has made good wherever he has gone." The veteran catcher Charlie ("Chief") Zlmmer, who confesses to 43 years, says he will not quit the game until failing health, or poor eyesight, or possible' In jury, places him in such condition that it would compel him to give up. Pitcher Ed Pool, of the Cincinnati team, has decided to retire from baseball after next season,. With the passing of the Wagners from baseball goes the famous old National League park in Washington. This ground has been sold for the .purpose of cutting a street through and laying out building lota. It cost the National League more than, $13,000 to hold the grounds after they had once been abandoned. Recently Nick Young, famous as a magnate, sold the grandstand and fixings vand other old Junk and barely $500 was realized. AND THERE WAS PEACE. State Universities of Oregon and Washlngrton Will Be Friends. The white-winged dove of peace has vis ited the State Universities of Oregon and Washington, and the fierce athletic war recently waged between these institutions has come to an end. Already arrange-" ments are being made for a football game for next season to be played In Seattle during the month of November The trouble between these universities began three years ago, and became so bitter that no games were arranged dur ing the seasons of 1901 and 1902. The only Oregon-Washington football game ever played was that of 1900, at Eugene, the webfoot eleven winning by a score of 43 to 0. The bone of contention, however, be tween these schools has been track ath letics, the three annual meets being pro ductive of much harshness. The first of these was held at epttle in May, 1900. Oregon winning by a score of 62 to" CO. It was freely admitted that Washington had the better team on that day, but poor Judgment and favoritism on the part of Washington's trainer were the causes of defeat. The next year Washington sent her banner' track team to Eugene, and fully expected to carry off the honors. but Oregon again had on her winning shoes and walked off with the; spoils of victory, the score being 66 to 55. Last year the Oregon-Washington meet ended in a fiasco, the Eugene athletes making no attempt to win. The disgraceful squab bles that followed are fresh in the minds of those who keep in touch with athletic sports throughout the Northwest, and it is hoped that such a condition of affairs will never exist again. Oregon and Washington are the leading Institutions of their kind In the Pacific Northwest and are natural rivals In all departments of student enterprise. Con tests between these Institutions should be made the most Important athletic events of the year in this region, and it is hoped that differences may be settled on the field of sport in a clean and friendly man ner. The pipe of peace ought to be passed around and everybody given a good and lasting smoke, foy ouch squabbles as have hitherto existed should have no place In college sport. No flowers. Seattle and Eugene papers please copy. PLAY DIRTY. FOOTBALL. Players in Albany College Are Under Suspicion. If reports from up the valley are true, athletic affairs at Albany College are In decidedly bad odor, and need a little over hauling and cleaning. Events of recent date show that several members of Al bany's crack football team entered college for the sole purpose of playing the festive game, and left the institution shortly after the season closed. Captain Frank Templeton. Left Tackle Griffiths, Right Guard Jarvis and Englehard, a substitute, are the alleged offenders, while one or two other players are looked "upon with sus picion. It seems that Templeton first entered Albany College In the Fall of 1901, and after playing the entire season on the foot ball team, discontinued his studies Im mediately after Thanksgiving and re turned to his home. This year he did ex actly the same thing, and Griffiths, Jarvis and Englehard followed the example of their illustrious captain. Griffiths, who once played on the Omaha High School team, is employed-In a saw mill on the Santlam River, and his course of study at Albany College consisted of bookkeeping, commercial arithmetic and spelling, while Templeton took the same list of subjects. ' Both Griffiths and Tem pleton quit school during the week after Thanksgiving Just as soon as It was learned that the post-season game be tween Albany and Corallis would not be pulled off. Jarvis. who came down from Gilliam County with Coach Fred A. Ed wards, remained at Albany until Christ mas, but Englehard, who entered Just be fore Thanksgiving, was In college but a short Lime. Quarterback Snyder has not returned since the Christmas vacation, although It Is understood that he will re sume his studies soon. Another suspicious circumstance at tached to the Albany football situation Is the fact that Templeton, Snyder. Griffiths and Jarvis boarded at the City Restaurant during the entire Reason, and the whole four quit boarding there when the season closed. This City Restaurant Is the place where the football management boarded Coach Edwards. j According to the rules adopted at the conference of college presidents In Oc tober last, Messrs. Templeton. Jarvis and Griffiths are now Ineligible to play on the college eleyen next season. The rule cov ering the case states that members of football teams must attend their repsec tlve Institutions one college half-year be fore they can play on the team In the following1 season. As the college half year ends about February 1, the young men who have hied themselves away will be ineligible to defend tho colors of Al bany College in her struggle for gridiron honors next season. BUSY WITH TRACK TEAM'. University of Oregon Athletes Will Hold Many Meets. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene, Or.. Jan. 11. (Special.) The season or track athletics Is growing near and Man ager Earl of the 'varsity .team is very busy jnaklng preparations for the year's work. No trainer has yet been signed, although correspondence Is being carried on with several men, both In the East and on the coast. W. O. Trine, who has o successfullv handled the University of Oregon team, ior several seasons past, can not be se cured this year. The schedule of meets has not yet been made out. It Is probable, however, that the team will take a trip through Eastern Washington and Idaho, contesting with the teams of Whitman College, Washing ton Agricultural Cpllege and University of Idaho. This rlp. If settled upon, will be made some time during May. The uni versity boys will also meet Multnomah again this year, in the last of the meets arranged by a contract three years ago. 3Ianager Earl is also anxious, to meet the teams of several of the Valley col leges, such as the Oregon Agricultural College and Pacific University. Captain Payne, of the 'varsity track team, - says that as far as good material Is concerned the university has better prospects than for several years past. WINNINGS AT OAKLAND. Jennings & Co. Lend, With $ 17,000-; Many Win Over $1000. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 11. The feature at Oakland this week will be the Adam Andrew selling stakes to be decided Sat urday. Some of the best performers here are eligible. W. B. Jennings & Co. increased their lead this week, and how have 517,015 to their credit. Green B. Morris is second again, with $7600. Forty-seven owners have won sums in excess of $1000. Since the season opened 5145,104 has been dis tributed by the new California Jockey Club In stakes and purses. The following are winners of over $5000: W. B. Jennings & Co., $17,015; G. B. Mor ris. $7000; Burns & Waterhouse, $6735; James Coffey, $5400. Commissions on California Races Accepted. Portland Club Cafo. 130 Fifth street. Direct from the tracks.- llorses Look Better Now. Benton Girl and Tom Benton, owned by Chris Simpson, which were recently of fered for sale at $400, were withdrawn from the market yesterday after Simpson had tried them on a mile spurt. The team did good work on the run. but what time they made Simpson alone knows. He said it ran into the marks of the Benton fam ily. Asked if he would set a second price on the two racers, he said he would have to take time to consider. He might pos sibly keep Benton Girl or Tom Benton. He was undecided, for as- both horses have made a splendid showing, he did not wish to sacrifice either. Benton Girl and Tom Benton are full brother and sister, and are aged respectively 7 and 8 years. Pacific Coast Doar Trials. BAKERS FIELD, Cal.. Jan. 1L The an nual meeting of the Pacific Coast Trial Club opens -at the Coosford-Canfleld ranch, eight miles from Bakcrsfield. tomorrow. Tonight every trainls bringing In visitors from all parts of the Coast. The entrance fee has been paid for 28 dogs. Just how many of these will be entered in the con test will not be known until after the drawing. Among those who have ar rived and have entered dogs arc: J. A Consldlne, J. A. Watklns and F. A. At kins, of Seattle. The trials will last four days. H. F. Humphrey, of Indiana, will officiate as judge. Fierce Wind Storm in Georgia. SAVANNAH, Ga., Jan. 1L Advices from Berrien and Worth Counties, In the southern part of the state, are that severe wind storms today did much damage in each county. At Omega, in Worth County, the hotel was blown down and a number of houses unroofed. The wind swept a patch 100 yards wide through the town, damaging every , house and uprooting every tree It encountered. At Trfton a number of houses .were damaged. It Is feared the worst damages have n(ft yet been reported. THE MORNING x (THOMAS H.TONGUE DEAD (Continued from First Pag.) much to his personal Insistence that an open river has been assured at The Dalles, and a permanent deep channel insured for the mouth of the Columbia. His loss will be the more felt, as the state loses Its Representative on the river and har bor committee. He has been most suc cessful with pension claims, with rural free delivery service, and with the hun dred and qne smaller things that go to make up the record of the successful Con gressman. Then, too, must be recalled the work that Mr. Tongue did as chair man of the irrigation committee, that reported and passed the famous Gov ernment reclamation act of last session. These and other accomplishments are readily recalled by his former colleagues today. In his six years in Congres3 Mr. Tongue has builded many personal friendships, but perhaps none closer than with Rep resentative Burton and with Speaker Hen derson. The Speaker tonight paid the fol lowing tribute to the departed: - "Mr. Tongue has been one of the strong, earnest Legislators since he has been In Congress. No man could have been more devoted to the Interests of his. state. He was a man of great firmness and great wisdom in managing matters that he had in charge, or that he felt an interest in He has got through legislation that few other men could hnve naaanii- As nn other men could have nassed. As an Instance, take the Indian war veteran bill. He has pressed that bill with the utmost patience from the time he entered Con gress until It passed last session. He kept it constantly before me, yet never sought to embarrass me or the House- He was not a kicker in any sense. He, never lost his temper when pressing matters that he was devoted to. and had a diplo matic way of treating them. He was a man of profound, earnest convictions, al- ways at his post of duty. Frivolity was unknown to his nature; a man of strong friendship, which it was my pleasure to enjoy and to reciprocate. His state and his country have lost a man growing In usefulnejt; and in power. I regard his death as great loss to the varied and multiplying Interests of the Pacific Const He was a very, very dear friend of mine. I shall feel the loss most deeply." Representative Burton, chairman of thp river and harbor committee, one of Mr. Tongue's closest friends of long as sociation said: "He was a strong, true man. his death is a loss alike to Oregon and to the country. I feel that In him I have lost one of my very best friends. I know this will be the feeling of many others of his associates. His work upon the" river and harbor committee was of the most painstaking nature. While he was always alert for Oregon and the Pa cific Coast, he exercised the best of judg ment and felt keenly the responsibility of his position." Mr. Burton said he would like' to ac company the remains to Oregan and would, were It not the short session and several Important matters of vital Im portance to his state coming up in the next two weeks. Senator Mitchell said: "The- death of Hon. Thomas H. Tongue Is a distinctive loss to the State of Oregan, which he so ably represented In the National House of Representatives. Mr. Tongue was an able man. A good lawyer and an admi rable and fearless tVbater, an Indefatiga ble worker, and held a high position among his associates in the body of which he was a distinguished member. "His long experience as a member of the House and the good assignments held by him pn two of its leading committees, enabled him to do much, not only for the State of Oregon, but for the Nation at targe. As a member of the river and har bor committee he was an influential fac tor in securing needful appropriations for the rivers and harbors, not only of his own state, but of the whole country. As chairman of the Irrigation committee of the House great credit is due him for en actment of the irrigation law of last ses-J s'on. "In the death of Mr. Tongue, which came as a terrible shock to us all, I feel a great personal loss. He and I have been warm personal and political friends for much more than a quarter of a century and I sincerely deplore his sudden de parture. "I feel a deep and heartfelt sympathy for his family in this great and sudden bereavement." Mr. Moody said that since the shock of the announcement he has hardly been able to realize that his colleague, Mr. Tongue, Is dead. They had. been together dally through the session and on adjournment Friday, when they last met, Mr. Tongue was in his usual good health. Mr. Moody says that his death will be felt as a ca--lamlty by the people of Oregon, and es pecially those of his district, where he had a great many warm, Intimate friends. By reason of his long and faithful service he had risen to prominent and influential positions in tho House and his loss will on that account be felt the more by tne country and especially the state and the district which he so ably represented. Commissioner Hermann said: "I am overwhelmed with sorrow at this very sudden ending of the life of one who was my successor in Congress and who was so universally loved and honored not only In our own state but among his associates in Congress. We were often together and In consultation as to Oregon matters, and only recently he mapped' out to me the work In which he was engaged and spoke to me so confidentially and enthusiastical ly of results already accomplished. The worth of Mr. Tongue to Oregon will long be appreciated and the good work done by him will attest his energetic efforts and constant fidelity. He was loyal to the Interests of the people aid ever ready to respond to every demand upon him. No state has ever had a representative more aggressive, more laborious and more in terested In its lnteresls. I deeply mourn his sudden death." Although repeated efforts were made to see Senator Simon by Senator Mitchell and Tho Oregonian correspondent he could not be found today or tonight. His plans cannot be positively ascertained. SORROW IN 1IILLSBORO. New Broken to His Family Friends and Citizens Grieve at His Death. H1LLSBORO. Or., Jan. 11. (Spclal.) As a public official, Mr. Tongue had the confi-1 dence of all, and when the news of his death came to the city through the agency of The Oregonlan, there was sorrow ex pressed by all, Irrespective of party affilia tion. His wonderful energy has often been remarked, and that his Congres sional life was telling upon him was noted vpon his return to this city, when even falling health would not keep him -away from the desk. The past year, however, he felt that he was gaining in strength and he anticipated the work of the pres ent session of Congress with a degree of pleasure. -v. The news of hls death was broken to the family by Captain J. D. Merryman and wife, who Is a sister of Mrs. Tongue, and Dr. F. A. Bailey, for years the family physician. Many Intimate friends called to offer their consolations to the grieving members of the family. In his home life Mr. Tongue was very happy, and realizing the advaitage of culture, neither money nor time was a deterrent from giving his children every advantage obtainable. In 1868 Mr. Tongue, married Miss E. M. Eagleton (a daughter of Hlllsboro's pio neer druggist, George Eagleton), a native of Indlani, who, with the following chil dren, survive him: Edith L. Reanies, wife of A. B. Reames", District Attorney of Jackson County: Edmund Burke, of the J tunsDoro law nrm of T. H. & E. B. Tongue; Mary Xi., Hlllsboro; Bertha R. and Thomas H. Tongue, Jr., both In Washington, D. C; Emily Elizabeth, wlfr of Frank F. Freeman, of Portland and OREGOyiAM, UOHTDAY Miss Florence, now attending Pacific Unl nlversity. 'JLne remains will be brought to this cltv for burial, and will be accompanied home by Thomas H., Jr., and Miss Bertha, both at whom are at the bier of the father. CAREER OF THOMAS II. TONGUE. Prominent as a Lawyer, Citizen and Representative In Congress. Thomas H. Tongue, who had attained state prominence long before he became a National figure, was born in England on June 23, 1844. His parents were Anthony and Rebecca (Lawson) Tongue, and he was tnelr only child. He was educated In England until his 15th year, when his parents emigrated directly to Washington County, Oregon, where they located on a farm several miles north of Hlllsboro, where the parents yet reside. Young Tongue had had fairly good advantages in the English schools and as soon as he arrived in Hlllsboro he worked Inces santly to give himself a finished educa tion. Attending district school on the North Tualatin Plains for a few years, he finally concluded to take a collegiate course. He Degan, school at Pacific Uni versity under great difficulties. The fam ily had just started to engage in farming and the necessary means to procure an education were not in the family excheq uer. Mr. Tongue, however, did not let that deter him, and he absolutely worked his way through college, graduating with nigh honors in 1E6S.' UDon leavlnir the j university he commenced the study of law f'mder Hon. W. D. Hare, and so ant a scholar was he that he was admitted to the bar In 1870. Mr. Tongue soon taeeame the leading attorney In Washington Coun ty, by-close application to business, aided by his natural ability. He early espoused the principles of the Republican party, by which party he was several times honored by nominations to prominent o'fficial po sitions, serving locally as a member of the Council of Hillsboro, also as Mayor of that city and as a member of the School Board for six consecutive years. In 18SS he was elected to the State Senate and served on the judiciary and other impor tant committees. It was during this ses sion that the all-absorbing question came up ,as to whether a bill should be passed exempting Portland municipal bonds (the water bends) from taxation. In opposition to this measure Mr. Tongue distinguished himself. His constituents were well satis fied with his service and they re-elected him. and he served as chairman of the judiciary committee during the second session of the term, rendering the state efficient service in that capacity. He was chairman of the Republican state con venticn held at Portland in 1S90, and was .a delegate to the National convention of the party at Minneapolis in 1S92 which nominated Harrison for President against Cleveland. In this convention Mr. Tongue served as vice-president for Oregon. He served several years as member of the Republican State Central Committee, as chairman oi the Central Committee of the First Congressional District, and was president of the Young Men's Republican In7 1890 Mr. Tongue acted as chairman of the Republican state convention which nominated Supreme Judge W. P. Lord for Governor. In 1895 he was a candidate for United- States Senator against Senator iolph. and the night- he, Fulton, Lord, Lowell and, others were finally voted on he received 33 votes, or 13 less than the required number. The contest ended short ly before midnight of the last day by the election of Senator McBrlde. In 1S96 Mr. Tongue was elected to the Fifty-fifth Con gress, defeating Binger Hermann for the nomination. The election was very close, Tongue receiving a majority of only 63 over W. S. Vanderburg, a Populist of Coos County. Vanderburg contested Mr. Tongue's election, but the House commit tee on elections unanimously reported In favor of Mr. tongue, and he was seated. During the six years that he sat In Con gress. Mr. Tongue did great work for Oregon. Ha never lost an opportunity to secure appropriations for the rivers and harbors and for other purposes. When the House committee on rivers and "har bors was out here a year ago, Mr. Tongue accompanleu the members on their trips up andi down the Columbia, and gave them the necessary Information about the needed improvements. During the Inspec tion of the Upper Willamette, the com mittee was entertained by Mr. Tongue at his home In Hlllsboro. As a citizen Mr. Tongue was ever ear nest in behalf of Hlllsboro. He helped to organize, the First National Bank of that city and he served as one of its directors. In company with others he platted several additions. In which ventures he was very successful. He owned personally about 1000 .acres of adjoining land, and he Inter ested himself In the breeding of standard-bred horses and cattle. Some of his horses appeared on the Northwest circuit last year. Mr. Tongue was a past master Mason, and In 1SSS he delivered the oration before the Grand Lodge. He also took an active Interest in Odd Fellowship, and was a member of the Grange at Hillsboro. TRAIN WRECK IN WYOMING More Serious Loss Prevented by Cau tion of Operator. DENVER, Jan. 11. A special to the Re public from Laramie, Wyo., says: Two freight trains on the Union Pacific met head-on, a quarter of a mile west of Harper's Station, shortly after 4 o'clock this morning, causing the death of Fire man Scallll. of Cheyenne, the fatal irijury of Brakeman H. S. Welck, of Laramie, and the serious Injury of Engineer J. D. "Rinder, of Cheyenne. Two locomotives and several cars were badly damaged and traffic delayed for eight hours. Owing to a blinding storm, the engineer of the westbound train did not see the signal for orders at Harper's Station, and, when, the operator discovered that the train was passing, he lighted a fuse oh the track, which attracted the attention of the conductor, who immediately opened the air valve and set the brakes. This action alone prevented a much more disastrous wreck, .for the westbound train had been brought almost to a standstill when the collision occurred. Chinaman Overcome by Gas. PROVIDENCE, R. L, Jan. 11. Eleven Chinamen were overcome by coal gas In a Chinese boarding-house In the Chinatown bT Providence today. One of them, Don Doc, the proprietor of a Chinese grocery, was dead when found. Two others are In a critical condition at the Rhode Island Hospital. The others will recover. Don Doc was overcome by the ga3, which came from a basement, while sitting at his desk making up his accounts. Slippery Ralls Cause Fatality. PITTSBURG, Jan. ll.-John Kattley. a policeman, was killed tonight and four other persons seriously Injured In a street-car collision. The seriouslv in jured are: W. Lammerick. leg crushed; Mrs. Laura Chapman and Dr. Morris, cut: Lewis Lowe, motorman of the run away car. Slippery rails caused the ac cident. A Novelist Who Is an Early Rider. New York Press". Mary John?ton. the Virginia novelist, evidently believes that early to rise makes a writer wealthy, if not healthy and wise. While writing "Sir Mortimer." her new novel, she was a marvel to the Summer colony In New London. Often at 4:30 o'clock in the morning this delicate little woman was at her desk. Never did 5 o'clock find her abed. Often she would announce at the luncheon hour, "Well, I have fihlrhed a chapter this morning." She embodies in her personality the' moat charming characteristics of the Southern women. Miss Johnston has decided not to build In Richmond the great house of which so much has been written. She is looking for something already, built to adapt to her needs. The income from her novels admits of caprices. JANUARY 12, 1903. ' STOP LAND -STEALING FIRST STEP TOWARD NATIONAL ' IRRIGATION. JS Evils Due to Desert Land and Com mutation Laws Why Prlvnte Ir rigation Schemes Fail. William E. Smythe. author of "Conquest of v Arid America." The operations of the land laws of the United States have been In the main beneficent. The dominant Idea in public land administration that homemak ers would be given a part of Uncle Sam's vast public domain has caused the west ward movement of the sturdy sons of our New England and Eastern farmers, and has attracted xjther thousands of the bet ter class of European emigrants. The re sult has been a great homemaking move ment which has civilized and settled the Mississippi Valley and the States to the westward In an Incomparably short pe riod. But the land laws which have made possible this great movement have like wise benefited the land speculator, and In; some sections, under their loose adminis tration, great areas have been wrongfully and fraudulently acquired and to the great detriment of the country. The desert land law Is responsible for the greatest of the land frauds. It would be erroneous to suppose, how ever, that all the stealing of the public lands has been accomplished under this law. On the contrary, there Is not a land law on the statute books which has not been abused to a greater or less extent. Even the beneficent homestead law of glorious tradition has frequently been made an instrument of injustice and -a plaything" of speculation by means of its notorious "commutation clause." Both have been misapplied by greedy and dis honest men, who have looked upon tho public property merely as a means of pri vate speculation. But the desert land law Is singular Id this that there never was even the shad ow of an excuse for Its existense from the standpoint of the homeseeker. It has been a hypocritical pretence of benefit to. the homeseeklng public, when It could not possibly be used for such a pur pose in the vast majority of instances. P'nt Water on Land First. From our years of experience with tho desert land law, vand with other enact- ments made in connection with the pub lic domain, the American peoplo should learn one lesson and write it In luminous letters upon their hearts. That lesson Is this: The Government should not offer one single acre for settlement until it has been made fit for settlement. The arid land cannot be . fit for settlement until water has been made available for Its irri gation. What social tragedies have followed the disregard of this simple rule! What pre cious years have been wasted by whole families and entire communities! What beautiful homes have Been builded in hope, to be .abandoned in despair! What seeds have been planted only to wither and die seeds not merely of fields and or chards, but of Institutions as well! Jo aquin MJller once told me the whole story in a single explosive and dramatic sen tence when he exclaimed: "Arid America! My God, we have wat ered It with our tears!" " Our arid lands legislation has not only been such as to do Injustice to the home seeker, but such as to bring little or no advantage. In the end, to those who have, sought to use these laws' as a means of exploiting the homeseeker. How many of the speculative irrigation enterprises have made profits for those who actually in vested the capital? A distinction should be drawn between the promoter and the real Investor. Sometimes the former has made money, but it is seldom Indeed that the latter has done so. This is not be cause the desert land law and the commu tation clause of the. homestead law do not offer every opportunity for abuse. It is due rather to the fact that, savo Irf ex ceptional instances; the reclamation of new countries is inherently an unprofit able investment for private capital. The enterprise Is surrounded by too many unknown factors; the settlement of the lands is seldom to be controlled with any certainty; too long a time Is required to get the country established on a" dividend paying basis. All this has been proven over and over again in the experience of nearly every state and territory in the West. Why Private Irrigation Fails. But these facts do not constitute an argument against public enterprise in the same field. Irrigation is always a paying Investment from the standpoint of social and eco nomic gains. With private capital, large and early dividends are the chief consid eration, but the primary object of the investment of public capital is to increase the general prosperity. This Is accom plished when the opportunity for home making is opened for thousands: when the amdimt of taxable property Is in creased; when business is created for. merchants, manufacturers and railroads. With these benefits to be scornd on the credit side of Its' ledger, the Government may well afford to wait a long time for direct returns from its Irrigation invest ments, but private capital is in no such position. The misfortunes which settlers have suf fered In dealing with speculative irriga tion companies furnish several important counts of the people's indictment of the desert land law. Large irrigation undertakings hav.e fre quently been started by men whose means were entirely inadequate to the enterprise. Very often they have invited settlement before they had themelves done anything except to make preliminary sur veys. They have offered water rights for sale which bad no existence except in their imagination. Strangely enough, set tlers have often made hasto to purchase such paper "rights" and thus to furnish the promoters with capital to be used In the exploitation of those who supplied it. If settlers had thereby obtained water for their land, even upon these unfair terms, the case would not have been so bad. But usually they did not get water for their lands The amount of money which could be obtained from settlers in advance of the construction of works was seldom sufficient for the purpose. Thus neither the settler nor the promoter had anything to show for their Investment and labor. In this way thousands of peo ple dissipated their savings and lost val uable time. The Western States are strewn with irrigation wrecks of this sort. Evils of Speculation. All the heart-breaking evils which the settlers of our arid public domain have suffered are due to bad land laws, chiefly to the desert land law and to the com mutation clause of the homestead act. These laws are totally unsuited for the conditions to which they have been ap plied. They are a disgrace to the Gov ernment and a disgrace to the American people. They have enabled wealthy Individuals and corporations to carve lordly private estates from the public domain. They have permitted a few men to ac quire and hold out of use, for selfish and speculative purposes, lands which are needed to make homes for the masses of our people. They have encouraged private enter prises to enter a field where,-In the nature of things, it could not be successful, but could only Involve Its own capital in a hazardous adventure and thereby do great injury .to the Irrigation Industry and to the We3L They have furnished the means by which settlers were deluded Into investing their capital and their labor In dangerous and often disastrous attempts at home making. They even . now stand in the . way of progress by blocking the path of national Irrigation and permitting speculators and i We're proud but our prices 351 WASHINGTON STREET PORTLAND ... OREGON The home of the Chlckerlng Piano, of Boston, the Weber, of New York, and the Kimball, of Chicago the three finest pianos made, beside some thirty other choice instruments Other large, flourishing houses atSan Francisco, Spokane, Sacramento adventurers to take up lands which will be required in the operation of the new National policy. Repeal Desert and Commutation Lniv . For all these reasons the desert, land law and the commutation clause of the homestead act should be promptly re pealed as recommended by President Roosevelt in his message to Congress. From this day forth the Government should not offer a single acre for settle ment until it is fit for settlement. Re pealing the laws by which land- Is now acquired In large tracts, and without actual residence and Improvement, the Government should proceed to withdraw from entry all lands where, there is any thought of applying the National policy. This done, it should go forward as rapidly as possible with actual reclamation. It should bring under thorough and reliable irrigation every acre which it purposes hereafter to open to settlement. What would this policy mean to the people of the United States? Firsf of all, It would mean "a home for every man who wants one." It would mean that we had stopped looting the people's estate and begun saving the people's estate. It would mean that we had reached the end of the wild orgy of speculation in the natural resources of the West and entered upon a period of sound and sober indus trialism. It would mean that when a set tler got ready to claim hlsshare of the National heritage he would obtain "hot only fertile soil, but the water necessary to make it a self-sustaining home and that that water right was guaranteed by the Government of the United States. This is, beyond all comparison, the greatest thing; ever attempted by the American people. Let It be done, and let It be done right. The first step In this great and Inspiring drama of the future is to stop the stealing of the public domain by repealing the present vicious and Inexcusable land laws. Petroleum and the Tariff. Boston Herald. With regard to the assertion often made that the Standard Oil trust has no dependence on the tariff, and. therefore, could not be reached for discipline and re form through the tariff, there are two things pertinent for consideration. The trust gets a rebate on the tin cases in which it exports large quantities of oil, of the whole, or nearly the whole, duty on tin plate.- That Is to say, the ariff lets it have tin plate for its use in foreign trade cheaper than other Americans get it for home use. In the second place, It is carefully provided that the only oil which could under any circumstances be imported in competition with American oil shall pay a duty. Although petroleum is ostentatiously on the free list, there is a proviso that "if there be imported into the United States crude petroleum or the products of crude petroleum, produced In any country which Imposes a duty on THE WILSON DISTILLING CO. Baltimore, lid. ARE YOU SICK? ST. LOUIS Medical and Surgical Dispensary Longest Established. Mont Successful and Reliable Specialist in Diseases' of Ken, as Medical Licenses, Diplomas and Newspaper Records Shovr. DISEASES Varicocele Weakness Blood Poison Rupture and Kidney Diseases Etc., Etc. References Best banks and leading business men of this city Consultation at office or by letter free and strictly confidential. Always enclose iv two-cent stamns to DR. J. HENRI KESSLER St. Louis Medical and Cerxer Second aad Yamhill Streets. eecs of pur Pianos are very humble petroleum or Its products exported from the United States, there shall In such, cases be levied and collected a duty ... equal to the duty Imposed by such coun try." Under this proviso there can be no Importation of oil and no relief from the grinding oppression of a price that is double the price in 1901. This Is tho monopoly's pitiless exaction on account of the distress of the American people in respect of fuel. - v A TRAGIC JOKE. Butchcjr Trifled With a Man Who Gave Him Uls Last $10 Bill. New York Times. In. West Washington Market, on Christ mas eve. a man without an overcoat and with every appearance of hard luck, moved with the crowd around the stalls of holiday-making, joking butchers. Tag ging at his heels was a little girl with a shawl covering her head and shoulders, the man bought two oranges from a bas ket marked "5 cents each" and gave them to the girl. "There," he said, "one is for you and the" other for mother. Papa's Christmas present." Then he went to a butcher stall and or dered a small shoulder . of mutton for roasting; costing about 50 cents, and the cheapest kind of holiday treat. He hand ed the butcher a bank bill closely and carefully folded, and waited for his change. The butcher went to a neighbor ing stall to change the bill, took It with out looking at it, and came back to the man. ' "But," exclaimed the purchaser, "it wa3 a 510 bill I gave you." ."Nothing of the sort," retorted the butcher. "We run no flim-flam game here.'' The man protested in such piteous tones that the attention of other customers was attracted. "I am out of work," he said, "with no prospect of getting any for a month. That was my last 510 bill after paying the rent, and it means our food until more money comes In. I showed, it to my wife before I came away, and she urged me not to buy too large a piece of mutton. I had no $5 bill, and nothing else but the 510 bill I gave you.' "Say, Joe," shouted the butcher to his neighbor, "what was that bill you changed for me just now?" "Ten dollars," was the" reply, "but since you was such a ninny as to run away with half your change I thought Td let you go. Come and get the man's 5a and give It to him. But" the drinks are on you." There was 'a roar of laughter. The man who had been made the butt of this joke seemed to have aged 5 years in as many minutes. eH took the 55 bill without a word, kissed his crying child and "walked away. And yet it is written that humor Is the most captivating thing In the world L. i sfabiishetf 1823. WILSON WHISKEY. S Tou should consider thoroughly the skin, experience, reliability, eta, of a doctor or specialist Defore entrusting to him your health, the perfect and lasting recovery of which means so much to your futura life and happiness. You should consider the QUICK-CURS ILLUSION and FREE-CURE FALLACY as an Intelligent man would consider a business proportion. You do not want to be mutilated and maimed for life by try ing to be cured of varicocele and kindred troubles In a few days by surgical pro cedures. Every man who is afflicted owes it to himself and his posterity to .get cured safely and positively, without leaving any blight or weakness in his system. Tho many years of our successful practice In Portland prove that our methods of treat ment are certain and not experimental. Call at my office, and if I find that you cannot be cured, will NOT accept your money UNDER AND CONDITIONS; but If. on examination, we find you are cur able, we will guarantee a Safe and Positive Cure In as short a time as the nature and ex tent of the disease will permit without injurious after effects. My charges will be as low as possible for conscientious, skill ful and successful services. Consult us before consenting to any surgical opera tion upon important blood vessels. Premature decline signalizes the pres ence of one or more weaknesses of the vital system, whloh are due to ths inher itance of one of the following And all reflex complications and associate diseases and affections. I will save 3'ou the suffering associated with Nervous Debility. Weakness, Prema ture Decline. Loss of Memory, Energy and Ambition, Nervousness, Pimples, Palpita tion of the Heart, Shortness of Breath, Apprehension of Calamity, etc. We will make your memory good. Call at our offices or write a full de scription of your case. Hundreds have been cured at home. Our special home treatment will cure you as it has others. insure answer. Addruq fn ivrfua Surgical Dispensary-. Portland, 0 '5