6
THE MORNING OHEGONIAN, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1903.
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TODAY'S "WEATHER Increasing: cloudiness,
probably followed by showers; southeasterly
winds.
YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum, tem
perature, SO: minimum temperature, 20; pre
cipitation, none.
POIITLAAD, TUKSDAY, FRB. 17, 103.
AG A IX "TIIC UNSPEAKABLE TCIUC"
The quarrels that are convulsing
Macedonia and the sympathetic unrest
that pervades Greece and Bulgaria at
bottom are racial and religious. In
Macedonia the trouble is fostered by
Greece and Bulgaria, through racial an
tipathies, national aspirations and hos
tility to Mohammedanism. Bulgaria
has a good deal of spirit, and wants to
develop Into full independence or find
absorption In the great Slav Empire of
which Ruesia Is the head. Greece has
as little of the high spirit necessary to
nationality as when Byron deplored her
degeneracy; but she leans on Western
Europe, which sustains her as a bul
wark against the Mohammedan Turk,
while she remains herself a steady if
sot monumental example of disorder,
pusillanimity and mlsgovernrnent.
Greece Is continually plucking the Turk
by the beard, and is saved from the
consequences of her temerity only by
the Jealousy of the great powers, who
protect her. Long ago Russia would
have expelled the Turk and all his
works from Europe but for the fact that
the "Western powers could not allow
Russia the pre-eminence such result
would have given her in the affairs of
the world.
But Bulgaria and Greece, .under pro-
tectlon of the great powers, feel that
they can go very far in their hostility
to the Turk. Macedonia, therefore,
much disposed towards revolutionary
movement and little under the restraint
of fear, is In chronic unrest largely
through their machinations. At bottom
of it all are racial differences and re
ligious contentions; with disorder and
mlsgovernment wherever the Turk Is
present and in power. To superficial
viewlt seems a wonder that that anach
ronism, the Turkish Empire, can last
so long. To two circumstances this is
due. One Is the fear among the pow
ers that Russia would obtain too much
advantage. The other Is the vigor of
the Mohammedan religion, which con
stantly gives the government of the Sul
tan a devoted and fanatical support. It
Is not merely the play of one of the
powers against another that keeps the
Sultan on the throne. Behind this Is
the hidden strength of a religion that
holds the subjects of the Sultan to
gether. To them he Is a hlerarch, the
representative, the exponent, the great
caliph, of Mohammedanism.
Christianity long ago lost its opportu
nity of crushing Mohammedanism; for
the spirit of toleration has become too
strong to permit further crusades
against "the Turk end infidel Tet the
spirit of Mohammedanism Is the key of
all the Sultan's conduct and the source
of all his power over his subjects. Thus
sustained at home by the devotion of
the followers of Islam, protected from
external attack by the Jealousy of the
powers of the Christian world, though
disturbed continually on his frontiers
and In his outer provinces by an unrest
fostered through religious and racial an
tipathies of peoples over whom his rule
Tet remains, the Sultan still holds be
fore the world the attitude of the "un-;
speakable Turk," and will hold It ret
indefinitely. He has forces enough to
quell all risings In Macedonia, and to
whip the dwarfish war and pigmy arms
of Greece and Bulgaria back into their
territories; and the powers of Christen
dom will interfere only so far as to keep
each other from aggressive advance
upon his dominions. These "war clouds"
in Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece will
yield no peals of thunder.
MUST GO CP TIIE1 DESCHUTES.
Approval of the reclamation contract
of the Pilot Butte Development Com
pany, In the Deschutes Valley, rather
sharpens the question of transportation
for that country. The truth Is that the
transcontinental railroads do not care
to open up more timber country. Their
lines already have all the lumber traffic
they can handle conveniently; Indeed,
the preponderance of tonnage eastward
Is so great that thousands of empty
cars are hauled west for the accommo
dation of the lumber business of the Pa
cific. Northwest. Now, hauling empty
cars Is clear loss to the railroads, and
they don't care to increase this move
ment. Opening new lumber territory
would do it. The natural increase of
the business adjacent to lines already
open they cannot escape, but they do
sot, under the circumstances, feel like
going to the expense of building or sup
porting new mileage that will Increase
their traffic troubles.
Lumber and ore promise immediate
traffic from the Upper Deschutes coun
try. The lumber Isn't wanted, and some
doubt still hangs over the ore. That
CQnnt3 top anal hi" la certain railroad
circles. But, now that agricultural de
velopment Is assured through the In
strumentality of irrigation, the question
Is given another phase. Settlers will
go in. even if the railroad does not.
though they, of course, would gather
much more rapidly If there were ade
quate transportation facilities. "With a
large volume of agricultural products
seeking market and a large demand for
merchandise from the outside. It Is not
likely that the Upper Deschutes will
long lock a railroad. Undesirable as
the timber traffic may be. It must be
taken with the other factors of the case.
And then the mines will have oppor
tunity to show what is In them.
Now. the question arises, "Will this In
evitable railroad connection be with
Portland, or with San Francisco, or
with the East? Portland must In every
possible way strengthen herself In the
Upper Deschutes Valley and establish
relations that will forbid raping that
country with a railroad from distant
trade centers that have no Interest in it
except that of a commercial profit. Po
litical and social relations must always
be with "Western Oregon. It would be
economic crime to drive trade relations
elsewhere.
OLD AND NEW DISEASES.
The number of persons stricken fa
tally with heart disease, acute indiges
tion, etc., seems astonishingly large;
and In some cases the attacks appear to
have come without warning. It Is per
fectly certain that high living and phys
ical Inaction, consequent upon the
strenuous living and- gayety of modern
life, subjects the race to greater strain
in many ways, intensifying some com
plaints, simultaneously with the advan
tage gained by medical science over
other ailments which were wont to
fructify the death-rate. The human
frame, apparently, stirs up new enemies
from ambush as fast as it puts the old
ones hors de combat.
Smallpox, for example, is fast losing
Its terrors. Few well-regulated com
munities are now without some rare
Isolated cases at all times; but nobody
thinks of going into panic on account
of It. Once It was a goblin as horrible
as the Black Death of Europe or the
Red Death of Romance. Whole settle
ments of Algonqulns and Hurons were
wiped out of existence by it In New
France, and even thirty years ago Its
coming struck terror to countless com
munities in the Northern States every
Winter. Vaccination and sanitary prog
ress have narrowed Its purview and
apparently minimized Its virulence.
The medical journals comment upon Its
mild form. Few of its victims ore pit
ted as in the old days; and we know
better how to copo with it. Through
some subtle influence of heredity and
physical development, even the unvac
clnated have less to fear from Its rav
ages than In former times.
Yellow fever is losing Its terrors. It
has been stamped out of Havana and
in our Southern States It no longer par
alyzes an entire population with sus
pense and fear. Diphtheria, also. Is so
effectively fought with sanitation and
serums that It comes more rarely and
seldom proves fatal. Consumption is
hardly curable as yet, but Its spread
has been checked through precautions,
its inclpency is more effectively met,
its promotive conditions are better un
derstood, and thousands are living com
fortably through medicine and change
of residence who would have died under
the treatment of thirty years ago. Sur
gery has mitigated very many fatal ail
ments, notably among women, and the
athletic craze has conspired with Chris
tian Science and kindred doctrines to
rescue a great army from hypochon
dria, debility and decay. Scientific tem
perance has lessened the mortality of
business men, and even venereal dis
eases have been shorn of much of thels
once deadly power. It is an advocated
though perhaps not an accepted theory
that moderns have been largely ren
dered immune from syphilis Itself
through Inheritance.
On the other hand, diseases multiply.
Some of them have existed before un
der more general terms. Appendicitis,
for example, has doubtless been often
treated for peritonitis. The rise of spe
cialists has given to many ailments a
new terminology, which probably makes
something for precision and accuracy,
the while it ministers to the patient's
due submission and the Esculaplan
halo of omniscience. Your disease will
depend something upon the school of
practitioners you affect, and so will its
treatment. The multitude of new
schools, regular, irregular, crazy and
criminal, that have sprung up on the
prolific soil of human frailty and Ignor
ance have probably created as many
new and strange disorders as they have
professed to discover. Tbe Ingenious
have been busy with massage and me
chanical appliances and the dieting and
rest cures and colored glasses that have
been brought to bear upon physiog
nomy and anatomy have served to en
rich the dictionary as well as the drug
store.
Advancing foreign commerce has
brought us overseas more than one
alien disorder. The Black Death, un
der the name of bubonic plague, has
found Its way across the Pacific from
Asia. Its ravages are not severe, and
It seems tempered to our American
blood like the mild form of smallpox
our soldiers brought home from the
Philippines. The plague is doubtless
continuous at San Francisco, but In a
much milder form than in tropical Asia.
Thirteen years or so ago la grippe also
made its appearance, apparently from
Russia, by way of Europe, but possibly,
like the bubonic plague, from Asia,
where It has long prevailed. These Im
ported diseases, especially la grippe,
have made sad Inroads on our health
and population. Indirectly the grip Is
the source of many deaths through the
enfeebled condition in which It leaves
Its victim, the prey to attacks on his
weakest point.
Meanwhile home manufacture has not
been idle. It Is doubtful whether we
should lay greater stress upon the Im
ported diseases or upon the weakened
vitality which lays the system open to
their attacks. Conviviality produces
disease, but so do unremitting toll and
the strain of worry. The Increasing I
keenness of business strife; the absorb
ing demands of professional careers
upon men and of fashionable life upon
women; the constant rush; the perpet
ual .strain; the close application to men
tal toll with Insufficient rest, play and
real Joyousness have all Impaired di
gestion, racked the nerves and en
feebled the heart. Paresis, heart fail
ure and Indigestion take up the work
that smallpox and diphtheria have laid
down.
By chance or by design It comes
about that only a fraction of the hu
man race survives at any given point
in its advance to old age. Civilized
races have long passed the point where
Individuals in any considerable num
bers fail before plague or famine. But
Nature grimly raises up new forces of
decimation as fast as the old are inca
pacitated. The truth appears to be
that man, like any other animal, insists
on fighting with his environment, sav
age or civilized, up to a point where
only a portion of his army can survive
he shock of onset. Ambition, whether
for scalps or wives or coupons, lures
us on, and In the arena or the stock
pit we muster up our forces for a des
perate battle, whoso outcome Is precari
ous. It Is in this balancing between
valor- and discretion that the resultant
death-rate is fixed; and when prevent
ive and remedial agencies have done
their best there still remains the master
ful spirit, rushing Into the fray, daring
the shafts of poison that sometimes
pierce home, and the blows of over
tempted Nature that fall with fatal
force.
THE AMERICAN FAMILY.
An article in a recent number of the
Medical Record giving figures on the
decrease In size of American families
has called forth the usual arraignment
of American women for pelflshness and
flagrant dereliction of duty on this
point. Dr. George F. Shrady, editor of
the Record and formerly General
Grant's physician, commenting upon
the figures rendered, declares that the
fashionable woman of today does not
want children; that when they are bom
to her she does' not care for them prop
erly and they become sickly and die;
that the aversion to children is rapidly
spreading through all classes, and that
It is especially true among the well-to-do,
in the country as well as In the cit
ies. There Is. without doubt, much truth
In this estimate. Still the enrollment In
the public schools of large cities does
not support the statement that the de
crease In the number of children born
In this country Is alarming. There are,
in fact, more children in every city be
tween the ages of G and 10 or 12 years
than can find seats in the public school
rooms, and this notwithstanding the
fact that the school building tax in
every city Increases year by year. Tak
ing a cursory glance at the conditions
of Juvenile life In our own city, we find
a larger number of children enrolled In
the public schools than ever before; pri
vate schools more numerously attended
than ever before? and children being
pushed Into gainful vocations In such
numbers as to awaken the apprehen
sion of philanthropists and induce the
enactment of a child-labor law. Added
to this the increasing number of Juven
ile offenders that appear before the Po
lice Court for reprimand or penalty and
we will be forced to the conclusion
not only that children are not alarm
ingly scarce and constantly diminish
ing In numbers, but that Juvenile life
greatly abounds. In truth, the vice to
be deplored In this connection Is irre
sponsible parentage rather than the de
crease in the number of children born.
While the selfishness deplored by Dr.
Shrady abounds to a greater or less
extent In every community. It Is not a
matter of regret, broadly speaking, that
people of the class arraigned do not
have children. Dr. Shrady tells us that
children born to such people usually
sicken and die, hence It Is a gain to hu
manity that relatively few ore born.
The volume of irresponsible parentage
now is enormous; let us not grieve or
chafe that it Is not greater, as, accord
ing to Dr. Shrady's estimate. It would
be if "the fashionable women of today"
pursued motherhood as a fad Instead of
rejecting it as a nuisance. While re
gretting the degeneracy of the times,
wherein "the demands of society and
life In flats make the baby more un
welcome than a dog," let us not be un
mindful of the fact that unwelcome
children, handicapped from their birth
by a law not the less potent because
unwritten, are not likely to grow up
Into the men and women that the world
seeds.
PERSONAL FOrtCE IX POLITICS.
Harper's Weekly strongly urges that
Cleveland would be a stronger; Demo
cratic candidate tor President In 1904
than Olney, and treats with contempt
the fact that Bryan persists In refusing
to be harmonized on a Grover Cleveland
basis, and has repeatedly Intimated In
his Commoner that he would resist to
the utmost the renomlnatlon of the ex
President. In our Judgment the conse
quence of Mr. Bryan as a personal polit
ical force In the Democratic party of the'
Southwest and Middle West is sufficient
to make It very doubtful whether Mr.
Cleveland could be nominated In defi
ance of Mr. Bryan's opposition. Bryan
Is a man of great energy and political
shrewdneis; his personal character In
spires attachment among his followers;
his weekly paper reaches thousands of
torpid-minded Democrats who never
read a dally newspaper, and It is safe to
say thai in some respects Bryan has as
much Influence In the Democracy of the
West and Southwest as he ever had In
his life. Bryan does not conceal his
friendly sentiments for Olney; he does
not hide his unrelenting hostility for
Cleveland. Olney could poll as many
votes In any of the doubtful states of
the East as Cleveland; he is reported to
be very strong at the South, while
Cleveland Is hated by the masses of the
Democracy at the South with an In
tensity that Is born of Ignorance as the
architect of the ruin of the National
Democracy during his last term of of
fice. Given this situation with two able
men. Gold Democrats and of conserva
tlve record, rivals for the nomination,
and It is not too much to say that the
Influence, of Bryan energetically em
ployed among his recent following
would be sufficient to secure the victory
for'Olney against Cleveland. Bryan Is
shrewd enough to make his opposition
to Cleveland a personal issue; he does
not say that he will support no man for
the nomination who did not believe in
free silver at 16 to 1 In 1S96; he opposes
Cleveland .as personally odious to him
because he has always treated him
with superlative public rudeness and
political contempt, while Mr. Olney dif
fered with him In 1S96 on the financial
Issue without any exhibition of persona
disrespect. It Is easy to laugh at this
personal opposition of Bryan to Cleve
land, but intense individual opposition
from within the party has more than
once upset the fairest prospects of the
party favorite winning the nomination,
he Southern Democracy in 1844 invent
ed the two-thirds rule to beat Martin
Van Buren for the Presidential nomina
tion, but while Van Buren was beaten
he remained a powerful personal polit
ical force, and in 1S43 the secession of
his following cost the Democracy the
State of New York and the election.
The Democratic Administration of Polk
had Just carried the Mexican War
through to a victorious conclusion, and
they felt sure of the election of 1848.
The Whig nomination of Taylor had
offended the friends of Webster, and
without the insurrection of the Van
Buren faction in New York State the
Whigs would have been defeated. Tay
lor's popular vote was 1.360,101; that of
Cass was 1,220,544, while Van Buren
polled 291,268 votes. There Is no doubt
but the personal Influence of Van Buren
elected Taylor by enabling the Whigs
to carry New York for Taylor. Henry
Clay lost the election of 1844 to Polk by
offending the anti-slavery Whigs and
Democrats who threw away their votes
In New York State on James G. BIrney,
the candidate of the Liberty party.
Had Clay consented to conciliate BIr
ney, who was also a Kentucklan, the
anti-slavery vote of New York would
have given Clay the state and the Pres
idency. The nomination of Abraham
Lincoln was indirectly due to the per
sonal force of Horace Greeley In the
Republican party. He had quarreled
with Seward, and determined that he
should not be nominated at Chicago In
1S60. It Is true that Lincoln was not
originally the choice of Greeley, but the
knowledge that Greeley was from first
to last opposed to Seward made Lin
coln's nomination probable when other
wise It might have been hardly possi
ble. If Greeley had gone to Chicago as
active and aggressive a partisan of Sew
ard's as were William M. Evarts and
Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts,
Seward doubtless would have been
nominated, but out of Greeley's declared
opposition grew the wave of hostility
that finally swept him to defeat. The
personal Influence of Vallandlgham in
the Democratic National Convention of
1SCS prevented the nomination of Salmon
P. Chase, whom Horatio Seymour stood
ready to present to the convention. The
personal dislike of Tammany's leader,
John Kelly, for General Hancock cost
the Democracy the State of New York
and the Presidency In 18S0. The "per
sonal Influence of Conkllng, Edmunds,
George William Curtis and Carl Schurz
cost the Republican party the State of
New York and the election of Blaine In
1SS4. If these things are possible In
Northern States, they are quite likely
to happen In the states of the South and
Southwest, where personal loyalty to
men rather than cut-and-drled princi
ples Is far more common than at the
North. As between Cleveland and Ol
ney In 1904, if Bryan throws up his hat
for Olney it is safe to say that Cleve
land will not be nominated. The next
Democratic National Convention will
consist of 994 delegates, which Include
six votes each to all the territories. In
cluding Alaska and the Hawaiian
Islands. Of this number, 498 will consti
tute a majority, and 663 will be neces
sary to make up the two thirds required
to nominate a candidate. The Eastern
group of states. New England, New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
would have 252 votes, and Olney could
at least divide this vote with Cleveland.
The Southern States, Including the bor
der states, would have 332 votes. Olney
Is reported as the favorite candidate of'
the South In Alabama, Georgia and
Florida. In the Middle West and South
west the influence of Bryan would be
effectively employed for Olney rather
than Cleveland. The nomination may
not go to either of these men, but It Is
in Bryan's power to turn the scale in
favor of Olney and against Cleveland
if he chooses to exert himself for that
purpose.
Dr. A. A. Ames, ex-Mayor of Minneap
olis, after an official career that Is with
out parallel In the annals of municipal
corruption outside of New York City,
a sensational flight from Justice some
seven months ago while investigation of
his official career was In progress, and
successful hiding during the Interval,
has been captured among relatives In
New Hampshire. The record of his ad
ministration of the city of which he was
four times elected Mayor Is one of rob
bery, murder, blackmail and plunder
conducted by professional criminals un
der police direction. It Is said that he
will make a bitter 'fight against extradi
tion. Hovey C. Clarke, foreman of the
grand Jury that last April laid bare the
vice and corruption of Mayor Ames' ad
ministration, answered the Litter's chal
lenge of defiance, saying: "Doc Ames,
I am after you, and I am going to put
you where all contagious things are put
where you cannot contaminate any
body else." The country Is now looking
on, curious to see whether the bold
grand juror will be able to keep his
word.
The great State of Pennslyvanla has a
larger share of Illiterates than any of
the old free states save New Hamp
shire and Rhode Island. In Pennsyl
vania In 1900 there were 87,372 persons
over 10 years of age who could not read
or write. This was 40,000 more than
New York, though New York has but
70,000 more persons in it over 10 years
of age. The Philadelphia Press reports
the salaries paid schoolteachers In
Pennsylvania as appallingly low. Curi
ously enough, it appears to be the na
tive population which Is scandalously
Ignorant. The Legislature has now be
fore It a minimum salary bill put at $40,
and a bill requiring each school district
to spend on schools at least as much
as It gets from the state appropriation.
The liberal state appropriations have
thus far been used, not to educate chil
dren, but to reduce local taxes for
schools.
The Rev. J. J. Pipkin, a black, is the
author of a recently published book on
"The Negro In Revelation, In History
and In Citizenship." General John B.
Gordon, ex-Confederate soldier, ex
Unlted States Senator from Georgia and
an elder of the Presbyterian Church,
writes for this book 'a preface in which
the negro problem is treated with good
sense, moderation and kindly- feeling.
Among the Interesting facts cited In
this book Is the visit of Julius Mel bourn,
a negro tourist from England, to
Thomas Jefferson at Montlcello In 1815.
On this occasion Melbourn dined with
Chief Justice Marshall, William Wirt.
Samuel Dexter and other men of dis
tinction. A bill has passed the Senate advanc
ing one additional grade all retired
officers of the Army below the rank of
Brigadier-General who served In the
Civil War. It Is not doubted that the
bill will pass the House. It has been
strongly recommended by Secretary
Root and is entirely In accord with the
Views of the President. Under this bill
a Captain will became a Major and our
old friend, . Major Eckerson, will be a
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Dr. A. A. Ames, the.fugltlve Mayor of
Minneapolis, who has been arrested In
New Hampshire, was the first city edi
tor of Ben Holiaday's Portland Bulle
Itn. The paper was started In 1870 and
died In 1875. Ames was brought here
from San Francisco. At that time he
was about 30 years of age, and re
mained In Portland about one year.
PROSPERITY OX A SOUND BASIS.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The Financial and Commercial Chronicle
takes a very cheerful view of the general
business outlook which seems to be fully
borne out by reports from all sources. It
points out that the comparative quiet of
the stock market which has Induced some
of those In the neighborhood of Wall
street to be pessimistic Is, In fact, a symp
tom of a thoroughly wholesome condition.
As usual, the stock exchange anticipated
conditions and has finally brought prices
as near to the point of equilibrium as it
is possible to get them. Railroad stocks
are. as a rule, as high as the prospective
returns Justify, and on the other hand
the prospect of any decline In earnings Is
so slight that every tendency of prices to
fall Is promptly checked.
There Is. moreover, nothing In the gen
eral business situation to cause alarm.
Bank clearings, railroad earnings and the
output of Iron are steadily Increasing, and
failures are the lowest on record. Even
the severe strain of the coal strike did
not seem to check development. Had
there been any unsoundness In the Indus,
trial situation the apprehensions caused
by that struggle would have brought
them to light. But the affair did not
even seem to discourage new enterprises;
and In spite of the shortage of fuel,
which has seriously embarrassed the ope
rations of many industries, the tldo of
prosperity has steadily risen. Even the
more serious and more reasonable appre
hensions caused by the severe stringency
of the money market In November and
December had no visible effect on the vol
ume of business. The Chronicle points
out that In the freight blockade also
there are no features to Justify pessimism.
The blockade. It maintains, is the result
of an urgent demand by dealers for goods
for which their customers are clamoring.
They want large supplies and they want
them at once. There Is no element of
speculation In this heavy freight move
ment as In some previous ones. Stocks
are nowhero accumulating, and the Chron
icle cannot detect a sign of "over trad
ing." Tho fact Is that the consuming capacity
of the country after several years of good
times. Is surprising every one. It Is be
yond all calculation, and therefore there
are many who feel that there must be
something fictitious In It somewhere. But
there Is nothing to Indicate anything of a
fictitious character. Stocks of all kinds
are consumed rapidly and paid for with
out delay.
The situation in tho Iron market Is typi
cal. In 1S97 the country broke Its own pig
Iron record In turning out 9.600.000 tons, or
about as much as England's highest up to
that time. In 1902 we turned out 17,821.
000 tons, or almost twice as much as In
1S97. and as much as England. Germany
and Belgium together. But not only was
all this enormous output consumed, but a
shortage In the supply had to be made up
by heavy imports. It has, in short, been
as impossible for the Iron and steel com
panies to produce what was wanted as It
has been for the railroads to carry the
merchandise offered. If the statistics of
other Industries were as complete as
those of the Iron and steel Industries,
what Is true of Iron would doubtless be
found true to a greater extent of other
products. The fact Is that even In ordi
nary times thero is an astonishing de
mand for goods of even the most Inde
structible character. The maw of the
public Is Insatiable even for articles which
aro by no means Indispensable, and In
prosperous times that maw seems to be
come a bottomless pit.
If It were shown that Jobbers or dealers
were piling up goods In unreasonable
quantities or were extending or demand
ing credit unduly there would be somo
reason to fear. But It is said that in
nearly all parts of the country business Is
being done more nearly on a cash basts,
and Jobbers aro seeking the .assistance of
the banks to a much smaller extent than
ever before In proportion to their busi
ness. Caution la always necessary, but
caution ought not to be made to spell
pessimism. A crop failure, a financial
panic or a number of other Incidents may
set the tide flowing the other way, and
It Is always safe to bear such facts In
mind; but the surest of all methods to
bring about a reaction Is to Infuse dis
trust when there Is no reason for dis
trust. It Is ono thing to point to actual
weaknesses; for that Is the surest way to
correct them. It Is another to assert that
a setback Is at hand merely because good
times have lasted longer than any one
thought they would. Tho failure of care
ful diagnosis to reveal any unsoundness
does not Justify a debauch, but It cer
tainly Justifies not being a hypochondriac
Germany's Protestations.
Chicago Evening Post.
Several distinguished Germans have ex
pressed surprise and regret at tho re
cent manifestations of American distrust
of their government. "Tho Emperor's pol
icy In Venezuela, wo are assured, has
been totally misunderstood, and all sus
picion with reference to tho alleged as
saults upon the Monroe Doctrine Is gra
tuitous and unwarranted. We believe that
this Is substantially true. Germany has
had no ulterior motives In this unfortun
ate South American business, andi none
of the acts that havo so irritated and dis
gusted the American people has been
prompted by an Intention hostile to the
Interests of the United States. We do not
admire the mailed fist In action, but that
should not prevent our recognizing the
sincerity of Germany's professions of
friendship for tho United States. There
may bo incompatibility of temper, but
there Is no Incompatibly of principle
or of ultimate Interest between the Amer
icans and the Germans. A better mutual
understanding Is highly desirable, and any
means calculated to promote that end
should bo eagerly adopted and cultivated.
Kenou'i Addlcks Exposure.
Boston Herald.
Mr. George Kennan. the noted trav
eler, has turned his attention from dark
est Russia, as regards which he once
conveyed considerable information to
the public, to darkest Delaware. He finds
this locality In the southern portion of
tho state, and has shown that tho voters
there In the period following tho lato elec
tion were loaded with bills on a Boston
bank which there Is reason to believe that
Addlcks carried Into tho locality, and with
which, his agents purchased their suf
frages by the scores and hundreds. Mr.
Kennan. not acting In any sense as a
political agent, but in the spirit of an
investigator into what is being done In
the shady places of the earth, has sought
out this plague-spot of corruption and
laid the doings there bare to the Inspec
tion of the American people. Ho has done
his work so thoroughly as to make It al
together probable that, even If Addlcks
should now be elected to the Senate from
Delaware, that body could not, in decency,
admit him to Its membership.
An Apparent Absurdity.
Washington Post.
We are getting very weary of these re
peated explanations touching our military
affairs. Every announcement of the com
pletion of a new man-of-war or the man
ufacture of a few millions of smokeless
powder cartridges or the contract for a
new gun la promptly followed by a chorus
of assurances that there Is no significance
In It. Really, this Is a very tiresome
and stupid performance. Moreover, It con
veys a perfectly transparent falsehood.
To say that thero Is no significance In
the strengthening of our Army and Navy
Is absurd. It deceives nobody, while it
makes us ridiculous.
Army Reform.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Secretary Root will have his general
staff Idea incorporated In legislation. A
hard fight has been made against that
project, but it has received the support of
all military men of tho country of any
consequence and will be enacted. All the
great military nations have general staffs,
and the United States will have to put Its
Army on the best possible basis. The
Army will always be small In time of
peace, but It must be made as effective as
any In the world for Its size.
THE M0XR0E DOCTRINE.
Minneapolis Tribune.
It Is said that even Englishmen do not
quite IIio Captain Mahan's Interpretation
of tho Monroe doctrine In his National Re
view article: and that It Infuriates Con
tinental publicists. Nevertheless, we think
that Captain Mahan has elven the Inter- j
pretatlon of the Monroe doctrine which
lies In the back of the American popular !
mind. He rejects, though. In very smooth
ftna tactful phrase, the European theory '
mat we must be responsible for the debts
nnd behavior of South American countries.
If we are going to protect them from Eu
ropean Interference.
This European notion rests upon a per
sistent error as to our motive -In stating
nnd upholding the Monroe doctrine. For
eigners are apt to think that we do this
from altruistic sentiment; that our object
Is to protect the feeble republics of South
America. This being so, they cannot see
why we should not accent It. If our only
or chief purpose were to protect the South
American republics. The truth Is that we
care as little for them as the most con
temptuous European; and most of them
return our Indifference with more positive
dlsllks..
The Monroe doctrine Is for the protection
of the United States, and no one else. We
oppose the extension of European sov
ereignty in the Western hemisphere and
still more the establishment of any new
European sovereignty because we think
that It would be dangerous to the peace
and security of the United States. We
should like to clear away all' European
settlement on this continent, as buildings
and trees are cleared away about a forti
fied town, lest they should afford shelter
to attack. That would bo going too far;
so wc content ourselves with prohibiting
any more settlement of this kind.
This is the American Idea of the Mon
roe dostrlne. It Is absolutely selfish, and
that is why we nre so vitally In earnest
about It. The strongest Instinct In any
Individual or any living nation Is the in
stinct of self-protection. That instmct Is
the whole motive of the Monroe doctrine.
We will not have any more European na
tions established on the American conti
nent, where they can reach us to do us
an Injury. The sooner the European na
tions understand this and make the best
of it, the better we shall agree In the fu
ture. We shall neither be responsible for
the acts of South American countries nor
protect them from consquences of these
acts, that do not look to European, colo
nization: but It must be clearly under
stood that the price of any more European
colonization in the Western continent la
war with the United States.
We do not take this rather brusque at
titude toward Europe without being will
ing to make some compensation. The
compensation we havo offered from the
beginning is declaration that we will not
Interfere with any of the European pow
ers. In the part of the world which we
recognize as belonging to them. In return
for requiring them to keep hands off over
here, we undertake to keep hands off over
there. Another interesting thing in Cap
tain Mahan's article is his careful defini
tions of the part of the world which we
recognize as closed to American Interfer
ence. He conceives this as Including Eu
rope, Africa, India and the countries be
tween: but not Japan, China or the Pacific
ocean, on which we have a great coast
line and In which we expect to have great
commerce.
This extension to Asia of the sphere
within which we claim influence Is. of
course, an outgrowth of the Spanish War.
In another magazine article, not long ago,
Cartaln Mahan suggested that we surren
der exclusive Influence In South America
below the equator In compensation for .this
addition. That concession may come later
but we think that Americans are not quite
ready for It yct-
Hannn'a Ridiculous Bill.
New York Herald.
Senator Hanna has cast all measures In
the shade by -bis ridiculous "slave pension
bill." No one for a moment supposes
that It will pass Congress. Not even
Senator Hanna could keep his face
straight were he asked If he believed the
measure would become a law. In fact,
ho excuses Its Introduction by apologetic
ally Indorsing It as presented "by re
quest." It was a most mischievous thing,
however, to have done. It will arouse a
vain hope among the negroes of the
South that they are to bo pensioned by
tho Government, and it will stir Into ac
tivity those who on various occasions
have deluded these poor people with such
hopes and induced them to part with
their little savings to "help It along." If
Senator Hanna Isn't ashamed of himself
he ought to be.
Humor of the Vermont Situation.
Boston Globe.
It Is to be remembered that aside from
Maine and New Hampshire only Kansas
and North Dakota remain In the prohibi
tory column. In tho Vermont contest the
humorous feature of the situation Is that
the liquor men are not happy, notwith
standing what might naturally be supposed
to be their triumph. They conceive, that
under prohibition they can carry on a
liquor business- at much less expense than
under the newly enacted liquor system.
This In Itself Is a very significant com
ment on the folly of prohibition. It Is
none too soon that tho people have ex
perienced an awakening.
Power of the Trusts.
Pittsburg Post.
A striking Illustration of one power ac
quired by tho formation of a trust and
ono brazenly announced In academic es
says on the virtues of such organizations
is tho shutting down of tho refineries of
tho sugar trust at Williamsburg, N. Y.,
throwing out SOOO employes, and thus de
priving dependent families of support.
The closing of the cooper shop3, an Inci
dental sequence, will almost double the
number of the unemployed. The reason
for the closing Is the regulation of the
production. That Is, to follow out the
process, to maintain prices and secure
more profits to enable payment of larger
dividends.
The FlndlnfC Is Absurd.
Philadelphia North American.
The House committee on naval affairs
finds that Doblln tried to corrupt Con
gressman Lessler "with the Idea of mak
ing money for himself," but falls to ex
plain how Doblln could have bribed Less
ler or made any money for himself If the
company to be benefited by Lessler's vote
was not behind him and willing to supply
him with funds. That Doblln acted "on
his own initiative nnd responsibility," as
the committee declares, is not to be be
lieved. When he offered money to Lessler
he must have known where the money
was coming from.
Will Not Act nnsh'ly.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
With the venerable Mr. Morgan delaying
tho Panama Canal bill and the astute
Mr. Quay blockading everything else till
three weeks before adjournment. It- Is ob
served that the deliberative Senate has
carfully provided against any rash actlon
on the subject of either trusts, reciproc
ity or canals.
It's Ills Own Jlensnre.
Boston Herald.
Quite likely SenatorHoar will not ap
prove of the published description of his
anti-trust bill as an administration meas
ure. Senator Hoar is on record as up
against the Interference of the executive
with the Legislative branch of the Government-
The bill Is a little thing of his
own-
Postponement Is Without Reason.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
In view of the strong desire of the ter
ritorial people for admission to the Union
a desire that is sure to be gratified some
day because there is no other possible des
tiny than statehood for our continental
territories no sufficient reason exists why
admission should longer be postponed.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Isn't It about time for some paragrapher
to eay something funny about Bohemia
taking a little Turkey?
Of course. Germany didn't want to
break the Monroo Doctrine. She just
wanted to see how far It would bend.
Bishop Spalding says wealth Is degrad
ing. But so weak is human nature that
most of us are willing to take the risk.
No, my son. those are not breastworks
on Morrison street. Pretty soon they will
dig up the other side, and then they will
have a canal to carry off the Spring
freshet.
That 'ancient benedict and his son over
at Vancouver should take consolation in
these lines:
Stone walls do not a prison mate.
Nor Iron bars a cage.
Firs the press report had it that General
Uribe-Uribc committed suicide, tnen ne
Jellied a man In a duel, then It was his
brother who fought the duel, then It was
his brother who committed suicide, then
at last It was a man committed suicide at
a place called Uribe. Truly these foreign
ers are worse than the New York evening
editions with their "fake extras."
The Duke of Tetuan was a properly Im
pressive title for a Spanish government
Minister, though It covered the personality
of an Irishman named O'Donnell.' His
title came from the fact that his father,
in the Spanish service, captured the Moor
ish City of Tetuan. This was In 1S39. and
two years later the Sultan of Morocco ran
somed tho city for 3),000.0CO a rather
large sum for a Mohammedan town of 13.
C00 people. In this connection It Is recalled
that the Emln Bey, subsequently Emln
Pasha, who figured so prominently In
British military operations In Egypt and
the Upper Nile country a few years ago,
was an Austrian physician named Ed
Schnltzler. These honest Celtic-Saxon
names are quite too plain for the Moham
medan taste, or for others who wohshlp
tho veneer, tho guinea stamp.
Over In the vicinity of Columbia Slough
resides a very estimable couple of deaf
mutes. The wife Is a dressmaker. The
other day one of her patrons, who Is a
great lover of cats, noticed nt the muta
dressmaker's a happy family consisting of
an old tabby and three or four half
grown kittens basking by the stove. Tha
visitor stooped and caressed the cats, nnd
they stretched and purred in tho most
sercno contentment. Then she spoke to
the cats. Instantly there was commotion.
Again she spoke soothing words, and tho
cats redoubled their frantic demonstra
tions, leaping on the table, upsetting a
lamp, clawing half the paper oft the walls
in their attempt to climb, and emitting
terrifying howls In various keys. Tha
visitor thought the cats were having fits.
But It was soon explained to her that
these cats had never before heard a
human being speak, nnd the sound of the
human voice frightened them nearly to
death.
Tho movement In the Wisconsin Legis
lature for an Investigation of tho Stand
ard Oil Company, and to Instruct the Attorney-General
to apply for a receiver to
conduct the affairs of the company In that
state, is like an echo from the dim past.
In these later years there has been a
pretty general disposition to accept the
Standard Oil as an unavoidable. If not
necessary, evil. But private monopoly can
have no permanent rest- The people de
mand that success must- be- won In open
competition, not by trickery that elimi
nates competition. And whenever the
work the strife of elements that Is the
law of life from vinegar to oil. Is ab
sent from great trade enterprises, the
people wanj to know why It is so, and
how they are faring under it. If they
work and fail It Is all right: but to suc
ceed vIthout the work, the strife of deal
ing with their equals. Is rot to be toler
ated. Recent publication of Standard Oil
history has also Tevlved Interest In the
ways of this oleaginous octopus, and
doubtless contributed somewhat to fresh
scrutiny.
Fine weather this for Winter time.
With sky all blue and sun ashlne:
With moon a-bloomtng late at night
And Just a touch of frost In sight.
But I wouldn't swap th weather that w
ought to have today.
With Us filmy cloud of vapor stretching
'twlxt us and tho blue.
And the gently falling raindrops melting- all
the frost away.
For all this bright and parching time that
really isn't due.
" Crisp February atmosphere
Is laden with a heavy cheer
In Webfoot Oregon. The east
Wind we do value much the least.
For It brings us all the colds and coughs ana
all the aches and pains.
Brings us rheumatism, ague. Influenxa,
wreck and death:
And It hurts our trade and commerce. Inter
feres with all our aims.
And every sort of evil Cometh on Its hated
breath.
No foreign climate need we here
To charm the Winter time of year.
Though, having It, I must confess
I like our own not one whit less.
For ours brings balm of Gllead, sweet amar
anth and thyme.
All the soothing fumes of nature on the soft
wings of the air.
While the curtain clouds protect us from all
other sorts of clime
And the plagues and chills and fevers that
run riot otherwhere.
The Height of Prosperity.
Philadelphia Ledger.
Somo Irritating nnd querulous peopla
want to know where the prosperity is
when they have to pay no a ton for coal.
Whv. that is tho height of prosperity for
the coal trust.
PLEASAXTIUES OF PAItAGIlAPIIEIlS
nnmmi What Is that old savlnfir about a
.... .t ht. mrtnm ir (lnhnnrI nrf.l th
rled. Judge.
Industrious nan. ana lays i.vw.vw prks tu
year. .air. uacon in, anu. jou auu.
doesn t cackle about 1L lonKers statesman.
"My father died of water on the brain." re
marked the man from Ohio. "Let It be a
warning to you," replied the Kentucky Col-
. . - . .1 I 1 . t -. 1 I, I -
too late." Chicago Dally News.
Tess Now. here's a secret. I was married
last week to Dick Gaylark. Jess Oh. my! I
thought you'd be the last person In the world
to marry him. Tess well. I hope I am.
Philadelphia Press. I
Percy I sent a girl a book hollowed out and
filled with chocolate creams. Guy Did she
like It? Percy She writes me that she wants
at once a complete set of the American En
cyclopaedia. Detroit Free Press.
"You brute! When you married me you
said you would gratify my slightest desire, and
now you refuse to buy that cloak for me!"
"Yes. dear: but I don't regard a hankering
for a sealskin cloak as a slight desire." Balti
more News.
Greene Look at that woman, will youT I
should think she'd freeze with that little bit
cf a Jacket. Wyse My dear fellow. If you were
any Judge of values, you'd know that the
cloth that Jacket's made of Is the most ex
pensive goods In tho market Boston Tran
script. Mrs. Gotham (looking for a home In the
suburbs) This Is a gem of a place. I admit,
but the house Is too smalt. Agent You said
you had but two children. "Yes. but there
are no rooms here for servants." "Don't worry
about that, my dear madam. If you succeed
In finding a servant girl wining to stay over
nights I'll hare aa nrtilltlm built." Nsw
York Weekly