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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1903)
THE MORNING OKEGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, APRIC 8, 1903. 8 ffjwi. , M.-..t- 1 1IZB L;ft01XlUrlU I Xntered at tte Fortofflos at Portland. Oregon. I aa second-class matter. I TlKVIfcKn STTRRCRlltPTlOX HATES, I Dally with Sunday, per month.: zara I Daily. Sunday excepted, per tlt TJjo I UT 111 IWWIIK.UttWIIIi W IWI m r I &Trrir:..T:U:::::::r.:: 2 The weexiy. per year....... . 1 ttviSl-"" Daily, per week, delivered. Sunday --zted.isc I POSTAGE BATES. I United States. Canada ana vuilco- I 10 la 14-DJLre DUtr....MMM...u I Si . 9... ' .2a 1 Foreign ntM double. -Cw illtraitlMi ntndMf for TrahllcaUon In The Orrgonlan should be addressed InvsrU- I JSTrS Using, subscription or to anr business matter 1 should be addressed simply "The Oregoatan." I The Oregonlan does not buy poems or stones I from Individual and eanaof unaertaks to re-1 tatlon. No stamps should be rnclosed for this n. Every community feels its P res purpose. I ence and Is willing to give place to Its Eastern Business once, 3. . 43. , 43. s 1 Tribune building. New York City: 810-11-11 1 inouii. ooiwms. uuiwy w o. v For sale In Baa Tranelsco by L. E. Lee. Pal- I ace Houl news stand; Goldsmith Bros, S3S I Butter street; F. w. Pitts. ,1005 Market street: I j. li. uoper ijo.. ra Jua street, nesr we 1 iuie npuij xoaicr wresx. cii y sews 1 stand; Trans; Scott. 80 Ellis street, and N. I Wheatlejr. 8U Mission street. I Fot sals ln Los Aszeles 17 B. r. Gardner, I 2 Booth Sprlne street, and Olrrer & Hames. cu eouw Dpnnr street. For sale ln Kansas atr. Mo- by TUektecker I Clxar Co.. Klnth and Walnut streets. I For sale ln Chlcaao by the P. O. News civ. 1 7 Dearborn street, and Charles MaeDonald. usew . I For sale In Omaha by Barkalow Broa. 1612 I v.mm uih KtiinT,-r Co.. wis Farnam street. I For sale ln Ogden by vr. G. Kind. Ill S5th I street; jas. a. crockweii. siz tn street. For sal ln Washington. D. C. by the Ebbett I House news stand. I For sal in Denver, cola, by Hamilton 5, 9?f"ct.!Ii,?rt:l5 and Lawrence streeU: X. Series. Sixteenth and Curtis streets. I TODATS WEATHER-Partly cloudy, with. I fJ. minimum tBmrlllTT 1 nn. I rinituini. o'.ik mrh I FORTLAXD, WEDSESDAV, Al'RIL, 8. 1 COLLEGE ORATORICAL CONTESTS "Something too much of thla" The remark Is from "Hamlet The Orego nlan quotes the phrase that it -may apply It to the contests of college ora tory. To us these contests between the colleges seem every way unfruitful. The whole question Is, Do such exercises contain within them a principle, method or means of Intellectual development? The Oregonlan takes leave to doubt It; and it will give Its reasons. Quickness of mental operation or ac tlon Is an essential condition of oratory But the practice of writing out orations and committing them to memory for delivers' has on opposite effect. It chains the mind down to the letter and checks the flow of the spirit- It leads the mind into a state of dependence, and even of helplessness, cuts off spon taneity of thought and substitutes for- mal coldness of speech for the quick leap of thought Into living words. The objection is not that the college orations in themselves are mostly "poor stuff.' On the whole, they are as good as you might expect But the objection is that from their method of preparation and delivery no real development of the powers of the mind, for purposes prao ileal or useful, can be expected. A ready speaker never will be made that way. If one la to be a participant as a speaker, ln actual affairs, he must school himself to talk. In the simplest. plainest and most direct way. Study and practice of sonorous periods will do little or nothing for htm. The skill he needs he can get only In the rub of affairs; and ln order to find It he must forget his method of college oratory, or at least abandon it But the chance is that It will first have given him a men tal habit that will be a handicap to him, and even lead him Into failure. . Rarest of men are real orators. And they "come by nature." The village lyceum, the college debating club, may. Indeed, be useful, for most of the ut terance Is spontaneous, and therefore very much alive. But the prepared "oration" Is a very different thing. It Is to be committed to memory and "spouted," and has neither life nor soul. The written essay, as an exercise, is better altogether. It takes another style. Is more simple and natural, and freer from temptation to bombastic ex pression. To speak simply, directly and closely. on occasion, and with variety, feeling and force. Is a great accomplishment But the training for it should not lead one to depend on his memory for words and phrases, but on the play of mind upon the subject Development of the power to use one's resources Is the Ob ject to be attained. The first step toward it is abandonment of the style of college oratory. "Action," acid one who said everything most pregnantly. "action Is eloquence": and for Impres sion on the hearer, the way a thing Is said completely transcends the value of the matter itself. Seen ln print, it may be almost worthless. On the other hand, the most valuable matter, dellv ered without action, may have no ef fect et all beyond that of producing weariness. Here is the description of the orator, of the orator of the pulpit of the orator consummate and paramount, since the appeal to the religious Instinct and na ture of man always and most deeply touches the Imagination: Hla style, conformable with his majeity of position, rose to an eaoallty with the infinite. It was simple as the oracle that llsdelns to please; unpremeditated as the word uttered. without seleeUon. In the rapidity of thought; slow as meditation, that forgets the lapse of time; rapid as the Inspiration that fears to es cape from Itself: usalmed as the shaft which Is hurled at random, and which the eye does not even fellow to witness the effect; naked as the truth from which every veil Is torn. and trampled under foot as It to dltplsy the natural purity; collected and reflected as the temple; eomeUmes as unpolished as the peo ple; always guided by nature and not by al to the Idea or sentiment It desires to express; poetical above all other considerations. rather, losing sight of the auditory and the chain, of reasoning to utter an unexpected ebullition of joy or grief: and giving vent to Involuntary feeling tn direct communion xtth Deity, either ln dialogues or hymns which have had no parallel since the days of Xloees end the prophets, ills was the most Sowing, the most Imaginative, the lcftlest and the most remissive eloquence with which God has ever girted tne upa oz man- Thls Incomparable description of ora tory and eloquence do you ask where you may find It? It Is from Lamar tine's "Memoir of Bossuet" we fear very inadequately translated. The members of the Portland Board of Trade resolved the other; night that the city should keep the streets is repair after they are once improved, and that a. committee be appointed to confer with the city autltales on the matter. It waa stated that the method heretofore. Dy cnarging ue es-perisea.ol toe- repairs to the abutting property-owners baa re- I y.mj Khmx ..K.. TF M committee will take the trouDie to reaa section 352 of the new charter. It will ... ... . ... find that hereafter the city Is required to maintain improved streets and haa the power to make an assessment of three - quarters of a mill fcr the purpose. - " - '"'1 ------- of vehicle licenses are also to be added trt hA MAt.MMl. er.,i "-"'-"l' TJSIO"C, CO.NXRAC7TORS AXD FTJBL.IC. Ors-lxed Ju.d move can """s -""- - time, taking care to keep within, the bounds of moderation. It la now powcr ta Industrial life of the Na- principles. This can continue oniy hit,, ... rimanri ore last as between . 0 m, ' .fclhlUnn nf uomiaceratiK si". ""c a-ma w- usefulness. There la a vast difference between larlnc the weight of e Just h. , hnitm Md . ,,.. wbbeb upun me hukb ui iuuji., In the attempt to clog them wiin an un- reasonable demand. In the one case popular sentiment Indorses the action. , it witi. Hl.rn.mm nf - It. A. word to tfl wise seems to oe necessarr at this time, we trust mat this word may come from labor leaders I - .VI. mmninitltT at mr n the end . . , . . . . . mat unressouaDie oemanos, uuoi uai- ever source, may be checked and the industrial life of the community may ,fr from m (Mnnnrsrir nmroen. e taae 11 mat. me urare 01 rwuuiu for Justice to organized labor Is Btrorur aa ver. But there is also a feeling - and It U a good deal stronger than It was a year ago that these com- plaints as to hours ana time ana rec ognition are made not as a basis of mnrtitlnnn and rfr-adv Industry. UCUIUUU 117 lUtUUm. - m V. vcm.iu rains irencral acceptance, and It Is crowing, public opinion will array it- Klt g- the unions, and without public opinion thel? chance to win Is very slight. The Interests of society are chiefly those of progress and Improve ment. It Is dangerous to Interfere with the course of building or of trade upon any grounds except those of plain Jus tice. As to the merits of the present con. troveray In a part of the building trades field, we shall say nothing. But as to the purposes of public sentiment. It may be well to give the building trades a hint, for they will find that foresight Is better than hindsight, much cheaper and leas humiliating. Public oplnlon-Jn Portland will never, sustain unions ln an effort to recruit aid for contractors In the enterprise of forcing nonunion men Into the unions. Let them get the nonunion men Into unions by persuasion. if they can; but neither' employers nor general public will be dragooned Into a fight to force any man Into a union who prefers to remain out of It Public opinion ln Portland will never consent to help the unions force an employer to discharge a nonunion man be wishes to keep and who has given no Just cause of offense. A very timely word on this question of labor- troubles was spoken bv President Roosevelt Monday at Sioux Falls. He said: A conciliation committee can do best work when the trouble Is In Its beglnnlcx. or at least has not come to a bead. When tn break has actually occurred, damaae has been done, and each side feels sore and ancry; and It Is dlmcult to get them tocelner aracuit to make either t drift 1U own wroars anl re member the rlrhts of the other. If possible. the effort at conciliation or mediation or ar bitration should be made ln the earlier stages. and should be marked by the wish on the part of both sides to try to come to a common agreement which each shaU think ln the in terests of the other as well as or ltseu. The stage of difficulty here treated by the President Is precisely the stage oc cupied by the building trades con troversy ln Portland. It Is of profound concern to the community that the ques tions at Issue be settled on some basis that will be fair to both sides and that will stand without interruption the first time some single employer or employe slips a cog ln his mental machinery. Things are getting to a pretty pass it the Immense building operations now under way in Portland must come lo a standstill every time a contractor's or business acent's liver gets out of order. With all our passion for organization. there ought to be an organization of baseball bats and meat cleavers to fall upon the necks of cranky contractors and cocky walking delegates. A RIGHTEOUS DECISION Monday's decision of the Federal Su nreme court sets at rest for all time the contention between land-grant rail roads and settlers upon lands within the Indemnity limits of such railroads. Compressed Into a nutshell, the de cision of the highest tribunal Is this: Ttfe rule by which original land grants are withdrawn from sole or location. pre-emption or homestead entry does not apply to Indemnity lanas. At tne first trial of this suit which was brought by the United States against the Oregon & California Railroad com pany to cancel patents Issued to the company for certain lands In what Is known aa the "West Side" grant Juage Bellinger held: There Is a well-established distinction be- tveen "rrsnted lands" and "Indemnity lands' in the construction of land grants ln aid of railroads: and the principle Is firmly estab lished that the title to lands In the Indemnity dsss does not rest In the railroad company for the benefit of .which they are contingently grantee nut. in tee i u.ir. itr.. kom, . r mains ln the United States, untU they an actually selected and set apart, under the dr recUon of the secretary 01 tne interior, specic cally for Indemnity purposes. TJnul such time, the UUe remains ln the Government, suhfect to Its disposal at Its pleasure. This view is confirmed -by the Su preme Court. Under the Federal act of July S3, 1S66, as soon as a land-grant railroad had made Its survey, and filed Us maps end plats, the Secretary of the Interior was required to withdraw alter nate sections within ten miles on each side of the surveyed line. By the act of May 4,-1870, It is provided: "And ln case the quantity, of ten full sections per mile cannot be withdrawn on each side of said road, with said limit of Twenty miles, other lands shall be looted ... to make up the defi ciency." But the railroad did not make such selections. It simply claimed land ln large quantities. It did cot specify Its deficiency, nor did it put Its finger on certain lands and say at wanted them in order to be made whole. It was ex. treme In its demands and recognized no "rquatters" " rights. And cow the United States has said to the railroad (and there seems to be no way of taking: tt back): "Ton are entitled o what the law specifically gives you, and 70a can't "hoSi,up" great areas for a contingency. If yon can find within the Indemnity limits enough land to make tip your deficiency, -pick It out ana we win kits you tiue to iu The settlers were there ahead of you. and their rights we hold sacred. We will not allow you to tie up wide acres on the theory that some time, perhaps twenty-Ova or fifty years from now,. I you may be entitled to a part of them." A large number of men on both sides of the "Willamette Valley are now se cure la the homes and farms they have created. The effect of the decision will probably be an early selection by the railroad company of lieu lands, which It Is to be hoped will be offered for sale at a reasonable price. SERVICE PESSIOKS FOR VETEI1ANS. Sumner Post, Grand Army of the Re public, has adopted a, resolution request ing Congress to pass an act placing all surviving veterans of the Civil "War on the pension rolls at a minimum of 112 per month. It is probable that a uni versal service pension bill of some sort tor the benefit of the veterans of the Civil War will be enacted within the next ten years. The precedent for such a pension exists today In the service pension of J1J a month now paid to 6SI3 soldiers of the Mexican War and the 8017 widows of Mexican War veterans. This Mexican War service pension act was passed by Congress In 1SST, about forty years after the close of the Mexi can War. It Is nearly forty years since the great battle of Gettysburg was won; It is Just thirty-eight years since the Civil War was practically ended by Lee's surrender. Whether Congress should at once enact a general service pension bill Is a question of expediency; it is sure to be passed sooner or later. and as a matter of economy it is quite likely that it would not cost the Gov eminent a very large sum ln addition to what is now paid pensioners and what is sure to be paid through special acts for the relief of Individual soldiers whose- claims have been rejected by the Pension Bureau or who deem their prefect pensions unequal to their mer Its. The pension roll today is about 1,000.- 000 strong, and of these pensioners about 975,000 are veterans of the Civil War and their widows. The number of veterans that are not now upon the pension roll probably does not exceed 200,000 men. and of these probably a good many are in easy circumstances and would not apply for a service pension. How many of the present pensioners on the rolls would be benefited by a service pension act It is impossible to estimate. Of course, those whose present pension is less than the amount of a service pen sion would be benefited by such an act to the amount of the excess of service pension over the present one. It Is not likely that Congress would grant a service pension at first of more than $8 a month, as It did with the Mexican War pension bill when first enacted ln 1SS7. It Is well, perhaps, for the vet erans to begin to push this bill upon the attention of Congress, for It wilt In volve a long debate, and a decision will not naturally, be reached for several years. Death Is rapidly reducing the army of veterans, and before a general service pension bill is enacted the bur den involvwl by its passage will be much lighter to bear than at present. Practically without the enactment of a general service pension bill the surviv ing veterans are rapidly being added to the roll by special pension acts. A gen eral service pension bill would be much better, because today It Is the soldier who has the beet political pull that through special pension acts gets his name placed on the pension roIL The Grand Army of the Republic for a number of years has discussed the wisdom of a general service pension act, and one of its commanders, a sound jurist and an able soldier, argued on every occasion that the country would ultimately enact such a pension bill; that it would be driven to it by the increasing number of special pension acts, which operated with unequal Jus tlce, for every veteran had not the in fiuence necessary to obtain a statute for his Individual relief. There Is not the slightest hope of any decrease in the number of these special pension bills; there is not -the slightest hope of any reform in the pension laws, and It is probable that a general service pension law Is the best way out of the difficulty. Under the act of June 27, 1830, 426.1SS veteran soldiers and 143,201 widows drew pensions, as well as 15.953 sailors and 6977 widows. These Invalids draw pensions for disability to earn support by manual labor, disability not due to military service. Under this act so many veterans have obtained a pension that a general service pension bill would probably not greatly enlarge the number of names upon the pension roll. although It would Increase the pension of many of them. Those whose present pension is less than the sum granted by the general service pension bill would be helped by Its enactment but It would, of course, be of no advantage to other pensioners. THE STAR OP EMPIRE. Eighty-one carloads of immigrants passed through Sioux City in a single day last week, on their way to the West, the greater part of them from states lying east of the Mississippi River. Yesterdays telegraphic news reported between 2000 and 3000 foreign Immigrants passing through Chicago Monday, bound for the West Items of this kind are no longer so Infrequent as to cause special comment but the Sioux City news is supplanted by the statement that the exodus from Iowa for the West has reached such propor tions that it is alarming those who are not inclined to join the throng. The banker of a small town ln Iowa not far from Sioux City states that patrons of his bank alone have epent over $130, 000 ln the purchase of Western lands, and the movement has attained such proportions that the banking associa tions have agreed to lend no more money on property "outside the state limits. Notwithstanding this edict, the Iow&ns are still buying Western lands and are coming West to Improve them. No man who has spent a decade or two In the pleasant climate and among the wonderful natural resources of Ore gon and Washington will truthfully admit that Iowa or any other state lying east of the Rocky Mountains can compare with this country as a place for residence or for gaining a Hvell hood. This la not said to the dispar agement of Iowa. She haa grown rich and populous, and will remain so, but ehe must new witness a shifting of population puch as earlier In the his tory of the country was noticeable else where. The descendants of the New England pioneers moved "way out West" to New Tork, and In time the new generation of the Empire State contested with the Indians of the Illinois plains fcr a foothold ia that country. Thence westward to Minnesota aad Da kota, and finally to Xanwn. Nebraska, Colorado and beyond the Rockies to the Pacific Coast. Every Inducement that beckoned the Easterners westward Is as potent and forceful today aa It waa generations ago, and In addition the West now offers In ducements that the wildest dreamers would not have thought possible a few gee e rations ago. The youthful Iowan with the "Western fever" can say to those who seek, to detain him: "Why should I tarry?. In Oregon and Wash ington are lands obtainable at one tenth the cost of Iowa farm lands, and the producing power la greater. These lands -are tributary to the ocean, giv ing me the world for a market The climate is milder, the death rate lower." Iowa, Illinois and a number of other Middle Western States, like Connecticut and Massachusetts, and the Test of the New Enirland colonies, are ceasing to be child states, and are now taking their places with the list of mother states from which the children have gone forth and built up new homes and new commonwealths. There Is another feature which must cause uneasiness for those irho still lin ger around the old homesteads ln the Middle West Of the thousands of new comers from the Old World, few If any pause In their flight across the country until they reach the far West either ln the United States or ia Canada. Right of birth should and does, give the native American Immigrant an advan tage over the foreigner, but he must act quickly or this advantage Is lost and while he tarries In the older-settled portion of .the country the foreigner goes Into the new lands of the west ana secures the best that the country offers. The far West is entering upon an era of unparalleled development and while we may prefer free-born Americans as lm migrants in the Northwest If they are slow In coming we shall gladly welcome the honest hard-working foreigner who la coming with a rush. The death of the Kentucky trotter Beuzetta, 2.-0641, as announced In yes terday's telegraphic news, will be of special interest to Oregon horsemen for the reason that the mark 2:08ft was se cured in a heart-breaking contest with Klamath, the greatest trotter ever foaled ln Oregon. The race where Beu zetta secured her record was at Roches ter In 1S96, and Klamath, after going through the big meetings of the West- em circuit and nearly the length of the Grand circuit with an unbroken line of victories behind him, was given his first defeat of the season by Beuzetta. It was the result of this race that brought from Ed. Geers, Beuzetta's driver, the greatest harness horseman ln America, the following tribute to Klamath's prowess: "You may beat that Oregon gelding once ln a while, but there is not a horse on earth that can beat him two races out of three when he is right; and when they beat him at all they must keep putting their heats ln right around 2.-07 all the time In order to do it" Old age has retired the veteran Klamath from the turf, and scientific breeding and development constantly Improving sulkies and tracks and other advan tages are gradually cutting down ree ords. The place of the Oregon gelding In racehorse history Is secure, however. and ln that history he will live as one of the greatest horses of his day and age. The energy with which the Irish peo ple rise to meet the opportunity that the lata government grant of $925,000 acnu ally for the development and their ul tlmate pwnershlp of lands presents Is both gratifying and tremendous. genuine Industrial revival has already taken place ln Ireland, furnlching proof If proof of so plain and natural a char acteristic of hitman nature were needed f the thrift and courage that la born of legitimate self-interest In the re flection of past conditions under which the Irish peasantry have struggled there Is a degree of pathos In this eager response to opportunity; In the light of future possibilities there' is gladness and hope ln It The Irish people prove their kinship with all home-loving, large hearted, loyal people ln this awakened energy. Give them something to work for. some promise of fullness from the work of their hands, some Incentive to thrift and they speedily prove them- selves not only energetic, but cheerful. uncomplaining workers. Eliminate these features from their endeavor and it is at best but a grudged offering even to their own pressing necessities. The Governor of Pennsylvania has signed the bill passed by the Legls lature now ln session at Harrisburg'pro- hlbltlng the sale in that state of cigar ettes or cigarette paper to any person under 21 years of age. A similar law In this state has long been a dead letter. Parents do not take the trouble to see that it is enforced. Perhaps, being busy with other things, they do not care any thing about it Possibly some of them share the belief of their stunted, mis taken boys that smoking cigarettes Is a manly accomplishment At all events. no pretense is made of enforcing .the law. Perhaps the parents of Pennsyl vania will make a better record ln this line. Let us hope so. One Grange has. been heard from as favoring a referendum vote on the Lewis and- Clark Fair appropriation. The public-spirited members of this or ganlzation ln other localities, who have so generously indorsed the Fair and dis approved of the referendum upon the question of the appropriation as need. leasly embarrassing to Us progress, should labor with these, their brethem of Maple Lane Grange, to the end that they may right their record upon a mat ter that appeals to the patriotic pride and enterprise of the people, not only of Oregon, but of the entire Northwest The declaration by Mr. Carnegie of his purpose, or at least his desire, to die poor is a matter of public record. The Atlanta Constitution sees In the fact that he pays his taxes without protest. lag against the assessment an Indica tion of & settled purpose on the part of the great steel magnate to die fa- j or the Ttst ot hls ufe, He was suc moua also. 1 eM.ru! ln business, and gathered a large Jt Is hard to believe that the Govern ment will continue on Its unrelenting course relative to the administration of publlclandburlnessln Oregon. Has It not heard from Roseburg and The Dalles that everything that Is Is right and all officials are the personification of good cess and efficiency? Triumph. New Tork Sun. Wagner had Just given the first re- hearsal of "Die Gotterdammerung." "Its finer cried his friends, enthuiast ically. "The best college yell we ever beard !" Flattered by their criticism, the great composer knew that he had at last reached hla Ideal. THE XDKAlVmiL DELIVERY. The growth of the rural mail one of the meat rexaarkable ot m recent developments of American we. Beidnnlna- half a dozen years ago ln the form of an experiment and ln Its earlier career expanding so slowly that up to 1399 it bad not advanced beyond the experi mental stage, it haa almost- suddenly branched out Into a universal service closely connected with the convenience arid Interest of a very large proportion ot the general population of the country. On the 15th of March the number ot routes ln actual operation was HC96. and it la estimated by the postal department o fa cials that by the end of the fiscal year July 1 the number will have Increased by natural growth to 15,000. At the ses sion ot" Congress recently ended a spe cial appropriation ot 813)0.000 was. made for the support ot the service; and with this sum it is expected to increase the number of routes to 30,000 during the fiscal year of 1S03-4. At the present time some thing more than 11.000 carriers are regu larly employed ln the service, and ln an other year the number will have Increased to 30.000. Various estimates have been made re specting the number of "persona interested in this service ln the sense of having their letters and papers delivered at the hands of Its agents, and It la the opinion of the department heads at Washington that not leas than 15,000.000 persons are al ready directly affected. A very remarkable fact In connection with the rural delivery la that it has in the brief period of its existence developed trained and responsible corps of men who perform its laborious routine with both faithfulness and intelligence. It Is a work which. In the greater part of the country where the Winter weather is se vere, puts high quail ties of capability and character as well aa of physical har dihood to the teat Not more than CO men in the service have had more than three years' training ln It; but out 01 more than 14,000 only 37 have been removed dur ing the past year for inefficiency or other cause, while the total separations from the service have been less than one-halt of 1 per cent, a record, which excels that of any other branch of the postal service. It is boasted by the officials at Wash ington . that the dr ganlzation of such a service In so brief a time would not have been possible ln any other country", for nownere eise among tne ooay 01 tne peo. pie could there have been found an equal body of men of sufficient Intelligence to tae up an entirely new business calling for a considerable measure of education combined with native Intelligence and Initiative. No better test it ia argued, of the capabilities of the country to provide a large number of reliable and technically competent men could be conceived; and the records of the service are pointed to as Illustrating the merit of the American system of training the body of the people for the duties of citizenship. Although the pay of the rural delivery is small. It haa from the start attracted good men; and since it has been Included ln the "classmed" list it attracts men who declare their purpose to make it a life work. ' All carriers are now selected by com petitive examination, and the applications average four for each route. In a number ot case more than 30 applications have been filed. At a special examination re cently conducted at Austin. Tex 33 can- dldates appeared, and every one ot them passed with high marks. They all bore certificates of good character, and an swered all the requirements, hence the board was embarrassed, and could only recommend the appointment of the appli cant who received the highest rating for scholarship. The rural delivery service, with. 14.035 routes, now1 covers more than 300,000 equare miles, or nearly one-third of the available territory of the United States. It will re quire the employment ot 7,000 carriers ln addition to those now ln service to com plete the extension through the entire country, at an annual cost of about J24, 000.000. The Pacific Northwest has not made the most of Its opportunities in connection with the rural mall service. Oregon has at this time S2 routes, while there areronly two applications now pending ln the de partment at Washington. In spite of the fact that tho establishment of routes may he secured practically for the asking, there Is nothing doing; while at the same time the department la fairly burled under a flood of applications from other states. In Washington there are 55 established routes, with five applications pending. One difficulty ln connection with extension of the service ln the Northwest especially In the grain dl&trlets east of the Cascade Mountains, is the great size of the farms, which makes It difficult to lay out routes ot the specified length ot S miles that will serve 100 famUles. as the rules of the service require. In Umatilla County, early ln the period of the service, when it was still upon an experimental basis, two or three routes were established for a less numbtr of families than the required 100, the purpose being to discover if the mall' service would promote settlement of the country. The results have not been sat isfactory, and there la said to be danger that the routes will be, abandoned. Any community which can show a basis of 100 families within a circuit ot 25 miles will have no difficulty in getting a route, and the surprising thing Is that so many districts take no steps to obtain an ad vantage which may thus be had free of expense. Attractive, Interesting;, Hospitable. Springfield. Mass., Republican. Oregon has lost one of her most useful and honored citizens ln the death of ex Senator Hery Wlnslow Corbett which nrnirmi at Portland on Tuesday. Mr. i-nrhett was bom at Westboro. ln this tt TK veara ago. but waa taken as child by his parents to Washington Coun ty. N. T- where he was educated ln the academy at Cambridge and began active life aa a country storekeeper's clerk in the smit town. He went to New Tork in. 1S to be a clerk In a mercantile house, and in 1630 shinned a stock of goods around Cape Hom to Portland. Or., where he set- tied and remainea as mercuauL auu uuir fortune, which he administered with a generous, broad-minded regard for the interests ot his city and state. He gave liberally to all the philanthropic and edu cational institutions of Portland, and al ways exercised a potent influence in be half of eood government He represented his state creditably ln the United States Senate as a Republican from 1SS7 to 1S73. and waa repeatedly supported by the best elements of his party for another term. In 1S37, when the Oregon Legislature failed to elect a senator, he was appoint ed bv the Governor to fill the vacancy, but the Senate refused to admit him. hold ing that the Governor had no authority to appoint unaer suca circumstances, jar. Oorbett was an attractive. Interesting and hosnltable man ln his personal relations. Hla second wife was formerlr of Worcester. SOME SPASMS OF HOXSSTT. Minneapolis Trlbuna The proMeta of municipal government would be easier If Influential citizens and Toters would only agree' to practice a little .common honesty with themselves and one another. A city honest tn its public affairs la rarer than a whit crow. We are not - talking about the honesty that ia opposed to corruption; but tho honesty that la opposed to hypocrisy In tellectual honesty. Two cities, separated by the whole width ot the continent are attracting gen eral attention by spasmodic demonstra tions of common honesty ln city govern ment. The grand Jury of Seattle. Wash., has indicted It la said for political reas ons connected with failure to pay ex pected campaign contributions the Mayor and three or four other city officials tor malfeasance In office. The malfeasance consisted ln not executing the city or dinances against gambling and fornica tion. The Mayor and others laugh at the indictments. He says that he -was elect ed on the platform of a wide-open city; that he would have lost the votes of all tne business men. had they expected him to enforce these ordinances, and that they would run him out of town If he did it now. inis is undoubtedly true. The samo statement might be made for most cities in the country; it must be especially true of a city rescued and maintained by the Alaska outfitting trade and the loose apendlngs of the successful gold-seekers. as reasonably look for control of human appetites by law in one ot the mining camps of Bret Harte'a earlier novels as ln the Seattle of the Klondike and Cape Nome boom. Tet to sound moral and Intellectual standards, those mining camps were more worthy of respect than .the civilized towns of which Seattle Is only one example. Their people were no hypo crites. They did not spread on the record moral laws they would not have en forced. They did not compel Mayors be fore election to promise to Ignore the laws they had passed. Is there any city ln the country that can throw the first stone at Seattle for doing this? The honest spasm of Mayor Humes, ot Seattle, finds Its match ln another candid outburst unprovoked by criminal stress. and transpiring, of all places ln the world. ln Stamford, Conn. Stamford was an or iginal puritan town. It belonged to tne stralghter colony of New Haven, which made the original "blue laws." The city ordinances of Stamford are still aa ceru lean aa Italian skies or Minnesota lakes. But no one has thought of enforcing them for years. The town Is a New Tork sub urb, and waxes fat on the careless spend ing of cottage and yacht-owning stock brokers, as Seattle nourishes Itself on the Argonautic droppings. It would as soon think of rejecting their trade and taxes as of Interfering with their pleasures. The blue laws must never be enforced but the violation of them must never be mentioned. This mortal sin has been com municated by a candid young fellow, lately graduated from Princeton and Just elected Mayor of Stamford, and the breach of propriety has set the city buzzing like hive of angry bees. Mayor Leeds hap pened to mention. In the most casual way ln the world, that he should Ignore the Sunday and other "blue" laws, because that was the understanding before elec tion. It Is not denied that this was the understanding, not only "with Mayor Leeds, but with the candidate of the other party, nor that everybody knew and ap- proved It But the town Is horrified by the confession. The Mayor Is assailed ln the newspapers, the pulpits thunder at him. and the W. C T. U. Is organizing a popular campaign to drive him out of public life. From the point of view of politics. It Is undeniable that Mayor Leeds has made a bad break. Mayor Low had to make the same promise to the Germans before be "could be elected Mayor of Greater New Tork: but he did not gossip about It after election. He and Bishop Potter .and all the' other wise men found far better reasons for not enforcing the Sun day ordinances ln New Tork than that ho had been obliged to promise not to do so ln order to secure his election. But really, is the, candor of Mayor Leeds, ot Stamford, and Mayor Humes, of Seattle, going to do any harm In the end? There Is no telling what big results of rational Teform ln the whole method and principles of city government may come from the working of this little leaven of common every-day honesty. Gorman's Hand Already Visible, Chicago Inter Ocean. It 'may be set down as an axiom that whenever the Senate professes great re spect for the constitutional rights of the House It Is merely because powerful In fluences ln the Senate are seeking an ex cuse for doing nothing. And In all these amendments may be traced the adroit hand ot the new Democratic leader ln the Senate, the Hon. A. P. Gorman. To refer this treaty to the House means to give those members of the House who think tariff revision a popular issue an opportunity further to delay relief to Cuba and benefit to American producers by raising a general tariff debate. It means. unless there be an extra session, delay un til December or later, too late for this year's suxar crop, and the probable bank ruptcy of Cuba.' Worst of an. It would prove to the American people that the Re- uubUcan party in me senate nas oeen twisted around the fingers of the Hon. A. P. Gorman. Whatever Mr. Gorman's merits, he Is the worst possible leader for the Republican party. If the Republican Senators are wise for their party they will listen to Mr. Gorman's advice and then do the opposite. President's Traveling Companion. Boston Herald, President Roosevelt will have a most charming and Interesting traveling com panion In John Burroughs on nis visit to the Yellowstone Park.- where nature is to be seen ln all her grandeur and glory. Mr. Burroughs' title of poet-naturalist la a deserved one. The latest specimen of hla quality ln the naturalist s role Is to be found In the current Issue of the At lantic Monthly, where Mr. Burroughs shows up the mistakes of some of the popular writers and lecturers on natural history. Mr. Burroughs calls their work sham natural history and la otherwise rather severe on those whom he takes ln hand. It is rather savage and merciless criticism, but it is entertaining, and shows that Mr. liurrougns is a master or nis subject The Odorous Buffalo Tragedy. Montgomery Advertiser. Judging from what can be learned by reading the papers, there has rarely been a more unsavory affair even among the high-flyers of New Tork City than this Burdlck case. The effort to find who among them all is guilty ia working from and in the wrong direction. The detec tives and ether officials would have a much shorter job if they set to work to ascertain which or who is Innocent. The one fact that seems to stand out in bold relief la that the whole affair was un speakably disgraceful. Facts for Arbitration. Boston Post The end of every Industrial contest Is reached through conference and mutual concession. Seldom. It ever. Is one side absolutely right and the other altogether ln the wrong. Let the battle be waged as stoutly as may be, when at last peace- comes it always cornea through reciprocal agreement not by force of conquest Their Motives Are Questionable. Buffalo Express. The efforts of certain European bankers to lend Venezuela, the money to pay the claims of the powers are a little peculiar in'view- of the bad reputation aa a debtor which the powers have given Venezuela. Are they trying to secure ground for an other demonstration some time ln the future? K0TE AJiD COMMENT; The only war to kill the beef trust is to steer clear of it- Moat of thsj cries- fever has turned out to' b' rheumatism this year. The President's reception committee, doesn't want to haul him over bad streets. Better take him ln a balloon. Mr. Simon hasn't published a letter for nearly a week; What's up? Going- to Im peach Emperor William next? "What were his laet words?" "Oh. the poor fellow didn't have anr. Hla wife was with htm to the last" It would seem that BInser will have to play better than the Browns It h wanta to make a home run to Washington. It's a pity the people with the hljta- board fence didn't build It where it would hide some unsightly down-town shack. The Wells-Fargo peoplo think a lot 100 feet square Is not big enough fora hotet building. The Call building ln San Fran cisco Is 70 feet square. The German Emperor" friendship for Poulteney Blgelow was of no use In the recent divorce proceedings with Mrs. Blge low. Even the power of an Empeor has its limitations. Soma of the old ' portraits hanging ln Windsor Crwtle have been found In a mutilated condition. They are likenesses of royal personages, and the authorities are -Unable to find the vandal. It was probably one ot the old queens who didn't realize how ugly she was when the picture waa painted. Some years ago Lord William Nevlll. son of the Marquis of Abergavenny, was found guilty ln an English court of law of a very contemptible fraud on a friend and sentenced to live years in JalL His term expired recently and he has written a book about his experiences, "Penal Servitude." The soldiers of the French army are afflicted generally with tuberculosis and the deaths from typhoid fever arc very numerous. The general health Of the French army has been poor, and there must be some reason for It as 99,000 men have died there from disease since the treaty of Frankfort, while the German army has lost only 13,000. Acting Governor Wood, of Tukon Ter ritory, has recommended to the Canadian government the construction of a gigan tic governmental system of water-works to serve the streams ln the Klondike camp. A surveying expedition Is now ln the field looking into the matter, and it is estimated that the work will cost 34.000,000. and call for 61 miles of ditch and flume and IS) miles of lateral steel pipe. The supply. If built, will start at the head of the Klondike and distribute from Nome. Not long ago a newspaper man called on Secretary Hay to question him re garding a diplomatic Incident ot rather a delicate International character. The newspaper man was afraid he might make some injudicious Inquiry and said: "Mr. Secretary, I am afraid my questions are not quite proper from a diplomatic standpoint" "My dear sir." answered Secretary Hay, "I don't think any ques tion you may ask wilt be Improper. The Impropriety depends on whether or not I answer It" Lord Cromer, speaking at Khartoum of the needs of the country, recently said: "Except sand, crocodiles and hippo potami, of all of which there- appears to be- a somewhat superabundant supply, there Is not enough of anything ln the Soudan." If the region could exbhange its hippopotami, crocodiles and sand for railways, educated natives and "dust" to use a colloquialism for money It would be reasonably happy and pros perous. This is the problem of com merce the world over to exchange what one does not want for what one needs. When Prince Henry of Prussia visited the United States about a year ago persons-were surprised to see how quickly he picked up American idiom. To those associated with him it was not uncom mon to hear such phrases as "made him feel like 30 cents," "out o' sight" and "go 'way back and sit down," with other current slang of twelve months ago. coma trippingly from the royal Hps. Therefore, no one here Is surprised to learn that ln speaking of a statement he deems particularly direct and appro priate Baron Von Sternberg frequently says: "It's bully right off the bat" The Fire of Driftwood. Henry W. Longfellow. (This poem was lnaolred by a visit to Dev- ereux Farm, near Marblehead. Mass.. . In Sep tember, 1S15. The poet s description ot the visit Is as follows: "A delicious drive was taken across the beautiful sand to Devereux by the seaside. What a delicious scene! The ocean ln the sunshine changing from the silver hue to the thin waves upon the beach, throush the lighter and the deeper green, to a rich purple ln the horizon. With several friends we -recalled the times past and the days when we were at Nahant. The Devereux Farm la by the sea, some miles from Lynn. An old-fash ioned farmhouse, with low rooms, and narrow windows rattling ln the sea breese.") We sat within the farmhouse old. Whose windows, looking o er the cay. Gave to the sea breeze damp and cold An easy entrance, night and day. Not far away we saw the port. The stranre. old-fashioned, silent town. The lighthouse, the dismantled fort. The wooden nouses, quaint and browr. We sat and' talked until the night. Descending, filled the little room- Our faces faded from the sight. Our voices only broVe the gloom. We srake of many a vanished scene. Ot what we once had thought ana saia. Of what had been, and might have been. Aid who -was changed, and who waa dead. And all that nils the hesrts of friends. When flrst they feel, with secret pain. Their lives thenceforth hav,e separate ends. And never csn be one sgatn- The first slight swerving ot the heart. That words are powerless 10 express. And leave It still unssld In part. Or say It ln too great excess. The very tones ln which we spake Had something strange. I could but mark: The leaves of memory eeemed to make A mournful rustling tn the dark. Oft died the words upon our lips. As suddenly, from out the fire Built of the wreck, of stranded ships. The names would leap and then expire. And. as their splendor flashed and failed. We thought of wrecks upon the mailt. Of shine dismasted, that were balled And sent no answer back again. The windows, rattling tn their frames The ocean, roaring ux the beach. The gusty blast, the bickering flames. All mingled vaguely In our speech. Until they made themselves a part Of fancies floating through the brain, The long-lost ventures, ot the heart. That send no answers back, again. O flames that glowed! O hearts that yeamedl They were Indeed too much akin The driftwood Are without that burned. The thoughts that burned and glowed within.