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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1905)
1HI3 MORNIKG OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 190o. Entered at the Postoffice at Portland. Or., as second-class matter.' SUBSCRIPTION HATES. INVARIABLY TS ADVANCE. (By Mall or Express.) Sally and Sunday, per year 59.00 Sally and Sunday, six months 6.00 Sally and Sunday, three months........ 2.65 Sally and Sunday, per mouth.......... 8j Sally without Sunday, per year .0 Sally without Sunday, six months..... 2.80 Sally without Sunday, three months... 1.9 Sally without Sunday, per month Sunday, per year -"JJ Sunday, six months J0 Sunday, three months 00 BT CARRIER. Sally without Sunday, per -week -. .13 Sally per -creek. Sunday Included 20 THE WEEKLY OREGONIAN. (Issued Every Thursday.) Weekly, per year SO Weekly, six months .- Weekly, three months 50 HOW TO KEttt Send postotflce money order., express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, cola or currency are at the sender's risk. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The S. C. Bcckwlth Special Acency -New Tork: Rooms 48-50. Tribune building. Chi cago! Rooms B10-B12 Tribune building. The Oregonian does not buy poems or torles rrom Individuals and cannot under take to return any manuscript sent to It without solicitation. No stamps should be Inclosed lor this purpose. KEPT ON SALE. Chi capo Auditorium Annex; Postofflce SiewB Co., 178 Searborn street. . Denver Julius Black, Hamilton & Kend rlok, 000-812 Seventeenth street, and Frue nuft Bros., C05 Sixteenth streot. Kansas City, Mo. Rlcksecker Cigar Co., Ninth and Walnut. , "Cos Angelea Harry Drapkln. Oakland. CaLW. H. Johnston, Four teenth and Franklin streets. Minneapolis M. J. Xavanaugb. 50 South Third; I. Regelsburaer, 217 First avenue South. New Tork City Xj. Jones & Co., Astor House. Ogdes F. R. Godard and Myers & Har rop. Omaha Barkalow Bros., 1612 Farnham; Mageath Stationery Co., 1S08 Farnam. Salt take Salt Lake News Co., 77 West Second street South. Saa Francisco J. X. Cooper & Co., 740 Market street; Foster & Crear, Ferry News Stand; Goldsmith Bros., 230 Sutter; L. E. Lee. Palace Hotel News Stand; F. W. Pitts. 1008 Market; Frank Scott. 80 Ellis; N. Wheatley. S3 Stevenson: Hotel St. Francis News Stand. Washington, S. C. Ebblt House News Btand. PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 1805. IN HOUSE AND SENATE. It may be supposed Indeed it is well understood that the railway bill which passed the House (at Washington) some days ago will not pass the Senate this session." The President, indeed, is eaid to favor the bill; but the Senate is jealous of its own prerogative, and likes to show Its power by "holding up" ithlngs. So as it held up the arbitration treaty or "agreement." it will show its might on this railroad bill. The Townsend-Esch railroad rate bill, which has been passed by the House, is regarded by that body, and by the President, as a good enough measure, for the present. It is tentative largely, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. But it Is received coldly in the Senate because the Senate, which deems itself the government of the United Slates, yas not consulted In the making of it. It is asserted in the Senate that "it has long been the practice of the House to pass measures calculated to meet popular approval, but without due con sideration, and then trust to the Senate bo to amend the bills that they may prove both constitutional and effica cious. It is even asserted that the House not infrequently responds to a popular, although unintelligent, de mand. and passes bills to satisfy pub He clamor, with confidence that the Senate will suppress or kill them." This sense of "superiority" does un doubtedly possess the Senate, to a de gree. Tet the Senate also in Its turn likes to throw responsibility on the House. It passes many bills without scrutiny, or sense of responsibility, un der" belief that the House will reject or modify them. But when it comes to measures in which it can pretend that its own dignity or importance is in any way .involved, It is a stickler, Indeed. As to the railroads, governmental control of rates, within limits, has come to be regarded as a necessity though the limits cannot even yet be approxi mately defined. But there Is error in the supposition, on both sides, that the prime purpose of such controlling leg lslation is to reduce rates, when In fact itB leading purpose is to make them uniform and prevent discrimination. Even the railroads should be glad, and eventually will be glad, to exchange the old system which they have eo long pursued, for a system of rates, for the main body of traffic, made by law, founded upon recognized principles, constructed by rule and supported im partially by the strong arm of the Gov eminent. Under such system both rail roads and shippers will be able to know accurately what they are doing; and above all, the people the whole people who use the railroads will be able to know that no one has advantage over another. A PROMOTER WRITTEN "UP. Thomas "W. Lawson, promoter, specu lator and author of "Frenzied FI nance," is being treated serially In Public Opinion by Denis Donohoe, financial editor of the New Tork Com merclal. In chapter 2 of this serial his tory, published in that Journal Janu ary 26, are given incidents in the early financial career of Mr. Lawson which prove quite conclusively that he has been, in his time, the greatest of pro moters, with a genius unsurpassed in the annals of American speculation for dropping the money of the credulous into the tomb of unrefunding enter prises. Beginning with Mr. Lawson's first financial venture in running "plain bucketsbop in Providence in connection with William F. Waldron, Mr. Donohoe follows this sensationalist in finance through his first four ven tures, the last of which, the "Grand Rivers" boom, collapsed In 1E92, the stockholders, as in the three preceding cases, losing every dollar of their in vestment. This scheme for the rapid creation of a metropolis was advertised somewhat after the "keep your eye on Pasco style, with which the Pacific Northwest was familiar some years ago. "Replete with moral maxims and wise old saws, the prospectufcot "Grand Rivers. Past, Present and Future," was printed In two colors on buff paper. "Don't for get that Grand Rivers is neither south east, north or west; but the very center of the United States," urged the pro moter. This is the only .statement that Mr; Donohoe concedes to be true in the pamphlet that sets forth the tremen dous advantages to be derived from in vestment there, since it 'summarizes about all that can be said about-Grand Rivers today. "It is still in the center of the United States, or thereabouts." The chronicler adds: It may bo Interesting to the reader to know that Grand Rivers Is a hamlet of abou.200 In habitants, located at a way-atatlon of the Il linois Central Railroad In Kentucky. It has the usual country grocery store and poatofflee. At one elde there is a blacksmith shop, with a few Southern darkles loitering around. The boom was Inaugurated in 1S90 and collapsed utterly in 1S92. This history of the author of "Fren zied Finance' should make Interesting reading In Kansas at this time, from whence Mr. Lawson has lately received a pressing- Invitation to interest himself in the fortunes of the Oil Producers' Association. The hearty support of the people of Kansas is promised him if he will lead the effort to drive the Stand ard Oil Company from that state. In the great banquet of "dog eat dog" which this proposition promises it will be interesting to note which set of stockholders Js kicked under the table and who among the experts in the great game of "Frenzied Finance" that Is foreshadowed will have the largest piece of pie in hand when the scramble for tSe loaves and fishes is called off. THE RACE PROBLEil AGAIN. When Theodore Roosevelt first con fronted the responsibilities of his great office four important questions were pressing for solution. They were: The relations of capital and labor; the due restraint of the growing power of asso ciated capital without destroying either its Initiative or its attractiveness for investment of the savings and accumu lations of the Nation; regulation of re lations of railroads to the people In view of movements of population and development of industry, the race prob lem. The first was largely a social ques tion, made more complex by the oppos ing forces of organized, or union, and unorganized labdr. The action of the President in the settlement of the coal stfike, and his attitude of reserve in the use of the Federal power, demonstrated the even justice which took into ac count the essentially local conditions under Which the opposing forces were grouped, and forbore from undue and hasty interference. The second, com monly spoken of as the trusts question. called for the exercise of the legal pow ers of the Federal Government. Here the hand of the President supplied the motive force which has been used to the full so recently. The third regula tion of the railroads If thlB halts for a time it is because it has reached that stage where other Influences can suc cessfully oppose themselves even to the urgency of the President and the peo ple. Delay, it is to be hoped, not frus tration of what has so far been man fully done, is now in question. The fourth, the race problem, is the most involved and difficult of all. It can neither be coped with in the law court. In Congress, in the individual states, in, the press or the pulplL The uplifting of a multitude In number greater by far than the entire population of more than one European Nation, and or many whole states of this Union, must be effected. And this multitude Is so spread, so interwoven with thq inter ests of what the President calls the forward race," that it Is a demonstrat ed impossibility to segregate them. And the members of the forward race are rightly watchful lest aught be done to imperil the foundations of their own civilization. If President Roosevelt sees clearly, he can be and will be trusted by the American people to do his own duty. and, no less a feat, to inspire with the same lofty sense all who are "in imme diate contact with the conditions lo be dealt with. How does be state the question at the Lincoln banquet? So to adjust the relations of the two races that, while the rights of neither one be abridged or jeopardized, the back ward race shall be so trained that It may enter into possession of true free dom, while the forward race snail pre serve unharmed the nign civilization wrought out by Its forefathers. How shall this ideal be attained? There is no royal road to it. The progress must be slow, for, says the President, both white man and colored man must be trained. But, as the foundation, "elemental justice must be meted out." To what end? That the colored man shall have scope, by his own effort as an individ ual, and by the growth of morality and industry, to secure for himself the fruit of his labors; and, further, that by 6uch demonstration of a higher life, he shall become entitled to that share in the po litical work of the country which is warranted by his individual ability and integrity-and the position he has won for himself. But the purity of the home ?c no vital to the welfare of the colored as to that of any other race. The sociaf intermingling of the two races must be left for each community to settle for itself, bearing always in mind that no confusing, of civil privileges (we should rather suggest, of civil rights) with so cial Intercourse shall be admitted. Taking up for a moment the burning question of lynching, we are giaa in deed to take note of the President's statement that, so far as the returns can "be gathered, a smaller number of lvnchings is recorded for the last three months than for any corresponding nerlod during . the last twenty years. Can we here, in the Far West, do any thing more than uphold so far as voice and Influence can go, the hands of the man who is grappling "with this, the last of his four great problems, In so manful, serious and wise a spirit? Last month, in Blackwood's, the old" est of the high-class English maga zines, appeared a very kindly but crit ical appreciation of the President's per sonality and career. A comparison is brought out with William n of Ger many. The American President, in a somewhat satirical spirit, is styled "Theodore L" As the heading catches first the eye the name appeals to the reader. A suggestion may be men tioned that if spared to press to the end of his term of high .office the earnest efforts for the help of his feliow-clti zens which he has begun, he will be seen to be in very truth the "Theo core," the gift of God to the American people. REMEMBER THE MAINE. It is seven years to a day since the treacherous Castillan pressed the but ton that sank the Maine In Havana harbor. In his arrogant vengeance he bullded better than intended. Ho aroused the placid and self-confident Nation that awoke only in part when Cleveland mastered the Venezuela situ atlon a" few years before into something that had a red glare in its eyes and riotous bjood in its arteries. He made a great Nation in a night. The sacri fice cf the two hundred boys In their mud-enclosed tomb was not In .vain. Stagnant blood needed a heroic remedy. One likes to Tecali the fiction if It be fiction of that first of. May morning "when. Dewey sailed into Mjanlla Bay with signal flags flying, "Remember the Maine." One likes to recall the other fiction if it also be fiction that Schley's ship, the Brooklyn, bore the flags fluttering straight out, "Remem ber the Maine!" as they chased the run aways on to the rocks of Santiago. And one likes to recall the story which is not fiction, as told by an officer of the Oregon, of that same 3d of July, after the clean-up and all hands we're resting. "What was the cause of the delay at the 13-inch hoist?" "Oh, those Indians! Each had to fondle the shell and say something to it; and one particular heathen, the last to touch it, grabbed it in an embrace, klEsed it with a. hearty smack, and as It shot up out of sight, yelled at it: "Remember the Maine!" Aye, that's it: "Remember the Maine!" And. until The days stow old And the blood runs cold. And the sates ot eternity wide unfold, American 'men will remember the Maine, not in sorrow especially; nor in a vengeful spirit; but with a firmness that overlooketh much wrath, yet with an eye on the judgment day to come. WHO EXERTS THE TOWER? After two weeks of hard labor the railroad committee in the Washington Legislature has reported a "commission bill. The various features of-this bill have been published from time to time during the progress of the work. As It was the politicians who started the cry for a railroad commission, it is but .natural that we should find In the bill Just reported greater possibilities for the politicians than for the taxpayers. When that most pernicious measure, the Kennedy bill, appeared before the Joint committee a few weeks ago, its author. Harry Fairchild, who Is slated to head the railroad commission, in an ill-guarded moment disclosed the mo tive of the bill by pleading in excited tones: "For God's sake pass this bill, and you will be in power for fifty year?." It was the effort to get the measure beyond the reach of the politicians that required so much time on the part of the committee, and It only partly suc ceeded. The passage of the bill as re ported by the subcommittee would vir tually place under control of one man all of the railroad property of the state. The bill has provisions for the protec tion ot railroads when they are as sailed, but throughout the ramifications of its K00 words appear almost endless opportunities for annoying and harass ing the railroad companies, should a commission desire to do so. This bill, with an assurance that Is almost hu morous, provides for the settlement by the commission of all differences over joint rates and the long and short hauls. These settlements are to be ef fected by a commission, led and domi nated by a Belllngham Bay lawyer, whose"only emolument according to the bill is a salary of $5000 per year, .while it is a known and accepted fact that traffic men who can command salaries of $20,000 to 530,000 per year and who have had a lifetime of experience are frequently unable to work out these problems to the satisfaction either of the roads concerned or the people. The presence of the railroads In state politics has always been detrimental to the best interests of Washington as a whole, but no measure that has ever come up at Olympia has forced them so far into state legislation a6 would the passage of this bill. The Washington politicians, backed by numerous mis guided farmers east of the Cascade Mountains, have issued the-edict, "We will force the railroads to take a com mission bill." The Californlans made the same threat and carried it to a con clusion many years ago. They sue ceeded beyond their most sanguine ex pectations-. The rallroadB no longer take part in politics in California they make the politics of the state. The new regime in railroading in Washing ton lias announced a policy of dlslncli nation to continue In politics. If the high officials are sincere In this matter. they will use their "best endeavors to kill the present railroad bill. If they fail to kill It, Harry Fairchild's dream ol! power for fifty years will become a reality, and the railroads and the com mission, like the pair in the story, "will live happy ever after." PHYSICKING THE BODY POLITIC. Wackford Squeers was accustomed lo dose impartially all the pupils at Dotheboys' Hall with "brimstone and treacle, and the . Oregon Legislature shows a similar disposition to dispense legislative brimstone and a little legis lative treacle to all the citizens of the state. Oregon's morals shall be healthy, if doses of legislative Spring medicine are of avail, say the lawmakers. Prob ably some of the involuntary subjects of treatment will find their doses un pleasant things to swallow, but that's more or less a property of all things medicinal. Does a man desire to slip quietly into a saloon for a cheering and inebriating cup his symptoms are alarming, and Dr. Nottingham prescribes publicity and a front door. It will be necessary to stalk brazenly through an entrance that leads from the street, if one Is to achieve the morning "eye-opener" or the later "nightcap." In the case of a woman who may seek a stein "with beaded bubbles winking at the brim,' 6he will have to keep accumulating a thirst until she reaches the age of 21, if Dr. Malarkeys prescription is enforced' unless, of course, she resorts to "rush ing the growler." not a bad expedient. although one that leads to the con sumption of stale, flat and unpalatable beer. Of another school is Dr. Jayne, whose practice 13 composed of similar classes -of patients, but his methods are the subject of so much debate that they may be passed over in these non-tech nical comments. Besides the grave symptom of a de sire to quench thirst, there is the symp tom or a craving to smoke cigarettes. As it is recognized that young fellows will have cigarettes, the age of consent for union with them should be raised, says Dr. Booth, to 21 years, when a man has accumulated enough experi ence to understand his perilous condi tion. Even after reaching legal or cig arette age, the man of sportive procliv ities will find his path beset with pitfall ana with gin, for a heavy penalty will fall'upon him should he dare to gamble. As for the establishment of poolrooms, the physicians of the Legislature rec ognize the fact that cities with discre tion enough in other local affairs are unable to deal with this question in a spirit of moral sanitary precaution. The citizen is thus being physicked in dividually "and collectively, and if his morals arc not robustly healthful it will not be for lack of compulsory treatment. In jus't one direction is there assign 1 of relaxation. Hitherto the approved treatment for arson has been a dose of at .least ten years in the penitentiary. It Is now proposed to give as little a3 two years in certain cases. Evidently the Legislature recognizes the fact that so mtrch damming of vicious currents must result in an outbreak somewhere, and will endeavor to make It easier for those who seek amusement in burning property. Serious delays in transportation of supplies over the Siberian Railroad are reported. It Is not strange that this should be true, nor are the railway of ficials responsible for It. It would be surprising Indeed were it not so. The line is a long one, and there is but a single track, and a large part of the distance traversed Is dominated by a most rigorous climate. While Vladivo stok is not as far north as Portland, Me., the Siberian road runs much far ther north than that harbor, and the Winters on the Asiatic coast are much more severe than on our own Atlantic Coast. Even Lake Baikal, ice-locked for many weeks in Winter. Is not the most northern point of the trans-Siberian road, though Its southern ex tremity is farther north than the south ern limit of Hudson's Bay. Bitter as are the hardships of Kuropatkln's sol diers in camp in Manchuria, we can well believe that their sufferings do not surpass those of the railroad crews who are striving to move supplies for the hungry host against the almost in surmountable barriers of cold and snow and Ice that dispute the way. They who are so continually talking about "the reaction" so sure as they say or pretend after the Lewis and Clark Exposition may be answered from the experience of St. Louis. The Globe-Democrat of that city calls at tention to the postal receipts of St. Louis, which were 10 per cent greater in January, this year, than In the same month In 1904, the totals being 529o,000 and $267,000, respectively. Further evi dence presented is that "bank clearings in St. Louis are larger than they were last Winter. More building is on foot and real estate is more active. There is no reaction here in any of the solid business activities. On the contrary. there is a freer and more confident ac tion, because present .conditions are felt to be normal. The city has settled into its accustomed grooves, with nobody conjecturing as to theffects of the fair and cautiously waiting to be assurea on that point" Since St. Louis re ceived permanent benefits from her ex position, why shouldn't Portland expect the like results from, hers? Hon. Carroll D. Wright, for twenty xonsecutlve years United States Com missioner of Labor, retired from the position he had honorably filled during all these years on the first of the pres ent month. 'He was called to that of fice in 18S5, having already been for some years at the head of the State Labor Bureau of Massachusetts. For years, undisturbed by political chance and change, he has discharged the manifold duties of the office acceptably and he is followed into voluntary re- (irmini hv hi nlaudlts which are the due of a good and faithful servant: His long tenure of office was due to the su perior qualifications that he carried into the work and to his resultant use fulness. His purpose In leaving the ser vice is the organization of a new col lege on lines with -which his life work has made him familiar. It Is certain that he will carry zeal and Intelligence to the work. The cosmopolitan character of the New York population Is remarkably shown by .the fact that In the Little Hungary district, where the President dined last night, are nearly half a. mil Hon foreigners. It used to be that the Irish were the most numerous of all peoples of foreign extractibn In New York; but now the Germans outnumber them, and so do the aggregated Jewish races from Russia, Poland and else- wfiere. It was a queer adventure of the President to go into "Little Hun gary," DUt ne evidently had a good time, and even a President is .entitled to occasional recreation. It is solemn business to have to meet and entertain at the White House so many solemn people. The will of the late Mrs. Gilbert, fhe aged and much-loved actress, who died early In the Winter in Chicago, is a re flection of her genial and loyal nature. The estate devised was not large, but the provisions of the Instrument are nu merous. They distribute carefully the, venerable woman's personal effects, 6uch as books, jewelry and bric-a-brac, among scores of her devoted friends. Each Is mentioned by name and none are forgotten. It Is a touching expres sion of her desire to live In the mem ories of her friends and to show that she remembered them. Evidence upon which indictments were returned by the Federal grand jury against a number of well-known citizens of Portland for conspiracy In attempting to defame the character of Prosecuting Attorney Heney was clear on one point. It-showed conclusively that the male gossip and scandal monger than whom a creature more utterly contemptible does not exist has lately been abroad in this city with eager ears and wagging tongue. The story -when sifted down was: "I only told what had been told to me." California is just now getting some fine boom material in the papers re garding Its climate. The weather is cold," say the press reports, "the ther mometer having fallen (at San Fran cisco) as low as 42 degrees above zero. Overcoats are unnecessary, and silk waists are worn In the shopping dis tricts." That sounds very inviting. San Francisco has some climatic mer its that make it almost as attractive as Portland, where, however, there is just now some discomfort because of the protracted drouth. Mr. William Waldorf Jackson Jr., is called a crank because he thinks he knows better than the President how to run the Government, and he wanted to go to headquarters with his scheme. There are about S0.000.000 other Ameri cans who have similar Ideas to Jack son's, but they spare the President and simply tell one another and the news papers. Therefore they are not cranks. They are statesmen. "The Eastern cold spell is broken, and there 13 great satisfaction because the mercury has contrived again to strug gle a little above zero. It appears to be hopeless to expect the Legislature to reduce the number-of normal schools. It Is up to the Gov ernor, i NOTE AND COMMENT. President Roosevelt may be known to posterity! as the man who made goulash popular. The Emperor Menellk must be setting a great notion of his Importance. British. French and American diplomatic missions have Yisltcd him of late and envoys have presented him with automobiles, phono graphs and other disgraces to civiliza tion. Now a German mission goes to woo the '"King of Kings." Abyssinia is the" belle of the European ballroom just now even If she docs live In Africa. It la a strange thing that almost all the lettors reproduced In the newspapers bear the legend, "Burn thl3 without fail." As London cannot have an inaugural parade every fourth year, she tries to eke out a flat existence with pompous openings of Parliament. Recently The Oregonian commended the simplicity which marked seyeraMash-. ionablc entertainments in New York. A guest at the "Elghteonth Century Cos tume Fete," which was one of the 'affairs mentioned, appears to have carried the simplicity fad to an illogical extreme. judging by the following paragraph from the New York Sun: The moet startling incident or the recent fancy irws ball was a costume which only by a atretch of the imagination could be consid ered to belong to the period of the party. It was of brown chiffon, nearly transparent, and the brown alllc tights ot lu wearer were plainly visible througn the flowing draperies. Two ne gro children, llchtly clad, bore the train of this beauty, who was followed about the rooms by an admiring throng of guests, who had never seen anything quite so -unrestrained In Its revelation?. AVornen who had ben racking their brains to think of (something orlzlnal In tfie way of costume felt more chagrined than ever at the sight of this startling novelty. Of another Incident at the "fete," the name paper says: Mile. Germalne Fore, daughter of Mme. He- Jane, was more distressed than anybody else at the report that her mother had danced a can-can on top of- a tabic at a bal. "Such a thing Is Impossible, isn't It, dearest mamma? perfectly Impossible!" Mile. Pore mur mured, quite sympathetically. You couldn't dance a can-can now, could you dearest mam ma? But. dearest mamma," and here Mile. Fore's voice grew intensely dramatic, "don't you wlh you could still dance a can-can as you once ceuld? Hoap-lal" And this dutiful daughter looked at her tal ented mother with undisguised adoration. Cutting out side-doors from the saloons hrtrdly goes far enough. Why not have all saloon buildings constructed entirely of glass, magnifying glass, and compel every one entering them to carry a ban ner with the legend, "I'm going to get a drink." "Bat" Masterson, the 24-notch-gunman of Dodge City, has been called in to aid the New YOrk police in suppressing crimes of violence. What wicked places are the Eastern frontier towns. Too much cold water was thrown on Hot Lake. Blizzard In zard? the East what is a bllz- Captain Cold has been appointed Governor-General of the Danish West Indies. Oh, cough-drops. It is an honor to have the President dine in one's neighborhood, but it is also a decided inconvenience if that neighbor hood happens to be Little Hungary. The plans of. the Inspector in charge of the precinct where the President dined last night provided for the isolation of two blocks on each aide of the restaurant by cordon? of police, and "not a soul resid ing within that district," said the official, "will be allowed either to leave their homes or pass through the police lines to reach them." An honor, but decidedly an Inconvenience. It might facilitate escapes from the rockpile to add a few more guards. One of the characters In the "Bonnie Brier Bush" is being played in kilts for the first time, and the Innovation has aroused some comment. The reason It hasn't -been done before Is probably legs. It would be cruelty to ask a spindle shanks to appear In 'kilts not for such are "the philabeg, the hairy hough and gartered leg." A. scantily-clad woman attracted a large crowd on Fourth street yesterday. On the skirts of the mob tiptoed a small man, desperately anxious to learn the cause of the excitement. "What's the trouble?" ho asked an earlier arrival "One of the Lebanon safecrackers," an swered the other, proud of having al readv learned the facts. "Sheriff Word chased him down the street and Into the meat market here. They've got him cor railed in the Icebox now, and if you wait a minute you'll see him brought out." And then the small man began explaining the situation to a later arrival. Professor Desrat, director ot the "Socl ctic Academlque des Profcsseurs de Danse de France," according to an exchange, wants to abolish the "exotic and Inartis tic teroslchorean movements borrowed from the black people of Santo Domingo." In other words, the professor Is agin the Cakewalk. A Turkish newspaper recently contained the announcement that Captain AH Rira Asha, of the Imperial Guard, had been granted the title of'Effendl for learning to read and write. The Turks are Decom ing effeminate. r in view ot the high price paid by the New York Times for Disraeli's unfinished novel, we may expect most of our popular authors to dock their new books. WEX J John Covert, Consul at Lyons. Letter by Henry Watterson. in Louisville-Couricr-JounTal. John Covert, Consul at Lyons, Is a char acter. He begin life as a newsboy In Cleveland. O., set type in St. Louis, at 22 woke up one morning in Paris with ?7 in his Inside pocket, remained there ten years learning French and teaching Eng lish, returned to America and back into the service of Edwin Cowles, with whom ho begun as office boy, In tho character of editorial writer, and later on-, after Mr. Cowles death. In that of edltor-In-chicf of the Cleveland Leader. Thence he became. In 1&37, Consul to Lyons, a most accomplished linguist and efficient officer, known and respected by every body, having the gamut ot his consular duties at his. finger tips, lie has lectured In thc French language on the American poets, himself a poet and the friend of Mistral, the poet laureate of Provence. He Is an elect of the Lyons Academy. Thero's a career for you! Time to Call a Halt. ST. PAUU Or.. Feb. 13. (To the Kdltor.) I see In The Oregonian a good deal of talk about having Senator Mitchell "resign In order to let the legislature elect another Republican in his place. Would It not be a good plan for the Legislature to wait un til the XTnited States grand Jury gets through Indicting the leading Republicans of this state? JOHN F. THEO. B. BRBNTANO. 0DR PUPJLl FINANCE. (Condensed f rora an article by-the "West Indies correspondent of the London Times.) In view of the fact thatrevolu tibn has been going on in the republic of Santo-Domingo during" the past four years, one expects to find militarism and anarchy dominant, but, except in the restricted districts where opera tions are actually being conducted, the traveller finds comparatively few indi cations that the country is dlsturbod; The quiet and orderly appearance of most of the towns, the almost complete absence of soldiers or police, is In striking contrast to what is witnessed In normal times across the Haytian border. The traveler is impressed with the loneliness as much as with the ex treme richness of the landscape. Away from the towns and the connecting paths he will ride ten or 45 miles with out encountering a single individual or habitation. a The population, which is estimated at 700.000, is ethnologlcally a complex one. There is a considerable number of Cre ole whites, descendants of the Spanish settlers, who are chiefly domiciled in the towns in the interior, where many beautiful woman and girls can be seen. At San Jose de las Matas, in a fine re gion 1600 feet above sea level, the in habitants have a rosy complexion. Thore i3 also a large number ot pure blacks, many of whom originally came as emigrants from the United States: these are an active and intelligent class and form the backbone of the fighting forces. Any Dominican maj be president Heureaux, who governed for 12 years, approximated to the ne gro type but a particular color when in power favors its own class. The agricultural population 9S per cent- of the people are landowners lives in huts constructed of the wood of the cabbage palm and thatched with yaKua. while easygoing ana improvi dent, they are courteous and hospitable, atid refuse to accept, payment for serv ices rendered to the traveler. The av erage cultivator has no other imple ment than the machete, and ho simply plants seeds or slips in the rich, deep humus, and waits for the crops. The stanle product is cocoa. Twen ty-five years ago cocoa was imported; now it Is being exported to the extent of over 200,000 quintals annually. From the three ports of Sanchez. Puerto Plata and Samana in 1S01 the exports were 20.260 quintals, and in 1302 the exnorts were 14G.000. From faancnez alone the exports In 1S91 amounted to 13.700 oulntals; in 1303 they had reached 110.117 quintals. The firm of Suchard draws a portion of Its sup plies from Santo Domingo; it Is stated to have a plantation of over 200,000 trees in bearing. This product Is tak ing the place of tobacco, formerly the mainstay of the' country. Only -10.C00 packages of tobacco (weighing about 120 sounds each) were exported last year, as compared with a normal output of from 120.000 to 150.000. the decrease beinir the result chiefly of the political strife, and only in a small degree of low prices. The country is exceptionally rich In timber: thousands of acres of mahogany trees (from 14 to 30 feet in diameter), sat- inwood (from 20 to 30 feet in diameter), losrwood. cedar, lronwood. sabina, red and white pine, and other commercial and medicinal woods, await capital and en terprise. In the absence of these, the finest furniture woods are being utilized for the commonest purposes; It Is not unusual for mahogany and satinwood to be employed as fenceposts and railroad tics. Tho mineral resources of tne re public are exceptionally rich, but no ac curate data on the subject are available. The old mines of the Spaniards, which they abandoned In favor of the more al lurinsr fields of Mexico, are still to bo seen, with trees 100 years old growing out of the shafts. According to an English expert who has prospected In tho Cibao, the "golden" district ot Columbus. Indi cations of mineral ores and precious stones are common; gold, copper, mer cury, silver, tin, petroleum, amber and rocksalt have been discovered, and In his opinion Santo Domingo holds out the promise of being one of the most produc tive mining countries In the world. THp Mimmpreii nf the eotmtrv is in Do ""mlnlcan and foreign hands. There is a. large trade with Europe, but it, appears to be drifting more and more to the United States, which now supplies about 90 per cent of the foodstuffs and takes an increasing proportion of the exports England sends cotton goods in consid erable quantities, and 50 per cent of the hardware,-though in this latter direction Germany is gaining ground. The bulk of the cocoa and other produce goes to Germany. The administration Is seen at its best In Puerto Plata, a town ot 6000 inhabl tants and the terminus of the Central Dominican Railroad. Here we have, to all appearance, a model municipality. conducted on modern lines, such as one does not expect to find in Santo Domingo Its affairs arc administered by a Com mon Council, of which foreigners can be members, and which publishes a iu.1 re port of its proceedings and transactions in its own official organ. This body has at Its disposal funds to ths amount- of ?25,000, consisting partly of the rental ot city lands and licenses and partly of a proportion of the customs dues; of the total, $10,000 is spent on the schools, the Boston system of education having been Introduced. The town Is well built and the houses are freshly painted; tho streets are macadamized, clean and in good order, and they are lighted at night a water supply Is laid on, and the public buildings, public and private wharves. market and slaughter-houses are all in tirst-ciasg condition. The present regime, however, is not favorable to material or moral prog ress. - The President is dictator and rules by force and favor: his minis ter&are his cferks; the legislative body exercises nominal functions, and rob bery and corruption are general. T3rge proportion of tho revenue is lost chiefly through fraudulent methods In the custom-houses, and, needless to say, all the concomitants of such system are In evidence in every depart mcnt of the service. So iong, however, as the Government does not render It self too obnoxious by malversation and injustice the people do not complain but- the conditions occasionally grow insupportable and a revolution follows. The continuous disturbances have re duced the affairs of the republic to a state of confusion, and it is difficult to procure any accurate data regarding Us "financial position. It is bankrupt, but it Is not ruined. In normal times the revenuo amounts to $2,000,003; of this, ?1,000.000 Is a liberal allowance for the expenses of government, and the remainder Is available for the liqui dation ot tho debt. Under peaceful and progressive rule the revenue -would yield $2,500,000 In a very short time, and there should be no difficulty In paying off the country's indebtedness. f There is unquestionably very gen eral desire that an end should be made to the existing order of things. Many intelllgent Dominicans ot the commer cial class would welcome annexation to tho United States, as it appears to be the only mean's of securing peace and prosperity. Nevertheless, the feeling against annexation, pure and simple, Is exceedingly strong among the mass ot Dominican, much stronger than Amer ican writers on the subject appear to realize, and it i3 extremely doubtful whether it could be carried out without bloodshed. They have art underlying belief in the ultimate domination of America over Spanish-American coun tries, but they arc not yet prepared to relinquish their own independence. THE MITCHELL FINALE. Pendleton East Oregonian. In the limelight of Judge Tanner's hon est confession, how utterly absurd now seems Mitchell's mock-heroic speech on the floor ot the Senate, and the white washing resolution of the Oregon Legis lature. Could any attempt at vindication have a more disgusting finale than this? Did over an honest confession so com pletely wreck a scheme of bogus defenses before? There can be no cry of "persecution" now. There can be no . charge of ma liciousness against Senator Mitchell, in this last fatal blow. Bowed down under the shame and chagrin of his guilt, and forced by the very instincts of his better nature to make a clean breast of the whole affair. Judge Tanner's confession comes like a thunderbolt in the camp of Mitchell's de fenders. The last hope of the Senator is swept away. The . utter dishonesty of the at tempts made by Mitchell and Tanner to ward off the impending verdict ot "guilty" now gives added proof that every charge against Senator Mitcholl must be true. with perhaps dozens of other acts equally as unlawful, which, for want of investigation, may go unwhipped. If the people of Oregon could get down to the bottom facts and learn the inner reasons for the 30 years delay , of the Celllo Canal. Senator Mitchell, the avowed friend ot the state, might be deeply involved in this crime against Ore gon. However, one case at a time is suf- gcient to occupy the Senator s attention. The only wonder In the minds of the people 'is that this finale has been so long delayed. And yet. in view of blind partisanism which often winks at ques tionable acts on the part of Its devotees. It Is not strange. Thanks to tho Roosevelt administration. which has no respect for high titles, big salaries or corrupt partisan "heelers." official rottenness is being severely treated. Machcn. the postal thief, is now wearing stripes. Hermann Is standing In the nhadow of the prison and Senator Mitchell is at least so badly scared that if he eo- . capes he will be good the remainder of hjs life. This Oregon tragedy will serve as an example for other states and statesmen. Letter in The Dalles Chronicle. "But yesterday the word of Caesar mteht have stood against the world: now lies he there, and none so poor to do him reverence." But yesterday the Oregon Legislature passed a vote of confidence in Senator Mitchell, today they are ready to" kick him out even antedating the result ot a hearing that all men are entitled to, they will ask him to resign: they will hold the Legislature beyond the date fixed for adjournment: they will adjourn to a . fixed date that they may step Into his shoes the moment "he takes them off. Senator Mitchell is not yet convicted. and we mistake the man if he does not put up a fight that will not terminate bofore any day to which, the Oregon leg islature may adjourn with the expecta tion of snatching his place. He cannot do this; a rat would not. Astoria Evening News. The confession ot Judge Tanner, Sena tor Mitchell's law partner, has, we re gretfully confess, had the effect ot prac tically making clear tho guilt ot the ure- gon Senator of the crime of which he stands Indicted. All the people ot ure- con will deplore the final crisis In the life of the ased Senator a crisis which Is so unhappy a reminder of the unpleasant developments of the bitter past. Three of Oregon's four Kepreseniauves in Congress stand accused of serious of fenses. The indictment ot thoso men has created a National sensation. So many other persons have also been In dicted for fraud that tho impression win prevail abroad that Oregon Is a state of crooks. The indictment of tho three Congressional representatives will lend emphasis to the alleged dishonest trans actions, and encourage the poor opinion !of Oregon which the scandal necessarily has created. And this, unfortunately, is Oregon's great yearr-the year ot her public dis play of her appeal for commercial and Industrial recognition. Of all the years in her history none other has promised so much. This miserable land frauds transaction can only havo the effect of Injuring our Fair. It will create an Impression else where throughout the country that must be attended with the most lamentable consequences. After all that has lately transpired in this state, intending Fair visitors will really hesitate to come to a state where corruption has been so gen eral. The frauds have been a calamity, not only for those indicted, but also for those who have worked so faithfully to make the Exposition a success. LAST OF DR. HOLMES' CLASS "The Boys" Have Now All Gone to the Shadowy Land. Providence Journal. It is an event ot no small picturesque interest when tho last surviving member of the famous class of '23 at Harvard passes away. No class has been so cele brated in stirring verse; few classes have contained so many distinguished men. Dr. Holmes did more than his full share to ward making the little galaxy immortal; but even without his charmed pen the group of scientific, literary and theologi cal personages would have won a Na tional reputation at least in academic circles. Ot these perhaps the best known, next to Dr. Holmes himself, was S. F. Smith, whom fate tried to conceal, according to the clasa bard's familiar line, by bestow ing upon him his homely patronymje. But Benjamin Pierce is famous among Har vard men as a long-time professor ol mathematics, and J. Freeman Clarke is remembered as one of TJnltarlanism's profoundest theologians and most prolific historians; Benjamin Curtis was a mem ber of the United States Supreme Court when the Dred Scott decision was handed down (and dissented from it); and Vf. H. Channing, a nephew of Eljery Channing. became one of the chief Unitarian preach ers and platform orators or his day, and lived to see his son a member ot Parlia ment and his daughter married to Edwin Arnold- Thc class, however, had a title to fame beyond the mere fact that so many of Its members attained to prominence; it held together year after year as a social or ganization, and its annual dinners were enlivened by Dr. Holmes amusing and Often brilliant verses. First and last, he contributed no fewer than 44 of these poems to the class reunions; of what other class could a similar distinction be cited? TCnw tli Inst survlvnr has. flonartcd. at Hhc, great iigo of 55, and tho famous class is only a memory, as we read over ur. Holmes' old verses there are many thai seom peculiarly appropriate to this pres ent moment. For instance, he sings, in 1863. of "the old cruiser." '23: Once in a twelvemonth, come what may. Anchor your ship In a quiet bay; Call all bands and read the log. And give 'era a taste ot srrub and tok- Stick to each other Jthrough thick and tnln; All the closer as age Ieaka In; Squalls will blow and clouds will frown. But May by your ship till you all go down! Now with tne death of the venerable Dr. Cunningham at Newport, the crew and the ship have disappeared, and only tho annals of the class are left us to tell of the fellowship that knit ther'boys," as Dr. Holmes loved to call them, together, of the wi,t that sparkled at their annua! reunions and of the sense of their com mon mortality that dominated the poet's verse in his later years. Prophetically rje wroto in 1SSD. when tho class had been out of c&llegc CO years: So end "The Boys" lifejon; play. We. teo. must bear the prompter.- call To faUcr. scenes and brighter day; Farawell! I let the curtain fall.