It
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, MAT 11, 1906.
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PORTLAND. OB.. FRIDAY, MAT 11, 1908.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
To those deluded Individuals who in
sist that there Is no difference between
the Republican and Democratic parties
It Is recommended to read the first sen
tence of the platform adopted by the
Democracy of Multnomah County by
their central committee. "A party ex
ists," this platform declares, "to main
tain principles." That is, the function
of a political party Is to sit perched
forever like a fat Buddha on a pedestal
and eternally utter abstract proposi
tions. It Is never to accomplish, any
thing, never even to attempt anything.
Its whole mission and purpose are ful
filled by the continual repetition of
general principles. No matter whether
they are true or false; no matter
whether they are or are not applica
ble to real life. Provided that they are
continually and forever repeated, the
mission of the party Is fulfilled. What
ever else the committee which prepared
the platform accomplished, they cer
tatnly succeeded in expressing by one
brief sentence the spirit and essence of
the Democracy, not only of Oregon, but
of the whole country.. That spirit Is
one of vague theorizing, with little or
no thought of the application of the
theories to practical affairs.
The Republican party, on the other
hand, values practice equally with prin
ciple. It ha never been satisfied with
the. arid maintenance of its doctrines,
but has always sought to apply them,
It Is the party of effort and achieve
ment. The Democratic party Is like a
rich millionaire who sits calmly under
a tree In his formal garden and wishes
the world were better. The Republican
party Is like the pioneer who takes his
family out into the forest or upon the
prairie and sets vigorously to work to
make It better. All that Democracy
does could as well be done by a ma
chine like a prayer which goes on for
ever grinding out petitions to a false
God. The Republican party is the
party of active thought and virile
achievement. The mission of the Re
publican party, to which Mr. Withy
combe referred In his opening speech,
is to shun that paralysis of idle theory
which always has and always will beset
the Democracy, and continue Its rec
ord of sound thought and noble deed.
So party that i worthy of public con
fidence exists merely to maintain prin
ciples. The only party tbat counts In
the -affaire of men la one that puts
principles Into practice.
The county Democracy bases Its dec
laration of principles upon two funda
mental propositions, one of which Is
false, and the other a cardinal doctrine
or the Republicans. The false proposi
tion it this: "That government Is best
which governs least." Nothing could
be more utterly asinine. Men of all
ages and countries have triedx to de
scribe In a short sentence the best gov
ernment. Goethe said it was the one
which taught men to govern them
selves: Macaulay, that the best govern
ment was that which desired to meke
the people happy and know how to do It;
Solon, that the best government makes
the injury of one man the concern of
all; and Pope declared that the best
government Is the one that 1s best ad
ministered. All these utterances con
tain some elements of truth and false
hood, but the dictum of the- county De
mocracy Is unadulterated folly. When
a Democrat announces a glittering gen
erality he never troubles himself to
think, how it would work Jn practice.
In regard to this one, let us do It for
him. Consider what would happen If
his maxim were adopted as a working
rule In publlo affairs. One of the du
ties of governments Is to protect human
life. That government Is best which
protects1 life least, according to the
Democratic platform. A 6till better
government would cease to Interfere
with thieves and burglars; It would re
frain from all efforts to enforce the
laws, indeed It would enact no laws; It
would make no attempt to protect the
weak against the strong or to secure
that "equal opportunity for all" which
the platform demands In Its next sen
tence.' Since the best government Is
that which governs least, of course the
ideal government is that which does not
govern at all. This Is the logical out
come of the fundamental Democratic
principle, and It means that the county
Democracy has put Itself on record In
favor of anarchy. Any government, no
matter how bad. Is preferable to an
archy, says Cato, the great Roman
statesman, and we are of the opinion
that the people of Oregon will agree.
with him. Are we prepared to entrust
the control of our state to a party which
opens Its declaration of principles with
a veiled acceptance of anarchism?
The maxrm "Equal opportunity.to all.
special privilege to none." is only an
other way of putting Mr. Roosavelt's
demand for the square deal. The
county Democracy has swiped the
maxim bodily from the Republican
President, and to conceal the peccadillo
they have decked it out with those frills
of rhetoric which are so dear to the
hean of the orthodox Jeffersonian the
orist. To President Roosevelt It means
control of corporations, regulation of
rates and reform of the trust-breeding
tariff; to the Democrats it is an empty
phrase which they wrote into their plat
form for the same reason that Dogberry
wanted to be written down an ass; they
liked the sound of it. What It. meant
they neither knew nor cared.
In thorough consistency with their
principle that anarchy is the best kind
of government, the county Democrats
declare In favor of wildcat bank cur
rency. They know, or ought to know,
what terrible evils this nwniclmi. do.
vice of Satan has Inflicted upon the
country in the past, but your true
Bourbon learns nothing from experi
ence. The only thing he values is his
precious theory. How much destruction
and misery it may wreak is of no con
cern to him. Wildcat hank ore a ton
toward anarchy; therefore he favors
mem. iz ne could imagine anything
worse In the wav of banks. Via wonirt
prefer that; but, as he cannot, he de
clares for wildcat banks as the worst
thing possible. Such is Democracy.
The platform declares that one cause of
panics Is the fact that there Is not
sumcient money to pay debts In hard
times. This Is a new and naionishini-
economic principle. Very likely, when
n. name uegins capitalists throw ..their
money into the Are. If they do not,
then there is Just as much money dur
ing a panic as at any other time. Credit
ib me ming that is annihilated in a
panic, not money; and when credit
falls money cannot be borrowed. evn
If we have a hundred times as many
pangs as now. Multiplying banks can
not avert panics, and the km, r .
wildcat currency would make them all
me mul e irequent ana disastrous.
The platform denounces the principle
of protection on grounds purely theoret
ical. "The protective tariff is an un
warranted interference with freedom of
trade," and so on. Rational thinkers
have long since agreed that protection
Is sometimes a good thing for a country
and sometimes not, according to cir
cumstances. No general abstract prin
ciple applies to the question. To ad
vance the general welfare it Is some
times necessary to interfere with the
natural course of trade, as it is to in
terfere with other natural processes.
Civilization has been built up by a long
series of Interferences with what Is nat
ural. In these matters reason and ex
perience must guide us, not wordy the
ories. Tariff reform Is one thing; tariff
destruction another and very different
thing. President Roosevelt and the Re
publican party, which he lend a. are for
tariff reform; the county Democracy la
for tariff destruction with the industrial
anarchy which would follow thereupon.
The voter may take his choice between
the two methods.
The platform desires some modifica
tion of the present system of land own
ership 'Hvhlch will permit unoccupied
ana unused land to be given preferen
tlally to him who will occupy and nse
It." Presumably the county Democracy
has never heard of the Republican
homestead laws, which aim ait this very
result and have largely attained It.
How much farther would they go?
Would they confiscate all land which
the owner does not farm with his own
hands? Probably, since this would be
another step toward anarchy. How
pleasing to the farmer who has an out
lying pasture not in every-day use will
be the prospect of seeing It sold to fill
the pockets of a gang of Democratic
state officials. We should fancy that
this happy thought of the county De
mocracy will vastly increase the rural
vote for their ticket.
The wordy theoretical paragraph
upon railroads and other corporations
comes in the end to the point that the
Government should control them. This,
of course, contradicts the fundamental
principle upon which the platform is
based, but a little matter like that does
not trouble a true Democrat. He revels
In contradictions and thrives on incon
sistencies. But no matter about that
We wish only to remark that this is
exactly what the present Republican
Administration Is doing and doing ef
fectively. The President and Congress
are brlna-lug the corporation under
control. Shall we take the work out of
their bands and entrust It to a group of
theorists whose sincerity la at least
doubtful and whose Incompetence la
demonatrated by the whole hlatory of
the Democratic party?
Upon the whole, we may say of this
amazing platform that It contains some
good things borrowed from the Repub-
Means and a large number of bad and
dangerous ones which are genuine
Democratic doctrine. What Its effect
upon the voters will be remains to be
seen, but there is so much sound com
mon sense distributed among the popu
la t ion of Oregon that one cannot expect
it to gain a great many converts.
ADVANCE IX INSURANCE RATES.
The proposed 25 per cent advance In
Insurance rates in the congested dis
trlcts of Chicago, and of 50 per cent In
Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri,
Kentucky and Tennessee, will undoubt
edly enable the insurance companies to
recoup quickly their losses in the San
Francisco disaster. There Is nothing in
the plan that Indicates that the rights
of the policy-holders were considered
In the slightest degree, and it aocord
Ingly seems strange that the able finan
ciers who manage the fire insurance
companies were satisfied with a flat
advance of 50 per cent when a 100 per
cent advance would have refilled their
coffers so much sooner. Speaking from
a selfish standpont, it is perhaps of
Bin all consequence to the Oregon policy
holder whether the rates in the Middle
West are advanced or remain on the
basis In effect before the San Fran
cisco disaster made such enormous
hauls on the reserve funds.
But Oregon has an Interest In the
matter, for the same insurance com
panies that are doing business In the
states mentioned are also doing bus
ness in Oregon, and In a large propor
tion of the business underwritten there
is no difference dn the degree of risk
assumed in the states named and In
Oregon. If the unreasonable advance
can be enforced without restricting or
hampering the business of the compa
nies interested in the states where It
will first be tried, it will be a matter of
but a short time until an attempt will
be made to enforce the same advance
In the Pacific Northwest. Rates in this
state, and especially in Portland, are
already very high. We have groaned
under these excessive premiums for
many years, paying them under protest
on the assurance that the rate was a
necessity in order to admit of the accu
mulation of reserves which at any time
might be needed to meet such emergen
cies as that which finally did arise In
San Francisco.
San Francisco is more than half a
century old, and some handsome sur
pluses must have accumulated during
that period prior to the disaster. It
may also fee a thousand years before
another such an emergency will arise.
But the accumulating reserves which
fifty years of profitable business In
San Francisco had piled up, and those
which another thousand years of rea
sonable premiums would make avail
able, are apparently not to be consid
ered at this time. Instead there is a
disposition to make the policy-holders
of the United States pay up these
losses at once in the form of Increased
premiums, and thus not Interrupt the
steady flow of fat dividends to the in
surance men. But thete are objections
to the plan, and before It has been car
ried too far these objections may take
the form of a revolt against the old-es
tablished companies engaged in a new
line of "high finance." An excellent
opportunity is offered for the -establishment
of local underwriting companies
whose promoters will be satisfledrto do
business on a moderate margin of profit
for the risk Involved.
It Is, of course, unreasonable to sup
pose that an Insurance company can
pay losses until it collects premiums
sufficiently large to meet these losses.
But the business of underwriting fire
risks has become so universal that It
requires no great knowledge of mathe
matics to enable the underwriter to
ascertain almost exactly the degree of
risk. involved and the rate necessary to
meet it- That the rates in effect prior
to the San Francisco fire were suffi
cient to admit of a healthy profit for
the underwriters 1s well known and un
derstood all over the Pacific Coast, and
there Is no occasion for any advance at
this time. Especially is this true in
cities like Portland, where an excellent
fire department and' ;ringent building
rules have reduced the hazard of fire
to a minimum. If the plan now pro
posed for the Middle Western States
te attempted in Oregon, It will be Ve-
sisted, and a large Bhare of the under
writing business may drift into the
hands of local companies whose rates
will be based on the risk Involved, and
not on the amount that can be squeezed
out of the policy-holders under the
guise of an emergency demand.
A DILEMMA.
Mr. Withycombe's position unon the
important matter of public utilities
is worthy of especial notice and com
mendation. He declares for public own
ership and control of franchises, with
private operation of the tangible prop
erty of the corporations. This is sens!
ble and right, and It Is precisely what
The Oregonian has contended for these
many months. Among the Democrats
however, we lament to observe one of
those discrepancies in the matter which
do not seem to trouble their leaders at
all, but which are a source of profound
sorrow to their friends. Governor
Chamberlain, in his opening pronuncia
mento, declared for public ownership,
not of the franchises only, but also of
the tangible property; while the Mult
nomah County Democracy comes out
boldly and unmistakably against public
ownership of the tangible property.
We condole with the Governor In this
dilemma of his. It is certainly trying
to have one's supporters go back on one
In this way and denounce his cherished
principles. We hope the rift in the lute
may not develop Into an out-and-out
quarrel. Why not hold a new conven
tion in the interest of party harmony
and adopt some compromise, not to say
compromising, declaration?
THE ANTT-FRATERNITY RULE.
The Board of Education of Chicago
has taken most stringent measures
against fraternities and sororities In its
High Schools. The trustees utterly re
fuse to temporize further with this evil
even to the extent of permitting the
continuance of membership in these or
ganizations until the close of the cur
rent school year. The board is com
posed of fifteen members, and ten of
these supported the "anti-fraternity
rule" by which students must give up
the fraternities or the honors of the
High Schools. It Is understood that the
other five were in favor of less precipi
tate action, being inclined, for the sake
of the Spring track meets and baseball
and oratorical contests, to postpone ac
tion against the societies until comple
tion of this year's work.
While school authorities in a number
of cities agree that the Greek-letter so
clety craze has been detrimental to the
best interests of the schools; that It Is
undemocratic and - tends to Jealousy
clannishness and Intriguing for school
offices, and Is, withal, inimical to the
public school purpose, it, seems that
Chicago educators have found its influ
ence more pernicious than usual. Fail
ing to control Its objectionable features,
they have, in desperation, determined
to stamp it out, even If It depopulates
the High Schools. The question as to
whether a minority of the pupils of the
High Schools or the duly constituted
educational authorities shall control 1s
one that must be settled sooner or later,
Prudent people are of the opinion that
AN OVERWORKED SUBJECT.
Now comes Dr. Lyman Beecher
Sperry, of Oberlln, O., Indorsing before
a large audience of men President
Roosevelt's views upon race suicide.
The half-made-up, miserably-housed,
poorly-clad, sadiy-neglected children
whose name is legion, that throng the
byways of our cities, appear as pitiful
exponents of the absurdly overworked
theory that all men should be fathers
and all women mothers, regardless of
physical fitness, mental endowment or
material conditions. That many people
shirk the obligations of parentage who
should take them up and discharge
tbem to the benefit of the state Is true.
But that many more who have no call
to be parents, beyond that urged by
Instincts purely selfish, is a fact of
much greater Import to the state and
the race.
It Is the latter class that is influenced
by "stale repetition hammered on the
ear," regarding the abstract duty of
reproduction. Thoughtful, responsible
people whose progeny would and will
be a benefit to the state, regulate these
matters for themselves, regarding ex
hortation upon the subject as an im
pertinence, while the thoughtless and
Irresponsible find in such exhortation
indorsement of a numerous progeny for
which they are unable to provide, and a
challenge to society to come forward
and help them clothe, feed and educate
their children.
Juvenile Courts. Children's Homes.
Baby Homes, Refuge Homes and Boys'
and Girls' Aid Societies active and
populous representatives of each of
which are found In this community
stand as refutations of the statement
that every married couple should bring
children into the world, this being their
first duty. The truth Is that Irresponsi
ble parentage Is a far greater evil than
is so-called race suicide, and the man
who is the father of numerous children
for whom he cannot, will not or does
not provide is an nemy to the state, a
6courge upon thrift and a menace to
society.
A family is a good thing only when
well ordered and comfortably provided
for, and the parents of such families
do not need advice in regard to increas
ing or limiting the number of their chil
dren. Public teachers will do well to
confine their efforts to" the Inculcation
and exaltation of personal responsibil
ity. This object accomplished, the rest
will follow without specific direction.
The bill to make denatured alcohol
free Is of enormous Importance to Ore
gon and Washington. Denatured alco
hol is made from potatoes. Potatoes
are a staple crop In this section, and
would be a source of vast wealth to the
farmers if a steady market were as
sured. The manufacture of denatured
alcohol from, potatoes has enriched the
farmers of Germany almost beyond cal
culation. It is used, like gasoline, for
fuel and light, and, If free, would cut
off some of the pickings of Standard
Oil. Therefore Aldrich holds up the bill
in the Senate. The misdeeds of this
pernicious personage have become in
tolerable. His sleek subservience to
Standard Oil Is not only a disgrace to
the country, but a positive menace to
the public welfare.
The passing of Mrs. Jefferson Davis
seems to be near. Even should the
venerable widow of the one-time Con
federate chief survive her present crit
ical illness, her long lease of life must
soon end. She was a young woman,
full of Southern spirit and bitterness in
the stormy days in which her husband
held court In Montgomery. She is now
nearly 80 years of age, and the record
of her eventful life must soon be closed.
The people of the South will mourn her,
when the time comes, as a mother;
those of the North will remember her
with compassion as a woman of high
spirit, whose hopes were bitterly dis
appointed and who bore her disappoint
ment heroically, but without ,the poor
pretense of resignation.
The Government crop report, which
appeared yesterday, shows the acreage
of Winter wheat to be 1,700,000 less
than that reported sowed last Fall. By
the enigmatical system of percentages
which no one not in possession of the
secret understands, we are Informed,
that the condition on May 1 was 89,
compared with 92 on May 1, 1905, and 85
the average for the past ten years on a
corresponding date. The Chicago mar
ket showed its Indifference to the re
port with a sustained advance of less
than of a cent per bushel. New
wheat will be coming Into the markets
of the Southwest in a few days, and
until the crop is nearer safe than at
this time, the future of the market is
all a guess.
Here are some statistics, easily re
membered, to hand to visitors who In
quire about the sources of Oregon's
wealth: Daily lumber product, J50.0O0;
daily flour product, $25,000; daily prod
uct of all of Portland's factories, $90,-
000. While the extent of Portland's
commerce is well known, the figures on
manufacturing will, no doubt, surprise
the average person not given to inves
tigation. And be it remembered the
foregoing statement is not made on the
Seattle plan, but; Is based on the official
report of the Federal Census Bureau.
A growth of over 50 per cent in manu
factures In four years is something
worth talking about.
The longshoremen's strike, which has
paralyzed the commerce of the Great
Lakes since May 1, has been settled, the
men returning to work at the old wages
pending a further conference on the
subject. The strike, though only nine
days old, worked great inconvenience to
shippers and caused a loss both to
worklngmen and their employers that
will absorb a large portion of the sea
son's profits. It is the old lesson, often
conned but never fully learned, which
teaches that concession In industrial
differences, to be productive of the
best results, should precede active hos
tilities.
The proposition reported from New
Tork to loan San Francisco J50,000,000
in bonds on eteel structures and real
estate to the amount of 50 per cent of
value of ground and buildings will go
a long way toward solving a problem
the stricken city has been facing the
past three weeks.
Criminals do not fare so well on Brit
ish soil as in the United States. We
may look for quicker results In the way
of capturing the trainrobbers who at
tacked the Canadian Pacific's crack
train than we are accustomed to on this
side of the boundary line.
Mr. Brown, late of Sing Sing, pre
tended to be 3J Pierpont Morgan, Jr.,
of Astoria, Or., and of course he was
caught. Why didn't he avoid all sus
picion by pretending to be John Jacob
Astor, of Astoria, Or.? Everybody
knows that's where Astor comes from
Farmers in the Applegate bottom
near Kubli, in Josephine County, are
planting sorghum extensively this
Spring. The experiment last year re
sulted in a quantity of first-class
syrup. This is a "Made in Oregon" that
ought to be fostered.
Possibly they won't go to Jail; but
somehow the oil trust and the beef
trust, and the railroad trust and the
coal trust, and a large assortment of
other trusts, have reached the conclu
slon that it IS some of the public's
business.
Grant's Pass is soon to vote on a
proposition to sell bonds to provide for
a fourth-ward schoolhouse of eight
rooms. Nothing advertises a town so
well as its red brick . schoolhouses.
They point its way to progressive peo
pie.
The drug trust says there Isn't any
drug trust. It Js simply the Proprie
tary Association of America, banded to
gether, no doubt, to keep down prices.
Creffield will kn?w better than to try
to rise again when he learns how soon
Mitchell is likely again to be at liberty,
MR. WITHrCOMBE'S CITIZ EN'SHIP
Re Baa Voted Republican Ticket Since
He Came of Age.
PORTLAND. Or.. May 10. To the Edi
tor.) I observe that an effort is made on
the behalf of the Democratic opposi-
lon to my election as Governor to
show that I resided In Oregon for 17
years before I became a citizen.
I will state the facts, so that the
public may understand for all time how
utterly baseless and unjust this par
ticular fabrication is, and how easily
confuted by the simple truth.
1 was born near Plymouth. Ens-land.
March 2f, 1854. My father. Thomas
Wlthycombe, my mother. Mary Ann
Withycombe, my three brothers, John,
Thomas and Philip, my sister Mary and
myself, constituting the entire Withy-
comoe family, came to Oregon in 1871
to become permanent residents and
American citizens. Shortly after his
arrival my father, Thomas Wlthy
combe, declared his Intention of be
coming a citizen of the United States.
I was then 17 years of age. and 1 was
informed that the act of my father
naturalized all the minor members of
the family. Deeming myself an
American citizen I voted for Ruth
erford B. Hayes for President in
1876, and I have ever since that time
discharged with good conscience and
to the best of my ability my full du
ties as a loyal citizen of the great
American republic. About 1888, a
question was raised as to whether
Thomas H. Tongue, then a candidate
for State Senator, who was born in
England and came to this country
under circumstances similar to mine,
was In fact a qualified American citi
zen. It occurred to me then that pos
sibly my own naturalization had not
been regular, and in my great anxiety
and desire to possess an absolutely un
clouded title to my American citizen
ship 1 went before Judge JLieady ana
formally took out naturalization pa
pers. I think that there never was me
slightest question that from the time
my father became a citizen I was my
self a citizen. But I simply made as
surance doubly sure. That is all there
is to it. If I was not a citizen, I beg
to sav to all Democratic gentlemen
who are so much concerned about my
nntlvitv. after my S5 years or con
tinuous residence In Oregon, that I
will waive the statute of limitations
and submit to prosecution and trial
for having cast an Illegal vote tor tne
Republican ticket in 1876. and at every
subsequent election in order that they
mav hav? a clear and conclusive de
termination of a mat ter that they now
consider of real importance.
JAMES Wllim;UMBii.
REPORT ON STANDARD OIL.
New York Sun.
President Roosevelt's message of yes
terdav has the unqualified approval of
the Sun, so far as It publishes a deter,
mlnatlon on his part to grapple now di
rectly with the most powerful corpora
tion in the United states lor emorce-
ment of law and punishment of violations
of the law. The enterprise Is worthy of
the man, and the duty belongs to the
office he holds. Everv Dower of the ed
eral Government, every foot-pound' of
energy In the Administration should be
directed fearlessly, through the Depart
ment of Justice, for the prosecution 01
the beneficiaries, both givers and taKers,
of the enormous system of secret rates
described In Commissioner Garfield's re
port and exhibited by the President as
the basis of his recommenaaxions.
Creditable to the Administration,
New York World.
That Mr. Roosevelt has ventured to
grapple with the Standard Oil Company
is altogether creditable to him and to his
Administration. No other Administration
has ever Dresumed to challenge that arro
gant corporation, and the President's
conduct will surely nelp nis party in me
Trn amnaiim. It was Rood politics, as
well as good statesmanship; but It will
be still better politics If Mr. Roosevelt
Insists unon the most rigid entorcement
of the present Interstate commerce law
against the Standard Oil offend
ers, and also recommends to uongress me
restoration of the imprisonment clause,
which was eliminated 6y tne fc.iKins
amendment of 1903. which he signed. .
In the matter of preventing the iniqui
intia nrartlces exposed In the Garfield re
port, it is time the Government of the
United States ceaned to take the William
Travers Jerome view that no millionaire
can do anvthing for which he ought to be
sent to Jail.
Defiance of the Spirit of Law.
Thn New York Tribune has held
that a corporation should not be
condemned merely on the score
nf it immensity or of its colos
sal success in overcoming business rival
ry. If Its practices did not violate law
and morals It was entitled to reap the
benefits of business sagacity ana dusi
ni foresieht. As we have said, apolo.
gists for the Standard Oil Company have
contended that its methods in recent
years have been entirely legal, and some
nf ita officers even now deny that the
operations described by Commissioner
Garfield actually violate existing stat
utes. But It will be difficult to convince
the American public tnat tne transac
inn. KYimaMi rlo not constitute a defi
ance of the spirit. If not the letter, of
the law, and do not put the company in
Yi unenviable attitude of profiting by
practices which Congress has condemned
and sought to put an ena 10.
Secret Rebate a Coward's Device.
i..,,minD- rcarnelrt'a nroofs are ade
quate. the country will demand that
Justice and the law have their due. We
V. . . .-.....- r.h.t.c itinnM
gee 1 1 , uuiuii o, . -, . . . ... . . .
not be crushed out now for all time. It
is a device of the business cowara ana
Baain. it ia Aiahnnent and detestable.
aooaaai.., w io -
mi . v.aAa ( - anH RTrtnnc tnftsft
liie nuiiii y . , . . -- c,
who have openly condemned it were
hypocrites who were an tne nine se
cretly giving or receiving it. Here is a
..v. .... , n,oVo it knnwn In the most
m . . -
conspicuous manner that the American
people will no longer wietam nw wn
temptible fraud by which men and cor
porations have so long sought to gain an
Illegitimate advantage over nvuia.
Come at n Critical Moment.
Thn-irllTif. Press.
Both message and report have ' come
at the psychological moment. They find
the Senate debating. They offer proof
of railroad abuses that have been de
nled. Public indignation will rise over
the whole country. It will be impossible
for the Senate longer to delay a meas
ure demanded by Justice and the people.
-D,i.4An pnAwpit i riKht. The rail
roads cannot alone maintain rates against
these great trusts, a uovcromunL com
mission must stand ready to revise rates.
; i . Tn , ut iA na nnpn to a Fed
eral examiner as a bank. Publicity is the
only sure guaranty 01 nonesiy. namuau
pools must be permitted under Govern
ment supervision and approval in order
to maintain rates.
Shuffle Mixes Thirteen Babies.
North American.
Among the hundreds of San Francisco
refugees who arrived at Denver, Colo
and were cared for by the relief commit
tee were 13 young babies. While their
mothers were at supper last night a wo
man In charge of the improvised nursery
bathed the infants and dressed them In
new clothes provided Dy tne reuei com
mittee. She had Just completed her task
when the mothers came back. They
thought they had los their children, and
there was a bedlam of lamentation until
they had sorted over the babies and all
were Identined. and ciaimea.
Modjeska's Ranch as Refuge.
Los-Angeles Dispatch.
Madame Modjeska, the actress, ha
olaced her ranch near here at the dis
posal of refugees from San Francisco
and other dtiea affected ,by earthquake
and fire. -
Local Option: Present and Proposed
Careful Analysla of the Provlaloaa in the Measure to Be Submitted Vnder
the Initiative to the Votere of Oregon .at the Comlag June Election How
the Existing; Statute Standa and What Changes Are Intended to he Made.
THE proposed amendment of the Ore
gon local option law, which will be
oted upon by the people at the June
election, is a measure that has received
quite extensive discussion, but that Is
little understood in Its details, for the
reason that it is rather long, and tiie
average voter cannot take time to com
pare the proposed new law with the or
iginal. For the information of the voters
of Oregon, an effort will be made in this
article to present in concise form an im
partial statement of the provisions of
the present local option law and the pro
posed amendment. The existing law was
framed by the anti-saloon Interests and
was adopted by the people at the gen
eral election of 1904. The proposed amend
ment was framed by the liquor interests.
and will be voted upon June 4. 1906. The
bill will appear upon the official ballot
under the following title: "For amend
ment to the local option law giving anti-
prohibitionists and prohibitionists equal
privileges." This title will be followed
with the words "Yes" and "No." Those
who want the present local option law
amended will vote "Yes." Those who
want the present law to stand will vote
No."
It is impossible to make a comparison
of the proposed new law with the old.
Eection by section, for the reason that
the sections of the proposed law do not
treat of the same subjects as the corres
ponding sections of the present law.- The
measure proposed by the liquor interests
Is practically a repeal of the law drawn
by the anti-liquor interests, and the sub.
stltution of another law upon the same
general subject, but entirely different in
Its language and its provisions.
The present law provides that an elec
tion upon the question of the sale of
liquor may be called in any precinct, in
any district composed of a number of
adjoining precincts, or in a county as a
whole. The proposed new law provides
for elections by single precincts only.
The present law requires the signatures
of 10 per cent of the voters of the dis
trict affected in order to secure sunmii
sion of the question of the sale of intoxi
cating liquor. The proposed amendment
requires the signaturer. of 30 per cent or
the voters.
Under the present law a liquor election
may be held on the first Monday in June
in any year, but when a precinct or ais
trict has voted "dry," the question can
not be again presented therein for two
years, except at an election for the en
tire county.
When an entire county has gone "dry,
the question cannot be presented again in
any precinct of the county until the en
tire county has again gone "wet." When
the election is for an entire county, pro
hibition becomes effective in any precinct
that votes "dry." Under the proposed
law. the elections must be held by pre
cincts onlv. arifT when an election has
been held, regardless of tne result, tne
question cannot be voted upon In that
precinct again for four years.
Under the present law, an election upon
the liquor question may be carried by a
majority of the votes cast upon that bud-
ject. Under the proposed law. a majority
of all the votes cast at the election
would be required to carry the election
for prohibition. Thus, under the proposed
law. If 100 votes were cast at the elec
tion but only 80 of them marked upon
IN THE OREGON COUNTRY.
Viewed From Mount . Tacoma.
Ledger.
Some of those "Holy Rollers" at Se
attle do not seem to have been much
better than old Dowie.
Women Astride.
Walla Walla Union.
A woman riding horseback ' "cross
saddle" is one of the most awkward
and uninspiring figures that mars the
landscape
Another Truth Self Kvldent.
Salem Journal.
The pioneers who stepped out at
Champoeg half a century ago took de
liberate political action to establish
self-government by the people.
The Small Bores.
Salem Journal.
God made the country. Men make
cities. But men must have the mind
to create to be creators. It is mind
alone that is capable of greatness, and
men of small minds never build great
cities.
Diagnosing Local Trouble.
Baker Democrat.
The work of the knockers has be
come so strenuous that even the trans
portation companies pass ua up as de
serving anything like serious consid
eration in the present stage of the de
velopment game.
Craftsmen All.
' Aberdeen Bulletin.
As denoting that, after all, there's
no particular significance in a name,
it is interesting to observe that Mr.
Carpenter is president and Mr.
Shoemaker is secretary of the Paint
ers' Union of this city.
May Not Be Slghtlesa.
Pendleton Tribune.
If the hand of the law is raised
against George Mitchell, the slayer of
Frank C. Creffield, prophet of Holy
Roller! sm, ex-convict, debaucher of
women, and beast, then will the old
adage be proven that Justice is blind.
Caruso Twentieth Century Nero,
New York Herald.
Judge H. J. Cuthbert returned home
HOW RAILROAD
the liquor question, it would require 6t
to carry the election for prohibition.
In a liquor election under the present
law, the affirmative is placed first upon
the ballot, thus:
"For Prohibition."
"Against Prohibition."
In a liquor election held under the pro
posed law, the negative would be placed
first upon the ballot, in this manner:
"The sale of intoxicating liquors as
beverage shall not be prohibited."
The sale of Intoxicating liquors as a
beverage shall be prohibited."
Under the present law, petitions tor
submission of the liquor question must bo
filed SO days prior to the date of the elec
tion. Under the proposed law. the peti
tions must be flled 45 days prior to thn
date of the election. Under both laws,
the signers of the petitions must be regis
tered voters.
Under the present law. the sale of in
toxicating liquor becomes unlawful on the
first day of July after the election on the
first Monday in June, if prohibition car
ries. Under the proposed law, a vote for
prohibition would not become effective
until after 90 days from the entering of
the record of the result of the election.
The present law prescribes a penalty of
fine of from J50 to $500 or Imprisonment in
the county Jail 10 to SO days, or by both
fine and imprisonment. The proposed law
fixes the penalty at a fine of not mom
than S250 for the first offense, ana not.
more than $500 for the second offeuse.
with no Imprisonment.
The present law prohibits the sale or
giving away of Intoxicating liquors in a
prohibition county or precinct, except
pure alcohol for scientific purposes, or
wines to church officials for sacramental
purposes, or stimulants as medicine li
cases of actual sickness, but such stimu
lants must be sold only upon the written.
prescription of a regularly practicing phy
sician, and a prescription can be used
but once and must be canceled and placed
on file when used. The proposed law
would prohibit the sale or giving away
of intoxicating liquors, except at whole
sale, and except for medicinal, pharma
ceutical, scientific or sacramental pur.
poses, and when sold for medicinal pur
poses they shall be sold only In good
faith upon a written prescription by a
phy sician 1n active practice, "which pre
scription shall not be used but once." "Vlia
proposed law expressly provides that the
giving away of Intoxicants by a person
in his private dwelling, unless such
dwelling Is a place of public resort, shall
not be a violation of the law.
. The present law requires Circuit Judges
to call attention of Grand Juries to the
prohibition law. and makes It the duty
of the District Attorneys to file com
plaints against persons Belling liquor un
lawfully, and requires the Circuit Judges
or magistrates to Issue warrants com
manding the Sheriff or Constable to
search the place where it is charged
liquors are sold, and if admission be re
fused he may force his way in and arrest
and hold for trial the persons who have
violated the law. The present law makes
the persons to whom liquor is sold com
petent witnesses, and provides that It
shall not be necessary to show the knowl
edge of the principal in order to convict
for the acts of an agent; also that the
Issuance of a license or Internal revenue
special tax stamp by the Federal Govern
ment for the sale of liquor shall be prima
facie evidence that such person is selling
or giving away intoxicating liquors. The
proposed law omits these provisions.
last night from San Francisco, and told
of his experiences there during the great
earthquake.
He was in the Palace Hotel when the
shock came, end he Immediately jumped
from bed. Judge Cuthbert said that al
most the first person he saw as ha
reached the street was Caruso. H was
standing on the corner near the hotel,
singing the scales and trying his voice.
He Taught Israel Zangwlll.
Baltimore News.
After a period of 53 years spent in the
service of the Jews' Free School, Bell
Lane, Spltalnelds, England, L. B. Abra
hams, the head master, will shortly re
tire. He is 67 years old, Israel Zangwill
was one of his pupils. The Jews' Free
School is said to be the largest element
ary school in the . world, having; 3500 pu
pils. When Hobson Comes.
B. A. In American Spectator.
Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson has
been nominated for Congress, the nomina
tion Is equivalent to election. News Item.
Yea, bang the drums when Hobson comes to
Cong-ress, though 'tis true
The galleries for ladles will be full the ses
sion through :
The latest millinery on many a "queen"
and "fairy,"
Will nod approval when he speaks, with
unmlstaken vim:
And maidens all ecstatic, albeit ungram
xnatlc, While chewing fudge will point and nudge
and whisper, "There, that's HIM:"
They will not let him go, you bet! when his
day's work Is o'er:
They'll hang around as If It were a mati-
nee's stage door:
The hero of the Merrlmae will have to give
' the very smack
He used when after Spain's defeat be
gained such lasting fame.
And all old maids pedantic will besiege
with antics fantlc.
And as they say In service way, will' have
Just "same to same."
Few will be sad and more be glad when
Hobson lifts his voice
Aloud in Halls of Congress to proclaim that
"Hobson's choice"
la a large and well-manned navy, for we're
with him there, b' gravy!
Here's hoping that 'our Uncle Sam will
Join the glad refrain!
We'll forgive ail osculation If Hebson puts
the Nation
Where It will sure hold peace secure by
rule of might and main.
REBATES WORK
From the PiUaburs Diptch.