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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1906)
8 THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 190G. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. INVARIABLY IX ADVANCE. (By Mall.) ra!ly, Sunday Included, one year.... a!!y. Sunday Included, six months.. ..IS .. 4 Daily. Sunday Included, three months Laily, Sunday Included, one month.. Tjally. without Sunday, one year Paily, without Sunday. li months "ally, without Sunday, three months Dally, without Sunday, one month... Sunday, one vear . . 3 . 1 .. 2 .. 1 .. 3. Weekly, one year (Issued Thursday). Sunday and Weekly, one year BV CARRIER. Dally, Sunday Included, on year 00 Dally. Sunday Included, one month HOW TO REMIT Send postodlce. money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency re at the sender"! risk. Give postofflce ad dress In full. Including county and atate. POSTAGE RATES. Entered at Portland, Oregon, Postofflce as Second-Class Matter. 10 to 14 paces 1 nt ' to 28 pages 2 cents SO to 44 pares 3 cents 40 to 0 paces 4 cents Foreign Posstire. double rates. IMPORTANT The postal laws are strict. -epapers on which ponaee !s not fully prepaid are not forwarded to destination. EASTKRX BUSINESS OFI-ICE. The S. c. Beck with Special Agency New Tork, rooms 4.1-uU, Tribune building. Chi cago, rooms 610-:. I'.' . building. KEPT ON SALE. Chicago Auditorium Annex. Postofflce News Co.. 178 Dearborn street. at. I'aul. JUan. N. St. alarie. Commercial Station. Colorado Springs, Colo. Western News Agency. Denver Hamilton" & Hendrlck' 900-912 Fecnteenth street; Pratt Book Store, 1214 Fifteenth street; L Welnstein; H. P. Han sen. Kansas City, Mo Rlcksecker Cigar Co.. Ninth and Walnut. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh, 50 South Third. leveland, O. James Pushaw. 307 Su perior street. Atlantic City N. J. Ell Taylor. New York city L. Jones i Co.. Astor House; Broadway Theater News Stand. Oakland, Cal. W. H. Johnson. Four teenth and Franklin streets. N. Wheatley. Ogdeo D. L. Boyle; TV. G. Kind, 114 5th street. Omaha Barkalow Bros.. 1612 Farnam. Msgeuth Stationery Co., 1308 Farnam; 40 South Fourteen;.. Msi-ramrnU, Cal. Sacramento News Co.. 43!) K street. Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co.. 77 West Second street South; Rosenfeld & Hansen. Los Angeles B. IS. A'mos. manager seven street wagons. Sao Diego B. E. Amos. Long Beach. Cal. B. E. Amos. Pasadena. Cal. A. F. Horning. Sao Francisco Foster Orear. Ferry Nes Stand: Hotel St. Francis News Stand. Washington. I). C. Kbbltt House, 'i'enti syhanla avefiue. Philadelphia, Pa Ryan's Theater Ticket Office. . PORTLAND, FRIDAY. NOV. Itf0. ARI SES OF illl.l) I.ABOIt. Oppression of young children, through compulsory labor, la one of the evile of every industrial civilization; and every modern civilization is viduptriul. What fan the state do to reduce the evil? Much, indeed, has been. done, but the conditions in many of out1 states still are. ruch an to awaken deepest pity, and to call for new efforts. In our Kastern States the genera factory eys tem Ir well under the control of law, but the places known a. sweatshops are not: and in the coal mines and many other places children are worked beyond their strength and yeare tne girls afi well a the boys. The worst abuses of the factory system, as to child labor, are now found in our Southern States, where the labor unions are s'till weak, where the authority of law for protection of children has as yet been little exercised, and where parents have not been impressed so deeply with a esenee of their own re sponsibility, or awakened to the sor rows and distresses of childhood, tsub jected to the hard conditions of mod ern Industrial life. True, it is worse in most or all countries of Europe. But thi will not be accepted as an answer In America. Moat of the censure for the abuses of child labor Is usually laid at the door of the employer, and especially of the large employing corporations. They should have their share of the blame, but only their share o'f it. Primarily it lies upon the parent, or much of it, who. having many children, push them out to work at the earliest time when they ca.n take up any employment. Par entis innift oii the contribution which their children, however young, can make to the slock necessary for the family's support; and the indifference of many parcnte to the hardships their children suffer under the iron law of industry and wages is among the sad dest facts that afflict a sympathetic philanthropy. President Roosevelt, more than once, has called attention to the distressing condition's that so commonly attend child labor, and it k said that Senator Beveridge, of Indiana, will introduce a bill in Congress for abatement of their evils and abusei?. It is not easy toeee how, under our system, Congress can deal with a subject that has always been regarded as belonging to the po lice power of the utates, and upon which many states have already acted for protection of children. But we shall be glad to see on what baels or principle Senator Beveridge Intends to proceed. Since the old theory of "state rights" has almost become a solecism, many of our people, perhaps most of them, are no longer averse to any undertaking by the General Government which seemo to them likely to establish better conditions among the people. . Witness the earnest welcome with which the in tervention of the General' Government for regulation and control of the yellow fever, scourge in our Southern States was received last year a proceeding hitherto unknown. Through organized labor much has been accomplished for the relief of chil dren from the distressing tasks that a rigorous industrial system throws upon them. It teaches fathers a better sense of their own duties, and fuller assur ance of their own power, under combi nation, to meet the difficulties by which their families are surrounded. Laws enacted bj- the state are helpful; but the law of the family, if the rights and duties and powers" of parentage are ex ercised with steady, humane and intel ligent purpose, are most helpful of all, for protection of children and for pres ervation of children against all sorts of abuses, Including those of the pitiless industrial grind. A NEW TRIAL. The judge who tried Jasper Jennings committed an error. So the Supreme Court rules. On account of the error the case is reversed and a new trial Is ordered. Thus all 'the labor and ex pense ot the former trial were wasted. Jennings stands exactly as if he had never been before a jury. The whole ceremony must be repeated. What was this fatal error? A wit ness ots permitted to express his opin ion about the direction from which the bullet must have come that killed the old man In the cabin. This should not have been allowed. Opinions are not evidence except In some special cases. The proper method is to place the facts lu fore the jury and let tliem form their own opinions. Judge Hanna therefore made a mistake when he allowed a wit ness to express an opinion. But was it a mis:ake which substan tially altered the outcome of the trial? Was the verdict of the jury likely to be affected by it? Was Jasper Jennings deprived of a fair triaj by Judge Han Da's mistake? These are the important questions. The mere fact that a tech nical rule of evidence was violated is of trivial importance unless substantial injury resulted or was likely to result. If the error did Jennings no harm, then there was no good ground for reversing the decision and ordering a new trial. It is possible that the Supreme Court intends Its order as a rebuke to Judge Hanna for his reles?ness in permit ting one of the rules of evidence to be infringed. If such " is the case, the method of rebuke is too indirect and expensive. The same end might have been gained by a statement from the court that the error had been commit ted. An admonition to the trial judge to be more careful in future might have been added. Thus the rules of evidence would have been sufficiently vindicated and the course of justice would not have been thwarted.. To the court the ground for the reversal doubtless seems Important; to the public It appears triv ial in the extreme; and without disre spect to the court it must be reiterated that it is these reversals upon technical grounds 8nd re-trials without sufficient reason which tend to bring the courts into disrepute and multiply crimes. The rules of evidence are not more important than justice, and the princi pal moral force of the penal law lies In its promptness and certainty. THE GRAND JCRY'S REPORT. The public is aware that an effort has been in progress during the last two week,?, instituted by Mr. William M. Ladd. and supported by his newspa per and bj" his particular "set," to in dict the publishers of The Oregonian for the publication of a cartoon in the columns of the paper of November 3, in which Mr. Ladd was represented as a promoter of Hearst journalism, or rather of an imitation of it, here. The grand jury seems to have con sidered the matter very carefully, since H . gave' much time to it and- called many witnesses; but could not find libel in the cartoon. It never was supposed by.Tlic Oregonian that a dispassionate grand jury could find libel in it. . ; On Sunday last The Oregonian suffi ciently reviewed this w hole matter and will not trouble the public further with it.. On the report ' of the grand jury or that part of it which evidently has grown out of this particular incident, The Oregonian will say, however, that it is greatly obliged to that body for its admonition to the press of the state; that it takes to itself so -much thereof as it deems it needs, with thanks for it; and that it begrf to express the hope that the. whole of it will be heeded very carefully by these who may need it most. Silent for yearn under unprovoked, continuous and malignant attack. The, Oregonian at last retorted upon those responsible for the wanton assault; whereupon - they attempted to invoke the law we use the grand jury's own words "to gratify personal feelings or j for the purpose of revenge." That is all there is of it. BANK EXCHANGES AND POPCI.ATION. Seattle newspapers make the queer claim that the bank exchanges of a city are sign, measure and proof of Its pop ulation. Special conditions make Seattle's bank clearings "show up" beyond Its population, as compared with many other cities. The same is true else where. For example, last week's clearings In New York were $2,115,593,546; in all the other cities of the United States, $1,221, 478,907. But who supposes that New York has nearly twice as much popu lation as all other cities of the United States? Again, the population of Cleveland is greater than that of Cincinnati; but Cincinnati's clearings were $25,675,450, while those of Cleveland were $19,043, 093. Moreover. Seattle reported last week clearings to the amount of $11,210,136; while Milwaukee's statement was $11. 634,872. But Milwaukee is three times larger than Seattle. Methods of exchange in different cit ies are unlike. So are the conditions of business reflected through methods of exchange, and through the nature and varieties of business. Chicago's bank exchanges average no more than one tenth those of New York. Is New York ten times as large as Chicago? It is not twice as large. Other indicia of population are better, as the census of school children, reg istration of voters and number of votes actually cast in a general elec tion. In all these particulars Portland is ahead of Seattle. THE PERFECT APPLE. Where does the perfect apple grow? Is it in Yamhill County or at Hood River? Shall we find it some October day mellowing on a hillside by the Umpqua? Or does it ripen in the sun shine of Southern Oregon, on one of those trees "loaden with fruit of fair est colors, mixed, ruddy and gold," that flourish on the - banks of the Rogue? Nay, in none of all those favored spots can it be found. There are apples good, better and best, but never one that is perfect. : The perfect apple,- like" the perfect man, is an -unattainable. ideal. Once it existed upon the earth, but it vanished with the innocence of our first parents, and, however much we strive to regain it, we can never succeed. Still; we are not ignorant of the - qualities of that transcendent fruit. . It . hung on a "goodly tree" and Its color was "ruddy and gold," mixed, which, by the way, assures us that it was neither a Spitz cnberg nor a Jonathan. - Whether it was a Northern Spyjr not is debatable. The color suits very well, but the pome which the "spirited sly Snake" seduced Eve to devour to her perdition had a "savory odor" which could be smelled a long way off. This seems to exclude the Northern Spy also. It would great ly enhance public interest in the higher criticism if Mr. Lownsdale and his Hood River rivals would, make a thor ough study of Milton's description of the perfect apple which grew in Eden and specify for each variety which they exhibit just wherein it comes up to the standard and wherein it falls short. What a fearful coining to judgment that would be for the Ben Davis! This bedizened siren, fair and false, is a lobe of broken promises. - Still, the Ben Davis is not without its lesson for us. If there are sermons in stones, how much longer and better ones may we find In apples, and the latter days of the Ben Davis confirm the poet's noble faith that there is good in everything. In December, though the skin be most beauteous, the flesh is that of a LVJmpkin or a moist , piece of cork; but wait till the wild March winds begin to howl. Then, when the Northern Spy has gone to its account and the Spitzenberg is withered with age. bring forth your Ben Davis from the cellar and witness the heyday of his glory. Whether he be baked and come upon the table bathed- In the sweet juices from his own veins, or whether you taste him enshrined in a delectable pie, he is a consolation and a joy. In the Interregnum between the transitory pippin and the bourgeoning rhubarb the Ben Davis reigns and sheds his benign influence upon the dinner table. Let him not be despised, therefore, for the broken promise of, his youth. His age atones for all. . The perfect apple which grew In Eden needed no spraying. By its inherent virtue It defied the codlin moth, the scab, the scale and all the insidious host of foes which assail the degenerate orchards of our fallen state. The spray pump is one of the outer insignia of original pin; nor can we be rid of it In this imperfect 'world. "Spray wthout ceasing, spray," is the horticultural version ot the hortatory hymn. It is by no accident that a single letter "s" changes pray to spray. As praying saves the soul, tso spraying eaves the apple. The entire word spray is sacred. It bubbles over with beneficent sug gestions. Drop the "s" and you have "pray.'.' Drop again' the "p" and you have "ray," signifying that the pump bringeth a ray of gladness to the soul of the apple-raiser. Once more, drop "r" and there remalneth "ay," which Is the strong affirmative of the optimist who forever hopes and works and is never discouraged. The orchardist will do marvelous wisely to ponder well .this mystic word "spray" and decipher Its occult significance. The unattainable,' perfect apple is not so much a product of soil and climate as of the character of the grower. Vic tories are won. not by the guns, but by the men behind them. The Hood River pippin tastes of patience, felf-denial and brave trust in the good God who blesses the. labor of men. The Lowns dale Spitzenberg takes its glow from the kindly toil of the artist who pro duced it. Soil and sunshine are but tools. It is man with his intellect and his cunning hand who makes the ap ple. To him who labors wisely and pa tiently all things come, no matter where he lives. One apple differeth from another in glory, but the greater gloVy comes ever from the greater toil and the deeper thought. DEIJNm'ENT FATHERS. A woman who "bore the yoke and wore the name of wife" for twenty years and more, until she could no longer bear the galling of the one, was allowed to renounce the other by the court sitting at Oregon City the other day, upon a showing that, had the man been a slavedriver and the woman his lawful chattel, could not have been darker with oppression. Eleven chil dren, the oldest seventeen years, the youngest nine months old, were the as sets of this marriage, and of the entire band the mother pluckily asked and was generously allowed the custody. She asked further, that the father of this numerous progeny be ordered to pay, $25 a month toward the mainte nance of the children, but this provision was not included in the decree of the court. As a penalty for living with a brutal husband until she had borne him eleven children, it may be just that this mother is left to support them. But what of . the man? Should he be left free to expend his earnings upon him self and his vices while his children are brought up, or dragged up, through the unaided exertions of their mother? Is motherhood in this lowly home to be made a penalty and fatherhood raised to a premium? Between the ohance that .half a dozen at least of these minor children born in bitterness and facing the world without a settled home and childly maintenance will be come a charge upon the generosity of the community if not upon the bounty of some charitable institution, stands the slender earning capacity of a woman untrained in any skilled indus try and bearing In her arms the handi cap of a nursing babe. To avert these consequences and as a matter of simple justice to mother, children and the community, the earnings of this father should by legal process be systematic ally levied upon for 'the benefit of his children. The ingenuity of an intelli--gent body of legislators should be equal to a provision for cases of this kind, which are so frequent as not to require to be dealt with under the name of special legislation. The superintendent of the Boys' and Girls' Aid Society, any member of the Ladies' Relief Society, the president of the board of directors of the Baby .Home, or any member of that board, could, if asked, testify to the growing evil represented by the failure or neglect of men who have as sumed the responsibility of fatherhood to meet Its simplest obligations. Men are sent to the rockpile for delinquen cies far less culpable than this,, and indeed there are criminals wearing prison stripes for crimes far less hein ous. The father who neglects or refuses to provide, for the maintenance of his chil dren, to the extent at least of their necessities and his physical ability and earning capacity, under any and all circumstances, represents an economic problem in the solution of which every taxpayer, every philanthropist, every humanitarian, is interested. The Intel ligent, progressive lawgiver should be able to devise some means whereby a moiety at least of the earnings of de linquent fathers could be confiscated for the benefit of their minor children, whether these have been made mother less by death or are worse than or phaned by divorce. NOVEMBER SCICIXJES. The number of suicides in this city recently gives color to the view that depressing atmospheric conditions have a tendency to increase suicidal mania. The assumption is, indeed, not an un reasonable one, and data carefully com piled have been offered in proof of its soundness. November's record for sui cide is a dark one usually. This year it has been especially so 'in this city, this- fact tallying with ah unusually gloomy and stormy month, even for November. With December owing perhaps to the infusion of the holiday spirit of - helpfulness and good-will the mental, depression' that ; finds ex pression is suicide, under the name of "temporary insanity," Is lightened somewhat and there 3re fewer self murders than In November. A relapse follows the holidays, but, with February and the coming of longer if not brighter days hope revives and "the burdens of life become lighter to the sick, the de spondent and those who lack the cour age or the strength to carry them, bravely and hopefully, under all cir cumstances. - These things the specialist who has ventured into the shadowy realm of the occult to discern, if possible, the cause of which an epidemic of suicide in No vember is the effect, tells us, and to forestall doubt and. put disbelief to rout backs them up with figures compiled with great care from many sources. Any one who has felt the inexplicable gloom known as "depression of spirits" settle down upon him on a dark, foggy, drizzly day in November (and who has not?) will hardly question the findings of the psychological investigator which declare that the latent mania which impels to suicide is fostered by these conditions. The Oregonian, having criticised from time to time the reckless, ignorant or careless navigation that has caused such loss of life and property on Pacific waters within the year, takes pleasure in noting the good . seamanship that brought the Iverna safely into port at Astoria after beating about in the gales of'a stormy season for many weeks. Vigilance, and good judgment are among the essential requisites of good seamanship. The captain who doze.? in his cabin while his mate at the helm hugs a coast in a fog. or beats about in the darkness without use of the lead until the pounding of the breakers upon the beach tells all on board that the vessel is at the mercy of the uea, comes w ith exceedingly poor grace before a board of inquiry protesting the dangers ot the coast and 'the fury of the gale as causes of shipwreck. Captain Col lingswood, of the Iverna, is not that type ot a sailor. A strong sea is as safe to him as a smooth harbor, for the simple reason that he does not ig nore the proximity, of the coast and go to sleep: Good cheer to. the captain of the Iverna! Good luck is his because he wins it by good seamanship. Britain's inheritance tax this year is providing the Chancellor of the Ex chequer with a large surplus for his budget. The seventh millionaire to die since April of this year was the Earl of Melville, ..who left property exclusive of settled estate worth $6,500,000. This will yield in inheritance tax about $650,500. It is noted as a curious fact that the first Liberal government to come into power since "death duty" was instituted by a Liberal Minister, William Harcourt, should reap so rich a harvest therefrom in so short a time. Since death duties were first levied eleven years ago they have added an average of $63,000,000 yearly to the British exchequer. " This year Mr. As quith expects to draw from them not less than $67,000,000. About one-tenth of the national income is paid by the accumulations of the dead through this tax. Seeking to fix the unit of its use fulness, it is said that the death duty of .each year more than provides for the annual additions to the British navy. , Homer Davenport is in no mood to sing "Good-bye, my Arab steeds, good bye!" It was not for this that he went to Arabia last August, hobnobbed with the Sheik of the tribe of Anazeb and left some thousands of dollars with breeders of the finest horses on earth in exchange for twenty-seven thorough bred Arabian steeds. He paid for the horses- In. the coin of the realm, got a complete pedigree signed by the Sheik of Sheiks.-rand. the horses are snugly stabled at his New Jersey farm. What more do the English upstarts want? Senator Piles explains. In answer to Senator La Follette's attacks on him ac a railroad Senator, that a railway rate bill that is good enough for Roosevelt he really feels is good enough for him. That's the way Senator Fulton and some others feel. The only real good Senator, however, comes from Wiscon sin, and his name Isn't Spooner. The ship captains who regard the mouth of the Columbia as a "danger ous coast" made their great -discovery only when they tried to sail their ves sels up on the beach. There ate places near the Oregon coast where the bot tom of the ocean is only a few feet from the top. Apples, apples, everywhere, and not a bite to eat for leexs than S2 per box. What has become of the old-fashioned kind that father used to raise, in the good old days when there was a nice, handsome codlin or is it coddling? moth for every apple? Rabbi Voorsanger, of San Francisco, pays a high personal tribute in New York to Mayor Schmitz and Abe Ruef. Did the rabbi really have to go so 'far from home to show that he doesn't know anything about San Francisco? The only way to make safe those modest and retiring women of New York, who nver smile or make eyes at great tenors, is to maroon the great tenor on an island, as Fate did the other Crusoe. Mr. Harriman's enthusiastic commen dation of Mr. Root as a Presidential eligibility will help out considerably in realizing that gentleman's known pref erence for private life. Undeterred by car shortage, L. J. Simpson is about to put In at North Bend a mill that will cut 250.000 feet a day. Being on Coos Bay, Mr. Simpson can ship by water. The pilot who attempts to cut across the bow of an approaching vessel is of a piece with the engineer who tries to steal one station beyond the passing point. Any first-class expert, of accomodat ing turn of mind, who will permit the Mayor to write his report, can get an easy job by applying at the City Hall. Senator Piatt resigned once when no body asked him to; and he wfll not re sign now when everybody wants him to. The human critter is a poor cuss, Cheer up. After a while there won't be anybody manufacturing anything worth shipping, and then the car short age will bother nobody. Senator Piatt can suit himself about resigning; but Senator Depew wants it understood that the resigning habit is not contagious. I .When railways talk of retrenchment it is well for the worklngman to .lay by a few pieces of silver and gold. The Caruso trouble; all occurred in the monkey house at Central Park. Telepathy? Or just contagion ? There are other places, too, that raise the best apples hi the world; but they are mostly in Oregon. Boss Ruef explains it by saying he is a lawyer and took it all "for fees." He means "for Ruef." THE SHANE OF SEW YORK. - New York Nenapiper Opinion on Plait. Continuing as Senator. tall on Sesnlor Piatt to Reaigrn. New York Times (Dem.). If it be true that Senator Piatt is about to resign his place in the Senate of the United States, he is well-advised. That step would be wise and becoming: it is somewhat imperatively indicated in his case. He would consult his own comfort by resigning, since his persistence in hold ing the office would very likely involve consequences of no little unpleasantness for himself. We do not think he should await the assembling of the Legislature. An ad interim appointment by Governor Higgins would hold only until the Legis lature had elected a Senator. By resign ing now Senator Piatt will escape the criticism and public discussion of himself during the weeks of the session preceding the Christmas recess. It's I'p to the Legislature. New York Post (Ind.). It Is easy to understand why Piatt should be indignant at all this talk that he ought to resign. AVhat new reason for it is there in his latest disgrace? His reputation, of a sort to make his recep tion in a" decent home impossible, has been perfectly known -for 25 years; but what difference has that made? So what is all the row about? From Piatt's point of view, the whole thing is clearly unin telligible. He is not at all conscious now of being more unfit to be 'Senator from New York than he has been all these years. All these things being taken into the account, and disregarding Piatt's nat ural wonder that anything he has done has changed public opinion about him. we think that the first act of the, Legislature should be the passage of a joint resolu tion calling upon him to deliver the peo ple of New York front the ignominy of having him as a Senator. Aothfnie Xev In Fresh Shame. New York Press (Rep.). The fact that one of New York's Sena tors becomes self-revealed to all the world as lie -was revealed to those who were willing to" give him public honors to dishonor and the fact that a Mr. Hughes, In the insurance investigation, disclosed the other as doing what all his intimates and his political backers - knew he was doing these facts add nothing to the shame which has always been New York's since this state has beerr repre sented in the United States Senate by Thomas C. Piatt and Chauncey M. "De pew. Time to Hold One's Nose. New York Slin (Rep.). It is a mistake to suppose that the senior Senator for the Empire State, the Honorable Thomas Collier Piatt, is inca pable of further usefulness. He is not too old or 'too seriously incapacitated either in the physical sense or intellect ually, or too shamefully discredited in his public and private relation to the com munity to perform now, at once, this week, today, the greatest service which it has ever been in 'his power to render to his honorable constituents, the people of New York. It is the statesman's last opportunity to win their approval and applause. With their fingers defending their olfactories, they will applaud him with enthusiastic feet. Last Widow of the Revolution. Springfield (Mass.) Republican. The closing of the Government pension roll for the Revolutionary War, on ac count of the death of Mrs.' Esther Sumner Damon, of Plymouth Union, Vt., calls attention to the fact that the payment of pension money chargeable to the war for independence ceases 124 years after that war was ended. The case of Mrs. Damon will be paralleled in the final roll-call of the pensioners of the Civil and Spanish Wars, for marriages of young women to old soldiers are never likely to be uncommon. That there have been and will be abuses no one doubts: it is so much a temptation to unprincipled young women to marry an old- soldier with the prospect of enjoying a widow's pension after lie has died that the Pension Office has tried unsuccessfully to secure laws from Congress depriving women who now marry Civil War veterans of the benefits of the widow's pension. The principle that the widow, to share, the benefits of a pension, must have been the partner- of, the soldier at least during the period of his middle life was recognized in the invalid pension act of 1S90, for its widows' benefits were made available only to those who were already married to soldiers when that act was passed. But under the old general law, so called, there is no such limitation. The late Mrs. Da mon, the last of the Revolutionary widows, could not possibly be brought un der criticism for having married an aged soldier for the sake of a widow's pension. Although she was 22 and lie 75 years of age when the marriage took place in 1833. no pension whatever was granted to Mr. Damon for his service in the Revolution until 14 years later. The idea of a widow's pension to continue long after Mr. Damon's death, of course, did not enter her head. Our whole pension system Is largely a development since the Civil War. A Grille Hint to T. Piatt. New York Sun. It Is a mistake to suppose that the senior Senator for the Empire State, the Honorable Thomas Collier Piatt, is in capable of further usefulness. He Is not too old or too seriously incapacitated either In the physical sense or intellect ually, or too shamefully discredited in his public and private relation to the com munity to perform now. at once, this week, today, the greatest service which it has ever been in his power to render to his honorable constituents, the people of New York. It is the statesman's last opportunity to win their approval and applause. With their fingers defending their olfactories, they will applaud him with enthusiastic feet. Veteran Rctnrsa Hl Bounty Moner. ' Washington Correspondence New York Sun. . The United States Treasurer received in the mail a letter postmarked Mead ville. Pa., containing five $100 notes. The letter read as follows:' "The United States Treasury Department: "Dear Sirs: During the rebellion I served three years and received a bounty, and as I went into the army because I thought it my duty to go. and as I have prospered in business, I now wish to pay back $300. Yours truly. "AN OLD SOLDIER OF ISM." The amount was deposited to the credit of the "conscience fund," as no name was given. Had the name been fur nished the matter would have been treat ed as a refund or repayment. . Why, Boston, la It Henlly Yon? Philadelphia Record. A well-known Washington, D. .' C, architect who . has just returned from Boston is chortling over a good joke on that correct and literary city. He says that in the reading-room of one of the most exclusive clubs in the Hub there is a sign that reads: "Only Low Conver sation Permitted Here.'' Money, f ounts. Dukes, Whisky. Cleyeland Leader. In a short time we may expect the Government statistics to show that as much American money is wasted on Counts and Dukes as on whisky. FAYOni.XG DIRECT PRIMARIES. Significant Political Movement All Over the Middle West. William Allen White. in Collier's Weekly. To break the influence of corrupt money in politics the people are mov ing all over the Middle West, at least, toward the nomination of party candi dates by direct primaries. A direct primary law will give every member of any political party an opportunity to vote directly for every candidate of his party before the people. As the system now stande In most American States, the voter helps to choose dele gates from his ward or precinct to the county or district convention. These delegates may be Instructed on one or two candidates for local offices, and in certain rare cases these dele gates have instructions concerning one or two candidates for State offices, but the voter has no choice in the matter of nominating a majority of his county, his district, or his State ticket. Under the direct primary law the voter has the names of all the candi dates for party nomination before him, and he chooses his candidates from the highest office in the Stale to the low est office in t le township just as he votes his ticket lat -r in the year at the general election. This method of naming party candidates eliminates tne possibility of trading and dicker ing in convention, and thereby makes the calling of the professional politi cian who engineers deals and com binations a useless one. With an in stinct born of the fear of annihilation, the railroad lobbyists in every Ameri can State are fighting for the old sys tem, and are willing to concede anything else in order to uefeat the primary laws. For when the people name their candidates for office, with out the possibility of deals and trades and combines, and when men may run for office without consulting those who can make trades and deals and combines, the power of crooked money in American politics is half gone. And more than that, when the voter chooses his candidates instead of hav ing them chosen for him. he is that much nearer being a self-governing citizen. HKTTV GRKKN ON POLITICS. She Says That Women "Hove No Head" for Such ThinK. Boston Dispatch in New York Sun. Mrs. Hetty Green, who is making her residence here, has been interviewed. "What do you think of the New York election." asked the reporter. 1 "I don't think anytning. I haven't got time to bother my head about such things. Why should I waste my time? Time is valuable." "Well, what's your opinion of Hearst, then?" "Hearst? I don't know anything about him. and 1 don't want to know anything." "What about Hughes?" "The people have doubtless chosen the Governor they wanted, and that's enough, isn't It? Why should I waste my time bothering about it?" "What do you think of Moran?" "Moran? i.ioran? - never heard of nim till the other day. How can I think any thing about Moran? Women haven't any head for such things. A woman ought to stay at home and look after the house. The happiest woman is the one who sits by the fireside and says. Yes, dear,' to every stupid remark her husband makes. No, women ought no to bother their poor heads about politics." "I think women ought to have the right to vote, but they won't let us. and I sub mit.. I'm a Quaker, you know, and I be lieve in keeping the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule. "Once friends came to me and said a woman needed $: badly, and I ougnt to lend it. and God would repay me. I would get my reward in Heaven." "Did vou lend the $50007" "Well," said Mrs. Green, '"she got It from some charitable person." For Pa reel a Post. The Baltimore Sun begins an editorial on this topic with the statement: "Al most every civilized country in the world except the United States has, a parcels post." In the course of it it eays: The United States will carry a packace weighing eleven pounds all the way from Baltimore to New Zealand at a charge of 12 cents a pound. But it you put a package weighing eleven pounds in the Baltimore postofTice directed to Washington or Tow son or Annapolis, it will never reach Its destination. The express companies will not permit tho postotflce to tarry a pack age from one place in the United States to another place in the United States if It weighs over four pounds. Tney can carry a heavier package to New Zealand. South America or the South Sea Islands because there arc no express routes from this coun try to those foreign parts. Paternalism Gets a Rude Shock. Railway World. Hereafter nobody connected with the Chicago & Alton Railroad will be allowed to employ or have work under him any relative, near or remote. President Felton is determined to end whatever there is left of nepotism on that road. The In structicJn3 from the executive head ot the line have no string to them, and state that no head of a department, chief clerk or others in any employing capacity will be allowed to have working under them in their department anybody related to them. Jan et Federal Office. Pittsburg Dispatch. Judge Joseph Buffington, of Pittsburg, has appointed a Japanese as his messen ger in the United States Circuit Court. This is said . to be the first time a for eigner has been appointed to a Govern ment office, according to officials in the Federal building. K. Moil is the new messenger's name. He is about 23 years of age and speaks fair English. Traced to Its Source. Ally Sloper. 3he Sometimes you appear really manly and sometimes you are quite effeminate. How do you acount for it? He It's hereditary, I suppose. One-half of my ancestors were males and the other half "females. WHY STANBArjnftf The irn- MAXIMUM. f,NtS ir ASSESSED auii i n i-. I- the WILL Bt 181,360.000 $181,960,000 9? t.V 11 FOIl A LONG STAY !' t'IB.l. Washington Officialdom Thinks An archy Would Mark Our Withdrawal. Washington Dispatch to New York Evening Post. The pc.icc that exists in Cuba today is only on the surface, and every ono who has recently visited tne island re alizes that If our soldiers were with drawn now a condition of tinarchy would follow. The feeling between the defeated moderates and the liberals is bitter to a degree. Recent cable dis patches report harsh dissensions in the liberal party. The Cuban political lead ers that tile Taft commission came in contact with proved themselves notn ing more than grafters: shrewd and keen hunters aftur political office and the perquisites that accompany public position in Latin-American countries. ' The ignorant, low-class Cuban is a lov able fellow. Obedient, pleasure-loving, polite and hard-working when he mnst be, he is as clay In the hands of the unscrupulous politicians who have gained an ascendency in the island. It is these men who have made Cuban in dependence impossible. When President Roosevelt and Sec retary Taft return to Washington they wil! go carefully over the entire situa tion and determine when the election shall be held, and what method shall bo taken to insure a continuation of peace and normal conditions in Cuba. That thiJ will mean the retention of troops and a certain number of civil officers is now definitely known. The admihls tralio;i has b'n slow to realize that this was the inevitable end of our in tervention in Cuban affairs. Mr. Roose velt hardly believed it necessary to keep troops in the island after the new election had been held until he had talked personally with Mr. Taft and Mr. Bacon. Whether the Cuban politi clana will he foolhardy enough to at tempt another insurrection when they come to realize that never again are they to have a free hand in plucking the Cuban treasury remains to be seen. To tcny one who knows the present conditions in Cuba and the various cir cumstances and causes leading up to the recent uprising our duty is plain enough. If this country of its own ac coid did not see fit voluntarily to as sume the task, the American and for eign interests in Cuba would force the job iipon us. Americans. Kmgllsh and Getmans in the island have been frank enough in saying that if the United States Government attempted to with draw they would finance, another revo lution, and have armed insurgents in the field by the timo the last American soldier was leaving Cuba. That the recent insurrection was financed by foreign interests who do sired Intervention there can he no man ner of doubt. Any man who traveled over the disaffected area in Cuba whilo the insurrection was on could not fail to observe innumerable instances tend ing to demonstrate that the opposition to the established government came primarily from outside sources. Money was plentiful in the rebel camps, and the body-guards of some of the insur gent generals W'cre uniformed and armed exceUently with rifles and ac coutcrments that were obviously new. Since intervention has been forced upon the United States the administra-e tion, much against its will, has decided to make the best of a bad job, and take over the government of Cuba until such a time as there can be no doubt that the Cuban people are amply able to govern themselves, and impose a con tinued and permanent peace on the island. The Andrew farneiele of Mexico. Baltimore News. Mexico has an Andrew Carnegie in a multi-millionaire mincowner named Pedro Alvarado: but instead of scattering libra ries through the land his method of dying poor is to give his money directly to the people. It is averred that he has actually proiwsed to President Diaz to assume tho public debt. The result might be a re verse application of the old proverb, and it would be a case of easy go. easy come. Having got rid of the old debt so easily, the government would be encouraged to run up a new one. Beckham Will Be Baby Senator. Baltimore American. Governor Beckham, of Kentucky, who will succeed Senator McCreary as United States Senator of Kentucky, will be th.i youngest man in that body, being a few months' the junior of Senator Burkctt, ot Nebraska. Beckham was nominated for the Kentucky Legislature the day he was 21 and was Speaker of the House at 2S. He was elected Lieutenant-Governor at tho age of 20 and became Governor when Goebel was assassinated. A Fighter Wlna Over Other Fighters. Kansas City Journal. Senator Merton E. I,ewis. Republican candidate for Comptroller of New York, has risen in politics chiefly because of his success as a fighter for reforms. His first big battle was with the prize-fighters, and, although he had to combat all weights and was almost knocked down and counted out in the first round, yet he finally triumphed. Two ip a Balcony. New York Sun. , Shakespeare was writing "Romeo and Juliet." "Be careful," we warned him. "that the balcony doesn't encroach on the Fifth-avenue stoop line." . This Is why tie scene was not laid in New York. o Room Here. Philadelphia Inquirer. Countess Boni cannot leave Francs because her children must remain there, and Count Boni cannot come to America because of our restrictions against pauper immigrants. Depending; Only on "Dead Ones." IiDndon Express. The following notice is inscribed on the wall of a house In the Rue de Strasbourg. Saint Denis. France: "In case of fire, ask for help at the cemetery." NOT? AppBn rE -r UNISHING Panama, canai; ABOUT From the Chicago Tribune.