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TIIE MORNING OREGOXIAN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7,
1907.
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PORTLAND, THVKSDAY", FEB. 7, 1907.
PERPETUAL FRANCHISES AGAIN.
Upon the subject of franchises of the
gas company the gas committee enunci
ates two incontrovertible propositions.
First, that the franchises ought to be
repealed. Second, that those granted
by the city murt be repealed by the city
and those granted by the Legislature
must be repealed by the Legislature.
The reasons for revoking the franchises
of the gas company are numerous and
urgent. Meet of them are more or less
familiar to the citizens of Portland,
but .it can do no harm to reiterate
them. The price of liberty is eternal
vigilance and the price of deliverance
from the tyranny of privileged monopolies-
Ik unceasing appeal to the popu
lar sens of right and Justice. We suf
fer from the insolence and extortion of
the gas company because we choose to
suffer; there no power that could
subject us to these impositions were we
as active in resisting as the company
is In devising them.
One principal reason for repealing the
franchises is that, as they stand, the
gas company fa virtually exempt from
control. It can charge whatever price
for gas it pleases, and that price, as
the report of the Council committee
shows, has been extortionate. It can
make the quality -either good or bad to
cult its own convenience; and it has
invariably chosen to make it bad. Of
course there is more -profit in selling
poor gas at a high price than good
gas at a reasonable price, and the
company has never been lacking in de
votion to its own financial interests.
In the words of the committee, "The
company has grossly overcharged the
public." Being the sole arbiter of the
relations between itself and the public,
the company can continue to over
charge even more grossly than in the
past. There is nothing to hinder It.
The gas cdmpaxiy has used methods of
accounting, reading the meters and!
making out bills -which, to put it char
itably, are "cumbersome and unsatis
factory." Under proper management
there could not be so many complaints
of Inaccurate meter readings, exorbi
tant bills and petty annoyances of all
sorts as there are now. The company
naturally thinks only of its own con
venience and profit, and disregards the
convenience of the public altogether.
This may always be expected of a mo
nopoly which is not subject to strict
regulation, and the gas company will
Tiever be eo subject until its franchisee
have been repealed and reissued upon
an entirely different basis.
One of the worst and most exasperat
ing results of no regulation is the priv
ilege which the company assumes of
tearing up the pavements when and
where' it pleases, without regard to the
rights of the rublic. Sometimes the
pavements are replaced after long de
day, but never are they made entirely
good. The annoyance which the city
has endured from this one cause le
sufficient to create a demand for repeal
of the franchises, were there no other
grounds. To be sure, the City Attor
ney decides that the CdTinell already
has authority to regulate the price and
Quality of gas; but it is admitted that
this authority Is vague and unsatisfac
tory. Any attempt to exercise It would
undoubtedly lead to discouraging liti
gation. What the public diemandis is a.
clear and unmistakable statutory dec
laration of the right to regulate and
control. This can only come after the
revocation of the old franchises. With
the ground thus cleared of dubious
claims, the Council, under the recent
constitutional amendment, may proceed
to grant a modern, civilized franchise
which shall protect the rights of the
public at least as completely as those
of the monopoly.
Another objection to the actual fran
chises is that they purport to bo per
petual. A perpetual franchise is, of
course, an absurdity in logic and inad
missible in law. Nevertheless the com
pany claims a perpetual franchise and
thereby pretends to be in a measure
Independent of the authority of the
state and city. This matter should be
Fettled aa soon as possible. If the Leg
it lature of the State of Oregon cannot
repeal the acts of Its predecessors the
public ought to know it. If a special
privilege once granted) is granted for
ever under our present system, the
system ought to be modified in that
particular. The City. Attorney holds
that these franchises may be revoked,
and 'common sense as well as common
Justice takes the same view. The Ore-
gonian speaks emphatically for the re
peal of the gas franchise, because that
Is more grossly injurious to the public
than any other; but logically all perpet
ual privileges stand on the same
ground. None of them is defensible
They should all be repealed. The or
gan of the local plutocracy errs, as
usual, In saying that The Oregonlan
urges the repeal of the gas company's
franchise only. The Oregonlan has con
sistently and repeatedly urged the re
peal of all perpetual franchisee. But,
after all, what The Oregonlan has or
has not done is a comparatively unim
portant matter in the premises. The
real question is whether the members
of the Legislature will or will not do
their duty as public servants. Do they
owe fealty to the gas company or to
the people? Will they keep their
pledges made before election, or wiU
they ignore them?
There is nothing in the contention
that the recent constitutional amend
ment in giving cities the right to form
their own charters virtually gave them
authority to repeal existing franchises
granted by the Legislature. The City
Attorney holds that the revocation
must be by the Legislature, and he Is
right beyond all question. What the
city has given it may revoke; but what
the Legislature has given the city can
not revoke. The duty of the Legisla
ture in this matter is plain. It should
repeal all perpetual franchises granted
by the state, particularly those of the
gas company. New ones may then be
granted by the city which shall be lim
ited in time and 6hall guard the hith
erto neglected rights of the public.
JUST SO.
No one, of course, seriously expected
the Portland City Council to take of
fensive action of any kind against the
organized plutocracy of Portland. It is
not built that way. It was chance
only, perhaps, that originally placed five
of the six stiff-backed members on the
special gas committee, so that the ne
farious operations of the grasping gas
monopoly could be properly exploited
and fitly reprehended. Here was an
error that the combined interests Of
special privilege in Portland the fran
chise corporations hastened yesterday
to repair by smothering the report of
the gas committee and strangling all
proceedings looking to revocation, of
perpetual franchises. When the gas
committee did its duty, the public had
hopes that the Council might do the
same. But the public did not thor
oughly know the Solid Nine. It will
know today when it reads of yester
day's proceedings. It will know still
more hereafter when the complete rec
ord is made up and! presented in all
its interesting and surprising details
for scrutiny of the Plain Citizen, whom
the Council majority has thus betrayed.
It is strange that the public-service
corporations of Portland have so sadly
mistaken the temper of the people on
the living question of franchise control.
They are making the same blunder the
great trusts and monopolies made last
year in defying the power and1 author
ity of the National Government to
make them obey the law. Now the
railroads and the great beef barons a.nd
all the rest are very tame. It will be
the same in Oregon. The associated
beneficiaries of privilege in Portland
may move in the old way to influence
Councils and Legislatures for their pro
tection and profit; but in the end the
people who cannot be cajoled, or cor
rupted, or fooled, too often, will break
their hold and determine their status.
The battle is only beginning.!
Meanwhile the public should know
that there are six members of the
Council who have the courage and the
Independence to declare that their souls
and their votes are their own.
TO AID OCR COMMERCE.
. The unsatisfactory bar service at the
entrance of the river has for a number of
years proved a serious handicap to the
commercial prestige of Portland and
other Columbia and Willamette River
ports. Attainment of a perfect
service at this time is probably impos
sible. If it were otherwise, there would
be no demand for pilots, and small,
light-power towboats would be ade
quate for the work. But it is highly
essential that there be maintained on
the bar the best possible service that
conditions will warrant. It is for the
purpose of securing such service that
the rivers, harbors and navigation
committee of the Portland Chamber of
Commerce has prepared a bill, as out
lined In yesterday's Oregonian. It Is
proposed by this bill that the residents
of the three counties, Columbia, Clat
sop and Multnomah, form an incorpo
ration to be known as the Port of Co
lumbia.
The object of this organization, as
set forth in the bill, is to maintain an
efficient towage and pilotage service at
the mouth of the Columiba River. By
failure to pay due heed to the protests
which have been raised against this
service in the past, the port has suf-
lerea to such an extent that we are
now penalized by foreign shipowners
with a discriminatory rate of Is 3d per
ton on most of the sailing ships com
ing here. The proposed method by
which the business shall be handled te
not a new one. It has the merit ' of
consolidating the tug and pilot work
under one general head, thus prevent
ing any shifting of responsibility and
making it easy to fix the -blame for any
shortcomings, and naturally with the
blame fixed the remedy is easier of ap
plication.
This method was tried In the old days
of the Flavel regime, and the efficiency
of the service has never since been
equaled. Unfortunately, the exorbitant
rates charged by Flavel more than off
set the advantage of his good service.
It was tried again for a brief .period
by the O. R. & N. Co., and results were
the opposite to those attained by Fla
vel. In the desire to make the service
show a profit so much economy was
practiced that shipping suffered worse
than it had before or has since. It was
the Imperfections of the service in the
old days that were responsible for some
of the odium which now rests' on the
bar, and which it is hoped to remove
by the establishment of a good service.
to be maintained less with a
view to actual profits than to the ad
vantage which will follow by improv
ing the reputation of the port in the
minds of shipowners.
The proposed law is one which must
appeal to all dwellers in the Columbia
Basin who produce anything which can
be shipped seaward. The funds needed
for carrying out the project are to be
raised by taxation of the three coun
ties. 'The plan for raising the funds
necessary for the carrying out of the
project is such that the burden will fall
Jvery lightly on the taxpayers of the
three counties, and under proper man
agement it will undoubtedly be possi
ble to make the service self-supporting
at rates which cannot but appeal to the
shipowners and redound to the advan
tage of the port.
The Columbia. .River has very active
competitors north and south, and it is
highly important that more stringent
measures be adopted for the protection
and encouragement of our shipping.
There is no sentiment in business, and
until we can show the foreign shipown
ers. In dollars and cents, that this port
has advantages which do not warrant
discrimination, we will be forced to
suffer the existing handicap. The pro
posed bill Is drafted on broad, liberal
lines, which empower the commtasion
ers to correct most of the evils which
now exist, and in the hands of a non-
political commission, such as will be
named, good results are bound to fol
low the passage and enforcement of the
new law.
WILL THE COMMISSION BE EFFICIENT?
The Joint railroad committee at Sa
lem, it appears, is willing that the Gov
ernor shall appoint the proposed Rail
road Commission. We suspect that
the committee, or some of its members,
do not care greatly about the com
mission. We cannot understand how
otherwise they may be willing to turn
over to Governor Chamberlain the ma
chinery for building up a powerful po
litical organization and electing himself
to the United States Senate. The bill.
of course, is not yet through the Leg
islature. It may not go through in its
present shape, or at all... The emer
gency clause, of course, will have to
be stricken out, else the Governor will
carry out his celebrated threat of veto
ing any and all measures which are to
go into effect upon his signature and
thus defeat any opportunity for the
referendum.
If there is to be a, Railroad Commis
sion it ought to be an elective commis
sion. The whole tendency of recent
state legislation is toward the elective
commission. Many states which have
had appointive commissions have aban
doned them, and - have adopted the
other plan, while we know of none that
has preferred the appointive method
after trying the elective. If we are to
have a Railroad Commission, it Is to be
assumed that it will become a, perma
nent part of our governmental machin
ery. But it is bound sooner or later,
under the proposed plan, to fall vic
tim to the intrigues and machinations
of personal politics. After Chamber
lain there will be another Governor,
we suppose. The struggle for control
of the commission will be present In
every gubernatorial campaign, and is
likely to influence greatly both the for
tunes of particular candidates and the
welfare of the state. We shall expect
soon to see the usefulness of the ap
pointed commission utterly destroyed.
Its only chance for continued efficiency,
it seems to The Oregonian, is in the
election of commissioners by the peo
ple.
COAL SHORTAGE AND CAUSE.
It is announced that several thousand
tons of Japanese coal have been pur
chased for shipment to Puget Sound.
Two cargoes are en route from the Far
East' to- San Francisco, and negotia
tions are pending for a cargo for Port
land. In the case of Puget Sound this
certainly lends color to the belief that
the expression "carrying coals to New
castle'.' is something more than a figure
of speech. Reasons for the remarka
ble shortage' of coal on the Pacific
Coast are not easily discernible. There
has been a tendency to blame the rail
roads for much of the trouble, and In
Eastern Washington especially there
have been charges that the railroads
had restricted the output of the mines.
The State .Coal Mine Inspector for
Washington has Just filed his report
with the Governor, and, instead of
showing a decrease in production and
thus accounting in a degree for the
shortage now existing, it shows that
the coal production of the state for the
year 1906 was 443,623 tons greater than
for the preceding year, the production
for the last quarter being greater than
for any of the1 three preceding quar
ters. There is a possibility that the in
creased use of oil as fuel has, paradox
ical as it may seem, been the means
of causing or at least contributing to
the coal shortage. This new fuel came
Into general use with such rapidity that
it undoubtedly had some effect In caus
ing coal dealers all over the Coast to
hesitate about securing the usual heavy
stocks. San Francisco has for years
carried enormous stocks of coal, the
requirements of the Navy and. the large
number of vessels running in and out
of the port being eo great as to war
rant these large stocks. During the
earthquake and fire these stocks were
practically wiped out, and when recon
struction began the enormous growth
of the oil industry was undoubtedly a
restraining factor against renewing
the big supplies.
The railroads which had begun using
oil on a large scale were also influ
enced in reducing their coal supplies
until -it was too late to repair the dam
age. Even far into the Interior, where
the influence of the oil fuel is not felt,
there seems to have been a general lack
of preparation for the severe weather
which has been experienced. Interstate
Commerce Commissioner Clark, In an
interview at TCansas Cityv in discussing
the situation in the Northwest, said:
The consumers of course did not think of
buying fuel until the cold came. The dealer
had no stock on hand. He had not filled his
bins, but each had a few cars filled with coal
on the sidetracks. -
The lesson has been a severe one, but
it will hardly go unheeded by the con
sumens or the railroads. One result
may be removal of the coal duty so
that dealers will have an opportunity
to stock up without fear of any adverse
legislation which might affect their
holdings. There is tonnage with a ca
pacity of more than 100,000 tons now-
listed to come from Australia with coal
ror tnis tjousc, ana naa tnere been no
duty on this coal much of this would
have been brought in before the situa
tlon became so critical.
The proposal in Illinois to make
hanging the punishment for highway
robbery is not entirely without reason.
A highwayman is really more danger
ous to society than a murderer, for the
ordinary murderer brings down but one
victim. The highwayman is ready' to
kill as many persons as may resist his
efforts to rob them. Every highway
man Is a murderer at heart, and if he
spares the life of a victim it is be
cause he considers it more advan
tageous for Mm to do bo. No moral
principle in his character stays his
hand. The highwayman Is, with
scarcely an exception, beyond hope of
reformation. His weapon of death is
raised against every man or woman
who may have money or valuables
which he desires to possess. Society is
the gainer by the death of such men.
JThe man who has deliberately chosen
the career of a highway robber, and he
must have chosen it deliberately if at
all, has no further right to expect the
government under which he lives to se
cure him in .the enjoyment of life.
While the Oregon Legislature could
probably not be .induced to make htgh-w-ay
robbery a capital offense, there is
scarcely any argument to be advanced
against such a measure that is not also
to be made against the hanging of murderers.
The ghost .of that old scheme, a short
passage from Europe via a Dominion
port, has been revived in Canada.
Many attempts in this line have suf
fered defeat and there Is no reason to
suppose that another looking to the
same object will succeed. The big and
fast steamships bearing expeditious
passenger and mail service will con
tinue to follow the Southern route,
which terminates in American harbors.
The latest scheme is to make Galway.
Ireland, the European terminal and St.
Johns, N. F.. the Western, with an aux
iliary line to the Canadian mainland.
It la urged that the run can be made
between the two ports mentioned in
two and a half days, as the rout lies
outside of the fog belt and fast time
can therefore be made. It is figured
that the distance from London to St.
Johns could be covered in three days
and from St. Johns to Halifax in one
day, so that mall could be delivered in
four days. The trouble Is that, when
the four days were completed, neither
passengers nor mails would be at their
destination.
Wheat gained more than a cent per
bushel in the Chicago market yester
day, and the foreign markets scored
the heaviest advance that has been
made this season. Famine in Russia.
with the prospects of an embargo by
tne government on all wheat exports,
were the principal factors in the ad
vance. The statistical position of the
cereal in the United States has heen
very strong for a long time, but the
dependence of our consumers on the
markets of the Old World has prevent
ed much strength in the market. Even
now the future of prices depends to a
greater extent on the foreign situation
xnan on any conditions which may ex
ist in this country. If -the Argentine
comes along with the enormous crop
wnicn ner people have been reporting,
fancy prices for the cereal are not very
probable.
A Chicago dispatch savs that the
hired men of Mr. Hill and Mr. Harri-
man are engaged In a wordy war as
to the respective merits of their em
ployers. Mr. Kruttschnitt says that
the reconstruction of the Union Pacific.
and Southern Pacific by Mr. Harriman
nas enabled those roads to transport
fireight more "quickly, economically
and efficiently" than any other trans
continental road. While it is undoubt
edly true that Mr. Harriman has spent
more money than Mr. Hill has spent on
improvements and betterments, the
men who pay the freight on this end
of the line will look In vain for any
freight transportation in recent month
which answers the description of being
vi"'-, cvuiiuiinca.1 or emcient.
The martial strains of "The Watch
on the Rhine" will still float upward
from the most distant and unprofitable
of the Kaiser's possessions. The pol
icy ui reirencnment in the matter of
maintaining large forces of soldiers in
these remote possessions has been ag
gravating the Socialists for a long time,
out at ine reballoting in the Reichstag
elections, which were heir) throughout
the empire Tuesday, the Kaiser's wing
of the party won by a large majority.
This victory ought to assure the
stockholders in the Krupp gun factory
umt mere win De no immediate de
crease in the, size of the dividends.
Ventura, Cal.; the bean metropolis,
also complains against the Southern
Pacific for discrimination because "it
charges a terminal rate to Los Angeles
and the local rate to Ventura, thus
making it impossible for Ventura todo
a. juooing Dusiness." Spokane has
smarted the epidemic of complaints
that threatens to make a iohhl
ter of every crossroads postofflce in the
country.
While Senator Hodson, friend of the
people, is playing for a few brief mn
ments his new and unfamiliar role of
ioe or monopoly, he ought to have the
Legislature Investigate the Portland
Job printing trust. otherwise tho
Franklin Association, of which he has
Deen a member. But of course he has
now withdrawn from such' uncongenial
uuuipany.
Chinese rebels are said to be imrw-f.
ing large quantities of arms and am
munition in cases which are labeled as
books." The articles named on the
label, as well as the actual contents of
ine cases, are apparently highly essen
tial in the civiliziner of the wllnw nm.
pie, and it may be that to this fact ia
aue lne seemingly inappropriate label.
Senator Bailey, of Texas, endeavored
to chastise personally a man who called
him a liar. If Bailey were to make a
personal matter of it with everv indi
vidual who regards him as something
worse man a liar, he would be kept
fully as busy as W. J. Bryan and get
teas iun out or nis time.
There Is no normal school combine
Of course not. The normal schools and
the other state schools just happen to
nave a community of interest" and to
be logrolling In the same old wav to
get their hands on the state's funds
ana anviae the spoils.
The trouble with Expert Wiley was
that he ran foul of an expert on ex
perts. -An expert always eets alone-
better when he doesn't have to answer
questions, telling what he knows and
now he knows it.
It's a coincidence only that those O.
R. & N. locomotives were stalled and
dead when there was precious little
coal to feed them. The O. R. & N. Co.
always did play in luck.
Mr. Jim Hill modestly says he owns
only 7 per cent of the Great Northern
stock. But he takes great care that the
93 per cent do none of thejtalking.
Attorney Delmas will make a real
coup for his foul client if he manages
to fortify that insanity plea by showing
how he tried to conduct his own case.
"Children cry for it," remarks the
Spokesman-Review on the latest Spo
kane dream of the State of Lincoln.
Castorla's only rival, evidently.
Expert Wiley probably knows now
that the dorsal region is where Jerome
hit him,
FARM
FOR STATE'S PRISONERS
J. D,
Lee Suggests Substitute for Jute-
Mill and Road-Work Plana.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25. To the Edi-
tor.) My present remoteness from th
State Capitol precludes my keeping well
advised as to the present and prospective
work of the Legislature.
I have noted with Interest the diff
erent plans discussed for the employment
of state convicts. I presume that the
wheat-exporting districts will favor a
Jute mill, while Western Oregon will
more incline to work them upon the high
ways. Both of these proposals I would
be pleased to discuss in their various
phases, as my opportunities for study- !
Ing them have been good, but I will re
frain from so doing.
As It sometimes happens that consider
ation of two plans results In indecision
and inaction, I will call attention to a
suggestion made In my biennial report
of October 1, 1902, as Superintendent of
the Oregon State Penitentiary, which
may serve as a solution of the question
of employment, should the other pro
posals fail of adoption. It Is the locating
of a new Penitentiary upon a tract, say
of 1000 acres of land, the methods of its
purchase to be explained further on.
After showing the near approach of self
support that could be made under certain
conditions, I say in substance (pp. 7
and 8):
The preceding paragraph shows the urgent
need for more land for the use of the peni
tentiary. My mature judgment Is that the
state should not delay the purchase of both
clear and wooded lands. The limited amount
adjacent to the prteon (about 120 acres) pre
vents the Inauguration of a thorough system
of rotation of crops so essential to good farm
ing. In fact, we need all the nearby lands
for gardening If we Include potato and corn
crops under that heading. I have rented some
additional land, which to some extent Im
proved the conditions. But paying rent Is
exceedingly poor policy. In a few years It
will aggregate the price of the land and yet
the state will be without land. Moot of my
leases have been paid by work in clearing
the land. In that way we secured the use
of the land and had the wood for fuel.
The purchase pf an adequate tract of land,
not too far distant from the prison, either
in Marlon or Polk County, would, at least,
serve three good purposes: First, It would
contribute very largely toward the self-main
tenance of the institution; second, it would
furnish employment to a large number of.
convicts In providing products for our own
consumption and that of some of the other
state Institutions; third, it would afford an
opportunity of making at least one classifi
cation of the men. The younger, less hard
ened and more studious, especially short
timers, could be selected for the farm camp.
This camp, It would be my hope, would
expand into a reformatory and educational
department, with permanent and up-to-dato
fcutildlnge where unusual .facilities would
be afforded for the advancement of the classes
which I have just mentioned, both In mental
equipment, moral uplifting and thorough drill
In modern methods of agriculture, horticulture
and stock-raising to some extent also, that
this location would ultimately be the prison
proper or main penitentiary. The present
location is not a desirable one for keeping a
large number of men. It could remain a cen
tral power and pumping station and Industrial
department.
It has been frequently urged that the con
vict should be taught a trade during his In
carceration. This plan would be favorable to
that. I am not certain, however, that any
trade is better than a thorough drill In agri
cultural pursuits. Farming is healthful exer
cise and provides good equipment.
We use about $3,r.K worth of fuel annually.
In lo years It would amount to $35,000, but
prices are advancing and would probably be
over t-k),000. Why not appropriate the
amount of the wood bill and buy uncleared
land instead of fuel and make your own
wood? The trees should be grubbed. This
we do -by pulling them over with horses,
using a pulley and tackle. The land thus
cleared Is easily made ready for the plow and
Its value greatly enhanced.
Such an Investment In land and utilization
of convict labor would meet the wood bill
and place the state in possession of a more
valuable tract of land than the original isnr-
chase. In a word, the land would be clear
gain.
Since making that report conditions
have somewhat changed. Land has ad
vanced. Much wooded land in the vicini
ty of Salem has been denuded of its
growth, but I believe the proposition 15
still worthy of consideration. In fact
is as important as ever.
In at least two of the states through
which I have recently passed I have
heard the regret expressed that there is
so little land for the use of their penal
institutions.
The old plan of a mural inclosure only
has been discarded, but perhaps to stu
dents of penology the importance of ex
tensive grounds appeals most stronirly
This Legislature could perform an im
portant service to the state by adopting
this or some similar plan.
J. D. LEE.
HODSOX'S OWN LITTLE TRUST.
How Portland Job Printers Combine to
Cinch the Public.
PORTLAND, Feb. 6. (To the Editor.)
If Senator Hodson would devote his at
tention, talents and energy to breaking
up the "printing trust," of which he is
a member, known as the Franklin As
sociation with its grievous overcharges
for Job printing. Its private telephon
system used to inform competing (?)
printing establishments of prices made
to inquiring customers for prospective
work, thereby eliminating all ;Mmpeti
tion, and its fines imposed on its mem
bers for cutting a price made by a com
peting (?) firm, he would accomplish
more for his constituents, the business
houses of Portland and the Northwest,
and the counties of Oregon, fiom whom
he obtains orders by his political pull,
than by playing personal politics and
displaying a private grudge, as he has
done In his "Associated Press common
carrier bill." A VICTIM.
Senator Lodare 11 a Pedestrian.
Washington (D. C.) Despatch.
Probably no member of either branch
of Congress walks as much as Senator
Lodge. The weather must be very in
clement, indeed, and the streets and
roads sleet-covered or muddy when the
Massachusetts statesman does not
cover several miles a day on foot. On
those rare occasions when the Senate
sessions are prolonged to 6 o'clock or
later, Mr. Lodge's walk is usually con
fined to the distance between the Capi
tol and his residence on Massachusetts
avenue, something over a mile. But
when the Senate does not sit late he
frequently extends his walk from the
Capitol out into the country, and re
turns home with an appetite for din
ner that would do credit to a farmhand.
A Boston newspaper man, Morton E.
Crane, is his constant companion on
the daily walk from the Capitol, and
their figures have become one of the
familiar sights of Pennsylvania ave
nue late in the afternoon. Although
older than the President by several
years, Mr. Lodge is rjne of the few
persons who, without becoming wind
ed, can keep up the furious pace set by
that strenuous and illustrious pedes
trian,, whose companion he frequently
is on the long jaunts Mr. Roosevelt
takes out in the country.
Afterwnrd.
Charles Hanson- Towne.
Oh, to think that the world will go on
After we are dead!
Lovers will go on loving,
The old, old words will be said.
New buds wlllloom In April,
And white be the apple bough;
June will return, the birds troop back.
The earth to be as glad as now.
The long, green pageant of Summer
Will march its accustomed way.
And year after year the Autumn pomp
Will crimson the pallid day.
Lovers will go on loving.
The words that we said will be said,
"When you and T are forgotten.
When jpu- and, I are dead;
STATE'S WEED OF WATER CODE
Oregon' Development Blighted by
Want of It, Says Professor Yonnc.
EUGENE, Or., Feb. 5. (To the Edi
tor.) The development of Oregon has
been checked and even permanently
stunted by the years of delay ih the
enactment of an adequate water code.
No other single cause has had such
blighting influence on commonwealth
possibilities in this state. For this Leg
islature to fail to get the right prin
ciples into our irrigation legislation
would be simply disastrous. What in
ducement Is there for an actual cultl-
cator to locate In our arid or semi
ari.l districts before he can be certain
of getting water rights? The existence
of any surplus water for any prospec
tive settler can be determined only
through hydrographic surveys and the
determination of prior rights. Frovi
eion for such surveys and for a process
for the conclusive determination or ex
isting rights must necessarily be fea
tures of any adequate code.
The present Legislature has no more
important duty than the enactment of
a code based squarely upon the prin
ciple of "beneficial use. The embodi
ment of this principle in the Oregon
water code has been delayed alto
gether too long. The absence of it
from our code means the larger and
larger development of monopoly in
water rights and monopoly in water
rights Is incompatible witlt the condi
tions of democratic society. With un
restricted private ownership in our
power resources they will be gathered
up by syndicates who, having no inter
est In the local development of the
stnte, will simply tax us with their
rates for their own enrichment.
If the Judicial procedure of litigation
proposed as necessary for the deter
mination of existing rights will be
burdensome on those who have long
established rights, why may not the
state aid them in securing clear titles?
There could be no better purpose
served In the use of public funds. But
the Wyoming irrigators did not find
the process proposed for the deter
mination of existing rights burden
some. Is nothing to be learned from
states older and more prosperous in ir
rigation than Oregon? Why should
those who champion the interests of
the millions of producers yet to be in
Oregon be stigmatized as theorists and
the champions of special privileges and
private monopoly be represented as
taking the better part in this matter?
F. G. YOUNG.
LEGISLATURE OPENED, ANT HOW
With "Now I Lay Me." but Suppliant
Couldn't Finish Correctly.
Trenton (N. J.) Cor. New York World.
When the formal meeting of the New
Jersey Legislature was recently called,
in accordance with the effhstitution,
which requires that-a joint session of
the body be called every day while
the contest Is on for the election of a
Lnlted States Senator, only two legis
lators were present. Nevertheless, it
was necessary to comply with all the
forms of convening the joint session,
and Assemblyman Burk, of this city,
asked Captain John Lovett. the ser-geant-at-arms
of the Senate. If he
would offer prayer to properly open
the session.
Mr. Burk made the request in a Jok
ing manner, but Captain Lovett took
the request seriously, and asked with
all reverence that those present in the
House join with him In reciting the
Lord's Prayer. Then, amid deep silence,
the voice of the Captain was heard:
"Now I iay me down to sleep," he
began, and paused.
The Assembly Chamber at the time
was filled with students undergoing the
state veterinary examination.
They tittered when Captain Lovett
paused in the prayer, but their levity
lasted only a moment. Then one of
them, in a deep voice, took up the
supplication and all finished it.
"I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
And should I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take."
At the conclusion of the prayer Cap
tain Lovett asked the Speaker pro tern,
if he would be allowed the usual $10
fee given to clergymen making the
prayer.
"No," was the reply. "You didn't
know your prayer. The state pays only
for completed prayers."
An Appeal for the Bird.
PORTLAND, Feb. 4. (To the Editor.)
Portland is having unusual Winter
weather. The "silver thaw" and the
heavy frosts have almost ruined the trees
and flowers of the Spring to come. The
people are clamoring for wood and coal,
which we know are very scarce.
But there is a question .1 would Vke
to ask the public: What do the birds
find to eat during these snow storms
and "sliver thaws"? The answer is,
nothing. The ground has been covered
with snow and ice, and if the people
observe they will see helpless robins and
sparrows sitting lonely on the bushes, or
hopelessly searching for food.
Why do not the public take interest
In these beautiful creatures and feed
them? A crust of bread which would
thoughtlessly be thrown away could bo
given to the birds, many of which aqe
starving to death.
A SCHOOLGIRL.
IN
First Man Who's the elderly looking
Second Man That's Senator smoet,
till taking his seat away from him.
OPEN LETTER TO BARON HAYASHI
Japanese Ambassador Petitioned to
Strive Against Breach of Peace.
PORTLAND, Feb. 6. (To the Editor.)
The following letter has been sent to
Baron Hayashi, the Japanese Ambas
sador at Washington:
Please to allow us a word touching the
contention between your government and
ours not to discuss its merits, but earnestly
to protest. In behalf of the best people in
this country arid In yours and for the hlgn
est and best Interests of both, never to at
tempt its adjustment by the arbitrament ot
the sword. Diligently use your best effortfc
with your government for a speedy adjust
ment such in kind as will leave the mutual
friendship of the two countries undis
turbed, at least to the end of the present
century. War Is a horrible thing, as both
peoples ought to know from past experi
ence. A war with the United States would
almost certainly bring hopeless ruin to
your country, whether after a few years
struggle you should be vlctoKlous or be de
feated; for in either case, your loss in men
and treasure would be so great as to ren
der your now splendid empire an easy prey
for Russia or China, for they both have an
account against you, which they will not
be slow to collect the first favorable oppor
tunity. I would suppose that you under
stand this.
Again. It Is very questionable whether
you would come out of the conflict victori
ous. This country has had four foreign
wars, and has never known defeat. This
term is not found In our National vocabu
lary, and any other nation would have a
gigantic tank on hand in attempting to print
it there with sword, shot end shell. War is
a hellish demon, whose awful work is death
in ItB most cruel form, leaving in its wake
blight, woe and misery for succeeding ags.
Almighty God will not fall to inflict con
dign punishment upon the nation that en
gages In war. except it be in self-defense;
and it is a fearful thing to fall Into the
hands of the living God. Ihe Sovereign of
the Universe, when awful guilt lies at the
door all stained with human blood.
My dear sir. use the best efforts of your
ransomed powers in the Interest of and for
peace, wonderful peace! "on earth peace,
good will toward men."
DANIEL, M. CONWAT.
Postscript: Allow me to add a word more.
As I see It, this country has done more for
Japan than has any other country, or than
have all others combined. No thought of
war against the United States should bs
entertained for one moment by Japan. Let
our motto be for peace now and forever.
D. M. C.
PROTEST FROM AN ART ADMIRER
Prudish Defacement of Work at Art
Museum Ia Objected to.
PORTLAND, Or.. Feb. 6. (To the
Editor.) Having been only a few months
in this city. I visited today for the first
time the gypsoplasts in the Art Museum
and it was quite a pleasure to see that
the Portland public gets in such a way a
notion of the most beautiful chef
d'oeuvres of the ancient sculptors.
One of the finest pieces, a scene full
of life and of charming humor, is the
"little boy with the goose." You can
really see his efforts and how he en
deavors to master the big bird. His
face Is beaming with joy and mirth and
it glows with zeal to overcome his ad
versary. I remember how much I en
joyed this group when I saw It for the
first time In Rome in the original, some
years ago, and now I saw here in Port
land a copy of this masterpiece spoiled
in a most barbarous way. Do those
gentlemen who have fixed this horrid
leaf, with an old rusty nail, on the
stomach of the little boy, believe that
he will cause In his natural nakedness
great damage to Portland's morals? I
think it Is the limit of Ignorance to de
form this innocent child's body for
hypocritical and stupid prudlshness.
Why didn't they dress him elmply in
some bathing-drawers? This would have
suited him better. And why do not these
gentlemen dress "Venus of Melos" in a
kimona that they may not be shocked by
the beauties of her body?
And Portland claims to be the most
advanced city of the West Coast, where
all modern ideas And a home! Is the
spoiling of ancient masterpieces a sign
of an enlightened spirit? I do not
think so. WALTER VOLLMANN.
Rogers to Give Younger Men a Chance.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
H. H. Rogers recently celebrated his
67th birthday. He found his room In
the Standard Oil Company's offices dec
orated with American Beauty roses and
other flowers, gifts of hlB associates
and employes. He seldom misses a day
In his office. There have been reports
that Mr. Rogers purposed to retire from
active business, particularly the presi
dency of the Amalgamated Copper
Company, but he said that he could not
now throw off his harness. He has
told friends, however, that he will have
to give younger men a chance and con
fine his energies to building up the
Tidewater Railroad, in .e bituminous
coal fields of Virginia, which he may
extend to the Great Lakes.
Ever Wonianly,
William Roscoe Thayer.
Bet her among the angels! let her shine a
star
Nay, call her woman, never more divine
Than when she walks the levels where our
longings are.
And lightens up the prison where we pine.
Be angel to my worship; be star my steps
to lead
From earth's deep gloom to thy radiance
above!
The dally inspiration of thine Influence I
need;
But. oh. be simply woman to Tny lovel
1950
From the Washington Herald.
Senator?
the grand old man from Utah. They're