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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 1907)
10 THE MORNING OREGOXIAN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1907. TRYING TO ALLAY HOSTILE FEELING .Kikujiro Ishii's Diplomatic Mis sion to the United '. States. AMAZED AT BIG SAWMILL Thoroughly Inspects Portland and I Guest of Honor at Arlington Clnb Dinner, W here He Makes a Speech Leaves at Night. SOME OF MR. ISHTl'S IDEAS. "Japan does not want the Philip pines and would not take them as a gift." "Japan has all the coast line she wanta to protect as It la." The Filipinos are not capable of self-government." "Of all nations, not excepting Japan Itself, we prefer to see the United States hold the Philippine." ' Kikujiro Ishii. Dlrecteur des Affaires Commercials au Ministers des Affaires Etrangers, of the Japanese foreign office, inspected Portland yesterday In the usual exhaustive Oriental fashion. His official position in Japan is a mixture of that In this country of Secretary Straus of the Department of Commerce and Labor, and John Barret, of the Bureau of American Republics, with just a dash of Secretary Root while in South America. Personally Mr. Ishii Is what Americans would call a royal good fellow. Without departing an lota from either personal or official dignity he is what politicians mean when they refer to a man as "a good mixer." It Is perhaps due to these qualities that Mr. Ishll is making a rapid tour of the Unit ed States to smooth out what possible war wrinkles there might be. Although he does not ray so In so many words, yet with subtle Oriental diplomacy he somehow gets such an Idea into the minds of all the Americans he meets. Yesterday Mr. Ishii was the guest of honor at a dinner In the Arlington Club. Those present were: Mr. Ishll, T. B. Wilcox, Vice-Consul Matsubara, T. M. Seurin, J. F. Watson. W. W. Cotton, "W. B. Ayer, J. C. Ainsworth. Consul Alba. Mayor Lane, H. Ohta. Thomas Kerr, "W. W. Fenton, S. Bann, W. MacMaster, "William Ladd, D. MacKenzie, General Greely, W. D. Wheelwright. Makes a Speech. There was practically no speech making, as W. D. Wheelwright, acting as host, nerfly introduced Mr. Ishii, who responded briefly from manuscript. Watches the Sawmills. After the dinner Mr. Ishll, In company with Tsunejl Aiba. consular agent for Japan, who has resided In Portland for over 40 years, and Kazuo Matsubara, Acting Consul for Japan in San Fran cisco, who is accompaning Mr. Ishii while on the Pacific Coast, was taken in an automobile to the Eastern and Western Lumber Mills, the Forestry building and for a short ride about the city. Mr. Ishii was frankly amazed with the way huge logs were ripped Into lumber. "Wonderful: Wonderful!" he mur " mured as he watched a log 62 feet long and five feet through tossed about by the gigantic Iron "nigger" as if it had been a toothpick. "There is nothing like this In all japan. You do more here with less men in five minutes than we do in Japan in a whole year." "Then you will have them in Japan within a year?" he was asked, but made no reply because of the noise of the saws, probably except to smile gently, end flash a glance of the eye at his two fellow countrymen. "One of the truly great buildings of the world," was his comment as he left the Forestry building. "It Is possible nowhere else than in this part of this country. So that nine-foot-four stump is ISO years older than America where it grew, is it? L'gh! You wait and see what Japan does In 575 years." Says War Talk Is Nonsense. Later in the Hotel Portland Mr. Ishll consented to talk about other affairs than Portland. Concerning the possibili ties of war between America and Japan, he said: ' "Unfortunately all countries and races i 1, ' ' BEADING FROM I.E FT TO RIGHT MR. TSUNEJI AIBA, CONSULAR AGENT. PORTLAND; MR, KIKUJIRO ISHII, OF THIS Jf A PANICS E FOREIGN OFFICB. TOKIO. MS. KAZUO MATSUBARA. ACT- I JIG CONSUL. BAN FRANCISCO, AT EXTREME RIGHT. I have their hoodlums. We have them in Japan, you have them in America. But the intelligent people of both countries understand such things. I see not the remotest ill feeling in America against Japan. Nor Is there any in our country against you people. "As for the Philippines, Japan does not want them and would not have them as a gift. Japan has all the coast line she wants to protect as it is. The Filipinos are not capable of self government. Of all nations, not excepting Japan herself, we prefer to see the United States hold the Philippines. "With Corea it Is different. There is not much coast line to guard there, and it is near Japan. As for this talk the last few days about China and Japan be ginning to growl over some land way up on the Yalu River nonsense' That is a little affair over an island in the river about 200 years old between China and Corea. We simply Inherited It with a lot of other Corean troubles. There is Just about as much danger of China and Japan getting into trouble over that little mud bank as there is of England and America going to war over th possession of some mountain top on the Canadian border. Japan and the United States need each other to do business with and busi ness, you know. Is a preventative of war." . In the evening Mr. Ishii was the guest at a putely Japanese dinner, quite In formal, tendered him by a few of the leading Japanese In Portland. Mr. Ishll left last night for Seattle, from where he will make a hurried trip to Vancouver, then to New York and back to Japan via the Siberian railroad across Russia. RESCINDS HEAT FRANCHISE COUNCIL DECLARES TIME LIMIT HAS ELAPSED. Major Thinks Company Is Behind Movement to Take Away Fran chise Bad for Both Sides. By a vote of 12 to 3 the Council meet ing yesterday afternoon rescinded the steam-heating franchise of the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company as recommended Dy the Street Committee. The action was due to the fact that the company failed to begin the laying of pipes within the time-limit set by the ordinance. The company was not repre sented before the .Council and there was little discussion, the action being a fore gone conclusion In view of the expres sions made when the measure was up at the preceding session. Rushlight, who had brought about the delay to look into the matter of the $50,000 bond of the company, brought up the issue again yesterday and It was found that the bond was not forfeitable. City Attorney Kavanaugh reported that the bond was conditional on the com pletion of the system within two years and that it could not be collected by the city simply because work was not com menced in the time-limit. If the fran chise should be forfeited, he said, the company could withdraw its bond. "That simply goes to prove what I have thought all the time, that the Port land Railway, Light & Power Company has in this franchise a grant tuat wouldn't pay them." ald Rushlight. "The corporation itself Is behind the ef fort to revoke this franchise In Qrder to haul down its bond." "Well, in my opinion this is a poor franchise and would prove a curse to the city,'" declared the Mayor. "It would be a gain to the city to give this com pany $50,000 to keep them out of the streets on the terms outlined. If the Council failed to revoke the franchise the people would resent the action." Mayor Lane then read to the Council a steam-heating franchise from one of the Eastern Cities, as the example of the requirements that should be made here. By its terms the holding company was required to reserve space in Its mains for the use of the city and to make other concessions to the munici pality. The vote was then taken with the fol lowing result: Ayes Annand, Baker, Etelding, Cellars. Concannon, Cottrell, Driscoll. Dunning, Kellaher, Menefee. Rushlight and Vaughn. Noes-Bennett, Wallace and Wills. As the Portland Railway. Light & Power Company has material in the city for Its proposed plant, it Is probable that application will be made for another franchise. Some of the Councllmen, how ever, prefer holding up the matter until it Is decided whether a general sub way for pipes and mains shall be laid by the city. Xew Charter for La Grande. LA GRANDE. Or.. Sept. 3. (Spe clal.) The City Council has prepared a new charter to be submitted to the voters for acceptance or rejection at a special election to be held Septem ler 23. The proposed cnarter con sists of So sections. So far no oppo sition has developed to Its adoption. DISTINGUISHED JAPANESE VISITOR L GETS MORE TIE Wittenberg Makes an Impas sioned Appeal for a Square Deal. FRANCHISE IS DEFERRED Company Is Willing to Submit New Franchise to Council and Prom ises to Have Seven Miles of Road Built by July 1. By the most stirring speech that haa been delivered before the Council In many a day. Herman Wittenberg, a director of the United Railways, yester day afternoon stemmed the tide of adverse sentiment that was threatening to engulf the affairs of his company by revoking the franchise under which It is operating and obtained a new lease of life under which to continue construction. Action on the franchise was indefinitely deferred and the matter was returned to the joint committee on streets and judi ciary with instructions to consider a new grant to supersede the old one. This step of the Council was a signal victory for the United Railways. When the Council assembled there was un doubtedly a majority of the members who were ready summarily to cancel the old grant. After Mr. Wittenberg and other representatives of the company had stated their case the Council was so impressea with the fact that the building of the line covered by the franchise meant busi ness and that its revocation would be an Injustice, that there was not a single vote against granting more time. Even Vaughn, who had led the fight to annul the franchise, joined in the vote to refer. The franchise under discussion was originally granted to the Oregon Trac tion Company and was acquired last April by the United Railways. Under its terms the electric lines were to be laid on Stark. Twelfth and Pettygrove streets, forming the Portland end of an lnterurban system into Washington County. They were to have been completed by August 6 last, a condition with which the company failed to comply. Mayor Lane recommended that the franchise be revoked and the street, commute took similar action. It was on the committee's report that the Council acted yesterday. Informal Agreement Saved Franchise Probably the circumstance that saved the franchise to the company was the fact that an Informal agreement was en tered into by the street committee last April, whereby an extension of the grant or a new franchise was to have been given In case the company made a good showing during the three months left until its expiration. It was on this ground and the plea that the company has been showing good faith that Wittenberg based his impassioned appeal "for a square deal." When the Oregon Traction franchise was taken up. Councilman Annand im mediately moved that consideration of the matter be deferred. Vaughn objected on the ground that this was one of the objects for which the special session had been called. "I don't understand such practice as this." shouted Vaughn when he heard Annand's motion. "This meeting was called to consider these franchises and I demand to know why we should post pone it. This franchise gives no pro tection to the city and I am glad that tinder the charter the only way in which we can extend it is by granting a new franchise." "My Idea in moving postponement was to give, the company time to prepare a new franchise," explained Annand. "Corporations holding franchises deserve no favors when they fail to abide by their agreement," retorted Vaughn. "The Portland Railway, Light A Power Com pany has dominated this Council time and time again, but we have just revoked its franchise and I should like to know why this company deserves more consideration. We have set a good precedent and we should act without delay." Attorney Emmons and Engineer Wicker sham of the United Railways explained briefly what the company had been doing and what it wanted. The latter declared that'the engineering department had defi nite instruction to have the line com pleted and in operation seven miles out of the city by January 1. "Wrould you accept a new franchise with proper safeguards to the city and UNITED WAYS deposit a bond to do that?" asked the Mayor. Wittenberg Slakes Appeal. "I'll answer that- question," declared Wittenberg, jumping Into the gap. "We are ready to accept a new franchise and a proper one and we will give a bond to operate seven miles of the road by July 1. We honestly intend to complete this amount by January 1, but unavoidable de lays may come up. "The United Railways took up the Ore gon Traction franchise in April. At that time we .came before the street committee and asked for an extension or a new franchise. We were assured by them that if we went ahead and showed that we meant business it would be all right and that we should be given more time when the franchise should expire in August." "I am chairman of the street committee and I cannot remember of any such action being taken," said Vaughn. Annand, Wallace and Kellaher, all members of the street committee at that time, supported Wittenberg's assertion. No formal vote was taken but he was given to understand that if the com pany went on with Its work It would not be interfered with by the Council. "Not only that," continued Wittenberg, "but the committee sent in a resolution that was passed by the Council recom mending that no action on our franchise be taken, which plainly showed that the intention was to give us an extension or a new franchise when the old one ex pired. Since this application was made we have spent more than $100,000 in con structing our lines. We have gone ahead Just as rapidly as possible and we have kept faith with the street committee. And yet this Council now recommends that our grant be repealed and our prop erty confiscated. All we ask is for you to act fairly between man and man. We want no more than would be the right of a private citizen. "We are here to build you a good line. We are spending our money to give Port land this line and now on a mere techni cality and despite the promise given us, the Council threatens to shut us out. We are making our Investment and we have acted fairly toward you. If you revoke this franchise what do you expect us to do? Will an electric line such as we are building be a benefit or a detri ment to Portland? Our line Is the best that has been laid in the city and we ask you to compare it with roads previously laid. Xo Harriman Money in It. "We are in dead earnest and we are willing to accept a new franchise and give a bond to construct our lines, but it would confiscate our investment and scare out our backers if the franchise were annulled now. It has been Inti mated that Harriman capital is behind this line but not a single dollar of it Is In any way connected with this company. Our backing is all Portland and Seattle capital. It would be a rank injustice to shut us out now and I do not believe that you will do it. Even Mr. Vaughn will not do us this Injustice. It would be any thing but a square deal and you won't do it." Baker Immediately arose to support An nand's motion that action be deferred. He came Intending to revoke the fran chise, he said, but was satisfied that the company would build the line and should be allowed to proceed. The motion was then amended to send the franchise to the Joint committee on streets and Judiciary, which was carried by unanimous vote. The committee was instructed to con sider a new franchise from the United Railways, which the officials of that company agreed to draw up. When this Is submitted and approved, it will be granted and the old one rescinded. COrXCFL TAKE.S NO CHANCES Refuses to Repeal the Shepherd Building Ordinance. Four stories is still the limit of height to which buildings, other than those of steel frame or reinforced con struction, may be erected In Portland. The Council yesterday refused to re peal the Shepherd ordinance, as rec ommended by the committee on health and police, and the measure will stand until proper regulations can be pre pared for adoption In its place. This will probably be at the next regular meeting of the Council, as the special building committee was instructed to submit such an amendment at that time. It developed at the meeting that If the Shepherd ordinance were annulled it would leave the city with prac tically no restrictions on the height of new, buildings. It was thought such a condition would result in the erec tion of numerous firetraps, and the Council declined to take the step. C K. Henry, a real estate dealer, and Architect Gibson, appeared before the Council to urge that brick build ings higher than four stories be al lowed under certain regulations. It was declared that brick blocks of mill construction are considered desirable Improvements and should not be pro hibited, as they are by the present law. In this the Council agreed, and will wait only for an ordinance which will TO PORTLAND keep out the ' poorer class of brick buildings and allow the better. The special building committee, of which Annand is chairman, will meet Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock in the office of Building Inspector Spen cer to consider an amendment to the present ordinance covering this point. Later a new building law will be pre sented. This measure has been in course of preparation for months and Is expected to cover thoroughly all phases of construction work. Consider Fenders Tomorrow. . At a meeting of the Council street com mittee tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock the question of streetcar regulation will bo taken up. Both the matter of adopt ing new fenders and the regulation of speed are now before the Council. A communication calling attention to the high speed of cars was submitted to the Council at its last regular meeting and was referred to the street committee. Discuss Baker Ordinance. Chairman Baker of the Council commit, mittee that is framing the new ordinance to govern the running of automobiles on the city streets, has called a meeting of that committee for this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The various regulations that have been suggested will be taken up at this time and the members desire all in terested in the matter to attend. E E PEOPLE'S MARKET ASSOCIATION GIVEN MORE TIME. Matter Referred to Committee to Al low Time for New Draft City to Get More Money. A new franchise more favorable to the Interests of the city is to be granted to the People's Market Association. At the meeting of the Council yesterday the recommendation that the present fran chise be revoked was considered but action was delayed in order to give the association time to prepare a new fran chise. The subject was referred to the street committee, which will return the old franchise for revocation when a new and satisfactory one has been completed. By Its franchise the association was prohibited from using space on the block over which it was given control for any purpose other than a public market. Later an ordinance was passed presum ing to let the association use the block for any purpose It wished. This, by ruling of the City Attorney,' had no effect on the franchise, as It was not passed in the manner prescribed for franchises, but It was used yesterday as a lever to obtain a new grant. Frank W. Motter, who represented the association, yesterday contended that In renting space for stores of various kinds, his clients were conforming to instruc tions given them by the Council. Even though the ordinance really did not change the original franchise he declared that It would form a basis for action in the courts. If the franchise were now revoked, and he did not hesitate to say that the association would file suit if the Council should adopt this course. "If the city, will give us $.10,000 we are willing to abandon our franchise," said Mr. Motter, "or. if it is preferred, we are willing to accept a new franchise. Should the Council rescind our grant without paying us for the Improvements we have made, we shall apply to the courts for $30,000 to cover our expendi tures. We now pay the city $100 a month for use of the market block and are willing to double this consideration. Our market Is of benefit to the city and we feel we should be given a new franchise." Upon motion of Annand the matter was referred to the Joint committee on streets and Judiciary, by a vote of 12 to 3, Concannon, Cottel and Vaughn casting the opposing votes. Although no Instruc tions were given the committee, the senti ment favored the favorable consideration -of a new franchise under which the city should receive $200 a month. TAFT ARRIVES THURSDAY Secretary of War Will Spend Two Days Here. William H. Taft. Secretary of . War, and party will arrive in Portland at 8 o'clock Thursday night and will remain here two days. With Mr. Taft will be Mrs. Taft and their son, Charles; Gen eral Charles Edwards, John Barrett and Mr. Taffs private secretary, Wendell W. Meachler. This is the official party, but with them are expeeteo. several score of prominent politicians and office-holders While in Portland Mr. Taft and family will be the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore B. Wilcox. The rest of the party are to be quartered at the Hotel "BROWN'S IN TOWN" Bis mm mm mi- The smartest, most elabor 3 ate and shapely gowns and " garments ever shown upon the stage of style. Snappy shades in saddle, coffee, seal, tobacco and golden browns; built into suits of graceful elegance. $22.50,. $25, $35, $45, $55, $65 Special "Brown" Exhibit at the Woman's Style Shop of I. GEVURTZ & SECOND & SONS YAMHILL Portland and entertained by a committee from the Oregon Development League. Although no official programme has yet been arranged, and cannot be till Mr. Taft arrives and is consulted. It Is ex pected that Thursday evening will be given up to resting after the long Journey of three days and two nights irom Den ver, and that Friday morning the Secre tary will Inspect the military post at Vancouver. returning with General Greely in time to attend a dinner at the Hotel Portland, given in Mr. Ta.ffs honor by Mr. Wilcox. Later In the after noon a reception is planned at Mr. Wilcox' residence in honor of Mrs. Taft. Friday evening Secretary Taft will speak in the Armory. As it is expected that In this speech Mr. Taft will utter something of more than ordinary Inter est concerning political matters and the coming presidential campaign, a record breaking crowd is looked for. Telegrams and letters are being received from all over the Pacific Northwest asking that seats be reserved. As Mr. Taft's speech will be the chief matter of Interest, all other features on the programme will be kept subordinate. Just what Mr. Taft will say Friday Mr. Frank Hemstreet, Celebrated Bar itone, of New York City, Who Will Appear In This ity, Thursday Eve ning. Bcptember 12. The recital to be given In this city Thursday evening. September 12, at Taylor-street Methodist Church, corner Third and Taylor streets, under the auspices of Sherman, Clay & Company. In which Mr. C. Arthur Longwell and Mr. Frank Hemstreet. of New York City will ap pear, will be an artistic event and one which should appeal to the music lovers of the city. The two artists have been before the musical pub lic in New York for a number of years. Mr. Longwell as a concert organist, and Mr. Hemstreet as one of the most popular concert bari , tones of the metropolis. Their programme will be a varied one and will be thoroughly artistic in every sense. The artists have been engaged by the A. B. Chase Company to dem onstrate the qualities of the Artlstano Player, which has been the most highly praised of any of the players of recent years. It Is said to be the consummation of every ambition In the player piano, and the great artists of the piano have been unstinting in their praises of Its possibilities. Standpoint of Artist In the recital Mr. Longwell will make no effort to demonstrate the mechanical features of the instrument, but has simply been engaged by the manufacturers as a musician, and the advertising feature will be kept secondary throughout. He will play the Artistano Just as any other artist uses the ordinary piano, ns a channel through which to convey his Interpretation of the compositions he plays. In accompany ing Mr Hemstreet In some of the more difficult arias he does so with the most delightful abandon, a feature In accompaniments which Is so often lacking. In the many recitals In which these two artists have appeared, the verdict of the press and critics has been most flattering, and Portland should have a treat in store when they appear here. Sherman, Clay & Company are mailing hundreds of Invitations to the recital, and It is planned to assemble all the lovers of good music of the city when the recital Is given. There will be no charge for admission, as the recital is given under the auspices of Sherman, Clay & Company. INVITATIONS MAILED UPON REQUEST. Every body's Looking for Brown, the Popular Brown of Fashion Fame THE BROWN WARDROBE night, no one In Portland knows, but It Is sure to attract National attention. . Saturday the Secretary expects to leava Portland for Tacoma with General Greely to select a permanent site, probably near American Lake, for military maneuvers. From Tacoma the Secretary goes to Se attle, where he will sail for the Philip pines. He expects to continue on round the world via the Trans-Siberian Rail road to the capitals of Europe and then home to Washington. The trip, as plan ned at present, will cover over 30,000 miles. W. E. Coman Going East. W. E. Coman. assistant general freight agent for the allied Harriman lines, will leave within the next two days for New York City, where he goes to attend the session of the Transcontinental Freight Bureau, which opens on September 10. The bureau will consider the form of freight tariffs naming rat -. from the East to Pacific Coast terminals and to interior points so as to conform to rul ings of the Interstate Commerce Commis sion. In addition to this subject, other matters of a routine nature will be dis cussed. Piano and Song Recital Mr. Hemstreet and Mr. Longwell will entertain music lovers.