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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1908)
8 TTIK MORNING OKEGONIAX, TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1908. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. . (By Kill) Dally 6undar Included on year $8.00 Dally, Sunday included, ilx months.... 4.25 L'aily, Sunday Included, three months. 2-25 Daily, Sunday Included, one month.... .75 Daily wttnout Sunday, one year 6-00 Daily, without Sunday, six months.... 3.25 lially, without Sunday, three months.. 1.73 Daily, .without Sunday, on month..., .GO Sunday, one year . - 4M0 Weekly, oiu year (issued Thursday)... ISO Sunday and weekly, one year. ........ s-3 BV CARRIER. Dally, Sunday Included, one year 00 Dally, Sunday Included, one month 75 HOW TO RJt-MIT Send postoftlce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency sre at the sender's risk. Give postoftlce ad dress in full, including- county and state. FOSTAGK KATES. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postoftlce as tiecond-Class Adatter. 10 to 14 Pages 1 ent JU to 28 Pages .- cents SO to 44 Pages 8 cents 40 to 00 Pages 4 cents Foreign postage, double rates. IMPORTANT The postal laws rs strict. Newspapers on which postage is not fully prepaid are not forwarded to destination. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The B. C. xleckwUb. Special Agency New York, rooms 48-&0 Tribune building. Chi cago, rooma 510-012 Tribune building. KEPT ON BALK. Chicago Auditorium Annex; Postofllce News Co., 178 dearborn street. St. Paul, Minn. N. St. Marie, Commercial Station. Colorado Springs, Colo. Bell, H. H. Denver Hamilton and Kendrlck. 906-MI Feventeenth street; Pratt Book Store, 1214 Plfleenth street; II. P. Hansen. 8- Klce, tieo. Carson. Kansas City, Mo. Rlcksecker Cigar Co.. Ninth and Walnut; Toma News Co. Minneapolis M. J. Cavanaugh. 60 South Third. Cleveland, O. James Push aw, SOT Su perior street. Washington, D. C. Ebbltt House, Penn sylvania avenue. Philadelphia, Pa. Ryan's Theater Ticket Office; Penn News Co. New York City L. Jones ft Co.. Astor Houte; Broadway Theater News stand; Ar thur Hotating Wagons; Empire Newa stand. Ogden D. L. Boyle; Lowe Broa, 114 Twenty-fifth street. Omaha Barkalow Broa, Union Station; Mageath stationery Co. les Moines, la. Moss Jacobs. Sacramento, CaL Sacramento News Co., 430 K street; Amos News Co. Salt Lake Moon Book Stationery Co.; Kosenfeld A Hansen; Q. W. Jewett. 9. O. corner. Lob Angeles B. E. Amos, manager ten street wagona rasadena, CaL Amos New Co. Sun l)ler B. E. Amos. Long Beach, Cal. B. E. Ana ban Jose, Cal. St. Jamea Hotel New Stand. Dallas, Tex. Southwestern News Agent. 844 Main street; also two street wagons. Amarlllo, Tex. Tlmmons ft Pope. Sun Francisco Foster ft Orear; Ferry Newa Stand; Hotel St. Francis News Stand; L. Parent; N. Wheatley; Falrmount Hotel News S:and; Amos News Co.; United New Agents. 14 Eddy street; B. B. Amos, man ager three wagona. Oakland, CaL W. H. Johnson. Fourteenth and Franklin streets; N. Wheatley: Oakland News Stand; B. E. Amos, manager live wagons. tioldtleld, Ner. Louie Follln; & JS. Hunter. Eureka, Cal. Call-Chronicle Agency; Eu reka Newa Co. PORTLAND. TUESDAY. JAN. 1. IMS. PROHIBITION AND THE COLOR LINE. It Is remarked by the Chicago Rec ord-Herald as a strange thing that prohibition of the liquor traffic, first through local option and then through more general legislation, should have made so great progress as It has made in the South during the last two years without obtaining at an earlier time more general notice In the North, Except In a few leading cities the South is practically "dry." Not till quite recently, however, did the fact obtain attention as a social phenom enon of the first importance. It is because the South Is not well under stood by the people of the more popu lous Northern States. The South is still essentially rural. It has few large cities, and no very large ones. St. Louis and Baltimore are large cities, but are half North ern. Louisville and Kansas City, In the nest smaller class, have much the same character. The rural districts of the South, that comprise the greater part of Us population, have much the same status as the rural districts of Iowa and Illinois. But there is a further reason, namely, the presence In the South of a large negro population. Southern newspapers, which in for mer times would not hear to the de mands of prohibition, now acquiesce In them, as they plainly say, because of the necessity of keeping liquors away from the negro population. Southern newspaper men, in conver sation, freely give this reason. Sena tor Johnston, of Alabama, In a lec ture delivered a few evenings since at Boston, said that it was to check crime among the negroes that many Southern States, Including his own, had voted the saloon out of existence. Restriction of the sale of liquors, as well as restriction of the suffrage. Is part of the negro problem. We shall see whether the cynical statement that the law was made wholly for the blacks, but that the whites will evade it, will prove true. It is ominous that the Georgia law is cunningly drawn, so as to enforce a tax of $600 on private clubs, without forbidding them to serve liquors. It is probable this will become the gen eral rule or practice throughout the states where there is a large negro population. AREA AND NTMBERS. No doubt the United States, includ ing tho Insular possessions, will have by 1910 a population of 100,000,000. The New Tork World thinks it may be above 400,000,000, one hundred years later; which would not be more incredible than has been the growth of England from 4.000.000 in Eliza beth's time to 40.000,000 now. Yet the comparison will hardly hold good. England's position, and her excep tional resources of coal and Iron, give her advantages, as a maritime, rrtanu facturlng and commercial nation, far in excess of her proportions as to area. Our situation is every way dif ferent; and the calculations as to pro portional population will not hold. Our people will hardly wish they might. Conjectures are also offered as to tne luttiro growth or the City of N 7 Ynrk. in comparison with London. The parallel here becomes more prob able. The state census gave the city in 1905 a population of 4,014,304. In 1910 it will be 4,500,000. The predic tion that before the end of the next decade the metropolitan area of New York, including the cities near by in New Jersey, will contain a population of 8, 500. 000. does not seem extrava sunt. The metropolitan district of London, of equal area, almost certain ly will not approach this figure. Tak lng indeed an area of 500 square miles from a center in either city, the metropolitan population . of New York now carl be little less, if any less, than that of London, within similar bounds. But neither In bigness of country nor in myriads of population, nor in magnitude of cities, do the strength and happiness of a nation consist. There are other qualities and other needs. China holds the greatest mul titudes on the earth, but conditions of existence there will scarcely seem de sirable to our people. But they are just what they must be, among such multitudes. Yet the area of the Chi nese Empire much exceeds that of the United States. We have less than 100,000,000 and China more than 400,000,0000 of people. These last figures have been disputed by economists and - statisticians of the United States and Europe; but ac cording to the statement made by the Chinese government, for apportionment of the indemnity to the powers after the Boxer war, the enu meration showed a total of 407,253,- 029. - BORROWING FROM DEPOSITORS. There Is scarcely an exception to the rule that bank failures are caused by the loaning of funds .to directors or officers of the bank or their Immediate relatives. Personal interest induces the making of excessive and . unsafe. loans. The Oregon, banking law per mits loans to officials of .the bank upon a majority vote of the directors. but, if such a loan be made in an un safe or excessive manner, the directors voting for the same are held person ally responsible for any loss the bank or the depositors may sustain in con sequence thereof. While this is a measure of precaution, it does not go far enough. When directors begin to vote loans to themselves there is nearly always a division of the graft, and, when the crash comes, the direc tors are found to be financially unable to meet the loss. There is no reason why officers of a bank should be permitted to borrow the funds of the depositors. They are trustees, In a moral sense, at least, and should not be permitted in any circumstances to loan to themselves. If they must borrow, let them go to other banks. This they can easily do if their credit Is good, and, if it Isn't good, they certainly should not be per mitted to borrow from their own de positors. The banker who has no selfish Interest to promote will take good care of his depositors' money. CO CRTS AND CRIMINALS. Literary artisans must begin to seek some other means besides murder to enliven their scenes. In Oregon at least it has become far too humdrum for such a use. According to the sta tistics, human life here is only about one-thirty-seventh as safe as it is in Germany. Our homicides last year numbered 66, which Is at the rate of about 112 to the million. The rate in Germany is three to the million. If we valued human life as highly as the subjects of the Kaiser, only one person would have been slain in this state last year, or at most two. If the degree of security of human life meas ures the advancement of a community In civilization, it must be conceded that we have yet a long way to travel before we overtake the Germans. The United States as a whole enjoys the proud renown of an annual murder list which exceeds that of any other country in the world except Russia's. It is well to be first in something even in homicide, if the prize for that is the best we can win; but is it not almost time for us to resign to the Ashantees this distinction which we have enjoyed so lonij.? Is it desirable that America should continue to be known throughout the world as the land of free murder? Can we not find some more worthy title to fame? Some day the descendants of this generation will look back and wonder why their ancestors could have en dured to live In conditions where hu man life was scarcely more secure than in primitive savagery; and they will curiously inquire into tire causes which made murder so safe that It was the first resort in every trifling brawl and every petty lovers' quar rel. They will discover many causes, but it may be assumed safely enough that the principal one will be. that strange alliance which now exists be tween our courts and our criminal classes. It is not an open and avowed alliance, of course; the courts are not even conscious that it exists. The aid which they extend to crime so promptly and effectually is not recog nized by themselves as aid. They move to the defense of murder and the destruction of ordered society un der the specious forms of liberty and legality. Their nihilistic work Is done under sacred names and behind the bulwark of venerated traditions. While they undermine the social order they delude themselves with the fancy that they are protecting it. While they encourage crime they imagine that they are safeguarding innocence. The courts are ready, seemingly eager, to discharge criminal prsoners, upon the most flimsy pretexts. Nothing ap pears to be too trivial, no casuistry too subtle, no technical ingenuity, too far-fetched, to serve as a reason for turning loose a murderer upon society. The duty of government to protect life and property through the courts seems almost to have been abandoned. and our tribunals have given them selves up to an orgy of scholastic cas uistry which practically insures the immunity of criminals. What is the cause of it? Why do our judges de light In "Unrealities to the neglect of the true interest of society. Why are their brains possessed by unsubstan tial trains of logical quibbles while the considerations which move practi cal men to action are ignored? We must seek the reason for the strange phenomenon in the way our lawyers are educated. The bench is recruited from the bar, and the propensity of the Judiciary to substitute airy ab stractions for realities is acquired In those schools where lawyers obtain their professional training. These schools deal wholly in unreal lties. Their curricula are composed of books and lectures which deal with thin speculation and pendulous chains of syllogisms long drawn out, deduc ing far-off conclusions from remote precedents without the slightest refer ence to practical life. Law schools know no more of modern science than they would if Newton and Kelvin had never lived. Ethics is an unknown world to them. Sociology has never been conceived so far as they are con cerned, and if they hear anything at all of economics it is that strange and grotesque caricature of the science which was worked out long ago by minds as arid as those of the writers of law books. They study Latin in those schools instead of English, with the queer result that no lawyer can compose a lucid sentence In his mother tongue, at least not in a legal document. Just as their expression is vague, pompous, wordy, labyrinthine, so is their thought. It shuns actuali ties, delights In far-away verbosities and evasions, draws its premises from a world of shadows and reaches con clusions without reference to their re sults in practice. m : FOREIGN TRADE AND FACILITIES. Incomplete returns for the month of December, added to the official fig ures for the preceding eleven months, have enabled Chief Austin, of the Fed eral Bureau of Statistics, to estimate the value of our foreign trade for 1907 at $3,600,000,000,of which $2,000,000, 000 was exports. In these figures are Included the commerce of the "non contiguous" territories which are un der the American flag, but are as yet prevented by the trusts from enjoying the privileges of domestic trade with the United States. These are colossal figures, especially when it is consid ered that the November and Decem ber business suffered considerably by reason of the strained financial situa tion. Despite the fact that all previ ous records in foreign trade were broken by nearly $500,000,000, there has been such a wholesale dissemina tion of misinformation regarding our foreign trade that the figures are not entirely satisfactory to some who have been misled. In this class appears the Chicago Record-Herald with the following comment: It is gratifying to know that w have gained ground In "every grand division of the world." in Mr. Austin's words. But there Is little doubt t;iat we are still far from occupying our proper rank as an ex porter, owing; to the poor facilities on which we rely In trading with South America and the Orient. Our resources, productive energy and skill. Inventiveness and efficiency en title us to a greater share of the foreign trade of the world than we enjoy. The facilities of the United States for trading with South America are limited only by the amount of busi ness which can be worked up by our merchants. For .the past five years the commercial organizations of Great Britain have been making violent pro test to the British government because American shippers, chartering British vessels, were given lower freight rates to South American ports than could be secured by British shippers. In the current number of the New Tork Journal of Commerce there are sail ing notices for twenty-six steamers to leave New Tork alone for South American ports in January, and to most of these notices is attached the statement; that additional steamers will be laid on berth if freight Is of fering. This does not indicate that the facilities are very "poor"; . nor does the fact that for the fiscal year ending June 30, our gain in the South American trade was the greatest on record. As to the Oriental trade, it is in creasing more rapidly than ever, and British, German, Norwegian, Japanese and even Austrian steamships are competing for the work of carrying it to such an extent that rates of freight are lower than they are on any other similar route in the world. If our people were permitted to buy ships at as low prices as are paid by the foreigners now engaged In the trade, we might carry more of this business under the' American flag, but we could not by this method increase our trade m the slIghtest degree. We fear the Record-Herald has attached too seri ous a meaning to the Humphrey-Gal-linger ship subsidy talk. PROFITABLE INVESTMENT IN ROADS. In proportion to the population and the amount of improved property, it Is hardly probable that any other county In the state makes a more fa vorable showing on road work than that , which is presented by Clatsop County In an Astoria letter printed in yesterday's Oregonian. What has been accomplished in Clatsop County Is all the more noteworthy when the unfavorable natural conditions for roadbuildlng are considered. Lying so close to the ocean, the dense for ests retain moisture for a long time, and thus maintain a continued flow in hundreds of small streams which never run dry, even in midsummer. This necessitates considerable bridge work and renders much more diffi cult permanent Improvement where bridges are not required. .Then there are thousands of acres of wonderfully rich land in the Immediate vicinity of Astoria, along the Walluski, Young's Skipanon, Lewis and Clark and other small rivers through which roadbuild lng Is very expensive on account of the marshy nature of the land. Until the past few years develop ment of these rich lands has been re tarded through inability of farmers to reach the market with their products. Now that permanent roadbuilding on scientific principles has been under taken and Is being pushed to the limit of funds available, the output of dairy, small farming products and livestock from Clatsop County will show aston ishing increases. Last year the coun ty spent $25,000. which was raised by a special levy of 16 mills on the vari ous road districts In the county. This was supplemented by $30,000 which was appropriated from the general fund. As a result of this Investment, districts which previously were inac cessible from Astoria have been af forded good facilities for reaching markets, and many others where the work in the past had been of a tem porary nature now have fine roads that can be used at all seasons of the year. While Clatsop County will in the near future enjoy additional railroad facilities through the completion of the Harriman road and the possible extension of the Hill road, the topog raphy of the country is such that the agricultural development of the county to the fullest extent will always be de pendent on good roads. That thi3 fact is understood by the officials is shown by their announced intention to handle a greater amount of road work this year than last. Not only will the highways be improved Into the newly developing agricultural dis tricts, but a project is under way for completing the remaining three miles of the Elk Creek road, an improve ment which would open up for pleasure-seekers one of the finest beaches in the world. The number of seaside visitors is increasing by, thousands every year, and completion of a good road to Elk Creek would join Cannon Beach with Clatsop-. Beach, and mu tual benefits would result. Clatsop County people as a rule have responded liberally on all proj ects for public good, but they have never placed their money in any form of investment where the returns are as certain as they are from their road building enterprises. Japan is calling home by hundreds, from British Columbia, her men who are soldiers "on call" of the imperial army. While this is probably a feint of war a spectacular stunt, dear to the heart of the crafty, mystery-loving Oriental It is perhaps sufficiently suggestive to call the attention of Con gress to the unprotected condition of our Pacific Coast. While it Is not likely that war is threatened, the emergency of war Is always a possible count in an indictment of nation against nation. The possibility in this instance takes shadow of probability from the Important place that Japan thinks she holds in the world's affairs. Prudence is always commendable; fright, cowardly. To guard against the latter in a case of this kind, the virtue that is assessed as "the better part of valor" should be consulted. The folly of snapping bare fingers de fiantly in the face of an armed foe has too often been proved to require fur ther Illustration. Fifteen steam schooners are report ed tied up In Oakland Creek for lack of business, and as a result lumber freights have suffered a heavy slump. On the Coast there has been a decline of nearly $5 per thousand from the high point reached. This is more than 16 cents per hundred pounds, and would, seem to indicate that the 10 cent advance in rail rates was not the only factor In causing the decline in the demand for lumber. But the decline In lumber trade is not the only reason for retirement of these schoon ers. The old law of supply and de mand Is at work, for, despite the num ber of craft now laid up, there are more of them in active service than ever before. The decline in business If there has been a decline has been less proportionately than the In crease in tonnage. The difference between the neglect ed orchard that was the heritage of no market" from pioneer times and that of the carefully cultivated, dili gently sprayed orchard of the present is seen In the improvement of orchard conditions in Clackamas County within the past five years. Moss- grown, gnarly trees and. their small, wormy fruits have been supplanted by clean, well-pruned trees of vigorous growth, and apples perfect in develop ment and free from blight and worms, The fruit lands of Clackamas are as productive and as well located as any in the state. Without doubt their products will soon become as famous as those of the orchards of Hood River, Rogue River Valley and the old pioneer counties of the Willamette Valley. A decidedly effective move against the cause of prohibition is reported from Salem, 'Where the better element in the liquor business has united in a protest against licensing a saloon that has acquired a reputation for viola tion of the law and for disorderly con duct. The liquor dealers have also signed an agreement not to sell liquor to minors or Intoxicated individuals. The inauguration of a policy of this, kind a dozen years ago would have done mote to stay the sweep of prohl-- bition than all of the money that could be subscribed by the liquor in terests, i Recognition of the fact that their own actions have brought disas ter to their business is a sign of wis dom that has been missing from most of the moves made by the liquor In terests. What the Supreme Court declares to be the law is the taw. In the last resort the Supreme Court, giving the laws such .construction as it chooses, is the ruler of the country. Lincoln complained of It, in the Dred Scott case, but said that the only way was submission to the authority; which, however, did not shut oft the right of debate. The Supreme Court of the United States now decides that lands may be taken up under contract to sell them; or, what comes to the same thing, that it is not illegal to sell be fore final proofs. This practice, how ever, has been the basis of nearly all land frauds. But it isn't illegal, nor, of course, immoral. Our system of government Is truly wonderful. 1 There are complaints that the quarry at Kelly's Butte, where the men are obliged to break stone for the county roads. Is a den of horrors. Al most every place is a den of horrors to men who are obliged to work for penal offenses. These gentlemen are not fond of work, or they wouldn t be there. Since stone-breaking at Kelly's Butte is so distressing an em ployment, why not avoid it by living a decent and honorable life? The two boys who put a nut on the rail of the Southern Pacific near the State Fair grounds Saturday, thereby endangering the lives of trainmen and passengers, should be vigorously spanked by their parents. A good application of the thick end of a shin gle now may save a term in the Re form School or Penitentiary later. Perhaps a little less feasting and jollification wherever the fleet enters port would keep the men in better condition for work if something unex pected should 'happen. Having a good time is all right if it doesn't go' to the extent of merging into a bad time. This anti-t'reating movement should be popular among those leading citi zens who expect to be candidates for office. It is worthy of note that in the last state campaign most of the winners were men who are not addict ed to the treating habit. The New York Independent has an article, in its latest issue on "Men We Are Watching'." Newspapers in Ore gon have had several articles of late on men we ought to have watched but didn't. Williamson gets another trial; but there Is no way, apparently, for Puter to ascertain whether that eighteen months in jail was time wasted, or not. "Ladies" are now allowed to smoke in prominent New York' restaurants. If that kind are tolerated at all In the restaurants, why not let them smoke? Those California bank-wreckers will plead guilty, for they know they are guilty and will be found guilty. This is in California, mind. PORTLAND AND THE JAP SPIES la New York They Dea't Take the Mayor's Discovery Seriously. New York Tribune, The National Guard of Portland, Or must have encountered-some difficulty recently In securing members. At any rate, the' organization has resorted to desperate measures, apparently" for the purpose of arousing Portland youth to tine patriotic frenzy and to target practice in the Armory. It invited the Mayor of the town to give the boys a talk, which the Mayor did with a most fearful flourishing of bogies. After a few introductory remarks the lights were turned down, the town band moaned some ominous minor disson ances, the stage hands softly started up the thunder machine and the orator told tale black with treacheries ana perils. Agents of the Japanese govern ment ' had procured accurate maps oi Portland; the tiniest wiggles of every lane leading into the town, every bump and rut, every barbed wire fence and henhouse In the environs, the water main routes and other like details of local geography had been duly noted and charted by sly. emissaries from Tokio. The orator confessed he had not discovered the presence of the al leged spies until their work was fin ished; he never actually saw a little brown barbarian measuring off with a micrometer the precise distance from 'SI" Hawkins' hitching post to the red light in the first drugstore down the turnpike. But evidences which he did not care to disclose too fully war ranted immediate communication with Washington. Ere this, the National Guard of Portland must have received at least a dozen new applications for membership. These "revelations" may well have aroused the martial spirit of the Ore- gonlans, as we assume they were in tended to do; but aren't they a little rough on our good friends across the Pacific? The Mayor's charges Impute to the Japanese a degree of impracti cability which we are loath to believe is exhibited by such a clever folk, even in the most careless moments. There are several good maps of Portland which may be ordered through any bookseller. The municipal departments of the city doubtless Issue fairly complete reports about gaa and water main and every -thing else that might Interest either a friend or a fo of the community. These reports are accessible to the public; and If they are not clear to any reader the latter is free to seek en llg-httjnment, in view of all this, the motive of the great enterprise our friend the Mayor unveils is somewhat obfuscated. If Portland were encom passed by a vast network of mighty fortifications it would be easy to understand how some stray student short of cash might practice car tography in the hope ot selling his drawings and notes to some gullible official. But even a Yokohama coolie would know enough to waste no time sketching that interesting but lnno cent city. The Mayor- of Portland goes out of his way to be uncompll mentary. But then perhaps the 2s' a tlonal Guard is trying to arouse inter est and raise funds for a luxurious new armory. JACKPOT KNOW1T BY ITS SEAL" Easter Oregon Lawyer Said to Wear Air of Injured Innocence. - PENDLETON, Or., Jan. 6. (To the Editor.) In a recent issue of The Ore L gonian, the belief was expressed that I might be able to define a "jackpot." As the case is a bad one I shall do my best, but fail to understand why The Oregonian deemed it necessary to apply to a lawyer or come to Eastern Oregon for Information which It might have secured nearer home. Had this been political "pot," it would not have been necessary to call upon Eastern Oregon. The lawyers of Eastern Oregon, I admit. possess special knowledge on many sub jects, but the "jackpot" is not one of them. That knowledge, I am informed, is confined to the newspaper fraternity, and it has been intimated Portland news papers never profess ignorance on any subject except on one where they know more than they care to disclose. The only promoter of the "jackpot" in dustry I have ever known in this part of the state was an editor who lived at Echo. He was a rood advertiser nd Induced many representative citizens of Portland to visit the sagebrush city where he entertained them on the contents of a "Jackpot They invested liberally in Jackpot stock and returned home sadder, if not wiser, men. By making a thorough search in some of Portland's great vaults a few shares of this stock might be found. It will be known by the seal, a jackpot." The Echo editor built a-corral, hired dogs, horses and small boys, rounded up jackraDBits ana stewed them for market. The pots in which the cooking was done were canea jacKpots. But the bus! ness eventually proved unprofitable and It is said that a man can no longer find one or tnese pots in Umatilla County. JAMBS A. FEE. Another Living; Skeleton Dead. Providence (R. I.) Dispatch in New York World. Orrln H. Perry, 65 years old. for 16 years the living skeleton In Barnum & Bailey's and the Forepaugh circuses, died suddenly of fatty degeneration o the heart in a lonely hut at Riverside, near this city. Perry's stage name was Eugene Feralto, and he had been showman all his life. He was six feet one inch tall and weighed 80 pounds, In his younger days he lifted heavy weights with his teeth. For 12 yearo he was with the Forepaugh circu and was a big attraction in their side shows. Society and Business. Hometown (Pa) Banner. We are glad to learn that Mrs. Willets is able to be out again. It is nearly two months since she - kicked at the cat and broke her kneecap against the door. Society has missed her very much. Mr. Amos Dowel, the popular grocer, predicts a rise in New Orleans molasses this Winter, but says he shall continue to sell at the same old price, neverthe less. We wish there were more patriots like him in Hometown. But Shell Stick to the Old Bean. New York Times. Is it worth while to remind Miss De mocracy that this is leap year, and that she Is at liberty to disregard the solici tations of her veteran and illomened suitor, and make advances to a more promising mate? A Toast to the Men. (Dedicated to the Women.) Detroit Free Press. Here's to the men. Since Adam's time They've always been the same; Whenever anything goes wrong. The woman is to blame. , From early mom to late at night. The men fault-finders are; They blame us if they oversleep. Or 'if they miss a car. They blame us if. beneath the bed. Their collar buttons roll; They blame us If the fire is out Or if there is no coal. -They blame- us if they cut themselves i- While shaving, and they swear That we're to blame it they decide To ao upon a tear. Here's to the men. the perfect men! Wh- never are ot fault; They blame us if they chance to get The pepper for the salt. , They blame us If their business fails,- Or back , losing horse; And when it rains on holidays The fault is ours, of course. They blame us when they fall In love, And when they married get; Likewise they blame us when they're sick And when they fall in debt. For everything that crisscross goes They say we are to blame; But. after all. here's to the men. We love them Just the samaf WHY RAILROADS KILL PEOPLE Defective Discipline, and Not Faulty Equipment, Mainly the Cause. New York Times. -It is a reproach that persons should be killed by scores and hundreds, for causes so preventable as defective dis cipline. Yet this Is the greatest single cause of railway disasters in the United States. The recently published report of the Interstate Commerce Commission groups the 10 worst accidents for ti.e last year, and not one of them is due to mechanical failure of apparatus. Only in one wa apparatus even Indi rectly responsible. Three cases remain unexplained, and In all the rest there was preventable blame on some part of the railway staff. The reasons as signed by the Commission are, for ex amples: "confusion of orders," "disre gard of rules," "neglect of whistle signals," "failure to deliver orders," 'engineman's neglect of orders," and so on. New York and New Jersey and the District of Columbia are about the most open to reproach in this connec tion, which Is the more remarkable be cause they might have been looked for rather on the newer, single-track roads of Western States. In fact, the danger Is greatest Just where it should be the least. Of the 410 passengers killed last year 291 perished in the above 10- cases, where act of God or mere misadventure cannot be pleaded. Yet so far as we know, nobody has suffered anything more than inconvenience. They manage these things better even in .Canada. They make accidents fewer In the Do minion, for no. other reason apparent ly than that they make it more dis agreeable for those who, with or with out excuse, are connected with such regrettable incidents. When a Michi gan Central train exploded dynamite in Canada the Judge declared that the negligence of the railway in not spe cially Instructing the employes regard ing such freight made his blood run cold. Under such a charge the Jury saw its way to a conviction, under mch a fine of $25,000 was Imposed. The same Judge in another case re fused even to consider the employe's plea that he was overworked. He said he would take measures to punish the company for overworking its staff, but he would punish the staff for allowing Itself to be overworked, at the cost of human life. In a third case, the same Judge took similar exemplary meas ures. These cases raise the question whether the Judges cannot discipline railway staffs, If general managers cannot, and whether the riding public at large cannot promote such a result by less humbly acquiescing In miscar riages of juetlce. MANY NEW MEN IN CONGRESS. Old Leader Are Gone, But There Are Yet Some Well-known Veteran. Philadelphia Inquirer. The Sixtieth Congress contains the largest membership in the history of that body and has an unusually large injec tion of new men. The Senate, whicti win soon contain 92 members, is larger than the House was for some years after the beginning of constitutional government. and it has lost many of its original char acteristlcs. The Senators are no longer ambassadors from the States," no loneer are men whose names are on every tongue. It would take an unusual ly-well informed man some time to name one-third of the membership. The old leaders have almost entirely passed away. The veterans are now Allison Aldrich, Hale, Frye, Cullom, Teller and Daniel, the two latter being Democrats. All the rest have taken their seats since 1890, and only 20 all told have served more than ten years. In the House the veterans are Cannon Bingham. Payne and Dalzell, while Keifer is back from Ohio' after a long absence. It is a rare distinction for man to serve 20 years consecutively in the House, and in the last two years death and other causes have removed number of the veterans, while there are more than 100 absolutely new men. It would be a hard task for any one to name 50 men who now have seats, and perhaps the average person could not mention a score. In these days there is less chance for personal distinction than formerly. The work Is largely done in committees and the forenslo debates are seldom exciting. The "One-Dre" Season. Chicago Evening Post. It is curious to note the influenoe of fashion upon the spread of so essentially an unfashionable thing as the recent cur rency stringency. It was a "rich man's panic"; there fore. It is now a sign of richness to be poor. Many a household which 1s abun dantly able to keep Its style of living on an exact level with the standard of last Winter is lopping off familiar luxuries. simply because the great social leaders have found it expedient to do so. They call It a "one-dress" season on Fifth avenue, and Fifth avenue's imitators are preparing to make a "hard-times party" as chic a form of entertainment as it was in Richmond during the Civil War. By and large the phenomenon is a ben efleial feature of the situation. We have learned that the pace must be eased oft a bit, and we can yield to the inevltabl far more easily if It is officially recog nized as the fashionable thing to do. I a Father at Eighty-Seven. New York Dispatch In Phlladelpftl North American. At the age of 87, Jean Henri Thiry, of Long Island City, has Just becom the father of .his sixth child, a girl This is the fourth child Mr. Thlry has had by his second wife, whom he mar. rled In 1898. "A man who isn't his own physician at 40," said Mr. Thiry, either a fool or a corpse." He himsel uses botb" tobacco and liquor, but not to excess. Mr. Thlry was born in Bel gium, and came to this country In 1859. He Is an authority on educa tional matters, and founded in this country the system of public-schools savings banks, which now have de posits aggregating $15,000,000. v Eogeu Register. The Glfstrap Brothers made a welcome change In New Year editions in the form of a 48-page handbook, containing a com prehensive review of Eugene and Lane County and the resources of the region. Its least merit is its hardiness. Later Particular. , Chicago Tribune. Alexander the Great was explaining to the reporters how the story orig inated that he had wept because there were no more worlds for him to con quer. "That ridiculous yarn," he said, "was started by a reactionary who happened to see me wiping a cinder out of my eye. But I've separated him from his Job in the Treasury Department, all right, all right!" Feeling satisfied that he could leave the verdict to impartial history, he dis missed the reporters with a wave of tne imperial hand. King- Oscar' Fancy Name. "London Spectator. It is interesting to remember that the name Oscar was bestowed by Na poleon on Bemadotte's son the first King Oscar to whom he stood god father, not for any . Swedish associa tions, but because it was the name of a heroic character in Macpherson's "Ossian," a work which Napoleon con tinually studied. SILHOUETTES BY ARTHUR A GREENE. Now that the Thaw case ha been re sumed, the women will resume reading the newspaper. Almost the only crimes that a man may commit with impunity in Oregon are murder, bank wrecking and larceny of Government land. To be impressed with a lady's stays is the surest evidence of bad form. One of the crying needs of this town 19 9 o'clock curfew ordinance for round ers over 70. e All the fun Is gone out ot life when we find out the answer. The man who signs himself "Doctor" on a hotel register usually practices' di vinity or horse. e When one Is no longer young the best and at once the saddest memories he may cherish are kisses of children and tears of mothers. Those who set themselves on pedestals while they are alive stand a poor show of having statues built in their honor when they are dead. . Labor Trouble. The following "edifying ruminations were beaten out on an appreciative type writer by a worried editorial writer who was trying to get up a screed on the overcrowding of tenements while a bore sat by add Insisted on talking in a loud tone of voice: 'New York tenement-house problem! Tough proposition, old Miss Double-Key- ooara. .especially ao wnen some runni-r for a hot-air factory sits 'round and keeps talking about things that are ot no Interest to anyone but himself. I can't very well get up and throw him out so the next best thing I can do is to hammer this out and make him believe I'm working like the devil I've been working on this for 15 minutes with him talking a blue streak to me and endeavoring to get .me to answer. If I only had a dynamite bomb I'd be tempted to put It under his chair and see If that wouldn't make him. go away. The success ot some people In making dam nuisances of themselves is so pronounced that It's a wonder to me they escape violent death as long as they do. . . At this moment he 1 making a move as though he intends to go. If he fails me now I shall certainly be driven to desperate measures. He has his hand on the doorknob he goes Oh h 11! He's back with another question. I must commit murder. I won't submit to this torture. He sits down again! ! 1 !?" e e e Prudery Is the caricature of Innocence; modesty its likeness. e e Those who pluck the roses of Platonic friendship are often pricked by the thorns of love. e . e The length and breadth of the Second District Congressional fight seem to be T. T. Geer and W. R. Ellis. . . Virtue' Query. Why don't they build a monument To the family man who has been sent Down to town on a marketing bee And remembers every order that went Along with him to the grocery? The teacher should first learn and the preacher should first practice. For too many do not. see Romance. A swain In vain Did sigh And try To gain a lady's hand. Rival won. Contest dona, Follows a wedding grand. Loser cried, Victor hied On honeymoon - But laughs too soon. Swain accurst Heart aburst With sorrow drear And almost died. In a year Garlands sere Love departs. Trouble starts. Then remorse. Quick divorce; Swain makes Jest, Laughs last -And best. Pete the Barber, Monologist. Chicago Evening Journal. Velcome, Mr. Chones. My, vot a heafy growt you hat diss dime. You ain'd turn ing dera ouid, I hope me. Vot? Sure 1 vill gif you a goot haircut. I am not mat mlt you, Mr. Chones. Vitzkers is v'tzkers, und dose who can stant for dem iss entootled to my sym pathetics. Dit you notlss efer dot men mlt luxurious vitzkers iss to baltness ln clinationed? Yess, dot Iss so. Id ap pearances dot der beard pulls strength from der scalp avay. Consequentness, der hair gets loose in der socket, und sheds idseluf. Better I shafe you? No? Veil, sit a llddle higher tn der chair up vile I shave your temples. Mlcropes iss anodded ding vich you must guarding against. Dey tint lodg ings in der hair of der vitzkers und wass hart to remofal. I haf seen some men mit vitzkers so full mlt micropes as a streedcar strap. Belief me oxcuse me. Mr. Chones, I wass afrait I haf spoiled your vitzkers by shafting too far your cheek down. -I wass so interested In vot you voss spikklng dot I notissed der ac cidend nod. Nefer mint, I vill shafe you und nod chartch you. Yess, yess, you look hantsomer much more now. Tank you, Mr. Chones. Came again soon. Here's the Titrable. Chicago News. I do not like the color of his eyes; His features all.- I think, need readjusting. The way he cuts his hair I quite despise; It's most disgusting. His frown I think is sinister; his smile Is by degrees my peace of mind destroying. His usual expression stirs my bile; It's most annoying. His language I consider Is too choice; It savors to my mind ot affectation. I, somehow, when I chance to bear bis voice. Feel indignation. His sense of humor I don't say Is dim. But on my nerves his anecdotes are grating, . And any sort of a Don mot from him Is irritating. 1 can't say I admire his taste in drei- Ooiiventlonal, no doubt, but that's no mat-t ter. He thinks that I am surly, too, I guess, I never flatter. He may be Just one of the nicest chaps; ' You say it all depends on how you strike him. I felt I wanted to. But then, perhaps, 1 do not like him.