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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 23, 1908)
6 TTTE MOR)LNU OKEGOXIAX. MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1908. Kl BoCKIPTIOX RATES. IMVARIAFLT IN ADVANCE. (Br MalL) Dally, Bandar included, on year. .....SB Dally. Sunday Included, six month!.... unity. Sunday Included, three montns. . Pally. Sunday Included, on month. Pally, without Sunday, ona year....... .19 6-oa S 25 rBlV Mllhnut CinHaw' . - r.A montlll. . 1-73 Dally, without Sunday, oca month..... . Sunday, one year J-""' Weekly, on year (lasued Tharday... Jo Sunday and weekly, cno yaax. -. ....... a-0 BY CARRIER. Dally. Sunder Included, on year...... J' bally, Sunday Included, one month HOW TO REMIT Send postoHlce money rder. express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamp, coin or currency r at the sender's rls. Give postoBlce aa sreas la full, Including county and state. FOsTAbU KATES. Entered at Portland. Orecoa. PoatotOca a Second-Class Hatter. . . 10 to 14 Pages J UHi. JS to 28 Pases J " SO to 44 Pages. , 4 to 60 Pages cnt Foreign postage, double rate. IMPORTANT The poatal laws ar strtft Newspapers on which postage la not luuy repaid ar not forwarded to destination. EAsTEBN BL'nlNESS OFrlCE. Tb 8, C. keckwtin special Aeey Tark. rooma 48-60 Tribune building. W Cago. room 610-612 Tribune building. KEPT ON BALE. Chicago, Auditorium Annex: Fostolllce New Co.. 178 Dearborn atreet; Empire IS'ewe Stand. St. Paul. Minn N. St. Maria, Commercial Etatlon. Colorado Springe, Colo. Bell. H- H. Dearer. Hamilton and Kendrlck. Seventeenth street; Prate Book Store. fifteenth etreet: H. P. Hansen, a Rice. George Carson Ken. City. Mo Rlckeecker Clgex Co, Ninth and Walnut; Tfoma Newa Co. Munacapotta M. J. Cavanauxn. 60 South EThlrd. - t tnclnnatl, O. Toma Newa Co. . Cleveland, O. James Pushaw. SOT Btt- (.erlor fctreet Washington. D. C Ebbttt Home. Penn sylvania avenue; Columbia New Co. rittsburg. Pa. Fort Pitt Newa Co. Philadelphia, Pa Ryan' Theater Ticket Office; penn New Co.; Kembl. A. P.. ? 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Parent: N. Wheatley; Falrmount Hotel News Stand; Amos Newa Co.; United Newa Agency. 1414 Eddy street; B. E. Amos, man ager three wagons; Worlds N. S.. 2626 A. Sutter street. Oakland. CaL W. H. Johnson. Fourteenth and Franklin streets; N. Wheatley; Oakland News Stand; B. E. Amos, manager five wagons: Welllngham. E. G. (toldHeld. Nev. Louie Follin. Eureka, Cal. Call-Chronicle Agency; Eu reka News Co. PORTLAND, MONDAY, MARCH 13. 1908. A NECESSARY l'lBIJC POLICY, if we understand Dr. Jonah B. Wise aright, he has no doubt of. the guilt of Ruef and doesn't wish him to escape; the methods which the prosecution has employed to get testimony from him. There is, however, dispute on these points between the prosecution and the judge on one sido, and K-uef and certain Jewish rabbis of San Fran risoo on the other. Dr. Wise enters his protest "against freeing any crim inal as payment- of his .treachery toward his confreres." Again, there Is a dispute about what was said in a conference between the prosecution and defense, in which "several gentle men were brought tp act as wit nesses"; and a statement made by two of these, which Judge Dunne deems a reflection upon his court and Its dig nity, the judge declares false. Dr. Wise has resented this; and Incident ally he condemns the method of the prosecution, which In the circum stances comes near condemnation of the prosecution itself, since in cases of this kind there is no way to testimony against malefactors but through such policy or promise of Immunity, as Heney has been accustomed to em ploy both at San Francisco and at Portland. He does, however, deny that he had made such promise or pursued such policy toward Ruef. But It is virtually asserted that he did. Hence the controversy. What seems specially to stir Rabbi Wise was the coupling of his name by The Oregonlan with that of Father Yorke. But we fear, if we were to apologize to Rabbi Wise. Father Vorke would assert that an apology was due also to him. So we pass over these Interesilng personalities, and come at once to the question of public policy involved In the objection to promise of immunity to confederates Xor "treavhery" to those higher up In crime. This seems to be the sticking rolnt In the mind of Dr. Wise. Sucb policy, or the practice of it, has a repellant feature, certainly; but the state has always availed itself of the advantage, and always must, es pecially in cases of conspiracy to de fraud or rob the public, such as Heney has been prosecuting at Portland and at San Francisco. It was only by use of this method that any part of the land frauds In Oregon, or of the mu nicipal corruptions In California could have been brought to light. To con demn it, in such cases, is equivalent therefore to a plea for exemption from punishment of greatest criminals; since the necessary testimony for dis closure of their corrupt and criminal lots could te obtained In no other way. The people are entitled to know about the robberies, that such men commit, and the authorities of the law .are Justified In offering immunity to such as may, by confession, furnish the necessary evidence for the state. Such witnesses are odious, indeed: but it Is a mistake to allow detestation of them to turn public sentiment against the prosecutor who uses them, or to prefer the escape of the authors and chiefs of a criminal conspiracy to their conviction by this only means. Here really Is the root of this whole matter. The notion entertained in so many quarters that it is persecution of criminals to induce their tools and confederates, by promise of Immunity for themselves, to tell all they know about the conspiracy and the crime Is good neither In law nor in morals nor in practice, but is quite tantamount to an effort to defend or excuse those whom it is the duty of the officers of the law to prosecute by every means In their power. Much is said about the blunders of those who drew the Schmltx Indict ments. When "flaws" are wanted one is good as another. It is the pro fession of lawyers for the defense to discover them; but It Is seldom con ceived to be the duty of judges to al low them, on flimsy grounds, or unless by real error the rights of the defend ant and the ends of Justice would be subverted. Once more, note the rea sons. The courts of California hold that the statute does not forbid cor rupt use of official power and influ ence, graft and blackmail, except or unless threats of "unlawful Injury to property" were the means of graft and blackmail. But threat to take away a mere license, the courts hold, was not a threat of unlawful Injury to prop erty, since there was no vested right of license; and the Mayor, anyway, had the authority to refuse to renew the licenses of the victims of his grafting system. Do you not find the argument here drawn out to extreme attenua tion? It even sets aside Ruef's own plea of guiltyt Ruef was an agent of Schmltz in the business. In one particular The Oregonian corrects itself. Dr. Wise had not ex pressed doubts as to the guilt of Ruef and Schmitz. But Father Yorke had done so. "The facts" are, he said the other day, "that no one has been proved guilty." Again, "the people up here are beginning to realize that one story is good until another is told." We are to infer, then, doubtless, that Father Torke wfll soon tell a story that will completely exculpate Schmitz and Ruef, and reinvest them. In the sight of the world, with the virtues with which he clothes them in his own mind. MUN1CTPAJL LIGHT PLANT. Mayor Lane, insisting that Portland, as a municipality, should establish and maintain Its own electric lighting plant, says: . Portland owns Its own water plant, and supplies the people with better water at less cost than does any other city In the country. If we can do this with water, why can't we do it with light? Possibly we can; yet the problems are essentially different. Success with one, therefore, furnishes no assurance of success with the other. We construct our pipe lines and dis tribution mains, and turn the water In. Gravity does the rest. Very few employes are required, only moderate expense on this score. The water de livers itself. But an electric light plant requires a vast deal of attention. To keep It properly In a city covering forty square miles, so that the light may be delivered efficiently, the wires, circuits and lamps kept In order, and regular supply of current malntafned, are re quirements that take It entirely out of the class of works that supply water through gravitation. Depreciation also is rapid, as wear and necessary changes of machinery, breakage, crip pling and loss of tools, weathering of paint, poles and lines, and so on. Such Incidents are enumerated, not for the purpose of asserting, or even of Inti mating, that municipal electric light ing would be economically impossible at Portland, but to show that the prob lem it presents is a wholly different thing from that of water supply. This Is as to public lighting; but the city should go into the business of pri vate lighting also; since It would pos sess a great plant and should make the most of It. This would require rigid supervision and inspection, and a further large troop of employes. Here the competition with private es tablishments would affect the rates and revenues. If the city isto go into this business a great water power will be necessary. The Mayor speaks of Bull Run. Some water power is available there, no doubt. How much could' be deter mined by expert examination. It Is not probable, however, there would be sufficient. A great auxiliary steam plant would soon become a necessity requiring another large force of city employes. It Is asked why, since small towns are able, so many of them, to supply their own electric light, why the large cannot. The conditions are dissimilar. Many of the small towns are content with incandescent lights. Again, the output for wages in the small towns Is proportionally less. 'In the public plants in large cities there will be higher wages, shorter hours and con sequently larger and more costly staffs (proportionately) of employes. Undoubtedly the people of Portland, before embarking in such undertaking, will desire full Information as to the situation and possibilities, sources of power, cost of construction and equip ment. Including auxiliary steam plant to meet emergencies or supply deficiencies; and careful estimates, based on general experience, of the cost of maintenance and operation. There should at once be study, more over, by competent authority, on the pert of the city and lh Its behalf, whether the charge per arc light ($5.30 a month, $63.60 a year) re quired by the company now operating In Portland for renewal of Its contract. Is excessive, or only moderate; and whether the experience of other cities, situated as Portland is situated, would justify an expectation of getting a lower rate here. If the city should es tablish its own plant. It is an important matter; for if the city shall undertake this business it probably will have from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 in it within a few years, which it will be necessary to obtain by addition of the sum to the bonded debt of the city. If we are to think seri ously of establishing a municipal light, plant, inquiry into methods, anil care ful estimate of cost and results, is a first necessity. IMIF.R FALSE COLORS. The Gallinger ship-subsidy bill, which slipped through the Senate on well-greased skids last Friday, was probably as mild a crime of Its nature as the subsidy-seekers have attempted to commit under the guise of patriot Ism. It was a kind of a burglar's jimmy, which opens up the crack through which the explosive can be poured, or by which "purchase" can be secured for the crowbar to be used later. In effect it is only an amend ment of the ocean mail service law of 1S91, and Increases the subsidy of ser-ond-class vessels to the amounts paid first-class ships under the 1891 law. It also provides mail subsidtes on Pacific Ocean routes not affected1 by the for mer law. This will enable Mr. Spreck els to bring his antique Ventura, Si erra and Sonoma out of the mud of Oakland Creek and receive from the Government approximately $360,000 per year 'by returning them to the Australian route, 'from which they were driven by more economical ves sels that increased producers' profits by carrying freight for less money than It cost to operate and maintain the Spreckels "marine misfits." The argument that silenced opposi tion In the Senate was the customary appeal to patriotism, it being quite truthfully shown that we were In great need of an auxiliary fleet for the Navy. None of the opponents of the ship subsidy steal has ever questioned the necessity of a merchant marine which could be used In war time to support the Jfavy. The real question involved was that of methods by which it could be secured. Every other country on earth has accumulated its auxiliary fleet by the common-sense method of buying the ships where they could be bought to the best advantage. No other country makes any pretense of building all of its merchant marine vessels, and but few countries build all of their warships. The subsidy provided by the Gallin ger bill will not develop any new trade, for the reason that every trade route of importance Is already covered by cheaper-built, more-economically-operated vessels than are possible un der our trade-restricting, trade-hampering navigation laws. These vessels are already carrying our freight at rates below anything that can be ac complished by a subsidy. It thus be comes plain that the best we can ex pect is to maintain by subsidy a fleet of vessels which can be available 'for naval auxiliaries. With this ' end in view, why not permit Americans to own and operate vessels on even terms with their trade competitors, and thus reduce the cost of maintenance of this auxiliary fleet to the lowest possible figure? If the long-overdue revision of our navigation laws and our tariff laws should' fall to bring about this in crease in our merchant marine, there would be more of an excuse for sub sidy paternalism. The Harriman trans-Pacific liners out of San Francisco are the finest American steamships afloat today, but General Manager Schwerin Is undoubt edly correct In questioning whether the proposed mall subsidy will prove adequate to pay for the hampering re strictions that accompany it. Some thing more than a subsidy Is needed where the original cost of a vessel is 50 per cent greater, and the crew ex penses 200 per cent greater, than on vessels with which the American ship must compete. The Gallinger bill sailed through the Senate under false colors, and there is a possibility that it may get through the House without an exposure of its uselessness; but some day there will be a change and the Gailingers and Humphreys and all of the rest of the subsidy-hunters and henchmen will be forced by an out raged public sentiment to permit ac quisition of a merchant marine by the same economical system that is fol lowed by every other enlightened na tion. ARMY OF UNEMPLOYED. A canvass of the great industrial centers of the country, together with estimates from other portions of the United States, reveals something more than 1,200,000 men out of employ ment. This remarkable showing is made in the face of a record-breaking rush of laborers to Europe, the steer age emigrants leaving New York for the first ten weeks of 1908 reaching a total of 131,710. There are but four other cities in the United States credit ed with a larger number of Idle men than San Francisco, the California me tropolis being the only Pacific Coast city mentioned as having an army of unemployed. In the figures given in a New York dispatch in yesterday's Ore gonian, the Bay City is shown with 25,000 unemployed men. Private ad vices from Los Angeles and Seattle In dicate that there Is alsoNquite a num ber of unemployed men in those cities; but, while there are a few in Port land who are out of work, the number Is inconsequential In comparison with other Pacific Coast cities. These unsatisfactory statistics serve to show the close relationship which. In spite of their differences, must exist between capital and labor. B.oth are commodities, the value of which is regulated by the immutable law of supply and demand. Both, it is true, can at times set aside this law and for a brief period secure abnormal re muneration, but as the amount over and above that warranted by natural conditions must be wrung from the people who are neither capitalists nor laborers in the generally accepted sense of the word, these temporary conditions cannot-last long. San Fran cisco is credited with an army of 25, '000 unemployed, but only a portion of this great number are out of. work be cause of insufficient employment. Most of them are not working because of a disagreement regarding wages. At the height of the rehabilitation period, when men and material had to be se cured regardless of price, the cost of building, of living, or of conducting any kind of a business In the Califor nia city ran up to fabulous figures. These abnormal prices were all right so long as the abnormal conditions remained, but, with the readjustment that has followed the most active work of rebuilding the city, and also the panic of last Fall, has come a pro nounced change. Lumber, cement and other building materials have suffered heavy declines In price. Ocean freights are less than half the figures reached about a year ago; but, with everything else tumbling In price, an attempt has been made to maintain wage3 at the old standard and in some cases demands have been made for an advance. .The engineers' strike has tied up nearly 109 vessels at various Coast ports, and. while it is only the engi neers who are striking, the retirement from service of every vessel means idleness for from ten to twenty men. It also means less repair work at the machine shops, less work for the freighthandlers, and a corresponding loss in a large number of other Indus tries only indirectly affected. The strike will be settled in time. If the employers could make money by meet ing the demands of the strikers, it would be settled instantly. But labor as well as capital must "give and take" in periods of depression like that from which we are Just emerguag. We cannot force a return of good times by keeping both capital and labor in idle ness and thus curtailing the purchas ing power of the people, and the sooner both of these commodities get busy the better it will be for all con cerned, directly or Indirectly. We suspect that estimates of unem ployed men In the United States, pub lished yesetrday, are exaggerated; not wjth intent but because observers un consciously magnify crowds. A gath ering of three or four hundred easily passes for a thousand. On the matter of unemployed men in cities, it may be asked, are there not always a multi tude? - Is there ever a time -when streets are not filled with idlers? Note how many ablebodied men will stand for hours watching workmen raise a beam to the top of a skyscraper, or the hoisting of a safe, or so common place a thing as excavating for a base ment or loading a ship. If a careful census were taken it might disclose the fact that the present unemployed do not outnumber the normal unem ployed more than two to one. It Is a matter of congratulation for the Pa cific Northwest that Oregon, Wash ington and Idaho were not mentioned in the list of states. An error of the Department of Commerce-and Labor in crediting Puget Sound with February wheat exports 600,000 bushels In excess of the amount shipped is overlooked by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and that paper leads its editorial page with a laudatory article on the greatness of Puget Sound as a wheat shipping port. If the P.-I. will consult the statistics of the Puget Sound customs districts, it will learn that during the month of February Portland shipped more wheat than all Puget Sound ports com bined. The Portland shipments, which were exceeded by but two ports in the United States, were more than 600,000 bushels greater than those of Ta coma, nearly five times as large as those of Seattle, and nine times as large as those of Everett. For the month of March, wheat shipments from Portland will be nearly three times as large as those from all Puget Sound ports combined. "Our banking system is the worst In the civilized world," said Andrew Car negie, in a recent address before the Economic Club in New York. .There has been much in evidence in the paat few months which has tended to con firm the ironmaster's views of "our methods of finance. But why stop this economic criticism at banking? Mr. Carnegie is In a position to give some expert testimony on our tariff system, and if he should happen to be in a humor for telling the truth when dis cussing It, he could easily show "that. In comparison with our tariff policy, the banking system is resting secure on a pinnacle of unapproachable per fection. There will be some valuable additions to political economy litera ture when our Carnegies discuss It with the same freedom from bias that they now exhibit when the -banking system is under fire. The Washington Railroad Commis sion, having expended more than $37. 000 of its contingent fund In a little over a year, is now about to face a de ficiency. The $36,000 appropriated for salaries is expected to last until the Legislature meets again. Be tween the salaries and the contingent fund, the Commission has spent about $50,000 since the last session of the Legislature. The money has not all been wasted, however, for It produced the information that it was beyond the power of the Commission to divert wheat from Portland to Puget Sound by a joint-rate order. As a result of a family row between Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lloyd Osborne, the old Stevenson home in San Fran cisco Is to be sold. There were 'won derful people and rare geniuses troop ing through the works of the dead novelist,' but the master word-painter never Journeyed far enough into the improbable with the children of his brain to have a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law dwelling in harmony under one roof. The multiplication of condensed milk factories and the establishment of meat-packing plants will soon make the Pacific Northwest a great livestock country. On the best authority we have the assurance that by reason of climate and forage crops Oregon is the best livestock and dairying state in the Union. Now we shall have a practical demonstration. Somewhat earlier than usual the white-breasted swallow has made Its advent in Portland for the season of 1908. He is a particular friend of William L. Finley, the young natural ist, who tells about him in a popu lar sketch published on page 5 of this issue. We commend it to Bird lovers, young and old. It is now stated that Moberly Bell has beaten C. Arthur Pearson in the fight for control of the London Times. No shares In the company will be of fered to the public, Mr. Bell having found two members of the House of Lords willing to furnish the necessary financial backing. The capital stands at 750,000, or about $3,750,000. Were the members of the Legisla ture of 1907 making laws for the people or for the Title Guarantee & Trust Company? They drew their salaries from the state, and not from the trust company. But the trust com pany had cause for congratulations when the "sure thing" was enacted. In Lane County, it Is said, arrange ments are being made for a fusion party on the basis of Statement No. 1, "the purpose being to oppose the Re publican candidates." Certainly. The sole mission of Statement No. 1 Is to oppose and defeat the Republican party. ' Officers of the law having failed to put the disorderly saloon out of busi ness, the liquor dealers themselves will undertake the task. Is this an assump tion that the liquor dealers are more powerful in securing law observance than the officers are? What do candidates for the Legis lature think of that proposed consti tutional amendment Increasing the pay of legislators from $3 aday to $10 a day? They will surely tell the voters during the campaign. The death from typhoid fever of Senator Bryan, of Florida, a young and robust man, may serve to admon ish some of our statesmen that life in Washington has its drawbacks. - . The man who thinks the baseball season hasn't opened in Portland stayed home yesterday. If he had taken a walk he would have noticed many vacant lots turned into athletic grounds. The craft preservative may felicitate itself over the labor situation in the LOregon Penitentiary..- which doesn't contain a prisoner who can set type. The Democrats don't want partisan ship in politics all they want is Dem ocrats in all the offices. V WHAT THE STATE PRESS IS SAYING Remarks om pollttcnl Priesta. Eugene Guard. We think a preacher, priest or rabbi lout of place in politics. Members of their congregations or church, as is no doubt the case in San Francisco, are hit hard by the graft prosecutions and they ny to their defense. Father Yorke pursued Mayor Phelan, probably the best execu tive San Francisco has bad for years, with a vindictiveness that drove the lat ter Into private life, because of a quar rel inside the church. The public lost Phelan's valuable sewtices on account of matters that were none of its concern, and now thev graft prosecutors are at tacked because of reasons, no doubt, tf the truth were known, that are not based upon sound and liberal considerations for the publio welfare. Our Noa-Partisan Governor. Newberg Graphic The result of state elections held in Oregon has quite often demonstrated that a lote of voters who pretend to be Re publicans have preferred to have a Dem ocrat for Governor rather than a Re publican, although the Republican party has had at the head of the ticket men who were equally as good and in some in stances much better men than the Demo cratic candidates, and it is little wonder that Chamberlain, who has toeen elevated to the Governor's chair by Republican votes, has concluded that the same fel lows will give him a boost into the United States Senate. We can really see no reason why he should deem it necessary to assume the hypocritical role of the so called non-partisan. Smaller Parma a Great Need. La. Grande Observer. Swapping farms does not build up either a city or a country. The country has gained nothing If Mr. Jones from Iowa, buys out Mr. Green, and Mr. Green moves to California. If Mr. Green would sell Mm Jones one-half of his farm, this would mean something. It would mean another home, and homes are what we . need. We need more people in the valley, and more peofile in the cities. The cities furnteh the markets for the farmers and it requires payrolls to keep the cities growing. Because Republicans Wont Elect a Republican. Forest Grove News. Governor Chamberlain says he is in accord with the policies of Roosevelt, and wants to know if as much can be said of all those in his (Roosevelt's) own party. If the Governor thinks so much of the President and Republican party, why doesn't he come out for Senator on the Republican ticket, instead of stick ing to the party that is 40.000 In the minority? Great State, With Fool Laws. The Dalles Optimist. Oreiron is a great state, and she has a bright future, provided we. the Repub licans of the state, arise and wipe some of these damphool laws off the statute books, and prevent the "reformers" from placing others there. If we do not do this, and get busy about it at once, the name of Oreson will be a stench in the nostrils of all the progressive people in the Union. The Pitcher That Gees to the Well, Etc. Newport News. There was more politics than oysters connected with Governor Chamberlain's visit to the Bay. It would be a very nice thing for the Governor if he could step into Senator Fulton's shoes, and while it was the Republicans who placed him in the gubernatorial chair the pos sibilities of that party debasing itself by cendlng him to the United States Senate are very remote.' Pazale Who Was I,nt Democratic Coagressmaa f I-a Grande Observer. In view of the fact that a Democrat has not been sent to Congress within the last 30 years, and possibly longer, 'we called up several leading members of the party and without looking up their ancient his tories they could not tell In what decade it was. or who the man was. One gen tleman thought It was Whlttaker, and. we believe he is correct. Yelp From One of the Vagabonds. Kelsonian (Kelso. Wash.) If the little country sheets In Oregon happen to asree with the Portland Ore gonian they are quoted from A to Izzard, but If they happen to go contrary to that paper In opinions they are nothing but "vagabonds of journalism." The Oregon Dodo. Grants Pass Observer. Perhaps the exposures of his past record had something to do with Mr. U'Ren's retirement. He was. bombarded rather heavily with accusations that must have hurt the feelings of a pious man and a patriot. Ton-Heavy With Brains. Dallas Itemlzer. One reason for the non-suocess of the Democratic party is the multiplicity of brainy men within its ranks and the dif ferent views which they must consequent ly take of National questions. Certalnlyi Send Him Alonsr. Lebanon Express-Advance. ,v Many friends of Senator M. A. Miller would be pleased to see him selected as one of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, which meets in Den ver next Summer. A Meeting. We met by chance. and as we met She claaped me in a warm embrace; I sem to feel her clinging' yet. With one soft cheek against my face. She did not know my name, while I Ere then had never viewed her charms; And yet she breathed a prateful siith As round her waist I nuns my arms. The sirl had not mistaken me For any member of her set. Nor did she care who I mifrht be - 'Twaa at a skatinp; rink we met Chicago Record-Herald. A FEW SQUIBS. Lady (to caller) "You won't mind my aroing on with my work while you're here, will you? Then I shan't feel I'm wasttng ttme." Punch. Instructor (at night school) "What proof have we that the earth is round?" Shaggy Haired Pupil "Don't need no proof. I'm wlllin' to believe the Jographies." Chicago Tribune. Languid Lannigan "After all Is said. pal. money ain't everyt'ins;." Dry Deegan "I knows It from experience I wunst found a $5 bill near do center uv - a prohibition state." Puck. Really." remarked the selfish Mr. Kad ley. "I've been wondering what to give up during Lent." "Well." remarked Miss Pep prey, "you might give up your seat In a streetcar occasionally." Philadelphia Press. Mabel "Jack proposed to me last night." Stella "Poor fellow! So he did keep his word after all?" Mabel "Why. what do you mean?" Stella "When I refused him laM week he said it would cause him to do something desperate." Chicago Dally News. ""All de word's a stage." quoted Tired Tiffins. "Chock full e sawmills, machine shops, boiler factories, an' de like," com mented his chum. "Too much realism Tif fins; too much realism fer a fanciful man." Louisville Courier-Journal. Mr. Staylate "Of course you'll be at the shore for Easter week." Miss Patience (yawning) "No." Mr. staylate "No? Well. I simply have to go " Miss Patience (brightening) "Oh! must you? That's so; it's later than I thought." Philadelphia Press. ' Vicar "Well, Mr. Stogginsi how are you today?" Cobbler "Very bad, sir." Vicar "And what is the matter?" Cobbler "Ah. Fir. it's my legs. ' They be wonderful bad!" Vicar "Dear me! How long have you been like this?" Cobbler "Why. sir. these legs, if you believe me, I've had 'em on and off for the last 30 years." Punch. DR. WISE WRITES OJT GRAFTERS Wants the Gnllty Put la Jail, hat Thinks Henry Has Bunded. PORTLAND. March 21 (To the Edi tor.) Your putting me outside of law and order where a member of my faith is concerned, and shaking me up in the same bag whh a priest from San Fran cisco, is an extreme proceeding which I hardly would have expected from you or any one connected with a paper that pre tends to the metropolitan scope which The Oregonlan plumes itself on. I assure you that I am, more than anxious to see Mr. Heney put the whole crowd of San Francisco grafters behind the bars, and that my reason for making an attack on the situation at all was as pure as. if not more lofty than, yours for taking a snap at me. I said that the affair had been bungled. You must admit that the finding of a grievous flaw in an Indict ment upon which the combined genius, virtue and protectant piety of the whole prosecution, aided , by a Judge tn robes, had been lavished without stint of time, money or threat. Is a. sad thing. It leads one of untrained ecclesiastical mind lit tle informed of the vicissitudes of the law to suspect that there is a lack of care and capability In proportion to the blus ter, and therefore tends to sadden one. So much I really said. Inferred and Im plied. Inasmuch as you must read your news paper as well as write It. I beg of you to give me the benefit of meaning what I say. I said that Ruef should be 1n jail. 1 meant it. You say that I am by Inference in doubt as to the commission of crimes in San Francisco. I never said it or inferred it. I am not in favor of setting Ruef at liberty to catch Calhoun, and I do not know whether Calhoun is a Protestant, Catholic or Mohammedan. I entered the protest against freeing any criminal as payment for treachery toward his con freres, which was the patent policy of the prosecution. I hardly think this can be construed by even as mediocre a the ologian as you show yourself to be In this instance as a remonstrance backed by religious prejudice. ' I do not see how you. knowing as you do both my activities and propensities in matters pertaining to the public weal, can place me in the same paragraph with what you term a blatherskite. Allow me to object (not to the term, but to the proximity). Now. if you will allow me to pass over your last paragraph, which I do not un derstand, other than the reference to my worthiness to represent my cause, 'which matter I do not consider your newspaper competent to adjudge, and therefore elide, I will state as shortly as possible the reason for my published statements. First The prosecution promised to con vict and imprison certain individuals whom they allowed to escape by a loop hole so apparent that It seemed impossi ble it should have been left. Second The prosecution were and per haps still are ready to compromise with Ruef. a dangerous criminal, in order to Imprison certain wealthy men who robbed their fellow-citizens under stress applied by Ruef & Co. Third To further this end they brought In several gentlemen to act as witnesses to a manifest understanding between the defense and the prosecution, which, since such things are against the letter and spirit of the law, could not be expressed or Implied in a contract. They needed men whom all parties trusted to hear certain significant conversation: Fourth Their Judge, manifestly parti san, and therefore unfit to sit in. judge ment, did transgress and violate "all the traditions of law and decency by de nouncing two men of probity, well known and of better fame than his own, as per jurers, thereby branding them with a stigma they can ill afford to bear. This was without trial or any process of law. Therefore this individual is petulant and possessed of other ldiosyncracies that un fit him for Judgement, just as certain newspaper popes at times lose that Odor of infallibility with which they pomado themselves, and thereby weaken their po sition In the public trust and confidence. As far as I know, there is very Utile theology in all this, and you may be more keen than Augustine and more as tute than Justin. Jerome and the mar tyrs, but you find neither heresy nor re cantation, for there is no taint of dog ma, creed or article except a prayer for the speedy clearing up of the disgraceful situation by the sending of the criminals to jail and the stopping of blustering, in sincere and ulterior methods. You have not for a long time had such a fine op portunity of killing two birds with one stone, and I hope you will allow me the courtesy and privilege of as prominent a place for my reply as you gave in the attack. You may on some other occasion get two birds in line again, and till then I beg to remain as sincerely and disin terestedly a well-wisher of public decency as your most excellent paper. Sincerely yours, JONAH B. WISE. When We Talk Grammatically. Atlantic Monthly. The universal vosrue of correct English would be little short of a calamity. The doubter has only to Imagine the effect on the animation and interest of life. If we should wake up some morning to find every one saying "I shall" and "I will" in their proper places, the newsboy purged of slang, the racy brogues dislodged from the streetcar and the street corner, the hired man pronouncing according to Webster, and the 2-year-olds lisping I beg their pardon, they would no longer lisp uttering their thoughts in phrases conformable to LIndley Murray, Dr. Murray and the "King's English." The Audience. T. A. Daly in The Catholic Standard and Times. I mak' not moocha mon today. So few ees hear da tunes I play. Long time bayfore da sun eee shine I malt dees street plan' of mine An' pull eet out from ceety atreet To eonntra lane, where cool an' sweet Do morneeng breeza blow, an where All theengs ees beautiful an'l fair. Oh. here, I theenk. I gona find Som" peopla so good-heart' an' kind Dey weell be glad for hear me play An' notta tell be "Gona 'way!"--Like most a do dat I am meet Wen I am play een ceety street. I walk an walk, but eet ees queer I meet so few da peopla here; Ees only wan or two, but steell I look for more. I climb da heell An' travel down da hotta road. Da street plan ees heavy load. I am baygeen for feel da heeat, - An' so bimetvy, I stop an' seet Een shady place bayelde da way. Oh. I am mad! I growl fl-iv say;. "I mak' not moocha mon' today. Wat for you com'. Oh, foola man! Where no wan heaer your street plan'?'' But den. w'at s'pose ees happen me? Firs' theeng you know ees leetla tree Mak' funny nolea where eet Stan's. So like as eef eet clap eet's nan's! Den gentla feengera een da air Dey come and pull me by da hair: Ees som'theeng een dees sweeta breeze Dat sneak to me an' coax an tease. An den da sky, so wide, so blue, Eet seem to smile and coax me, too. So all theengs speak, as eef dey say: "Com', let us have da music. Play!" play wan tune yes. two free, four. Like w'at I never do bayfore! I stop. Da sky cry: "More!" An' den I play dem evra. wan agen. So, too. I leeft my voice and seeng. s Da breeze say "More!" tp everytheeng. So all day long ees Ilka dat. Oh. 'Merlcana man. I gat Som' curses an' some food to eat Wen I am play een ceefy street. But here da sky. da' breeae, da tree, Dey speak Eetallan to me! i I mak no moocha mon' today. So few eef hear da tunes I play. But where ees reecher msn dan T Dat play to breeze an tree an' sky? Learning to Swim. Woman's Home Companion. Mother, may I go learn to swim?" "Yes, my darling daughter; Go to a correspondence school, -But don't go near the water. NATIONAL GUARD OREGON National Guardsmen are highly commended in a report on the Joint army and militia coast defense maneuvers of 1907. The report is Issued by the War Department from the office or the Chief of Staff and covers the maneuvers at Coast garrisons all over the United States. A perusal of the report shows that no other state or ganization in the countryv is so highly spoken of. Refering to the work of the Oregon troops stationed about the mouth of the Columbia River from July 6 to July 20. the following statements appear In the War Department's report: 'The Oregon National Guard seems to be composed of selected men, there be ing in the ranks many civil engineers, electricians and mechanics. Their work throughout was faithful, energetic and Intelligent. "They were quite enthusiastic during the entire period and their interest seemed to grow from beginning to end of the coast defense maneuvers. "It Is believed that there was not a single case of disorderly conduct during the joint encampment. "From the reports of officers no critic isms are to be found. Officers of the regular service expressed themselves verbally as perfectly satisfied, only re gretting that they did not have more time and thast the entire Third Oregon Regiment bad not been detailed to this encampment. "The programme of drill and exercises prepared previous to the encampment and approved by the War Department was found satisfactory in every way and the same was practically followed dur ing the encampment." That the War Department's pamphlet is not one long paen of praise is to be seen by a casual glance at reports on the work of some other bodies of state troops. Referring to Georgia, for ex ample, the following appears: "The progress made was very gratifying as regards drill, but sentries on outpost and interior lines did not seem to grasp the importance of strict obedience to orders.' And this is the report on the state of Alabama: "The Alabama field artillery came without proper equipment or pre liminary training. Some had pistols; some were weaponless. None of tne militia here had muster or payrolls ready. Although the lectures took place aB scheduled, there were too many ab sentees. The men to a large degree wer slovenly of appearance and unkempt so that they producted an unfavorable Im pression upon all. Looked lipon in the light of a body of recruits merely, they were very satisfactory material for de veloping." Commissioned officers will be shut out from participation in the National riflA matches if an amendment to the Army appropriation bill is finally approved. The amendment was adopted by the House, according to advices received yesterday from the publicity bureau of the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Prac tice. The amendment in question is as follows: "Provided, That the trophies an medals herein authorised shall be con tested for only by the enlisted men of the Army, tire Navy, the Marine Corps 'and the National Guard or organized militia of the several states, territories and the District of Columbia." - Final passage of this amendment, which Congress has already approved, will eliminate all commissioned officers of all the services mentioned from par ticipation in the National team match, the National Individual match and the National pistol match. Last year tin various competing teams were made up largely of officers. The Navy team had seven officers and five enlisted men. the United States Cavalry team ten officers and two men, the United States Intantry seven officers and five men, while thd number of officers from state organiza tions was nearly as great as the number of men. Oregon had five officers an'l seven enlisted men at Camp Perry. The amendment will be opposed, as there are two sides to the question. Many military authorities declare that the training of officers is more beneficial, as it gives them a broadet-basis for in struction of large bodies of troops. Others contend that the training of the men who actually handle the rifles in event of war is the object to be carried out. The outcome of the fight that will be made on the amendment in the Senate will be watched with considerable inter est. Every member of the two Portland battalions of the Third Oregon Infantry, the Field Battery and the Hospital Corps, is urged to be present next Friday night at the annual inspection and review by Governor Chamberlain. Many spectators will be present. Colonel C. E. McDonell will march his regiment In review fol lowing Inspection, and the ceremonies will be concluded with regimental and battalion drills. Company B has captured the penant in the indoor baseball series by winning seven games straight. Company F and the Hospital Corps are claiming second place, each command having lost two games. ... A memorable event in the history of Eugene was the presentation of the regimental colors of the Fourth Oregon Infantry, last Tuesday. The presentation was made by Governor Chamberlain and the flag was received by Colonel George O. Yoran, on behalf o his command. The affair was an impressive one. Every officer of the regiment was on hand. Governor Chamberlain was accompanied by his staff and by Adjutant Geif-ral Flnzer and Colonel James Jackson. At an informal banquet which followed the flag ceremonies many addresses were made on -military topics and the officers of the Fourth demonstrated that they are up to the minute on military affairs. The new colors will get a first airing at the encampment this Summer pro vided, of course, something more serious than an encampment doesn't loom up in the meantime. The Fourth Oregon has Issued a formal challenge to the Third for a rifle compe tition with the new Springfield rifle. W 1th the advantages of the Roseburg range at hand the confidence of the .Southern Oregon men in their marksmenshlp is not hard to understand. Portland has 'no range above 600 yards. Nevertheless the challenge Is being seriously consid ered and may be accepted. But Two lobs Years Have Passed. Gervais Star. Many Democrats deprecate the holding of a conference by the Republicans, yet they themselves, only two years ago. held Just suWi- a convention and nomi nated a state and county ticket. Wonder If they had forgotten it? Departure. Italy Hemperly in the Stellar Bay. The hour soon comes, sweet friends, whea I Shall quit this form of mortal clay. The call has come I know not why; But still I go. and would not stay. Above the night the star-worlds gleani, And moonbeams klsa the silver sea. Ah. do I hear, or do I dream The angel voice that cal la to me? Between the worlds In love-lit air. The soul-way shines In radiant light. - Your tender thougltts go with me there Sweet friends, I go. Goodnight, goodnight!