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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1910)
6 THE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1910. , PORTLAND. UKCKON. Kntered at Portland. Oregon. Postofflce a Second-Class Matur. Subscription Kates Invariably In Advance. (BT MAIL,.) Xally, Sunday included, one year $8.00 raily. Sunday included, six months.. . 4-- Xaily. Sunday lncluiled, three months. . -.' Xally. Sunday Included, one month.... raily. without Sunday. r,ne year 6. 00 rally, without Sunday, six months..... 3.-- Dally, without Sunday, three montns 1.7. raily. -without Sunday, one month "Weekly, one year Sunday. one year - Bur.day and weekly, one year IseO (By Carrier.) Daily. Sunday included, one yetr Datly. Sunday included, one month How to ltcniit Send Postofflce money order, express trder or personal cheek on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. Give postoffice ad dress in full. including county and. state. Postage Kate 10 to 14 panes. 1 cnt; 18 to 28 pastes. 2 cents:rso to 41 pases. 3 cents; 40 to ti'J pages. 4 fcents. Foreign postage double rate. i FaMern Business Office The S. (". Beck wtth Special Agency New York, rooms 4H BO Tribune building. Chicago, rooms 510-512 Tribune building PORTLAND, MONDAY, MARCH 1 , 1B10. OREGON'S C'ENTURV GKOWIII Just 100 years ago this Spring, the Oregon country felt the tread of the first Americans bent on occupation and settlement. Numerous American fur traders had touched the slioreg of the present-day Oregon and Wash ington in the twenty years preced ing. Lewis and Clark, five years be fore, had spent the Winter at Clat Bop, as explorers. In 1792, Captain Gray, a Boston navigator, had discov ered and entered the Columbia River. Now came Captain Nathan Winship in 1810 in the "Albatross" to found a settlement and trade with the In dians. But flood of the Columbia Itiver swept over the settlement at Oak Point, Indians were hostile and competition of John Jacob Astor's fur enterprise was approaching, so that Captain Winship in a few weeks aban doned the effort. Karly next year the Astor sea party arrived in the ship Tonquin and founded Astoria. After them came other Americans and the opening of the Oregon trail. So that a century retrospect is full of history for this now transformed region.- Truly great things have been achieved in the century. The changes Jiave been as rapid, perhaps more so, Jhan anywhere on the American con tinent in a like period. Progress has been all the more remarkable when one remembers that nearly all of it 1s the product of the last 60-year period. A population of 2.000,000 has ynade a home of the great basin of the Columbia Itiver and has almost doubled In ten years. Bank, deposits have grown to $250,000,000. A cen tury ago the whole wealth of the land .was thought to consist in furs, nor was it supposed the country could ever yield much else. Now, the furs are as nothing and the wealth of soil, streams, minerals and forest far exceeds the most golden, dreams, and has just fairly begun. ' It may profit thus to look back over the beginnings and may aid the im agination to compass somewhat the century ahead. Clash of opinions and strife of interests will cloud the sun shine In the future as they have done 'in the past, but retrospect will help to bring back beams of cheer just as last week's sunshine dispelled late Spring fears of the groundhog day. WHERE IS THE WHEAT? Secretary Wilson's March report, showing stocks of wheat in farmers' hands, presents some" encouraging features, the most prominent of which is utter abandonment of any attempt .to justify the department's wild and .unreasonable figures on the crop of the three North Pacific states. These figures, which appeared after every well-informed man in the grain trade was unable to locate more than 60, '000.000 bushels as the crop of the three states, credited Oregon, Wash ington and Idaho with 66,622,000 bushels, or more than 13,000,000 bush els over the preceding crop. Of this crop (1909) which was alleged to approximate nearly 67,000,000 bush els, the March report shows 12,300,000 bushel3 in farmers' hands. Extreme estimates place the amount in ware houses, mills and at terminals at '5,000,000 bushels, and for seed and home consumption for the entire year ,15,000,000 bushels will be required. There have been shipped by .water (flour included) 19,659.000 bushels, 'and the Eastern shipments by rail will iswell this amount to about 22,500,000 .bushels. There was. no carry-over from the short crop of the preceding .year. ' Thus, making allowance for the -shipments to March 1st, for the entire .year's requirements for seed and home consumption, and for the amount in first and second hands, we can ac count for a total of 54,800,000 bush els out of a crop which the Govern ment assures us reached a total of 166.622.000 bushels. This leaves a total ot 11,822,000 bushels which has mys teriously disappeared since the ap pearance of the December report. As further proof of the utter worthless ' ness and unreliability of the Govern ment figures on the wheat crop, a comparison between the March figures a year ago and those which have Just appeared Is interesting. The total out put of the 1908 crop, as reported by Secretary Wilson, .was 53,207,000 bush els, or more than 13,415,000 les3 than the 1909 crop estimate of the same authority. Out of that Pacific Northwest crop of 13.415.000 bushels less than that of 1909, the Government on March 1 last year reported stocks in farmers' hands but 2,000.000 less than in March this year, although shipments to -all ponts were but 1,000,000 bush els less than they were for the same period this season, and seed and home consumption requirements were the same. In other, words, with ship ments to date, seed and home con sumption requirements and public stocks practically the same as last season, the Government finds remain ing in farmers' hands from a 67,000,-000-bushfl crop, but 3,000,000 bushels more than wire shown a year ago from a 53.000.000-bushel crop. It Is reported that M. J. Buckley, general superintendent of the Harri man lines in the Pacific Northwest, will leave Portland to accept a simi lar position with the Union Pacific. Considering the masterly skill with which Mr. Buckley and his able as sistants in the operating department of the O. R. & N. kept an immense passenger and mail traffic moving over their lines while all other roads to the Coast were paralyzed, it. is not surprising that there is a demand for his services on the big road. Enlarge ment of the Harriman system by the building of the Central Oregon and Tillamook roads and increasing de mands for efficiency in operation would seem, -however, to make it highly desirable that Mr. Buckley re main where he has made his reputa tion as an operating man. General Manager O'Brien and General Super intendent Buckley have performed some excellent "team work" on the O. R. & N. property with which they have long been associated, and they are both exceptionally well qualified for continuing the work on the more extensive scale into which it is now widening. THE LAWYERS' FEAST. Multnomah lawyers will give a ban quet next Thursday in honor of Judge George H. Williams and of judges of the Supreme Court of the state. It will be a commendable trib ute to a venerable jurist and to respected magistrates. It is to be hoped lawyers from all parts of the state will respond to the general invitation. Among the toast subjects are "The Supreme Court," "The Fed eral Court," "Nisi Prius'' and "The County Court," to which members of the "bench will respond. Should members of the bar be seek ing topics for oratory, The Oregonian could make several humble sugges tions, if asked for them. "How Little of the Damage Money Should the Victim Get?" would be a very inter esting subject, especially on the tongue of some lawyer of experience. "Why Do Lawyers Need a New Court house Worse Than Taxpayers?" would be another. "Strife and Pros perity" would enable some gifted speaker to soar away on the flying machine wings of eloquence. "Law yers vs. Humble . Citizens as Thrifty Law Tinkers" would prepare the way for election of members of the next Legislature. "No Lawyers in the Millennium" would enable a brother to expatiate on the happiness of the far-off peace period. These hints are offered for use sim ply in case the honored guests should not take up the whole evening. In the event of their adoption a big gallery audience would honor the learned speakers with Its presence. . CITY WATER AND TAXES. If Bull Run water made the actual values of lots, there would be Justice in the labor-union plan of paying for mains out of general taxation. But Bull Run water obviously does not do this, else lots in Sunnyside would be worth as much money as lots on Washington street. The occasion for this remark is a letter, printed elsewhere, urging gen eral taxation as a substitute for dis trict assessment for payment of cost of water mains. The writer should know, that the big disparities in value of lots in Portland, as in every city, are due to manifest and varied causes, that have small relation to water supply. The highest-priced lots are no better provided with city water than many of the cheapest, nor, as a matter of fact, is the city water so necessary to them, since they have their own wells. City water for fire protection might properly be paid for by taxation, but not for general, con sumption. , y- City water contributes to land value in the same way that sewers, side walks and streets do. Yet nobody has temerity to argue that these improve ments should be imposed on tax payers. The writer of the letter objects to the Seattle district plan because, he says, it "hits the small home-owner pretty hard." That may seem so, but it is worth to his land alMt costs, just as are sewers, sidewalks and streets. Truth is, the writer of the letter is like the big suburban speculator; he wishes to get watej improvement at somebody else's expense. The specu lators in Portland have been doing this many years, and water consumers' have been paying in high monthly rates. City water enhances- value of lots but does not make the values that appear on the tax assessment rolls. Then what justice in taxing land through the Assessor and the Sheriff to build mains? When a district, to be benefited by extension 6f a main, is charged as for a 6-inch main, share and share alike for each lot, it pays very near its Just dues, since cost of 6-inch is about the average of pipe of all sizes. AN rSKEASOSABLE CONTENTION. Individuals, corporations or com munities, enjoying special privileges or advantages to which they are not rightfully entitled, become in time so accustomed to these favors that they cease to be regarded as favors and, instead, are looked upon and " de manded as natural rights which should not be withheld or disturbed. It was the special advantages afforded Spo kane many years ago by the railroads, when they carved out a jobbing zone 200 miles in diameter, that estab lished a bad precedent that is now plaguing both the railroads and Spo kane. Under the beneficent workings of this inexcusable and indefensible special jobbing rate, Spokane rapidly forged ahead of all competitors. No other city on the Coast could show even approximately so great a per centage of gain in the jobbing trade as was shown by Spokane after these discriminatory rates were placed In effect. The heaviest Jobbers in Spokane, far-seeing, level-headed business men by whom the governing conditions in rate-making were well understood and appreciated.' fought hard against the attempt of a few small dealers and real estate boomers to disturb the existing situation three years ago. These big shippers, who, with the aid of the special discriminatory rates of the railroads, had given Spokane the jobbing prestige it enjoyed, were per fectly familiar with the fact that they were enjoying rates to which their geographical location did not entitle them. They, of course, suffered with the others when the appeal of Spo kane to the Interstate Commerce Commission and the subsequent rul ing compelled Spokane to stand on her merits. It is this element that is strongly objecting to the ridiculous at tempt of the Spokane City Council to force the Milwaukee and the North Coast Railroad to guarantee terminal rates in exchange for a franchise to enter the city. The demand for ter minal rates, which are always based on water competition, is even more unreasonable than that which was made on the Interstate Commerce Commission for a still greater dis crimination than was afforded by the specially-constructed "jobbing zone." Until Spokane can land ocean-going ships at the foot of the falls, It is In no position to ask for terminal rates, as it is the water-carrier alone that makes these rates which the railroad is forced to meet. Spokane is a pros perous city, backed up by a territory of wonderful extent and great re sources, but it is not a sea port, and until it can enjoy the transportation that Is available only at seaport ter minals, it will be impossible for that city to force any railroad company to meet ocean competition at Spokane in stead of at tide-water. Some of the Spokane people are already familiar with this fact. Eventually it' will be plain to all of them, and they will make common 'cause with Portland for lower rates from the seaboard inland. RECORD-BREAKING PROSPERITY. Portland bank clearings for the week ending last Saturday were the largest on record for the second week in March, exceeding the correspond ing week last year by $2,220,672. Se attle clearings also reached a new high-water mark, exceeding the same period last year by $1. 393, 606, the gain being but $800,000 less than Portland's. Similar satisfactory evi dence of remarkable prosperity is shown in real estate transfers and building permits, the March business in both of these important features of industrial growth being far ahead of the same month in previous years. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the local situation is the large number of permits being Issued for new dwellings. In a total of 167 per mits with .a valuation of $336,835. is sued last week, there was not a single large business structure. Thirty-eight of the permits were for repairs. Of the 129 permits for new construction, 102 were for dwellings, nearly all of them being constructed for people who were building for their own use. Statistics of this nature show more conclusively than any others the stability of the growth of this city and preclude any possibility of over-building in the business dis tricts so long as the permanent popu lation is increasing so rapidly as it is at the present time. There is nothing speculative about a building move ment where such a large percentage of the work is in homes for the growing population. In real estate transfers Portland easily out-distanced any other city in the Pacific Northwest. Details of the transfers in Seattle are not at hand later than March 8, but, for the month to that date inclusive, the Se attle transfers showed a valuation of $461,927, while those 6f Portland for the same period were $1,659,482. Meanwhile reports from the cities and country from which Portland draws such a large share of its support, bring similar cheerful returns, offer ing indisputable evidence that this city and its tributary territory are just at present enjoying the greatest prosperity we have ever known. THE PAY-AS-YOU-GO STATION. The one circumstance about the in creased cost of living that is eminently satisfactory is that it gives everybody a chance to air his or her opinions about things in . general and some things in particular. The occupation of the evangelist, for example, would be gone, and he be relegated to the superannuated list without delay; or if not old enough to make a legiti mate superannuate, he might be com pelled to take toll of toil perhaps even "plow, delve or ply the oar with lusty limb," if It were not for matters contributory to or contingent upon this versatile theme, whereby he could for a fat salary arraign the multi tude, in strong language and fervid tones, for its sins, having first classi fied and condensed these sins into what might be called a pocket edition of an Indictment, general and specific, of the tremendous pace at which the world is traveling, with "pay-as-you-go" stations all along the line. The "Joy ride" is a pay station fre quently taking toll of life. It is but the successor, however, of other forms of so-called pleasure riding that might or might not have been so costly. The theater is a pay station, but not a new one; the dance hall whenever was there a time when the dance hall was not? The toll that it takes is certainly not more excessive .than it was in the troublous times of John the Baptist. The human race is going at a rapid pace and paying ' as it goes. When, indeed, did it not set a pace and press forward in it as fast as it could? The way has been lighted all along with whatever luminant the ingenuity of man was able to devise. The rush light, the pine-knot, the tallow candle, the kerosene lamp, gas, electricity, each came in its turn, and the records show that no matter what was used to form the inclination or relieve the necessity of turning night into day, each device cost all that those using it could make shift to pay. And so all along the line. The nec essaries of life were compassed at great cost and infinite pains. More than this cannot now be said of the luxuries which in their turn have be come necessaries. The supper table could be lighted now as cheaply as in the times to which we are wont to refer as the "good old days," if we were content to light the table with a candle. My lady's silken gown is not more costly today than was the dress of linsey-woolsey woven in the hand loom of a past century with this difference, that the latter took toll from the weary "muscles and short ened span of life of the patient weaver and wearer. The bill for sweets was not large in cash in the family of ye olden time. But the mother held the sugar-bowl in her lap, that she might better ward off predacious fingers. The toll at this pay station was ex acted in hard necessity to which none of us would care to return. J.t costs enormously and out of all proportion to actual values to pro vide shoes for the present generation in its restless movings up and down. Do we, then, wish to return to the era in which, to save shoe leather, children and even women went bare foot from November until April, and for further economy carried their shoes in their hands until they came in sight of the meeting-house on Sun days? The shoe barons have pay-as-you-go stations all along the way, from hide to patent leather, of the highest polish and latest cut and fin ish. But who would, if he could, re turn to the cheap, barefoot days, or to the days of clumsy village shoe making? The wheaten loaf was at one time, especially in the Middle West, so dear that the family of the laboring man could not eat that loaf, except upon rare occasions. Now it is so cheap that it is not thought worth while to make it at home. Still, bread is high, and the bakery is the pay-as-you-go station. The man who performs his morning ablutions in a perfumed bathroom, where water,, hot and cold, comes at the turn of a faucet, grumbles when he pays water rent and fuel bills, but what a wail would rise upon the air of morning if he had to chop the wood, build the fire, draw water from a deep well in the yard, with a stiff windlass, and wash his face in a rusty tin pan on the bench outside the kitchen door, with home-made soap to insure cleanliness? The genial air of the bathroom, the hot water on demand, the delicately-scented soap these are the items charged at this pay-as-you-go station. And is he not a churl who contests this charge? And so it goes. The way is made easy, but the pay-as-you-go principle is insisted upon at every station. He who wants to avoid these charges has one recourse. There are still some lo cations far from the haunts of men to which the man who protests pay ment at these stations may retire and live cheaply. To people who have lived a number of years near the ocean, it seems al most inconceivable that its dangers could be as lightly regarded as they were by the two Wisconsin men who attempted a landing on Clatsop beach In a small boat with which they had ventured on a Journey to the Nehalem. On rare occasions in the Summer time, good luck and good seamanship combined might result in an ocean trip of this nature ' being made with out loss of life, but the chances are always against the foolhardy individ ual who attempts it. According to news reports of the tragedy at Clat sop, it would appear that neither the man who lost his life nor his com panion who was saved, possessed the slightest knowledge of the dangers they were tempting when they left the Columbia River in their frail craft. It seems to have been one of those cases where "fools rush " in where angels fear to tread." The Oregonian is in receipt of a letter from Seattle wherein protest is registered against recent intimations in its columns that a "wide-open" policy is to be followed by the Gill administration. Mayor-elect Gill, it is said, repeatedly notified the public during the campaign that the lawless and disorderly elements need expect no favors or special consideration from him, and that he would create a "restricted" district and keep the saloons closed on Sundays. Yet it is true that the "liberal" element solid ly supported Gill, and his record and alliances would appear to justify en tirely their confidence that they will not be harshly dealt with. Yet, of course, Gill as Mayor may disappoint them. He says he will. We shall see. l The Shoshone explorers who have discovered the skeleton of a man ten feet tall display true Twentieth Cen tury enterprise in discovering at the same time "an ancient gun weighing between twenty-five and thirty pounds resembling a flint-lock rifle." This discovery has the Cardiff giant so badly distanced that it ought to make a fortune for the enterprising explor ers who have found it. Aside from the deep interest that will . be shown in the skeleton of a ten-foot giant with a thirty-pound flint-lock, the ad vertisement of that portion of Idaho will be of great .value to the state. Localities in which ten-foot men and thirty-pound rifles grow to maturity are not so common as to escape not able comment. The "star-eyed goddess of reform" has utterly failed to make much head way in certain districts in Chicago. "Bathhouse John" Coughlin, who has been accused of most of the crimes orr the calendar and has seldom taken the trouble to deny any of the charges, has been nominated for the tenth consecutive time as a member of the Chicago City Council, and will, of course, be elected. He has served notice on the , public that he is not a reformer and further avers that "I don't want to have anything to do with those long-haired guys. They are not on the square even with them selves. When a reformer comes within ten feet of me, I put my hand on my watch." , If that bipedal grouch who wrote the letter to the Indianapolis paper telling a few truths and a variety of the other thing about Portland happens still to be around these parts, let him write again. This weather ought to mellow him some. Representative Poindexter says that journalistic paragon. Old Cap. Col lier's Weekly, "bears no one's rubber stamp." Quite right. Poindexter has even erased from his ineffable person the stamp of the party that elected him. ' Of the nineteen measures so far proposed for vote by the people of Oregon next November, Lawgiver U'Ren offers less than one-half. But the season is early, and it's going to be a long Summer. Speculator Patten hurried back to America after his painful experience with the Manchester cotton exchange. Those brokers are likely to hear something drop once more from this direction. The progress of General Superin tendent Park from the Union Pacific to the vice-presidency of the Illinois Central will start a movement of "coming railroad men." The Oregon Conservation Commis sion wants $2500 more to make a topographic survey of its field of work. Now, who is it wants a job for such modest sum? Some 10,000 people saw Aviator Hamilton fly in Seattle Saturday and paid for it. It would have paid better for them to adopt the Portland method. San Diego has the best argument in the Panama Exposition dispute in that it has no earthquake scare on tap. Ninety-two million germs have been found on a dollar bill- Yet no one thinks of disinfecting before grabbing. All days are alike to the steam ex cavator. and Progress in Portland never considers the calendar. The groundhn" must be playing "possum. PINCHOT RIGHTLY SIZED TIP. One Eastern View That Properly Cov ers the Sit ant too. Brooklyn Eagle, Ind. The President of the United States has the satisfaction of realizing that the people of the United States' be lieve that Gifford Plnchot erred in at tacking pirn. To be sure, Mr. Plnchot says he did not attack the President, but what Mr. Plnchot said amounted to an attack in the opinion of every other man in the United States. Mr. Plnchot charged the Secretary of the Interior; Mr. Ballinger, with falsehood and corruption. Mr. Taft appointed Mr. Ballinger and has upheld him against Mr. Pinchot's attack. If that is- not attacking Mr. Taft, nothing can be called an attack on him. Mr.' Pln chot can make charges as he goes along. He cannot make defini tions as he goes along. Definitions depend on the understanding of plain people about plain facts and plain words. The Investigation of Mr. Ballinger, whfeh Is nearing its end, proves that the charges Mr. Plnchot brought directly against him and Indirectly against the President for sustaining him, are false. The evidence vindi cates Mr. Ballinger. It refutes Mr. Pincot. It vindicates Mr. Taft. It does so, it can do so, for the Secretary and the President only with the conse quence of condemning Mr. 'Pinchot. Is the latter a liar? By no means. But he is one who suspects, believes and charges evil-doing on others, without proofs and against proofs. He be lieves what he wishes to believe. He disbelieves what he wishes to disbe lieve. He is constituted that way. Many men are. They are moral fan atics' and intellectual defectives. The basis is vanity. There is no cure for it to that degree. The vic tims believe they are necessary and indispensable. They convince them selves that not only do those who dif fer from them .err. but that they know they err, and do not hesitate at false hood to bolster up their error and de fend themselves. The condition is a state of mind. The state of mind dis penses with evidence and is superior to evidence. Examples are many of this sort. When it takes homicidal form, lives are lost, and sheriffs who man age gallows or men who manage elec trocutions or guillotines are kept busy. Three Presidents of the United States owe their deaths to the hands of men of exaggerated egotism. That, how eevr, is a rare form. The demonstration that Mr. Ballinger and Mr. Wickersham are right and Pin chot was and Is wrong and that Presi dent Taft has been just, considerate, patient, maligned and unresentful is grateful to the American people. It is incredible to Mr. Plnchot. He not only does not believe it, but he is positively incapable of believing that anyone else believes it. Nearly every one knows somebody who has a delu sion of that kind about something or other with which he has had to do as much as- Mr. Pinchot has had to do with forestatlon. Perhaps even the best of us have that failing ourselves. We should certainly be charitable to ward Mr. Pinchot and not be too sure of ourselves, even while we are grati fied at the vindication of the Presi dent, the Secretary of the Interior and the Attorney-General from the asper sions of the sincere and unfortunate Mr. Pinchot. State Mottoes. Puck. Kansas Pianolas. Prince Alberts, Pullmans, Phonographs, Pocketbooks, and Prosperity. North Carolina Arid plains of Dixie! South Carolina Shall we never drink again? Illinois Our speakers swore terribly in Danville! Arizona Hell hath no torridity like a Yuma noon. Arkansas A busted trust is better than a trusted trust. ivevada Whom God hath Joined to gether let Reno put asunder. Iowa- I lnsurge. . j.ew Mexico Sabe? California I see yellow! ientucky Idem (the same). Nebraska Me and Jefferson. Colorado Gold et Guggenheim. Wisconsin Sic temper Cannonis. New York The race is not to the bookie. Montana What cannot gold buy? Utah E polygamous Union. South Dakota I came, I stayed (six months), I am single! Oklahoma If you don't find it in our constitution, it never happened. Missouri You will have to elucidate logically, illuminately 'and exhaust ively. Indiana The six-best-seller is might ier than the Dreadnought. One of Nick Longnrorth'l Stories. Washington Dispatch to New York World. Here is one "Nick" Longworth is tell ing some of his colleagues in the House: An old negro was stopped on the street on election day by a white man, who asked him if he had voted. "Yas, 'ndeed, I'se voted," replied the negro. "Did you get anything for your vote?" "Oh, yas, sah. I got paid foh man vote," "What did you get?" "Well, suh, it was laik this. De Re publicans come to me and dey says dey gives me $11 if me and man three boys vote de Republican ticket, en' I took de money; and de Democrats came to me and dey says dey give me $7 foh man vote and man boys' votes, an' I took de money." "You took money from both sides. Then which ticket did you vote?" "Oh, I voted de Democratic ticket." "Why so? The Republicans gave you the most money." "I voted fo' de Democrats foh Jes' dat reason dey wasn't as corrupt as de Republicans." Illiteracy In Delictum. Brussels Cor. London Standard. In some parts of Belgium 60 per cent of the population cannot read or write. Education is not compulsory, and the Government, which is Glerical.. oppose the bill which the Liberals and Social ists are endeavoring to secure for com pulsory education. The question is now before Parliament. The Government in sists that the child belongs to his par ents entirely, and that they cannot be forced to give him any education with out infringing their rights to freedom of action. A Pound Tbat Grows Heavier. Brooklyn Eagle. From Washington we learn that standards of virtue are changing that the official brass troy pound brought to this country in 1827 and now in the Bureau of Standards has increased in weight through oxidization exactly seven l-1000ths of a grain. Of the Firat Water. Louisville Courier-Journal. "What did Cholly give you in the way of . a wedding present?" "A tiara set with perfectly matched pork chops." NO SINGLE TAX TOMFOOLERY HERE Contempt tor Millionaire Kcla' Propo sal to Send Soap-Hox Orators. PORTLAND, March 12. (To the Ed itor.) I note by, the news dispatches that Joseph Fels, Eastern millionaire and financial supporter of the single tax propaganda, says that he is a robber. He seems so proud of the dis tinction . that he advertises the fact. However, he is going to ease his con science by trying to inflict a single tax law on the people of Oregon. Fels has made a fortune In soap and wants to spend it in promoting his fool the ories in this state. Oregon has been selected because we have the initiative and referendum amendment to the con stitution. Some months ago I called attention to this coming political campaign through The Oregonian. and the prop erty owners of Oregon should organize at once to protect their holdings from confiscation. The single tax campaign will be launched in 1912, and every clieap soap-box-orator in the state will have a Job. Those who have howled so long and so hard for the "corrupt prac tices act" to protect their virgin honor from temptation will have "soap money" to burn. Mr. Wagnon and his crowd won't have to pass the hat around asking a nickel from eaijh sym pathizer, as they did in the campaign of 1908. Fels soap wrappers will be the Insignia of battle. It is refreshing to read Mr. Fels' statement that he is a robber, for no one doubts it; but there is no pleasure in the contemplation of his turning his gang loose in Oregon. We are not in the market for hold-up men. Oregon is a great state, with marvelous possi bilities for advancement, but a single tax law would turn it into a place fit only for the abode of self-confessed robbers of the Fels type. It is a mysterious trait of human nature, but a strong trait, neverthe less, that prompts a man or set of men to endeaavor to destroy the conditions under which they made their money, so that no one else can make any. These types of men accumulate a for tune themselves and then seek to pre vent anyone else from making one. In fact, they would prevent the masses from making a decent living if it were in their power. This trait is due to the elements of primordial tyranny that still exists in the human make-up. Grant any man the proper conditions' and he will develop into a tyrant. The restraining influences of society and the necessities of his fellow-man are the only factors that prevent him from becoming a hog. If Fels is such a lover of humanity, why hasn't he paid his thousands of employes more money instead of keep ing all himself? I have never heard of his- doing, anything worthy of men tion except make a profit off the wash erwomen of the country. His name has been connected with the soap wrapper only. His sttftasmanship smells of soap suds and deodorized underclothes. Ore gon doesn't need it in its business. Mr. Fels has a great opportunity of the right sort. His money could be spent in teaching people better Ideals of citizenship and in training them to work and save. No fortune was ever built by theoretical tomfoolery. Mr. Fels' modest tuTOOO.OOO could soon be dissipated and no good accomplished. Any young man In the city of Portland today, with average brains and energy, can accumulate $5,000,000 during his lifetime if he will only put his will into action. It is necessary "to have a will, however, before it can be employed. This money can be made only through speculation in land values. Mr. Fels made his money that way. His single tax. however, would put every real es tate dealer out of business, for land values would go to the state and not to the individual. If Oregon passes the single tax into a law Canada will reap a rich harvest of Oregon's best citizens. GEORGE W. DIXON. The "Worship of Titled Snobs. New York World. Lest there should be any sudden in flux of belted Knights and coroneted Dukes, warning should be issued to Europe that Lady Maurier's comments on the lack of democratic Ideals in this country are not to be taken seri ously. Between trains at St. Louis she remarked:" "Americans display a far greater eagerness and awe for royal prerogatives than do Europeans. Titles are of far greater value over here than where people are used to them." To most Americans "a Marquis, Duke and a' that" is a real curiosity. We do not have them over here. 'If a member of the House of Lords were to advertise that he would exhibit him self at so much a ticket he could prob ably fill a good-sized hall. A Hotten tot chief with cakes of mutton tallow for his chief head ornament would draw a crowd, on Oxford street. So would a Sioux Indian In war paint and buckskin if he appeared on the boulevards in Paris. Any unfamiliar object has a certain legitimate inter est. - - World's Champion Speller. Kansas City Star. Professor D. Jones, the world's cham pion speller, is somewhat of a spell binder. He addressed a curious crowd in Klrksville. saying: "Good people, my name Is Jones, the school teacher. I'm the greatest speller not only in Mis souri but in the whole world. What's the harm in telling this if it's the truth? In 1870 while teaching school at Olathe I challenged the world to outspell me. The chancellor of the university went against me and I beat him. I have de feated all aspirants to the champion ship since then." An Apt Imitator. Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Does she seem to take kindly to so ciety ways now that her husband has made such a pile?" "Oh, yes, indeed. She was the loud est talker in the house at grand opera the other night." Wlnfra. The hand of man. emergln-f from the mist Of primal ages, was a hairy flat All blood-bedabbled; for the hand had killed Before it learned to sow and reap and bulls. Bo each new tool was but a weapon, tit To all nw terrors to the blow of it: The first rude ax was formed lor bloody Spilt skull's before It served the builder's need. . , And thus through ages runs the tale; by worst ... Of uses is the new-found tool accurst. Yet we believe what prophet's words record, That Into plowshares men shall beat the sword. For centuries we stood upon the edge Of space and yearned, while sparrows from the hedge ' Took flight and taunted us. That I Bad Mid storm v music, thus the Psalmist zings, -Then would I fly away and be at rest." And lo. the wings are ours, a gift, the bes; The genius ot our race has forged; a tool Kit for our eager age. What says the fool. The War-brute ? ' This Is mine, for brawls and strife. As hawk-wings are the hawk s for taking life!" Well, claim them. War-god! fe them till the race Will kill for you no more. What narrow space ' Holds man today apart from brother man. A range of rock, a river or a span Of channel: and our wings shall overleap These dwarfish landmarks. Then what king shall keep His folk from merging with humanity As waters intermingle In the sear Sail forth, winged Argonauts of trackless air. . And as upon your homeward course you fare , Bring heav'nly treasure. Neither gold nor steel, ICor gross and earthly wealth weight your light keel: Man's Brotherhood, bring that as Golden On sun-blest wings, bright harbinger of peace. Charlton Lawrence Edholm, In Popular Mechanics. NO LIQVOR LAW RAISES TAXES. "Ury" Victory at Pe EH Means Town Is Almost Ready For Sale. PE ELL, Wash., March 12. (To the Editor.) I want to give a few facts regarding our little City of Pe Ell. Wash., which, by very serious efforts on the part of the local option party, was voted dry and closed up February 14. 1910. My reason for doing this is that it may be of some heneftt to property-owners and merchants in oth er cities or towns , where the people are contemplating an election on the wet and dry question. The liquor dealers of this place were paying a license to this city of $2500 per year anil the cit.- nrj.-n t ei-o I - . ' ' - - to r ' tlpr month it w-a noM f i. j . . enue. When the saloons were closed February 14. 1910. the city was 304 short of having enough to pay back the unearned license. The city au thorities wanted to pay the liquor dealers part in cash and cive them town warrants for the halanre. This the liquor dealers refused to take, and the city had to sell thf City Park, of 10 acres, in order to refund the cash. During the first week after the town went dry only 19 or 20 strangers came to the town. I think that at present all business men in the town will sacrifice a good sum to dispose of their business, for there Is no one com ing to town. Every traveling man that comes to this plate tells the same story. The merchants say the change is far worse than at any time during the financial panic of over two years ago. The city has cut off practicatlv the only revenue it had. There is a county bridge being built on the city limit line, and the city's part of this will be about $500. The city also wants to pave Main street. If anyone can show me where all the money is to come from without taxing the property-owners tfc death, I am willing to be shown. I am a poor financier, and if anyone discredits what I say let him come to Pe Ell and see for himself. All our transient trade has gone to other towns. I advise people where the dry or wet question comes up, to weigh it well before they vote. I am a property-owner and a taxpayer not a trav eler. WILLIAM ZACKOVITCII. WANTS WATER PAID BY TAXES. Writer Shows Symptoms of Single. Taxer and Soeinllxt. PORTLAND. March 12. (To the Ed itor.) In your editorial "Water Main Justice" you take the right stand as regards the burdens for the extension of water mains at the expense of the consumers and the impositions hereto fore practiced thereby to the benefit of the empty lot speculators. In condemning the placing of the cost of mains on the general property tax do you not forget that the mains extended to the empty lot thereby raises its assessable value? And will it not be also true that the man with a lot on Washington street will pay as much as 1000 $200-lot men, without whom the Washington-street lot would be worth very little? Does not the valuable lot in the heart of the city owe something to the small home-owner, whore labors and very presence have made these values? Another reason why the opinion is growing that the general property tax' should pay for the mains is that big properties must have new mains laid within a few years in order adequately to protect skj-scrapers built on them, arid to supply them with water. The cheaper water is to the consumer, the more attractive the city is to the small home-builder, without whom the sky scraper would never rear its head. Since the valuable business block is made more valuable by the water mains, just as is the lot in the out skirts, why should it not pay in propor tion to its value for the mains which, like lights, police, schools, etc.. make Portland such a delightful place of residence? We are going to get after the spec ulator in idle land in another way that will not be so cumbersome as trying to make him pay for water ma,ins by the foot, regardless of the value of his property, a measure which hits the small home owner pretty hard In Se attle. Another advantage In favor of the general tax proposition Is the simplicity of its collection. It will wipe out a lot of useless expense attendant upon the present collection of revenues for the water department. ARTHUR BROCK. "S. O. S." Call at Sea. RANGE, Or., March 10. (To the Ed itor.) Please inform me through The Oregonian what "S. O. S." and "C. D. Q." stands for in wireless telegraphy. A SUBSCRIBER. Inquiries at various Federal and marine offices in this city show that the letters "S. O. S." and "C. D. Q." in wireless telegraphy are, in the Morse code, sent as calls for assistance at sea, and that the new "S. O. S." signal is preferred to the older one, as it Is ' the easier to send In dots and dashes. As to what the letters stand for, there Is dispute. . x- Tbe Barn Gallon. Farm and Home. The old form of milk measure viz., the barn gallon the use of which is now illegal. Is still retained in the Lon don trade, though, so far as the term is used in documents, to overcome the illegality it is expressed as "per lot of 17 pints." T .e barn gallon represents 17 pints of milk, or two gallons and one pint, and is a relic of the olden days when the dairyman thought it necessary to have an extra pint given in with two gallons from the farmers in order to counterbalance the small amount lost in measuring the milk out in small quantities -to his customers. Elgin Puts l"p Two Tickets. ELGIN, Or., March 13. (Special.) At a caucus held in the City Hall re cently two tickets were put in the field for next Tuesday's election. The ticket supporting the present adminis tration appears as the Citizens- ticket Those declaring that the prohibition law has been ignored by the present administration are down as the Citi zens' Independent. The Citizens" In dependent appears- to be the stronger faction. CXIRRENT NEWSPAPER GLEANINGS. Whv don-'t vou teach your son a lesson TnLUine him live without his allowance for T while'" -Goodness! I can't even make h"m live within Itl" Cleveland Leader. "Then you think that motormen are more cautious than chaffeurs?" "They have to be. They cant swerve If the pedestrian loses his head." Louisville Courier-Journal. Lord Fltznoodle (during the storm); Take heart caotaln! If necessary, we cabin pas ser. wVu raise a purse that will make It really worth your while to tave us! Puck. "Say old chap, lend me ten dollars." "My dear voting friend, don't you know that this eauerness -for money is very bad that money Is nothing, after all. but trouble?" Yes I know, but then it s my disposition to be borrowing trouble." Baltimore Amer ican. "If the comet hits the earth " began the apprehensive man. "I'm tired of hear ing about that." replied Mr. Growcher. "There couldn't be more extensive and use less conversation on that subject If the comet and the earth were professional pugilists." Washington Star. "It is not raining rain to me, it's raining violets." Quoted the young man with poetry In his soul. "It is not raining rain to me." replied, the man who found the cost of liv ing too high for comfort; "it's raining plumber's bills. The water backs up into my cellar every time we have a freshet." Chi cago Record-Herald.