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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 9, 1910)
to TnE 3IOKMXG OREGOXIAN, SATURDAY, APRIL ' 9, 1910. PORTLASB. OKECON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Poetrrf f loo as Cecocd-CtaBs Matter. ' Subscription Kates InTariab'r In Advance. (BT MAIL.) Ia!!y. Sunday Included, one year.. .$8.00 . 4 25 J'aiiy. bunday Included, six months... iJaily, Sunday Included, three months. . Dally, Sunday Included, one month.... laily. without Sunday, one year..,.. Iiaily. without Sunday, six months.... !&lly. without .Sunday, three months 3 " IJaily, without Sunday, one month..... Weekly, one year 1.50 Sunday, one year ,. 2.50 rur.day and weekly, ona year. 3.50 1B7 Carrier..) ra!!y. Sunday Included, ona year..... 9-0? Ijaiiy. Sunday Included, one mnth Howr to Keralt Send Postofflce money order, express order or persona check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. Give postofflce ad dress in full. Including county and state. Postage Kutes 10 to 14 pases, 1 cent; 16 to 2a peees. 2 cents: 30 to 40 panes, 3 cents; 40 to 60 pases, 4 cents. Foreign postage double rate. f. astern Business Office The S. C. 'FecVt with (Special Agency New York, rooms 4S R0 Tribune building. Chicago, rooms 510-512 Tribune building. POBTI.1XD, MTIRDAY, APRIL. 8. 1910. IJNES OF PARTY OBSCURE. Evidently political dissatisfaction I3 rife in many parts of the country. N'o special or even general reason can be assigned for it, since the country undoubtedly is enjoying a higher de gree of prosperity than at any former time in its history. But there is dis satisfaction all the same, and much actual discontent: and when such a state of mind exists the electors are very likely to strike at the party in power, whether they expect any change for the better from its defeat, or not. One" great cause is the disappear ance of all the great matters of con tention that have agitated the country and divided men into opposing parties these fifty years and more. There is no clear line of division on any main issue now, for there is no main issue; and in the absence of everything that compels attention and unites men in parlies, multitudes take up vagaries of their own and follow them. Petty questions, sido Issues, and personal likes and dislikes (chiefly dislikes) are brought forward, and each man in the pursuit of his desires or whims goes it alone, or combines -with others as whimsical as himself, yet having no common or definable purpose among them. But the citizen has a right to be as whimsical and vagarious as he pleases. Such excursions, in the ab sence of important objects In politics, are sure to occur. Till something Hhall again arise on which parties can divide, and men can combine in sup port or opposition, this sort of thing will continue: and our politics will be of the Tnost '"scattering" character. Tariff, with issue for or against pro tection, cannot become a party ques tion, f.r subject of party division on a national scale; because various sec tions of the country have irreconcil able differences. The interests of states and even of districts are unlike. This variance can still bo partly compro mised, as heretofore, but the result will be ns heretofore a stiffly protec tive tariff bill, framed by compromise to combine the protectionist majority In Congress. To make up this protec tionist majority there will be com bination of members, regardless of party designations, as heretofore; for many of the protectionist districts in the United States are fixedly Demo cratic, and many strong ' Repub lican districts contain an "insurgent" element that demands relaxation of the rigidity of the protectionist re gime. Hut there will be a protection ist majority in Congress, no matter what party shall be in nominal con trol. Change of parties in Congress will not, under present conditions, mean anything, thereforo it will simply be nominal. Kach of the parties will continue the play about the tariff and the trusts and the corporations. In terests of an Immense body of the members of each party are rooted in the existing industrial and financial regime; and there will be no great change, no matter which of them may be temporarily in the ascendant. The Republican party is falling to pieces because the Democratic party, practically dissolved, offers little op position. That is, the Democratic party no longer has a definite or de finable policy, and those who have hitherto supported Republican policy see no reason to maintain organization and effort against their old antagonist. The secret of party dissolution lies in this situation. Xo party can be main tained in strength and cohesion with out pressure from without. The bar rel falls to pieces when the hoops are removed. Now here, since men see there is nothing important, whfch requires adhesion to party, they begin to talk about trifling matters, each in his own way and in accord with his own notions. Critics of the exist ing regime spring up on every hand. It must not be mistaken for any de sire to return to the long-rejected poli cies of the Democratic party. Hut possibly the Democratic party again in 1912, as often heretofore, may announce some dangerous her esy, which will bring the scattering forces that hitherto have acted with the Republican party, together again, us with a clap of thunder. The ten dency of the great mass of the Demo cratic party is to run into the doc trines of Socialism, Such course on its part. In 1912, if manifest, will make a clean-cut issue again between property and business end the policy of upset and destruction. iOVtatN"5lKNT CKOr RETORT, The Government crop report which appeared yesterday showed a Winter wheat condition of SO.S per cent, com pared with on 82.2 per cent condition a year ago, and a ten-year average of 86.6 per cent. Deterioration which the riant has suffered since the appear ance of the December report is heavy. The crop was so promising at that time that It showed a condition of i'5.8 per cent, almost a record mark. Since the appearance of the Decem ber report, a deduction of about 2.5 00. 000 acres has been made for Winter and drought killed wheat, so that with the April condition 15 points lower than that of December, the present outlook hardly favors as large a crop as was harvested last year. It is still full early to bo regarding a light Win ter wheat crop as a signal for higher prices or even for a maintenance of present prices. There Is an immense acreage of Spring wheat and it is coming along under ideal conditions. The quantity of wheat produced foy tho United States was so greatly over estimated last year that it is difficult to determine, accurately iiow much of the crop will be carried over to help out on 1910 supplies, but it is un doubtedly much less than reported. In the three North Pacific states, the Government figures on the 1909 yield were more than 15,000,000 bushels in excess of the amount actually pro duced in the three states. Naturally we could not expect any such over estimation in other parts of the coun try or there would even now be a wheat famine In the United States. Viewed from any standpoint, how ever, the wheat situation presents so many perplexing features that it will be several months before it will be possible to estimate even approxi- i mately the amount that will be avail able when the old crop merges into the new. This uncertainty was amply iilustrated by the action of the Chi cago market immediately following the appearance of the report yester day. An advance of nearly two cents per bushel was followed by a decline of more than two cents, and a quick rebound of a cent. A hysterical mar ket of this kind would indicate that varied interpretations were being placed on the report. BASIS OF ASSEMBLY CALL Oh, yes! The people are fit to nom inate candidates for office; but one small faction will not offer candi dates that all the people or all the members of a party will support. Only through the representative system, expressing its purpose through assembly conference, or convention, can there be co-operation. No "straight democracy" ever has existed long. The representative system is the essential organ of democracy. Candidates who obtain in a primary a factional or fractional plurality never will be deemed entitled to the support of the entire party in whose names they appear; and in cases where there is any contest they never will get it. The opposition party will win. This has been tried out suffi ciently in Oregon. Conference, convention, assembly whatever you may call It Is, then, the only rational method. Consultation, in some degree, is necessary; some sort of conference, through which men who have common ideas and pur poses, may be enabled to talk together and to agree. Democracy is entitled to the service of its representative men. Each and every party is entitled to the service of its representative men. The great majority never will be content to accept as candidates men who nominate themselves.' get a fractional plurality and then demand the support of an entire party. The only way to reach the mind and will and purpose of the people or of a party is through the representa tive system. This fact is the basis of the assembly call. OXK MOTIC IX PORTLAXU. Advance sheets or the Construction News show Portland well" in the lead of all Coast ports in the percentage of gain in March building permits. The gain of 66 per cent in this city com pares with a gain of 49 per cent in Los Angeles and 4 9 per cent in Oak land. San Francisco led the Coast in decreases, , the March permits this year being 4 7 per cent less then those of a year ago, while Seattle was a close second with a decrease of 42 per cent. While the March clearings broke all previous records for the month, the business for the month of April prom ises to be much greater than for March. The fact that such an over whelming proportion of the permits issued are for residence structures, to gether with the continued scarcity of desirable residences, offers the best possible evidence of the record-breaking pace at which the population of the city is Increasing. PVBLIC SCHOOLS ANI THE SHOW BUSINESS. School Director Sabin takes not only the business man's view of the mat ter of permitting pupils of the public schools to take part in the Rose Fes tival parade, but the view of the con scientious teacher, the prudent educa tional manager and the more thought ful patrons of the schools. The ques tion was brought before the Board by Mr. Sabin, who expressed himself as opposed to it. He stated in expla nation of this position that it costs about $1000 an hour to operate the public schools of this city, and that to drill the children for the part that they will be asked to take will require three hours a week. This means $3000 of the taxpayers' money ex pended in a way not contemplated by the levy asked by the Board of Direc tors and allowed by voting taxpayers. This is an assessment of merely the financial loss or cost. Teachers, if their testimony were asked and they felt free to give it, could sum up other losses as vital and reaching much far ther than mere loss or subversion of money. In the first place, the school year, in June, will be drawing near its close. Teachers and pupils will have all that they can do profitably to cover the designated course of study without attempting anything outside of the le gitimate line of school work. Children would naturally give mental prece dence to the outside work, with Its drill and dash, its costuming and com petition. The meaning of this t teachers is apparent. Tired, as the closing work of the year presses upon them; anx ious to make the best possible show ing for the steadfast endeavor of months; in earnest sympathy with their pupils in the matter of passing grades and securing promotions, and desirous that these promotious shall be fairly and creditably earned, they can but view with apprehension and dismay the interruptions caused by special drills, the excitement and fa tigue of marching, and the distraction of thought that all of this imposes. The part taken by the children in the Rose Festival last year was a beauti ful feature of the exhibit. There is no question upon that point, but the wisdom of permitting It to be repeat ed, in view of the drawbacks above outlined, may well be questioned. Drilling the children half a day for three days of a school week, as esti mated by Director Sabin, would repre sent the diversion of $3000 from the educational fund provided by taxa tion from the schools to the benefit of the Rose Festival. As intimated, the loss in student proficiency and through the handicap placed upon the endeavor of teachers would be great though manifestly Incalculable. Let the schools do the work to which they are assigned. Charges are made on all hands that at best this work is not done with the thor oughness that the exigencies of prac tical life demand of grammar and high school graduates. The course of study Is long and exacting. Partly from outside diversions, such as exag gerated athletics, shows, plays, ama teur attempts at journalism, etc., that go. under the head of "student-body activities," It not infrequently becomes necessary, in order to "cover this course," to hurry over and slight some of its most important lessons. This is manifestly unjust to all concerned. If any pupils of the public schools wish to go into the show business af ter they finish the course, well and good. There are training schools for that specific purpose, to enter which they will need a thorough grounding in the work of the preparatory school. It may be fairly and gratefully as sumed, however, that a very small mi nority of the pupils of the public schools will take up the show busi ness for a vocation, and it is quite certain that any preparation that those who turn to this vocation receive in connection with or by neglecting their work while In attendance upon public schools will be valueless. RECORD COLOXIST MOVEJEEJiT. Chicago advices regarding the col onist movement state that travel to the Northwest on the Hill and Harrt man lines has been much greater this season than to California. This is partly the result of the very effective campaign made by the railroads, but to a greater extent it is due to the superior advantages which the Pacific Northwast can offer the settler. Cali fornia climate and fruit has been ad vertised so long and on such a stu pendous scale that It is perfectly nat ural that it should have attracted greater immigration than the north ern states, where the publicity move ment is comparatively new. This earlier Immigration was followed by higher prices for land and a corre spondingly poorer opportunity for the newcomer. In the Northwest there still remains vast tracts of all classes of land. Naturally the first settlers secured the best obtainable, but mod ern methods of farming have pro duced wonderful results on lands which twenty years ago were regarded as comparatively worthless. Ten and twenty-acre fruit and dairy farms now produce greater an nual returns than were formerly se cured from big wheat farms, and dry farming by scientific methods pro duces crops on lands which wre for merly considered worthless. Irriga tion is still in its infancy. The possi bilities of logged-over lands cannot easily be overestimated. There Is in the Pacific Northwest an immense area of all classes of lands. They pre sent opportunities for all of the home seekers that will come with the pres ent colonist movement and many oth ers which will follow it for years. Immense withdrawals for forest re serves and conservation purposes have somewhat lessened the amount of land that should be available for the new settlers, and prices may be slight ly higher than in the colder Canadian territory to which cheap acreage Is now attracting many American set tlers, but the superior climate and the certainty of crops will continue to make this state a very attractive place for homeseekers. ABOUT FK'STt-S. The Industrious New York Sun has gleaned from a speech of Mr. Kelfer, of Ohio, some ilotable information about our admirable pension system. It must be admirable, since, in recent years, fully one-fourth of the ordinary revenues of the United States Govern ment has gone to support it. Certain ly the people would not patiently per mit so much money to be spent for "a purpose which was not wholly excel lent. The most Interesting feature of our pension system is its faculty of self-perpetuation. When, the veterans perish they are succeeded by their widows. When Nature deprives us of the widows, there is still a generation of orphans, and long before they have been gathered to their fathers a fresh war provides a new enrollment of beneficiaries. We may truly say that the pensioner we have always with us, and it appears that Mr. Kiefer and his ilk believe that we could scarcely get along without them. Nothing so beautifully assists in the circulation of money as our pension system. Think of the millions it dis tributes every year where it will do the most good. In truth we may cry gratefully, "The more pensions the more prosperity," because no matter how dismally panicky the rest of us may be, the Nation's bounty to its saviors and their widows and descend ants flows on forever in a perennially refreshing stream. They never get panicky. Life is to them one long, unbroken dream of peace. How sweet it will be in that happy time when everybody gets a pension and nobody has to work! On the noble list there are now some 960,000 individuals. Of course, if it is a good thing for them to live on the Nation, it would be still better were there ninety millions doing the same thing. Then nobody would have to work. Then everybody's widow would be toovided for without bothering about life insurance and in vestments. Then nobody would have o teach . his child a trade. Trades are horrid things at best, and as for work, avaunt! Would one -might never hear of It again. May we all live to enjoy the blessed experience of drawing a pension and doing nothing else forever more. On the roll of the Nation's wards are numerous names of men who pos sess fortunes running Into the the mil lions. They draw sums ranging from $30 up to $200 or $300 a month. They do not need these petty benefactions, but why refuse them when they are offered by a grateful country? In some cases it would be hard to specify just what the country is grateful for. Still, abstract gratitude is a noble thing, and these men confer a favor upon our common country by permit ting her to be generous to them. How sad it would be were this glorious land ever to grow stingy, and we must not forget that the vice of stinginess is best warded off by practicing the vir tue of generosity. This virtue has the exceptional merit of toeing pleasant, especially when one can practice it, as Congress does, with other people's money. Some countries reward their faithful defenders with decorations such as the cross of the Legion of Honor and the ribbons of the various noble orders of Europe, but the United States can conceive of no reward for faithful service but money. Even when a man has so much that he can use no more, still we find it Impossi ble to express our gratitude to him ex cept in the language of dollars. It would seem to have been or ought to have been the business of Senators Bourne and Chamberlain, both residents of Portland, to know something about the bridge difficulties here. All the newspapers of the city, and all or most of the civic bodies, have been protesting and explaining for years, and urging that the rules be modified so as to allow passage for the people during rush hours. But it seems that the Senators, busied with great affairs in which, however, they bear no part at all), never have heard till now of this stress, at the bridges of Portland. "Why didn't you tell us?" they Inquire. Why don't they keep up some communication upon affairs of vital moment at home? Is it possible these men have never heard till now of this situation at Portland ? It might be useful, when they are here, which is but very rarely, to keep their eyes and ears open. It was The Oregonian's Washington correspon dent who brought to notice the missed opportunity which Senator Lodge had created, and opened the way to pos-' sible remedy. "Nobody told us be fore," is now the excuse. It had been open to them all the time to do the same thing that Senator Lodge finally did. It is the opinidn of The Oregonian that no public money ought to be spent for public music. It is the b -ginning of the return to the. old Ro man "Panem et circences" bread and amusements. The amusements now; the bread will be demanded later. To gratify the public desire the circus should include not only music, but the race course and sparring bouts. See how the world moves backward! Mighty good thing to allow those who want music to supply their own. "But other cities furnish public music." It is no argument. If one community is going wrong or lapsing into de generacy, why should another there fore? "If." said honest Fluellen. "the enemy Is an ass, a fool and a prating coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we should also, look you, be an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb? In your conscience, now?" There is just one practicable way to try to get rid of the crop of dan delions this Srping. Let a day, say Thursday next, before the things sprout bloom, be set aside as Dan delion day, and let every house holder, housewife, hired man and hired girl with shovel and trowel dig them and have them for dinner. Dan delion greens boiled with a bit of Ore gon bacon make an, excellent Spring tonic. In olden days, before high liv ing put them out of fashion, the dan delion and cowslip were good enough eating for anybody. Let diet hark back and show the younger genera tion one of the pleasures of plain living. Of course the roots will grow again, for, like the horseradish, they are a part of the scheme of nature, but there will be a check and some may die. Let us have a Dandelion Day. " Eugene and Corvallis, prohibition towns, are said by prohibition propa gandists to be making greater prog ress than other small -citites of the state. They are; but not because they are prohibition towns, but because the state Is throwing Into thei.i year by year enormous sums of money drawn by general taxation for support of the schools therein located. There is a newspaper at Portland that is always roaring against "the un earned increment," yet its alleged pro prietor Is a member of a syndicate that has bought for $200,000 a small piece of ground which is expected right soon to double in value. Well, and what of it? Only the humbug about the unearned increment. There Is no activity or push for the nomination at the primary for Gover nor of Oregon, among Republicans. No Republican believes that under the present system he could be elected. Possibly through assembly a man might be brought forward. But it is the. only chance. A New York fat woman died yes terday. She was four feet four inches high and the same dimension wide and weighed 700 pounds.. With that bulk for disease to prey on Job's rec ord of suffering is surpassed. Now why did not the local push clubs and commercial bodies notify Senator Bourne that they wanted something done about the bridge draws? Because, of course, they wanted something done. All the Pittsburg boodlers were nominated under the primary law sys tem. So, men and brethren, we are still some distance from ultimate of purity and reform. Congressman McCredie's wife is all right in wanting to be here for the opening game. May be the judge will not be homesick that afternoon. Eggs that have been in cold storage for a year will hereafter be barred from foreign or interstate commerce. Score again for the pure-food law. Governor Warner, of Michigan, fa vors use of Federal money to build good roads. Michigan makes many automobiles. The school board is right in oppos ing a parade of children. The reg ular work is enough for pupil and teacher. Yamhill banks are reported to be very prosperous. As a barometer of that county they could not be other wise. A Canby grower has shipped over 80,000 strawberry plants this Spring. It is the units that make for pros perity. The Northern Pacific wisely chose Kent for its big poultry farm, for Kent has the record for egg produc tion. Masked outlaws who robbed a Mil waukee conductor yesterday probably missed more by missing the porter. Let John Barrett arbitrate the Ecuadorean-Peruvian trouble. They should be in his family, anyhow. Mr. Beals can forecast and hind cast, but until he gets a tail hold on the comet the skies will weep. "Watch Pinchot Club" members would fit better In a Watch Pocket Club. Those who sleep late tomorrow will miss the comet. Mr. Heney saw Mr. Taft yesterday. Mr. Taft smiled. ASSEMBLY, OR GO-AS-TOl PLEASE t Beat Reason for the Assembly Is Found in the Opposition to It. Benton County Republican. That the Republicans of Oregon will hold an asembly there is no doubt at all; the effect the assembly will have on the party is a subject for specula tion. We may, as well assume that no matter what happens to the assembly nominees or recommendations. the party is dismembered, shattered and scattered all shot to pieces. There is neither head, tail nor middle to the Republican party in Oregon. Demo crats vote in its primaries, and Popu lists are elected to high office by its votes: its leaders cry follow," and the file run away; the nomination of a straight-out Republican for any po sition of consequence has been equiv alent to defeat; defection has followed disaffection, disaster followed disaster, and now the party will take counsel to determine whether it shall continue as a political organization or yield itself wholly to the guerrillas who are responsible for its plight. In the opposition to the assembly is found the best reason for holding the assembly. Democrats. Populists, poli tical pariahs and whatnots antj, non party freebooters are protesting loudly against it. Our perpetual candidates, who circulate petitions for their own nominations, and who knife the candi date who wins the nomination, are all opposed; the disreputables, whose names would be hooted in a party con vention, or assembly, and whose only hope of satisfying their unholy love for office is in party disorganization, are opposed; and the burden of the song of their opposition is that the as sembly would defeat the will of the people. But they do not explain how this would happen. With the assembly recommendations in the field, the peo ple will be as free as ever to choose the political nondescripts and what nots. The assembly may suggest can didates, but it cannot elect them. Nor can it, nor will it seek to. prevent anyone or everyone from running in opposition to the men it suggests for office. How, then, can the assembly defeat the will of the people by meet ing, canvassing the merits of men for office, and suggesting them as the can didate, who, in its judgment, would give the people the best service? What is left of the Republican party In Oregon will seek to learn through the assembly if the Republicans of Oregon wish to be served by officials who stand on a party platform, and who have a proper sense of obligation to party and people instead of by men who owe no allegiance to neither peo ple nor party. This- assembly will state its platform, and suggest candi dates; If the people do not accept the platform and refuse to nominate the candidates sugested, it will be noticed that the Republicans of Oregon pre fer Democrats, Vopulists and what-nots to the pa.rty nominees. THE PROPOSED "CABINET." The New Proposition to Revolutionize the State Government. Douglas Leader. The proposed law gives the Governor of the state the absolute power to appoint every state official to position and call them his "cabinet." The Kaiser of Ger many or the Czar of Russia, would have no more power than would the Governor of Oregon if this proposition be adopted, nor could any law Incorporated within the covers of the statutes of the state be more In conflict with the idea and spirit it our form of republican government. Nothing is attempted without a motive, is a safe assertion, but what U'Ren's mo tive may be is difficult to fathom unless he is providing for a possible unprobabil. ity. He has read at least a portion of the political history of Oregon. From his study he has learned that Governors have been elected who did not carry into of fice with them men of their own political faith for the position of Attorney-General, Secretary of State, Treasurer and Superintendent of Public Instruction. It Is possible that U'Ren is foolish enough to believe this may happen to hirn as it has to others, and he wants a law that will insure him a "cabinet" of his own way of thinking in that event. No one can tell what improbable ideas will float through the mind of such an impractic able and revolutionary man as the au thor of the proposed law shows himself to be. The assumption he has shown in drafting these proposed laws demon strates that he places great value upon the few mental-qualities he possesses, and as usually is the case, he little values the thinking qualities of others. He may possibly think the voters of Oregon are a set of fools, and may some day elect him Governor. This thought will become a certainty with him if the voters of the state indorse his "cabinet" measure. Pence-fill End of a Great Wnr. PORTLAND, April 8. (To the Edi tor.) As you are getting a good deal of fun out of the war which is not to be between Peru and Ecuador, may I be permitted to contribute an item of what occurred the last time I visited that region? There had been a disturbance on the Guayaquil Itlver and Peru had sent a regiment into Guayaquil. The trouble being settled without blows, a grand review of trops took place, in which the two armies marched before the Peruvian general and the Eruadorean President. As the regiments passed, the President said to the Peruvian general: "Now, my General, observe this troop, they are like crocodiles, their teeth are terrible"; of another, "Ah, General, these men have teeth like tigers, they would have torn your men to shreds; and these, why. General, these men have the teeth of lions and their strength." Then came the Peruvian troops, for whom their general made no claim. But the President of Ecuador expected it, and asked what were the fighting qualities of his men. "Oh," said the Peruvian, "my men are all dentists." And so the war ended. ALFRED F. SEARS. World Greatest Lumber Port. Christian Science Monitor. Portland, Or., now lays bold claim to the record for shipping more large lum ber cargoes than any other port- Fifteen years ago Portland's lumber shipping busi ness was comparatively insignificant; 12 years ago the first l,000,(K)0-foot cargo went out of the river. In a single month of this year the lumber exporters of Port land sent out over 14,000.000 feet, and the exports for every month of the year will probably average more than this. In the meantime, it appears, Fuget Sound ports have been declining in respect to lumber shipments. The supply of timber imme diately available to these ports has been greatly reduced. To obtain the supply now necessitates going farther into the woods, and under the changed conditions the neglected timber districts of the Co lumbia River have been thrown open to the lumberman. The Columbia territory is tributary, of course, to Portland, and the trade which has grown out of the opening of the new lumber fields has given the prestige claimed to that port- Will Regulate Thin.. Philadelphia Inquirer. It appears that Colonel Roosevelt is much disturbed over the nature-faking on the Egyptian monuments. There is a human being with a bird's head, and another with a. cow's. He will regu late this at once. J ELECTRIFY FOURTH, IS PLAN Southern Pacifc Company See Way Out of Controversy. Construction and operation of an elec tric road by way of Fourth street to some suburban destination not yet named has been planned by the Southern Pacific Company, which will ask the city to compromise the legal controversy con cerning the franchise on that street on the basis of the proposed new road. This compromise, if agreed to by the city, would mean the removal of the steam trains from Fourth street, without appealing the case just decided against the company, ordering it to take trains from the street. It is held by W. D. Fenton, one of the attorneys for the railroad company, that I the decision of the Federal Court sim I Ply gives the city the right to dictate concerning the kind of traffic to be con ' ducted on the street, and does not take i from the company its railroad franchise. Thus, according to a statement he made yesterday, it is hoped by the company that the city can be induced to compro mise the matter by permitting the elec trification of the road. .As soon as the Southern Pacific Com pany can complete its bridge at Oswego, its West Side trains can be taken from Fourth street and the company will suf fer no inconvenience as & result. High water in the river has been hin dering the construction of this bridge, but it is believed that it will be com pleted by September 1. If the city will consent to the proposed compromise, the work of electrifying Fourth street will follow Immediately upon the completion of the Oswego bridge. "In a few days," said Mr. Fenton yes terday, "we will be prepared to present our plans to the City Attorney and the members of the City Council. In addi tion to asking for the right to place elec tric cars on Fourth street, we will ask the city to grant us the right to run steam trains over the road when an emergency exists, such as would be the case if the Oswego bridge should be im paired and out of commission. "As yet our plans regarding a suburban electric road are Indefinite. These will be completed after the right of putting electric cars on Fourth street is gained from the city, as I -feel will be the case." The Southern Pacific Company already has under process of development a wa ter power plant, on the Upper Clackamas River, which would be utilized in the operation of the proposed new electric road. But we would not have to wait until that plant is completed to get electricity to operate an ele-ctric road," explained. Mr. Fenton yesterday. J. P. O'Brien, vice-president and gen eral manager of the Harriman lines in Oregon, returned last night from a trip over the Southern Pacific line between Portland and the California state line. Mr. Fenton stated yesterday that the work of preparing the proposed compro mise with the city regarding the use of Fourth street had been delayed to await Mr. O'Brien's return. Ten Ballast Cars Ordered. Increased construction work to be carried on this year by the Portland Railway. Light & Power Company has caused the company to place an order for ten additional ballast cars, which it is expected will be delivered in 30 days. The new cars were ordered from Detroit, a"nd will have a capacity of 40 tons each. The company already has 17 ballast cars, but there were not enough to meet the requirements for this season. N. P. Issues Booklet. Resources of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho are tastefully set forth in a neatly printed book just issued by the Northern Pacific Railway. The book is appropriately illustrated, and has 64 pages in addition to a fold ed map of the United States. Every phase of climatic and industrial con ditions of the section treated are care fully set forth. The booklet will be distributed throughout the East. Railroad Personals. M. J. Buckley, general superintendent of the Harriman lines in Oregon, has gone for a trip of inspection of the Wash ington division of the O. R. & N. He is expected to return to Portland Monday. F. F.' Barbour, assistant to the presi dent of the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company, has gone on a business trip to New York and Boston. He will be gone a month. OREGON CALLS FOR BUILDINGS Hawley and Ellis Put Forward Claims of Several Cities. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington. April 8. Representatives El lis and Hawley today appeared be fore the public buildings com mittee to urge appropriations for Oregon. Ellis recommended an appro priation for Portland and The Dalles, and Hawley put forward the claims of Medford, Oregon City, Roseburg and Corvallis. The committee tated it would not in the bill to be reported authorize buildings and sites for the same cities. Where the Government has sites, buildings will be provided, but In other cities nothing but sites will be provided. Under this ruling. Oregon can expect nothing but sites, and not all cities on the list will be cared for. ' The committee Is puzzled over the situation at Portland. It is inclined to favor the erection of a large build ing on the site of the present postofflce which will occupy an entire block and accommodate not only the postofflce and courts, but all other Federal offices, which now occupy rented quarters. The bill which Bourne put through the Senate authorized tne purchase of a new site and the erec tion of a two-story building exclusive-' ly for the postofflce. This bill Is net In favor with the House committee. No action was taken on any of the Ore gon propositions. Mrs. Upmeyer Elected President. ALBANY, Or., April 8. (Special.). Mrs. E. E. Upmeyer, of Harrlsburg, was re-elected president of the Wom en's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Church of the Eugene dis trict and other officers were chosen as follows in the election this afternoon: Recording secretary, Mrs. W. M. Ersklne, of Halsey; corresponding sec retary, Mrs. E. K. Barnes, of Cottage Grove; treasurer, Mrs. Groves, of Cor vallis; secretary of young people's work, Mrs. Oscar Gorrell, of Eugene; secretary of children's work, Mrs. Stratton, of Brownsville. The closing session tonight was marked by ad dresses by Mrs. J. T. Abbett, of Port land, and Miss Lilly, a missionary from Singapore. Athena- Pioneer Laid to Rest. ATHENA, Or., April 8. (Special.) Alexander McKenzie, an Oregon pio neer, was burled here today from the Christian Church. Rev. A. McKenzie Meldrum preaching the sermon. The funeral was conducted under the aus picies of the Masonic lodge, of which Mr. McKenzie was a member. Pioneer Passes Away. WHITE SALMON, Wash., April 8. (Special.) W. B. Jones, who came into the White Salmon Valley 25 years ago, died yesterday, aged 70 years. The body was followed to Odd Fellows' Cemetery by a large procession of friends. WOMAN IS FIGURE IX DEAL Mrs. Bernard Bartel Receives $21, 00 0 as Price of Lot. The majority of trading in inside real estate continues in the section south of Morrison street, a number of important deals having been made in that section. One deal was the purchase of a single lot located on the south side of Salmon street 100 feet , west of West Park street. This was bought by Morris Marks, a local real estate investor, from Mrs. Bernard Bartell for 21.000. The lot is occupied by two houses bring, ing In a rental of $S5 a month. Mr. Marks will hold the property as an invest ment. Another property purchased direct by Morris Marks from Mrs. Bernard Bartell is a fractional piece, 60x76 feet at the northeast corner of Eleventh and Mill streets. This property was purchased for $12,500. It is occupied by a good 10 room house yielding an income of $76 a month. Mr. Marks bought the corner as an Investment. Mr. Marks has also prac tically completed the resale of the prop erty. 150x100 feet at the southest corner of Eleventh and Mill streets, which he bought on Monday for $30,000. The name of the purchaser and the purchase price has been withheld. Another sale which has been completed in the southerly district is for a lot at the southwest corner of Montgomery and Eleventh streets. This was bought by Lena Rivears from Mrs. John Bowman for $13,500. It is occupied by two houses bringing In $42.50 monthly rental. The location was bought as an investment. Vanduyn & Walton negotiated the sale. The same firm announces the sale of a quarter block, 100x100 feet, at the north east corner of Twelfth vand Harrison streets from the German-American Bank to an unnamed purchaser for $21,000. On It Is located a house. Another sale Is reported on West Park which illustrates the steady Increase of values along the parked streets. This la a sale of a single lot at the southwest corner of West Park and Jackson streets, which iwas bought by A. W. 6chmale from W. F. G. Thatcher for $14,500. The deal was made by Vanduyn & Walton. Mr. Schmale bought the property as an in vestment. The history of this one lot has been typical. Late In December it was sold by the Turner Estate, which had owned It for many years, to the Beacon Invest ment Company for $9500. A few weeks later, in early January, the Beacon In vestment Company sold the corner to M. M. Crtssell for $11,000, making a profll of $1500 on the lot. Again, within four weeks, Mr. Crtssell sold the lot to W. F. G. Thacher for $12. 500. he also clearing $1500 on the handling of the property, and now Professor Thatcher has sold at a profit of $3000 after an interval of but a few weeks. The corner is regarded as a good apart ment site, but now yields only a nominal rental. All these sales were negotiated by "Vanduyn ec Walton. , PERMITS NEAR RECORD MARK Courthouse and Chamber of Com merce Permits Filed. Two building permits were issued from the office of the building inspec tor yesterday which brought the total for the day to $283,397, and which will go far toward giving the present montli a record somewhere equal to thai established In April. 1909, when a marl of over $1,600,000 was set. These twe permits were for the county court house and for the addition of twe stories to the Chamber of Commcrci building. The permit for the courthouse is foi $111,547, which is the contract pr'ct for the four-story steel building now under construction on Fourth street, between Salmon and Main streets. R, G. Lundstrum, the contractor, took oul the permit. The second large permit came lat In the day and was for $150,000. The permit was issued to the contractors, the Seattle Dock Company, and Is foi the addition of the two stories on the eight-story Chamber of Commerce building on Stark street, between Third and Fourth street. This work will be done quickly, all material hav ing been assembled. It Is said by David Williams, the architect, that the tenants on even the eighth floor ot the structure will not be disturbed by 'the extensive operations going on overhead. NEW HOMES SWELL FIGURES Record for March, 1909, Was Be low Average, 1010 Far Above. Portland's remarkable increase in building operations for the month ot March as compared with the same month in 1909 was not the result of any one or number of large buildings being erected, but resulted from a steady demand for permits by homebuildera all over the city. Another factor In the increase of 66 per cent is that while the March. 1910, record was far over the average of 1909. the record for the preceding March had been much below the average. In the same way Portland will have to show a remarkable advantage over the average of 1909 to increase the April, 1909, record, as that month, with permits amounting to over $1,600,000. was $500,000 over the monthly average for the year. Thus far, however, the building move ment has been so strong that there have already been issued $536,712 in permits for the first seven days of the month, a rate which, if adhered to throughout the month, will establish the largest building record in the history of Portland, and will place Portland forward with a build ing record of nearly $2,000,000 for a singU month. O. A. C. Chooses Annual Play. OREGON AGRICULTURAL COL LEGE, Corvallis, April 8. (Special.) The senior class has chosen Harold Mc Grath's comedy, "The Man on the Box," for the annual commencement-week play. The oast has been selected and the mem bers are already at work with their lines. The cast of characters is as follows: Robert Worburton, the Man on the Box, W. F. Stratton; Charles Henderson, a Journ alist, M. R. Cox; Colonel Anne&sly. F. B. Ewart; Betty Annessly. his daughter, Hed wig Blees;; Count Klarlotf, of the Russian Diplomatic Corps, C. P. Richards; Judfti watts, of tne .police court, j. b Kettles; Mrs. Conway, a society woman, Esther Leech; Nancy Worburton. Minnie Dlven; Pierre, a French chef, I. Province; CorA, a French maid, Grace Bath; Clerk of tho Court, H. J. Evans: Officer O'Brien, E. E. Carroll; Officer Cassidy. r. M. Rowe; Wil liam, a stable boy, u. E. Brown. Lees Than $10,000 Delinquent. ASTORIA, Or., April 8. (Special.) Us to last Monday evening, when the time for paying the first half of taxes ex. plred, $284,504.11 had been collected on the 1910 tax roll and turned over to the Treasurer. Rebates amounting to $7633.44 were allowed on taxes paid prior to March 15. making a total of $292,137.65 that the original roll of $334,084.04 had been re duced, and leaving $41,046.49 still to be collected. Of the latter amount consid erably over $30,000 consists of the second half of taxes, so that less than $10,000 of the outstanding taxes can now be con sidered delinquent. Dumping Ground Leased. VANCOUVER, Wash., April 8. (Spe cial.) An acre of ground will be rented for $100 a year by the city from Hidden Bros., and It will be used as a dumping ground. The land lies within the city limits, near the Columbia River., -