Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 1911)
TTTE SIORXIXG OREGONTAJT, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1911. 12 (Hie (Drjrmtnn rOBTLAKD, OREGON. Enrere-l at Portland. Orasoa, Pos'-oUlce as f -r.cd-.leae Matter. . aubecripttea Rates Invariably la ilftiw. tat:y, nadav Included, ona year .-V? Sunday Included, aia months... I'ai:y, Sunday Ineludad. thraa months.. - fcaady Included, on moalB.... -' 00 lay. wttnout s-inday. aix tnoniha .... la..r. wttlwiil Suaday, tfcraa montna. I ai.y. without fcuoday. aa moatn..... Wt:y, aaa yaar vadr. ana yar iwday a4 Waakly. an yaar mr rlRRIKR.1 S.t Twiiv Ian . v ia-lndaL aaa yaar...... ?? la: r. Suaday Included, ana month Haw ta Baanlt an4 poatolT.ee monare r. arpraaa ardar ar paraaaal enaek local bank. Ctaispa. oola or corrajurT axa at iha aadr- riaa. Oia poatoftica adOraaa is f j:l. lacludmc county and atata. Poatajra tiln lit to 14 Baa-aa. 1 Cant: 2 i utait) naaaa. casta O te paf aa. 4 casta. Foaatsa poata, Aon Me. rata . .atra Buatnaaa CHTWa VTT Conk Da ."-.w Torn, lirunavlc bufidin. Cnica- ao, St-aae baidm. Eargp.aa OCWa No. Rae-enl atraaC. VT Loo Jon. fOKTLAXD. TTODAT. PEG B, 1U- GRAHAM SIIOtXD BE XTCKBAKXIX On on thine Republican loaders In OmneH should Insist In the Interest of truth and fairness. It Is the contln vance of the investigation of the Con troller Bay scandal. For there to Controller Bar scandal. Chairman Graham, of the House committee to which was Intrusted the Investigation cf the subject, endeavored to make It airoear that the scandal was In aid s-tven by the Government to the crea tlon of a monopoly of the waterfront of Controller Bay. Instead, the ecandsl proved to be In the forgery of evi dence that such aid had been given. Hsd Mr. Graham been a consistent. unprejudiced investigator, he would have pushed his inquiry until he had uncovered the forger and the circu lator of the forgery and brought them to Justice. He would have taken his committee to Alaska to see for Itself what was the effect of the Ryan filings of claims on the Controller Bay waterfront. He promised to assemble his com mittee in October and complete the inquiry, but broke his promise. He now says with audacious mendacity that the Government has changed Its policy to conform with that of himself and PInchot. and that therefore there Is no occasion to continue the Inquiry. He wishes to stop the Inquiry "be cause Its prosecution would show the cloee connection with the forgery of the Washington correspondent of the Portland Journal, In which it was first published: because that correspondent, after visiting Controller Bay, has pub lished statements about Its character as a harbor which are directly contra. dieted by Mr. Fisher's recital of his own personal observation, by Glfford Flnchot's own observations and by those of every other man having per eonal knowledge of the subject. The correspondent's statements are to tallv discredited In the eyes of the public and even of the prejudiced Mr. Graham. He wishes to drop the inquiry be cause it has been proved that the Guggenhelms. so far from seeking a monopoly of Controller Bay, have abandoned it aa a harbor after spend ing $1,500,000 in trying to make it one; that the Ryan filings do not give a monopoly of the waterfront, but cover only small tracts in miles of shore-line; that a railroad from Con troller Bay to the Bering coal field would not have a monopoly, because that field Is equally accessible from Cordova, a much better harbor, by means of a branch of the Copper River Railroad: that the Bering coal field is far Inferior to the Matanuska field; and finally that the Controller Bay waterfront is not worth stealing any how. Driven into a corner by this mass of incontrovertible facts and afraid to continue the inquiry, Mr. Graham would drop the Inquiry and excuses the act by the astounding false hood that the Administration has come around to his and I'lnchot's and La Follette's view of the Alaska affair. Mr. Fisher renews Mr. Balllnger's recommendation that coal land be leased, so there Is no reversal of policy there. He pro poses the purchase and extension by the Government of the Alaska Central Railroad only If private interests do not care to undertake the task, but the Graham report quotes him as rec ommending the construction and op eration of a railroad by the Govern ment without qualification. He pro poses that this railroad be built to the Matanuska field, but the Graham re port leaves it to be Inferred that the Bering field is Its objective point, though they are 100 miles apart. Mr. Fisher proposes the development of Government coal mine and the con struction of naval coal docks at Sew ard for the supply of the Navy only, but Mr. Graham implies that Mr. Fisher 'would have the Government mine coal .for private consumption In competition with private Individuals. He says that Mr. Fisher's plan Is In line with the La Folletta resolution providing for "Government ownership and operation of railroads, docks, wharves and terminals and for the leasing and operation of mines," etc. It is not. as the above plainly show. There Is occasion here for the Re publicans to muckrake the muckrak ers. They should force Graham, to drag the Dlck-to-Dlck forger Into the light of day and to confess the truth about Controller Bay and the Government's Alaska policy. yox-tN Tm i ajuTwvy tx Mexico wis est. In no instance Is the wise modera tion and self-restraint of President Taft shown to better advantage than In his handling of the Mexican diffi culty. The message on foreign rela tions sent to Congress confirms the statements mads at the time In the press dispatches that the troops were sent to the border In consequence of statements by Ambassador Wilson that the whole Mexican republic was teething with revolt against Dlas and that the 40,000 American residents and large American Investments were in danger. L'nder these circumstances the President decided not to Intervene, but to be ready to Intervene In case Con gress should so direct, and In the meantime to patrol the border most thoroughly, both to enforce neutrality and for the moral effect it would have on the element that might design attacks on Americana and their property. At the same time he took advantage of the emergency to make the mobilization of troops a first-class training for the Army, and he calmed the natural fears of Mexico by allowing this to be represented at first as -the main purpose of the mov. ment and by assuring Dlas that no in vision of Mexican soil was content plated. How well he accomplished his pur pose is shown ty Mr. Wilson's dispatch of April S. 1911. saying "that our mm tary dispositions on the frontier have produced an effective impression on the Mexican mind, and may. at any moment, prove to he the only guaran tees for the safety of our citizens and their property." At no time was his self-restraint more clearly shown than when the Governor of Arizona appealed to him. after the shooting of Americans by stray bullets at Agua Prteta, to take radical measures for the protection of Douglas. He in formed the Governor that. If he were to send troops across the border, he might only cause greater bloodshed and Inflame the Mexicans against the thousands of American residents in Mexico. Had the President delayed the movement of troops until after the battles on the border. It would have been Interpreted as an aggressive step, while their presence and careful abstinence from Interfering in those battles demonstrated that we had force at hand, but were unwilling to Use It. The result has been to Increase the friendly feeling of both parties in Mexico. The recent arrest of Reyes and his partisans for plotting against Madero on American soil has served to convince Mexico that we are ready to enforce neutrality with strict impartiality. A less cool-headed man than Taft might easily have yielded to lndlgna. tlon at the shooting of Americans at Douglas and El Paso and Involved us In war, whereby we had nothing to gain and everything to lose. But the President preserved the peace, safe guarded American Interests in Mexico and cemented our friendship with our turbulent neighbor. A GREAT M19SIOX FOR DARROW. A distinguished attorney of Oregon told the Multnomah Bar Association recently that a lawyer should not de fend a client whom he knew to be guilty. But no lawyer Is employed by any malefactor to expose the trutn to the court: and it Is rare tnat any law. yer falls to make a vigorous fight for a client, without regard to the facts of his guilt or Innocence. The effort of lawyers to score triumphs over the law and Justice Is the scandal of the age. But there are lawyers who Insist on the truth though the heavens fall. Take Darrow. We are led to believe that Darrow nersuaded the McNa maras to plead guilty after he had learned that they were guilty. The attorney was In a difficult position, to be sure, but his duty to society was paramount to his obligations to his ell ents and he surrendered them to Jus tice. It would appear that Mr. Darrow ought once more to get into touch with Mover. Pettlbone and Haywood. He was the attorney for Haywood and others in the sensational Steunenberg trials. Who killed Steunenberg? Un doubtedly Mr. Darrow is the man to reopen that painful episode for the purpose of developing the ' truth and bringing the penitent murderers to the mourners' bench of the law. WHAT MIKDER STATISTICS MKAX The Oregonlan has received a long communication one too long to pub llsh In reply to an article printed on this page in which the comments of Carl Snyder on punishment of' crimi nals were discussed. This letter-writer reveals what Is either pronounced Ig norance of procedure in criminal trials or a lamentable lack of arithmetical training. The communication arouses the thought that possibly others have reached an opinion adverse to capital punishment by a course of false rea- soning or by building on false prem- ses similar to those adopted by this correspondent. For this reason his comments will be briefly discussed. He says: Ton nuota Carl 8nvdr aa aaytnc In Col- lar'a that If tna murderer la brought to rial "tha chincrfl are 1ttr tnan ten to ona that na a III m na acnt io tna peni tentiary and tha chances are better than eight v to one that be will never be exe. eiite.!'.'' Really, now. aa a matter of aafety. wouldn't It be better to have nine mur-d-rera loose In tha community than serenty- ntne? As heretofore indicated, we are In doubt whether the propounder of the foregoing logic does not understand ratio and proportion or has never read the reports of or -attended a murder trial. The correspondent is arguing against capital punishment. He seems to hold the false belief that In a state where capital punishment is enforced every murderer brought to trial must be hanged or go free, that in such state the convictions are one in eighty; that In states where life im prisonment is the extreme penalty the convictions are one in ten. Either he believes that or figures make him dizzy. Hanging is prescribed In most states punishment for murder In the first degree premeditated murder. In some states the Jury may fix the pen alty, in the event of a verdict of pre meditated - murder, at death or life Imprisonment. In other states the trial Judge may impose either penalty. In still other states, as in Oregon, neither Judge nor Jury has any dls cretltlon once the maximum verdict found. Tet under each plan the ury Is not limited to a verdict of mur. der In the first degree or on of not guilty. There are three classifications of murder usually, and the Jury may convict of either degree. For two lesser degrees imprisonment only is provided. Mr. Snyder did not say that "when brought to trial in a state where the death penalty Is Imposed the murderer has seventy-nine chances In eighty of going free. The chances are better than eighty to one that he will not be executed. If he escape death he must still run the chances of going to prison, and they are ten to one In his favor. Were eighty men tried for murders In a state where capital pun ishment Is imposed, -the approximate expectation would be that one would hang and eight go to prison. By no sensible construction can a comparison of the tendencies of Juries to acquit In states having capital punishment and states not imposing the death penalty be read into The Oregonlan's quotation from Mr. Snyder's article. In prefacing his letter the writer says. "We'll try not to 'drool,' though that is not a hopeless symptom since the babe does that but grows out of that stage to the maturity and wis dom of a sage." We admit the apt ness of the figure of speech, but sug gest that the author, whose emana tions we have discussed, regardless of his good Intentions is not safe without his bib. The recent edicts of the Regent of China betray a marked difference be- ween the Manchus and the Chinese. The Chinese have a reputation for stolidity and repression of their emo tions except on such occasions as the Chinese New Tear or a gambling raid, but the Manchus appear to be sensi tive and emotional in the extreme. Their edicts are tearful and abound with confessions of their shortcom ings and remorse for their misdeeds. A Manchu edict nowadays reads like an experience delivered by a penitent sinner at a revival meeting. AMAZIXG REVERHAIA The Oregonlan prints with satisfac tion a letter from a subscriber at Sa lem who calls attention to a recent amendment of our constitution. It re lates to the elimination of technicali ties from criminal trials. In view of Supreme Court decisions to the effect that a leather' strap was not a whip and that a man. who had stolen a cow must be released because It was only proved that he had stolen a heifer, the people of Oregon have adopted an amendment which provides that in general appeals shall not upset Judg ments of the lower courts on mere technicalities. The Judgment must be affirmed in spite of errors at the trial If the Supreme Court Is of the opinion that, upon the whole, it was right and proper. Under this amendment proof that a man had actually stolen a heifer would send him to prison even If the Indict ment said he had stolen a cow because It would be simple Justice to shut him up. Theoretically, Justice has always been the aim of the courts, but in prac tlce so many precedents and rules of evidence and logical formulas and ceremonial pleas and other rubbish of the same kind have accumulated that Justice Is often forgotten In the game of dialectics. No doubt the amendment which our correspondent quotes will do much toward reforming these undesirable practices, but we should not be sur prised If It failed to meet all the ex pectations which It has set going. Con. slituUons. like the statutes, are but words, and they have no effective meaning except as .lt is given to them by the decisions of Judges. No doubt it Is an excellent thing to set down black and white exactly what shall and shall not be done In the way of affirm ing Judgments, but it should not be forgotten that no Judgment will be af firmed which the higher court does not approve. When the Judges wish to or der a reversal they will find sufficient reason for it. whatever the constitution may say. Perhaps our best hope' of improve ment In the administration of the criminal law Is grounded upon quickened conscience In Judges rather than upon more legislation. DXyJUOTK OB THE LAW? The pleasantly argumentative letter from "A Union Man" which The Ore gonlan prints today might usefully serve as a model to many who under take to discuss current events and con ditions in the world of otganlzed labor, Although the letter fails to answer the main points in the editorial to which it refers, still it is temperate in ex presston and most of the facts which it advances will readily be admitted by candid readers. We are particularly willing to concede all and more than all that our correspondent clairffs for the unions in the field of hygienic en deavor. The world acknowledges its obligation for what they have done to procure healthful conditions in fac torles, for the abridgment of child labor and the abatement of distressful Impositions upon toiling men and women. It Is for the benefit of the whole. human race that fathers and mothers of families should not be compelled to labor beyond their strength under vile conditions, and in so far as the unions have won victories in this direction not only this genera' tlon, but all future generations owe them a debt of gratitude. Were their efforts limited to achievements of this kind, we do not believe -that many foes could be recruited against them in Christian communities. We are convinced that upon the whole the activities of the labor unions have been directed to objects which are praiseworthy and we desired to give no other lmpsesslon in the edi torial which has moved our corre spondent to write his very interesting letter. But It can hardly be denied that some discreditable deeds have been done during strikes and in other times of excitement. The boycott is not a practice of which-intelligent men ought to feel proud. Nor Is the hostility to the courts which appear now and then in the ranks of union labor altogether commendable, though no doubt there are occasional excuses for It. But let these things pass. In asmuch as they arise from the pressure of untoward conditions, no doubt the Improvement of conditions will rem edy them. We cannot persuade our selves that with the ballot open to them as a remedy for their ills labor ing men will always look upon strikes as a cure-all, and If strikes are once forsworn the bitterness and violence which flow from them will of course disappear. These things are not fundamental. What Is fundamental is the general attitude of organized labor toward civilization and the Institutions which make society possible. Our criticism was that during the train of events which culminated in the McNamara confession the unions had not made H clear whether they stood for dyna mite or for peaceable appeals to the Intelligent conscience of the world. We did not accuse the unions of con tributing funds to the McNamara cam paign of dynamite. Our correspondent spends some time in repelling this charge and his efforts are certainly well directed If anybody has made It, but we did nothing of the sort. Again he takes some pains to show that union labor cannot Justly be held re- ponsible aa a whole for the acts of Isolated Individuals. We made no at tempt to hold it responsible In any such manner, for to do so would clear ly be Irrational and wrong. Our point was, not tnat organized laDor was hargeable with any acts of specific guilt, but that It had left society In the dark as to its sympathies and tend encies. During the trial at Ixs An geles did It sympathize with dynamite or with the law? In the future what stand will It take, not merely ostensi bly, but in heart and soul, upon the subject of violence, or of "direct ac tion," as It is euphemistically called? The country does not at present know what to think about these matters. It la In the dark, and for that reason, as we said before, it is suspicious and crit ically anxious. Now let us return for a moment to our correspondent's remark that the act of Judas did not place all the dis ciples upon the defensive, that murder by one member of the Manufacturers' Association .does not Incriminate all the members, and, perhaps, that one wicked church member does not color the whole cause of religion with his blackness. Of course all this depends. The guilt may remain individual or it may spread over an entire organiza tion. Had the disciples in their secret hearts commended Judas' betrayal of the Savior and contributed funds to bribe the gospel writers to dissemble It, then In our modest opinion they would all have been as guilty as he was, even though-they took no actual hand In his deed. Nobody suspects them of this, but they did forsake the Lord in his time of trial and they have not escaped blame for It. In emergencies something more than cold indifference or cowardly withdrawal is expected of men who stand for a cause. They must come to the front and show their hands unmls- lalral.hr w. V. mnvlrl will .rtllflfn tVlAlvl conduct to their discredit. It can hardly be said that during the Mc Namara trial the labor unions were indifferent. Large contributions went into the defense fund. Great 'pro test meetings" were held, at which the tone of the speeches was that inno cent men were being sacrificed to bol ster up capitalistic domination. It may be said that the McNamaras were entitled to the presumption of. inno cence, and so they were. But. on the other hand, the court was entitled, to the presumption of fairness, and whii It was proper enough to raise a defense fund, it was to the last degree Im proper to assume that the defendants would be executed in spite of their In nocence. The labor unions have come to be a weighty factor in civilization. With their large membership and lmportan means of influence the stand they take on public questions Is of vital moment. Being at the same time powerful, en ergetlc and conspicuous, influencing legislation as they do and molding many institutions to suit their Inter ests, they cannot expect that their con, duct will escape close and critical ob servation, and when that conduct seems to threaten the moral basis upon which everything worth having Is built they must not complain If the world shows deep concern. It is probably incorrect to say that the splendor of King George's visit to India Is pure waste. Part of It is re trieved by the pleasure It imparts to the spectators. Many of the Princes who shine at the Durbar will have spent the substance of entire provinces on their Jewels and horses. Every diamond that glitters will stand for a human eye dimmed by hunger. But very likely if there were no Durbar the wealth would be wasted in other ways. The purpose of the King's visit is to fill the Imaginations of the East with the power of the West. "Within a few decades the East is quite likely to feel 4ts own power and then such visits will cease. Instead of conserving the forests with use. Secretary Wilson Is destroy lne with rot through non-use. He is so careful not to let Government tlm ber go at bargain-day prices that he holds it for more than It is wofth, though he admits that it is overmature and decaying. If he had accepted the market price, he might have sold the whole year s crop instead of less tnan one-sixth of it. Wilson has been bit ten by the Plnchot bug. He is worse than the man of the parable who bur ied his talent of gold. The talent at least did not decay, while Wilson's is being destroyed by rot. The unexampled self-abnegation of Mayor Brand Whltlock, of Toledo, ought not to pass without a leaf or two of laurel. He declined a raise of $500 In his salary. No doubt other Mayors will envy the virtue he exhibits and some may imitate It. But Brand Whit- lock draws a certain income from his books which cannot be . said of most politicians. He can therefore afford moral luxuries which are unattainable for the common herd of office-holders Whitlock's "Turn of the Balance" holds high rank among sociological novels. Would that all parents were as sen sible in buying Christmas toys for their children as the father and mother of little Vincent McLean. This opulent 3-year-old Is to have a hobby horse, a drum and a mechanical bug, which are probably more than he really wants. Childish Joy does not flow from many toys or complicated ones. The main element in it is imag, lnatlon. The more play the parent gives this faculty the haplper his child will be. Costly mecnamcai toys in hibit the imagination and soon pall. e Alblnus Nance, who died yesterday at the age of 63. was one of the young. est Governors of Nebraska and easily one of the best, but, like many, suf fered the penalty for precocity by dropping into "the unknown in later years. Mrs. Harley Calvin 'Gage being de scended from all the royal and Im perial families of Europe, by what mischance happens it that she is not empress of the universe? The tyrant man again. Governor West has a Legion of Honor all his own, the candidates for which are all valued residents of Sa lem who are no sooner enrolled in the legion than they seek new homes. If that $40,000,000 baby not only has plain toys In Its babyhood, but plain food In its . boyhood and man hood, he may reach old age in spite of his $40,000,000. The County Clerk, basing his fact on statistics, says more people go insane during the holiday season than at other times, and some of the gifts seem to confirm him. If there were no rains now there would be later, for Mr. Beats figures a deficiency of more than three Inches, and when It comes to weather no one will dispute him. The advent of Lawson's son-in-law. Henry McCall, and his methods of farming will give Central Oregon a first-class exparlmental farm on a large scale. At Newport somebody has discov ered a new way of getting gold from black sand. Everybody bites at the black sand bait the first time he sees it. If Uncle Sam could only take the water off the swamp land and put it on the arid land, all our fortunes would be made. The' December statement of the banks shows that Portland Is well off. Sam Gompers is getting a mild at tack of the third degree. . VNIOX LABOR AND THE M'NAMARAS Writer Declares Attitude of Organlsa. tiona la Alwag-a Aa-alnst Violence. . PORTLAND. Dec. 7. (To the Editor.) An editorial in The Oregonlan, De cember e. on "The Future of Organised Labor" attracts more than passing at tention of members of organized labor. In the first place, why does the act of one member of a labor union place "organized labor on the defensive' Did the act of Judas Iscariot place all the disciples on the defensive? I do not mean by this that the McNamaras were in any sense "Judases," in confes sing, for I firmly and truly believe their acts were not sanctioned or Insti gated by organized labor or any branch thereof. Is the Manufacturers' Asso ciation In Portland placed on the de tensive because one of their members Is now in Jail in this city, charged with first-degree murder for shooting i member of a labor union? No one in tlmates nor believes he was the tool of the association of employers. The events leading up to the con fession of the McNamaras are as per plexlng to the minds of union men as to any fair-minded, thinking man. cannot speak for all unions? but most unions have an official publication in which is published each month a state ment of all money received and ex pended. It would be Impossible to "hold out" sufficient funds to carry on a campaign of such magnitude as is accredited to the McNamaras without knowledge of subordinate bodies. For Instance: The International Ty pographical Union publishes each month the Journal. A copy Is sent to every member of the union. Any per son so desiring may get a copy of any printer. They are In every union printer's home, free to be read by all. And In a statement each month every dollar is accounted for In plain, simple language and figures, excluding all possibility tor donations for dynamlt ing. Also every thinking union man knows nothing is gained by violence. Did he think otherwise, a study of past events would soon convince him. It Is true, unfortunately, that during some labor troubles, when many men have assembled and radicals, who are in every organization of every kind. have suggested violence they have sue ceeded for the time being. But their acts have always been condemned by the rank and file of the labor bodies. and never in the history of organized labor have there been appropriations or recommendations or even hints for premeditated destruction of property or taking of human lives by the unions, nor would even suggestions of such acts receive anything but the most se vere condemnation. Tou ask. "Can organized labor as a whole be acoused of participating In the affair?" I would ask of your read ers: Are you acquanlted with a union man; well, personally acquainted? Do you live "neighbors with him ? Know ing him. do you think him a man who would sanction a crime of this magni tude? If such a thing were suggested don't you think it would be repellent to him; and that rather than be a party to such acts he would withdraw from the union? , As to the sympathy of labor unions during the trial at Los Angeles. Of course the unions came to the defense of the accused with funds, but it was the commonly expressed opinion or union men: "If they are guilty,, they should suffer the full penalty, but they shall not be railroaded to prison or the gallows for want of funds for their de fense simply because they are members of organized labor." I did not believe them guilty, because I could not con ceive a sane member of union labor do ing a thing of this kind, as the plainest sort of reasoning -would convince one that it could only redound to the ever lasting discredit of himself and all con cerned In the crime. Had they been convicted, with no more knowledge of the crime than I had before their con fesslon, I should always have. In a measure, doubted their guilt. In the minds of many labor unions are organized only to oppose their em ployers. Such, however, is not the case. While one of the objects Is to receive a fair compensation for labor per formed, for as short hours as is com mensurate with the interests of both employer and employe, these are only two of many objects of organization. I will cite you to the printers' union, for instance: Their fight against the great white plague, tuberculosis, has attract ed, the attention ana most ravorame comment of the civilized world. They have worked untiringly for sanitary of fices, not only asking for air and clean liness In buildings, but requiring san itary precautions of members as well. They have equipped, at a cost of over $1,000,000, a home for aged and de crepit members at Colorado Springs, and members each month are assessed for Its maintenance and are proird to respond. They also pay a pension to aged members who do not care to ac cept the hospitalities of the home. They also pay' a death benefit, that Is suf ficient to cover all costs of burial, such the family of any man need not be ashamed; and no union printer sleeps In a potter's field. Members are not allowed to work more than six days a week, thereby giving extra men work on seven-day newspapers. All this in answer to your query as to the objects of organized labor. And I could enu merate much further. All other labor organizations have similar objects. Union labor principles are not- de structive but constructive. The more factories, offices, railroads, etc., the more work for men. In my experience of several years as a union laborer I have heard nothing but the most con servative- methods reasoned. Union labor had nothing to gain by the Times explosion. Mr. Otis is not a man to be frightened, he would only be temporarily embarrassed as to methods of publication, but It was union print ers who set the type for his paper after the disaster until such a time as he could equip his office, and this at the suggestion of the printers. Because a man becomes a member of organized labor to better his condi tion and that of his loved ones, finan cially, physically, mentally and yes, morally should he be thought a party to a crime that could have Its origin only In the minds of men not fit to associate with the masses, whose thoughts must flow as dark as the River Styx and whose very association must be harmful? If there are "higher-ups" connected with the McNamara cases, no men In the world wish their detection and pun ishment more than members of or ganized labor. A UNION MAN. Easy Life on Oregon Farm. Gold Hill News. Jim Avery returned Wednesday from Ashland, near which place he had been working on a ranch for several weeks. No clipper of 6 per cent coupons ever had an easier Job than Jim's. All he had to do was to act as valet for about 40 head of stock. By way of diver sion he helped milk 18 cows, and turned the cream separator for a while fter each milking, carrying the resi due to the pigs. Jim Is a physical cul ture enthusiast, and to keep from going stale he split wood, dug potatoes and hauled made-in-Oregon fertilizer and spread it evenly over the land. Not to eglect the esthetic side of his nature. Jim took advantage of a rainy day by setting out strawberry plants. Of ourse, he had some real work, such as plowing and harrowing, but for the most part he found life one grand sweet song, with plenty of time to peruse the current periodicals and per fect his knowledge of the Greek philosophies. Swiss as Savers of Money. Baltimore American. Two-fifths of the adult population of Switzerland have deposits in banks. MR. FRY THROWS SEARCHLIGHT. Salem Democrat Falla Find Much Democracy In West's Record. SALEM, Or., Dec. 6. (To the Edi tor.) I regret the Governor of, the great state of Oregon, smarting under statewide criticism for having refused to appoint a Democrat for Secretary of State, . should have resorted to "mud sllng'ihg". when he " bad himself interviewed in Portland a few weeks ago. It's a wonder he did not empha size his remarks with his shotgun story, which proved so effectual dur ing his campaign. If Governor West had the sagacity of his preceptor in politics or had con sulted him before committing his piece he would, under similar circumstances, have omitted Insinuations reflecting on my personal character and integrity. The reference to the "blind pig was deplored by many of his Salem friends and amounted to little less than an in sult to our three lady clerks, one of whom has been in our employ for near ly 20 years. We have always tried to run a clean drug store, and are willing that people who have been our cus tomers lor more than a quarter of a century should be the judpre rather than one person eager to vent a per sonal spleen, who never, to my knowl edge, . has been in our place of busi ness. The .Governor knows and the records In the office of the Secretary of State show that we are now and have been for nearly 30 years past, furnishing drug supplies, amounting in the aggre gate to over $50,000, to the various state institutions situated In and near Salem.' This extensive business was carried on through the terms of Gov ernors Moody, Pennoyer, Lord, Geer, Chamberlain, Benson and Acting Gov ernor Bowerman, and is continuing to day under the present administration and we expect it will continue during the balance of the term, for the reason that under the competitive system our bid has been the lowest during the administrations above referred to. If there bas been any crookedness going on during this time. It would seem but proper for the state to withdraw fur ther business from our house. It is no natural for sane people to continue patronizing anyone whom they know Is robbing them or trying to rob tnem, and I think it Is a reflection on the efficiency and honesty of these offi cers for Governor West to make such Insinuations. My criticism of West Is his politics. as for myself personalities are elimi nated. v However, I. shall never be re luctant to have the people compare our records. West is posing as a Democrat for what he can got out of It, but playing in the hands of a certain element In the Rerjubllcan rjartv for future busl nes. Shall the Democrats of Oregon allow this to go on without a protest? I say no; his democracy whitewashed with Chamberlain soft soap fooled us once, but the next time this non-parti san bobs up he .will discover that the Democrats will not submit to another dose of political hypocrisy and decep tlon. He says he is a Democrat, then In the next breath he declares he was doing right to appoint Republicans, which make me prone to quote from Robert L Stevenson, who is moved to say: "If God would gie you the grace to see yoursel as others see you, you would throw up your dinner." Governor West said Bryan's defeat was a keen disappointment to him, but it did not last long, for a few days afterward he was reported In a local paper advising Mr. Bryan to go home and stay with his chickens. Governor West proudly refers to a contribution of $40.58. That was news to us all, but he forgot to say that at the time he was holding down state Job by appointment and inci dentally grooming himself for Gov ernor. How much did West contri bute to Bryan's campaign in 1896 when he was not holding office nor a candi date for Governor? Whom did he vote for? Can you build up the Democratic party by appointing Republicans to office who never vote the Democratic ticket except when Chamberlain and West are running on it? If we ever expect to accomplish anything as a party the sooner we relegate such "roily polies" the better. How many times has the welfare of the several candidates on the Democratic ticket, state," county and district, been sub ordinated to the interests of the head of the ticket? It will be interesting in the next campaign to read the poli tical speeches of the two "star actors" favoring the election of the Democratic candidates for United States Senator and Secretary of State if Bourne and Olcott are the respective candidates of the Republican party for these posi tions. Has anyone ever heard of West playing a reciprocal game in politics? Oh no, but personally the boys were given the word to stand in and "if I am elected you will be the luckiest man in the state" and the poor devils stood in and have been unlucky ever since. But some Republican was lucky. DAN J. FRY. NO SPECIAL LAW FOR SAVANTS. Mmr. Currle Affair Causes Physician to Protest Against Discrimination. FORT STEVENS, Or., Dec. 6. (To the Editor.) It is to be extremely re gretted that so distinguished and world-renowned a personage as Mme. Curie should have proven herself to be of such common clay as deliberately to Invite upon her fair name the blotch of scandal. However, granting the news reports are true, the consider able amount of maudlin sentiment now- being expended upon this "romance of Mme. Curie and Professor Langevln exceedingly nauseating to those of us who believe tnat taw is law, ana that said 'aw, having once been estab. llshed as a guide to social usage, should be respected. If thi swere a legitimate romance we might rejoice with Mme. Curie and wish her a long life and much happi ness. But If all reports be true, this latest excitement of Paris is a decidedly illegitimate affair, which, stripped of its aristocratic and scholarly trappings. provos to be a very ordinary animal attraction arising between a man, al ready a husband and father, and a woman not his wife and naively founded upon propinquity and com munity of thought. If a similar "ro mance" had been perpetrated by Sally Hooligan and Pat Murphy, down on Clabber Alley, they would be haled into court lnstanter on a statutory charge! If individuals possessing the intel lectual attainments of Mme. Curie and Professor Langevin have not the force of character sufficient to restrain their momentary animal propensities within the bounds of law and common decency, to whom, pray, may we look for ex amples of law-abiding citizens which may be held as an object lesson before the eyes of the common people? There is every reason why the truly learned among mankind should so conduct their lives as to make them models of morality and uprightness which the less favored masses may eafely follow. Shall social, financial or professional attainment render one immune to the laws of the land? The same class of reasoning would excuse the aristocratic capitalist, who has stolen a million, from any material punishment for his offense: and, per contra, would cause hungry Ole Olson, who stole a loaf of bread, to be sent up for at least a year. Let us sincerely hope that this un fortunate llason of Mme. Curie's may soon pass from the limelight. As for Professor Langevln, if we may judge of his profundity from the published reports, it would seem that he could scarcely be worthy of any further mention. CHESTER J. STEDMAN, M. D. TECHNICALITIES LOSING WEIGHT. Many Governors Recommend Change In , Law Oregon Acta. SALEM, Or., Dec. 4. (To the Editor.) As several editorials have appeared In The Oregonian from time to time declaiming against the technicalities of the law and contending that on ac count of such technicalities many guilty persons charged with the com mission of crime have been enabled to escape punishment, I desire to call at tention to an article that appears in Collier's Magazine December 2 issue, written by Carl Snyder and entitled "The Monstrous Breakdown of the Criminal Law." The author in support of the asser tion that many of the executives of the different states have written messages to the Legislatures of their states rec ommending the revision of the Judicial system so as to do away with tecnl calities 'in criminal cases calls atten tion to the message of Governor Gil christ to the Legislature of Alabama, in which he calls their attention to a decision of the Supreme Court of Al abama reversing a case because the defendant was charged with the lar ceny of a steer and the proof showed that he stole a cow. Our Supreme Court has gone the Alabama court one. better. In the case of State vs. Minnick the Supremo Court of this state reversed a conviction be cause the defendant was charged with the larceny of a heifer and the proof showed and he. was convicted of steal ing a cow. See State vs. Minnick. 54 Or., page 86. It is Just such technical decisions as this that has caused the people of this state to enact the amend ment to Article 7 of the State Consti tution, Sec. 3 of which reads as fol lows: Section 3. In all actlone at law. where the value In controversy shall exceed $20. the right of trial by Jury shall be pre served, and no fact tried by a Jury shall be otherwise re-examined In any court of this state, unless tile court can affirmative ly say there Is no evidence to support the verdict. Until otherwise provided by law upon appeal of any case to the Supreme Court, either party may have attached to the bill of exceptions the whole testimony, the instructions of the court to the Jury, and any other matter material to tho deel- ' slon of the appeal. If the Supreme Court shall be of opinion, after consideration of all matters thus submitted, that the Judg ment of the court appealed from waa such as should have been rendered In the case, such judgment shall be affirmed, notwithstanding- any error committed during the trial; or if. In any respect, the Judgment appealed from should be changed and the Supreme Court shall be of the opinion that It can determine what Judgment should have been entered in the court below, it shall direct such Judgment to be entered in the same manner and with like effect aa decrees are now entered In equity cases on appeal to tha Supreme Court; provid ed, that nothing In this section shall be construed to authorize the Supreme Court to find the defendant In a criminal casa guilty of an offense for which a greater penaltv is provided than that of which the accused waa convicted in the lower court. SUBSCRIBER. Scotch the Rattlers. PORTLAND, Dec. 1. (To the Edi tor.) I am perfectly aware of the fact that, as I am a very unimportant personage, my opinion may not amount to very much, but I nevertheless ven ture to offer my most sincere con gratulations to The Oregonlan for the firm stand It Is taking against the sickly sentimentality towards murder ers, ravlshers of women and thugs of every description, as exhibited by Governor West, Gipsy Smith, Mr. Barzee and others. The Governor wil fully evades the law of the State of Oregon; the Gipsy, while professing to preach the Bible, evidently Imagines himself superior to the authority who said, "He that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed"; and as for Barzee well, never mind him. If In this state, the women and prop erty of those who cannot afford to erect an Impregnable stockade around them, are to enjoy any degree of safety in the future, to The Oregonlan will belong the thanks. ,The only way to be safe from a rattler is to scotch It. WILLIAM E. TYRRELL. One Picture of an Aristocrat. Chicago. Record-Herald. "She seems to be a thorough aristo crat." "Yes. She is proud of the fact that she can't sew, never learned to 'cook and had a grandfather who owned slaves." War News From Tripoli. From Puck. First Warrior What was he decor ated for? Second Ditto Bravery In the aerial service in Tripoli. His machine fell from a height of 200 feat and crushed 20 Turks single handed. Special Features of The Sunday Oregonian Fables in Slang George Ade writes three fables in his richest vein. He tells about the two phil anthropic native sons who brought home the bacon; about the unruf fled wife; and about the passing up of the wonderful meal. Bogus Scales An expose of the tricks and wiles of some dishonest dealers. This article may help, in a measure, to solve the prob lem for you of reducing the high cost of living. Christmas Presents Some jiot ed men tell about gifts that have meant the most to them. Death's Elixir Half a page on the mysterious poison that is striking right and left among the enemies of a deposed Empress. Fooling Folks How a Tartar maid succeeded in deceiving even high court officials with "proph ecy." The Golden Collar An unusual short tale surrounding a race be tween engine and ostrich. Lloyd's About a remarkable association that insures people against almost anything from twins to loss of job. Literary Achievement A page concerning the world of letters during the past year. In the Color Guard Portland Grand Army veteran tells of de fending and carrying the regimen tal colors in the thick of many battles. The Business Gambler Anoth er rattling good story of the busi ness world. New adventures by all the peo ple o'f the colored section and pretty new cut-out clothes are of fered by Anna Belle. MANY OTHER FEATURES