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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1912)
THE MOIiXING OREGOXIAN. MONDAY. DECEMBER 2, 1912. Entered at Portland. Ores-on. Fostofflce as Second-class Matter. .a-.-, subscription Kates Invariably 111 Advance. IBT MAIL.) Dsl.y. Sar.dav Included, one year.. ? Dally. Sunday Included, six month.... Dally. Sunday Included, three montne. " Dally. Sunday Included, one month. Dally, without Sunday, one year.. Dally, wltnout 3unday. six months...--Dally, without Sunday, three months... -; Daily, without Sunday, one month Weekly, one year .". . - - -50 Sunday, one year... Sunday and Weekly, on year (BY CARRIER.) Dally. Snnday Included, one year...... Dally. Sunday Included, one month ' How tm Remit Send Postoff Ice ?"T "I der. express order or personal cheek on rr local bank. Stamps, coin or """driss at the sender's risk. OIt post of flee address In full. Including county and state. Posts Rates 10 to 1 psses. I cent. I to 28 paces. 2 cents; SO to 40 pages, 0 to 80 pages. 4 cents. Forelxn postaae. double rata astern Bustaees Ofl1c-Vi-r Conlj lin New York. Brnnswlck bulldlns. Chi caao. Straer building. ( San Francisco Office R. J. BldweU Co, T47 Market street. a Knropean Office No. S. Recant street, a W., London. PORTLAND, MONDAY, DEC . Ml. GETTING EVEX WITH THB PRE8ST The Boston Transcript la credited. In a paragraph going; the rounds of the newspapers, with the statement that Senator Bourne used his position as chairman of the Senate committee on postoffices to get even with the . newspapers by procuring the enact ment of the drastic newspaper In quisitorial law. Senator Bourne's sup posed motive for taking revenge on the newspapers Is that the press of Oregon generally opposed his re-election. It is a fact that Mr. Bourne Is chairman of the postofflce committee and was a member of the conference committee that in the recent Con gress adjusted a dispute with the House over the postofflce appropria tion bill, to which the obnoxious and Impossible publicity provision was at tached as a rider. It Is a fact that the press of Oregon was almost a unit In opposition to Senator Bourne's re . election; and It Is a fact that the pub licity amendment was slipped through without discussion and without the knowledge of press or people. It is a fact, too, that it contains provisions relative to the labeling of "advertise ments" that are similar to certain pro visions of Oregon's remarkable cor rupt practices act. But whether it is a fact that Senator Bourne was In spired by any vengeful motive of re prisal upon the newspaper The Ore gonian does not know, and . does not much care. If It shall seem to Sena tor Bourne worth while to disclaim any such purpose, we shall accept his statement at face value. The provisions of the new publicity law requiring the newspapers to pub - 11 sh at stated intervals the names of their owners and editors, and also their creditors if they have any, as well as their circulation, are not ob jectionable in themselves, and most newspapers comply cheerfully. The public Is undoubtedly entitled to know what Influences control, directly or In directly, their newspapers; and it Is . , j .1 . t. 4 1 n tha raw laor x to De ooserveu Uiai, mm ww " has been taken into court to deter mine Its constitutionality, nearly an have nevertheless fulfilled these con ditions. The offensive implication- of the law is that the newspapers of the United States have been selling their news or editorial pages, or both an ' assumption that is groundless and lit tle less than outrageous. The search ing and particular demand is made that the newspaper shall forfeit the right to the malls unless it shall label as "advertisements" all notices for ' which money is paid or any "valuable consideration" given an intolerable assumption of censorship over the columns of the press that is gen erally resented and la being nowhere obeyed. No honest newspaper will deceive its patrons as to the character or Inspiration for any Item or article or advertisement; no other newspaper can hope to succeed. In the long run If it prints tainted news or opinions. But no newspaper whatever can main tain its independence or self-respect if It shall permit to be transferred to Government censorship control of Its columns and dictation as to the char acter of their' contents. If a news paper must bear every day on Its pages the stamp of the Government's approval, or suffer the stigma of Its disapproval, all constitutional guaran ties as to free speech mean nothing and we shall have in this country a Russianized press that dares speak the truth only when some upstart bureaucrat In Washington gives his consent or has his back turned. The wide sweep of the inquisitorial statute may be understood when it Is said that under its terms, strictly In terpreted, a book may. not be sent to a newspaper for review, unless the opinion of the editor, whether favor able or unfavorable, shall be labeled "advertisement." Nor may a notice be given a public performance of any kind, to which admission Is charged, and to which a newspaper representa tive rrtay have been invited for pur poses of criticism or report, unless It shall be designated "advertisement." A sporting editor Is given a pass to a football game. The price of admis sion Is trifling, and the so-called cour tesy on that account Is nominal or negligible; but the freedom of the field is all-Important, and Is not to be bad for a price, but only as a mat ter of accommodation, Tet the Gov ernment would apparently require all newspapers to fasten upon a running account of a great sporting event the untrue mark of "advertisement!" All this sounds ridiculous, of course; but the Postoffice Department, asked to Interpret the law, has given out word that it will follow the strict let ter of its provisions. Tet the Solicitor General of the United States In his brief, filed before the Supreme -Court the other day, plainly Intimated that It had no expectation of the "adver tisement" feature of the law being pronounced valid. He seemed to rest lils contention upon the desirability, from the standpoint of public policy. i.f knowing the names of newspaper owners and creditors." He makes an appeal for the court to sustain at least no much of the proposed inquisition. Mr. Beck, an attorney for one of the publishers, attacks the constitutional ity of the law as a whole, with power ful and convincing argument; and It warns to be clear that the proposed Inquiry by the Government into the affairs of newspapers stands upon doubtful ground. The suggestion that aa Secretary of State Bryan would subordinate his own views when they did not coincide with those of Wilson provokes a smile. If Bryan's views did not coincide with Wilson's, his way of subordinating them might be to resign and tell all .bout it In lurid language In the Com moner. Wilson's attempt to prevent Bryan from playing Roosevelt to his Taft by gagging the Nebraskan with a Cabinet office may result In a repeti tion of Taft's experience, with a dif ference only in the Incidents. No man ever yet put a gag on Bryan, and if Wilson should succeed in doing so, he will have achieved what has seemed impossible. '' BLUE-SKYIXO. . The New York Tribune reports that the Investment Bankers' Association recommends to Its members that they support enactment in the various states of the so-called "blue-sky laws," so as to safeguard the organization of cor porations and the issuance of securi ties and thus to protect the investor. The Oregonian is not Informed as to the exact position In the financial world occupied by the Bankers' In vestment Association; but It Is an Im posing title and probably It speaks with more or less authority for Big Business. When Big Business begins to appeal to the public for a law that had its origin among the agitators and upset ters of Kansas, we may assume that It has had an awakening as to what the investing public wants and Is sure sooner or later to get. A blue-sky law, designea to conu" the operations of speculators whose rainbow visions are bounded only by the firmament above, ought to be en acted in every state. . The next Ore gon Legislature should address Itself seriously to a problem that means the weeding out of the wildcatter and a reasonable guarantee of legitimacy to all concerns organized under author ity of the state. ' The late "blue-sky" law was defeat ed in Oregon partly because It was thought to be a carefully nursed scheme to give somebody a Job and partly because the promoters of the law were themselves "blue-skying" the Initiative. But there is a real demand for a sound law, and the Legislature has a plain duty to put It on the stat ute books. ' THE SESSION OP CONGRESS. The session of Congress which be gins today is likely to be more Impor tant for the Indications It gives of the political line-up than for any legisla tion It may accomplish.- The regular appropriations will occupy most of the three months to which the session is limited and the Senate will be ab sorbed during the first few weeks in the Archbold trial. Reserving tariff legislation for the extra session and trust legislation for the next regular session, the Democrats will probably avoid discussion of those subjects ex cept as that of trusts may come up incidentally in connection with the report on the money trust. The most Interesting question In re lation to the session, is: What attitude will the Roosevelt Progressives as sume? Will they flock by themselves and Insist on recognition as a separate party In both Senate and House or will they be a sort of half-breed Republi cans? Will they Incline more to ally themselves with one party or the other? How many of those Republi can Representatives who were elected with a Roosevelt Indorsement will flock with the new party? Will any Progressive Senators besides Poindex ter openly secede from-the Republican party or will they, as did the whole third party In the recent campaign, take all the benefits of membership in the Republican party, while repudiat ing all Its obligations? One subject of general legislation which is likely to come up Is the con stitutional amendment limiting the President to one term of six years. This will reveal how mtitty Roosevelt men are sailing under Republican col ors, for it Is likely to be opposed by them as a direct attempt to exclude their man from the White House. It will afford regular Republicans an opportunity to deal a blow at the Colo nel. It will afford Democrats an op the sincerity of their platform pledge to a single term, and Wilson In particular an opportu nity to prove that he really considers four years enough. While little may be expected in the nror nf ai-hlnpmeiit the session will be Interesting as a display of the work ing of political forces under the new conditions created by me recent disturbance. THE O. A. C. FARMERS' WEEK. December 9 to December 14 will be v, . . biiAwii as Vnrmpr Week at the Oregon Agricultural College, Cor. vallis, and no ooudi tnose mieresieu In better farm methods will gather rmm all ntrt of the state to listen to the lecturers who will by word and demonstration attempt to teacn ine "sudents" how to make more money from their land, how to make It easier and how to make their homes attractive to the end that their sons and daughters may not be tempt ed to flee to the cities. In the bulletin issued by the college the following questions are asked: interested in the betterment of farm conditions; in better manage ment of farm business; in more anq better fruit, grain, poultry and stock; In maintaining and increasing the productive capacity of your soil; in the splrituallzation of the country home through indoor and outdoor en vironment; .In devoting six crowded and absorbing days to the problem of how to enrich, beautify and broaden the practical opportunities of country life?" What farmer or farmwife or farm er's son, or farmer's daughter, can read those queries . without answering more than one of them with an emphatic affirmative? If there be an Individual who can sty "I do not care to learn about any of those subjects," then that man or woman cannot be classed even . as a desirable citizen, and surely is out of place on the farm or In the farm home. No doubt many will say: "I would -..h-m thle nniiru If I thOUCTht it DOS- slblo to gain any information worth while In six short days. xne Deer way to convince such people would be to get the evidence of hundreds who have attended one or more of these courses heretofore and will return again this year. A visit of ten min utes and the asking of. a half dozen questions from as many men and women will convince the most skepti cal that Farmers' Week spent at the Oregon Agricultural College Is a week In which more valuable knowledge la acquired than could be gained on the home farm in many years of study and experiment. Every person so asaea wuuiu ton ui knowledge gained worth not only the week's time and the week's expenses, but many, many dollars besides. And three out of four of them would say. that they hope to attend these courses year after year; as many would avw that they have attended every course since the movement was started. One thing of prime importance to remember is that the people who act as teachers and lecturers at these meetings do not teach theories, save as they have demonstrated such theo ries by actual demonstrations. Every lecturer has had his or her training on the farm or in the farm home. The subjects to be expounded cover almost every branch of farming and fruit raising, and touch every phase of farm life. The "students" will have the choosing of -the lectures and dem onstrations they wish to attend. The person wishing to gather information as to the dairy business, for instance, may put in six days and six evenings under the guidance of the most expert advisers on that subject to be found in the state. And it Is the same with the other sixteen subjects to be taught, ranging from berry-growing to the treatment of the soils, and each one of these subjects divided into from six to a dozen heads. Last year Farmers' Week had more "pupils" than ever before. - That was a splendid omen. It showed that our Oregon farmers and their wives and children are striving for better meth ods, for a higher order of crop pro duction and sweeter, cleaner, easier and more enlightened home life on the farm. It is to be hoped Farmers' Week this year will crowd every classroom at the Oregon Agricultural College to overflowing. THE RIGHT- KIND OP IMMIGRANTS. A most valuable suggestion is con tained in the communication of Albert Angermayer, published In The Orego--nlan last Saturday.- Calling attention to the diseased condition of European vineyards, he recommends that an ef fort be made to Induce, the disheart ened winegrowers of Germany to mi grate to Oregon. It has been amply proved that large sections of Oregon and Washington are admirably' adapted to the growing of grapes to perfection. The ready market offered for grapes, lack of ex perience in wlnemaking and the neces sity of aging wine In order to get the best results and the best prices have prevented this section from engaging in the wine industry except on a very small scale. If we could secure the settlement in this section of people who would bring with them the ex perience of centuries, we should lay the foundations for a new industry which would be a fertile .source of wealth. Should the Hamburg-American- line finally decide to run a line of steam ers to Portland, an admirable oppor tunity of securing this class of immi grant will be offered. By co-operation with that company, we could In duce the kind of immigration we de sire instead of leaving the steamship men to induce any kind of immigra tion which pays passage money. Our public bodies could prepare advertis ing matter on the vlnegrowing dis tricts, the cost of land, labor and of living, the price of grapes and wine, in fact giving all Information needed. Freedom of our soil from diseases of the vine should prove a strong at traction to the European growers. As they are people of the best types In Germany and France; they would be a valuable acquisition to this country. Wlnemaking would aid greatly in di versifying our industries. The best way for us to keep out the kind of Immigrants we don't want is to go out after the kind we do want. THE BREAD AND BUTTER SIDE. In his lecture af the Art Museum on the "Alms of Education," President W. T. Foster spoke of a significant fact, which la sometimes overlooked by those concerned with making up courses of study. Historically, he re minded his audience, the first aim of education was vocational. The pri mary reason for teaching each of the branches in the curricula of school and college was its bread-and-butter util ity. This Is Just as true of Latin, Greek and Hebrew as of any other studies. Indeed, it is true of Hebrew still. Nobody ever dreams of study ing that fascinating tongue except those who expect to use it in their business. Ministers are supposed to need It as part of their working equip ment and a few college professors choose to earn their bread and butter by teaching it. Who else studies He brew? There is a certain class for whom Greek and Latin continue to be bread-and-butter studies. It includes a fairly large number of teachers in school and college and a respectable array of text book writers, but it does not Include anybody else. An ef fort is often made to persuade young law students that Latin will be ex tremely useful to them in their pro fession, but the humbug is too trans parent to deceive any but the most callow. Old style law books abound with phrases which resemble Latin more or less accurately. Few of them really are Latin, but since lawyers do not know the difference that matters little. The point is that they are all translated In books which every prac titioner keeps at his elbow. Why spend eight years in a futile .pretense of learning an entire language in order to understand half a dozen phrases which are to be found in every dic tionary? We think half a dozen is a liberal estimate of the number of these shibboleths which most lawyers retain as the fine fruitage of the years they apend on Latin. To make the case still more aggravated they are not used at all In modern law books. It is even urged that Latin is a bread-and-butter study for doctors and druggists. We all know what kind , of Latin doctors actually employ in their business. It is sr Jargon which Cicero would have gone raving crazy trying to understand. Doctors use it for the same reason that children say "Eenty minty cuty corn" in their incanta tions. It is a survival of the sorcery with which medicine began and in which It Is still too prone to trust. But it is interesting to observe the tenacity with which Latin and Greek professors cling to the bread-and-butter argument for their branches. Their eagerness to make out a case of utility betrays that they know perfectly well there la no other rational ground for keeping a study in the curriculum. If they sincerely believe in their much vaunted theory of "cultc.-a value" and "mental discipline why are they so quick to hustle -it out ,of sight the instant they can seize upon the faint est image of a bread-and-butter ar gument? They affect to despise mere utility in a branch of study but no drowning man ever grabbed more eag erly at a straw when they fancy they can turn it to account for their own purposes. President Foster does not permit us to forget that Latin was once a purely utilitarian study, however useless it may be now. There was a time when no technical or scientific book was obtainable in any other language. In those days if a young man wisnea to study law or medicine he must begin by learning Latin, for the excellent reason that there were no text books in his vernacular. The custom has survived though the reason for it per ished long ago. Nobody writes a legal or medical book In Latin now. Some theological writers employ it, but who reads their books? Abelard . lectured to 30,000 young men in Latin and we dare say they all understood him. Suppose the professor of Latin at one of our colleges should address his seniors In that tongue. Would, they know it from Choctaw? Sir Isaac Newton wrote his Principla in Latin and Bacon his Novum Organon be case it was the universal language of science and philosophy. Today Eng lish comes a great deal nearer to uni versality. The most important phil osophical work of our generation was written in French. Greek was a bread-and-butter study, too, when Western Europe first began to cultivate it. Young men learned Greek in order to edit and translate manuscripts for the great Italian collectors. The world was eager to recover the science and phil osophy of Athens and knowledge of Greek became an excellent business asset. After Erasmus published the New Testament in the original, Greek became a bread-and-butter study for ministers, though it had not been be fore. But modern conditions are greatly altered. The ancient manu scripts have been edited, re-edited and translated until we are all perfectly familiar with their contents. Classical antiquity has been squeezed dry. The Testament, too, has been so conscien tiously translated that no busy clergy man can hope to gain new light from his personal scholarship. Greek is no longer a bread-and-butter study for anybody in the world but those who teach it and write text books for students. Hence Greek and Latin professors find themselves in the unhappy pre dicament of being compelled to depend more and more on the plea of culture and mental discipline, although they know as well as anybody that there is nothing In it. The study of language develops the ability to learn language sometimes and It does not 'develop ability of any other kind. It does not develop the reasoning power, nor lit erary capacity, nor facility in public speaking. , A student who devotes ten years to Greek may rationally expect to be able to dig out a page of Plato, but If he expects any marked increase of mental capacity in himself he will be disappointed. , The chances are that he will be narrowed, not broadened. "I have spent ten years reading Cicero (in legendo Cice rone)' said a simpleton to Erasmus and the sage merely echoed. "One." "One" In Erasmus' Graeco-Latin means ass. Recent discussion of public dances in this city invites attention to the ex tent to which many cities have catered to the taste 'for this amusement by providing municipal dancehalls. Mrs. Charles Israels is head of a committee in New York which has investigated dancehalls, and she has expressed the opinion that it is the business of the community to gratify the love of poor girts for dancing in a way free from temptation. Cleveland has sought to attain this end by building a munici pal dancehall, where no liquor is sold and which cleared 13000 last Summer on an admission fee of 3 cents. New ark, N. J., has Just opened a large "mu nicipal dancehall, which is brilliantly lighted and where soda, hot drinks and sandwiches are sold. Admission costs 6 and 10 cents and there are ten dances an hour. St. Louis, Brooklyn, Detroit, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chi cago and other cities are planning to follow this example. The great end sought seems to be separation of the dancehall from the saloon and Its evil accompaniments. Whenever the Turkish question seems to be In a fair way to settlement. some new nationality of whose claims we had never before heard comes for. ward or is pushed forward and breaks up the programme. This time it is the Albanians. We are told that they are pure-blooded descendants of the Illyrians of Roman times, but we have hardly known of their existence ex cept when they rebelled against the Turks. They no sooner get aid in their rebellion than they turn against those who help them, on the same principle that the Irishman cursed Gladstone for "thrylng to rob us av our grayvances." Wilson Is willing to take the oath as President without ostentation, that Is, securely sheltered from the mad March wind, such as spoiled Taft's in auguration. He is quite willing to wait for the '"ftxin's" till the sun shines. Wilson seems to have found a happy means of dodging the blizzards without amending the Constitution. Captain Bartlett's scheme for reach ing the North Pole by aeroplane may be perfectly feasible, provided the aviator could carry a hot stove, but now that the pole has been discovered and has become the subject of a nasty scandal, who wants to go there? It might be wise to defer dividing that 17,000,000 among the Choctaws and Chickasaws until Oklahoma has provided for rigid exclusion of fire water and has passed a blue sky law. Otherwise the money- may not benefit the Indians. Choctaws and Chickasaws will have a glorious potlatch when they get hold of the 317,000,000 held for them by the Government. Then each squaw will have her limousine. Oregon Democrats might pattern after California brethren and form a league, to "strengthen" the party. A free, running translation of "strength en" would be to carve the pie. . If Lulu Glaser should be required to pay that 350,000 for alienating the af fections of Mr. Richards, the adver tisement of her powers of fascination might be worth the money. A mailbag with $10,000 registered therein Is missing at Atlanta, Ga., and another foolish thief will feel the hand of Uncle Sam in time. ' Extension of electric railway lines will do more to bring man back to the soil than all the legislative plans that can be devised. Now is the best time of year to buy an Oregon farm. An owner Is always ready to dicker in wet weather. France needs most a commission to revise sits morals before solving the race suicide problem. Party Committees Should Recommend . Candidates and Sanction Measures. 1 PORTLAND. Nov. 30. (To the Edi tor.) The direct primary, as we now have it. will not bring about a better understanding among our people, nor will it drive boss rule from our poli tics. The very men who thrive and fatten upon the misunderstandings of our people, who encourage class preju dice, who teach the doctrine of class hatred, who would stir up strife by impossible legislation, and who are carried into office on the waves of so cial discontent, are among the flery supporters of the direct primary, and as for the bosses the bosses are now wondering why they feared the law and the reformers why they ever fa vored it, to use Professor Merriam's words. Under the direct primary any wind mill can present himself for office and keep competent men from presenting themselves. It's less annoying to sign a petition than Jaw about it. The business is demoralising. Under the former system condemn it as you will, but while condemning it remem ber the people themselves are to blame and you are not going to get anything perfect from imperfect man anyway under the former system your party gave you some very good candidates: under the direct primary some of the candidates presenting themselves would be kicked out of a representative gath ering. Deliberation is impossible un der the direct primary, hence there is no such thing as a strong ticket with . i. . hotiln 4tr with umuea priy v t. - - -one-third of the electorate too indif ferent to go to the pons ana pemw another third disgusted with street corner harangues and political liter ature, your politicians and bosses and j i hafA-Hralnerl theor- uemaguHuco - ists get their deadly work In. Under the old system your cmuiumc" nominated by a majority vote after due deliberation as to their fitness; under the direct primary they are self -nominated and very often elected by a minority vote. , It was these reasons which led Gov ernor Hughes to develop his plan for a direct primary in the popular meaning of the phrase, says a recent contributor on this subject. Briefly his plan was as follows: A party committee Is chosen a. a direct primary this year. Several weeks before next , . -.m4HM In a meet In K years priuituy iu. . - where every act and vote Is open to tne puouc ana u rwiuw. -" " , , - ...... date for each ottlce in its Jurisdiction. Other candidates may bo presented by Ji'P?1"?? of members of the party not satisfied with the committee's candidates. From the can didates so presented by the committee and from the candidates. If any, presented by petition, nomination! are then made at tne direct primary. . . So far the Hughes plan, but the com mittee could go further, at least here i -si . . D.,nh maaalirM before the 111 UiegUU. -'"--" people by initiative or referendum as appeal to tne party tomnmmi be indorsed by the committee and be come party measures. Here are all the essentials of repre sentative and popular government com bined. It is predicted that this plan will eventually be adopted throughout the country. . As to those patriots who, for selnish reasons, yelp at the Hughes plan, the t. TIT1... - man AnHl hlmftelf In anewer 10; vv - "'- - . the state of mind that he cannot trust his fellowman it's about time tor mm to get off the earth. He is of no account on It J. HENNESSY MURPHY. VOTERS' WILL AS TO AUDITORIUM Blocks Owned' by City Must Not Be TJaed for Site, Argues Writer. -nnT -T-l T.V n ITb thfl Tvdl I WI J llil.lt', I''. tor.) There is some discussion over the location of the puDiic auononum. favor the Market block, others the old Lincoln High School block and still n- y,m TT.-At RlriA. It seemed to be the understanding of the voters of my acquaintance who favored the bond issue of 3600.000 for an auditorium that tnis amount, wan site, building and furnishings.' In fact, the building ready for use with the help hired and enough money on hand to -pay them. The auditorium committee thinks the ....iiovi. ! not more than 111U11 CT .y va.'.BW'0 ' enough for the building alone. Tns people of Portlana, tnrougn me refused an additional bond Issue of 3200 000. The Market block and the 1 hinKir Tnr1 to favored because both are owned by the City oi Portland. If either of these blocks Is used for the auditorium, site me i nle of Portland will be defrauded. They, . , .1.'. in n n uncertain tnrougn me vv.id, .i . manner, expressed themselves November 3. Either or tne diocai - v resents value greatly in excess of the 3200,000 refused the auditorium commit tee. The Market block was given to . 1 1 m.rlrat mimftRAfl. The il 1 St II school block can be sold and the money used to retire some oi scnooi "" " this is not done a tax will have to be raised to pay them off. If either block Is used for the auditorium site, repre senting as they do value over the nrn AAA -af.iaaA th f-nmmlttee. it WlU dvu,vvv 1 1 i be contrary to the expressed opinion of the majority oi tne voter... A few years ago we had a tax levy of 14 mills. The next levy will prob ably be over 16 mills. The assesed val uation of our property has increased with the levy. We are carying a heavy load of street, sewer and other assess ments. Each year we are called upon to pay more and more. , The Coliseum at Chicago housed two great conventions this year. It is the class of building referred to as a barn ... tt--- Rnv a nita and build now. Later on If the tax burdens are not increased the people win yuw money to improve the building. v TAXED ENOUGH. ARMORY AS SITE FOR AUDITORIUM Trade School Property Could Be Added to Increase Rise. PORTLAND, Nov. 30. (To the Ed itor ) On October E. 1H. The Ore gonian published my suggestion for i site for the auditorium. A study of the city map still convinces me that my suggestion wouia oe m uonea yet. iv o . . , t . v. n . Twelfth, between j 2 j m x c i " - w Couch and Davis, is a site about 200 feet by 450 feet. Tne Armory uu iu. Trade School, both old enough to need replacing, occupy this ground. The people, that is, School District No 1, own the Trade School block. The Armory Is also public property. The School Board, I have heard, has al ready bought grounds for a new trade school near the new Lincoln High. - .... i..jltnpiim rrtmmliHion could II tne niu.-"- exchange the Market block for the Armory bioca, ana , Board to give over the Trade School site the difficulty would be solved, and little of the 3600,000 need be taken from the building fund. By combining the two blocks and . i .,v,tno- Rlaventh street. cioains tit .v..i . -- there would be room enough for a larger building tnan neeaea. . Th one objection, the noise from the .i rr- , k at-Mt nnuld be over come by placing the building well back from Tentn street. av ground In front for an attractive bit of lawn, or any setting the builders saw fit. ' . .vt..llAm Ih. nrMMt 11 n - l n e o l ii ci uujcvm - - attractive surroundings would be changed Just as soon as the ground grew too vaiuaDie wr "" w'""' y The two grest purposes for building the auditorium anouiu uo -y "l First To give Portland people a place where great masses may congre gate for either light or serious pur poses. Second To attract National conven tions of the largest kind, L e., to give our city the benefits derived from the visits of large numbers of strangers. The site suggested has few draw backs, while its advantages are of the utmost importance. INTERESTED CITIZEN. SOCIAL. ETHICS BAR TO MARRIAGE. Tremble Rot la Meeting;, But 1st Mautmer of Courting. SALEM, Or., Nov. SO. (To th Edi tor.) It would seem that there are a great many people of both sexes who would marry and be happy ever after ward, only that the right ones don't meet, and to the man on the fence, it would seem to be not the fault of the would-be married people througzi lack of Inclination, but in the ethics of mat rimony. Theoretically the man is Introduced to the girl and falls In love at' sight, from which he is never supposed to re cover until the girl either turns him down, or marries him. I nere no other iHrsne. A man must be very care ful whom he falls In love with, for when ha commits himself, there is no backing out, no matter what klod of a lemon he has found. Also, it must all appear to b In a way accidental. A man may not openiy seek a certain girl's acquaintance with the openly avowed Intention of marry ing her. It muBt be a profound secret. A man may not make open comparisons. Supposing a man should come to your door some day like this: "Good morn ing, Mrs. Brown, I am Mr. Jonea, and I am in the banking business and my ref erences are first-clasa I've aome to sea von about marrvins- your daughter, Alice. I've been thinking for some time that I needed a wife and I am looking the girls over. I have thought quite aerloualv of marrvins: either Mary Smith or Sally Robinson, for they are both fine girls, but I have heard your daugh ter so highly spoken of that I felt I couldn't make a choice until I had met her Now. tall me. tl ease, her age? Good cook? Good housekeeper? Temper? Good worker or lazy? Spendthrift or economical? Any previous attach ments r Very likely you would call the police. And yet these are all things that a man should know about his Intended and it is because a man has so few chances to find out these things for certain that many hesitate to marry. The wonder to me is not that there are so many ai vorces, but that there are so many hamy marriages as there are. A writer proposed a short time ago to form a social club of unmarried people, to give them a chance to be In troduced not a matrimonial club. I think though that the average person meets olentv of the ODPOSlte sex to make a good choice, the. trouble being to know,. the right person when you see him. I suggest that each applicant to this club sign a statement of matrimonial Intentions and be required to marry within a limited time, or show the reason why not. married couples to be come honorary members, and the order of business include tne aLBcussiun ooenly of the individual characteristics of the members present In the case of men their ability to support a fam ily, and of women their ability to keep house, . Temperaments of both sexes should be noted and some sort of a course of Instruction given in good manners and forbearance, and how to keep a home on a small salary. - I am convinced that there are many young men and old ones too, who wisn for a good home with a good wife in It, but unfortunately their chances are limited by environment to very tew who inspire confidence, ana ratner inan make a poor choice they makj none. A BACHELOR-ON-THE-I'ENCE. LIQUOR FREBLT SOLD TO MTJTORS Charsre Made That Many gaioons Vio lated Law Thanksarivins; Day. PORTLAND, Nov. 30. (To the Edi tor.) Sometimes even a drinking man becomes disgusted with the methods of our saloons and feels like Joining the temperance people to put the sa loons out of business and dispense the liauor through some safer channels. The writer was especially disgusted on Thanksgiving day to see the num ber of young boys who were sold liquor over the bars, both on the East and West Sides of the city. This was done In some instances where the bartend ers knew the boys' names and knew that they were minora In one instance when a man drinking at a bar sug gested that this was a dangerous prac tice, he was told with an oath to look after his own business, that he (the bartender) was able to look after his. Some veara ago in a temperance cam paign, signs were placed on some of the churches to the effect that "Sa loons cannot run without boys have you sj boy to give?" From what the writer has seen in the past few weeks in the saloons about town It would seem that there Is more truth than sarcasm in this motto. Some saloons in town seem to be trying to live strictly up to the law and trying to run their business as decently as It is possible to run the business under present public opinion. But there is another class oi saioonKeepers ana Bar tenders who lust simply can't be de cent. If you give them six Inches of latitude they will take a mue ana men some. The sooner this class is forced out of the business the better for everyone, and especially for the young drunkards under age wno are sum liquor by these people in open defiance of the law and well knowing who they are selling to. Is there not some way to check these people tip before another murder is perpetrated by drunKen, crazy Doyai A MODERATE DRINKER. As She Is Wrote. PORTLAND. Deo. I. (To the Editor.) It has been said that America or "shall we say Just the West? is fa .nous .1.- tiiiA-a,. nf Its f s-nwriters. Not merely those who display home-made announcements In their windows of "Punkln Pies," and the like, or adorn their walls with the legend "No Smoking ii..M hut th individuals who have learned or are supposed to have learned ye traae oi yo iBncwmo. with all Its embellishments and ortho graphic exactitude. -c.,. h.r. in Immaculate Portland he reigns supreme. Fancy a swimming bath with only one m : n.ma i iuuou for the other consonant with its two, ..a .n.rnfni vaa! And the clothtrg concern that speaks through Its panes of "Austrillan" hats, proDaoiy means not "Australian", but "Austrian". The latter is a European power with a naughty dislike for Servia the other a British colony witn a ioumsu y athy to rabbits. Velour friends please note? TV. J. HUGO. Teachers' Aaaoelatlosua. . PORTLAND, Nov. 30. (To the Edl- . D..li.n. no nther nart of OUT citizens has the opportunity or power to do so much good In starting the coming man and woman on the proper road in me tnat ib sv . i Ti. hAlnnff tn nr oucht to belong to. the most intelligent class of our people. Organization and co-operation is the thought of all progressive minds at me present nm methods that bring the best results. -.in iki. -1 -m - . nf tha society are virtually without any organization to speak of. A strong association i j nnl. ha a moral mental mem wuuiu ""-- - and financial benefit to themselves, but add to the value of their work, the most important in tne isation. uive it a thought t PROGRESSIVE. On Mu Adopts 20 Children. Philadelphia Record. , -nnta.4 9ft nhlMrun durlna" nanus e.wn. his life, Joseph Hlnchman, aged 87, a prosperous larmer i mci i-imnv , mo, ... J has established a unique record. While he never had the entire 2 un der his roof at one time, not infre quently did he have six or seven. Two. thirds of them are now In business for themselves and the others are also good citizens. Ode to My Pocketbook By I a Collins. Old pocketbook, well hast thou stood O itrageous fortune s slings ana duis. An thou hast well stood off the wolf That round my humble aweiung snlffa Even Thanksgiving, with its call For special eats and other Junk. Has not entirely put thee out. Though, truth to tell, thou sure art shrunk. But hark and list and pipe that tone Of Fate's deep voice, in accents surly. Bidding us haste Into .the mart And do eur Christmas shopping early. Old pocketbook, I see our ends; In letters plain stern Fate has writ 'em, . For I have got a bunch of friends And relatives ad infinitum. Come! I will feed thee fat once more. My dress suit and my bath robe classy Shall In the pawnshop sleep tonight. And thou once mere be "plump and sassy." For we must hit the shopping route. And search great stores through every story. Let our last trip together be An unexampled burst of glory. For, spite of future things that threat. It fills my heart with feelings pleas- ant At Christmas shopping time to go Plumb bankrupt on the Christmas present. So, come; let's spree our final spree: Nor worry, though our soul give warning That, after Chrlstmastlde is past. The wolf will gat us New Tear's morning. Portland, December 1. Half a Century Ago From The Orexonlan of December & 1S2. The election for Chief Engineer and two assistants of the Portland fir de partment passed off yesterday very quietly. About 180 votes were polled. Joseph Webber was elected Chief, A. C. Ripley, First Assistant, and John L. Thompson, Second Assistant. The grading and planking of Wash ington street from East Park to Front is now nearly completed and presents a very respectable and neat appear anoe. Messrs. Goldsmith Bros, had on exhi bition yesterday In their show window, corner Front and Alder, a monster bar of gold, assayed at th assay office, which weighed 296 ounces and valued at a litUe more than 346.000. The month of November has passed with scarcely a drop of rain. Chicago, Nov. 23. Late New York and New Orleans papers contain the speech of the rebel General Pemberton on taking command of Van Dora's army. He says: "If England inter feres in this private quarrel she will find us a united people and will have to meet armies South as well as North." Chicago, Nov. 2. A movement is on foot for dispatching two or three ship loads of provision to England for the relief of the starving operatives in Lancashire. A new town, as yet without a name, is being built In Grande Ronde Valley about 15 miles from La Grands, on the western side of the valley. The prin cipal population Is composed of emi grants who have settled there for the purpose of having school this Winter. About 20 families have also located on the Eastern side of the valley at a place called "the Cove." Western Hotel This building, for merly known as Taylor's Hotel, on the corner of Morrison and First streets, having been lately refitted by addition of another story and the still greater addition of a second building of equal size, now presents a grand appearance, and will shortly be opened as a first class hotel under the management of Mr. S. D. Smith. SOAP-BOX DEBATES SUGGESTED Correspondent Wishes Many Would Fol low Father O'Hara's Example. PORTLAND, Nov. 30. (To the Ed itor.) I wish to commend the act of Father O'Hara In mounting the soap box of the Socialist street speaker and answering his argument. A casual glance at the auditors of one of our nightly Socialist street meetings wijl suffice to assure any ordinarily Intel- , llgent person that they are men who are prone to applaud any attack on the financially successful man. But If the logic of the Socialist speaker Is ill founded, if his theory of government is incorrect, why do not some of our many logicians take the box after the Socialist speaker fin ishes and answer his argument? Why do not some of our law-givers accept the proffered rostrum and disprove his theory of government administration? Father O'Hara has done well, and who will doubt that some of his hearers saw the folly of attacking the church? The best way to down Socialism is to meet Socialists face to faoe in open argument, and If none of our men can disprove Socialism, let us accept It. But see how easy it is for Father O'Hara to show the folly of their at tack of the church. Let us have ethers equally convinced of the inadequacy of Socialism who will meet the haranguers and defeat them in open debate. I am not a Catholic, but I admire the action of Father O'Hara, and sincerely hope others will follow his example. F. B. Thoughts On Matrimony. PORTLAND, Dec. 1. (To the Editor.) Seeing a letter concerning matrimony and containing a remark or statement in derogation of same in The Oregonian recently, brings to mind a passage from one of the old writers, in substance ap plicable thereto: "The burden of proof Is on those who would abolish old or long-established customs;" also another maxim or rule used in more general eases: "He who seeks Justice must come into cpurt with clean hands." The objections to the institution of marriage or faults found with the same are due to the imperfections of any up right or respectable person of either sex who could overlook the Importance of such an elementary principle. They who expect to receive the proper deference due them whether of either sex need to be careful in such matters. While appearances are said to be deceptive, yet traits and qualities become readily discernible to many and are hard to conceal for long. Where there Is mutual co-operatton in moral and religious, as well as other matters properly belonging to the wedded state, unfortunate defects, how ever serious, can be largely overcome and the experience acquired result in the benefit and happiness of both parties. . JAHELM TYLER. Publle Library Books. PORTLAND, Nov. 30. (To the- Edi tor.) Are the books from the publij library fumigated when returned? I notice they are not immediately placed in book-casea If not, what prevents - ...iIItid- contasrions dls- mem irum ov- " . - , . eases, tuberculosis, etc.? I know of homes where norary uuuan remain .u sick rooms for weeks until time for re newal expires. new A SUBSCRIBER. A statement received from the publlo library officials says that books re turned to the public library from homes fumigated, and that in the case of spe cially virulent diseases, such books are destroyed