T
THE 3IORSI3.G OKEGOSIAy, SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1913.
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PORTLAND. SATTRDAY. MAKC'H .
SOOAIJrOI COSTLY 1 nt-IXCE.
France is paying; dearly for her ex
jieriments in socialism. The govem
. ment monopoly of tobacco produces
execrably bad tobacco; the match mo.
'. nopoly makes exceedingly bad matches,
; of which one must often strike half a
dozen before getting a light; the pow.
'. der produced by the Government pro-
Yokes complaint from sportsmen and
.' mining Interests and some of the great
disasters to the French navy are at-
trlbuted to its bad quality; the public
.' printing office is pronounced an ex
treme example of extravagant and in-
' efficient management. Government
ownership and operation of railroads
has proved very expensive, does not
tuv 2 nor rent on the invested capital.
causes terrible accidents and has trains
never on time.
I This Is the indictment against state
socialism In France which is found by
! Paul Leroy Beaulieu. the eminent
French economist. In an article in the
'. North American Keview. He attrib
utes the weakness of state administra
tion of transportation and industry "to
' the very nature of our modern con
temporary governmental forms." He
says that it leads to the employment of
an unnecessary number of men for po
litical reasons, many of them incom
petent or Ill-adapted to their duties,
poorly paid for the kind of service re.
quired, not encouraged by chances of
advancement and deprived of the ln
- centlve of gain or self-interest. The
' governing powers have not the motives
necessary to business success and in
aiming at political ends demoralize the
service.
M. Beaulieu makes the same criti
. cism of municipal operation of public
utilities in France and contrasts it with
private operation under concession or
lease from the city. In Paris gas. elec
tricity, water and passenger traction
are supplied by corporations which
have leased the plants from the city.
In 1910 the city received from them
83,000,000 francs, about half of which
went for interest and sinking fund.
M. Beaulieu estimates that by the mid
dle of this century the city's revenue
will be 150.000.000 to 200,000,000
francs, of which at least half will be
net profit. At Elbeuf. where munici
pal operation was begun with the gas
works, serious loss was suffered, the
Mayor became so unpopular that he
committed suicide, and after the next
election the Council leased the gas
works to a private corporation.
The comparative success of public
ownership of railroads in Germany is
ascribed by M. Beaulieu to the undem
ocratic character of the government
and the military training and habit of
discipline of the people. There he hits
at the weak spot of socialism In a
democracy. Success In Industry is
gained by the dominant power of a
. central, controlling will combined with
ability and the incentive of gain. In
a democracy, where every employe Is
& stockholder in a state monopoly, such
a power is Impossible. Each indus
try', to succeed, must be a small mon
archy, or at least an oligarchy. Social
ism therefore has the best chance of
success in a monarchy, where the peo.
pie are drilled into obedience. In a
democracy, individualism, which makes
each employer the master of his bust,
ness, will achieve the best results.
Even under, the most favorable condi
tions state monopoly represses Indi
vidual initiative, removes the incen
tive to efficiency and smothers inven
tion. Its motto is: "Do things as they
always have been done" and it leads
. to dry rot.
COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S SILENCE.
Surprise has been expressed that in
his speech at the Progressive conven
tion at Philadelphia Colonel Roosevelt
had nothing to say about President
Wilson, his Administration and his in
augural address. That was the topic
uppermost in all men's minds, and it
was naturally expected that so promi
nent a leader of political thought as
Colonel Itoosevelt would have had
something to say upon it." But the
closest npproach to an allusion to Mr.
Wilson In the Colonel's speech was the
borrowing without credit of the title of
the President's book. "The New Free
dom." While Colonel Roosevelt's opinion is
kept carefully to himself, the Outlook
rives Mr. Wilson's inaugural whole
hearted praise. It says of him:
The people, attracted by his vision, pom
relied a reluctant convention to nominate
Mr. Wilson ths peopla elected him. Will
the people gtva him tnelr support when he
undertakes to realise the vts:on which has
lr spired thim? when the tat:le comes, as
come it all! for coma it must we, in al
wnce. summon all men who care more tor
their country than for their party aud more
for the general welfare than for special
interests, even though those spcial Inter
ests ba their own. to give their earnest and
x. porous support to t ha ciuse of political
Htterty and social Justice, and to the Demo
t rutlc Administration, in so far as it proves
to be as hope It will be a wise and
elf'clrnt leader m that cause.
Scolng th.tt the omission of any ref.
erence to Mr. Wilson from the Colo
nel's Philadelphia speech laid him
open to criticism, the Indianapolis
Star, his ever-ready defender, seizes
upon this article as an evidence of his
srenerotis recognition of Mr. Wilson's
proaresiv-sm. Every reader of the
Outlook knows that all Colonel Roose
velt's contribution bear his name as
the author and that its editorial utter,
ances often dissent from his opinions.
The Outlook article was not Colonel
Roosevelt's, and we have no means of
knowing that it expresses his senti
ments. The explanation of Colonel Roose
'velt's silence on an address which has
drawn encomiums from Mr. Wilson's
political friends and foes alike may
perhaps be found in the chapter of
"The New Freedom" entitled "Benevo
lence or Justice." There Mr. Wilson
heaps smiling ridicule on Mr. Roose
velt's plan for dealing with the trusts
and rejects them agencies of pub
lic philanthropy. The man whose pet
theories aro thus torn to tatters must
have much less than Mr. Roosevelt's
share of self-esteem in order to speak
kindly of the author.
Mt'DDTTSG THE WATERS.
The New York Times, candidly an
apostle of conservation, otherwise
sometimes called reactionism, rejoices
that the tide of radicalism throughout
the Nation has begun to subside, and
in proof offers the following record of
recent events:
Nebraska defeated votes for women.
Utah rejected direct election of United
States Senators.
Kansas declined to authorize the recall
of public officers.
Seattle rejected (second time) the single
tax.
Arkansas repealed its anti-trust law.
Washington tstate) declined even to allow
a bailot on recall of Judges.
Kansas rejected the initiative and refer
endum. Oregon rejected the single tax.
Massachusetts rejected votes for women.
Maine rejected votes for women.
The mind that confuses direct elec
tion of Senators with the single tax as
twin Instruments of mischief and dis
order is singularly impervious to the
light. Oregon has twice defeated the
single tax, and will again if the Issue
shall again be presented; but it has
always been for direct election of Sen.
ators. It is for woman suffrage, but it
has no vicious theories of its own to
offer as remedies against the trusts.
It has the initiative, but railroads are
Invited to come and develop the coun
try, and corporations are quite safe.
It has the recall of Judges, but no
Judges are recalled.
It is a mistake to classify as populist
propaganda or socialist dogma ail pro.
posals to change the old order, or to
assumethat there is no distinction be.
tween sane progress and economic
madness or political folly.
STRAWS.
The Secretary of State makes a
stump speech at Washington, and re
peats it at Chicago, for home rule In
Ireland. It Is not the duty, nor the
office of the State Department to take
sides, or express its views, on the do
mestic policy of any government.
The Secretary of State sends a tele
gram to the American Ambassador to
Mexico, approving his course In the
late troubles there; but now the Secre
tary of State says he signed the mes
sage without reading. Have we no
duty to Americans in Mexico, or to a
patriotic and courageous Ambassador?
The President of the United States
repudiates the policy of the previous
Administration toward China by with
drawing the Administration's support
or countenance to the plans of certain
American financiers in making a need,
ed loan to the Chinese republic; and
the Secretary of State approves the
policy of his chief, though the Assist
ant Secretary of State resigns. It is
obvious that American investments
abroad are not to be encouraged or
vigorously protected for the next four
years.
The Philippines are to be turned
loose. In eight years, perhaps, or as
soon as the United States can in some
way get out from under, and the Fili
pinos will be left to sink or swim, sur
vive or perish, as Divine Providence
ordains.
The Secretary of State In a speech at
Des Moines says that 'the same prin
ciples which enable two men to live
together as neighbors for a term of
years will enable this Nation to live
on terms of peace with every other
nation." But if your neighbor keeps
a bulldog In his front yard and a shot
gun behind the door, what then?
The President of the United States,
with the approval, no doubt, of the
Secretary of State, Issues an address
to the South American republics, mild
ly enjoining them to be Just and peace
able, and assuring them that they will
have no reason to be apprehensive of
the purposes of the United States. Is
the Monroe Doctrine, too, to be sent to
the scrap-heap?
The era of Little Americanism has
begun. We will assume no interna
tional obligations we can avoid; and
our horizon begins and ends with the
present continental boundaries of the
United States.
POWER FOUNTXEO OX MCRDER.
Evidence accumulates that Presi
dent Madero and Vice-President
Suarez, of Mexico, were murdered by
order of General Huerta "for the good
of the country." The murder was not
even committed under the cloak of the
notorious fugitive law. beneath which
Governor Gonzales, of Chihuahua, is
reported to have been slain. A wit
ness coming direct from the scene tells
how Madero was shot from the rear
and Suarez choked to death. This
happened in the palace, not as they
were escaping from an automobile, as
the official version read.
Huerta's excuse for the murder of
his leading opponents is that It was
necessary for the restoration of peace.
How effective It has been in gaining
this much-desired end can be Judged
from the new crop of revolutions in
the northern states. Madero's adher
ents have been inflamed to greater ,
anger by the bloody treachery of j
Huerta ana nave swept me Doraer
almost clean of federal forces. The
Zapata revolution in the south appears
to have lost none of its savage fury
There are three governments in Mex
ico, one in possession of the capital,
some surrounding territory and the
territory formerly controlled by the
Orozco rebels: the government which
roams through the south; and the
government headed by Carranza In
Sonora and Coahuila.
Under these circumstances Presi
dent Wilson does weil to continue his
predecessor's policy of "hands off," to
leave Mexico to stew in her own Juice
and to recognize Huerta as only a de
facto ruler. Undue haste in recogniz
ing a ruler whose power Is founded
on murder would not be to the taste
of the American people. But Interfer
ence in Mexican affairs would only
unite all factions nirainst us.
OOLI.EGE SPIRIT AT MOSCOW.
The rough-and-tumble fight between
the students and their teachers at the
Moscow (Idaho) High School moves
one to Inquire where some of our
schoolboys and girls obtain their ideals
of conduct. In the Moscow affair the
younger students were holding a party
with the consent of the school author
ities. The older boys and girls took it
upon themselves to break up the
party. They assumed that the real
governors of the school were not the
legal authorities, but the upper-class
students. This is a species of anarchy
which no self-respecting faculty could
tolerate, and we congratulate the su
perintendent upon his vigorous at
tempt to assert his rightful authority.
The sooner school children of all
ranks and ages learn that they must
obey their teachers the better for the
country. But where do these anarch
istic notions come from? In large part
from the colleges. Unfortunately for
the public schools, their close relations
with the state universities have trans
formed many of the pupils into preco-
ciously bumptious "college men."
They ape college names such as
"freshmen" and the like. They Imi
tate college vices such as class fights,
nazing, athletic trickery. They try to
follow the college fashion of hostility
between pupils and teachers.- In col
lege there is some faint excuse for this
sort of thing, but not a shadow In the
schools. The colleges are nothing If
not traditional. They cling to the cus
toms which have come down to them
from medieval times. In those days
the big universities had students from
many different countries who often
fought pitched battles on the street.
Thus arose the tradition that college
boys must fight somebody in order to
become truly educated. The medieval
bouts between the "nations" have
cooled down to class rushes and the
cowardly tricks of hazing parties, but
the spirit is the same as it was a thou
sand years ago.
WISER THAN LINCOLN?
A friend has sent to The Oregonian
a catalogue of an Eastern book con
cern, containing the text of a letter
written by Abraham Lincoln when a
member of Congress in 1849.
The original Is offered for sale at
the modest figure of 11500. In view
of the subject matter of the letter, we
suggest that a ready buyer ought to
be found in the Honorable Woodrow
Wilson, President of the United States,
who might possibly desire to have on
hand the authentic evidence of the
Great Emancipator's views on the cor
rect Presidential attitude toward place
hunters. President Wilson has coldly
turned the offlceseekers over to the
heads of departments; President Zach.
ary Taylor long ago sought to avoid
their Importunities and escape their
presence in the same adroit fashion.
Hence the Lincoln letter, addressed to
the Secretary of State, J. M. Clayton.
Here It is:
Dear Sir: It is with some hesitation I
presume to address you this letter and yet
I wish not onlv you. but the whole Cabinet.
and the President, too, would consider the
subject matter of it my being among the
peopla while you ana tney are not. win
excuse ths anDarent presumption It is un
derstood that the President at first adopt
ed, as a general rule, to throw the respon
sibility of the appointments upon the re
spective departments; and that such rule
la adhered to and practiced upon. This
course I at first thought proper; and, of
course, I am not now complaining of it. Still
I arn disappointed with the effect of it
on the public mind. It Is fixing for the
President the unjust and ruinous charaoter
of being a mere man of straw. This must
be arrested, or it will damn us ail inevitably.
It Is said General Taylor and his officers
held a council of war. at Palo Alto (I
believe); and that he then fought the bat
tle against unanimous opinion of those of
ficers This fact (no matter whether right
fully or wrongfully) gives him more popu
larity than ten thousand submissions, how
ever really wise and magnanimous those
submissions may be. The appointments need
be no better than they have been, but the
pu-blio must be brought to understand, that
they are the President's appointments. He
must occasionally say, or aeem to say, "by
the Eternal." "I take the responsibility"
Those phrases were the "Samson's locks"
of General Jackson, and we dare not dis
regard the lessons of experience. Tour
Ob t SeVt. A. LINCOLN.
Mr. Lincoln was a practical politi
cian who was anxious for the success
of the Whig Administration; but Pres
ident Taylor died in the second year of
his term. When Lincoln became Pres-;
ident he followed his own advice and
saw the Job-hunters and disposed of
them.
It would be Interesting to learn from
the latter-day statesman who knows
what Lincoln would have done if he
were alive today whether Lincoln was
wiser, or less wise, than his present
successor.
DEMOCKACY MUST PAST AND PRAT.
Offlceseekers ' are gradually having
the fact impressed upon them that
President "Wilson means what he says
not only what he says now, but what
he has said in his writings for the last
thirty years. He leaves non-political
appointments of subordinates to the
heads of departments, whom he holds
responsible. He looks to his lieuten
ants to do the drudgery of receiving
applications, recommendations and in
dorsements, of sifting these out and of
making their own recommendations.
Then he looks over the papers, hears
what the officer has to say and makes
his own investigation and his own se
lection. He confers as readily with
men of the opposite party as with those
of his own and sometimes appoints
other men than those recommended.
Those who regard offices as the
spoils or political warfare find cold
comfort in what Mr. Wilson wrote on
the subject of civil service In his book,
"Congressional Government," pub
lished In 1885. He drew "a sharp line
of distinction between those offices
which are political and those which
are non-political." This is how he
defined it:
The strictest rules of business discipline,
of merit-tenure, and earned promotion, must
rule every office whose Incumbent has
naught to do with choosing between poli
cies; but no rules except the choice of par
ties can or should make and unmako, re
ward or punish those officers whose privi
lege it Is to fix upon the political purposes
which administration shall be made to serve.
The latter are not many under any form of
government.
That he still adheres to that prin
ciple Is evident from his reappoint
ment of E. E. Clark as Interstate
Commerce Commissioner after his
own party in the Senate had blocked
confirmation of the appointment made
by President Taft, and by his reap
pointment of Dr. Neill as Labor Com
missioner. He regards as- non-political
some of the highest offices in his
gift, which the spoilsmen hold to be
the richest prizes. In the book above
quoted he even discusses the question
whether Cabinet officers should not
be made permanent officials, after
passing examinations and working
their way up from errand boys.
He not only maintained that the
spoils system was vicious, because in
jurious to the public service, but In
his "History of the American People"
he expressed the opinion that, instead
of fortifying, it weakened party or
ganization. Discussing the Garfietd
Conkliiig quarrel, which culminated In
the assassination of the former, he
wrote: "
The use of appointments as rewards for
party services did not. it seemed, bind parti
sans together, after all. as the advocates of
the spoils system claimed, or compact and
discipline parties for aggressive and suc
cessful action. Worked out through its de
tail of local bosses. Senatorial and Congres
sional "Influence." personal favors, the pla
cating of enemies, and the full satisfaction
of friends. It must always menace the suc
cessful party Itself with factional disruption.
These opinions, deliberately ex
pressed in no fugitive writings, but in
books which Mr. Wilson must have
foreseen would be copiously quoted
whenever he entered active political
life, have a direct bearing on the agi
tation for revocation of President
Taft's orders "covering" fourth-class
postmasters Into the classified service
and reorganizing the customs serv
ice. Merit alone will decide. If any
of the Republicans whom Mr. Taft's
order would fix permanently in office
cannot stand the test of examination,
Mr. Wilson would bundle them out.
Whichever of them stand that test will
not be driven out simply because they
are Republicans, nor will others be ap
pointed simply because they are
Democrats.
Mr. Wilson, if he lives up to the
principles he has laid down and if he
secures his party's consent to their
application, will work a great change
in the Democracy. His four years as
President. Instead of making his par'
ty fat and sleek with spoils, will chas
ten and purify it with prayer for the
spoils and fasting therefrom.
Among the fads which Secretary of
State Bryan has taken up readily is
the postal vote. He has been impressed
with the wrongs of salesmen, students
and others who are necessarily away
from home on election day. He in
dorses the bill promoted by traveling
salesmen allowing them to go before
a notary at any place, sign and swear
to their votes and forward them to the
election board. Of course, it Is very
hard on salesmen that they should be
disfranchised, but it is more impor
tant to prevent fraud than to redress
their wrongs. The general interest re
quires that elections be safeguarded,
even though in so doing we deprive
some men of the opportunity to cast
their ballots.
Springfield, Mass., has applied the
principle of arbitration in labor trou
bles in a novel way. The Board of
Trade selects one arbitrator, the Cen
tral Labor Council another, and these
two fix upon a third. These three men
undertake to apply the balm of moral
suasion to disputes between labor and
capital. Naturally no compulsion is
contemplated, but there la no reason
why argument should not accomplish
something, when three good men make
a business of laying it on deftly and
persistently.
' Forcible conversion of Romanist Al
banians to the Greek Church by Mon
tenegrins is a natural consequence of
religious bigotry intensified by race
animosity, such as prevails In the Bal
kan Peninsula. The allies probably
have good reason for their strict cen
sorship. They dare not let the truth
be known about the massacres of
Turks, which are as likely to follow a
Christian victory as massacres of
Christians formerly followed Turkish
victories.
Madame Ripley's alowance of ten
minutes tor a woman to dress may be
all right but she has overlooked the
time taken in powdering, primping,
seeing that her skirt hangs right and
that her hat is on straight. Nor has
Madame Ripley mentioned gloves,
which it often takes a woman ten min
utes to put on and button, especially if
she stops to talk during the opera
tion. Madame Ripley's woman must
be a theoretical specimen.
Huntington Wilson would keep the
Chinese door open by planting both
feet and both shoulders In the door
way. Woodrow Wilson would keep it
open by murmuring philanthropic
nothings from the doorstep. We shall
see whether Woodrow's words will
succeed better than Huntington's
deeds.
In calculating upon disposing of the
tariff in three months and having time
left in the extra session for currency
and other legislation. President Wil
son is reckoning without the Repub
licans. They will have at least a few
ideas to offer.
The man who can hold down a
fourth-class postofflce seems to be In
mortal fear of civil service examina
tion, and rightly so. Most of them do
the work for glory, as the compensa
tion Is hardly worth figuring.
Tim miactlnn nf" what tn rin with our
ex-college presidents seems to be well
taken care of. wun one in tne presi
dent's chair another Is being consid
ered for the court of St. James.
Strict regulation of public dances by
ordinance will be beneficial, but the
parents of the young women who at
tend such affairs can do better regula
tion than officials.
Only a wealthy man can afford to
accept the Ambassadorship to the
court of St. James. This is one of the
cases in which this country is parsi
monious.
The New York police may be saved
from temptation by intrusting a separ
ate force with control of vice, or would
that be merely transferring the temp
tation? Considerable confusion is said to ex
ist among politicians over the question
of courting the women's votes. Why
not try a course at a beauty parlor?
The prize of $10,000 for the best
American play will stimulate con
sumption of "midnight oil" by a hun
dred thousand amateur playwrights.
The new Secretary of the Navy
speaks of the Oregon "lying off" Port
land. If he thinks this is a deep-sea
port let no one awaken him.
Far better for the Oregon to exist
as a possible fighter than go Into In
nocuous desuetude as a resort for so
cial gatherings.
The evident satisfaction of suffra
gettes In being arrested indicates that
it is notoriety rather than suffrage
they are after.
Portland enjoys a prosperous Easter
when she can spend money for 40,000
"Bermuda" lilies of Japanese ancestry.
Experience with Nat Goodwin has
taught Maxine Elliott caution in ven
turing upon matrimony.
Has that minimum-priced ($9.99)
Easter bonnet been purchased? If not,
this Is the last day.
Eclipses should be pulled off in Ore
gon only in July and August, when the
weather is settled.
A co-ed who is a grandmother is a
unique distinction for the University
of Oregon. -
Currency reform may be taken up
merely as a sugar coating to the bitter
tariff dose.
Only 10,000 women have registered.
But isn't that enough to swing the
election?
And the lowest yokel may slay a
King and throw a nation Into conster
nation. It was not
the country.
"good" Friday all over
W E SHOULD TREAT JAPS BKT1 hwuaw - " - -
One Day We "Will Have to Defend Our
Arrogance.
SEW YORK, March 13. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian of February IB
you quote from an article in the japan
Times criticising me for my attitude
with respect to Japan and the Japanese.
In the October (1S1Z) Issue of the
Oriental Review (New York) there ap
peared an article from my pen In
which I spoke of the injustice done the
Japanese at the hands of the United
States Government, and I predicted that
the Japanese would some day demand
of us that we treat them as we have
promised to do as one of the most
favored nations, that we open our ports
to them as freely as to Europeans, and
that we permit them to become citizens
just as we permit Europeans.
I conceive it to be an Insult to In
telligent Japanese not to admit them
to citizenship. It is a wholly un-
iustirLable discrimination.
My attitude toward the Japanese is a
friendly one and not an unfriendly one.
There is no one thing which this
country needs so much as it does tillers
of the soil.
The Japanese have shown them
selves to be as scientific and success
ful in their methods of gardening and
farming as in any of the things to
which they have turned their hands
and minds.
I believe that their attendance in
American colleges should be en
couraged. I believe that Japanese
laborers should be encouraged to come
to this country and take up farms and
make their homes here. A hundred
thousand Jarjanese and Chinese labor
ers distributed over the United States
upon the farms as farm hands to help
the American farmer would De a goa
send to this country.
The creation of wealth begins with
the land. We need more workers on
the land. There is a great wail going
up about the Increase in the cost of
living. The best w-ay to lower the cost
of living: is to produce larger quanti
ties of food to live upon and at lower
cost. And Japanese labor could help us
do this.
I am blamed for blaming my own
country for being In the wrong. I do
blame my country for its attitude to
ward the Japanese In tne respects men
tioned, and I advise my countrymen to
arm their arrogance in order to be able
to defend It.
Surely, I would fight for my country
against an invading foreign roe, even
If my country were wholly In the
wrong. Consequently, as I believe that
such a war is coming, I strongly advise
my country to prepare for It, but no
foreign nation need to worry about
this Government taking my advice, for
there Is altogether too much counter
advice, backed, by immense financial
resources.
The belief has taken deep root In
America that this country should set
other nations of the world a great
moral example, by neglecting Its Army
and Navy and all defensive measures.
Nothing but a sound thrashing and the
resulting tribute to the conquerer In
the way of indemnity for the trouble of
whipping us can ever up root mis
deep-seated conceit of ours.
HUDSON MAXIM.
UNSCRTTPTLOTJS BUSINESS TRICKS
Forest Grove Housewife Complalna of
Belnjr Cbeated by TradeHman.
FOREST GROVE. Or.. March 16. (To
the Editor.) I would like the privilege
of expressing my sympathy for "Anx
ious Housewife," In The Oregonian
Thursday. I was very glad to see her
communication, for I think such things
merit the widest publicity.
Once, when going along the street,
I saw on display some extra fine look
ing strawberries, so I bought a crate
for canning not because I must have
them that day, but because those looked
extra fresh and good. But when I re
ceived my strawberries, they had been
picked so long that they were half
dried, and in sucn poor conaition mat
had It been my last opportunity to get
any that season I would not have
thought of taking them. Then, again,
when aDDles were somewhat scarce I
saw in one of the shops a box of ap
ples of good red color and seemingly
In eood condition to eat fresh. I paid
an extra price for them, and thought I
paid for that box, but wnen l received
my apples, they were of no color, no
flavor, and broken as much as if they
had been moved by shoveling them.
They would not keep; they were no
good to eat fresh, so all I could do was
to can a few of them. When I reported
to the merchant no one knew anything
about It. I hoped they might be will
ing to exchange them. And yet tnat
whole family is prominent in church
work, regular In church attendance,
also Bible school.
Whom can we trust? I could relate
other Instances, but perhaps this is
enough. HOUSEWIFE.
N. Nitts on Easter Economy
By Dean Collins.
Nescius Nitts, sage of Punkindorf Sta
tion, Reducing his quid to the right liqui
dation. Looked round for a mark; then, without
hesitation.
Picked a beetle and ended the thing's
animation
Then spake he of hats; of the Easter
Creatlen.
The Ladies' Uplift, though a long time
divided.
Unanimous finally up and decided
That it was not right nor intelligent
that
They go to extremes on the price of a
hat.
And so they agreed, when they voted
upon it,
Five dollars was 'nough fer a new
Easter bonneti
When I heered about It, I lauded their
plan
As destined to lighten the burdens of
man.
But early this mornln', when startln'
fer town.
My daughter she stopped me and made
me set down;
You needn't slip out and go traipsin'
away!
I need you to help on my bonnet today!"
And while I was settin' and fumin' and
fussin'.
She got her scrap basket and started
in mussin'
With ribbons and bucRles and feathers
and slats
From six sreneratlons of discarded hats.
And stickin" this bunch or that bunch
on my head;
Set still, till I get the effect, now,"
she said.
She clipped and she stitched and she
fixed and she tried.
Till I was wore out end fair bollln'
inside;
With her Jest explalnin', to quiet my
hollers;
You see I Jest got to stay Inside five
dollars."
And then she'd try somethin' else on
me and Jab
My head with a pin. if I'd struggle or
grab.
Well. I got forlorner than ever you saw;
Fer I couldn't talk, and she'd not let
me chaw.
And last I rlz up and I says: "Let me be!
Go buy you a bonnet and charge it to me!
Pay twenty, or any old price it s marneo
at!
I ain't no wax dummy fer no Easter
hat!"
Ticoms Man Writes of Country Mis
fortunes and Cansts.
TACOMA, Wash., March 20. (To 'the
Editor.) There appeared In The Ore
gonian of March 16 an interesting ar
ticle relating to Irish emigration and
to the appalling depopulation which
Ireland has undergone. The writer, in
dealing with his subject, assigned the
failure of the potato crop as the cause
of the enormous emigration in the "47"
period. He is correct only insofar as
the failure of agriculture, in that par
ticular, was the immediate cause of
that unexampled exodus. But, permit
me to say that the failure of the potato
was not per se the cause of the great
calamity suffered by Ireland, both from
emigration and from a very high death
rate caused by starvation and by dis
eases related to lack of nourishment.
It is, I believe, an undisputed fact
that there has never been a year when
the domestic supply of food has not
been adequate to maintain the Irish
population. If the potato failed to
yield, there were other native products
sufficient for domestic necessities. The
potato has not been the only article
of food consumption produced in Ire
land. But. because o foreign oppres
sion and the rapacity of unrestrained
landlords, the food produced by the
country was seized In payment of ex
orbitant rents. The men who sowed
and reaped and who raised livestock
they and their families, robbed of the
fruits of their toil, were iell to die.
Even in "black 47" food was exported
from Ireland In large quantities. We
have seen Russia, in periods of food
distress, prohibit exports of provisions,
but O'Connell appealed in vain to the
alien government of his country to
stop exportation, and to save his coun
trymen from the Impending calamity.
Hence, we see two related and un
natural facts: a nation starving or flee
ing to escape starvation, and at the
same time an exportation of food, pre
cisely as if there were an abundant
surplus. On this point, John Mitchell
has given us a tragic paradox in the
words, "too much food for the people,
too many people for the food." And,
as a commentary on the vainglorious
English constitution, Mr. Mitchell adds
that the starving tenant could raise his
sunken eyes to heaven and give thanks
that he was able to expire under "the
best constitution In the world."
JAMES HOYE.
CHANGE IN EDUCATIONAL WORK
Emancipation of Youna- Folk Not Far
Off, Say Sir. McNnlty.
PORTLAND. March 21. (To the Edi
tor.) I wish every teacher and parent
In the United States could reaa your
leading editorial on education in The
Oreeonian of March 20. The emancipa
tion of the young folks of our land is
not far oft when men occupying euuea
tionallv strategic positions, like Mr.
Alderman, Dr. Chapman and Judge
Munly comprehend the need lor a
greater harmony between education and
the practical needB of life.
Havlne had experience In a New York
state normal school for several years
when a boy. practiced on by ever
changing pup'.l teachers, operating
under ever changing tneories ana
teaching partially ever useless sub
jects, of absolutely no utility in earn
ing a living or in developing civilized
society fundamentally, I have keenly
felt afterward, the waste of years and
work and childish suffering. I intend
to spare my little boy this Intense
suffering even if I have to take time
to teach him myself.
Later I have had the opportunity to
take three years under the University
of New York In a course leading to
degree of bachelor of science in civil
engineering and three years of a course
leading to degree of bachelor of laws
under the University oi uregon. i nno
that the field of law passes on its
dignified way without the least thought
of harmony wun tne lunaameniai taws
of nature. The theory Is that the
decision of a Judge will be enough to
establish the fact that gravity has
nothing to do with hydro-electric
power. The building of the law by
legislatures Is entirely aside from
logical and intelligent rule. In the
classics. It Is apparently taken for
granted that no one has to work. We
are supposed to be free from economic
necessity, to have either rich fathers
to be "really Impossible" socially, and
should not be in school.
My three-year course In civil engi
neering was more valuable than all
the rest put together. It was a course
founded upon nature's laws, logic, in
telligence. It taught the things that
made for both physical and mental ad
vancement, and assisted in spiritual
betterment. Every little item was
directly traceable to the greater basic
principles of existence. Harmony was
shown and the dignity of labor ex
pounded. If it could be done, it would
be the best thing, to teach such a
practical course as a beginning, and
then from the graduates secure our
lawyers and culturistic teachers. This
done, there would be less confusion.
JOHN M'NULTY.
LAND VALUES ARE IN DISPUTE
Property Owner Assert Knowledge of
Prices on Rlebt of Way.
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Many of the persons through
whose land the proposed road between
Oswego and Oregon City is laid out
have owned their property for a long
time, some, to my knowledge about 20
years, and it appears to me they would
know about Its value as well, or better,
than the right of way agents of the
road who are, most of them, newcomers
to Oregon.
The railroad company has the right
and the club, and Is using them, to say
to these people, we will condemn your
property. This is a great power in the
hands of a railroad company and, in
stead of the railroad company getting
deeds for rights of way, it is using the
club and taking deeds for an absolute
fee to the land. The railroad company,
by use of eminent domain, has the right
to take the property at any time it
sees fit, in any particular quantity or
shape as it pleases, and after the jury
returns the verdict to the court the
railroad has the election or option to
pay the money and take the land, or
to pay the costs and drop the matter.
This, certainly gives the railroad by
far the advantage as far as the law is
concerned. What more can be asked?
The property owner must rely for
protection on a Jury of 12 men, and can
not have his property taken from him
until the money Is actually paid.
A. KING WILSON.
SIMPLIFY BROADWAY NUMBERING
Objection la Entered to Encumbering
System With Direction Prefixes.
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Why should Broadway street be
encumbered with east, north and
south?" Are not the numbers alone
sufficient to locate the place and much
less confusing? Those prefixes are
seldom used even where they are most
required, in addressing letters, much
to the confusion of the mailcarrier and
consequent delay in delivery.
The prefixes north, sou t ft, etc, are
now used on our streets for the reason
that those streets are numbered from
a certain point both in a northerly and
southerly direction. This condition
does not or need not exist in the num
bering of Broadway. We fail to find
any number of resident Broadway peo
ple who were consulted In the matter
at all, and know of many, as well as
Mr. Munley, who are opposed to It, not
withstanding what Mr. Kortn says in
The Oregonian today.
In the Stone Asre.
Kansas City Star.
Mf stnne.hnmmer You daughter
seems a very popular young lady.
Mr. Bonechlsel ane is tnau were
hniiiino- l fins addition to our cave out
of the valentines she's received.
I
Half a Century A?o
Prom The Oreffonlan of March 23, 1S6S.
Headquarters Sixth Army Corps,
Near White Oak Church. Va., March
12.. Unmistakable preparations are
now being made for a speedy move
ment of the Army.
Cairo, HI., March 11. Memphis ad
vices to March 12 say an Important
movement of troops was taking place
below. The particulars are contra
band. The Yazoo Pass expedition against
Vlcksburg, it is likely, has given up an
advantage not heretofore appreciated.
Cairo, HI., March 15. News from
Vlcksburg to March 9' state that the
river has risen so high that OenerH,l
McClernanU's troops have been com
pelled to embark lor Milliken's bend,
16 miles above this point.. The Yazoo
Pass project is an entire success.
New York, March 15. Secretary
Chase has been very successful in mak
ing arrangements for extensive loans
here.
San Francisco, March IS. The
schooner J. M. Chapman, which cleared
for Mansanlllo yesterday, was boarded
this morning by three boats from the
United States sloop of war Cyane and
towed to Fort Alcatraz. She Is filled
with arms and ammunition and whs in
tended for a rebel privateer.
In Memorlam The poor Commercial
came to an untimely end on Saturday.
It hated the Union, the Government
and all good things and it loved with
all Its petty heart Jeff Davis' seces
sion, slavery and everybody who sym
pathized with them.
A volunteer militia company, con
sisting of some 40 odd members, was
organized In this city on Saturday. The
following were elected officers: N. a.
Powell, captain; S. F. Kerns, first lieu
tenant; E. B. Dufur, second lieutenant,
and C. H. Hill, first sergeant.
Rooms are being fitted up In tho
Pioneer Hotel In this city for the of
fice of the Overland Telegraph. The
wires will reach Salem in a few days.
Twenty-five Years Ago
Prom The Oregonian of March 22, 1888.
Washington, March 21. Senator
Dolph's bill granting the State of Ore
gon five townships, including the fa
mous Crater Lake, for a public park,
passed the Senate this afternoon.
Washington. March 21. Denis Kear
ney had an interview with the Presi
dent today and denounced the pending
Chinese treaty. The President said ho
thought the treaty would be at least
tried for a while. Kearney said that
If it were it would mean the loss of
14 electoral votes of the Pacific Coast
to the Democratic party.
Arlington. Or March 21. The long
dreaded fire fiend has at last done its
work in our city. It destroyed Ral
ston's building, in which was H. S.
Comfort's small stock of drugs. D. S.
Sprinkle & Co.'s store building, the
Arlington Times building, J. L. Adams'
vacant building, the building of M. C.
Harris, J. E. Haskins' old blacksmith
shop and the county Jail. On the op
posite side of the street it burned
Kirby's hall, J. B. Wood's furniture and
provision store, a building owned by
M. V. Harrison and Condon & Cor
nish's bank.
McMinnville, Or., March II. The
Democratic county convention today
elected H. L. Heath, W. L. Bradshaw,
D. H. Hartson. John M. Briedwell, P.
rf. messner and E. C. Ferguson dele
gates to the state convention The
delegates were instructed to present
the name of Hon. W. D. Fenton to the
state convention as delegate to St.
Louis.
Nashville, March 21. A dispatch
states that a cyclone which passed over
Calhoun, Ga., and East Tennessee last
night did great damage. Several Uvea
were lost near Lenovls.
Washington street is pushing ahead
in competition with Morrison. It's
about an even race.
Councilman G. Castendieck, who has
been confined to his house with a se
vere attack of neuralgia, is now con
valescent. The weather was delightful yester
day, clear and bright, although the air
in the shade was quite cool. Honey
bees were at work in the gardens, and
a single white butterfly was seen flit
ting around.
Councilman Woodward was last night
excused from attending Council for
three months. He Is going to Cali
fornia to secure iron for the proposed
extension of the Transcontinental
Street Railway, of which he is super
intendent. Richard Harding Davis
and
Sir A. Conan Doyle
"Write for
The Sunday Oregonian
Modern Warfare A careful
study by Sir A. Conan Doyle of
the next great Continental war
and the part Great Britain will
play. Illustrated with unusual
military photographs.
The Editor's Story This is
another of Richard Harding Da
vis' short-story masterpieces.
Complete Sunday.
The Tailored Maid A mag-,
nificent page feature in colors
of especial interest to women
who follow the smartest things
in dress.
What Is Love An effort by
experts is made to answer this
profound and elusive question.
Elinor Glyn The famous au
thor of "Three Weeks" writes
an absorbing special article for
The Oregonian on the question
of loyalty.
Venus Eivaled A pretty
Swedish girl is heralded as the
most beautiful and perfectly
molded of women.
Perfect Gown at $10 It has
arrived to remove the bachelor's
terror of marriage.
Helen Keller at Close Range
The result of many months in
company with the wonderful
blind girl is condensed into a
readable article by Robert H.
Moulton.
The Law May Curb Fashion
Congress is to be asked to
make feather decorations ille
gal. Sarah Bernhardt She con
tinues her absorbing letters on
current topics.
Many Other Features. Order
today of your newsdealer.