Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1913)
JIORXIXG OREGON IAN. TUESDAY. APRIL, 15.v 1913. PORTLAND. ORKGOX. miilKl at Portland. Oroa. Poatodle a cond-c.a matter. Gubacrlpuoa haiea Invariably m AaTane: (BT MAIL) D;Tr. Sunday lnciu-cd. oo 7ar .. -0 b u.-xiij lr.ciu.led. 'X montha ... Lal.y. Sunday tcc:uod. tor month.. kai.jr. Sunday n.c.uded. an month .... - L-ai;y. Jlooul Sunday, on year ...... ti.y. wltnout Buoilar, a. a month a. Dai.y. amaout -usday. l-r moLiaa .. l-ta Li.y. wltnout Suuday. n month .... V.a.kly. on yr Sunday, on yT ........ -fv Sunday and Wmttly. ona yaar.. ........ -" (BT CARRIES.) P!ly. Sunday included, on year "" Vmi.r. euEday Included, on month. V How t alraolt fend poalo-iC monT or" r. aaprta ordr or jxraonai cwei on your local bank, Stamp, cola or curnacy ar local Lana. oiaropa. com wi -- ' ' Iha Sander ria. 01 poloic ador ful". .nc.ud.na cocn-.y and alai. rIf tara Tn to 1 J-"- 1 " . H to i paa 1 eonta: u to .0 paa. can-.: aO to CO pac. "" Fort pa-ar. doubl rate. .---a. La.lcra Batiaw OBVe Vrr ConK lln. Naw Yoi Urunawica; buiidlnn. . aco. filacer buildin. 1.11 r& baa lraair OH lea B. J. BldU CO.. ta; Market atraaU . European OBlc S. B'l"' trt V. .. Lur.dus. PORTLAND, TUESDAY. APRIL IS. OBCftONII CONSERVATION PLANS. The attention of Glfford Plnchot, Walter L. Fisher and other, who have distorted conservation to mean reser vation, is respectfully directed to the report of the Oregon Conservation Commission as embodying- the true conception of what conservation means. It Is particularly directed to these measures passed by the Legisla ture pa recommendation of the Com mission: Proposed Conatltutlonal amendment pro vWlni bond luo tot construction of Irrl aaiion 'f project, and d.v.lopln unfilled land. rlrullural Coll catenalon worX. Water code, carrying W and conservation of watir reaourte. Topoaraphlc aurvey. Study and Investigation of water r-aourc-. The Oregon commission Intends now to turn Its attention to study of the best methods of control and dis position of public lands and other pub. lie resources with a Mew to encourag ing settlement, development and ben eficial use: to investigation of obsta cles placed in the way of homestead ers and of delay In opening to settle ment agricultural land within Nation al forrts: and to evolution of some plan for making logged-off land produrtlve. The measures already passed In l.repon represent the Western idea of conservation. whl-h puis use and de velopment first, but makes them con form to the purpose of conservation. The. Western Idea Is to use our water resources and encourage settlement and development of the public land, not to lock them up and frighten itav settlers and capitalists. The point where the Western Idea conflicts with the Plnchot Idea Is on the subjects which the Oregon com mission propoees to Investigate. The Plnchot policy block, settlement either on unreserved public land or In Na tional forests. It halts timidly at un dertaking the West Cmatilla Irrigation project, lest that Improvement should not immediately prove a good invest ment. The Western policy would give everv honest homesteader his patent and'aould open to farmers every agricultural tract In National forests. The Plnchot policy Is suspicious of the settler and "welcomes evidence from special agents that he has not compiled with the law. Being human, the special agent seeks that which his superior seem to desire evidence of fraud. The Western policy holds the settler to be honest until he Is proved to be otherwise and would reward the special agent as much for finding set tlers had compiled with the law as for uncovering fraud. It would make him an impartial Investigator rather than a detective striving to ferret out crime. The Western policy would hesitate no longer at beginning work on the West Vmatllla project, know ing that In a few years It would vin dicate itself as an Investment. The Oregon commission is composed of men who know Oregon. Its people and the conditions under which they live and work. Secretary Lane, through his long residence In Califor nia and Washington, knows the Pa tlflo Coast and therefore knows these conditions. Oregon looks to Mr. Lane to put the Western, not the Plnchot. Idea In practice and to co-operate with the Oregon Conservation Com mission and with like commissions from other states In the work of con servation and development combined. I O-T Or THE BALKAN" WAR. Peace between Turkey and the Bal kan Suites seems to he at hand, but It will find both contending powers In a pitiful plight. Their population deci mated, their fields untillcd. their treas uries empty, victors and vanquished alike must sot about the work of re habilitation. A generation may rise to maturity before the ravages of war are repaired, even in the victorious Bal kan kingdoms. Turkey, with her pop ulation reduced by war and loss of ter ritory, must prepare to pay debts with a revenue which, always showing a deflcit, will hereafter be more inade quate than ever. The Balkan States demand an In demnity to compensate them for their sacrifices, and wel! they may. Bul garia alone, with a population of only 4.SJ7.000. has lost li.OOO men killed In the prime of life, and as many more disabled or Invalided. Payment of debts has been legally suspended since the war began; trade. Industry and agriculture are at a standstill, and. unless the male population soon return to the farms, no Spring crops will be sown. The nation must In crease taxes to provide pensions of $2,000,000 a yer for the families of the dead and disabled soldiers: to roulp the army anew; to pay Interest on the war debt: and to organize the conquered, desolated territory and en able Us population to begin life anew. A with Bulgaria, so Is It with Ser vla. Greece and Mentenegro. The B.ilkan State) should have an Indemnity, according to the time-honored rule that the losers in war must pay for betr.g whipped, but any at tempt to extort money from Turkey is like trying to squeeze blood out of the proverbial turnip. Much of that coun try's revenue Is already mortgaged to pay It existing debt, and Its Interest payments are far In arrears. Shorn of Its best Furopean territory and retain ing on!;- It Atirlatlc dominions and the corner of Europe around Constantino ple. It mill be even less able than now to carry' Its present debt, much less add to the load. Comparatively small as are the na tions directly er.gared. the evil con sequences of ths Balkan war have been felt the world over. Russia and Austria have kept tht lr armies mobil ised for six months at great expense. Austria has been forced to borrow money, and her trade has been de pressed by the disturbance -on her southeastern border. In fear of a gen eral war. Germany and France have enlarged their armies, and gold to an amount estimated at 1300,000.000 has been hoarded In Europe. Consequent stringency In the money market has been felt most in Germany, but has extended to the United States, where Investments have been restricted and new enterprises postponed. AH the world knows that, when peace Is signed, it will be but a truce. Tur-key- creditors must help her along with new loans in self-defense. That country, foreseeing a new onslaught from the Balkan States as soon as they have recruited their wasted energies, will fortify her restricted frontier for a last stand in Kurope. The Balkan nations will borrow again and arm again with their minds set on driving the Turk from his last foothold on their side of the Dardanelles and Bos phorus. The cost of war will be con tinued, in money though not In life, until the feud between cross and cres cent is finally fought out. WHAT MKiHT BE- DOSE. Just a short time ago there was In dustriously spread among the working people by opponents of the commis sion charter the statement that that document was the handiwork of "big business." Evidently this . method of campaigning promises to produce re sults, for some of the advocates of the charter have begun using It. We are now vehemently told that the paving companies are opposed to the charter; that the public service corporations do not want it: tht candidates for office who are fighting it are doing so for political prestige. It is a cheap form of argument, ex cept in oae particular. It is valuable as Indicating the need for submission of the commission Issue in such form that the details may be readily grisped and at such time that the public mind is not distracted by contests over po litical offices. As the question now stands the people are Invited to vote according to prejudice, that prejudice to be based on a " 'tis too 'taint either" form of argument. Otherwise1 they may vote their faith in the sin cerity and knowledge of John Smith, who says it Is a good charter, or of Jim Jones, who says it Is not. It ought to be possible to formulate a commission charter the merits of which the ordinary voter can estimate for himself or can grasp with but little guidance. It also ought to be possi ble, after such a charter had been drafted, to get It before the voters, and all of them, without burying It piecemeal In a mass of irrelevant ma terial. And once again. It ought to be possible to have the charter presented as a single issue not as an Incident of a campaign for office nor as a kite carrying a long tail of alternative amendments. THE tiENATORIAL BATHTl'BH. Many an old-time Democrat stray ing pensively through the splendors of the Capitol must often have won dered what the bathtubs were for In that sumptuous pile. He could ac count for the statues In the "Hall of Fame." They would naturally appear to his primitive fancy to be idols im ported from Central Africa for the Senators to worship while they were seeking guidance as to their votes on Important bills. The cant of features In most of those works of art would strongly confirm this belief. Even the National library would not bo wholly unintelligible to the rural Democrat. Most of his kind have seen plies of lawbooks In the office of the prose cuting attorney when brought to the county seat in connection with a miss ing chicken or a vanished pig. But bathtubs would present to the genuine Democratic intelligence an insoluble mystery. What could such misshapen receptacles be made for? They are too large for wood boxes and too small for corn cribs, and it would never dawn upon the Democratic im agination that there could be any other use for them. The voter of that persuasion performs his semi weekly ablutions in a tin cup. The annual baths which he took on Fourth of July mornings when he was a boy he has of course long since forgotten. Hence very naturally great opposi tion arose In the party to the bath tubs In the Capitol. The queer objects could he defended neither on the ground of ornament nor use. Nor was it possible to carry them back home and sell them. The freight would have been prohibitive. Bowing to this party sentiment, the Democratic ma jority In the Senate has acknowledged that there Is no real defense for the bathtubs and has. ordered the removal of all those at the Capitol. From this time onward the legislation offered the country Is not only to have all the primitive vigor of Andrew Jackson's day. but it will smell the same and wear the same robust tinge. But there Is still one thing lacking to' the complete Democratization of the Capitol and the removal of the bathtubs will make room for it. That thing is a flowing fount of old bourbon. WE'LL ALL BE THERE. Long before what we call civiliza tion when caverns were man's chief abode, when leaves, bark and skin his clothing even In that remote time no doubt men, and women too, re joiced In feats of skill, strength and endurance. Human nature Is old and rock-ribbed in Its appreciation of tests of athletic superiority. It Is a taste that will never pass away so long as the public knows the tests are real. So this afternoon we shall go to Rec reation Park to see two baseball teams strugfle In a contest In which each team will exercise all its strength, ail Its cunning and all Its skill to worst the other but In a manly, clean and honest way. . In the lack of trickery and artifice lies the popularity of baseball. It Is genuine sport. It is freer from the sway of misused money than any con test that ever obsessed a people or a Nation. We are proud to call it the great American sport, for it has led to nothing but good. We like the game principally, then, because It is "square" and clean and because there has never been a suspi cion of winning or losing gumes by dishonest methods. It has been kept out of the hnr.ds of the crook and the gambler. What little money is now bet on the outcome Is bet contrary to law and custom, in an underhanded manner, and these small sums are growing smaller and smaller every year. To be a good ball player the de votee must lead a clean and whole some life. He must be of regular hab. Its, quick of thought, clear of mind, fleet of foot and of rapid action In limb and body. Do not those qualities go far toward the making of good citi zens? All honor to our National game; all honor to it promoters. May our boys today whang the tar out of the bail and pile up runs enough to make Los Angele feel like a Chinese cash in a bucket of gold eagles! WHY BELIGAX SOCIALISTS STRIKE. The Belgian strike against plural voting has come at about the same time as the British government's bill for the abolition of that system. Plural voting is based on the theory that the vote represents property or intelligence, not the person casting it. It thus conflicts with the theory of manhood suffrage, of one-man-one-vote, for which radicals of all nations have always contended and which pre vails in the United States. In Belgium each man over 25 who has resided one year in his commune has one vote. On attaining the- age of 35, being married or a widower with legitimate offspring and paying five francs direct taxes, he gets a second vote. Qualifications of prop erty, official status or university di plomas secure him two additional votes. Thus it happened that in 1904 the number of voters was 1,581,649, but they cast 2,467,966 votes. Protests of Socialists figainst the system se cured Its modification in 1900 by adopting a plan of proportional rep resentation, which secures minori ties seats in the Chamber of Deputies. In Great Britain plural voting is based on property rights. A man who owns property in six electoral di visions casts one vote in each. The voting in that country is spread over about two weeks in different constitu encies, this practice enabling the plural voter to cast all his votes, but even then landholders are often kept, busy traveling to avoid being partially dis franchised. The controversy In Belgium Is com plicated by . religious questions, the Socialist demand being opposed by the clericals, who fear being swamped by the radical workmen of the cities, who have generally cast off the re straints of the church and would de prive It of state aid. THE ELECTION OF THE POPE. The dangerous Illness of the Pope naturally turns men's thoughts to the method of choosing his successor. In the earliest times the head of the Chrls'ian congregation at Rome was Informally selected for his Intimate relations with the immediate follow ers of the Savior. One who had lis tened to the Disciples or even heard their teaching at second or third hand was esteemed for his sanctity nd it was the most natural thing in the world to give him .he highest po sition in the congregation. Afterward a species of elective system arose, though It was always a little vague and tended to be tumultuous. The real electors of the Pope were the clergy of Rome, but the neighboring Bishops presided over their voting and their choice was not deemed quite valid until it had been ratified by the people. But this last ceremony was noisy and with time grew more and more ineffectual. It made Intrigues, so easy that occasionally more than one Pope was chosen. Several such Instances are mentioned by historians, one dating back to the early part of the third Christian century. Perhaps the worst effect of the street tumults which attended the choice of a Pontiff by the people and clergy was the excuse they gave for the intervention of the secular'power. The Emperors gradually asserted a right to settle disputes over the elec tions and in 418, when Boniface and Eulalius both claimed the papal throne, the civil authority stepped In and decided in favor of Boniface. This happened again and again. By the year 5S2 the right of the imperial court to decide disputes had developed into a right to ratify the election Itself. This was exercised, for example, by the Emperor Justinian, the great codifier of the Roman law, who actually ex torted a large fee for giving his con sent to the seating of the Pope who had been regularly elected.- Charle magne and some of his successors enjoyed the same authority over the church. Of course this practice led to venality of the worst description. The various factions intrigued against one another whenever there was a vacancy in the Vicariate of Christ, re sorting to bribery and scandal quite as If the prize had been an earthly throne. The encroachment of the sec ular power went so far that in the year 1146 Pope Clement II formally admitted that the Popes could be elected and consecrated only in the actual presence of the Emperor. When the famous Hildebrand rose to power he altered this state of things. To a man of his formidable character the subjection of the church to the empire was intolerable. Three successive Popes were advanced to the sacred chair by Hildebrand before he himself was chosen, and in the Inter val he restored the canonical forms of the election, conceding only the Im perial authority to ratify before the consecration of the Pope. The Bull In Nomine Domini, issued In 1059, in itiated that long process of. legislation which has fixed the procedure of the conclave as It now stands. By this bull the cardinal bishops were to choose the Pope, but their choice must be ratified by the clergy and people, though the latter ceremony was a mere form. Hildebrand's fortitude so Impressed the spirit of the election that the imperial sanction to proceed with it was never asked after his time and by the Concordat of Worms in 1119 the German Emperor accepted the regulations of the Bull In Nom ine Domini. This made the papacy Itself formally Independent of the secular powers, but of course it did not settle the vexed question, of "Investitures." In the new electoral regulations which were promulgated in 1179 the clergy and people were not even men., tloned. Their power had always been shadowy and now it disappeared al together. The institution of the "Con clave" was framed to prevent the long delays which often ensued when the Cardinals undertook to choose a new Pope. In more than one Instance there was en Interregnum of two years or more when the world was deprived of a sovereign Pontiff while the elec tors wrangled over their choice. Pop Gregory X regulated the conclave by the "Constitution" known as Ubi Per Iculum. The cardinals were to be strictly secluded while they were en gaged in the election, they were to live In common, not even separate cells be ing allowed them, and many severi ties were Imposed to hasten their choice. They had no communication with the outer world and their food was passed to them through a win dow, such meager food as they were allowed. After the third day they got only one dish at each of their two meals and after the fifth day nothing came through the window but bread and water with a little wine. In sub stance these regulations are still fol-lom-ed. though their unnecessary hard ships have been softened somewhat. Pope Plus IV decreed that the cardi nals must vote daily. The method was Interesting in view of some modern "innovations" as to the ballot for pub lic officers. The voting was in two parts. First came a sort of "eliminat ing primary." Then the cardinals 'threw their votes to the candidates who had stood highest in the first bal lot. At present they vote twice a day, morning . and evening. The people waiting in the street for election news are notified by a thick smoke if there has been no choice. The" ballots are burned, and to make the smoke dense a little' straw is added to the fire. This accounts for the expression "straw vote." Thus the regulations for the choice of a sovereign Pontiff gradually.- grew up through the centuries. They were codified by Plus X in 1904, but no important changes were made. The formalities have been the same in all essential particulars since they were fixed by the Bull Decet Roman urn Pontificum In the year 1622. The manner of presenting the com mission charter has been bungled. The voters have been denied a practical means of independent study of what they are asked to enact as the city's fundamental law. The voters who think it safe to rely solely upon their confidence in this or mat man woo publicly expresses an opinion on the charter and the voters who are prone to listen to corporation baiters may be numerous, but they are not great enough in number to settle the issue if every elector votes. If permitted to settle the issue It will be but chance if they settle it right. The evolution of the Chinese gov ernment has now reached the stage where ours was just before the Con stitutional Convention met. China's constitutional convention has assem bled to frame a new charter of free dom and its work ought to be of the best. Inasmuch as several members are graduates of American colleges. They have been wise enough to engage an American as "special adviser." He Is Professor Goodnow of Columbia Uni versity. The Chicago schools are going to have the benefit of a "dean of girls" in each building. Just like the co-educational colleges. Her duty will be to look after the manners and morals of her charges. This would be an excel lent plan even if all the girls had-good homes. Since many of them have but miserable apologies , for homes, it is doubly promising. It is assumed, of course, that the deans will be able to give what the homes lack. Maeterlinck, theodramatist, is not so wrapped up In his dreams and visions as to overlook practical affairs. If his frankly expressed sympathy with the Belgian strikers Is unwise it - still shows that his shadowy plays have not withdrawn his heart from the dis. tress of the living world. His Jm ag inary characters are often too elusive to be fixed by the mind, but his sym pathy dwells with men of flesh and blood. Edward 8. Smith, of Warren, O., who goes to Jail rather than pay a fine of S30.70, somewhat resembles John Hampden, who suffered impris onment rather than pay ship money, but, being a Socialist, he Is far from being one of the "mute, Inglorious Hampdens." of whom the poet sang. All women will learn, as have the Daughters of the Revolution already, that high Ideals are very apt o give way before political exigencies. It is very sad, but "the most elementary rules of common honesty" are often forgotten In political contests. AH the world admires coolness and courage in the moment of danger and the cheers which greeted King Alfonso when he foiled the would-be assassin will find an echo in every heart, whether it beat in the breast of re publican or monarchist. John Jacob Astor left 187,216,691. Some would consider themselves rich with the odd 1216,691, others would be content with the odd ,16,691, while some would not sneeze at the odd dollar. Baseball players might not object to benefiting by the California com pensation bill, except that it drags them down from their pedestal as supermen to the level of simple workingmen. When it comes to luminosity, not to say perfect clarity of idea and execu tion, the demonstrators of the new cubist art have nothing whatever on our own local pro and anti-charter chart artists. A milk can full of powder placed to "wreck" the Bank of England is at tributed to the militant suffragettes, which surmise must be wrong.. They would not use that kind of utensil. New York plans a round Court house, 600 feet In diameter, to cost $10,000,000. That surely will house a Tammany ring. John Burroughs, driving his own automobile and spilling himself on the road, is quite sportive in his old age. Should Senator Jones' inheritance tax become law, there would be a sudden migration of great fortunes. Evidently the unusually early Len ten period upset the calculations of this second run of smelt. Lacking harmony. Idaho Democrats must pass the other bottle ere the pie is carved. Portland is the best baseball town on the Coast. Keep up the reputation today. The I. H. C. cord factory Is going to Germany. Good-bye! Meeting on the common level at Twenty-fourth and Vaughan. Free baths are inconsistent with Democratic simplicity. The wail of the Invalid: "What's the score ?" Say. School Board! does school keep or not? "Showers' will not count today. Hit it over the fence! Slide! O-h. s-l-i-d-e! Shut out the Angels! "Kill the umpire!" GARIBALDI CREW IS COMMENDED Ex-L!feaver Coademna Criticism of Reamers at Miini Wrcrk. HOBSONV1LLE, Or, April IS. (To the Editor.) I beg to say a few words In favor of the lifesavina: crew of the Garibaldi station, en Tillamook Bay, who are receiving knocks and criticism In return for brave and good work, hardship and suffering- in the public service. For over 36 hours, without sleep or rest, they worked bravely, in telligently and industriously on account of the wreck of the ship Miml. Five times they tried, in the face of desper ate odds, to reach or get a line to the wrecked ship, but were prevented by the elements. Finally, at low tide, they made the sixth attempt. Their boat was tossed about like a cork in the breakers, but they managed to reach the wreck, and, ,in spite of the fact that their boat was in danger of being smashed or swamped by the waves, which ran from 10 to 20 feet high, they boardgd the wrecked ship, made a thorough Investigation and brought away the four men who remained alive. In the face of this, some would-be seamen and some land-lubbers, who were safe on shore, are saying the life savers did not do their duty. It is easy to stand ashore or behind some coun try store stove ' and tell what other people ought to do. Even Captain westpnai, one oi inose tatten " a.... from the wreck, is criticising those who saved him instead of being grate ful for his life saved. But for the bravery, gallant and desperate work of Captain Farley and bis men, Westphal would be among the lost. Still he of fers criticism instead of gratitude. is hot It WOUld appear that he is trying to divert at tention rrom wnatever Dinmo v w attached to him for negligence In al i .ha tfimt .-.1. 1 1 ...i into deep water without proper preparations, or tnat no ooea not, anow juuuw V. .. 1 i - -r-r Knot In hmkln WSLtCTH uauuiiug - a...- ... or of the conditions surrounding the . . . . . L. .A..1J bOV'P wrecK. no bjb mo uwt - - ,ha n-rocV n t nv time, as the ...... .mnnth r.n till. Inahore Side. On account of the undertow and the suction caused by the waters rushing over and around the end of the ship, and the tangled rigging and yards, no boat could approach on the Inshore side. Deep water seamen are alrigh on board a big ship In deep water, but a great many of them don't know much about handling a small boat. Captain Farley showed good Judg ment In not allowing those volunteers the use of the life-service boat; other wise the death list might be longer than it is. However, there is not much doubt but that those brave (?) volun teers would have done some great stalling and hacked out If he had given them & chance. As It Is, they can be making a big talk about what they would have done. I have had a good many years' ex perience In dnep-water service arid also four years in the lifesn-vlng service. I am well acque.inted with the past work of the Garibaldi crew, and I will say that where Captain Farley and his men ae not ready and willing to go, it is no use for anyone else to try. Knowing that Captain Farley used goo3 Judgment In directing the work and that he and his men did all that human ability could do. and realizing the Buffering and hardship they had to undergo, it makes me sore to learn that there are people who are so un appieclatlve. ungrateful or ignorant as to criticise them and say they did not do their full duty. AXEL. W. ANDERSON. Ex-I-ifesaver. END OF WARFARE IS FORESEEN Lafayette Man Pits Ideals Against Facta In Argrunaeiit. LAFAYETTE, Or., April 7. (To the Editor.) Replying to an editorial in The Oregonian of April 5. I beg to take Issue with you on the question of peace vs. armament of nations. In this edi torial you say "These are beautiful sentiments, but what are the facts? There have been, more wars among civilized nations In the last 20 years than in any like period for genera tions." Granting this statement, It argues nothing in favor of war, but, on the contrary, becomes a stronger argu ment In favor of its abolition. The nation is the individual multiplied. If you had three free-for-all fights In your neighborhood last week you would not argue that you ought to have four next week; on the contrary, If you were a peaceful citizen, you would be thoroughly ashamed of the record and do your best to prevent a repetition of such disgraceful acts. The law Is emphatic in Its insistence that physical force shall not be the law of the in dividual; how then can it justify the nation that resorts to that? Further on in the same article you say "there were issues to be settled that could only be settled by force, and the weaker were beaten in each case, regardless of the abstract rights of the controversy." While this is largely true it is one of the strongest Impeach ments of modern governments. They set up a standard of right for their citizens but they are governed Dy tne crude and cruel law of force, abandoned ages ago by the Individual. The time Is at hand when the na tions of earth can no longer set up one standard for the individual and another for the government. Law Is law, and If It be just and equitable It must, apply with equal force to all. How "can we expect that our people shall respect and obey a law that the government Itself sets aside on the slightest pretense. Tile inrerence tnat to throw away the big stick Is equal to notifying the burglars they have nothing to fear is equal to saying that all nations are burglars and can only be kept straight by . force. This I do not believe. Given an opportunity the common sense of the majority will manifest Itself . In international law, just as much as in state of national law. Might Is not always right, and If ever the nations of earth are to rise to the level' of the individual con science, applied co-operatively, It must adopt a higher standard than that of mere .physical Torce. JOHN ALBERT HART. DO NOT CONDEMN LIFESAVERS. Suspension of Jndarment on Conduct at Mlnit Wreck. Is Asked. Tillamook Headlight. Don't be too hasty in criticising Cap tain Farley and the lifesavlng crew. The captain, at the wreck of the Argo, showed that he was no coward, for with a broken arm he struggled in the breakers for over an hour and saved the life of Mrs. W. C. King. The snap shot man is of the opinion that Captain Farley is the best judge of what the small lifeboat was capable of doing when the breakers rose 30 feet over the unfortunate vessel, with strong under currents and wreckage to contend with. It Is easy enough for those on shore to criticise, but we cannot believe that Captain FaTley and his gallant little crew lost heart. Had the frail lifeboat met a like fate that happened to the lifeboat that was crippled with a wave striking it when it went to the assist ance of the Argo, it would have added another catastrophe to the deplorable accident on Sunday. Under the circum stances, do not be too ready to criticise Captain Farley and the lifesavina; crew until an investigation Is held by those whose are well Informed by experience what a small lifeboat can do under cer tain weather conditions. Those who are responsible for the loss of life and the loss of the vessel and the suffer ings of those who were rescued are those who undertook to haul a large vessel, light and top heavy, right into thfe breakers In the dead of the night, with no precautions taken to save life If anything miscarried. In proof of this the three mates who would not' stay with the vessel, but went ashore on the stern line showed that they saw what was going to hat pen as soon as the vessel reached the breaker. . LET PUBLIC COMMISSIONS AGREE Dock aad Port Commtaulesu) Have Co an nua Interest. Saya Mr. Heaett. pnRTi.AXD. ADrll 10. (To the Edi tor.) The Portland Dock Commission h. l.f.iv oritlrisad the Port of Port land Commission; these two bodies are both working for the improvement of conditions for vessels coming to this port and. acting in harmony, can . . i ..-. mA. nromotly ac complish the part allotted to each than by either standing alooi rrom tagonizlng the other. The Dock Commission has been busy for two years with preliminary ar rangements and should now be ready to give good evidence of constructive ability in making proper use of the authorized bond issue of $2,600,000. Public docks equipped primarily for the quick discharge and loading of vessels would be appreciated by the Hamburg-American and Royal Mail steamship lines (the two largest steamship companies in the world), who are about to begin operating from Portland to the Orient. Such a dock or docks would probably Influence the -..AnmeViln j-nrriTMinlAa In nnrmflnPDtlV maintaining the service from here, but unfortunately the iocks are suit in the paper stage. When the Port of l... .- 1 ,i ,t hairan nnnrntinnK vessels drawing over 17 feet could not reach Portland during the low water penoa. Now steamers of the above mentioned i ; - j,avin tin tt 97 fnt ran safelv reach Portland from Astoria at any time of the year ana as cneapiy iw i .. th. Pnrt tt Portland's towine: service) as they can enter the Puget Sound ports. There is little time left for building docks to be ready when urgently neea- A I I nrnfcahlA thA nubile. With very few exceptions, would be better pleased if the Dock Commission devot ed Its whole energy to securing these dockage laeuities in piace oi avtenu- l nth., mittri that mizht well be left to the proper attorneys. The Port Commission is meeting a condi tion in wasting no time in dredging for an anchorage Dasm, out n mat 1 t - K. A.lnv.ri until waterfront titles are decided Portland's shipping v inuu mav iii. that time have been diverted to other channels ana lurtner dredging rendered unnecessary, aim in . tu. i.utlnn nf waterfront ownership would be of minor import ance. This Is only my Individual view of the subject, and Is expressed because of my practical experience as a wheat shipper for 23 years, my connection with the building of the first dredge owned by the City "of Portland and with the securing and operating of the Portland Tug Boat Company's tug "Pi oneer,", in all of which I found that the way to do things was Just to do them. HENRY HEWETT. SELF-TAUGHT MEN AND OTHERS Lack of Schooling- rsnnlly Viewed as ai Mlafortnne. M'MINNVILLE, Or., April 10. (To the Editor.) There Is an old saying that "if the shoe fits you, wear it." A correspondent from Dunsmulr, CaL, has found a shoe that fits him, but has put It on the wrong foot. In a recent letter it was not my purpose to "Judge hundreds of self taught men," but my criticism was di rected at those who criticise the pub lic school as a sort of worse than useless Institution and schoolteachers in general as a set of visionary theor ists. I have high regards for all self taught men, the most of whom deplore their lack of schooling as a mis fortune rather than boast of It as a virtue. The efficacy of the public school is demonstrated by the fact that the most practical solution of the prob lem about the tapering stick of timber was given by a schoolboy In Astoria and a schoolgirl in Oregon City. I ao not except the solution given by The Oregonian, which -was scientific, but complex. The suggestion to "license" employes Is not altogether without precedent. The boys and girls of Chicago must graduate from the grammar school and get their "work certificates" be fore they are eligible tor employment. As for teachers, they have been under a system of "license" for these many years and no not enjoy any "priv ilege" which is not the result of merit. Your correspondent says that his work "involves problems of a nature which no public school touches upon "so far as I know." We judge that is not very far. In this judgment we are judging just one man and not 100, and it is not intended as a reflec tion on self-taught men In general, although he may be a discredit to the class. It is a safe guess that all he knows about making allowances for expan sion and contraction of material has been learned from someone who has been at school. The best engineers and architects are products of schools. A pilot on the Mississippi River based his claim to being the best pilot, on the fact that he never hit the same snag twice, and he had hit all of them In the river. There are some self taught men who owe all they know to the blunders they have made. Some can't learn any other way, and it Is natural that such should not appre ciate the value of the public school. So when your correspondent says, "I could not have learned this in pub lic school, even if I had ever attended one," I am not inclined to disagree with him. L. H. VINCENT. THE BRITISH LION'S TAIL PULLED Inatance fn English History Recalled by Clatskanle Man. CLATSKANIE, Or., April 10. (To the Editor.) On April 9 an article in The Oregonian challenges the attitude of certain European countries toward Montenegro. The writer exalts the Britons to the skies, saying that they love fair play and a square deal to everybody. He closes by accusing Austria of being a blot on the civiliza tion of Europe. I wonder if he will hold that "taxation without representa tion" was fair play and a square deal to this beloved country. Were the British legions fair during the Indian mutiny? Were the Britons fair toward the United States during the Civil War, and did they attempt fair play toward Venezuela not long ago, when Presi dent Grover Cleveland called them to time, and made them respect the Mon roe Doctrine? Were the Britons right in the Alaska boundary dispute? Were the Britons honorable or right in the Boer War, when the Boers put a double twist In the lion's tail? I hope the ex ponent will hold that the Boers are eligible to as much consideration as the plucky little kingdom of Mon tenegro, as he terms it. Are the Britons right even now, assuming that Mon tenegro is not right? No, never! The proud boast of the Briton is: "The sun never set on British dominion." "The English smoke never dies." Virgil said, (Penitus- toto divlsl orbe Britanni) ("The Britons, a people utterly sepa rated from the rest of mankind"). MICHAEL KENNY. Steps la the Conrtahlp. Exchange. "So Kitty and Jack have quarreled?" "Yes. she told him that when they meet again It must be as strangers." "Jack doesn't seem to mind it much." "Well, you see, he know that If they meet as strangers she's bound to start a flirtation with him." A Good Riddance. Boston Transcript Young Man You don't remember me, I see. I am the young man who eloped with your daughter a few years ago. Old Man Well, what can I do for you? vmitiir Man 1 came back to offer you my congratulations, sir. Baseba'l Babb ing By Dean Collins. Who dares stick at work today? Wno dares stay at home? Pwenty thousand fans are out Twenty thousand voices shout To the heaven's dome. There are mad fans and glad fans, And fans of widest fame. And few fans are new fans Who rally to this game; While the bands In triumph blare, Countless voices rend tho air; Twenty thousand true believers. N ear a hare s foot for the Beavers, In the opening of the fray Who dares stick at home today? Who dares stick at home today? Blares the brazen trump; Twecty thousand rooters growl; Twenty thousand rooters howl At his nobs, the umps. There are late games and great game That keen one on the jump; The old game and bold game Is "baiting or tne ump. Twenty thousand rootera game (-all the "ump" most any name, Just to make it very, clear They are glad tnat lie is nere At the op'ning of the play Who dares stick at nome ioaj . Who dares stick at home today? Who can help but hark To the bellow of the mob As It's getting on the joo At the baseball park? There are mild scenes and wild scenes And Ecenes that stir the soul. And glorious scenes, uproarious scenes. But, take them as a whole. The most exciting one, I ween. Out of ev'ry sort of cene. Is where twenty thousand boosters. Grandstand bugs and bleacher rooter,'. Watch the op'ning of the play Who dares stick at home today? Twenty-five Years Ago From The Orefcronian of April 15, 1S8R. Salem, April 14. The Marion County Republican central committee met In Salem today at the call of Chairman Burnett and made arrangements for the campaign. The following resolu tion was adopted: "Resolved, That the chairman of the Republican state central committee be requested to spare no effort to securo the services of Hon. George H. Wil liams to canvass the state." Salem, Or., April 14. The Oregon ; California Railroad depot, situated about a mile from the business portion jt town, burned to the ground today. The East Side The largest political meeting so far In the campaign wast held In Hall & Stott's Hall last night i . i -1 1 T? mi hi t n Ti flub. John. 1 V IIH3 1 1 11 - . If. Hall, chairman, called the meeting to order. rroieBor unui.. solo "The Star-Spangled Banner." Mr. H. H. Northup, Mr. W. T. Hume and Judge Walt addressed the meeting. The new baseball grounds on th property of Clinton & McCoy will be opened this afternoon free for every body. v Gus Strube in taking medicine yester day got hold of a bottle of ammonia by mistake and took a mouthful, but discovered the error in time. The fund for advertising Portland now aggregates $1800 a month or $31. 600 a year, and is growing every day. The Taylor-Street M. E. congrega tion have decided to Improve the church by extending the gallery around the sldewalls and fit the same with opera, chairs. Half a Century Ajo From The Oresonlan of April 15, 1868. Our pen shakes while we write, for it seems to know it is becoming Im pertinent, and we beg pardon of our female friends, if we presume to sug gest that obedience to fashion in tho use of crinoline is slightly foolish and considerably dangerous. Murfreesboro, April 6. General Braggs' army Is now living on bacon and cornroeal, four pounds of bacon and meal being allowed for one roan per week, Murfreesboro, April 6. General Stan ley with 2600 cavalry and one brigada of Infantry left here on Thursday to capture Morgan's and Wheeler's com mand four miles southeast of Liberty. The battle was commenced by the Third and Fourth Ohio Cavalry going around to the rear, while the enemy changed their front. As soon as the cavalry charged the enemy, broke and fled. Tho position of the enemy defeated Stan ley's plan to surround and capture htm. The Sable Knights gave an excellent entertainment on Monday night. To night the performance will be repeated. Professor Myers will hold out at arm s length a 56-pound weight for two min utes. The boats leaving here are crowded with passengers bound for the mines. Over two-thirds of those brought up from California on the laBt steamer have gone or ar going to the John Day and Boise diggings. The Hunt and Baker tested their rel ative speed on the trip up yesterday morning. The boats started even and landed at Vancouver within two min utes of each other, the latter ahead. Leaving Vancouver, the Hunt started first, but the Baker overhauled and passed her eight miles above that place, and kept ahead until she ran on a sand bank at Cape Horn. She got off with out damage. WOMAN VOTER MICH PERPLEXED First Step In Politics Cause of Deep Anxiety. PORTLAND. April 12. (To the Edi tor ) in The Oregonian of April 11 I find a letter addressed to you and signed a "Perplexed Voter." Me, too. have just received the franchise and think considerable of it, In an abstract way, and think it future value de pends upon you worthy and prominent citizens to give It the right kind of a setting in which to grow good, .i,ioCnm. fruit for rractlcal use. I presume that there are thousands Hke- wke perplexed, and tne nrst step in 11.1 -. ta.t - i-hfrnfA to vote for someone worthy and honorable will stimulate tneir enucmvi lumm ture action. I have been a constant subscriber to The Oregonian since coming to Port land, six years ago, and think my money well spent and in proportion to value received. But In considera tion of what you represent In this lo cality. I take it that it Is up to you to do joup level best to encourag our best citizens to come forward now, even at personal sacrifice, and apply tor these positions and give us a chance to cast our first vote for some one qualified mentally and morally. Tarn as keen to vote as anyone could be, but "I'll swan" if I'll vot for a professional politician one whom th . ........ ..J - anv!mt0 fnr perpioxeu L';t " a position paying $25 a month befor the citizen gu-va inra aouvu. nww v.. n. fn h that Tnnh difference UU&ui II V . - ...-ww between the class of men running. There are aa rwub mvsn as eict -t-:- ... r.t DordanH m.nlallv Rnii in tins ivw-u " 1 - " ' " - morally fit. and you won't hav to nave a canote aea-i-u m urn uuiucta., A WOMAN VOTER.