Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1914)
10 THE MORXIXG OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1914. FOEILAXD, OBEGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Foatofflce u eecond-claas matter. tiubacriptloa Kates Invariably In Advance: (BY MAIL) Dally, Sunday Included, one year .$8.0 Lally, Sundap lucludetl. nix niootbl .... 4.23 Daily, Sunday Included, three months ... 2.25 Dally, Sunday Included, one month ..... .70 Daily, without Sunday, one year ....... 6. 00 Dally, without Sunday, six months 8.-0 Daily, without Sunday, three months ... 1-V5 Daily, without Sunday, one month 60 Weekly, one year Sunday, one year 2.60 Sunday and weekly, one year tt.&0 (BY CARRIER) Daily, Sunday Included, one year $9.00 Dally, Sunday Included, one month ..... .73 How to Remit Send postofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at tender's risk. Give postofflce address In full, including county and state. 1'ostaKe Rates 12 to 16 pases, 1 cent; 18 to 32 pages, 2 cents: 34 to 48 pages, S cents; 60 to 6u pages, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages, 5 cents; 78 to U2 pages, 6 cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Eastern Business Office Verree A Conk lln. New York. Brunswick building. Chi cago, steger building. San Francisco Office R. J. Bldwell Co.. 742 Market street PORTLAND, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1914 HANDS OFP. It Is to tie presumed that the Ore gon and California commercial bodies and other interests which seek to in tervene in behalf of the Southern Pa cific, In the Government suit to dis solve that railroad's merger with the Central Pacific conceive that they have something- more than a benevo lent concernment in the welfare of the railroad. Quite naturally the broad minded citizen does not wish to see a. corporation, large or small. Injured by unjust litigation, but pure TSenevo ience and good will do not usually go to the bounds of spending quasi public money to protect any corpora tion from partial dismemberment. Therefore, it may be reasoned that the prospective interveners believe they have some peculiar interest that will be harmed by the unmerging. What is it? That portion of the Southern Pa cific's through route between Port land and Sacramento lying between the Oregon boundary line and the capital of California belongs to the Central Pacific system. The Central Pacific is the owner also of the branch line extending from Weed, California, to Klamath Falls, Klamath Lake and the town of Kirk in South Central Oregon. It also owns a stub lirfe extending from Natron, near Eu jrene. Or., toward Kirk and these two branches are eventually to become what is known as the Natron cut-off by the closing of theuncompleted gap. It has been argued that if the two systems be separated money that would otherwise be expended on new con struction in Oregon by the Southern Pacific would have to be used In Call, fornla to build through connections lost by the unmerging process. This argument ignores the fact that the Central Pacific would be in the same boat. While the Southern Pacific would have a line extending south ward only to the California line, the Central Pacific would have a line ex tending from Scramento northward only to the Oregon line. One of two things would be done. Either traffic arrangement would be consummated that would give both roads a through route between Sacramento and Port land or both would have to build the Southern Pacific southward, the Central Pacific northward. In the first event named the South ern Pacific would rot be required to expend the money it plans to use in Oregon. In the seco -1 event, named the Central Pacific would spend as much in Oregon as the Southen Pa cific had planned to spend. From a construction standpoint Oregon has nothing to lose in an unmerging of the railroads. If independent, moreover, the Cen tral Pacific would occupy a peculiarly strategic position of benefit to both Oregon and California in respect to Its north and south line. Closing of a short gap in the Natron-Klamath Falls line would put it in touch at Eugene with the Oregon Electric, which Is owned by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific. Building of another line from Crescent in Central Oregon to Bend, a distance of about forty miles, through a level country, would connect the Central Pacific with the Oregon Trunk line, also owned by the Northern Pacific and Great Northern. An alignment there with the northern roads would give the Central Pacific a water-grade route over the finest roadbed in the West direct to Portland terminals and the northern roads would gain similar access to California points, including San Francisco, where it is understood the Hill interests have already ac quired terminals. This outcome would provide Portland with a competitive railroad route to California and sup ply California with a new direct out let, not only to Oregon and Washing ton, but to the North Central states as well. It Is not beyond possibility that the independence of the Central Pacific would result in its becoming- what the Northern Pacific now is between Portland and Puget Sound the traf fic artery for four railroads instead of one. Completion of a new through route between California and the north via Central Oregon would im measurably promote the settlement and development of the now great un productive portion of Oregon. It does not seem to The Oregonian that these considerations are visionary or even problematical. Unmerging will be to the Shasta Route as If a knife had been struck across the rail road at the California-Oregon boundary- There would be two railroads each ending nowhere. Necessity would compel some sort of arrange ment that would give each road a traffic-producing terminal. If thor oughly independent the Central Pa cific would do the best thing possible for its stockholders. The simplicity and feasibility of a physical connec tion with the northern railroads points to that as the ?--gical outcome. But. as stated before, if it does not make that arrangement, the Central Pacific would perforce be compelled to build its own line into Portland or make a traffic argreement with the Southern Pacific. In any possible event we do not stand to lose pros pective railroad construction as re sult of success of the Government's suit. Convenience of handling traffic and conducting the two railroads are mat ters that affect the public only in the remotest way. Our chief interest and it is California's also is to get more railroads. From purely selfish motives these fcw states might, there fore, better be intervening on the op posite ground, but as r. matter of fact there is no necessity for effort in either direction. It Is clear that it is not the duty of the commercial bodies of either state or the Railroad Com missions thereof to save the Southern Pacific from a strict enforcement of the Sherman law. Nor is it their duty to invoke that law in a strained and unnatural way; to injure the Southern Pacific system MAKING FOrB JOBS OCT OF TWO. Mr. Evans, the new Game Warden, promoted by some kind of occult se lective process from a mere non-salaried Commissionership to- a fat sal aried job, has this to say about the Governor's part in the political reor ganization of the Fish and Game Commission: It isn't so that Governor West jammed the programme through yesterday. He, however, knew what we were going to try to do and if there was any jamming or steam-rolling done, the Commission itself did It. The Commissioner who absorbed Warden Finley's job for his own bene fit tries to make it clear that the Commission was quite capable of do ing its own jamming. Likely enough. But, while they were at it, why did they appropriate paying jobs for only one Commissioner? What's the matter with five jobs one for each Commis sioner? It would have been a pro ceeding only a little more scandalous than the masterly plan of the West Evans machine. But elsewhere we hear that the "re organization" was effected because the Governor insisted on economy and efficiency. We gather as much from Mr. Evans' further naive remarks. The first great step of the Commis sion, under the benevolent Inspiration of Governor West, toward economy and efficiency was to create four jobs where there had before been only two. There being no candidate for Game Warden who suited Commissioner Evans so well as himself, he procured his own election and elevated Clerk Opsund to another job. A BOOST FOR ART. American art has received another boost. P. A. B. Widener, of Phila delphia, has bought a Madonna paint ed by Raphael. Mr. Widener would not demean himself to buy a Madonna or anything else painted by a living artist. He bestows his munificent en couragement wholly upon the dead. We hope they appreciate it at its full value. This Madonna is a rather good looking woman with a baby in her arms and her expression is sufficiently placid to give the picture a great rep utation for calmness and serenity. The more expressionless an old master could make his Madonnas the more certain he was of immortal glory. Mr. Widener's new treasure holds its own pretty well as far as stolid immobility of features is concerned. The picture is 24 inches by 17 in size, which gives an area of 408 square inches. Since the full price for it was $700,000 we can readily com pute that he paid at the rate of $1718.13 a square inch, which makes the painting almost as valuable as New York real estate. Mr. Widener must feel extremely complacent over this fact, since he and his fellow patrons of art estimate the value of their acquisitions solely in money. We never hear anything about the beauty of their pictures or the spiritual meaning. There Is al ways a great to-do about the money they cost and nothing else. The $700, 000 which Mr. Widener has squan dered for this picture would have aided substantially in many a good work. We say he has squandered the money because the picture was per fectly safe before he bought-it. He has done nothing but move it from one gallery to another. The price would have constructed many miles of good road. It would have endowed three or four chairs in some worthy college. It would have erected an agricultural laboratory in Pennsylvania, where such an estab lishment is sadly needed. One can think of a hundred ways for Mr. Widener to have spent his money with great benefit to his fellow men. As it is he has benefited nobody. He has not helped "American art" a par ticle. But we suppose he has inflated his vanity a little and probably that is all he cares for. THE AGE OF MAN. The discovery in Southern Cali fornia of prehistoric remains which may possibly be those of a human being reminds us of the many thou sands of years our species has existed upon the earth. In his "History of Creation" Haeckel says that "beyond a doubt the human race as such has existed for more than 20,000 years." This is an extremely moderate esti mate. Other scientific men of great eminence assure us that man must have lived on the earth for 200.000 years and some say 300,000. Haeckel himself adds that "more than 100,000 years must probably have elapsed, perhaps many hundreds of thousands, since his first appearance." But none of these estimates begins to cover the actual age of the world. The appear ance of the human race must have been preceded by countless ages dur ing which its ancestors were develop ing from the lower types upward to the manlike apes. Then followed the gradual transition from the apes to the true humans, which must have consumed a measureless lapse of time. No doubt the decisive step which differentiated man from his humbler progenitors was the evolution of the larynx. This gave him an apparatus of speech and really set his feet in the path of progress. With the ac quisition of the power of articulate language began that expansion of the brain which has made man the mon arch of the world. It is not by his physical strength that he has sub dued the earth, but by his intelligence. Many animals more powerful than man as far as muscles are concerned have appeared upon the earth and vanished. Man has either outlived them all or made them his slaves, be cause he had a better brain than they. We must trace the growth of his brain back to the line of variations through which natural selection op erated to produce the organs of speech. -No other animal than man possesses true language and no other has gone nearly so far as he along the upward path of evolution. When he had once gained the power of speech man more or less rapidly developed a systematic language. The immense importance of this process appears when we remember that with the production of language the human brain necessarily under went extraordinary enlargements and modifications. The faculty of speech and the capacity to think proceeded at an equal pace. Each reacted upon the other and strengthened it. With out language our ancestors never could have elaborated the power to think connectedly. Without a capa cious brain language 'could not have been developed. This truth affords us many a precious hint about education. The evolution of the larynx entailed extensive perfection of the brain. The hand had a similar history. One of the great mistakes in old-fashioned teaching was the effort to educate the brain without regard to these organs, which played a part so fundamental In its development. The intellect can at tain its best efficiency only when the voice and the hand are trained to serve it and when the brain Is trained with equal care to serve them. History tells us that we are not mere mental machines any more than we are mere masses of bone and muscle.' We take the acquirement of articu late speech as the date when human Intelligence began to play its remark able part in the history of the world. Up to that time evolution had pro ceeded mechanically. Variations had appeared without fixed plan and had been lost or preserved as chance might direct. If the environment was favorable they were saved. If it was hostile they were lost. But when in telligence began to act all was changed. Man then ceased to be the creature of his surroundings and un dertook to adapt the world to his own purposes. In all the millions of years of preceding time nothing like this had been seen before. Living crea tures had lived and died as natural conditions dictated. Man now took up the task of dictating to natural conditions. At first he effected little. Much of his strength was wasted in wars with his- fellow men and wild beasts. But he gained steadily. Little by little he won his way and he did so mainly by storing up knowledge for the use of his children. This he could do, be cause he had language. We see, therefore, that the larynx has been man's most efficient aid in developing civilization and subduing the earth. GUARDIANS OF OTJR HONOR. President Wilson is so emphatic in his declaration that the National hon or requires repeal of the toll exemption clause of the Panama Canal law that we are naturally Invited to scrutinize the purity of motive of those who ask the United States to surrender the rights it has claimed without adjudi cation by an international court of arbitration. It is well known that construction of the canal was delayed for at least twenty years by the opposition of the transcontinental railroads. When they failed there, they diverted their ef forts to an attempt to retain control of the isthmian route through the canal, as they had long controlled it over the Panama Railroad. Failing there, they tried to cause imposition of tolls on coastwise ships, that the threatened competition might at least be taxed to that extent. Again fail ing, they left it to a foreign nation to continue the battle. The first move against toll exemp tion after its enactment was made by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, which stirred the Canadian government to protest. The British government took up the protest, and the American rail roads, hiding behind the American peace and conciliation societies, joined in. Though these railroads are owned by American corporations, a large proportion of their stock is owned in England and Germany, and its hold ers were doubtless active in instigat ing the British protest. Thus, on pre tense of a sensitive regard for Ameri can honor, British holders of Ameri can railroad securities have promoted their own interests and those of Ca nadian railroads and of British ship owners. The British shipowner must view with disquiet the increasing interest in revival of the American merchant ma rine and the prospect of this revival being given impetus by increase of our coastwise shipping when, the canal is open. He has a lively recollection of the days when American clipper ships contested with Britannia for rule over the seas. He sees what we have been able to do in the way of cheap water transportation on the Great Lakes. He realizes that an enlarged coast wise trade would be a nursery for a merchant marine which might soon renew the contest for foreign com merce. All the obstacles he can place in the way of this revival are so much to the good, from his stand point. The tolls, when calculated on the basis of cargo tonnage instead of net registered tonnage, may seem a small item to those who imagine that water routes have a great advantage in cost over rail routes, but on car goes of great bulk in proportion to value they will cut some figure. Rail roads have been equipping themselves to carry at minimum cost and to off set with quick dispatch 'he expected lower rates on the slower water route. In the last analysis of competition, a difference in mills per ton per mile may turn the scale either way on some classes of freight. Check American coastwise commerce, and the British shareholder in American railroads protects his dividends, while the Brit ish shipowner guards his maritime su premacy. When American railroads, inspired by British shareholders anxious for their dividends, instigate the hypo critical cry that our National honor requires surrender on demand, Mr. Wilson proposes that we yield. Our National honor can be as well guarded by submission of the question to a court composed of citizens of a dis interested Nation. If we then lose, we can lose with honor. If we sur render without arbitration, we brand ourselves with dishonor, for we vir tually confess having knowingly done wrong. The policy of granting a special privilege to one class of our citizens is not involved. The question is not whether we shall grant a subsidy in the form of a toll exemption; it is whether we have the right to grant a subsidy if we choose. We might possess that right without ever exer cising it, but when another nation disputes it we should defend it, though we intend never to exercise It. Arbitration as an alternative to sur render is so clearly consistent with maintenance of our honor and so in cumbent upon a President jealous of American rights, that we must seek deeper for motives for the President's action. These are to be found in the Mexican imbroglio. England must be paid for her patience during the period of watchful waiting and for her aid in restraining other nations which might refuse to wait longer. England must be mollified after Mr. Wilson's veto on Lord Murray's con cession in Colombia has Irritated her. England's good offices in restraining Japan, when the Jingoes prod the gov ernment for action against exclusion, must be paid for. The price is the sacrifice of National honor to the interests of British shipowners, who wish to appropriate to themselves as nearly as possible the canal we have built, and to the Interest of British shareholders in American railroads, whose first thought is c their divi dends. The newspapers are taking a fling at the diminutive size of Rhode Is land. The Toledo Blade says there is not room to dance the tango, but that Rhode Islanders can go to Texas, where there is plenty of room. The Providence Journal suggests that somebody keep a scrapbook of the jokes on the size of the state, but the Boston Transcript says: "You couldn't keep that big' a scrap-book in Rhode Island." But Rhode Island can pro duce an Aldrich, whose abilities re quired a field as broad as the United States and who bossed the Senate. Salem, Mass., has added a new wrinkle to the naturalization cere mony. The other day, when fifty for eigners took the oath of allegiance, the town people held a grand celebra tion at the schoolhouse with patriotic speeches and instructive recitations. This took the naturalization process out of the ward politicians' hands and made of it an impressive ceremony, such as it ought to be everywhere. Why not stop scolding at our foreign born citizens and all unite in work such as Salem has devised to make them better? The Portland Oregonian also has an nounced its opposition to Dr. Smith, but its professed objection was on the ground that Dr. Smith has declared himself as favoring effective enforcement of the law. Pendleton East Oregonian. The opposition to Dr. Smith as a candidate for Governor, actual or "professed," is not that he has "de clared himself as favoring effective enforcement of the law." As the foe of truth and the disciple of conscious and consistent falsehood, this little Pendleton paper has struggled hard for supremacy in Oregon and has clearly won .its bad distinction. Among the forty students who failed to pass their midyear examina tions at Eugene were a number of athletes, glee club men and so forth. Their failure will be a sad blow, it is said, to the organizations which they adorn. The question naturally comes to mind whether'their outside activities have helped in their studies or not. Would these men have failed if they had kept out of football and studied their lessons? What do they go to college for, to shine in athletics or educate their minds? Anthony Comstock has at last won a victory. He has induced the court to exclude Hagar Revelly from the mails and fine the author. No doubt Mr. Comstock is vastly pleased to have done so much for the cause of purity, but the author of the novel will manage to smile- through his tears, we fancy. If his book does not go off like hot cakes after such an advertisement we miss our guess. It cannot be posted, but it can go by express. The Greek memorial to Abraham Lincoln is actually begun. Soon the chaste columns will rear their capitals aloft and the massive pediment will rise to its imposing place. Perhaps the architects who have it in charge can send to Athens and buy some worthy sculptures to adorn the tem ple. What a pity that money will not buy the genius who could invent an order of architecture as truly .Ameri can as Lincoln's manhood was. "Give us good Sunday laws." says a writer in the Homiletic Review, "and our churches will be full of wor shipers." That i3 to say, people will go to church if the law compels them, which is probably true. But much better would it be to make the sermon so wise, up to date and interesting that it would attract listeners without the aid of the law. The piety that can be legislated into a person is neither very genuine nor very lasting. A peace officer in Umatilla County advises killing wild fowls that damage the growing grain, but takes away much of the Incentive by warning hunters from making disposition of the game. Why shoot, then? Book agents who want to sell books to the Board of Education must con fine their spiels to fifteen minutes. Why, the average book agent hardly gets warmed up in that period. Admiral Peary admits that comple tion of the Panama Canal is "as im portant and epoch-making as the dis covery of the North Pole." Very kind of the Admiral. Fear of diminution of petroleum is groundless. Standard Oil yesterday made a loan to China and secures a concession. The gasoline age has not fairly begun. Men and their wives are divided in a heated liquor campaign in .a Cali fornia town. Who said suffrage mere ly served to give the married man two votes? Partners, even though they put their incomes in the business, must pay the income tax, it is held. So you see there's no way around It, boys. Express companies have again cut their dividends. The public now gets most of that melon, neatly delivered through the parcel post. Wilson is again confined to his room with a cold. Must have con tracted it at that chilly meeting with the suffragists. Much evidence will be needed to make people . believe the charge of misconduct by the blind Senator from Oklahoma. The short parade yesterday of Grand Army men and juvenile drum corps was a neat bit qf "Yankee Doodle." Those ditch fellows from Eastern Oregon can get an idea as to how the Master provides the water. What ' a shock that antediluvian man would have should he be restored to life today. Our mortality rate is found the low est. And our prosperity rate the high est. A cablegram from Rome has the familiar sound rain prevents game. Wonder if scientists will be puzzling over our bones 200,000 years hence? You might as well be disfranchised if you haven't the energy to register. Care should be taken that Baker dogs are kept out of Portland. And now they are fishing and gam ing for political support. Somebody is putting the skids un der Finley and Clanton. The Native Son's Return By Dean Collins. (The skeleton of a prehistoric man, estimated to be 200,000 years old, has been exhumed from the asphalt beds of La Brea, Cal., News Item.) From that cell where, it appears, For 200,000 years He's been doing time, since time Barely had its course begun, California's sunny clime Welcomes to her scenes sublirn.e. Him who holds unchallenged record As her oldest native son. Ishi, prehistoric wight. Sinks from out the public sight. And his fame's transcendent sheen Dwindles, for his vogue is done; For this pigmy chap, I ween. From the misty pleistocene Has a better claim than Ishi--As her oldest native son. From asphaltum stratum dug By the geologic bug. Who with scientific dibble Scratched the dark archaic peat. Comes this pigmy. We should bibble Though he's dead through eras thrible. Still his claims as 'oldest native son" Are unquestioned and complete'. Wreaths of e-lnrv nVmii And your fame through California Both far and wide and large and great And glorious shall run; Honors high on you await, " Darling of the sunny state. For you are, beyond all question, Quite her oldest -native son. WHO KNOWS WHEN PLEA IS DODGK! Mr. Jeffrey Believes Insanity Should t Be Excluded as Defense. PORTLAND. Feb. 12. (To the Edi tor-' In writing from Gilbert. Or. W. B. E. opines that it should be a penal oitense for a lawyer to defend a man charged with murder on the ground of insanity, and that the defendant also ought to be punished for being in sane. This may be reason to the no culiar form of mind which believes it Justifiable to burn and drown witchee and to execute insane people on the supposed ground that insanity is not a disease, out Is caused by the victi being possessed of the devil. 11 it appeals to these people as right lu " people tor their misfortunes, why try any person charged with mur der at all? Why not burn them, quar ter them, boil them in oil? Again, why should a lawyer be al lowed to defend a man who is charged with murder at all? He is onlv "ob structing- justice." since the brilliant lawgivers nice W. B. E., who perhaps never heard a murder trial in his life seem to consider anything an "obstrue- iiuii 01 justice- wnich prevents the speeuy Killing or any poor creature charged with the commission of trim.. Did W. B. E. ever hear a murder trial where insanity was interposed as io ne did. is he wiser than J.- leiiow citizens who heard the trial a6 jurymen and decided- the case? Has he a private grudge against the uciense, or wnat Is wrong with his 1V1 V Z, . iumiis! e assumes L"al leisnea insanity has saved many a guilty murderer. How does he know and where did he learn that the de fense was feigned? He also resurrects the old and often exploded fallacy that punishment would prevent crime. He dops not stick at the "occasional" execution of an innocent man, because he says it would do good. If so. whv not kill everybody who is charged with a crime? We should, of course, kill a few innocent ones in this manner but it would scare the rest of them so badly that all crime in' the future would be prevented and the millennium would have come. Of course, this would be with tv, ception of the little matter of killing all of them by warrant of law and it would make everything serene and lovely by simply transferring the kill ings and other crimes from the in dividuals who are now charged with mem to a wnoiesale killing by the state. W. B. E. would be nations -in. this, according to the logic of his let ter, or want of logic. Of course it might make a differ ent 11 nis orotner were charged with murder. JOHN A. JEFFREY. HIGH HEELS CIRK FOR FLATl'OOT Statement that It Is Cause Is Denied hy Investigator. PORTLAND, Or.. Feb. 12. (To the Editor.) In The Oregonian of Febru ary 4 Mrs. Magee. of the department of physical education. University of Cal ifornia, makes the unwarranted and ex travagant statement that flat-foot is due directly to the high-heeled shoes decreed by fashion. So far from the truth is her state ment that I feel impelled to take issue with her in defense of the high heel. If her statement is correct we would (1) find more flat-footed women than men; (2) we would find more flat feet among races wearing a reasonable high heel than among those wearing a low heel: (3) we would find more broken down arches among races wearing arti ficial heels than araon? those wearing only the heels with which nature en dowed them. The above premises we find in 20 years of study of the human foot to be not only Incorrect, but that the very opposite is the case. The increased curvature of the arch produced by high heels is an impor' nt step in the direction of cure of the deformity. The high heel throws the foot into a sym metrical curve and throws the foot for ward, supporting that curve and dis tributing the weight of the body in walking between this point and the ball of the foot, Giving the elastic, springy step which from time immo rtal has made the high heel popular. O. O FLETCHER. IjIFE is sweet. Oh, life seems sweet when blossoms fall From plum and apple tree; When bird, to mate, gives cheery call And wild-flowers lure the bee; When nature veils in tender hues. The distant hills and fields: When verdure sparkles with the dews, And mead sweet odor yields; When dimples sport the mirrored lakes, And dreamy lie the hills; When cloud with gentle thunder wakes, And rainbow beauty thrills; When circling swallows soar with grace. As the glory fades from day; When fire-fly lanterns flit a-pace Through meadow's darksome way; When o'er the dusky moon-lit lanes Tree shadows darkling line: When foliage gently taps the panes. As zephyrs pass it by; When flashing lights and gleeful sounds Bespeak bright homes a-near. As sweetly children's mirth resounds. And music greets the ear. Yes, life is sweet when blossoms fall From plum and apple tree; When bird to mate gives cheery call, And wild-flowers lure the bee. Washougal, Wash. E. PLACKETT. Calculating a Defense. Washington, D. C, Post. "Is your client going to plead insan ity?" "I haven't decided," replied the lawyer. "He wants to look the ground over and see which Is the easiest to escape from, the prison or the asylum." Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian of Feb. 13, 186-4. San Francisco. Feb. 6. Th Pai-ific leaves tomorrow, loaded with freight ana lull of passengers, and no doubt this will continue to be the case for several months. lioise is well under stood all through the state, and thou sands will go overland this Spring. They are the only placer mines of any account on the Coast at present, and placer mining is the kind to draw a crowd. San Francisco, Jan. 6. Senator Nes mith has introduced a bill in Congress to build a road through the Cascade Mountains, starting at Eugene City and following middle fork of Willam ette, and asks an appropriation of three sections per mile to build a road from Dalles to a point on the Snake River near the mouth of the Owyhee. San Francisco, Feb. 7 The ship Wild Pigeon has arrived frorrt Chinn She brought news of the dstruction of the ships Contest and Racer by the Alabama near the Cape. The United States steamer Wyoming is after the Alabama. The steamer Pacific, A. M. Burns commander, left this port at 6:30 P. M. yesterday bound for San Francisco via Victoria. She had a large amount of freight, and in consequence did not take all that awaited shipment. She carried away 580,000 in treasure and about 100 passengers. The Bannock Gold & Silver Mining Company, formed by some of the most prominent gentlemen of the O. S. N. Co. in this city, has bought large in terests in the Landon and other ledges, and design putting extensive machin ery in operation. Two rafts of lumber were reoentlv floated into the city from the Clack amas. T. J. Peabody. for 11 years a clerk of Wells, Fargo & Co. at Sacramento, came here by the last steamer, and goes up to Celilo to take charge of the business of the O. S. N. Co. at that point. R. H. Mallory, who has been agent at Celilo, will go to Umatilla in the same capacity. The people of Belpassi are making preparations for a fine celebration of the coming anniversary of the birth of Washington. Rev. T. H. Pearne and Judge Williams are to address the people. COMPBTITIOS OF MAIUIIEO SMALL Thrusting of I nfltted Into Stenography Has Greater Influence. PORTLAND, Feb. 12. (To the Edi tor.) A stenographer myself, I am deeply interested in the discussion which has resulted from a letter re cently printed in The Oregonian. I think we might call the subject at issue "An Interesting Tresent-Day Problem." Stenographers are a class of whom little is written; they belong to no union and for the most part are inde pendent, self-reliant men and women, asking only a chance to earn an honor able livelihood. Stenography is a profession one that calls for natural intelligence and abil ity as well as acquired education and innate refinement. It is to be deplored, therefore, that so many who are lack ing these qualities enter the steno graphic field and that the schools, in their desire for aggrandizement, use so little discretion in their admission of students. The question of married women, whose living is assured, enter ing the field and usurping positions which single women might otherwise fill, is small, to my mind, in compari son with the army of illiterate, unedu cated and therefore ill-equipped young people who are so frequently being thrust into the business world by the schools, thus so greatly "lowering the standard" and "jeopardizing the fu ture" of the profession. Along with the suggestion in your re cent editorial, 1 would say one might add that many of these would-be steno graphers are better fitted for other than brain work, and as stenographers they have missed their vocation, just as many ministers of the gospel and actors have missed theirs. On the other hand, we have the prob lem of the employer to contend with. There are those who. being of "quality" themselves, require quality in a -stenographer and others who require a steno. frrapher capable of pulling them out of the slough of Illiteracy, but who do not see nor feel this need themselves. This Is proven by the quality of work which some firms send out and it Is evident that many employers are satisfied with a very inferior class of stenographer, the main question with them being the "salary" they must pay. Though it in a difficult problem to meet in view of these facts, I have al ways advocated the keeping up of prices by capable stenographers, for I know of no class of workers who are asked to sell their services, their years of business experience, their ability and intelligence, for so small a remunera tion as the stenographer. No class suf fers more from business depression and it would seem to the experienced sten ographer of today that as far back as their memory goes they have been hearing the cry of "hard times" and that employers of today, though thou sands of them are living in luxury themselves, are still paying "panic" salaries to their stenographers who are in so many instances born with the same love of refined surroundings as their employers possess, but who must, because of their meager salaries, spend their leisure hours in ill-furnished rooms in ill-kept rooming-houses (and this city boasts so many such), denying themselves so much that their eouIs crave, while their employers are reap ing the benefits of their hard and ill -appreciated life-killing work, for does anyone realize what nerve-racking work stenography and typewriting is? I would name a few of the requisites of a good stenographer: Education, intellect, ability to grasp a situation or rectify an error, familiarity with business tactics and office detail, a pleasant disposition and willing man ner, no matter how hard pressed with work. w. M. E. Dlt. LKKLATER. He vas a mon of sterling worth Nae guile was on his lip; But mony a word sae gude and kind Frae tongue was heard to slip. For a" the poor and wretched folk His skill was e'er sae free And mony a mile-thro' storm and wind He rode the sick to see. Nae mair e'll see him o' the street, WI' smile sae fu' o' cheer Aye, mon, he's missed by a' the town Where a folk loved him dear. Nae sic a mon we ever saw,. Nor wi' e'er again For aye, he was a gudely wight. A mon among a' men. And aye, when settling his last score At Peter's gate sa grand He'll pass fu' weight, with mony a praise, Wl' any in the land. L., Hillsboro, Or. Arousing an Audience. Toronto, Canada, World. "Now, my friends," said the candi date, making another effort to arouse enthusiasm in his hearers, "what do we need in order to carry this constit uency by the biggest majority in its history? The response was immediate and enthusiastic. "Another candidate!" yelled the audience. Twenty-five Years Ago From The Oregonian of Feb. 13. 1SS9. Washington, Feb. 12. Senator Plumb said today that Senator Hale had said to him that within 10 years the United States would have the best navy in the world. Salem." Feb. 12. The House today passed the pilotage bill by a large ma jority. Pendleton, Or., Feb. 12. Colonel J. C. Saunders, Government Inspector of Indian Reservations. todav removed Bartholomew Coffee, superintendent of the Umatilla reservation, and Paddy Mills. chief clerk, the latter for drunk enness. Seattle, Feb. 12. War has broken out, over possession of the mud flats and it Is altogether likelv there will be bloodshed before it ends. Walla Walla, Feb. 12. This evening George W. Hunt, in response to a dis patch announcing the serious illness of one of his children in Ohio, departed for the. East. Seattle, Feb. 12. N. J. Levinson, for merly of Portland and later of Seattle, will engage in the real estate business in Port Townsend with R. S. Miller of that city. Baltimore. Feb. 12. Colonel Julian Allen, while in Washington recently, had an interview with James G. Blaine who spoke with freedom about his ac ceptance of the position of Secretarv of State. San Francisco, Feb. 12. A. L. Max well, general passenger and ticket agent of the O. R. & N. Co.. was in terviewed today on a secret movement of tho Southern Pacific upon the Puget Sound country. Men are at work under the supervis ion of Samuel tj. I.awson. putting up the wires for lighting the Exposition building. The new stone church at Alder and Tenth streets is nearly covered in. Arrangements have been made to send white fish to Crater Lake. Dr. J. M. P. Chalmers and wife have returned to Portland after an ahsence of three years in New York City. Dillon Hosklns, of Hardman. Or., died January 23. The two-story section of SO feet in the center of th union freight depot on North Front street, is nearly com pleted. George II. Durham, who has been at Baker City, returned homo very sick with pneumonia. Mr. Jefferson A. Davis, of Salem, and Miss Margaret E. Fitch were married last evening by Rev. C. E. Cline, at the residence of B. (1. Severance, West Park street. D. T. Brown has returned from Texas. Colonel John Lee. for four years su perintendent of the Cheinawa Indian School, has resigned. OrlRin of ev l.atv. . PORTLAND. Feb. 12. (To the Edi tor.) Several su Dscribers of The Ore gonian and taxpayers have asked mo to ask you the name of the party who introduced the bill to change our law taking away the 3 per rent rebate on all taxes paid before March 1 j ami adding new penalties. F. C. HUMI'IIUKV. The new tax law was framed by the State Tax Commission. -Your Character It Is Revealed Through the End of Your Pen When You Write Edith Maeomhn- Mall ha.-, been working day and night on the vast pile of letters written by readers of The Oregonian. She has com pleted analyses of several hundred of the twelve hundred sent in thus far. One full page will be occupied NEXT SUNDAY by these letters. Whether you have written or not you will enjoy them. In the Bread Line. This is not a story of human poverty, but an inspiring- account of the feeding- of gulls along Port land's waterfront the hobby of many, including one prominent I'oitlander. Full page, with, strik ing photos. Was Jonah Swallowed? Whether he was or not. a fish lias been caught that could have swallowed twenty Jonahs at a gulp. This is the biggest fish story yet, and it Ls true, as evidenced by convincing photos. Borah, of Idaho. A rising influence in politics and National affairs, this progressive Westerner gives an interesting hour to the interviewer. Chasing Germs. It is not a very exciting form of sport, but it is a most important one. An illustrated article of how Portland's food supply is safe guarded. Then and Now. Two remarkable photos of the ex-Empress Eugenie, showing her as a beautiful woman and as she appears today at 80. Tier remark able story is lold in an article that surpassed fiction. The Children's Page. Mother (loose and other favor ites make their reappearance on the full page devoted to stories and pictures for the children. ' All Aboard for Alaska. A glimpse into the wonderful realm that awaits the Government railway. Full page in colors, with photographs. ( - A. LAKiilj .N UfflBEK AND VA RIETY OF OTHER FEATURES. Place Your Order Early With Your Newsdealer.