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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1914)
10 tttv SrORXTXO OTPTrONTAN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1914. rORTLAri i. UHr-wj.x. Detalled Sworn Statement oS Clrcnla tion of THE OREGOMA.V For Each Day During Ftbronry, 1914. Feb 1. .77,045 Feb. 15. .77,021 Feb. 2.. 58,207 Feb. 16.. 57,825 Feb. 3.. 58,425 Feb. 17.. 57,753 Feb. 4..58.052 Feb. 18.. 57,606 Feb. 5..58.027 Feb. 19.. 57,698 Feb. 6.-57,865 Feb. 20..57,3O6 Feb. 7.. 57,854 Feb. 21.. 57,443 Feb. 8.. 77,1 11 Feb. 22.-77,029 Feb. 9..57.850 Feb. 23.-57,275 Feb. 10.-57,933 Feb. 24.. 57,325 Feb. 11.. 57,852 Feb. 25.. 57,351 Feb. 12.. 5 7,832 Feb. 26.-57.307 Feb. 13.. 57.829 Feb. 27.. 57,255 Feb. 14.-57,853 Feb. 28.. 57,6-48 Total 1,693,577 Average Sunday Average Week Day.... ...77.05 ...57,723 County of Multnomah I State of Oregon. I SS- This Is to certify that the circulation of THE OREGOMAN for the month February, nineteen hundred and four teen, was as above set forth. J. E. HASEXACK. I Circulation Manager. Subscribed and sworn to before m this second day of March, nineteen hundred nd fourteen. V. E. HARTMUS. . Notary Public for Oregon. PORTLAND. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1914 WILSON'S FIRST VE-iR. Completion of his first year in of fice finds President "Wilson in con- trol not only of the executive but of the legislative department of the Gov ernment, through acceptance of his leadership by the majority in Congress and with approval of the people. The time is fitting to review the manner In which he has acquired a position of such commanding influence and the use he has made of it. The President's control of Con Cress is based on his assumption that lie was chosen as leader of his party t the same time that he was chosen as head of the executive department of the Government. He holds to the principle of party responsibility for administration and legislation. He Relieves that the Nation, regarding !him as leader of his party, holds him primarily responsible for the party's acts and that, therefore, his voice must be most potent in deciding what the party shall do. He does not use threats nor any open form of co ercion to impose Uis will on his party colleagues in Congress. He appeals to their reason and judgment, and if that appeal fails, he gives them to un cerstand that he will leave the people to decide which is right. Any Sena tor or Representative who has con templated breaking away from the ranks considers the chances of suc cess if he should revolt and the con sequences to his own political for- tunes, and almost invariably falls in line with the President. The excep tions are so few that they serve only to prove the rule. The use made by the President of the influence he has thus gained has Justified and strengthened it. He be gan by procuring passage of the tariff reform and income tax bill, never fal tering in his determination to make them law. Disgusted with the prom ise-breaking Payne-AIdrich tariff and , wearied with tariff controversy, the people were reconciled to, though not anxious for, a revenue tariff. Full as is the Underwood law of irregular! ties and discriminations, it is perhaps as good a law as could be expected from a party which always shouts for revenue only in gtneral, but whose members always strive for protection of their local interests. The people are willing to give it a fair trial and they hear with impatience those ora tors who predict calamity from polit ical motives, for they are determined to have prosperity, whatever laws may prevail. It is perhaps too early to judge of the effects of the law on our foreign trade, but so far it has not realized the estimates of its authors as to increased imports nor has it greatly swollen the volume of exports. In procuring passage of the income tax law, Mr. Wilson complied with an undoubted public demand and his success is placed entirely to his credit. With due allowance for the limita tions of human wisdom and foresight, and for the fact that it imposes form of taxation entirely new to this country, the law is probably as nearly perfect as it could be made. Its op eration will doubtless reveal flaws, but these can be removed by amend ment from time to time. No achievement of President Wil son reflects more honor on him than the new currency law. Dealing with a. complex question from which for mer Congresses have flinched, fraught with controversy on economic ques tions, brought forward when Congress was wearied by its labors with the tariff and was reduced to lassitude by the Summer heat, holding that body in almost continuous session for fifteen months, yet passed in the ninth month of the President's term, this law will always be acclaimed as one of his most signal triumphs and as one of the most striking evidences of his control over his party. Even in ad vance of being put in operation, It has already had most salutary ef fects on the business and financial situation and will greatly aid adjust ment of industry to the new tariff. i The President has shown admirable Judgment in his management' of the anti-trust campaign. While not swerv ing from his purpose to carry out the popular verdict against monopoly, he has shown a conciliatory spirit towards large corporations which evince a disposition to comply with the law and he has abstained from that violent denunciation of offend ers which, by spreading needless alarm, injures the innocent as much as the guilty. He has laid before Congress a well-considered pro gramme of legislation to govern in dustrial corporations, which is in line with the policy of his Republican op ponents and which has every pros pect of adoption. The President has moved persist ently to better the condition of ag riculture and promote development of the West. The proposed system of farm mortgage banks will gradually Cause a beneficient revolution. Gov ernment railroads will open Alaska to development. The measures advo cated by his Secretary of the Interior for expediting irrigation and for leas ing power sites and land bearing fuel and fertilizers have the President's support and bespeak his regard for welfare of the West. While the President's domestic policy commands little but praise, his foreign policy shows the weaker by contrast. He has irritated Mexico and aggravated that country's ills by his forceless intervention, when the American people desired no interven- tion and when only forcible inter vention would be effective. He has taxed the patience of European pow ers by his policy of waiting and by his pronouncement against conces sions in Latin-American republics. He has incensed Central America by. the Nicaragua treaty. He has proposed surrender to England in the canal tolls controversy under circumstances which arouse the sus picion that this is the price England is to receive for giving him a free hand in Mexico. He has adopt ed a peace policy which small na tions eagerly accept, while large na tions significantly act with great de liberation. Trained diplomats have been turned out of office to make room for political appointees at the very time when his own policy ren ders training and proved diplomatic ability most essential to the protec tion of our interests abroad. This combination of blundering foreign policy with the highest states- manship in domestic affairs is attrib utable largely to the presence at the head of the State Department of William J. Bryan. But the appoint ment of Mr. Bryan and the Presi dent's management of him are evi dences that Mr. Wilson is a politician of no mean ability. He has taken into his official family the man who threatened to overshadow him and has subordinated and trained to har ness that man. By assuming respon sibility for all Mr. Brian's official acts, he has earned a claim to the Iatter's loyalty and gratitude. But Mr. Wilson has unquestioned merits to set against the demerits of his foreign policy. The President has introduced some striking innovations into his meth ods in performing his duties. By making oral addresses to Congress in place of sending written messages, he has heightened his personal prestige. By his personal visits to the Capitol for the purpose of conferring with legislators he has improved team work and avoided friction. He no longer permits public receptions to waste time and energy which can be applied more effectually to the public service. Will his success in molding legisla tion be as great throughout his term as It has been throughout his tirst ear? Hitherto he has been aided by the fresh enthusiasm of a party re turned to power after a lapse of six teen years, by the prestige of victory just won, by the generous readiness of the people to give a new President fair chance and by having all the political prizes in his hands to dis tribute. But the co-operation of the leaders in Congress has been due more to political expediency than to hearty accord with him. The wounds left by the Baltimore convention are not et healed. As the Administration grows stale, enthusiasm will cool, disappointment of many aspirants is nevitable, interests will be antagon ized, friends will be alienated, and many will watch for some misstep which may be made the occasion of popular movement to discredit the Administration. The President has sed great sagacity in almost every move he has made, except in foreign ffairs, but he will need to exercise that quality in larger measure every ear as his term wanes, if that term judged as a whole, is to be pro nounced a success and if he is to be given the opportunity of a second term. NO MORE STATES' RIGHTS. The Oregonian gives to Senator Chamberlain the benefit of the follow lng warm encomium from the New- berg (Or.) Enterprise: In his course relative to the tariff bill Senator Chamberlain acquitted himself th credit to the country. He saw be yond the narrow borders of Oregon In deal ine with that bill, and, in doing his duty by the Nation he did his duty by his state in a broad, statesmanlike manner. He has earned the right to remain at least another term. He is now entrenched in the respect nd confidence of his associates and stands in the front rank with the most distill- ui9hed of them. The principal interest to The Ore gonian, and doubtless . to the great body of the constituency of the emi nent Senator, is that this Indorsement echoes exactly the defense for his course made by Democratic newspa pers throughout the state. Senator Chamberlain is to make is appeal for re-election the super- interest of the Nation over the local interest of Oregon in the new tariff a strictly Democratic mea- ure. That is curious Democratic doctrine; but then the Democracy is queer party, driven often by the exigencies of the moment to repudi ation of its most sacred tenets. The issue over Chamberlain will be vested this year of all non-partisan asquerade. We are to have a Demo cratic candidate for Senator who will isclaim the validity and deny the reasonableness of states rights. MKMORJES OF A 20,000,00O FOLLY. All the candidates for Governor and for every other office are for lower taxes and more economical govern ment. Of course, of course. Our present Governor, who is not candidate for re-election in his own person. Is prepared to show that he has saved the state many thousand dollars by the effective use of the veto. Take those road bills, for ex ample. He vetoed them in 1911, be cause they were "unpracticable and unworkable" and incidentally be cause proposed expenditure of the money was not properly safeguarded. The bills appropriated about $360,000; and we hear now about the mighty saving the Governor then made by his rigid enforcement of his stern rule of economy. Doubtless the Governor had the ame unflexlble purpose of keeping down the tax levy when he followed his sweeping vetoes by his indorse- ent of the extraordinary proposal to bond the state for $20,000,000 for roads. The West policy for wise and careful expenditure of the public funds reached high water mark in that easy-money project. The bonds were ' never issued because the tax payers rose en masse and denounced the scheme as the acme of financial folly. It was Just that. The administration of Governor West has been the most expensive to the taxpayer in the state's history. If he had been given his own unham pered way, the state would now '. ave been loaded down with a $20,000,000 burden, or, to be strictly accurate, with the obligation to borrow and spend $2,000,000 per year for ten years in roads. Let the taxpayer who worries over the present tax Incubus reflect on the prospect of outright bankruptcy which he has happily escaped. The state must be extricated from the tax-bog in which it has been plunged by too liberal expenditures of public money. The Oregonian does not at all say that Governor West is solely responsible for - present condi- tions. Everybody is responsible. But a Governor of sound business experi ence, definite publio aims and an inflexible purpose to get the state on a rational financial Lasls is now badly needed. PORTLAND'S TRADK WITH ALASKA. Sailing of the first steamer of the direct Portland-Alaska lino today will extend the city's trade to a fruitful but long-neglected field. For fifteen years Portland has permitted its neighbors to hold this fast-expanding trade, while attention has been turned to the development of the Inland Em pire. The latter territory is now fully occupied by our merchants and the city's supremacy there cannot be dis puted. It is time to branch out into new fields, and no field better than Alaska could have been chosen. Portland already has a large inter est in Alaskan mines and canneries. Only an appeal to the civic loyalty of the holders of these interests was nec essary to secure a good nucleus of trade. Ability to compete on a foot ing of equal rates and service with other ports will enable our merchants t sell a large proportion of the $16, 000,000 worth of goods bought yearly by Southeastern Alaska. Our mer chants have proved their ability to underbid competitors, and lumber merchants can supply much of the Northern territory's large demand. The movers in the enterprise act wisely in beginning with small ves sels, cheaply operated, and in confin ing their initial efforts to Southeast ern Alaska. As the steamship line gains strength and as the merchants extend their business relations, larger vessels may be employed and can reach out to Western Alaska, where the Government railroad will, in a few years, create much trade, and to the Bering Sea coast. In a few years the company may be able to buy or build vessels instead of chartering them, and Portland will become ship-owning as well as a shipping port. The large cargo which will be car ried by the Thomas L. Wand augurs well for the success of the new line and for the assumption by Portland of its proper rank among Pacific Coast ports. THB NEW SPIRIT AT VALE. The spirit of self-criticism is gain ing ground at Yale. The fine old times when it was the first duty of every student and every graduate to shout for Yale with ail its abuses has passed away. What they shout for now is "a better Yale." To further this purpose the university invited some of its alumni to make the insti tution a visit not long ago. The oc casion was singular. No great ath letic event was to come off. No gorgeous academic ceremony was on the tapis. The old graduates were invited to come back simply to look the university over in its every-day dress and see exactly what it was doing for the students. Two hundred of them came and listened to the recitations, talked with the professors and consulted with President Hadley. It must have been a season of great refreshment all round. The usual inspecting committee from the alumni or the legislature sees very little of the real college work. A gala dress is donned for the occa sion and ingenious means are devised to blind the not too vigilant inspec torial eye. Many of our colleges cultivate in their young men and women an un intelligent loyalty which overlooks faults and magnifies virtues. This is the worst tendency in the world for all concerned. The graduates of an institution ought to be the first to see its faults and seek to correct them. What is culture worth that destroys the critical faculty? Perhaps it is Owen Johnson's book, "Stover at Yale," that has contributed most to rouse the new spirit of self examination at that university. The story tells by significant silence how much athletics has counted there and how little there has been of real edu cation for some of the students. We may hope that under the new spirit things will be changed for the better. SIR JOHN TENNIEL. it is sate to judge from the ex ample of Sir John Tenniel that the life of a cartoonist is singularly healthy. He lived to the age of ninety-four. Perhaps it was a peace ful conscience that made his years so plenteous. The wor!: of a cartoon ist undoubtedly conduces to the pub lic welfare. He upholds the good and brings low evil by his witty pictures and if he sometimes wounds the feel ings of a sentimental politician he is pardoned. One may perhaps do a little wrong to effect a great right. Sir John Tenniel did more than a little wrong, according to some judges. His cartoons of Lincoln during the period of our Civil War were malig nant and untruthful. His sympathies, like those of Punch, for which he made his drawings, were wholly on the side of the Confederates and slav ery. Lincoln was to him the gross, sordid representative of Northern commercialism, while the aristocracy of the South was fighting for all that was fine and high in civilization. There is no question but that Tenniel libeled Lincoln wilfully and grossly. Still, in those times every cartoon was a libel in greater or less degree, just as political writing had a bit terness which would surprise and shock most of us today. . In both these important particulars the press of Anglo-Saxon countries has improved greatly during the fifty years of Sir John Tenniel's connection with Punch. In Martin Chuzzlewit Dickens prob ably exaggerates the conscienceless malignity of contemporary American newspapers, but he does not miss the truth a great deal. Since then writ ers have learned to contend with less acerbity and cartoonists hate discov ered that a foe may be slain with a fine point quite as effectually as with a club. The modern pictorial satire has point enough to kill, but even the vic tim whom it slays can find cause for mirth in his wounds. Tenniel's car toons of Lincoln were false both in motive and manner. He misrepre sented the great President's aims and calumniated his character. This was permissible in those times, but it would not pass now. Taste and mor als have advanced to a point where they would not tolerate it. Tenniel's most celebrated cartoon was called "Dropping the Pilot." It depicted the deposition of Prince Bis marck from his place and power in the German Empire. The young Kaiser, as the reader will remember, gave the venerable statesman but a short shrift when he came to the throne and Europe expected terrible calamities to ensue from William's hotheaded inexperience. Bismarck was the pilot who might have steered the ship of state safely amid the rocks and the unreined boy was turn ing him adrift. The cartoon expressed the state of European thought with vivid ac curacy. It turned out, however, that everybody was mistaken. It was high time to "drop the pilot." Wil liam felt perfectly confident that he could steer the ship without any help and events have justified his belief in himself. The younger generation usually manages better without too much interference from the old. Of course, Bismarck was delighted with Tenniel's cartoon. It made him feel that he was appreciated in other lands if not at home. What astonishes us is that William liked it, too. Perhaps he enjoyed the thought of the surprises he had in store for Punch and its coterie of re actionary artists and writers. 'An other of Tenniel's pet aversions was Napoleon HI, whom he depicted in any number of risky predicaments. In one picture Napoleon was Bloudin walking a tight rope across Niagara. Revolution surged under him and he was nicely balancing himself above the turmoil. If Tenniel had only understood Lin coln as thoroughly as he did the great charlatan of France, it would have been well for his fame. It is a mis fortune both to art artist himself and to the world when he fails to appre ciate the difference between good and bad, sincerity and humbug. Tenniel contributed to Funch for fifty years holding an eminent rank in the long series of artists who have made that periodical celebrated all over the world for its political satires in black and white. Perhaps their most legit imate successors will be found among the rising school of American car toonists. The See America first" doctrine has received a pertinent amendment from Enos A. Mills, a Federal forest expert of renown. Mr. Mills' addition is "Get America Ready to Be Seen." He means that we must make our scenic treasures more accessible by roads and bridges and provide hotels where they are needed. Some of our scenery which cannot be reached by tourists is finer than any in Europe. This is a case where good advice is not of much avail without good works to back it up. A move for the short ballot has been taken in New York by the pass age through the Assembly of a con stitutional amendment making the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor the only elective state officers, the Governor to appoint all others. Though "Boss" Barnes controls, there are symptoms of progress in the Leg islature, but perhaps the boss had an eye to control of the whole ad ministration by putting his man in as Governor. A local woman is so afraid of germs that she refuses to kiss her husband, who wants a divorce in consequence. Kissing assuredly is a most unsani tary and unwholesome practice, but despite its multitudinous dangers, its vogue continues with more or less persistence, as this case clearly indi cates. Mrs. von Bauditz commands a ves sel plying between Russia and Eng land and has been promised promo tion to a steamer in the American service. This announcement moves the Boston Transcript to tell of many New England women who have com manded ships. Women can do any thing except throw a ball straight. Trainmen are successful uniformly in securing readjustment of pay this year. Prospects of much business help the roads to acquire the grace with which they concede the demands. Snake shows are under the ban, by order of the Mayor. Except, of course, the gratuitous displays of rep tilian splendor that occasionally are noted by the bibulously inclined. A Los Angeles judge left it to the prisoner's wife and she sent him to the rockpiie for one year. Many of us might not get off that lightly un der similar circumstances. The President gives the world to understand that he will not be stam peded into, drastic action in Mexico. The world has understood that pretty fully for some months. Sir Edward Grey's exposition of England's Mexican policy is about the most eloquent and forceful example of saying nothing that we have seen. A doctor at Pendleton passed him self off as a single man,although he had a wife and child in Philadelphia. It's easy for some men to do. An eight-inch hatpin has been tak en from the body of a bull pup in Colorado, and the dog survives. What did the woman pin the dog to? Astor Vincent's rich fiancee is busy buying her trousseau. Bet she doesn't have half the fun she might have were her means limited. Now the East is threatened with famine as a result of the storms. There's only one way out of It. Come to Oregon. President Wilson says intervention will come when everything else has failed. Wekk hasn't everything else failed? Jack London may lead the idle army on to Washington. Jack is his own busy little, press agent all the time. Harry Lauder- extracted a dollar from the San Francisco Council for a song. Robber! England would be pleased to agree to a warship limit. So as to put by a few farthings. The wife of San Francisco County's Sheriff will work for his recall. She should know. Just a few weeks and America will again be itself watching the score board. If the boy smokes, have his glands touched up with silver nitrate. A bunch of reptiles never feazes the man who has reformed. Bryan is now enough grandfather to wear whiskers. All the Federals are due for the in-come-taX; class. Ere long the stricken East win be dying of heat. . t WHY INTERVENTION IX SIEXICBt Former British Soldier Point Out That It Would Be Costly. PORTLAND, Feb. 24. (To the Ed itor.) In your leading article in The Sunday Oregonian on the Mexican ques tion, you say, "Great Britain has a habit of protecting its citizens at home and abroad, and of demanding and en forcing redress wnere they are wronged or slain." This is correct, but it has been a mighty expensive habit, to say the least. What were the causes leading up to the Boer War? The 111 usage of a few thousand miners on the Rand; the mur der of a British subject by a Pretoria policeman, whom the Dutch authorities refused to punish, being one of the things that helped to bring matters to a. head. What was the cost of the war to Great Britain? Here it is: Killed. Wounded. Officers 714 1.T53 Men . . . 6845 19.292 Total Killed ana wounded 28,604 The British National -debt was in creased by the sum of 250,000,000; ap proximately $1,200,000,000. A high price, was it not? The great mass of tile British people are tired of that sort of thing, and 1 venture to say that the government over there, that would ad vocate intervention in Mexico because of the murder of Mr. Benson, would very speedily find itself out of office. There is such a thing as paying too high a price. And what were the con ditions in South Africa at the close of the war? About a quarter of a million Chinese were imported to work the mines and were kept there for three years; beautiful, wasn't it? I am a New Zealander, and served as a troop er in a New Zealand regiment In the war. When the end came we were al lowed to be discharged in Africa if we so wished. A good many of the boys did so, but the most of them were mighty glad to get back home again. I saw some of them later, and they all had the same story, they simply starved. I have never been In Mexico, but 1 fancy it is a more difficult country, for campaigning, than South Africa, and 1 am pretty sure that fever would exact just as high a toll from troops as did the veldt, if not higher. For one life that will be lost, as Mr. Benson's was lost, 100 soldiers would lose their lives should the United States intervene. For $1 of American, British, German or other foreign capital destroyed, $1000 of 3ebt would be Incurred. And what is this foreign capital anyway; to whom does it belong? At a safe estimate 90 per cent be longs to big business interests, whose records and holdings would not bear very much scrutiny. For these thou sands of young men would lose their lives and millions of -dollars liability be contracted by the Nation. To my mind theie is only one thing that would Justify interference by any foreign nation; that is, if it is fully proved that Mexico can never attain a semblance of government without it. This trouble has dragged along- three years now, may go that much longer. Well, the South African affair lasted two and a half years, and as to the Philippines, it is hardly over yet Could a foreign nation guarantee to pacify Mexico in any given time? I think not. Kipling wrote Take up the white man's burden." but then Kipling didn't expect to foot the bill, or else perhaps he would have written in a different strain. I have been a resident of America now for close on four years, and the reluctance of the present Administration to plunge the country into warfare is not the least of the things in it I have seen to admire. A. V. CLARK. MR. GEER'S STAND AS TO I. Mil OR. Favors .Natlon-Widc Prohibition as Well an Elimination From Mute. PORTLAND. Feb. 24. (To the Edl- itor.) Solely for the purpose of put ting Mr. Brownell right in regard to my declaration for state-wide prohibi tion I ask space to say that every voter in the United States who desires state wide prohibition In his or her state, just as sincerely wants nation-wide prohibition as well, of course, and if Mr. B.-ownell got the impression that I am in favor of state-wide prohibition and am opposed to a similar measure that shall include the Nation, I trust he is the only person who read my platform who misinterpreted it to that extent. Any man who wants prohibition in his own state wants it in the entire Nation, but since we are entering upon a campaign where our efforts will be directed toward eliminating the liquor traffic from our own state, we will hive accomplished a great step for ward if we succeed In that undertak ins. That will be our first step to ward nation-wide prohibition, and am strongiy in favor of taking that step now in order that we may be in line to assist in taking the other. In the pending campaign which will engage our effort's we cannot well hope to establish nation-wide prohibition but we can, if we work in harmony, secure the. banishment of the liquor traffic from our own state. We have already secured woman suf frage in Oregon and all we can do to ward extending that movement where it shall include the Nation will be to direct our attention to the selection of our representatives in both houses of Congress. In Mr. Brownell's public statement of February 8 he declared his inten tion to not become a candidate for Governor "if some one else is willing to take a position in favor of these great causes." This I have done in the clearest language possible, having a rock-ribbed determination to see. if elected, that we have a radical reduc tion in the expenses of our state gov ernment, and, incidentally, having in view the statement of Mr. Brownell that if these reforms shall be cham pioned by somebody else, "1 will gladly and freely withdraw," since he does not desire to be a candidate. T. T. GEER. REVERSION NOT PINCHOT PLAN Mr. Teal Gives "Conservationist " Views on Water-Power Policies. PORTLAND, March 2. (To the Edi tor.) In The Oregonian Monday, March 2, in an editorial entitled "Land Bills to the Front," in connection with power-site leases, you criticise the pro posal that has been made, that under euch leases the plant of certain por tions thereof revert to the Government without compensation at the end of iU years, ana attriDute tins proposed policy to what you term tne Fin- chotites" and refer to it as "the Pin chot" plan, etc. In the interest of truth the facts should be known. Thie suggestion does not come from Mr. Pinchot, or anyone representing the conservationists. But recently I had a conversation with air. Pinchot on this subject in which he agreed with me that the proposed plan was not practicable in the west, ana I think the vast majority of what are termed "conservationists" take .this same attitude and oppose It. Further more, since it was first suggested, 1 have tried to point out to those favor ing It that it would defeat its purpose, is really not in the public Interest and would tend to retard the development of this section. In view of the importance of this question to the West, and the fact that it appears as though a settlement of it is in sight, the Conservation Com mission of this state will in the near future issue a statement giving Its views on this subject. I might add that In my opinion this very important question is nearer settlement than it haH been in the past ten years, and it Is my hope that when settled it will be on a basis that, while protecting tht public Interest, will allow the fullest opportunity for development. JOSEPH N. TEAL. Song of the Salmon Run By Ben H. Lampraan In Gold Hill, Or., News. Smell of rain in the air. Tang of the distant sea. And the wild river there. Racing ceaselessly; Smother of foam and song Where the hid boulder lies The river god is strong Under the April skies. Was it his mail that flashed Silver against the, mist. Where the flung current crashed Rough as a Titan's fist. There where the rock juts out Stubborn against the swirl. Flinging the foam about As hoidens flaunt a curl? Flash of tho April sun There where the waters gleam Brave comes the salmon run. Breasting the stream; These are the river lords. Fearless and free. Passing by fall and fords Up from the sea! Sweet as the life to them, 'Round them and over. The waters make strife for them Where the mists hover; Bright eye and silvern mail. This is the path for them Swift rush and flashing scale Flood has no wrath for them! Flash of the April sun, Silver against the spume. This is the salmon run River, make room! Room for the overlords Leaping against the sun. Seeking the mating fords This is the salmon run! Smell of rain in the air. April over the world. And the wild river there. Ceaselessly hurled; Freshet and mountain snow Hurrying to the sea. Shouting or laughing low, Wild with the April glee! Was it a water maid Paused in the misty rout. Gleaming against the shade There where the rock juts out? Midway across the stream, Flashing a moment there Spirit or spume or dream Up from the river's lair? Known is the trail to them; Shallow and smother Call without fail to them, "Welcome, O, brother!" Over and past the fall. This is the way for them, April has joined the call. Flood is but play for them. Low shall the river croon Far from the beaches. Far from the flooded dune And the blue reaches When with that last grey fall Roaring behind them, .Shallow and ford that call. Mating shall find them. Flash of the April sun. Silver against the spume. This is the salmon run River, make room! Room for the overlords Leaping against the sun. Peeking the mating fords This Is the salmon run! item-v: iTO POWER IS APPROVED Dr. With? combe States His Views on Economy in State Affair. PORTLAND. March 2. (To the Ed itor.) I am heartily in accord with your excellent editorial on Oregon's next Governor, and would gladly sup port, with time and means, an initia tive measure giving the Governor the power of veto over single Items in any appropriation hill, but to suggest any definite plan'of reorganization of the whole state machinery would he botli impracticable and inadvisable. Re trenchment in expenditures should be preceded with a carefully worked-out policy of reconstruction. We are all agreed upon the fact that taxes are unreasonably high and must be reduced. In fact thrift is experi encing a severe jolt just at present through state and local taxation and the Federal income tax, and yet some of our would-be statesmen are clamor ing for still more taxation upon thrift to support forms of paternalism they wish to foist upon our people. It is not my purpose to offer in this brief ar ticle a panacea for the taxation evil, but suffice it to say that it is a seri ous burden and is becoming a strangle hold upon progress. The state's greatest need, as I see it, is for less politics and more clean-cut business methods and good constructive legislation. There is no doubt in my mind, however, but that under good business methods the annual depart mental budgets can be pruned thou sands ot dollars, thus lowering taxes without seriously impairing a -1 minis trative efficiency. There is a growing tendency to look upon public money as easy money, but instead it should be regarded as sacred money and its- expenditure should be jealously guarded under the keenest business methods. We are also drifting toward pater nalism, which is wrong in principle. The state owes no one a living, but it is our duty to neip tne needy to heip themselves. The abnormally high taxes this year are largely due to extraordinary ex penditures and to the loan of $450,000 to a very worthy Irrigation project in Central Oregon. The $175,000 fur the Panama Exposition is a good invest ment for exploiting the resources of Oregon, and. should be considered as casting bread upon the waters to re turn again many fold. In addition to good business methods we need real constructive legislation Oregon's greatest economic problem is transportation, both by water and land. Better roads are inevitable, and these are going to cost large sums of money. It Is the consensus of opinion among modern highway engineers that hard- surface roads are a necessity, and that cement is the basis for these roads. This will mean in the process of time that millions of dollars will he expend ed for cement in road construction. hence the state officials should look carefully into this matter. It would seem feasible for the state to maintain cement-manufacturing plant oper ated by convict labor, and thus supply cement at cost for road construction. These are but a few of the ways in which the state could save money for the taxpayer. JAMES WITHYCOMBE. Compulsory Voting; In New York. Newark (X. J.) Xews. Will New York State try compulsory voting? Probably not, but it will. nevertheless, be interesting; to see what becomes of a bill introduced in the Al bany Legislature by Assemblyman Stoddard, of New York City. It im poses a fine of from $10 to $o0 upon eacli qualified voter who fails to reg ister or vote in a state election. Onlj such illness as will seriously injure the health or endanger the life of the elector, or necessary absence from hi domicile on days of registration or election will be deemed a sufficient de fense in the prosecution of derelict electors. Twenty years ago a com pulsory voting bill was introduced in the Xew Jersey Legislature, but It was promptly and mercilessly killed. The Stoddard bill may meet the same fate, but there are many who think that in a republic where the Government is of the people, by the people and for the people, an able elector has no excuse for not votinir and can as reasonably be compelled to vote as he can be made to pay taxes. j Twenty-five Years Ago From The Oregonian of March 4, X8S. Washington, March 3. Senator Rid dleberger, of Virginia, refused to obey the orders of the chair today, resisted arrest and, being drunk, was almost carried out of the Senate chamber. Washington, March 3. The Cabinet has been finally agreed upon. San Frajicjaco. March 3. William O'Connor, of Toronto, won the three mile boat race with Gaudaur, the lat ter giving up after rowing a quarter of a mile. Tacoma, March 3. The Villard Oakes syndicate have purchased the remaining one-fourth of Nelson Ben nett's street railway stock and now own tho whole company. Port Townsend, March 3. Advices from Sitka, Alaska, per steamer Ancon today, state that A. P. Swineford, Governor, and Barton Atkins, Marshal. have resigned. Albany. Or., March 3. Eli Carter died suddenly this afternoon. Articles of incorporation of Emman uel German Methodist Episcopal Church, of Milwaukie, have been filed. Edward Holnian, George Watkins and D. C. McKercher have been desig nated a committee to solicit subscrip tions toward the proposed free bath house. B. Irving, an educated young Scotch man from Edinburgh, is the latest addition to the faculty of the Deaf Mute School at Salem. C. TI. Hill is erec-tins: four cottages on Russell street near Margueretta avenue. Mr. G. W. Kent and Mrs. A. L. Wil son, of Albina, were married in Port land last week. Real estate transfers during Febru ary aggregated $974, 4D2, an increase of $583,323 as compared with the same mouth a year agro and $S24,522 over the corresponding month of 1SS7. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian of M.irch 4. 1864. The Pan Francisco papers advertise the steamer Panama, for Portland only, to sail hi Saturday, the 5lh inst. We understand that the Brother Jonathan left a very large amount oi freight for this port, which it was impossible to take. Cairo, Feb. 20. Shortly before enter ing Jackson severe skirmishes oc curred between Siioi m;i n's forces and a body of rebels supposed to number from 4U00 to Soou. They resulted in the rebels being defeated. Our army then passed through Jackson in two columns, the enemy retreating across the Pearl river with such precipitation that their pontoon bridges, two pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners fell into our hands. Palton. G.-i., Fob. 2H. The enemy (Federals) have been dislodiied from our front, retrealiiiir towards Chatta nooga. General Whoeier is pursuing them. The Brother Jonathan his been ma terially improved, botli in looks and capacity. Her officers remain the same nith the exception of G. W. Hutchin son, the popular chief officer, who is succeeded by Mr. Allen. S. I. PeWolf Is her commander: Mr. Poole, purser: vhief engineer. Mr. Mott: first assistant. Mr. Rogers; freight clerk, Sam Holmes: chief steward, Richard DalMn. At the city precinct meetings of the Jnion voters of Portland yesterday the following named gentlemen were chosen as delegates to attend the coun ty convention on the 12th: South Fort- Vand precinct John Terwillier, Joseph Bergman, H. Faillnar, E. Rennett, W. V. Shedd. T. A. Wood. L. M. Parrlsh. A. Hurgrep., .1. G Glenn, J. jr. Marble. B. B. Decker. J. H. Mitchell, W. N. Patton. A. G. Wallinir. I. T. Pearne. Y. S. Pow ell. B. P. Cardwell, S. A. Moreland, R. J. Ladd. Thomas Fraser: North Port land precinct W. Cornell, H. Wasser- man, L. H. Wakefield, II. B. Morse, A. M. Starr, C. V. Burrage, James . Cook, II. D. Green. L. C. Totter. H. C. Caulson. R. B. Knapp, A. P. Ankeny. John Ewry, W. Burch, J. X. Polph. A. B. Stewart, Levi Anderson. G. W. Ho:!g kinson, P. C. Schuyler. Meeting- of the Council The commit tee on streets were instructed to cause lamps to be constructed at the corner of Third and Washington. Fifth and Stark and Second and Morrison streets. The Street Commissioner was instruct ed to repair the bridge on Front street ii ar Jefferson, which is dangerous in its present condition. Meter Not Read. PORTLAND. Feb. 2S. (To the Edi tor.) In availing myself of the suf frage 1 have taken pains to make my self cognizant of the existing political conditions in the city, and cannot re strain my indignation at the measure just passed by our Commissioners to install water meters in the dwellings of Portland at such a tremendous and useless expense to the taxpayers. For over two years we paid our water rent according: to m-elep. living at that time on West Overton street, which was included in the district where water meters were then being tried out For a few months an inspector at a lucra tive salary. I suppose visited our home regularly and our bill was rendered in accordance with the amount of water registered on the meter as having been consumed during the month. After about the fourth visit no inspector was ever again seen about the place, and our bill was received each month re gardless of the water consumed, always for 75 cents, the minimum rate. We felt that this was insufiicient during the Summer months at least, when we used so much water for the lawn, but the city was running the system and we were obliged to pay as the city saw fit. We are now wondering if the meter then in use at that house will be re placed by one of the new ones, so as to add to the expense of the city and make the new regime more thorough. M. M. J. The Public Outside In every corner of this country are newspapers read, and front every corner of the world is col lected the news that fills them. All news is interesting to some people, some news is interesting to everybody it all depends upon the person reading. The kind of news that has more interest for more people than any other is store news, because it has a personal application. Every reader of a newspaper is a possible purchaser. Have you ever realized that, Mr. Retailer? Have you realized that practically all your possible customers are readers of the newspapers of this city? Have you availed yourself of your opportunity to tell your possible patrons outside your shop such in teresting news about what you have on your shelves that you will con vert them into actual customers inside your shop? Newspaper advertising opens your shop door for you and brings the public inside. Interesting information can be se cured on this subject from the Bu reau of Advertising, American Newspaper Publishers1 Association, World Building, Xew York City. Booklet on request Adv.