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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 1906)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, DECEMBER 16, 1906. f;e (Bve$omm SUBSCRIPTION' RATES. IT INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. "C4 , By Mali.) Ially. Sunday Included, one year -48.00 Pally. Sunday Included, sir months.... -4.25 Ially, Sunday Included, three montha. . 2.25 lally, Sunday Included. oh month.... -73 Dally, without Sunday, one year ...... l.ft) lally, without Sunday, six montha...., 3.25 lally. -without Sunday, three montha. . 1.75 Dally, without Sunday, ona month 60 Sunday, one year 2.50 Weekly, one year (Issued Thursday)... 1.50 Sunday and Weekly, one year . 3.50 BY CARRIER. I Pally, Sunday Included, one year 9 2? Kaily. Sunday included, one month....' .75 HOW TO REMIT Send postofflce naoney order, express order or personal chetik on your local bank. Btanxps. coin or cuiTency are at the sender's risk. Give postofflce, ad dress In full. Including county and stale. POSTAGE .KATES. 1 Entered at Portland. Oregon, Postofflca aa Second-Class .Matter. JO to 14 Pases 1 ent J6 to 2H Pests J.....' 2 cents !0 to 44 Pages 3 cents 40 to 60 Pages ,. , 4 .cent Foreign Postage, double rates. IMPORTANT The postnl laws are strict. Newspapers on which postage Is not ' fully prepaid are not forwarded to destination. EASTERN B161XESS OFFICE. The S. C. Beckwlth Spec.tol Agency New York, rooms 43-30 Tribune building. ; Chi cago, rooms 510-512 Tribune building, j REIT ON SAJLE. I Chicago Auditorium Annex, Posoofflce News t'o., 178 learborn street. St. Paul, Minu. N. St. Marie. Commprclal Station. ; ; Colorado Springs, Colo. Western Jiews Agency. lenver Hamilton ; Hendrlck. 906-912 Seventeenth street; ?ratt Book. Store, 1214 Fifteenth street; I. Weinsteln; H. P. Han sen. Kansas Clly, Mo. Rlcksecker Cigar Co., Ninth and Walnua. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh, CO South Third. Cleveland. O James Pushaw, SOT Su perior street. Atlantic City, N. J. Ell Taylor. New York City L.. Jones & Co., Astor Mous..-; Broadway Theater News Stand. Oakland, Cal. W. H. Johnson, Four teenth and Franklin streets, N. Wheatley; Oakland News Stand. . Ogden D. 1 Beyle; W. O. Kind, 114 25th street. Hot Springs, Ark. C. N. Weaver Co. Omaha Harkalow Bros., 1B12 Farnam; Mageath Stationery Co, 1308 Farnam; 240 South Fourteenth. Sacramento, Cal. Sacramento News Co., 43W K street. . Salt Lake Moon Book & Stationery Co., Kosenfeld & Hansen. Earn Angeles B. E. Amos, manager seven street wagons. San Diego B. E. Amos. Long Reach, Cal. B. E. Amos. Pasadena, Cal. A. F. Horning. San -Francisco' Foster & Orear, Ferry News Stand; Hotel St. Francis News Stand; E. Parent, N. Wheatley. Eureka, Cal. Cail-Chronlclo Agency. Washington, I). C. Ebbltt House, Penn sylvania avenue. Norfolk, Va. Jamestown News Co. I'ino Reach, Va. W. A. Cosgrove. Philadelphia, Pa. Ryan's Theater Ticket Office. PORTLAND, SUNDAY, DEC. 16, 1906. A PARALLEL OF HISTORY. "That -which hath been Is now,' and that which te to be hath already been." There is nothing- new under the sun. The world moves in a circle. Our cur rent history is a twice-told tale. We hear it said that this generation has to solve problems which have never troubled mankind before; but, as a matter of fact, they are all old. They have troubled mankind from the be ginning and are likely to stay with us to the end. To us they appear In gar men to somewhat different from those they formerly wore, - but the only change is in the outward semblance. Our predatory millionaires stand In modern . society almost exactly where the feudal nobles of the Middle Ages stood. Like those nobles their power over the lives' and fortunes of common men is almost unlimited. Like them also, their power depends upon special privileges which have been conferred by the law or obtained by fraud, and sometimes by violence. The parallel goes farther. Our plutocratic nobility is in-perpetual rebellion against the law of the land. Just as the feudal barons were; they maintain on the one hand an unceasing struggle with the Gov ernment and with the common people on the other. Their desire Is to weaken the Government and free themselves from the feeble restraint which it exer cises over them; while at the same time they strengthen their control over the niHfwes and multiply their extortions. The feudal nobility was the common enemy both of the central government and of the common people. According ly, the masses elded with the King al most Invariably In his efforts to subdue the rapacious lords, just as the Amer ican people now side with the President in his opening struggle with the rapa cious plutocracy. For the struggle Is only the beginning. It is the alarums and excursions which we have seen and heard thus far. The fighting is yet to come. The battle- will be fought, not with swords and battle-axes, but with the keener weapons of the intellect. There will be no pompous array of knights in armor with praiieing steeds and waving pennants, but the battle will be jio less furious because It will be waged with the invisible weapons of the intellect, nor will its consequences be less important. The stake is the control of the Western Hemisphere. Shall this Government become an oli garchy of wealth, or shall it remain, as Its founders intended, a genuine democ racy? This is the question which Mr. Roosevelt seems to have made it his mission to answer. The struggle between the central gov ernment and the anarchistic nobles lasted some hundreds of years in Eng land and also in France; but ultimately the people, siding with the King, were victorious. Here it is not likely to be quite so long, for our plutocrats are not yet so strongly intrenched in law, cus tom and special privilege as were their feudal prototypes,' while the people are Incomparably better equipped than were those of the Middle Ages. Still, It would be a mistake to underestimate the power said resources of the Ameri can aristocracy. Not only have they possession of more than nine-tenths of the material wealth of the Nation, but they have also allied themselves with the churches and the colleges. This al liance has been accomplished exactly as a similar one was in feudal times. Our nobles have retained both the pul pit and the college by their largess. The gifts which Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Archbold and others of the oligarchs have bestowed upon churches and uni versities have been, wisely bestowed. They have borne abundant fruits. Common gratitude requires those who have accepted this largess to write and speak in behalf of their benefactors; the expectation of future favors binds them even more strongly, to Jthe faction or, the plutocrats than gratitude for past ones. Moreover, our nobility Is able to retain in its service the great body of the legal profession The mor ality of lawyers permits them to take service with the partywhich can offer the largest fee, and of course this party Is that of the millionaires. Mr. Roosevelt perceives clearly enough that he has begun a. war of ex termination. In proposing: the Inheri tance and income taxes he distinctly Intimates that his purpose is to destroy the anarchistic faction of our feudal nobility which flourishes upon special privilege and plunder. He Is well aware that these taxes will produce a great revenue, but that Is not his primary object. First of all, he advocates them because they will break down the tyr anny of confederated wealth. To this end they will act both directly and in directly. They will act directly, in the first place, by limiting the fruits of predatory enterprise. A graduated In come tax will not diminish in any nota ble degree the rewards of thrift and in dustry, but It will cut off the spoils of rapine.- Honest wealth will feel the burden of an income tax less than: it now feels the property tax; predatory wealth will wither under Its searching power. In the second place the inheri tance tax will act Immediately to dis perse those enormous and piratical ac cumulations which our feudal lords hope to make the basis of aristocratic families which shall stand out for all time In haughty pre-eminence above their fellow-cltlzens. " Indirectly, the Inheritance and in come taxes will force the repeal of the unrighteous tariff which is one of the principal bulwarks of rapacious privi lege. These taxes will produce a great revenue. The need of such a. tariff to pay the expenses of the Government will thus disappear. No argument wrvI be left for It but the hypocritical and discredited pretense that it Is needed by "infant industries." There can be lit tle doubt that Mr .Roosevelt sees in the Inheritance and Income taxes, the only available means to break down the plutocracy and destroy the lntrench ments of special privilege. " The better the public understand his purpose the more vigorously they will support him. THE TROCHEE IN ALBINA. That's the trouble out in Albina. They don't know how to light their gas. One would -suppose they had lived in the metropolis of Oregon long enough to learn, but the plain fact is they have not. Still, we must not jump to the conclusion from this that the Albina people are abnormally slow to learn. Quite the contrary; they are really quite intelligent. But the art of light ing Albina. gas Is no trifle to acquire. It must be done In just the right phase of -the moon and at a particular con junction of the planets. Moreover, cer tain mystic ceremonies are required to make the occult feat a success. This ceremonial, or ritual, as laid down by experts. Is somewhat as fol lows: The person, who aspires to light an Albina gas jet must first pass an entire week in prayer and fasting. Having thus purified himself, he should next pile three cords of finely divided fir wood under the Jet. Then he must purchase a hogshead of the oil of edu cation and piety from Mr. Rockefeller and pour it over the sacred pyre, recit ing meanwhile the fortieth psalm. Fi nally, turning his back to the magic pilement, he must scratch a match on an empty kerosene can and with it light an old gas bill, preferably one that calls for three times what Is due. When the bill is well kindled he may then, without looking behind him, reach over his left shoulder and apply it to the wood. If all has been done strictry according to the formula in an hour or two the gas will burst into a flame, more or less brilliant. The reason why the Albina people have so much trouble with their gas Is that they omit essential parts of this incantation. If they would execute it exactly, no more complaints, would be heard from them. This being the case, one cannot but wonder that the princes of the gas monopoly listen so politely and patiently to their unnecessary grumblings. One magnate even went so tax In his condescension as to as sure these annoying people that he "contemplated" putting In a larger main. Contemplation is cheap. It Is also beneficial to the soul. Possibly it will comfort the perturbed breast of Albina to "contemplate" a more capa cious main. But the real, permanent solution of their difficulty lies in learn ing how to light their gas. HEREDITY f Truly it is said that a more pathetic scene than that at the opening at Taco ma of the trial of Chester Thompson for the murder of Judge Emory at Seattle, last Summer, was never witnessed in a courtroom. The father of the accused, Will H. Thompson, bereft of his invalid wife since the tragedy that placed his young son in a felon's cell, borne down by grief and humiliation, is an object of intelligent sympathy, while the boy who sat unmoved and seemingly un comprehending through his father's agonized plea in extenuation of his frenzied act deserves the pity of the pitiful. What forged his cruel chain of moods. What set his feet In solitudes? through the years of adolescence and finally culminated in "a consuming de sire" to sit at a distance and watch the young girl who had become the object of his adoration, belongs to the ques tions that He In the debatable realm of the unseen and unknown. The high strung, nervous temperament, adjudged by Mr. Thompson upon the incontesta ble proofs adduced to prove "both a blessing and a scourge" In his family found desperate expression through murder in this boy, as it, had found ex pression In poetic fire, in high imagery, in forensic eloquence and In one form or another of emotional insanity in many other members of his peculiarly talented and peculiarly unfortunate race. The case is an exceptionally pathetic one, whether viewed from the stand point of justice or mercy from that of the youthful homicide and his family or that of Judge Emory and thOi?e to whom his tragic death' was a bereave ment so terrible. NEW PEOPLE FOR OREGON. . The Joint work of the Oregon Devel opment League and the Portland Com mercial Club Is bringing results entirely beyond any reasonable expectation. During the past month, It Is announced, the correspondence received has been Immense. Nlnety-flve per. cent of all letters comes from people asking ques tions as to the possibilities of farming, fruitgrowing and other agricultural and horticultural pursuits in the State of Oregon. Inquiries In regard to dairying have been received in large numbers. Particulars concerning the irrigated districts are desired. The timber In terests of the state, of course, attract much attention and are the subject of many communications. But the oppor tunities for general farming In Oregon are the central feature of this vast cpr respondence. It Is the desire of the Oregon Devel opment League to have earch and every one of the sircty-three commercial bod ies throughout the state, which make up the state organization, not only corre spond with these inquirers, whose names are made up in lists and sent out from the head office, but to send" literature as well. If the different com munities could be induced to undertake Individual advertising. It would be most effective, now that the way has been so thoroughly paved by the Oregon Devel opment League's campaign. For years past the different parts of Oregon have wanted to know to whom they could send their descriptive mat ter. Here is an opportunity which costs nothing except postage and effort, The most active community is the one that will receive the greatest benefit. The names are of people who within a few weeks have personally asked about this state. In taking advantage of this opportunity it should be remem bered that It is during the Winter months that the farmers of the great Middle Western States, like Iowa, Wis consin, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas and Oklahoma do their reading, andv if they are con templating a change, decide where they are .going to move during the ensuing Spring or Summer. Indicative of the wide interest in this state is the fact that Inquiries have come In a half dozen languages, though the majority are English, German, Swedish and Polish. It will be necessary to have a trans lator assist in answering some of the letters. Two million young men and women are coming of age in the United States every year. Hundreds of thousands of these are anxious to move to a new country. '- They are crowded off the'old home place and the cry throughout the United States Is for more land. Land never was so badly wanted as at pres ent.' It Is in-demand everywhere. The essence of the present work of the Ore gon Development League Is the fact that It furnishes an anxious audience- one that wants to listen information of every character about Oregon. Every community In Oregon is under obliga tions to present its own advantages in the strongest, most forceful way. THE MAN HIGHER IT. The most surprising thing about the conviction of J. W. Reed, Mayor of Es tacada, for colonizing votes at Sellwood Is the ease and dispatch' with which the Jury found him guilty. This is'not to say the testimony was not complete, or that the prosecution was not systematic and vigorous, or that the judge didn't do his full duty. But the average citi zen, who is usually the average juror, has always been disposed to look upon violations of election laws with toler ance and good nature. And there has been felt a certain contempt for the de feated candidate who "squealed" or for the advocates of a lost cause who took their troubles into court, even when de feat was wrought through corruption and fraud. To evade the election laws and to subvert the plain will of the peo ple, was long thought, to be "smart." and to give evidence of a certain kind of superiority that found Its highest ex pression in the successful political boss. But times have changed, and the public view of such things is different. We have the direct primary law in Oregon because we learned through long and costly experience that the po litical machine waxed fat and grew strong under the old convention system. The primary law, devised and passed for the purpose of putting the boss out- of business, has succeeded moderately well, but It hasn't caused him wholly tJ quit the field. Some corporation or some association or some person "higher up" who had an interest in the ques tion as to whether Sellwood should be wet or dry got Reed to take twenty-six persons out there for the purpose of voting. These twenty-six persons re mained one night at a Sellwood hotel, and Reed says that he thought their single' night's stay constituted a legal residence for the purposes of voting. Possibly he did think so, though it seems' incredible. But whatever he thought, he took these men to Sellwood In direct pursuance of a dirty contract with some one to see that Sellwood pre cinct was "influenced" to go wet. It was an utterly reprehensible scheme, whether criminal or not, and Reed is to be punished for it, as he should be. But how about the man "higher up" who persuaded him to undertake this ugly job? THE IMATILLA HOVSE. Oregon has had at least three famous hotels, within the walls of which such an inestimable amount of industrial and political plotting has taken, place that they have attained historic in terest. Of course the leading one of these hostelrles in point of Interest and Importance was the old Chemeketa Ho tel, at Salem. Then there was the Sea side House, where the late Ben Holla day dispensed good cheer with a lavish hand and laid the, groundwork for projects, which were to be carried out later at Salem. " While a vast amount of political history was made at the old Chemeketa and the Seaside House, of vastly more interest from an Industrial standpoint was the old Umatilla House, the sale of which was announced at The Dalles a few days ago. With the transfer of this , hotel by Sinnott & Fish ; Is dropped '. the firm name which was about . the "last link that connected the old "hostelry with what , might appropriately be termed the age of romance in Oregon. For more than, forty, years Handley & Sin nott, or their direct descendants, man aged the old landmark, and, especially In the early part of their administra tion, history was making rapidly in that great region vaguely known as "east of the mountains." ' The sale of the- Umatilla House, as It now stands, old, weatherbeaten, with Its ancient furnishings and generally tumble-down air, if based on its present Importance, would hardly be worth a news para graph. But the historic interest which centers around the -ancient structure gives It an importance entirely out of keeping with its present state. All of the adventurousi spirits who were drawn to Idaho and Eastern Ore gon by the lure of gold stayed at the old hotel on their way to and from the mines, and nearly-all of the builders of the new empire beyond the Cascades have at different times gathered arouid the boaraV.of Handley & Sinnott. Here they rubbed elbows with the freighters and stockmen who, after weeks on the trail from the far-off new ranches of Southeastern Oregon, met at the Uma tilla House others of their calling who were Just taking the return trail from "outside." Then there were the river men. Steamboating on the Middle and Upper Columbia Teached the height of Its glory about thte time the Umatilla House was at the zenith of its fame, and the officers' of the Oregon Steam Navigation fleet, after the boat had tied up for the night, mingled with the rest less crowd which, coming and going, made the hotel a clearing-house for all the news and gossip of that world in which they were Interested. It ,was a' hardy race of men that pressed out even beyond the outposts of civilization, and when they fore gathered at the Umatilla House there were scenes of life and color such as the West will never again behold. The "great American novelist," if there Is such an Individual, had not arrived at that time, and he or she missed a won derful opportunity for obtaining "color" which can never again be secured for the word pictures of life In the West. For the West of today Is not the West of which the , Umatilla House was a part. IN THE CHEAPEST MARKETS. The Secretary of the Navy In his an nual report makes some very bold sug gestions regarding the purchase of armor-plate. For some unexplainable reason the Secretary , takes the stand that the Government should buy -this armor-plate where it can be secured at the lowest prices. He cites .the fact that the Carnegie - and Bethlehem armor-plate works submit Identical bids at enormously higher rates than the product Is worth. The Midvale company submitted a much lower bid, but the Secretary was afraid to give the lowest bidder more than a small portion of the order lest It be unable to deliver, the goods, and for the further reason that such action might cause the big trust to go out of the business of manufacturing armor-plate and leave the Government at the mercy of the Midvale works. The conclusions reached by the Sec retary are that "there are only two ways In which it is practicable to con trol such a situation. Either the Gov ernment must be authorized to manu facture Its own armor-plate or It must be permitted to buy this abroad." But the audacious Secretary does not con fine his veiled attacks on the sacred creed of protection to armor-plate alone. In fact, he discredits his own suggestion that a Government plant would be an advantage by stating that the delay In construction would be too great and that the threat to buy abroad would probably be sufficient to bring the American manufacturers to a re alizing sense of their duty. Then he proceeds: "I would extend the like au thority to the purchase of torpedoes, ammunition, projectiles, and. In fact, all articles necessary to the National defense." After a digression on the rights of the Government In such mat ters, the Secretary continues: When citizens of the United States, enjoying the protection of its laws, who are engaged In the manufacture of article of " this char acter, refuse to manufacture them for the Government unleas it -shall agree to pay for them an exorbitant and unreasonable price, they evidently defraud It of an opportunity to exercise Its . just Constitutional powers - and evade the fulfillment of their own dutlea as patriotic citizen. Therefore, whatever may be the general' economic policy of the Govern ment, the markets of the world ought to be open to It In dealing with the situation thus created. It is dreadful to think that men of the Carnegie, . Schwab and Frick type should "evade the fulfillment of their own duties as patriotic citizens." And yet it Is quite apparent that there has been an evasion of duty, and that not only the Government, but all of the people have been sufferers. The Gov ernment is being mulcted to no greater extent proportionately by the steel and armor trust than Is the smaller buyer. If it Is right that the Government should go abroad and purchase supplies needed, where they can be secured cheaper than in this country, it is also right that private citizens be accorded the same privilege. Why should the Government be. im mune from the highwaymen who have waxed great under, the. protective tariff, while the common, ordinary consumer remains their prey? However, thanks to our eminent standpatters, there is only the remotest possibility of the Sec retary's suggestion being followed. The precedent thus established might not easily be set aside, and for heaven's sake don't disturb this prosperity, which we are' assured nothing but the all-powerful and most sacred, tariff has created. OREGON COAST DEFENSES. Despite President Roosevelt's recom mendation ' to Congress, it is .unlikely that Oregon and Washington will fare better than any other part of the coun try in the matter of strengthening our coast defenses a.nd mannng them more efficiently. The Pacific Slope merits no such neglect. As pointed out by so con servative a paper as the Army and Navy Journal, we lack men more than machinery. At Forts Columbia, Stevens and Canby it would require 67 officers and 1446 men adequately to' man them, while only ten officers and 246 men are avail able. It Is estimated by the National Board that $1,041,382 Is necessary to complete these defenses, but Congress will not vote the sum so long as a handful do the work of a regiment and enlisted men at J13 to J18 a, month-will fill positions as engineers, firemen, ex pert gunners and electricians. Seattle, Tacoma, Belllngham, Everett and Olympla are important cities on the Pacific Coast. How are they pro vided with coast defenses? Puget Sound Is defended by Forts Worden. Casey end Flagler. Thet:?e forts are manned by the magnificent equipment of 27 offi cers and 902 men, where 129 officers and 3180 men are now required. Even then there would be only one officer to thirty-two men, where the proportion should be one officer to twenty-four men. The coast defense plans call for an elaborate system of defense for Pu get Sound. An expenditure of $5,519,349 is estimated as necessary to complete It. But the Senate committee on ap propriations Is committed aga.Inst any appropriation for armament until pro vision is made to man it. THE POSTAL SERVICE. , With all its defects and shortcomings, the United States postal system is a well-organized department of public service, though not as economically managed as the people believe it might be. " - That It Is not better organized may.be attributed to the generaf tend ency in public affairs to .let things "drift." to follow old ruts and accept conditions as found,-making little effort at Innovation. This Is a policy gener ally displayed by public officials. Here and there exceptions are found wb,en men of energy and'orlglnaMty put new life Into the departments under their control and discard methods that have been found Inadequate. It is easier to follow old customs and practices than to establish new ones, especially when the existing system is of such large scope as the United States Postal De partment. That there has not been more frequent overhauling of that de partment is not strange. In view of the proverbial let-alone policy o.f all depart ments. The appointment of Cortelyou to the head of the festal Department 'gave rise to the hope that the service would be thoroughly rejuvenated and better results attained with the money ex pended. Cortelyou attained his position in public service solely upon his record as an efficient official, and not upon his political sagacity or political luck. Quite naturally the people expected more of him than they would of a man who had not achieved the reputation which he bears as a man of capability. Thus far, however, no very radical im provements have been made In the service as a whole. In his annual rer port, Just made public, Mr. Cortelyou expresses the belief. In which the people generally concur, that the Government la paying too much for railroad service in transportation of mallear?. That too large a proportion of the postal receipts goes to the railroads has long been as serted, and the patrons of the postal service had hoped that one of Cortel you's first acts would be to start a thorough' Investigation of this subject so that full and exact information could be given. He says, however, that his 'data on the subject are so meager that he hesitates to make recommenda tions. His assertion that postal em ployes generally are underpaid is one In .which the people of the United States wtll Join. It is desirable that the compensation of the vast army of postal employes be increased, yet it is difficult to make a general advance In salaries so long as there Is an annual deficit to be met. Thlf? change would be easy of accomplishment if the exor bitant compensation of railroad com panies could be reduced, thus leaving plenty of funds available for the pay ment of the clerks and carriers. The people are spending money enough on the postal service, but the railroads get too large a share and the thousands of workers too little. In no department should the Government exact a higher standard of efficiency than in the han dling of the malls. Fair compensation should be allowed to every position, and when any Incumbent proves un equal to the task assigned him he should give, way to another better qual ified, and no civil service rule should be permitted to delay a needed change. It Is desirable that the Postmaster-General direct particular attention to the subject of transportation of malls by rail, so that it may be determined whether the people are right in their long-standing belief that they are pay ing far too much for the service ren dered. The Postofflce Department deserves credit for making war upon "get-rlch-quick" concerns which thrive upon business done through the malls. This effort to free the mall service from frauds is closely related to the attempt to stop the abuses which have been fastened upon the service by improper application of the second-class mall matter laws. The rate for second-class matter was established in order to en able the . people to secure newspapers at low rates. The policy of promoting a cheap news service was a wise one, but various means have been found of promoting enterprise of many sorts by abuse of the second-claes mall laws. In Its effort to eradicate the abuses and to free the mails from the frauds of "something-for-nothlng" schemers, the department deserves and Is receiving praise. Nevertheless, it does look as though a greater reform could be ac complished by vigorous Investigation of evils that are more costly. An "asylum" Is not the same thing as a "hospital." The former Is a place of refuge merely; in the latter cures are attempted. Our state institution for the Insane is a hospital, so far as politics permits. If our. laws obeyed the constitution and made punishment "reformative" instead of "vindictive," the penitentiary would also be a hos pital. The vitality of graft is beautifully Illustrated by the annual victory of Congressional free seeds over honesty and common sense. Nobody wants these wretched seeds. Nobody plants them who cares to raise a crop. They are humbug pure and simple. But, like the great Adams, "they still survive." When the 'University of Washington at Seattle must close for lack of coal and farmers In North Dakita must raze and burn outbuildings to keep warm.' somebody needs indicting for shlftless ness. What a whirlwind the railroads axe going to reap before the plain peo ple get through with them! How the baseball reporters will play football next Summer with the name of Pokorney, McCredle's new second base man. So suggestive of the other Na tional game. In the interests of 1907 pennant-winning, it is to be noped he won't prove a white chip. Considering the season, his annual message and this week's scheduled ac tivities. President Roosevelt seems to be working overtime. But never since he entered public life has he watched the clock. It Is said that Mayor Lane is about to propose the following amendment to the constitution: "Public property shall not be taken for private use without adequate compensation therefor." The chief of the dairy division of the Agricultural Department is pleased over the quality of Western Oregon butter. So are we all; but those who buy it are not so well pleased with the December price. When the country, day by day, gets the stench arising from Heney's inves tigation in San Francisco, the only thing to do is to hold its handkerchief to its nostrils. With six special messages from the White House to Congress this week, Mr. Loeb and the typewriter may have to do their Christmas shopping by proxy. King Haakon Is on his way to Berlin for a visit to Emperor William. Glueck liche Weinachten! Hoch der Kaiser! Noch einmal, zwet bier! On the authority of recent widespread advertising matter, it may be stated that the shoe trade the past year has been satisfactory. Chicago, under the auspices of the stockyards, is to have the finest veter inary college in the world. No place needs it worse. Increase of 46 per cent in bank clear ances last week isn't going to weaken confidence in Portland at home or abroad. One week more In which to make things easier for the tired clerks of de partment stores by shopping early in the day. ' Seattle enjoys the distinction of being the only city in the world that ever held a horseless horse show. Comment on Current Oregon Topics , , - Great Importance of Water Rights Notaries Public and Their Useful ness Of What Value to the Incumbent Is an Important Legis lative Chairmanship? Circulating Libraries. RAPID acquirement of title to the use of water powers on the princi pal streams of Oregon by individ uals apparently representing large cor porations, has started speculation as to the probablo'effect of this policy upon the commercial interests of this state In the future. This subject Is made the more interesting by reason of the disclosures concerning the monopoli zation of coal lands In other parts of the country. The use of electricity for light and power purposes is becoming every day more general and since wa ter power furnishes the cheapest gen erating agency, the question naturally arises, what will be the relative posi tions of manufacturers and consumers 25 years hence it practically all the water i powers are controlled by one gigantic concern? Whether the manufacturers- of electricity will have the power to fix prices to suit themselves. or the people through the lawmaking power may regulate rates as they may for railroads, becomes an important question. Elwood Mead, of the United States Reclamation Service, is authority for the statement that 'one concern con trols practically all the water power in CaUfornia, and. in view of the rapid acquisition of water powers in Oregon in, the last year or two, there seems to be no reason why the same situation should not be attained in Oregon In a few years. Whether such a situation would be inimical to the interests of the people and, If so, what can be done to forestall it, are subjects of discus sion among men familiar with the use of. water for Irrigation and power pur poses. This subject was before the last Legislature, but received but pass ing notice from the members In gen eral. A committee composed of Kill Ingsworth and Colwell, of Multnomah; Richie, of Marion; Smith, of Josephine, and Hermann, of Coos, drafted a me morial which was adopted, reciting conditions regarding the value of water power and asking the United States to cede to the State of Oregon all un appropriated rights to water power, so that the state may protect its citi zens from those who are securing the powers for speculative purposes. Ac tion in the matter evidently termin ated with the adoption of the memo rial. The report of that committee also sets forth that surveys of the parts of the Santiam and McKenzle Rivers show that 400,000 horse power can be developed there, and, at a rental of $1 per horse power, this would bring the state an annual income of $400,000. The opinion was expressed that, in view of the immense quantity of water power in Oregon, the state would derive all its revenue from the rental of water powers, thus reliev ing the property of a part of the bur den of taxation it now. bears. "When it is considered," says the report, "that a single power such as Is af forded by the falls of the Willamette at Oregon 'City has bean devel oped by a private corporation into a property worth millions of dollars, and which will for all time to come yield immense sums annually to the owners thereof. It can be comprehended what valuable Interests might be conserved to the state by merely retaining pos session of the water powers it still has in Its possession." The magnitude of the project thus proposed may be' in a measure under stood when it is said that in 38 miles of the lower Des Chutes River there is water power equal to half of that developed on the Canadian side of XI agra Falls. It Is said that this amount of power is now unappropriated and that, with the desired action upon the part of the Government, the state could acquire and retain title thereto, with the land adjacent to the stream necessary for the location of power plants. The proposed action of the Multno mah Bar Association, looking to re vision of the law relating to the ap pointment of notaries public; recalls the fact that after the first of the year all fees from the appointment of notaries will go into the State Treas ury. The fee charged is $2 and the number of appointments Is on an av erage about 1000 a year. A notary commission covers a period of two years, so that it Is apparent that there are about 2000 notaries In the state. Manyy changes In the law have been proposed from time to time, among them that all attorneys be authorized to act as notaries without any special commission. The latest proposal is that none be appointed notaries ex cept attorneys. The newly suggested amendment would not find much favor In small communities, for there are many towns In which a lawyer could not make a living, but in which a no tary is needed to take acknowledge ments of deeds and other documents. Usually the village postmaster or a merchant has a notary commission and servos the people of his community. That there is not much money to be made by notary work Is generally agreed, yet the fees are clear "pick up" for the notaries, and the appoint ment of many notaries is a great con venience to the people. The Issuance of commissions to notaries takes a great deal of time In the offices of the Governor and the Secretary of State, and it is of no small trouble to notaries to have their commissions re newed every two years, for, they must also procure and file bonds. There would probably be 'some advantage gained all around If the fee for a notary com mission were raised to 5 and the term extended to four years. This would also save some confusion and Illegal work. Two years slips around very quickly, and some notaries for get the date of their commissions, with the result that they act in their offi cial capacities after -their terms have expired. To secure reappointment re quires some time, especially if the notary resides at a distance from the capital. In view of recent disclosures in land fraud circles, it would probably not be a bad idea, to increase the amount of the bond required of nota ries. The amount now required is but $500. It will be remembered that certain notaries signed fictitious sig natures to applications for the pur chase of state land, and put their no tarial signatures and seals on these and on the assignments of the cer tificates of sale. There can be no doubt that the bondsmen of such no taries would be liable to the persons who -were thus victimized, but since the liability is limited to $500. it is scarcely worth while for anyone to bring an action against them. So far as the general public knows, the fight over the organization of the Legis- lature Is confined to the election of a President of the Senate and a Speaker of the House.' On the surface the only asp!-' rants for places are those who would sl in the chairs of the presiding officers. To those who look behind the scenes. however, there is much more going on than a contest for the two principal offices. Nearly every member aspires to occupy a position as chairman of some mportant committee. Some are active candidates for desirable committee chair manships and are working dillgentiy for attainment of their ambitions, while others are linglng up with one side or the other without exacting any promises, and will take their chances of getting good places. There are a few, perhaps, who do not care for the labor and responsibil ity of heading Important committees. New members, particularly, do not as u rule strive for the places of greatest in fluence, but hold-over Senators and men who are serving their second terms In the Hou.se are pretty generally looking out for places that will give them power in legislation. Ways and means. Railroads, assessment and taxation, and judiciary, are the com mittees whose chairmanships are In most demand, for these are the committees tjlat pas upon the most important bills. It has quite frequently been the case, and this contest Is not likely to he an exception, that the chairmanships are pretty well promised by the candidates for President and Speaker, before the Legislature conienes for organization. To the disinterested on-Iookcr, the scramble for places on important com mittees is difficult to understand. To foe chairman of any one of the committees named entails an immense amount of work. It would be difficult to name any man who has added to his popularity or f repuiiiuun lor siaienuuinwnip uy serv ing as chairman of the ways and means committee. On the other hand several men have lost prestige by - the fact that they headed the committees that ap proved and defended the appropriation pills. When a ways and means com mittee has formulated and introduced an appropriation bill the members of the committee, and particularly the chair man, must defend It against all attacks. Members of the committee come In fir censure from all those who think ap propriations were unjustly refused and from those who think the appropriations were too large. The railroad committee has accomplished the political ruin of more men than it has strengthened. What a Judiciary committee can do to a man's political ambitions was amply illustrated in the case of Senator John L. Rand. A multitude of labor bills came before that committee and a great many were re ported adversely. As chairman of the committee Rand Blgned the reports and the reports were spread upon the records. When Rand aspired to the Republican nomination for Congress those who op posed him published the record, showing the number of labor bills which his com mittee, over his name, had reported with the recommendation that they be indefi nitely postponed. In the face of such a record no man could hope to succeed in a popular election. Kven if the reports of the committee were wise and Just, there was no opportunity ip the heat of a campaign . to make explanations that would satisfy the laboring people. The chairman of every Important committee must at times make reports upon measures which he could not explain and defend before all the voters of the state. If called upon to do so In the short period of a campaign. The large ap propriations to be asked for at the coming session will make the chairman ship of the ways and means committees particularly difficult to fill. The circumstance that the bill for a banking law, as now framed, was drawn by bankers, and In the Legislature will be referred to a committee composed chiefly of bankers, has created some dis cussion not altogether favorable to the bill. The- suggestion that hns been made Is that since a banking law Is desired for the protection of depositors, the deposit ors should have a part in drafting the bill. Since no individual depositor feels particular Interest in such a measure, and there Is no organization of deposit ors, as such, the work of preparing a hill has quite naturally been left to the bank ers. m ' In political circles there is some evi dence of a desire to have a little fun at the expense of Governor Chamberlain. In the campaign of 1906 he claimed credit for the low state tax levy of this year, tlie small amount of revenue needed be ing due to the holding up of an appropri ation bill by referendum petition. Tho Republican campaign managers asserted that this was merely a puttlng-oft of the day of payment and that ultimately the amount ot the appropriation would ha paid. Such proves to be the case, and the amount of money to be raised for state purposes in 1907 will be double that raised in The question now being asked Is whether Governor Chamberlain will assume responsibility for the high levy of law as he assumed credit for the low levy of 1906. T.ieutenant and the T-lona. Knt Packard In St. Nicholas. Oh. a ntrictly naval person, and a man et K-neral fame. Was l.iut. Gadzcu-ks Peters-Brown of H. M. S. "The Flame." He was fair and he was forty, he wu fat as tat could he. And he was the bravest British tar that ever put to sea. While in the Bay of Biscay he was sleep ing; In his bunk. When a hundred fierce sea-llons sprang upon him with a plunk. "Bah Jove!" cried this gallant seaman, "I must find out what to do." So he icrahbed his "General Orders" par agraph number two. Now, as luck would have it for him, the first lion bit In twain That book of "Gfn-ral Orders," used "For Conduct on the Main." You must know. my.-mtle reader, the sea lion is a beast That dwells In ocean's surges, twenty fath om, at the least. And when that "extra dry" blue book per vaded his Inside, That poor, misguided animal, h laid htm down and died. When they, saw this his companions to the sea raced back in flight. For the fate of their brave leader ha'd en dured their hearts with fright. But Lieut. Gadsooks Peters-Brown threw out his chest with glee. And exclaimed: "I am the greatest thing that ever went to " And a medal from the Admiralty, en graved with his full name. Hands down to his posterity his everlast ing fame. 4