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?AOE FOUB
1 A GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER,
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1912.
THE OBSERVER
WRUCE DENNIS
tDirOtt AND OWNEB.
Aster at Ui pohtoft'ice at La Grande,
Oregon, a second clam matter
1
JTBSrRIITION BATES.
Mis, single cof 6c
Mr, per wee lie
Btgr per month 5c
mJMOX BUUEAU HAS WOBK
AHEAD.
Kitty; war in which the lilted
iKatro engages Is followed by
Sbaorand of pensions to those who
nbagfcCoP were injured In the countrys
ssnrvfos: The amount of money raised
lay indirect taxation and disbursed to
yesnioners reaches many millions an
jauOyu And in this view of war, it Is
m arpensfve that it makes universal
jseacfeslrable. If for no other reason.
According to the commissioner of
TtaOMioaa, about 418,000 applications
(far increase under the new law passed
st this session of congress have been
fles ta the pension office. These
atxtos are being passed upon at the
.nee of die hundred a day.
tlii rate It will require nearly
rer years to roach the last claim so
far filed, eliminating Sundays and hoi
Mays upon which 00 claims will be
3Jnicated. The claims are taken up
tbr emnmtssloner says, In the order In
wbteh they are received. That will
iemeft the first few thousand claims
Slti, but since all of the, more than
Snr hundred thousand were filed
wTOitn the first month, those who fell
ko&ind only a day or two may have to
B a year or two beforo receiving
fee relief granted by congress In the
passage of the bill or the relief that
congress Intended that the veterans
ahould have.
si matter of fact, with the slow
jrogrrss being made upon the claims,
CTw WlT will not afford the relief to all
mt tne old soldiers entitled to it. These
veterans are dying at the rate of
ebirty or forty thousand a year. So at
Ifco end of two years sixty or seventy
Otaosand of them will have passed
thousand of them will have passed
owned a single penny of the nppropra
l&an intended, for them by the act of
wrgTess.
Wo- greater Injustice has been done
Cfiw old" soldiers for some years than
fitar delay In adjudicating the claims.
To wait two years or even six months,
nans that tho relief will come too
fettf fn thousands of cases. It would
mean, therefore, that the bureau ought
d arrange some method of disposing
f these cases more rapidly. Five
wntfred claim. a day may seem like
rxiM progress, and ordinarily It would
fce, at it must bo understood that this
in extraordinary situation, with
sna dying every day who are entitled
! the relief that Is theirs as soon as
ke department passes upon the cases.
THTi KXIMTESS BUSINESS.
jf sweeping order made by the Inter
nal commerce, commission does away
with many of the objectionable
methods used in the express business,
v proposes a radical reduction In
t. to bo made effective after a pub
lic kearlng.
Tnto don't settle tho problem of
l& relation of the public with the ex
jrrao companies.
Caly an out and out parcels post
yjrrem that will do for the people
through the postoftlce service tho ex
Tnu companies are now doing for the
mrdinate profit of their owners, will
settle that problem.
Btot the report furnishes matter t!mt
HI Belp make people think about ths
auditions tUst prevail, and that ouirrt
e?p toward making the demand for
CarceU post system so emphatic thai
t lyreRs will no longer dare deny It.
ISIs a matter beyond contradiction",
the Interstate commerce romniU-
In its report, "that beginning six
ty years ago. practically with no as
srt whatsoever other than favorable
wwtract with ono or more railroad,
(fta. express companies out of th.-li-ntcat
and the profitable Investment of
tr proceeds of Iholr operations have
a able to pay large dividends npor
fares representing no Investment."
Trooi a shoestring from practlcal
Qr nothing out of the rates they have j
fiargea the public the express com-
pnln bars built np a tremendous
capitalisation, n which they pay ann
always bare paid big dividends, and
an enormous surplus represented by
investments In the securities of rail
roads aud industries. Through f.iee
holdings the express companies, pow
erful already because of the sheet'
bulk of their riches, are able to sum
mon to their aid the strongest kin I of
influence.
This explains why the parcels post
has been delayed" so long.
Last year the thirteen express com
panles investigated by the commission
had a gross Income of $149,311,485
out of which they paid to the railroads
$73,956,435, leaving to themselves
$75,355,030. Operating expenses were
$67,996,759, and net earnings were
$7,358,271.
A tidy little sum, this, to earn in one
year on a property that represents
practically no Investment at all.
Another set of figures presented by
the commission helps to show why
this enterprise Is so richly profitable.
The express companies carry about
300,000,000 parcels a year. This Is
eight or ten packages a year for the
average family of five persons. The
average charge Is 50 cents per pack
age and the average haul 200 miles.
With the profit inordinate on every
parcel carried, It is easy to under
stand how the express companies have
built up such an Immense quantity of
wealth on an orlgnal investment of
nothing, and why it Is that they have
gained outside holdings which give
them influence In a wide variety of In
dustries, "WHY NOTS."
e
Edited by S
8 A. Long Mutt. 9
If you do not read these, why not?
If there Is a statute regard
ing the growth of noxious weeds on
vacant lots and parkings, why not
enforce it?
Why not attend the ball games this
week and show your appreciation ol
the national game?
The Doy Scout movement In this
city Is a commendable one. Wby not
help It along? It is worthy of the
united support of the entire commun
ity. Why not keep in touch with the
outside world through the columns of
the Observer.
In passing along the street why not
always make it a point to pass to the.
right of anyone you meet? This would 1
save confusion and a whole lot of
embarrassment on your part.
Why not? After the band boys havj
rendered a selection on the street
give them an applause. Surely you ap
preciate the music or you would not
stop and listen to It and it would not
".ke very much energy to get your
hands In motion and clap them a fw
times.- I know the band boys would
appreciate It.
,
Tbe grouse season will soon be on.
ro why not get your gun and dog and
get into your neighbor's back yard
and practice up on his chickens?
Surely the neighbor would not object.
but If he did a promise of a grouse
or two would surelv console him. And l
why not?
If you have not been for a few
days' outing this summer why not?
Surely a few days' outing would do
you good. It always relieves that
grouch which always comes and stays
tired feeling and takes away the
(luring the hot summer days.
There are a thousand and one ways
In this world In which you could make
life more pleasant for yourself and
fellowman. Why not try and do some
of these and by so doing If yott-are
not a crank, you will surely be well
repaid by your act of kindness. Why
not?
Almost Invariably at noon time at
the North Fir street crossing, there Is
a .switch engine with SO or 30 cars
Mocking tho way, causing working
people who live across the track to
wait from five to 15 minutes In going
to dinner and returning to work. Why
not have this remedied?
rtlTGOY FOR SALE Light two seat
ed buggy, but slightly used. Will sell
at real bargain. A. C. Huntnlgton.
1710 Fourth street 8-tS-t
FOR SALR Few beds, tables, chairs
and a store. Call Black 1011. 8-13 -tf
A LITERARY RIDDLE.
Wfco Ws It Wrote the Tragedy of
Trollus and Crossida?"
Andrew Long bus Juxt propounded a
puzzle In circumstantial evidence
"Who," be ui-i, "wrote 'Trullus aud
Cresslda?"" You may answer, -as you
please, Shakespeare or Bacon. If you
answer Bacon, Andrew Lang comes
back with the query, "Would Bacou
bare suid that Aristotle lived before
the Trojau war?" Bacon was too
learned a man to make such a mistake,
which would be as bad as placing
Abraham Lincoln among the signers,
of the Declaration of Independence.
If you answer Shakespeare. Andrew
Lang shoots another query at you:
"The author makes Ulysses and
Achilles quote 'an author' and discuss
a pretty long and strange passage
from that author, who was Plato.
How could Shakespeare have read j
Plato?" For Shakespeare knew no
Greek, and In his day Plato had not
yet been translated into English. '
It is quite conceivable that Shake
speare might imagine that Plato aud !
Aristotle lived many centuries before
Homer, but it is inconceivable that the
erudite Bacon should fall into such an j
error. . !
Andrew Lang does not pretend to
solve the riddle. He frankly says, "I ,
give it up." New York World. j
RISKY POSTAL SERVICE.
In
Russia the Government Opens All
8uspicious Packages.
Our own service of mails is well or
ganized. There Is little doubt In the
miud of tbe average person that when
he pouts a letter it will reach Its desti
nation. But in other lands he might well fear
for its safety. In Russia, for Instance,
any letter or parcel that is regarded
with suspicion is immediately opened
and its contents noted. A clever ma
chine gums it up again, so that the re
cipient does not know that it has been
tampered with.
In Lapluud the malls are carried in
sledges drawn by reindeers. In the
wlld3 of the Caucasus the postman
holds a post of dancer. Ho must be
protected against brigands and against
the wenther, for he often has to climb
mountains more than 12.000 feet high.
Asiatic Russia, which Is apt to be
marshy, has tbe buffalo post, and, of
course, the progress made Is very
slow. Buffaloes are more powerful
than oxen, and they are also used in
Siberia for carrying the mail, j
Other postmen .In foreign lands are I
the swimming postman of India aud I
the skiing letter carrier of the Andes. I
For the latter pluce the Argentine gov-
ernment specially Imports Norwegians. ,
Exchange. ,
Mexico's Smoking Mountain.
In 18D7 I climbed two volcanoes In '
Mexico, Popocatepetl, or "the smoking 1
mountain." aloit 17,800 feet, and Orl- I
"la. the former tbe most fumous be-
"""f, wlthlu view from Mexico City ,
admiration to tbe Inhabitants, who
have been loath to believe that any
otber of their mountains could be high
er. Popo has a really splendid crater,
about half a mile across and 1.000 feet
deep. The walls are generally verti
cal, but in one or two places it is pos
sible to descend. When workers are
engaged In collecting sulphur machin
ery is used to hoist them up and down.
From Popo's summit there is a glorious
prospect, not alone of the Immense
crater, but of tbe beautiful "White I
Lady" (Iztacclhuatl) reclining a thou
sand feet below, of Orizaba on the far
horizon and of the charming valley of
Mexico. Annie 8. Peck In Christian
Herald.
Wellington's Integrity.
The Duke of Wellington was noted
'or bis rigid integrity.- Here is an In-
stance which occurred in reference to
bis large estate. Some farm adjoining
his lauds was for sale, and his agent
negotiated for him for the purchase.
Having concluded tbe business, he
went to the duke and told him he bad
made a capital bargain. "What do
you mean?" asked the duke. "Why,
your grace, I have got the farm for so
much, and I know it to be worth at
least so much more." "Are you quite
sure of that?" "Quite sure, your grace,
for I have carefully surveyed it,"
"Very well, then; pay the gentleman
from me the balance between what
you have already given and the real
value of tbe estate."
Strong Circumstantial Evidoncs.
A young wife was in tears a few
mornings ago when ber mother called.
When asked what was the matter she
replied that her husband was out late
the night before and bad been to a
drinking party.
"What makes you think be had been
to a drinking party?" asked tbe
mother.
"He came home," sobbed the young
wife, "wearing a phonograph born for
a hat" Kansas City Star.
Mors Caroful Now.
The young "vlfe had given ber hus
band a dance. "You've Improved won
derfully, Jack." she said as they sat
down. "Don't yoo remember how you
need to tear my dress T"
"Yes," be replied. "1 wasn't baying
them tbea.M-Boston Transcript
FARMERS TELEPHONE
(Continued from uage 1 1
(but I guess If the truth were known
the Bell bought them out, for they
wned 51 per cent of the Home Inde
! enrient stock so I have been inform
ed) but at any rate the spirit of In
dependence still prevailed to such an
extent that they turned the Farmers'
l.'ulon delegates and committees down
vita but slight courtesy; would not
grant anything of importance asked
end In an Instance or two, said "the
farmer be damned." They didn't care
If they all cut off for the cost of up
keep and service of tbe country lines
was more than they got out of it. They
cut off a great many of them and be
gan to bold meetings and devise ways
I and means to get from under the heel
: cf oppression, that had become very
oppressive. The farmer, you know, Is
j a funny animal; he differs from a dog
! the more you kick and cuff the dog,
the better he likes you, but the farmer
; responds to considerate treatment al
! most as readily as city folks and re-
sents insults by minding his owr bus
j Iness, which he commenced to do In
Elgin and vicinity by organizing a
! co-operatve company to build and
maintain a telephone system. Well,
after they had pretty well covered
, that country, and Pumpkin Ridge, the
Bell people sent their representative
! down to try and effect (what they
; were pleased to term) a compromise;
I they offered to let the co-operative
bunch have what they already had. If
they would only quit. Well, he went
! away, saying they did not use him
right because they Just went on mlnd
I ing their own business (which I might
say was building a telephone line).
Everything went along all right.
' Elgin, Summerville, Imbler, Alicel,
1 Cove and Union are all covered by
good live committees that have them
j well lined up and watching down the
road for the new line. Some are over-
t
!nxious and think it comes slowly,
but all large bodies move slowly. It
( goes faster than any other phone line
j that has ever been built in the coun
try. While there are at the present
time only about 500 subscribers to
the shares, It is a conservative esti
mate to say that in 12 months from
the present date tliere will be 90 per
cent of the farm homes of the valley
connected by this line and the towns
are all In favor. I think if a vote was
taken In the city of La Grande, the
Co-operative company would get 75
per cent of the vote, although the com
pany received its first setback at the
hands of the city council of La Grande.
On Wednesday evening, July 21st, the
Co-operative Telephone company peti
tioned the city council for a fran
chase and there was a motion made
to refer it to a special committee. The
vote being a tie, the mayor cast the
deciding vote in favor of the special,
and appointed Jones, Lincoln and Fin
ley, and on August 7, the committee
reported adverse to granting said
franchise. And after considerable
discussion as to the advntages and
disadvantages of the company being
allowed the same rights given their
predecessors In the field, a vote was
taken. Jones, Lincoln, Lilley and
FInley voted for the report against
granting the franchise, Campbell, Fitz
gerald, Mackey and Davis voting
against the report, they favoring the
franchise. Being a tie, the mayor cast
the deciding vote against tne fran
chise. He could hardly do otherwise,
being a heavy stockholder and a direc
tor In the Home Independent Tele
phone monopoly, and farther In view
of the fact of a petition numerously
signed by the business men and oth
ers, we hope through misrepresenta
tion or mis apprehension for it does
not seem possible that any unbiased
man who had the facts laid before I
htm could so far forget his duty to the
ounty and surrounding country, that
he would allow his name to appear
against an Institution that would go
farther toward establishing a friendly
I flD ' Comfort Going Home!
I lillllFf llllTW11' ,ppr6cute' ta f "i
VEST w. hlvl ?mZUS aad MtUWB tasted."
V 57WtS) " cw? mo4eI k,tcheM c Positively grantee th parity of
! "!t!m XbTHkQy m a rscnlar buyer.
j mktmt Setter's - La Grande!
Do a Big Temit
Friday, August 16, 1912
ADAMS AVENUE NEAR HEMLOCK STREET.
WEST BROS.' RAILROAD SHOW.
A
TEXAS
RANGER
SEE THE Cowboys, Soldiers, Indians, Mexicans,
Rangers and Cowboy Girls.
Watch For the Cowboy Band
ONE PERFORMANCE AT NIGHT ONLY.
Friday, August 16
H
has been before the people of La
Grande for years.
E. $. CO-OPERATIVE TEL. ASS'N.
By TH08. FLEMING, Mgr.
Cripple Creek at Arcade.
Tonight is the last chance to see
"At Cripple Creek," one of the best
feature films ever shown at the Ar
cad. Also a Gaumont weekly showing
events that have happened all over
the world, and a fine comedy that is
full of pretty scenes and is one big
I laugh from the start. Also Mr. Ray
i Tiriil i
oiuiiiuit) iu uuw song3.
COFFE
As far as possible all coffee should be ground just
before using. Otherwise it may lose a great deal of
its original strength and flavor. If you don't grind
the coffee at home why buy coffee that was ground
by the roasters and has been out of their hands no
telling how long? Let us grind your coffee for you
just before you get it. We have CHASE & SAN
BORN'S high quality line. It's always freshly roast
ed the day shipped to us.
43
PHONE
J. G. Snodgrass
Sole Agent
T.G.
WHEELWRIGHT
Cement work of all
kinds. Sidewalks and
curbs a specialty. All
work done under my
personal supervision.
PHONE RED 3952
43