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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1913)
TUESDAY, APRIL 29. 1S13. LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVE, mpagefotjb THE OBSERVER BRUCE DEN N iS EDITOK AHD OWHEB. lalered at the pestefflee at La Grande, Omii as secaad cImi Matter. SCBSCRI1TI05 BATES. ally, slagle eepy ally, per week Uc eOv. ner month Mr ONE CENT A DAY .FOR HEALTH. Everyone has been interested in the work being done in Panama in the construction of the canal. Startling as have been the results of the en gineers and builders, the work of the sanitary department has been even more wonderful In a region noted aa the most unhealthful in the world, in which our predecessors, the French were unable to succeed because they could not keep the workers alive, the American army surgeons, by the use of scientific facts known to all, have aucceeded in lowering the death rate among American residents far below that of our most favored American communities. According to Colonel Gorgas, the chief sanitary officer of the canal cone, the death rate among 10,489 Americans has been only 4.48 per thousand. While this result has been mainly due to the control of yellow fever and malaria, and while it is true that the American population consisted of picked individuals, large ly men and women in the prime of life, yet even with all these conditions recognized, the record, as the Ameri can Medical Journal points out, is a remarkable one and is probably with- IT r-.-;-:-,-rn- and 60 per cent on estates in excess of ti e latter amount Senator Jones' theory ia identical wiM. the idea which haa bean pur- sv in the proposed exempt! m fiot& tax of all incomes under ti 0K, n'lntly, that the modernhi v well-to- do and the wealthy are able to pay and therefore they should be made to pay an additional share of the cost of government. It is a theory which has been put into practice in Caftvda in regard to the ipshritanco tax uiid used to a certain ixtopt in Great Britain and European i tions in the income tax although the nx empUcn in the countries ucrois the Bins r.i.fs to incomes very iii-.ch Le Ir.w li e amount of $4,000 wV..v. i riopold for this country. tne ffature of the Jones' i)r.-jved One feature of the Jones prMsal may i.rike a popular chord: Ii. would Le a potent factor in the prj-.eit.on of the continuation and growth of larce fortunes such as are held by the Abt"i estate, J. P. Morgan. efeller and others of the typ3. l:any think rig people regard the pj-pi-ru- atioii ol these tremendous moonus with the added increment whici wijl come with years as a real menace. fro them the Jones' idea may appe'a' as a remedy. On the other hand, it is question able if it is right to tax large for Unefc out of existence. True, these fortunes could not have rieen amas sed tftve for the favoring condition of the country in which tlwr creators l.Vfd. but an inheritance Ux of the kind proposed iy Sena'or Jones wouio be discrimination and confisca tion of property. In addition, it would F-dil millions to the government s in terne wtih no assurance ha' the bur- out a rival. And all this, says Colo- j r at wauM Ha rpli.i?e-i or that nel Gorgas, has been accomplished at ye poor" clashes would receive any an expense averaging 1 cent per day benefit therefrom, for each individual. jat tne government n3d is not If the result can be secured at this an ;ncreased income raised by a dis cost in the center of a tropical jun- ',.rjirinuory tax upon a few. hut a de gle, what would not a similar expen- cieab income produced ty direct diture do for our American cities? j.,ri the many. Only t'.rougli di One cent a day is one-fifth the cost !m.t uxation will come ec-worry, of one five cent cigar. It is one-fifth j when the people pay out of the tne price or a daily street car ride. !,- pukets directly into the govern- .nnr lieasury, there will no', be so It is one-tenth . cost of admission to moving picture show. It is one-fifth of what we pay for a glass of soda water or a package of chewing gum. Is one cent a day too much to pay to protect the life and health of an American citizen? INHERITANCE TAX. Follor ing up the income tax bill proposed by the Democrats, Senator Wesley L. Jones of Washington h offered in the senate a bill to tax in heritance. Senator Jones' bill provides for a graduated inheritance tax on i;li es tates same that bequests to thv im mediate family of the testator are t-i be exempt to the amount of $2.r.onn and are to have the benefit of a low er rate. Senator Jones' sch adult of tate provides for a tax of oiv. per cent for estate under $5,000, t per n.uny appropriations for ''pork" pur pis.- An irheritance tax with the fund safeguarded so closely this, it coiild p.-.t lo an invitation to further ex trt'vtucnce would be practical nn.i probably helpfuli But to dump mil lions 'ch year into the p':bl:c trwis vry without any restrictions upon the manner in which they shall bo i,p.n does not raise a lope for a .-u-n to economy in governmental ad'll -nitration. - i I'ST?' ' UNUSED FARM KNOWLEDGE. The new secretary of agriculture, Prof. HouRton, believes that the big job before his department now is to organize rural life so that country dwellers may secure the benefit of the vast amount of Information and sic entific learning which for years has cent from $5,000 to $50,000, five per been accumulating in the department. rent from $50,000 to $250,001, 10 por This knowledge does not get distri cent from $250,000, and so m ; i- to I buted. The problem is to distribute the assessment of 40 per cent on es- it. A knowledge of farming, practi tates from $7,000,000 to $15,000,000 cal farm credits, methods for market- The Test of Tirrve hlch a bank Is oper a . Time determine whether the policies, under ated are safe. Iff This bank haa been In business twenty-six years. , It haa grown steadily until It haa become, one of the s fronted' and moat prosperous financial luMitutions In the West. The soundness or Its policies Is attested by the loaf list of conserv ative business men who transact tbeir business here; also by an earned surplus of $130,00.00, the work of time and the res'ilt of conservative management. This bank haa facilities for Using rare of Bore high grade busi ness and offers Ma services to those wbo appreciate the best In banking. La Grande National Bank La Grande, Oregon Capital, $100,000.00 Surplus, $130,000.00 Resources. M00.000.0i DESIGNATED DEPOSITOR! OP T5ITED STATES GOTEKOEJIT. CTITED STATES POSTAL 9ATI5GS DEPOSITOR!. ing far mprodueta thea are the things which must be secured to tae farmer. In order to further this work Sec retary Houston haa secured the serv ices of Dr. T. N. Carver, professor of economics in Harvard university, to give his entire time and attention to thia work. "Rural Organization ser vice," is what the new work will be called and one branch of it will be the new division of marketa for which congress appropriated $50,000 last session. "Marketing," said Secretary Hous ton, " is only one aspect of the great problem of rural organization. Oth er phases should be considered at once. The general education board has for years sought avenues for use ful service to the people and has now promise to co-operate wkh us in the support of our farm demonstration work and this proposed rural exten sion service." Organization will be conducted around subjecta which "interests ihe particular locality. In one place it may be roads, in another mosquitoes, in another forestation or tne protec tion of the range. The purpose is io bring the rural dwellers into co-operative unity. Money in plenty hi been spent by the agricultural department for years in securing valuable infor mation for farmers and it is a sharp reflection upon one phase of its ef ficiency that so little has reached the people it was intended to serve. CHANGE NOT SO RADICAL La Grande, April 29. (To the editor) La Grande is ee of the most progressive cities in the North west During the coming years this city ia destined to . undergo the transition from its present condition of a live wide awake town to an in land metropolis. It is during this change that the mistakes of most cities are made. Franchises are given that later not only prevent competi tion, but fail to furnish the service required. A city like La Grande must build for the future, or it is simply building in vain. A city gov ernment should be capable, efficient, and farsighted. Soon will 'come the proposition of a gas plant, then street cars. Will these be owned by the city or controlled by franchise. Then the extension of the present public utilities and other municipal affairs. Is it not clearly apparent that the administration of the city's business during the next few years will be of great importance not only for the time being, but for many year? in the future. The commission Form of govern ment is in the air. It has been called a fad, a freak, a fancy and some other 'worse things. But it is still growing in favor. Like every other worthy cause it is merely strengthened by persecution and criticism. Many new cities are plan ning on its adoption, although the latest phase of its growth has been in the direction of state governments. The commission form ot govern ment has often been referred. to aa a radical change; but it is simply a business system substituted for the old methods. It does not add to nor subtract a single perrogativo from the government of the city. It simply recognizes that politics is business. Under our political system great industrial combines have arisen from scattered, undeveloped, and unsyste matized fragments into world powers. HAS A SPRINGSUTT FOR YOU From our large s election of new models we can fit the stout or slender man equally as well as the man of regular build and at the same attractive prices. Whether You Pav $15.00 or More You can be assured of perfect satisfaction if you buy at this store. W e're Sole La Grande Agents for Benjamin, Hirsch, ickwire, Fidelity Fifteens and . . and initiative, the referendum, the short ballot, and many other estab lished reforms all come at once. There is no use dwelling upon the inadequacy of the present city gov ernment. Confusion, lack of respon sibility, lack of efficiency and in capability of looking ahead are the chief points in the case against it. It is not the fault of the present officials in many cases. The great inadequacy of the present system is found in its lack of business or ganization. That is what a city does when it adopts the commission form of government. It does not change the function of the government, but i simDlv substitutes business efficiency ai ursi Doaras or directors governed for boddle politics, these great corporations, the directors Let U Grande have the best. Of representing all the stockholders. COUrse we can exist under the pres- Such a system is similar to the pres- ent conditions, but we can develop ent city government with its council much fa8ter under a modern 8cien. representing the citizens. However, tific business form of government, these great corporations were all pryriPPB' TJiTyrrwrnj! TURKEY business. They found that the more authority they placed in the hands of capable managers the larger was dividends. This resulted in a small board of capable managers superced-1 The British commissioner in Aus ing the old board of directors. This ! tra,ia report keen competition of Is of j the J MOTOR CAR EXPORTS. is the commission form of govern- j American-made motor cars with ment The DeoDle elect manairera to those imported into that continent handle the municipal business paying rom England. This competition, sufficient salary to secure ability. ( which legan with the cheaper grade Thus the commission form of gov-, ot cr- ' now equally pronounced in ernment ia not very different from car9 of h'fcrher price. The commia the present except that it applies doner's report is uniwually irterest 20th century business science instead "e y! of blundering 18 th century mhod. ' "The American manufacturer cf But this one "except" requires many hoth motor cars and buggies which reforms. They could be had tinder reach the consumer here at a cost of V U ..-- V.. 4 .V - .- ! 1 1 AA 1 . wi. viu oaiem vut U1D cuinDUHluu ui-uci ?i,vw uaa met wun a form requires responsibility and effi- siderable amount of success. Thi number of complete notor cars than ciency. To do this' the recall, the competition is not confined to the it exports. In 1912 it imported from civil service, tne bonding or officials, cneapest class or cars, however, ai it the United States is Understood that the United States manufacturers are cutting into th". trade for cars up to $2,400 and $2, 900. Buyers state that the Ameri can car is lighter, has a greater clearance from the ground than t!ut of United Kingdom origin, is chcapor to operate both with respect to patrol used and the wear and tear ct the tires, and the capital outlay, car f jr car of the same power, is said to be far less for cars of American manu facture." Exports of American motor car and parts have shown a phenomenal gain and are rapidly approaching th. exports in the same class cf pro ducts from the United Kingdom and France. The following figures will show how our export trade has grown: In 1902, the total value of motor car and parts export amounted to $950,000; in 1903, these had grown to $1,207,000; in 1904, to l,8W,0O0; in IMo, to $2,481,000; in 190C, to! $3,48,000; in 1907, to $5,501,000; in 1908, they dropped off to $5,278,000; but in 1909 they had again grown to $o,992,000; in 1910 to $11,190,000; m 1911 to $15,509,000 and in 1912, to $25,657,000. At the same time exports from France, have grown from $5,883,000 in 1902 to $30,795,000 in 1911, and the exports from the United King dom from $837,000 in 19C2 to $17, 245.000 in 1911. The predominance of French exports rose to its maxi mum in 1906, and since then it has been declining steadily. cars, as against only ; 2,236 from France. England began by buying our cheaper cars. Now it is buying in increased quantities our higher priced cars which, according to best author ities, our higher pricedETAOINNU ities, cost less to operate and are lighter and more serviceable for or dinary uses. , The consumer is the only one not kicking on the reduction of the tariff on foodstuffs. England still impo-ts a larger The telegraph messengers Li Om aha are now girls. Can anyone se tl.em going by a millinery window with rush message? Boston psychologist says pie has- ruined thousands of lives. . Does he refer to political pie or the kind1 mother used to make. New York authorities hav fjund 100,000 worth of human hair in a cellar, in fact almost enough t: srp- ply one female seminary. China is going to'' have an aero plane fleet, which should, in time, reduce the population of Ch'na to rormal proportions. A New York golf player has vio lated all the ethics of the game by having his photograph taken with both feet on the ground. 3,734 Fashionable women are wearing suspenders on their skirts, but there is some doubt as to whether their husbands will be able to find time- complete to sew the buttons on f6r them. t 'rv
