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