AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER PRINTS THE NEWS THE DAY IT HAPPENS
LA GRANDE, OREGON THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1916.
VOLUME XV
NUMBER. 173
1
LEGISLATION AGAINST TRAVEL
ON BELLIGERENT VESSELS
ALSO POSSIBLE.
WILSON WOULD, CURB
INFLAMATORY SPEECHES
Congress Likely to Stir up Foreign
Bitterness. Contends President Wil
son Unless Debate is Shorn of its
Bitterness Sentiment in Favor of
Embargo Is Shown. ''": '
Washington. Jan. 6. America may
never protest the sinking of the Persia,
high officials have admitted. Only a
startlingly frank Austrian statement
that the vessel was torpedoed with
out warning would justify a protest.
Washington, Jan.- 6. Possibility of
legisla tion to prohibit American travel
on. vessels owned by belligerents
abroad is creeping out and congress
showed sentiment favoring; an em
bareo on munitions today.
Administration . leaders " admitted
that the senate's intervention in. the
international situation, is causing un
easiness, and it is (pointed out that
vesterdavs acrimonious discussion in
dicates American feeling;,, regarding
submarine slaughter, .and is therefore
a helpful feature.
President Wilson desires to mmi
mlze congressional debate and prevent
introduction of taflamtaitory resolu
tions, fearing, it : might create a foiv
The Senate has directed Secretary
Garrison1 to furnish full information
of cost, maintainance and usefulness
of every army ipost in the country.
Congress Stirs Mexican Issue..
Passing the Fall resolution the sen
ate has aisked Mr. Wilson for informa
tion concerning - the status of the
Mexican problem. ' Fall sacrastically
asked what has become of Pitiless
publicity the administration promised.
Victim of Pneumonia.
San Diego,' . Cal., Jan. 6. Hans
Schumann-Heink, son of Madame
Schumann-Heink, the singer, died in
this city early today following two
weeks illness of pneumonia. ...
Madame Schumann-Heink was
called from her home, Gflasamfonlt,
near this city, to the bedside of her
son last night when it became ap
parent that the young man was dy
ing, and other members of the fam
ily were also 'Summoned, all of them
remaining at the bedside until the
end came. .
Young' Schumann-Heink was taken
ill Christmas day, and was removed
to a hospital. The case was first
diagnosed as grip,- and later devel
oped into double pneumonia. Madame
. Schumann-Heink "was in Chicago at
the time,' but hurried to San Diego.
As her son. seemed to be improving,
Madame Schumann-Heink consented
to sing at the New Year's day open
ing exercises at the Panama-California
International exposition, later
leaving for a visit -with friends in
Riverside, going to her home at
Grossmont, near this city, yesterday.
Arrested After Search Lasting Years.
rLos Angeles, Jan. 5. George W.
Rlho was arrested here last night
on a charge lof embezzling, 12 years
ago, $1200 from the Omaha postof
f ice while employed as a money order
. clerk. Roche has admitted the theft
of $570, the police say. . He -was taken
into custody in Denver in 1911, it
was said, but broke away from the
arresting officer and made his escape
while being taken to the police sta
tion. Before coming to Los Angeles,
Rocho lived in Fresno, where he mar
ried last August.
Mrs. Tape's Mother 111.
Mrs. Talpe of Hot Lake has received
word that her mother is quite ill in
California. She is holding herself in
readiness to go to the bedside within
a few days.
Linns Merger Vote Must Be Passed.
Oregon City, Jan. 5. West Linn,
it has been decided; is to have an
other election on the question of
merging wjth Willamette, as the elec
tion held in the early part of last
month was illegal. The notice given
for the election at that time was not
published in a newspaper as required,
but was posted; neither was it given
by the city council, but was issued by
the town recorder. For these treasons
a new election is required to make the
merger legal, and the notice, to be
given by the council, will be pub
lished. At the former election the
proposal to merger cawied by a big
vote. . s
PENDLETON IS COLD.
Lowest Record Since 1912 Set Tues
day Night in Roundup City.
Pendleton. Jan. 5. Last night was
the coldest night Pendleton has ex
perienced since January ,7, 1912.' The
official thermometer of which E. F.
Aver ill is custodian, went down to t
below, zero some time ..during the
night, while on January 7, 1912, the
same thermometer registered 10 be
low. The weather continues cold to
day with but very little indication of
a moderation, farmers '.and wheal
growers are not complaining for the
snow is sufficient to protect the grain
and there is plenty of feed on nand
for all the stock. . .,. ;..' ;:.',
' M. I. A. GAME FRIDAY.
Y. M. C. A. Seating Capacity Prac
i tically Doubled for the Game. :
Tomorrow night the first inter-association
games of the L, D. S. state
basketball league will be played in La
Grande. Union's M. I. Aj team comes
to' La Grande for that' occasion and
the game will ibe played1 at the Y. M.
C. A. La Grande has been beaten by
Intbler in .this league 'find Union is
credited with a team strong enough
to repeat Imblers trick;..' It promises
to be a speedy contest. "' '
While the La Grande' and Union
Seams are 'battling, the MI. A. team
of bntbler and Cove will; meet at Cove.
. The seating- capacity at. the Y has
been practically doubled for this con
test. ' ' '' V
t COAST IS IMPROVED.
Federal Reserve , Manager Sees Big
' Improvement in West.
'fi.,U
San Francisco,' Jan.w 6. Business
conditions throughout the coast dis
trict . show noteworthy , improvement
over three years ago.V when it was
really bad, commented Manager Her
ein of the federal reserve district,
supplementing the reserve board re
port noting continuing good conditions
throughout the nation. , ,
CITY AT OUTS
WAGES FOR BUILDING DAM AN
ISSUE.
Howland Files Resignation and Re
fuses $250 Tender,
L. D. Howland last evening ten
dered his resignation to the city com
mission, ait the same time ref using a
tender of $250 in payment for hi3
work as supervising engineer on the
Beaver creek dam. The upshot of the
proposition' is that the city and the
engineer aire at loggerheads, with a
suit very imminent The dispute be
gan with a .retrenchment plan adopted
some time ago when a city engineer
was hired at a reduced salary with
rthe purpose of providing him work on
ly at stated times. When the Beaver
creek proposition came up the en
gineer's entire time had to be given to
the city, and the remuneration for
that exclusive service is now the cause
of the dispute. The statements of
the two parties concerned, set out the
details. v '.
Statement of Mr. Howland My
position in the matter is 'briefly this;
at the time I was engaged by the
manager to do the engineering work
of the city, it was understood and
agreed that I was to receive addition
al compensation for any special work,
the matter of the Beaver creek reser
voir being mentioned and in mind at
the time. There was no understand
ing then or after between myself and
the manager as to the amount of addi
tional compensation, although I en
deavored to have one. The only diffi
culty now, so far as I am concerned,
is to determine what the reasonable
additional compensation should be.
The amount I am asking is based up
on the practice of engineers through
out the United States to charge from
six percent to 12 per cent of the whole
cost as a fee for similar work. Be
cause of the duties incident to the con
struction of Beaver creek dam my in
come from my practice as a civil
engineer was cut from $265 to $109 per
montn ror a (period of six months and
by accepting the amount of $250 of
fered me by the citv in settlement
of my claim, I would be compelled to
maice a sacrifice of an amount ap
proaching $1,000.00.
lhat the engineering work of the
city Qias been on an economic basis
during the past year is shown by the
following figures;
Cost in 1913, $4,877.52; in 1914,
$2,220.21; in 1915, $1,209.07. Of the
amount spent in 1915, I received
$879.28 after deducting the five oer-
cent discount. -
I have nothinir further tn sav in
the matter, only that I shall re-establish
my private office and continue
thf practice of civil engineering and
F. J. Lafky, city manager Some
time ago the city passed an ordinance.
No. 822, series 1915, in which section
2 says:
"That the City Engineer of the City
of La Grande, shall perform such
duties as shall be required and pre-
Contutuei on Pai?e 8.) '
FtlfilliFFfl Afli)
Sl'EDES READY
TO ALLY WITH
TEUTON FORCE
HATE OF CZAR, NOT ANY LOVE
FOR KAISER, BEHIND r
THE MOVE.
DENMARK PRO-ALLY;
NORSEMEN FEEL SAME
. i .
. 1
''..' .. '- . .. :
Scandinavian situation Looms up as
important fear -of Russia Enter-
tained by Swedes Would Force Her
Into Conflict Before Seeing Ger-
many Defeated-Norwegians , Di- !
vided.
.v ' ; ' ' ' . "
: - :,
Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 6.
Sweden doesn't intend to let Germany
lose the war, even if she is forced to
join the Teutons. . She feels she can
not allow Russians to beat Germany.
, Peculiar Feeling Prompts. - -It
is not thus because she is par
ticularly prd-Geronen, .but is wholly
anti-Russian. , , She . belioves , her
strength will be the deciding factor at
the last resort.' This was ' outlined
from Scandinavian critics today as the.
situation right now, and comes from
a relissble source. . ''-. i ' : . -'
,' : Swedes in Terror. - ; . '
' Swedes have long been in terror at
the Russian attempt to secure a cov
eted part of the West coast of the
Scandinavian peninsula. Swedes
claim to have a million troops. - v
Petrograd Objective.
In the event of hostilities she would
invade Finland, expecting the Fins to
join the campaign to capture Petro
grad, and thence go southward to join
the Germans.
i?''"i.M Norwegians Split Up. .
V Norwegians sympathize as a gov
ernment with England as s conse
quence of trade relations. The army
is most pro-German but the masses
pro-English. ' " -- - 'r-r:':'-
Denmark Against Germany. '
Brushing Gdnmany on the north, the
Danes are pro-ally.- This partly be
cause of wars of her own with Ger
many not long since. - She is per
sistently pro-ally.
PASSENGERS LOST.
Thought Eight, Including Women and
Children, Go Dov n With Steamer.
Parkersburg, W. Va.. Jan. 6. It is
believed eight perished including two
women and a baby at the sinking of
the steamer Kanawha.' The Captain
thought all were .saved. The Regis
ter was lost, hence there are no means
of checking the survivors. .
YEAR.
Salem, Jan. 6. Governor Withy
conroe s nrst year in omce is up in
January 11th, and an examination of
his engagement .book for 1915 shows
how strenuous a twelve months it has
been for Oregon's chief executive.
The.. total mileage covered by him
during the year, as carefully es
timated from the record of the points
visited, discloses the fact that he has
covered 20,333 miles, or about 64
miles per day exclusive of the dis
tances he has walked, which are con
siderable. The railroad mileage for the year
totals 17,287 and all of this, with the
exception of approximately ' 2,500
miles involved in trips to San Fran
cisco and Seattle, has been within, the
boundaries of Oregon. By boat he has
covered 681 miles, this being exclu
sjvely on the Columbia and Snake
rivet-s. Automobiles are credited
with 1,285 miles; while he estimates
that since the purchase of his pure
bred American saddle mare, "Lor
etta," in April, he has traveled on her
approximately 1,080 miles, this being
reckoned on an average basis of 30
miles per week.
Of course as matters stand much
of the cost of the transportation util
ized iby the Governor comes out of his
own pocket, for his office has avail
able an appropriation of only $500.00
a year for traveling expenses. The
result is that any executive who real
ly gets around the state has to foot
the excess bills himself. ;
. The 1915 trips have included two
journeys to .San Francisco," one as a
'private citizen" for the Benson Day
exercises, and one in an official ca
pacity; a voyage from Lewiston, Ida
ho, to the sea, when the Celilo canal
was opened; an automobile journey
through central Oregon and back to
Medford, via Crater Lake; a journey
to Baker to welcome the Liberty Bell;
a score of meetings with governors
and other notable travelers en route
to the San Francisco exposition; trips
GOVERNOR HAS HAD BUSY
Thirteen Precincts Created in
La Grande, 36 in Whole County
-i'"i"i'i'!'
i . 4"
t'rW NEW PREtINCTS ,
, '
f ' South La Grande embraces
J. precincts 1 and 8.
4- - West La Grande, 3, 11,10. t
Central residence district, 9.-
Central business district, 2. J. i
Sawmill territory, 4. ' .
North La Grande, 12, 13. ' J ,
Sugar factory and Pleasant
!4 Home, 6. v .. . .. ';
- Fkur mill and countryside to ,
the east. 6. - 1
4 . Connerdale . and east La 4lcut into the Elgin territory, and the
l Grande, 7. V 4
,4 .y Salient-, registration facts: 4j
Iv .-everyone must register to fjCnanges tnere.
4 vote.' No one is registered in 4 ' Registration Down Town.
4. th county .registration unless 4
4. done since Jan. 1, 1916. .
City precincts and city regis-.
trt'ton hav nothing to do with
coa? a,nd state Precincts and j
La Grande voters can register 4
ft Security Land & Savings Co. 4"
Union county has 88 precincts in
stepd of 29 as formerly. Most of this ;
a.ldition is taken up in La Grande j
alone where 13 precincts now pit vail
for county and state elections, in
stead of seven. The addition in pre
cincts is made to conform with the
new laws requiring hot; over 200 voters
live in each precinct. Another, change
made Js that there will be but two
judges instead of three. Three clerks
are retained. The upshot w-H be count
ed much more rapidly than under the
old way (when election "crews" were
working two and three days, often.
Not all precincts of the county are ,
COLD SNAP ENDS.
After Drop of 47 Degrees in 24 Hours,,
Chicago Mercury Rises. . I
. Chicj&o. Jan.- 6. After a-, severe '
itiinmwnnl -fa-Antfl - aiibuuv miu.li aitf. '
fering in poorer sections, the ther
mometer took an unexpected leap this
morning, ' and stood at : ten above.
Forecasters say it will be warmer to
morrow. Mercury dropped 47 de
grees in 24 hours.
PRICE FOR SUNl
Former. Chinese President Worth
La'ge Sum to New Emperor. '
San Francisco, Jan. 6. Confirms
tion has been received that Yuan Shi 1
Tr ' 1. r If 1 1 n n ni n . I
capturu
Haing. Sun is in Japan and Wong
in Philadelphia.
Cablegrams indicate Yuan is ex-
periencing trouble getting chiefs more
troops to crush the revolution.
DAY BOOK SHOWS
.1 ri 1 1 ... .
V o n j ".nil """ j
from Portland to Astoria; and scores
. . ..
or other engagements ranging from
county fairs to official and semi-official
meetings of every character. .
During 1915 the Governor visited
- i-' V. nB ' m ,i , , 01 Justice Lamar. At one point, Pen
centum of Coos, Curry, T.llamook. dieton stepa httve already 'taken
Malheur, Harney, Wheeler, Grant and i, n ,,.. ,. r:j4. urn
StPf'- -, , T
. j .v
intend to get into each one of these
UUHS . k""i. J";,'
u.u Uie vwvernor. r i Bra especially
anxious to get into Curry, for during
i i j it ' u"ov-
yet had the opportunity to get there. 1
line if mir Hi 1 (I Manl.if.nn. nnA tl ... .
a good onei is to see Curry county.
... j ,v is
While the mileage covered shows
that the Governor has been active in
the field, so to speak, and has per
haps set a new record for getting in
touch with people and conditions in
all parts of the state, an examination
of the minute books of the Board of
Control, the Desert Land Board, and
the Highway Commission the three
most important bodies of which the
Governor is an ex-omcid chairman
discloses that he has been absent at
but nine per cent of the meetings
during 1915. This is contrasted to the
record of the executive during 1914,
who was absent at 21 per cent of the
meetings. In 1914 in 40 meetings of
the Desert Land Board the Governor
was absent 12 times; in 1915 in 28
meetings, two absences are credited to
the executive. With 94 meetings of the
Board of Control in 1914 the Governor
was not present 28 times; while In 515
meetings for 1915 the Governor was
away but 6 times. The Highway
Commission met 30 times in 1914,,
seven of them minus the Governor;
While Governor Withycombe missed
but two of the 29 meetings in '1913.
Governor Wiithycombe's absences for
Continued on Pajre Eight)
changed, but a majority feel a differ-
ence, some slight, others material.
Few Remain .. Before.
Among the county precincts that
remain unchanged are? Antelope, Big
Creek, Hilgard, Hot Lake, Kamela,
Perry, North Powder one and two,
Starkey and Summerviliey . .
Au otherB fel a change. InTSlicl
and Island City this is the. most mark-
ed outside of the large, towns. La
Orande is comnletelv chantred and ad-
dition of one ...precinct is made in
Union. To make rearrangment of the
Imhlor nrncinct it was nMeimrv to
removal of Mliiam from , Union to
Wlallowa county made necessary the
Commencing next Monday, County
Clerk Ed Wtright will afford regis
tration facilities down town. All who
come to register should know their
street number, and if no number Ib
known, then the lot and block;, from
the country all should know the sec
tion: and township upon which they
live. With that description given, the
clerks will know where to place the
registrated person. Once registered,
this time, it will not be necessary to
register again in the future unless
change of residence js made.
Deputy Put in Charge. . :
Miss Annette Joh-rson has been ap
pointed registrar for La Grande. Every
afternoon shewill 'be found at the
office of the Security Land & Sav
ings company.- .. Those purposing to
register should ' acquaint themselves
with the requirements set out above
and be ready to give answer... . .'
. For the benefit of people in euch
precincts aa are changed, the Observer
gives the complete boundaries of all
such on another page.
is
AFTER PUCE
UMATILLA COUNTY MAN WOULD
ASSIST IN RE-NAMING
Democratic Fight for National Dele
gates In Oregon to Be Waged,
The ambition to sit in the national
Democratic convention as delegate is
spreading among the Democrats of
Oregon, for it is apparent a number
of the stalwarts of that party are
anxious to show President Wilson that
the time.
And now comes Will M.' Peterson,
who is a solid, rock-ribbed Democrat
of Umatilla county having been chair
man 01 trie county central committee
there for eight' years and last year
was chosen as a presidential elector,
and claims his 'rights as a delegate to
the next national convention at St,
Louis. " . ' :' '"
Realizing that there are others in
the Democratic camn who want thij
same honor Mr. Peterson is already
j starting his appeal to the voters aiid
1 asks them to keep him in mind for
this position.
In Union county it is believed the
Umatilla county man stands well and
I '.c. .Tin 11a tc ?i..lviik Dwuyvib
i-hof ha ..fill .f..nv.
.among the tellows who vote the Uem-
ocratic ticket regularly.
Eastern Oregon (Republicans and
Democrats alike are boosting Wil
liam H. Taft for the supreme justice
son to appoint Mr. Taft. In view of
tne ract tnat Juage Tart aiimself set
the precedent of appointing a justice
or a political faith othw than his own,
Republicans feel no compunction
about asking a Democrat to name a
Kepublican, albeit that - Republican
was the standard-bearer of his party
. .. 1 -
jugt recently,
I Democrats Want Taft.
William 11. Taft for the United
States Supreme Court is the choice
of Will M. Peterson, secretary of the
(Umatilla county central committee,
Who as Presidential elector, has sent
a telegram to President Wilson, urg
ing the appointment of Mr. Taft, and
also sending like telegrams to Sena
tors Chamberlain and Lane.
Although a strong Democrat him
self Mr. Peterson recognizes the fit
ness and qualifications of Mr. Taft
for this important position and there
fore he lays all party considerations
aside and comes out openly for a
Republican for the appointment.
"I consider ex-President Taft the
ablest man in Christendom" said Mr.
Peterson, in an interview yesterday,
"the best qualified mun for a place j
on the United States Supreme Court j
that President Wilson can possibly
select. Particularly, in view of the
fact that Mr. Taft, hrmlself, while
President, appointed I.urton of Ten
nessee and LcMarr of Georgia, both
Democrats, to the Supreme bench, I
think President Wilson' Should now
appoint Mr. Toft.
"He will bring more dignity honors
and learning to the bench than anv
other man potsrbly could. He is ab-
re
BATTLE Oti
GREEK SOIL
IS DENT
EVERY MOVE POINTS TO BATTLE
IN GREECE WITH IN
SHORT TIME.
Teuton Forces . Concentrating on
Greecian Border Preliminary to Bat
tie With AlUea Near Saloniki, It Is
Contended Great
tions Moving." ''
Mass of Muni-
- London, Jan. 6. Teuton forces ar
about to invade Greece, Saloniki ad
vices have indicated, saying Bulgar
ians are again concentrating on the
Greecian border after temporary with-.,,
drawal. -
Allied aviators are extremely ac- -tive
on the Bulgarian front and
troops are hastening preparations for
the expected attack. '
The Frankfurter Zeilung report
Von Mackenien has been ordered to
proceed immediately to Saloniki. Tha "f
Serbian railways have been repaired -
and munitions are moving to the front.
Rome and Athens advices indicate a , -
battle on Greek soil is inttinment.
Bulgarians, returning from the Aiban- .
ian campaign, are massing on the
Hellenic front. : :
- Failure Explained.
.London. Jan. 6. General Hamilton -r .
in a final report said England's fait- .
ure to send fifty thousand reinforce
ments as (requested, caused collapse of v
the Dardanelles, expedition. He also
revealed the raason of tha recall. '
"Kitchener sent a mesmiga suggesting
possibility of evacuation of GallipoU
and abandonment of the expedition;' I
replied vthia, .nw 'unthinkable, where-' '
upon I was rwmtltd. I -m Inf ornrtd - -' ,
her thfc government wanted a fresh i
and unbaised opinion from iwtharv
commander eonctmlnir the posstbili-
ties of early evacsution." . .
itmnrsw mnimfn d-ivr7Ci
aitibu juvpi viJi i
-'" ,-; '"--v
Common Laborers Get Increase 6t Tea
; Per Cent Voluntarily.
NeW York, Jan. 6. The ... United ;
States Steel Corporation has granted
n.n ini?rAncM' in watrAR in &11 nnlnihM..l
Common laborers get increases of tea"j .!
percent. . . ' .. i:...... '.
LINER ESCAPES BLOW.
Bringing Survivors From Other Lost
Ships, She Lands Safely.
Marseilles, Jan. 6 The liner Kar-
nak, 250 passengers ' has arrived
here after an exciting flight from a
submarine. She brought survivors of
the torpedoed BritiBn snips Middleton
and Abelia. r t,
-fti
Telephone Operator Is Bride.
Lebanon. Ore., Jan. 5. -Robert M. '
Follett and Miss Eva Armstrong were
married at Albany one day thit week
and hnmedint1v Wt- fnr tlioif hm
home in Walla Walla, where the groom
nas employment. Miss Armstrong
was a telephone operator in this city
before her marriage.
Bank Statements Called.
Washington, Jan. 6. The comp
troller of the currency 'has called for
a statement of the condition of na
tional banks at the close of business
Dec. 31. -
solutely honest, fearless, clean and his
name as Supreme Judge would go
down in history as one of America's
greatest judges. I am, therefore, as
one of the Presidential electors in
Oregon, sending a teleeram to Presi
dent Wilson recommending the ap-'
pointment or Mr. Taft, and am also
calling this matter to the attention
of Senators Chamberlain and Lane."
F. J. Holmes, chairman of - tha
IWoodrow Wilson club in La Grande,
takes exceptions to the Pendleton
man's viewpoint. "It is not because
Taft wouldn't make a splendid judge,
'but' because Taft himself named a
Democratic justice to keep the court
balanced politically, that I would op
pose a Republican at this time. If it
were non-fpaHisan in everv wav. Taft
would fee just the man; if any political
party (s to 'be considered, a Democrat
is needed to .give equal balance po-..
litically in the court. No. I would not.
oppose Taft on a non-Dortisan .basis."
"Taft would be an eminent jurist in
my opinion. He became known as an
extremely capable judge while on the
federal , circuit court of appeals."
This was the statement of H. E. Dix
on, president to the Union : County
Young Men's Republican club.
"I haven't given the matter any
thought and it hasn't come before the
committee in any way, but I am sure
Mir. Taft woukl be a most capable
man for the place, especially If any
Republican is named." Thus spoko
C. E. Eberhard, secretary of the
Union County ; Republican Central
committee when asked concerning the
Eastern Oregon movement now on
foot in this connection.