WEST
SHORE.
When such a man as William Beck dies, the com
munity in which he has lived not only misses from
its members a man of upright and honorable life, but
its business interests suffer a positive loss. Mr. Beck
has lived a long and useful life, one that the rising
generation would do well to emulate. He was born in
Roxbury, Penn., Nov. 22, 1817, and came to Oregon
across the plains in 1852, since which time he has re
sided constantly in 1'ortland, and has built up a bus
iness, by hard work and constant attention, that ho in
creased from n small shop to a large wholesale and re
tail establishment. His labor never ceased until two
days before his demise, at the age of seventy -ono years.
Though by no means a man anxious for public atten
tion, ho was most enterprising in spirit and took a
prominent part in many movements for the general
welfare. It was William Beck who finally fulfilled tho
prophecy that at some time there would bo a bridge
across the Willamette at Portland, by building tho
Morrison Street bridge, the first constructed across that
stream, though five now span it at various places. Mr.
Neck was a man of most genial and kindly disposition,
a keen observer and a warm friend of those who earned
his regard. 'In his family he took especial pride. Ho
leaves a wife, two sons and a daughter to mourn an
irreparable loss. Of his sons, William 0. was his
partner in the firm of William Beck it Hon, and (ieo.
A. resides in Portland. The daughter, Mrs. Ed. Stone,
is a resident of Spokane Falls.
A would be citizen was refused naturalization pa
pers by Judge Van Reynegoni, of San Francisco, lie
ciiuso of his utter ignorance. It is more than twenty
years since ho filed hid first papers in Wisconsin, and
yet ho did not know what tho word " riot" means, and
when asked if he believed in a republican form of gov
ernment said No sir; I am a democrat." His appli
cation was denied, and yet he was no moro ignorant
than thousands who have been " run in" for political
uses, and whose votes nullify the ballots of native lorn
and naturalized citizens of intelligence. Instead of a
few spasmodic instances of this kind, there should l
"general drawing of the line on every judicial bench
in the country. Naturalization reform is one of the vi
tal questions of the day, and thousands of Americans,
b"th of native and foreign birth, consider it so essential
principle that they have made it the chief plank in
the platform of a new party. There are, however,
many times tho nuinhor remaining in the old parties,
who are in sympathy with the principle, and by whom
it will at some time be made a living issue.
Tho successful launching of the cruiser Sun Fran
rim in tho city of the same namo a few days ago t
another step in the advance the Pacific coast is mak
ing in the construction of iron vessels. A navy is
slowly being built, and tho new ships are equal to
the best in the world, but there are not enough of
them, (ieneral Miles calls attention to tho fact that
at the rate we are going it will take us fifty years to
build as many vessels as England can now send to any
one of our harlxtrs in six weeks. It is only when such
comparisons as this are drawn that wo realize our pit
iful weakness, tho more pitiful because we might lie
strong if we would. Let congress authorize the con
struction of a navy, without limiting tho secretary to
three or four vessels of a fixed character, and in a few
years tho United States will booquipped as she should
be to maintain her position on the seas. (Ieneral
Miles estimates that 10(I,(XK),(XK) will place tho sea
coast of tho United .States in a perfect condition of do
fenso,and argues that as a matter of business economy
only tho expenditure ought to lie made. It sounds
like a largo sum of money, but it is a bagatelle to tho
loss tho country would sustain in a few weeks of war
without such defenses. Tho nation ought to-day to Ih)
as willing to spend ' millions for defense " as it was
years ago when it was less able to afford it.
Suit has been commenced by Miss II. P. Isaacs,
Mrs. J. 1). I-anian, Mrs. E. L DavonN.rt and Mrs.
C. E. Burrows of Walla Walla, Mrs. Anderson Cox of
Waitsburg, ami Mrs. S. E. Cummings, of Wallula,
against the judges of election in their respective pre
cincts, for a refusal to permit them to vote at tho re
cent state election. Damages are fixed at ti,MM).
This suit is to determine the status of tho woman suf
frage movement in Washington. For a time, by act
of the legislature, women exercised the right to vote,
sit on juries, hold ollieo and pay taxes, but the supremo
court of the territory decide the act void, and now
they are only permitted to pay taxes. Highly as they
esteem this latter privilege they want the others also,
hence this suit. Even if they gain it there is a long
road to travel lieforo reaching tho goal, since Wash
ington has now beeoino a state and adopted a consti
tution, and a spoeial article providing for woman suf
frage was overwhelmingly defeated. All they can hope
for is a reopening of tho question. They certainly can
,t invalidate tho entire election, but may get such
moral support by a decision in their favor that an
amendment to tl institution will again Iw submitted
for adoption by tho jieople.
One of tho features of tho great combination of the
Union Pacific and Northwestern that has generally
Iron lost sight of in contemplating tho greatness of the
deal and its effects, is tho status of tho Oregon Pacific.
Though no direct and Hsitive statement to that en".
has been made by tho officer of that company, they