OffiGOM CITY
COUffllE
With $12,000,000 in Factories and
$ 100,000 monthly Pay Ron with plenty
of Power to tell, Oregon City can dou
ble its Population in Five Year.
The Courier I AGAINST Injustice-,
against the privileged classes, and FOR
the Weak a tlx en and the Common
People.
OREGON CITY. OREGON. FRIDAY, MARCH 15 1912.
29th YEAR.
LET'S INT ELKS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS COnV
INQ TO PORTLAND SOON '
DRIVE A HERD DOWN HERE
A Matter Our Commercial Club
' 8hould Not Pass Up.
That there should be something
done to acquaint eastern people
with Oregon City, during the
Elks' carnival at Portland in July,
is very patent, and the following
communication from one of our
citizens is timely and should
cause the Live Wires to sit up and
see that some one gets a move on.
Editor Oregon City Courier:
I have noticed in the columns
of the Courier many communica
tions that are of general interest,
and I believe the subject of which
I am writing is one which should
have the attention of the Com
mercial club, the Live Wires,
Publicity committee, and in fact
everyone that wants to see this
most picturesque spot in the west
come into her own in the way of
drawing the crowds. -
Portland will soon be over
flowing with - people from the
east. Elks mostly and they are
good fellows, Best on Earth, and
they are great hands to see things
'day or night, and see them right,
and many of the visitors, at that
time, see Oregon City, and see it
right, not in a measly, half-hearted
manner, as though some one
owned the most of the town and
did not care to see it advance, not
with the belief of that some one
was standing just around the
corner with the knife open ready
to give them the stick, if they
ventured to offer a helping hand,
but we wish them to make us a
visit here, and see us at our best,
our arms must be open, there
must be the smile, the full heart
ed welcome,' the true spirit of
"Come," come to a good town to
live, to the grandest and most
beautifully picturesque spot in
the whole west, wnere nature
worked overtime and Sundays,
with all her expert landscape gar
dens, and seemed to have taken
centuries to study plans to set in
to eternal darkness even the
grandeur of noted Switzerland.
What we wnat is action.
The publicity committee could
use "Our" funds to no better ad
vantage, than to transport free
all adults, from Portland to Ore
gon City and return, via electric
line, and while here have gentle-i
men to show them about, and
hand them literature, give them
a few gentle pats on the back, i
you all know that feels awfully
good, especially when a fellow's
away from home. When these
people return east, they will
carry with them such pleasant
recollections of the city here, and
The Pleasure of
At Home
IS ENHANCED when the home is brightened
like sunlight by the brilliant rays of the Mazda
Lamp. Its restful rays impart the effect of a flood
of sunlight-the oniy light for which the eye has a
natural affinity. Not only does the Mazda Lamp
give this Superior Quality of light, but it gives
nearly Three Times as much light as the com
mon carbon incandescent-and Costs No More to
operate.
Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company
MAIN OFFICE SEVENTH!, ALDER.
PORTLAND
Phones Main 6688 and A. 6131
its neoDle. many who will sooner
or later pull up stakes and follow
Horace ureeiey s auviuu, win seen
out the picturesque Switzerland
of the west, and there, you have it.
Portland will ho the attraction.
to be sure, but (here will be a few
hours now and tnen, inat an
would have, to take a little side
jaunt, and when it pictured out,
and free well, we'd have a few.
In the last four years there has
been a grat awakening in Oregon
City, the result of a few sticking
to the scheme of doing things,
instead of always leaving it for
Portland to do. We have added at
tractions here now, new improv
ed streets in the beautiful resi
dence district,, with building lots
at "manufacturer's prices," and
many other attractions, built by
man, all overshadowed by the
handiwork of nature.
"S."
LOOKS GOOD, BUT LEAKS.
A Clever Organization Under
Which to Fight Single Tax
This woek an organization
under the title of the Clackamas
County - Taxpayers' League was
organized here, and it is given
out that it is organized "wholly
for the benefit of the property in
terests of the county and for the
proection of taxpayers."
And then the league lays down
what it stands for:
"To aid in the reduction
of taxes and join in demand
ing a strict accountink of all
officials for public money
expended by them.
To abolish all offices and
commissions which are not
beneficial to the people.
"To oppose the Single Tax
which would burden the far
mer and small home owner
and add wealth to the cof
fers of the corporations."
If the leaeue had adopted the
first two declarations and quit,
the people would have gone to this
league like a cat to a milk shelf,
hot the third declaration gives it
away that the first two declara
tions were simpiy snovea in ui me
head, that the people might not
so quickly take notice that it was
an anti-single tax organization,
with a taxpayers' bluff over it.
A man has a right to favor or
oppose single tax, and I admire
any man who takes a stand and
isn't afraid to let anybody know
what liis number is.
Rut when three men gather to
gether, under the names of the
president, vice-president and
treasurer, and give it out that this
league is against a system which
"would onnress small home own
ers and add wealth, to the corpor
ations, scuse my smiie.
The nresident is G. E. Hayes,
vice-president, William Sheahan,
1 l ...... fnmna M rPr.OV
anu neosuieii m.
Miss Clara Etcheson visited
with friends in Sellwood Monday
and Tuesday.
WHERE MEN DIFFER
U'REN AND DIMICK DEBATE ON
SINGLE TAX
OUTLINE OF THE ARGUMENTS
Campaign of Education Opens at
Beaver Creek
The Beaver Creek Hall debate
between Grant B. Dimick and W
K n'Hin on the f; aekamas Goun
ty Single Tax bill last nday
night was a very interesting af
fair Thn hall was filled and
there must have been about 200
neoDle present. Many of whom
were ladies. The talk lasted from
alwiitt uitrhl n V. np.k until after hal
past ten and the crowd stayed.
ure w'ould be for the advantage of
fti i. i h mi iircttn mat. iiihhm
f.iTMM.ipa an, I nil ntnep working
men whether they dig ditches, sell
dry goods, or manufacture paper
ana WOOiens. lie ruuu example
from the farmers in the neigh
borhood whoso taxes would be
materially reduced Dy tnis Din. ue
also caned attention 10 me nouui
ern Pacific with its 90,000 acres
of vacant land, the tax on which
would be increased more than one
third under this bill. Mr. U'Ren
showed that the exemption of per
sonal property and improvements
in the county would amount to
nearlv $8,500,000, being over one
third of the total assessed values
of the county. Of this exemption
the farmers would have more
than $0,000,000 for their clear
ings, buildings, live stock and
other personal property. He sta
ted that the records show that the
farmers pay almost three-fourths
of all the tax that is paid in he
county on personal property and
improvements on land.
The single taxers have caused
to be made a tax assessment and
tax roll for Clackamas county for
the year 1910. This work was
done under the supervision of
Hon. Fred Johnson, Deputy as
sessor for Clackamas county. Mr.
U'Ren's citations of actual re
sults to the farmers and others
were taken from this roll. This
single tax roll is now in the hands
of the printer and will be publish
ed in pamphlet form and a copy
delivered to every taxpayer in
Clackamas county.
Mr. U'Ren stated that Mr. Dim
ick had never been actively in the
field for any of the progressive
m-voa, n.no (hot are commonly
known as the Oregon system of
People s ."ower, anu iuai uie unm
paign of i898 and afterwards Mr.
biinick had ridiculed Brownell
and others who advocated the in
itiative and referendum, saying
that they had wheels in then
head. Mr. Dimick did not deny
this buts aid he was now in sym
pathy with these measures though
he believed that not more than
six bills and constitutional
Dining
amendments should ever be al
lowed on the ballot at one elec
tion, because he thought more
than six confused the voters'
minds.
Mayor Dimick contended that if
this bill should pass it would only
be a lew years until tne tax on va
cant land would be so high that
no speculator could hold laud and
when the tax was made so high on
vacant land that no one could af
ford to hold land he did not want
to use, Mr. Dimick thought the
farmers who use land would be no
better off than the speculators.
He read long extracts from Henry
George s writings and quoted
from the report of the Eels com
mission conference and thn talk
siven by Mr. U Ren at that time.
Jioin speakers were applauded
several times but for the most
part the audience seemed to be
out to learn me lacts and not as
partisans of either side.
A Question or Two
Editor Courier:
Will you allow a guess or two?
You may have noticed that the
press reports T. R. and Taft at
swords' points, lighting each oth
er as leaders of two factions of
the G. 0. P. Now I am from Mis
souri. It looks to me more like
a line stroke of politics to unify
the party. Teddy says ho will
support the nominee of the con
vention. Taft can do no less. The
principles seem not to be thought
of, so I am just guessing that it is
just a plan put forward by the
powers who make presidents.
rnese win lead tnem an into one
camp.
Kia:hl vears aeo Brvan severe
ly denounced Parker, but took the
stump in his support. This is not
necessarily a parallel, but I am
just guessing that things are not
what they seem.
A UUJSSUH.
High Taxes.
Editor Courier:
The increased taxes are the
cause of a great deal of grumbling
mis year, ana we are an striving
to build up the county and get new
settlers here. We have one of the
best counties in the state of Ore
gon and there is no reason that
we can see that it should be in
debt. Taxes have been increasing
and the debt growing, and there
must be a remedy found.
A man told me on the street tne
other day that he rented his ranch
for $4000 and his taxes were
$4.25. I paid $2.50 per acre last
year on wild land, have bought
better land for less-money. Now
what is the cause? Is it the high
value placed on the land, or is it
the graft going on from a road
supervisor up to the highest offi
cer in the state?
Thev should all lake their hands
out of the people's pockets
and be economical in their offices.
One of the needless expenses is
the second or third needless sch
ool supervisors. If the county
school superintendent cannot at
tend to the office, we must try and
get some one who can, and we
must have every one of our offi
cers pledged to economy, both in
state and county, and if they dis
regard their pledges, recall them,
or tar and feather them.
H. C. CLYDE
YOU ARE IN WRONG.
Postal Ruling Does Not Pay
Your Back Subscriptions
Here's a little matter that sub
scribers have entirely the wrong
end of, -and one we want to make
plain to them.
There seems to bo a general
impression that there is a law
which forbids the publisher to
send his paper to any person un
less paid in advance, and that
payment cannot be enforced if he
so sends it.
A postal regulation provides
that weekly papers shall not send
papers after a subscribers owes
for over one year, and a daily
for over three months unless the
publisher pays extra postage -tin
those papers.
But this ruling has no bearing
whatever on the liability of a sub
scriber and it has been repeated
ly upheld by the courts that the
subscriber who continues to lake
a paper from the postoffice or
carrier is liable for payment of
same as long as he takes the pa
per. The Courier editor has made
test cases of this and knows what
he is talking about.
So if you have an idea that by
subscribing and paying for a pa
per in advance, then allowing it
to eome two years, thinking you
are not compelled to pay for it,
you are wrong both wrong and
dishonest.
Notify your postmaster or car
rier if you don't want the paper;
then pay it up to the time.
That is business, decency and
honesty.
We are trying hard to put the
Courier on the one-year basis,
and we have only a few on the
outside today.
Help us do it. Don't try to short
skate on a year's subscription.
It's too small for any man in Ore
gon, too petty, too insignificant.
Mail Boys are Aotive
At the meeting of the rural mail
carriers of Clackamas and Marion
counties at Canby Sunday, the
boys went on record for two prop
ositions as follows:
"Resolved, that we favor the
election of all road supervisors by
popular voIp of the people at a
given date at the end of the year
to be designated as "road day",at
which time all road taxes could be
levied, and also resolutions fav
oring the use of the split log drag
on all dirt roads.
"Resolved, that we favor a law
being enacted by our state legis
lature preventing extreme heavy
hauling over our country roads
during the winter season."
Gil WONDERS
A8 SEEN BY VISITOR FROM
NEW YORK.
WE DO NOT HALF APPRECIATE
Offers Suggestions as to What we
Could do to Attract.
An eastern business man has
been in the city this woek, visiting
mends and looking over Urej?on
City, and nothing would more
please an optimist than to have
had an hour's talk with this man.
Ho raved over the natural dic-
turectueness of the city, its scenic
walks, Beautiful views, tne diuus,
Mount Uood--and then he raved
over the climate and the soil.
This Rentleman said it did not
appear to him that our people
half appreciated what they had
hero. He said that if Orosron City
was in the old east states, and was
as near a city as we were near to
Portland, that this place would ne
made a summer resort of wide re
noun, and that we would be filled
with tourists.
He said the bluffs could be made
most picturesnue with but little
expense, and that he should think
our commercial bodies would take
this up with other matters for the
advancement of the city; that a
landscaper would take the rock
bluffs and make of them stair
ways that tourists would rave ov
er, and that would advertise the
city as no other means could;
that nature had put these great
walls here for us to make beauti
ful attractions of. and that it
seemed that we did not know it,
and allowed them to remain un-
mproved.
Another matter that he said
that to an easterner presented a
means of both scenic and com
mercial value, and that was an
elevator or revolving stairway up
the blulis. With the power we
have here, he said that we could
put in the revolving sidewalks,
imilar to those used in tne Dig
department stores in New York
and Chicago,-one going up while
the other came down, ana one naa
but to step on the walk to bo car
ried up. He stated that such a
proposition was not as large as it
ooked. and like the matter oi
beautifying the bluffs, would pay
big in advertising returns.
This gentleman stated that
outside of the great commercial
value of the falls, we could make
Oregan City a big city, a western
Switzerland; that familanty had
blinded us to the value of what
we have, and that wo should come
to a realizing sense and have the
big end of the tourist travel com
ing to our city every year, and
staying six months of the year.
COUNCIL'S SPECIAL MEETING.
Molalla Avenue, Armory and Oth
er Matters Considered.
The drainage of Molaala ave
nue was taken up at length be
fore the special meeting of the
city council Tuesday night, and
out of it will come improvement
for this much traveled street.
Certain sections will be surface
drained at an early date, and
permanent improvements will no
doubt follow. Mayor Dimick has
appointed Messrs. liurke, Too.e
and Beard to take the matter up
with property owners along the
thoroughfare and see if they
were disposed to pay a part of
the expenses of permanent im
provements, and also to see if
the county court will help out on
the expense.
The Oregon Engineering and
Construction Co. was awarded
the contract to improve the Madi
son street bridge.
It was ordered that an ordi
nance be drawn to establish the
grade of Monroe street between
Sixth and Seventh.
The street committee has un
der consideration for the peti
tion of the Oregon Commission
Co. to place public hitching posts
on Eleventh street.
Dr. L. L. Pickens, representing
the Live Wires, and J. W. Mof
fit, asked the council to take an
interest in the armory proposition
by looking into the matter of a
site for the building, after which
the project could be taken up with
the county and slate. Messrs.
Burke, Tooze and Myer were ap
pointed a committee to look over
the city's holdings and see if a
suitable location could be procur
ed. Elks' Home Started.
Work on the Elks' handsome
home will be started today and a
large force of workmen will rush
the structure. It will be built on
their lot on Water street and the
contract has been let to the Clar
ence Simmons Co. The builting
will be a modern Elks' structure
and one of the state's prettiest
Muoh About Nothing.
If the "hombro" on the
OREGON CITY COURIER
who" conducts the Spanish '
(Mexican) department, will
drop into Aurora, I. Vetter
will willingly teach him that
"hombre" and "dinerio" is
not exactly pure Castilian.
Better write it hombre and
dinero. Ashland Tidings.
if lha hi cr nhint whn conduct
the literary criticising department
of the Tidings, will drop into Ore
gon City, M. J. Brown will willing
ly teach him that the wording of
the above criticism is not exactly
pure grammar. Belter put are
in the place of "is."
rj,,t on' this miiph Annul
nothing? A man's a man Just the
same, whether spelled m-a-n or
h-o-m-b-r-e, and a dollar will
buy just as big a sack of frijoles
whether it reads "cartwheel," or
is called "dinero."
Last week's Courier had sever
al misspelled words. One of Fol
ey's patent medicine locals look
ed very much like Spanish or Chi
nese, but we haven't heard any
protests.
Wonder if the Tidings man ev
er heard that mouse and elephant
story?
MAIN STREET PAVING TALK.
Live Wires Looking Up Expense
From Eleventh to Abernethy.
The matter of paving Main
street from Eleventh street to
the Al.ernetliy was the big talk
subject before the Live Wires
Tuesday noon, and it will come
up lor more talk at next week s
meeting. A committee, with M.
I). Latourelto at the head, is in
vestigating th'3 matter, talking
with property owners, and it will
report next week.
it is certain that Mam street,
from where the Having ends, on
toward Gladstone, is about as I ad
o street as you can find in anv
city, and it seems as if some ac
tion should be taxe l I i remedy it.
As to whether bilulitliie paveui.iiit
is the right action or not. of
course, depends on the expense,
and how the taxpayers feel, i'he
report of the committee will giva
information on these points.
There is also discussion as to the
best means of putting Seventh
street into permanent shape.
GET JOHN DOE.
Wake Him up and Put him Onto
The Hill Murder Case.
The Courier editor is in receipt
of a personal letter from a prom
inent attorney, a part or which is
as follows:
"Why in the devil don t you get
a John Doe proceedings started in
that Hill case? Look up the law
on it. For tho purpose of main
taining peace or investigating
crimes, a common justice of the
peace of any town in his county
has ALL of the POWER and JUR
ISDICTION of any grand jury.
other magistrate or executive of
ficer. NOT EXCEPTING A GOV
ERNOR, OR EVEN PRESIDENT.
Don't you know that it is only
since about 1870 that district at
torneys "began to rdn" grand ju
ries and usurp their functions?
One or Two on the Sid e.
The correspondent from Red-
land, in this issue of the Courier,
has , something to say about the
matter of hitching Dosts in this
city, and wo must admit that' he
states a whole lot of sound com
mon sense. One who observes
knows that it is not the rigs of
hoso doing trading that stand
hitched to the Seventh street
posts day after day, but rather
the rigs of those doing nothing.
And. too. there is some horse
sense in the statement that if Or
egon City gives the right prices,
tne trade win como, nuciiing or
no hitching. And on our own ac
count we would add that it might
not be a bad idea for the Live
Wires to suggest to some of the
merchants who are making a lot
of noise over the hitching post
natter to try making a little noise
in the way of advertising, and see
how that panned out.
Sheriff Mass Is Candidate
So fat as tho democrats are
concerned they will give Sheriff
Mass a clear Held for re-election,
but tho republicans are not going
to bo so generous, and Mass' old
antagonist, E. C. Hackett, will go
down the line with him for an
election.
Sheriff Mass will bo a very hard
man for any one to beat this year,
bo he republican or democrat, for
the reason that he has made good
ami been one of the hardest work
ers that ever filled the job. His
persistent hard work for many
months on the Hill murder case is
alone an issue that should elect
him
Notice to Taxpayers.
Of all taxes not paid on or be
fore the first day of April, there
will be a penalty of ten per cent
and interest at tho rate of twelve
per cent from the day upon which
they become delinquent until the
date of payment. On all taxes
paid in full on or before tho 15th
day of March, there will be allow
l a rnhntn nf three ner cent.
Half of the entire tax upon any
piece or real estate, or upon tne
personal property of any individ
ual, may tie paid on or before the
first Monday in April, and the re
mainder need not then be paid un
til the first Monday in October,
but must be paid by that date or
the last half will become delin
quent. FRESH DAILY
Salmons Halibut
Etc.
CRABS, cooked on the premlsn; OYS
TERS, direct from the shell; CHICKEN,
to order: No Cold Storage Stock in fish
or fowl. Headquarter for OLYMPIA
OYSTERS, the BEST on the Coast
MACDONALD'S MARKET
Hext WtlU Fargo
I IVII
s
ENDS
CURIOUS LITTLE STORIES
THE ODD CORNERS.
OF
STRANGE PLAGES AND THINGS
Stub Euds of a Newspaper Edit
or's Note Book.
In a curio shop in San Antonio,
Texas I saw a remarkable example
of Mexican patience and handi.
craft, a flea just an ordinary,
tiny sand insect dressed in a full
suit of clothes, pants, sweater and
hat, and so delicate and small that
I had to see it through a magni-
flying glass to appreciate it. This
is literally an honest fact, with
out any exageration. The patien
ce of some ol the Mexicans is
more than wonderful. Give one of
them a silver coin and he will
make of it some rare curio, will
spend hours on it and then sell it
to you for a few cents. From
horse hair and human hair they
will plait watch chains and neck
chains of exquisite workmanship
and beauty. Time has no value
and a Mexican has more patience
than anything else on earth.
At a ranch in west Texas I wit
nessed some cow boys at Dlay
big, husky sons of the range hav
ing their sport. A cow would he
turned loose from a correl, and
the fellows would wage their skill
and money seeing which could
Tope, throw and tie the cow in the
shortest time. One of the cow
boys did the trick in 38 seconds.
The record time I believe is 29 Yi
seconds. The cow is chased a
round the correl until she is
thoroughly frightened, and when
she is released she hits the fastest
gate she has. The cow boy, on
his horse, outside the pen, starts
when the cow starts, runs her
down, throws the rope, throws the
cow, dismounts and ties her legs
and throws up his hands for time.
Think of all this being done in
iltle more than half a minute, and
you picture a pretty speedy cow-
puncher. But hair the credit sho
uld be given t o the cow pony.
The minute the throw is made ana
the cow boy ses it is good for the
horns, he dismounts, and the in
stant the rope settles over the
horns the woll-trained pony rears
back throwing the cow, and as
soon as she falls, the cow boy is
on her, tying her feet. These men
will wager a months pay on these
half minute contests.
The gambling SDirit is the lead,
ing spirit in a mining town baiCiv
mg, possimy, ino nartonaer s
spirits. These men will gamble
on anything and everything that
offers a chance, and when chances
run out, they make them, l saw
as much as $500 bet one sight,
in a mining town, ten to six on
Nelson, and I saw a dozen men
take bets on both ends of a two to
one shot that the next morning's
fast tram from California to New
Mexico, on the Santa Fa. would be
on time.
In front of a curio store in
Santa Fe, craunibling to ruin, I
saw a Mexican cart of the old
Snanish davs. a cart of the time of
Christ, and I could not but think
that were this relic anywhere else
in the world but in this corner so
rich with curios, it would be al
most priceless. A friend told me I
could buy it for $25. I went out
and counted my money and when
I came back tho shop was closed.
1 hat night I left town. Tho wheels
were solid, and at the hubs fully
a fot thick. There was not an
ounce of iron or metal on the cart
not a nail even. Every hit of the
material and parts of construc
tion were wood, and the crude
woden spikes told of the almost
toolless days when it was made.
I saw a girl at Silver City who
earned a thousand dollars in a
few minutes bv riding across a
canyon in an oro bucket, suspend
ed on a wire. Tha bucket went
from neak to peak of a mountain
and was from 1000 to 12000 feet
from the ground. No person had
at that time made the trip across,
although they say it is often made
now. I asked her where she got
courage enough to make the trip
and she replied: i sat uown in me
bucket, kept looking at the bot
tom of it, and just naturally went,
across. a Denver newspaper
gave tho thousand, and the girl
has now a reputation which has
won for her the position as head
(and only) waiter in a mining
town boarding house. She was
pretty enough to make a man a
steady hoarder dui i was mar
ried. In a waKer a miner took a full
Dint bottle of what the mountain
eers call "snake whiskey" put the
neck far down his throat anu no
never c osed the faucet until every
dram of the spirits had run out.
He pocketed the money, sat down
in a chair a few minutes and then
pitched forward on his face in tho
sawdust.
Mexicans have the ordinary ho
tel waiters skinned forty ways in
pan-handling for tips. They will
press their services on you, and
then openly hold out their hands
for change. Give it to them and
you are a "tourista" and they will
roiiow ana oDey you line aogs, re
fuse and you are a "gringo" and
they would stick a knife in you if
they dared.
In the mountains of New Mex
co I saw a little animal called a
kangeroo rat, having short fore
feet and long hind legs like a Kan
garoo, and running with that pe
culiar jump of the big animals.
I have never read or neara oi
these little animals, and they were
of much interest to me.
(Continued on page two.)