Euger.3,
Ore
The Courier is the State
Paper for the Equity Society
and thoroughly covets the
County.
OE
The Courier has the larg
est sworn circulation of any
newspaper between Portland
and Eugene.
32d Year
OREGON CITY, OREGON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 1914
Number 20
ON
CITY
Monday Last Day
Next Monday is the last day for
paying the second half of county and
state taxes. After that day comes
the penalty.
Olds Gets Milk Creek Bridge
E. D. Olds was the lowest bidder
on the bridge over Milk Creek and was
given the contract by the county court
last week. The bid was $1,500.
Mounts Home from Europe
Dr. and Mrs. Hugh Mount arrived
home Sunday night ' from a trip
through England, Germany, France
and Belgium. The doctor has some
decidedly interesting stories to tell of
conditions in the war countries.
The Price of Booze
F. J. Williams, a traveling sales
man, who had lost his job because of
excessive drinking, committed suicide
Sunday at a Mt. Hood summer resort.
He cut his throat with a safety razor.
Coroner Wilson held an inquest and
declared death was suicide.
Drink Comes High
Joe Wilson and "Red" Carson, ar
rested by Officer French Friday night
for drunkenness, were tried before
Recorder Loder Monday and found
guilty. Wilson was fined $25 which
he paid, and Cason was given a $10
fine and 25 days in jail.
New School Supervisor
At a special meeting of the county
board of education Monday E. S. Mc
Cormick, of Eugene, was elected
school supervisor to fill the vacancy
caused by the recent resignation of
S. M. Lovelace. Mr. McCormick will
have charge of the eastern Clacka
mas schools.
"The Shovelcrals."
On page 3 of this paper is a story
of the troubles of excavating at Dry
Lake, Nevada. It is a story that will
make any man or woman who reads it
think. It is written a little different
than most stories, and therein lies its
interest. If you will start it, you will
never quit it. It is a story that will
hold the thinker and interest the boy
or girl. It is written by John Will
iam Jones, who it appears , was sent
to Nevada 'by the Excavation com
pany to see why the work was going
so slow. Read this week's installment
and you will watch for the next.
Brownell at Logan Sunday
A large crowd is expected to fill
Grange hall at Logan Sunday, Au
gust 30, when George C. Brownell
will deliver a lecture on "Oregon
Dry' Mr. Brownell is in Class A as
a public speaker on every subject, but
he excells as a saloon fighter.
The Alldreedge quartette of this
city will accompany Mr. Brownell and
sing a number of new campaign songs.
This quartette has gained quite a rep
utation and is a decided hit in the
campaign work. , '
"BILL" HANLEY IN TOWN
Candidate for United States Senator
Opens Campaign in Valley
"Farmer Bill" Hanley, county
rancher, and the man whom Bryan
resembles, was in Oregon City during
the week, doing some preliminary
scouting in the interest of his candi
dacy for United States senator. He
was accompanied by Clark Leiter, for
merly city editor of the Oregonian,
but now Mr. Hanley's campaign man
ager. Unless thf Courie reditu.- liar- the
wrong "hunch" Farmer Il'i! is a fac
tor to be reckoned with in the coming
senatorial campaign. While not a fa
miliar figure in the upper Willamette
Valley, Mr. Hanley is a native son in
every sense of the word, is brimful of
enthusiasm for a better Oregon, and
carries a determination to go down to
Washington, if elected, and "make
'em swap bosses" for Oregon, as he
quaintly puts it. Hanley strikes
straight out from the shoulder in a
way that inspires confidence, and he is
evidently a man of marked executive
ability. He is continually effervescing
with big wholesome, humane idea.,
that ring true blue and his one idea
seems to be to make Oregon a more
liveable state. The Courier acknow
ledges a very pleasant call from Mr.
Hanley.
COMING POLITICAL EVENTS
CAST SHADOWS BEFORE
Fate Reported to have Sudden Illness
in Store for Noted Candidate
While soothsayers and clairvoyants
have not been officially consulted, it is
generally rumored in Portland politi
cal circles that early in September Dr.
Withycombe will be taken unexpect
v edly ill, that doctors will be called in
' hasty consultation, and that they will
advise that the patients head be cover
ed with ice and that he retire to the
Hot Springs or some other place to
recuperate from the strain of his cam
paign lor the govern irship It la
added that Dr. Withycomlw will pro
bably remain "under the weather" un
til after November 3, and that from
time to time bulletins as to his con
dition will be printed to encourage
hopeful Republican voters.
Should this come to pass, it is said
- that many beneficial results will fol
low. Not only will Dr. Withycombe
be spared a great deal of the anguish
of active campaigning, but he will also
be unable to deliver his well-known
address on "A Greater Oregon." Aside
from this the illness of the candidate
will make it impolite for carping cri
tics to say mean things about him, and
in this way much criticism will be
stifled. His illness will also arouse
sympathy among the voters, and will
assure him ample mention in the pa
persthis publicity costing the Re
publican State Central Committee
nothing. Republicans who have heard
of the possibility of this indisposition
of their candidate are reported to be
highly pleased at the outlook, and
proclaim the plan a masterpiece of
The exact date of this expected ill
ness has not yet been fixed; it is said
to depend largely upon the progress
that Dr. Withycombe makes in "queer
ing votes" by his ill-advised remarks
from the platform.
LITTLE STORIES
OF PACIFIC ISLES
STRANGE CUSTOMS OF THE NA-
TIVES IN THE OLDEN DAYS
A ROBE WORTH $1,500,000
Huge Spiders and Centipedes Harm
less as Worms and Flies
The one thing that constantly
pushed itself up to me, as I rambled
over the island of Oahu, was What
Might Have Been.
if the foreign influx could heve
been prevented, at the time of annex
ation, what a country the islands
could have been; what a wonderful
place of rest for the weary, health,
home, nerve factory. Each island has
a charm of its own, a fascination that
gets hold of one. The climate is most
equable; there are no fogs, no torna
does, no extreme heat or cold; no
snakes, no poisonous insects, no pois
onous ivy or noxious vegetation.
But today the foreigners overrun
the islands and spoil its charm.
Primitive life is fast disappearing,
The quiet simplicity of the native Ha
waiian is being pushed aside by the
thousands of Japanese, Chinese and
Portuguese, who seek the dollar, and
the islands will soon be to all purpos
es a foreign country, on which the
United states simply holds a mort
gage without interest.
But "What Might Have Been" is
a sad song. The islands have already
passed away; the natives are fast
passing, and soon it will be little more
than the Philippines or other islands
of the Pacific. It can't be remedied
now. The foreigners are there and
they are there to stay, and it m but
a question of years (when the young
er generation grows to voting age)
when the Japanese will absolutely
rule the islands, make its laws, elect
their delegate to congress and own
the island to all purposes.
In 1898 when the Hawaiaan flag
was hauled down and the stars and
stripes run up, it was expected, con
ceded, that the Americans would
shape the future of the islands and
the Paradise of the Pacific would be
come a wonderful annex to our coun
try. But an hour's walk on the streets
of Honolulu shows the fallacy of
these hopes, . ,
Of about 200,000 inhabitants of the
islands today, about three-fourths
are Mongolian 100,000 Japanese,
25,000 Chinese, and many Portoguese,
Koreans, and Philippines.
It is now impossible to American
ize the islands. American ideals and
customs have been eliminated. The
foreigners rule. Every steamer from
Japan brings Japanese women. . In a
dozen days they are wives and, in a
month they are working side by side
with their husbands in the sugar
fields and banana plnatations.
The Japs will work cheaper than
any race. They have crowded out
the Hawaiians and Americans. There
is absolutely no chance for a white
man to get work except on some gov
ernment project.
The islands are plainly a Japanese
colony, and their value to their owner,
Uncle Sam, has ceased as a territor
ial possession.
And I could not help but reason
that their value has ceased as a na
val Gilbraltar.
We point to these islands a a won
derfully stragetic asset, far out in
the cross roads of the Pacific, and our
country is expending millions to make
this a naval stronghold.
But the question that kept bobbing
up to me was, what good is a wonder
ful naval island where there are 8,000
soldiers and 150,000 Mongolians. A
call for volunteers to resist a Japa
nese invasion wouldn't be responded
to with very much of a rush, I be
lieve. A call for help from the main
land to save Uncle Sam's great war
properties would be more like it.
Spending millions of dollars for
protection against Mongolians, and
allowing the yellow men to over
whelm the island in population, seem
ed to me a mighty loose system of
business. And some day we will see
the sad results.
But I will let Uncle Sam do the
worrying, and pass onto something
lighter.
There is not a snake on any of the
Hawaiian islands, not a reptile of
any size or description.
There was never a St. Patrick to
banish them there simply were nev
er any to banish. They never got a
start there, and the utmost precau
tions are taken that they never shall.
The hot mountains and the dense
jungles would be a snakes' paradise,
if once a snake family took up a
homestead, and to guard against this,
no show or circus that carries a ser
pent of any kind is permitted to land
on any island.
There is not a poisonous insect, spi
der or worm on the islands, is the
general statement in Honolulu, and I
had occasion to think the Oahu boost
ers were worse liars than those of
the Pacific coast.'
Early one morning I rode to the
limit of the car lines and cut across
a little valley to reach a road that led
to a sugar field.
As I picked my way through the
dense tropical growth I ran onto three
or four huge spiders, almost counter
parts of the great hairy terantulas of
the southwest, with the exception
that there was a large white spot on
their bellies.
With great caution and some speed
I picked my way out of that bit of
jungle, and when I reached the trav
eled road I registered a protest
against anything a promotion bur
eau should ever afterwards print.
And I hadn't gone a dozen rods
along the road before I began to see
great centipedes. Every rod or two I
found them, from 8 to 12 inches long
venemous great worms and it
seemed to me I was again back in
Arizona, and I began to listen for the
rattle of a diamond back.
Later I learned that the big spi
ders were counterfeits of Texas tar
antulas, non-poisonous and as harm
less as the fly-catching house variety,
and the centipedes were no more to be
feared than an earth worm.
But the huge worms were a scarey
sight to a Hawaiian tenderfoot. They
were literally thick, so thick that the
wagons mashed them along the
road.
Laer I learned more about the big
spiders, and one day a tourist and I
"tried it on," to see whether the boys
about the hotel had been "cramming
us."
And they hadn't.
We found one of the big fellows in
a little open spot, and with brushy
limbs we tantalized it, would not al
low it to escape, and when we had
thoroughly frighetned it, it dropped
the white sack underneath its legs
and thousands of little spiders, not
much larger than pin heads, came out
of the sack and scattered, . while we
allowed the mother to escape in the
brush.
When frightened the spider will re
lease this nest. Sometimes it is full
of eggs, and sometimes full of baby
spiders. I couldn't help but think
this one would have some trouble In
rounding up her family after we had
left.
Walking up Fort street in Honolulu
one day I saw a tree with a band
on which was an inscription. 1 cop
ied the words, but lost the card. It
gave the age of the tree, which I
think was about 75 years old, and the
name of the Catholic missionary who
planted it.
It was an Algaroba tree a tree
very similar to the mesquite of south
west Texas, and has similar pods and
beans. This tree will grow in sce
tions so dry that no other tree can
live, and it bears a great quantity of
pods, which are a wonderful feed for
horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. Since
this tree was planted the whole Is
lands have immense groves of them.
and they bear 20 tons of beans to the
acre, and they are the best known
fodder for stock.
There are many lava caves in the
mountains and jungles of the islands,
and in those that are remote there
are many human bones, hanging on
wires and strings.
It was the ancient custom to re
move the flesh from the bones of
one who died or was killed and
hang the bones in the caves. And no
doubt from this arose the charge
that the natives were cannibals and
perhaps they were, circumstances
point to it.
As the tourists came in the bones
were taken from many of the acces
sible- caves and carried to the hidden
caves of the interior and the Kan
akas don't like to have you rattle
them.
If you want . to start something
with a native, just call him a canni
bal. He will not stand for it.
There is nothing that will make him
so mad so quick and he will fight
you almost as soon as you speak the
word. And yet in a ball game very
often you will hear a native yell:
"Pick it up, you d d cannibal;
heave it to first, and the appelation
is received with good humor.
I can only explain this by a com
parison with the negro of the south.
If a white man calls him a "nigger"
he wants to fight, yet among them
selves the name is commonly applied.
You can buy squares of kopa from
the natives all the way from 75c to
$1.50, that are real relics of the stone
age, yet manufactured in 191;,.
Kapa is Hawaiaan cloth and is
made from the bark of the mulberry
tree, beaten into blankets or squares
by wooden or stone hammers, and of
ten elaborately stained and carved.
It is made in many thicknessesi, made
just as it was since 1790, and until
recent years it was the material from
which the natives made all their
clothes.
A most peculiar fact is that there
is not a song bird on the archipeligo.
There are countless thousands of
tropical birds, but it is said, and I
believe it is a fact, that there is never
a wild bird that sings. They all have
their particular "cheep" but I never
heard any that had more than one
note.
In the wonderful Polynesian mu
seum of Honolulu are strange imple
ments of the old stone age, hatchets
fashioned from lava; knives made of
sharks' teeth; fishhooks fashioned
from bone, and hundreds of interest
ing but one of these feathers under,
and the white man.
In this museum is a feathered coat
or robe, for generations the mantle of
kings, made entirely from the yellow
feathers of extinct birds (a bird hav
ing but two of these feathers under
each wing.) The wonderful skill,
time and patience to complete such a
garment can hardly be comprehend
ed. It was a work of years.
And let me tell you what is con
sidered the relic value of one of
these king's robes $1,500,000.
1 only brought home a description
of one.
Next week I will write you of hell
a literal hell of horror the leper
settlement of Mnlokai, and the de
tention settlement outside of Hono
lulu. I visited both of these colo
nies, and I Baw the most miserably
forsaken outcasts of all God's people
upon the earth, and 1 will never for
get the sights and impressions.
Furnished Rooms for Rent
Suite of rooms, large, well fur
nished and very pleasant. Address
given at Courier office.
Girls Wanted!
(Over 18 years of age)
To OPERATE SEWING MACHINES
IN GARMENT FACTORY
Oregon City Woolen Mills
SCHEMES
T
JUST CAMPAIGN STORIES TO
BEAT EXEMPTION BILL
BIG BUSINESS STARTS THEM
For the $1500 Exemption Measure is
the Millionaires Nightmare
Some of the "arguments" used in
this city and elsewhere against the
$1500 exemption bill are ridiculous
Either those who make them are
deplorably ignorant of the provisions
of the bill, or they are presuming that
the average voter is a mutt.
One of the "canned" arguments is
that corporations would take advan
tage of the exemption; that every
owner of $1500 in stock would be ex
empt for this amount and that a stock
company Could almost evade taxation
under this bill.
This is the rankest nonsense. Not
a dollar's worth of stock in any cor
poration is exempt, as anyone knows
who has read the bill.
Another scare story that .is used
is that any business man or merchant
can split up its stock of goods into
$1500 chunks and exempt the whole
shine under this bill.
How silly.
The only way a merchant' could
get more than $1500 exemption
on his stock of merchandise would be
to sell, give away or transfer the
property. And when he did this the
chances are he might not get it back.
The chances of loss would be all out
of proportion to the small taxation
exemption he would get, and common
sense tells any person that a mer
chant won't give away his merchan
dise to escape so small a taxation.
Another one they spring is that
a man who owns four houses, assessed
at $1500 each, could give his wife and
two children each a house and escape
$6000 of taxation.
He certainly could, but how many
of you house owners in Oregon City
will give your boys and girls a deed
to houses and lots to get more of the.
exemption under the home exemption
bill?
Where is the man who will give
away his property to dodge taxes, who
will actually give a quit-claim deed?
Not on your life. - The gain is too
small. The children would have to
have guardians appointed; 'when they
became of age they would probably
keep the property. No owner of a
home will take these chances, and you
know it.
The only argument of tax dodging
under this bill that has any chance to
stick is where the husband owns two
houses and gives his wife one, and
any law that would induce a man to
take this action would be a mighty
good thing for Oregon. Few of them
will do so. Men won't let go of their
property. Any man can escape taxa
tion by giving away his property, but
he won t. This argument is too silly
to be an argument against the bill.
Nearly all the money in all the
banks of Oregon is exempt from tax
ation.
Water powers are nearly exempt
from taxation they pay a small li
cense.
Notes and mortgages are practical
ly exempt in this state.
Ulty, county, district and govern
ment bonds are by law exempt from
taxation in this state.
IA11 household furniture, jewelry,
diamonds, clothes, etc., are exempt
from taxation in Oregon.
All these are rich men's property
and it is just and right to exempt
them.
But when a bill is proposed to ex
empt improvements on land, when it is
proposed to aid the workman to build
a house on a vacant lot, or the farm
er in clearing up dead land, then such
a bill is "single tax," it is discrimina
tion against the capitalists, it fosters
class hatred, it is dangerous and
vicious.
Here is the proposed $1500 consti
tutional amendment to be voted on
in November. Don't take the other
fellow's word for it, read it:
"Every person is exempt from tax
on fifteen hundred dollars of the to
tal assessed value of his or her dwell
ing house, household furniture, live
stock, machinery, orchard trees, vines,
bushes, shrubs, nursery stock, mer
chandise, buildings and other improve
ments on. in and under his or her
lands made by clearing, ditching and
draining.
"It is especially intended to include
within this fifteen hundred dollar ex
emption all kinds of personal proper
ty and all said land improvements
made for the greater convenience and
attractiveness of the home or tne
gaining of a livelihood.
"The assessed value of each tract
of land and of each lot shall be listed
in the assessment roll separately fro.
the assessed value of any personal
property and of any improvements
on, in or under the tract or lot.
"The Secretary of State is hereby
directed to resubmit this section for
repeal or reapproval by the people at
the regular general November elec
tion in 1916 and again in 1918 under
a ballot title to be furnished by the
attorney general, and this exemption
section shall be repealed if a majority
of those voting on the question vote
"No" at either of said elections.
"AH provisions of the Constitution
and laws of Oregon in conflict with
this section are hereby abrogated and
repealed in so far as they conflict here
with, and this section, is self execut
ing." FURNISHED ROOMS, large, pleas
ane, well furnished, reasonable.
Ask at Courier office.
ILL
Socialist Will Speak
Albert Streif, Socialist nominee for
Congress, will give a lecture on "Why
We Should Have Socialism" at the
corner of Main and Seventh streets
Saturday night at 8.
Hitching Posts Nearly Ready
The public hitching posts at Elev
enth street will be ready for the public
in a week or so. They will accommo
date about 25 teams and there will
be seats and fountains. The city
council and the Board of Trade will
jointly pay the expense.
Another Date for Clarkes, Sept. 6
Owing to a sore throat and hoarse
ness George C. Brownell was unable to
speak at Clarkes Sunday and a largo;
crowd was disappointed. Arrang
ments were made for a Portland
speaker to fill the date, but he also
disapointed the crowd. However Mr.
Brownell has arranged for another
date and will speak at Clarkes a week
from Sunday, September 6th.
WORK ON ELEVATOR MONDAY
Council Orders Street Commissioner
to Go Ahead with the Work
Monday morning work will com
mence on the approaches and side
walks leading to the elevator derrick
from Mrs. Chase's property.
How long work will continue re
mains to be seen.
The city is advised that there is
nothing to prevent the work from
being completed now, but the peopltt
know there are many obstructions
and delays that can yet be brought
in the name of the law, and the an
nouncement that work will again start
is considered much of a joke in the
city.
The proposed compromise with Mrs.
Chase has fallen through. It was not
in a form that the council would ac
cept it, and Street Comissioner Bab
cock has been ordered to start the
completion work Monday.
The outlinde work calls! for ce
ment sidewalks 12 feet wide from the
elevator approach, running both north
and south to Seventh and Sixtn
streets. The walk to Sixth street will
be easy, but the Seventh street route
will require considerable blasting and
excavation through solid rock.
The elevator has been a constant
source of friction and expense for
over two years, and a long suffering
public hopes that no further delay
and expense will, arise and that the
project may be speedily completed.
NOW SEE HIM DODGE
W. S. U'Ren Asks Dr. Withycombe
if He will Debate Exemption Bill
W. S. U'Ren, independent candidate
for governor, has challenged Dr.
James Withycombe, Republican can
didate, to a debate on the merits of
the proposed $1500 homes tax amend
ment in the following letter:
You have publicly stated your un
qualified conviction that the $1500
homes tax exemption amendment is a
"vicious" measure which should be re
jected by the people next November.
Your long experience and well-known
ability as a public speaker qualifies
you most fully to defend your convic
tions. I am convinced that this amendment
is one of the fairest and best meas
ures ever submitted in Oregon. I
have filed my petition for nomination
and am now a legally qualified inde
pendent candidate for governor.
Therefore there is no reason why you
should not meet me before the voters
of Oregon in joint discussion of the
merits of this measure. There may
be other measures that I favor and
you oppose which you would like to
take up in these discussions, if so, I
shall be glad to meet your wishes.
I respectfully challenge you to a
joint discussion of the $1500 homes
tax exemption amendment for as
many meetings in this campaign as
possible and would like to have at
least one such discussion before the
farmers in every county in Oregon. 1
shall be glad to meet you at your con
venience to arrange for dates, time,
expenses and other minor details.
WILL YOU, MR. GILL
Will You Debate Exemption Bill in
Oregon City with Cridge?
Recently the Courier printed a chal
lenge from Alfred D. Cridge, of Port
land, to debate the $1500 tax amend
ment with any person.
F. M. Gill, Progressive nominee for
governor, was the only Oregonian who
had sand enough to call the challenge
and the places were arranged, as we
supposed, in Oregon City and Port
land. Not hearing further of the matter
the Courier wrote Mr. Cridge, asking
what date the debate would be held in
Oregon City.
The reply was that Mr. Gill did not
say anything about a debate in this
city, but had agreed to the date oi
Sept. 8th in Portland, in the evening,
at Central Library Hall.
Mr. Cridge says he is anxious to
meet Mr. Gill in Oregon City, and de
bate the question.
The people of Oregon City and of
Clackamas county are anxious to hear
this matter discussed to hear both
sides of it.
The Courier will see that a hall is
furnished free to the debaters and that
the newspaper advertising does not
cost anything.
Now, Mr. Gill, will you accept this
invitation ?
The FARMERS are the voters who
want education on this measure.
Will you meet Mr. Cridge in this
city? He will meet you.
You are a farmer's candidate for
governor you say. Will you come to
Oregon City and tell them why this
bill should not be a law.
For nine months Mr. Cridge has
tried to get someone to meet him in
this city in joint debate on this bill.
None have had the sand.
Dare YOU meet him here, Mr. Gill,
in a farming county. If you dare
(and the Courier knows you have
sand) will you, and will you make the
date?
ACCIDENT
TEMPTED
MURDER
CHARLES BERNIER FOUND WITH
SKULL CRUSHED IN
EVIDENCE FOR BOTH THEORIES
Whether Fall from Treslle or Blow
on Head are the Questions
Whether Charles Bernler, of Green
point, had his skull crushed in by an
axe or whether his injuries were the
result of a fall from a trestle are the
questions that Sheriff Mass, Chief of
Police Shaw, and acting County At
torney Hicks are trying to determine,
and there is much circumstantial evi
dence to substantiate either view. Mr.
Bernier lies at the point of death and
there are but faint hopes that he can
live.
Bernier has long been an employee
of the Willamette Paper Co. and is
52 years old. He and wife live at
Greenpoint.
Wednesday morning he was found
on a couch at his home, the skull of
his forehead crushed in, two fingers
broken, his knee injured, and covered
with blood. He was unconscious and
has never regained his senses.
Stories were current about the city
Wednesday that it was a case of mur
der and that suspicion pointed strong
ly to his wife, but Wednesday night
his hat and coat, with bloodstains
were found under a trestle some dis
tance from the house, when the mur
der story gave place to the accident
rumor for a time.
Mrs. Bernier tells this story in sub
stance.
She and her husband had been
working about the house after sup
per. She went to bed about nine
o'clock, her husband saying he would
come in a few minutes. They slept
on the second floor.
Mrs. Bernier says she went to sleep
at once, and did not awaken until
about 3:30 in the morning, when she
found her husband had not come to
bed; she heard moans down stairs;
went down and found him lying on the
couch, his head on a newspaper and
covered with blood. She said he was
conscious and told her he had fallen;
that he was not badly hurt and would
not need a doctor. She washed away
the blood, lighted a fire and as he
did not get better she called a neigh
bor and Dr. Strickland was summoned.
In the meantime Mrs. Bernier says she
assisted her husband to the bed up
stairs. The theory that fits this story is
that Mr. Bernier went out for a walk
before going to bed and that he fell
from a trestle near Greenpoint. Wed
nesday afternoon a hat, pipe, pool of
blood and a bloody handkerchief were
tound on the rocks under the trestle,
with blood spots leading from them.
The blood spots lead over a wire fence
and up an embankment. These cir
cumstances lead to the theory that
after the fall the man walked home,
entered the house and lay down on
the couch, whereh is wife afterwards
found him.
The assault theorv is advanced bv
the officials; that the man was assault
ed in the bed upstairs; that his head
was crushed by a blow, and that the
injury to his fingers and knee were
caused by his efforts to protect him
self. They are inclined to the belief
that the evidences under the trestle
were prepared to avert suspicion and
to fit in with the story of accident.
Dr. Sternberg, who examined the
njured man Bays that it would have
been impossible for a man so seriously
injured to have walked home, a dis
tance of about 350 ycards, that he
could not have seen to walk in his con
dition, even if he had had the physi
cal strength. He is of the opinion,
from the evidence and circumstances,
that the man was assaulted in bed.
Some are of the opinion that it is
clearly a case of accident, too clear to
need much investigation, as every cir
cumstance points to a fall from the
trestle.
Others hold that many circum
stances look very suspicous of foul
play; that the bed was covered with
blood, while the couch on which he
laid only had blood on a newspaper
which was under the injured man's
head, and that it would have been al
most impossible for the wife to have
carried the man upstairs or for him
to have been in a condition to have
helped himself.
The injured man was taken to Port
land where an operation was at once
performed but slight hopes for recov
ery or return to consciousness were
given out.
Sheriff Mass and Attorney Hicks
have been working on the case almost
every minute since the discovery, but
at the time the Courier went to press
they had nothing new to give out.
KELNIIOFER MISSES POINT
It is Stale Constitution U'Ren De
fends. Not The Menace
Oregon City, Oregon,
Aug. 26, 1914.
To the Editor:
Mr. Klenhofer's letter this morning
shows that he missed all the points of
my contention. If he will read my
letter ho will see that I do not recom
mend The Menace or any other paper.
I am Btanding for the constitutional
rights of American citizens.
Section 8 of Article 1 of the con
stitution reads: "No law shall be pass
ed restraining the free expression of
opinion, or restricting the right to
speak, write or print freely on any
subject whatever; but every person
shall be responsible for the abuse of
this right."
I believe if is as much the duty of
tho directors of a public library to
obey the constitution, as it is the duty
ui nnjr umer citizen, wnat a paper
teaches or talks is not the business of
such directors. If there is a demand
from the patrons for any paper that
is not condemned by law, it is the
business of the public library to sup
ply that demand, either from contribu
tions, or from its own means. In
the case of these propaganda papers,
their supporters are commonly only
too anxious to furnish the papers.
I believe the directors of the public
library have no more right to violate
the constitution of Oregon by making
a rule, than the legislature has by
making a law. I would like to ask
Mr. Kelnhofer if he supports the con
stitution of Oregon, and especially
the section 8 I have quoted.
Respectfully yours,
W. S. U'REN.
Another Surprise Service
The "Surprise Service" at the Me
thodist church last Sunday was so
successful that Dr. Ford plans another
altogether different for next Sunday
morning. In the evening Dr. Moore
will preach After a lively song ser
vice, and Dr. Ford will conduct an after-meeting.
Last Sunday evening
there was much interest in the "Old
Time Religion" services and there
was deep feeling, a real revival spirit.
WHAT OF THIS PLAN?
Candidate Gill Presents One Well
Worth Considering
Dufur, Ore., Aug. 19, 1914.
To the Editor:
In his talk at the Garfield Country
Club picnic east of Estacada Aug. 8th,
Dr. Withycombe, after speaking of
the beautiful scenery, the wonderful
agricultural possibilities, and the
splendid climate, said that the land
ought to be cleared, and he wished
he knew some way to get the land
cleared without cheap labor. I can
tell the Doctor a way that will bene
fit everyone.
Richt in the beginning I want to say
I am opposed to levying of bonds for
road or other purposes where the
principle and interest are paid by tax
ation ,except in exceptional cases.
I would utilize the superior credit
of the state or county to secure money
to loan at a low rate of interest to be
used for the purpose of developing
the resources ot the state.
The county could sell bonds at 4
per cent or 5 per cent and loan the
monev at 5 per cent or 6 per cent.
The borrower shall have the privilege
of repaying the loan in 20 annual in
stallments with the further privilege
of paying any or all of the install
ments at any time, J. he money re
paid mav be loaned so that the amount
of money on hand becomes a revolving
fund. The money may be loaned for
cleanntr land, developing small irri
gation projects, boring artesian wells,
the preceding two items being for
Eastern Oregon, building nomes, or
necessary farm buildings. The mon
ey must be used 1 for the purpose
for which it is borrowed. To assure
that is is so used, it shall be paid in
monthly installments as the work prom-esses.
A man may employ as many
as he desires, or he may do the work
himself and receive the money prac
tically as wages for himself
This plan will develop Oregon fast
er than any other plan that can be de
vised, I think. It will take these men
who receive this aid out of the labor
market and make room for men who
are content to labor with the hands.
This will greatly reduce the num
ber of unemployed, for, as many know,
there are muny men on small farms
who are not able to make a living on
them under present conditions, and
who must go to the saw mills, lumber
camps, or factories a part of each
year to earn enough to eke out a liv
ing. This plan allows them to make
a living while they are improving their
own place. Their improvements add
wealth to the community.
In the city it allows working men
to get a home without living in rented
houses half of a life time.
But savs a friend of mine, there
are many people who have not the
means to buy a lot or a iarm. How
shall we help them? 1 answer that
when one of these persons select u
piece of land or a lot he desires to
purchase, it the county considers ne
mav. bv reasonable industry, be able
to pay .for it in the 20 years allowed,
the county purchases the land, and
gives this person a bond for a deed to
the property, so the property will be
his when the payments are made. The
county could go still further and loan
money on these properties just as on
properties privately owned for the
purpose of improving them.
1 believe the county a better agency
to handle this plan than the state, as
the officers of the county know the
county conditions better than the state
officers. This assistance must be giv
en to the most needy first, or it would
fall short of its real purpose.
I suppose Dr. Withycombe would
call this paternalism. But a rose by
any other name will smell as sweet,
and what a thing is called will not de
stroy the good there is in it.
New Zealand has a plan similar to
this one in successful operation and
James J. Hill has used it in developing
new territories into which he has
pushed his railroads.
One per cent of the, interest paio
by the borrowers will belong to the
county to pay the cost of looking after
hese loans, Experience in New Zea
land shows that about four-tenths of
this is profit to the government there.
It ought to be here also.
Th interest and principle of these
bonds will be paid by the men and
women who borrow the money. The
taxpayers will not be called upon t
pay any of it. A small portion of tho
interest paid in by the borrower will
go into the county treasury and help
reduce taxes. Under this plan the
wealth of the county would increase
rapidly and the number of taxpayers
wiil be increased, so that the amount
each taxpayer would have to pay
would be decreased somewhat.
I do not expect that any county
would be able to assist all worthy of
assistance in a year's, two year's or
three year's time. But by helping
those most in need of help first, won
derful good may be accomplished.
And we would have still less use
for cheap oriental labor than we now
have.
F. M. GILL,
Progressive Nominee for Gov.