i-iver? j ty
EGON : CITY ' C
33d Year
OREGON CITY, OREGON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1915
Number 30
OK
ENJOYS
- GENTLESESS!ON
TEMPLETON WAGES WAR UPON
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER;
NO BLOOD SPILLED t
CHARTER AMENDMENTS MOVED
Making of Budget is Postponed Till
Special Meeting Called for
.Early Friday Evening
Maybe it was because it was the
13th day of the month, or maybe it
was because it was a quiet and peace
ful rainy evening outside. Whatever
the cause, Wednesday night's council
meeting was a dull sort of an affair,
and the seven spectators who gathered
early in the evening to see the fire
works all left and went home early.
After they had gone there was some
slight attempt at vaudeville, but noth.
ing very startling.
With Messrs. Cox, Andrews and
Meyer absent, the city fathers open
ed the meeting with an informal
promise to meet at the S. P. depot
Saturday noon to be photographed on
the West Linn pipe line. The photo
grapher who will "mug" them is get
ting out a souvenir booklet on the
pipeline, and said he'd like to have
the city officials appear. Councilman
Metzner suggested that probably the
bunch would look happier if their
stomachs were filled, so the picture
will be taken after the councilmen
have eaten their noon repast.
A petition signed by many citizens,
asking that all jitney legislation so
far enacted, be repealed, and that in
place a sensible regulatory ordinance
be passed, was read and placed on the
table until Friday night, when every
matter of real weight that came up
Wednesday was postponed until then.
Applications for several jitney fran
chises also were put over until Fri
day. .
Councilman Templeton, on behalf
of the street committee, reported that
the flusher that has been .tried out
the past week was doing good work,
but that a thousand dollars was an
awful w'ad to pay for it. On motion
of Councilman- Albright the street
committee were authorized to make
a junket to Portland at the city's ex
pense and look further into the flush
er . question. Saturday, after the
council have been photographed, all
the members will see a flusher dem
onstration on Main street.
In the course of discussion-of the
flusher somebody said that water
from the flusher had clogged one of
the sewers. Councilman Templeton
said it had not. F. C. Burke, a spec
tator, insisted that it had, and said
he had seen the clogged sewer and a
pool of water in the street. Mr.
Templeton remarked that "some
people are always ready to kick at
everything.
"You go on," said Mr. Burke,
"There is nobody in the city who is
a worse kicker than you are.
Mr. Templeton, who sharpens lawn
mowers for the city, subsided.
An ordinance for the construction
of a sidewalk leading to Bellevue
avenue was read first time, and it
will come up for final action Novem.
ber 3. The ordinance empowering the
city and Uncle Sam to enter into an
agreement for the formation of a re
serve on the South Fork water shed,
so as to protect the city's water sup
ply, was passed on final reading.
A petition from Third street prop
erty owners', asking the immediate
paving of that thoroughfare " from
Main street to theSouthern Pacific
right-of-way with Vorswick paving
at $1.05 a yard was accepted, and the
work ordered done. The property
owners waived all legal red tape so
that the work might start at once, and
they will pay for most of the work.
The city owns a fire house on the cor
ner of Third and Main, and will pay
for its share of the improvement.
Application of ex-Sheriff E. T.
Mass for the erection of an electric
sign in front of the "Commercial Ho
tel'' was referred to the street com
mittee.
A compromise calling for the pay
ment of $2,700 on the High street ac
count to F. D. Crowe & Co., was ac
cepted by the council.
And then :
"We're down to the budget," said
. Mayor Linwood Jones.
' The fire and water committee re
ported that it had spent $51853.94 out
of the $2188 allowed it for the year.
The city attorney and city treasurer
reported that they would before the
'end of the year, spend all the money
allowed them by the budget, but no
more. The recorder said that his of
fice had spent $1235 out of the $1362.
20 allowed him,, and that the outlook
was that there wouldn't be much bal
ance at the end of the year.
For the street committee a report
was submitted by Street Commission
er C. A. Babcock. After Mr. Babcock
had turned it in to the street commit
tee, one Henry M. Templeton drew
heavy lines in ink across Mr. Bab
cock's signature, and wrote in his own
name in a nice large hand such as
John Hancock used in signing the
COUNCIL
(Continued on Page 8)
TO SAVE MONEY
Water Commissioners Plan to Get
Along with Present Reservoir
In order to save money for the citi
zens ofOregon City it is expected that
the new reservoir originally included
in the plans of the South Fork water
commission will not be built. As
matters now stand Oregon City has a
service reservoir with a capacity of
a million and a half gallons, and West
Linn is completing a new reservoir
that will have a capacity of two mil
lion gallons. As there is but a dif
ference of 40 feet in the level of these
two reservoirs, and as direct connec
tion will be made between them by the
West Linn pipe line, the two cities
will have a combined reservoir capac
ity of three and a half million cubic
feet. '
Plans are now on foot to operate
these reservoirs jointly, and so save
the cost of building an additional one
in the county seat. Either reservoir
can be turned into the pipes of either
city in case of emergency, and it is
thought that an agreement can be
reached between the two municipali
ties whereby they can be used jointly
if the need ever comes.
In addition to this the water com
missioners are considering levying a
small tax in the county seat to help
care for the bond issue that was used
to pay for the construction of the pipe
line. This will distribute the cost of
the work evenly on all who will bene
fit, and will make it unnecessary to
suddenly increase the water rate. It
is pointed out that unoccupied proper
ty will benefit as greatly from the
pipe line and the new water system
as will occupide property that is now
using city water, and it is felt that
this vacant property should therefor
pay its share of the construction of
the new system.
A tax thus raised would not only
spread the burden of paying the en
tire cost of the pipe line, simply to
have later water users come in and
enjoy the benefits without paying for
them.
REMARK IS RESENTED
Women Angered at" Statement Made
By Councilman Templeton
Members of the Ladies' Guild of
St. Paul's church are somewhat peev
ed at Councilman Henry M. Temple
ton because of a remark that hem ade
at last week's council meeting, in
which he intimated that the ladies
who "staged the dahlia show had re.
ceived financial aid from the council.
All members of the organization deny
emphatically that , they ever " even
thought of asking the city for assist
ance. Mr. Templeton, while not' naming
the Ladies' Guild in his remarks, said
that "It has got so now that every
Tom, Dick and Harry will come to
this council and beg, and will get
money. Only last week or so some
ladies wanted to give a flower snow,
and they came and asked the council
for some money to help pay expens
es." In the exitement of the moment Mr.
Templeton probably became confused,
as the only ladies who have asked the
council fos money this year were
those who were interested in the an
nual rose show: which is a more or
less municipal feature and undertake
ing.
DRINKS PURE WATER
County Seat Has Unique Experience
After Prolonged Waiting
At half past six Tuesday evening
the pumps in the Alteration plant
that has for so long provided Oregon
City with Willamette river water was
stopped, and the county seat changed
its beverage from "purified sewage''
to the sparkling water from the South
Fork of the Clackamas river. Wed
nesday citizens were drinking water
in unusual quantities in all parts of
the city, and crowds were standing
about the public fountains on Main
street to sample the new water.
People seem to like the new water
immensely. It is cool and palatable
and so far has fulfilled all the prom
ises that have been made for it. The
pipe line is still in the hands of the
contractors, and will not be taken
over by the city until pressure in it
has been increased to the maximum.
Plans for a celebration in honor of
the city's new water supply are being
developed by the Commercial club,
but no definite date for the festivities
has as yet been fixed.
The Courier $1.00 per year if paid
in advance. Subscribe now.
Deny Asking for Help
- In the Courier of October 7th Mr.
Templeton is quoted as saying "that
only last week or so some women
wanted to give a flower show, and
they came and asked the council for
money to help pay expenses."
The ladies of St. Paul's Guild gave
a dahlia and flower show last Satur
day. They did not ask the council
or anyone else for one cent, and if
Mr. Templeton referred to that show
he must have been suffering from
"mental aberation."
The "Show'' was a success in every
particular, and was financed by the
Guild without any other financial aid.
We hope to make the "Show" an an
nual event, but will not ask for money
from the council or merchants to
"help pay expenses."
ROSINA FOUTS EVANS,
President.
JENNIE B. HARDING,
Secretary.
OU CITY HAS
NOTABLT RECORD
CITY SUCCESSFULLY FINISHES
COSTLY PIPE LINE FOR
WATER SUPPLY
LOCAL FIRM DESERVES CREDIT
Rapidity with Which Undertaking has
Been Completed is Proof of
Excellence of Plans
When water from the South Fork
of the Clackamas tumbled out of a
pipe into the Willamette river under
neath the suspension bridge last week
Oregon City practically finished the
biggest job it ever undertook; and not
only that, but it completed it in rec
ord time. Unaided the county seat
had positive proof that 254 miles of
steel pipe had been coupled up and
put in working order, and that it had
been done at a cost that was remark
ably small. And sharing in the city's
triumph in this public work, which
will mean millions to the future citi
zens of the community, the Oregon
Engineering & Construction company
must come in for its share of the
laurels.
It is no soft job to build a munici
pal pipe line, such as Oregon City now
has at its command; and particularly
is it no cinch to so construct the pipe
line that there shall be no failures
when water is turned into it. Many
an old and established engineering
concern would have hesitated about
undertaking the work under the con
ditions that Oregon City imposed, and
the fact that Moffatt & Parker did
the work as well as they did is a mat
ter of which both members of the lo
cal firm have every right to be
proud. In fact the triumph of the
county seat firm is considerable great
er than the ordinary when it is con
sidered that not only were they suc
cessful in doing the work in the
briefest possible time, but that they
were also the lowest bidders on the
job. Only perfect planning, prac
tical engineering and skill made thi3
possible.
When bids were opened the Oregon
Engineering & Construction company
was found to be, all things considered,
some $30,000 below the next lowest
bid; and when the city voted to build
the line of steel pipe the figure quoted
by the local firm was $85,000 lower
than any other quotation on steel
pipe received. Once the bid was
awarded the local firm lost no time
in getting busy on the job, and an
army of men was at once thrown into
the field. ' And like modern armies
now at war in Europe, the first thing
this local army of progress did was
to "dig itself in'' in other words to
dig and blast a trench over 25 miles
long.
Unlike many other pipe lines, the
South Fork line runs under ground
for practically the entire distance.
There is no bridging or trestle work
to give way in time of flood, there is
no surface pipe to withstand .. the
peril of sliding rock or falling trees.
For the entire distance the big steel
tube that will carry pure water to
Oregon City lies underground all the
Way from four to 15 feet under the
surface. Even streams were
stumbling blocks for the engineers,
for in its travels from the intake on
the South Fork, Oregon City's pipe
line passes under four quite sizeable
streams and under numerous creeks
and rills.
This means a further saving to the
city. Had the line run over trestles
or been exposed, 'il would have requir.
ed constant patrolling and watching;
but as it is now one man can give it
all the attention that it requires, and
this one man will not have to work
very hard, either. Most of his duties
will be near the intakt; though tven
there cleverly devised apparatus has
made it virtually impossible for the
screens to become clogged with leaves
or other foreign matter.
The pipe line starts at an elevation
of 820 feet, and carries the water
through 16 and 18 inch pipes half
the way through each kind down to
the reservoir at an elevation of 450
more water than could possibly be
used by 6000 families of five people
feet. The pipe line has a capacity of
3,000,000 gallons every, 24 hours
enough to supply lfl.0 gallons a day
to 30,000 people, or enough to give
each. And this is considerably more
than the Oregon City district will
have for some years to come.
Seventy gallons of water a day is
all that New York figures in provid
ing water for its people, and New
York is not at all economical. So it
will be seen that the pipe line will pro
vide for the wants of Oregon City
for a long time. And when Oregon
City grows so that the pipe line will
hardly give it enogh, another million
gallons of water a day can be secured
by extending the line 1200 feet further
to the east. There is enough of the
best water in the world in sight to
provide, this city with all that it will
ever need.
From the time work was started
on the pipe line to the day when the
foamy fluid first trickled through the
(Continued on Page 8)
FIGHT JUST STARTED
District Attorney Will Carry Timber
Tax Case to Highest Court
That it is a long, long way to
Tipperary is what the WeyeVhauser
and Collier timber concerns will find
out before they get their taxes re
duced is the belief of District Attor
ney Gilbert L. Hedges of Clackamas
county. Mr. Hedges didn't express
it just that way, but that is what he
meant. What he said was that the
timber concerns would not get their
taxes reduced until the supreme court
of Oregon had passed upon the mat
ter. Last week the Weyerhauser people
came into the circuit court and attack
ed the validity of the Nease cruise of
their timber holdings in this county.
The Collier company was also inter
ested in thecase, and in all there
were eight units of timber land at
issue. The county's valuation "of the
timber, based on the Nease cruise, was
sustained in regard to three units,
but the others were modified by the
court; and if this modification of val
ues is allowed to stand the timber con
cerns will escape the payment of
some $1,100 in taxes.
District Attorney Hedges was han
dicapped in his fight for the county
by having but one cruises to refer to,
while the timber barons quoted from
figures secured on a number of dif
ferent cruises. The county court
would not allow additional expendi
ture for other cruises of the standing
timber in the county; but in spite of
this Mrl Hedges believes that he will
be able to win for the county when
the case is appealed. The Weyerhaus
er has approximately 20,000 acres of
timberland in the county, and the
amount of standing timber on 4,000
of these acres is now in dispute.
Monday morning of this week, fol
lowing the close of the argument be
fore Judge J. U. Campbell, the Wey
erhauser and Collier timber interests
appeared before the board of equaliza
tion and asked for a reduction in their
taxes. This request was denied by
the board. Mr. Hedges believes that
the county is rightfully entitled to the
taxes as already levied on the assess
ed valuation, and will not compromise
the matter as far as the county is
concerned. "Compromise" is not a
word in the official vocabulary of
District Attorney Hedges.
COURIER OFFERS COUNCILMAN
TEMPLETON LOTS OF
FREE PUBLICITY
MLL PUBLISH YEAR'S RECORD
Latest Candidate for Mayor of County
Seat Has Opportunity to Tell '
Voters All About It
The Courier always wants to be a
friend of the public-spirited citizen, of
the "people's candidate," of all that
feel they aren't getting a square deal
from other papers.
The Courier has heard that Henry
M. Templeton, Oregon City's "only
honest councilman" (as he himself
says) is going to seek the mayor's
chair at the forthcoming election. The
Courier has heard Mr. Templeton say
that the newspapers don't always
print the truth about him. And the
Courier wants to be fair.
Councilman Templeton, as chair
man of the street committee of the
council, boasted last week that the
street committee would have two or
three thousand dollars left in its bud
get at the end of the year. The street
committee's budget 'was somewhat
over $10,000. If there is some of it
left enough to buy a patented flush
ing machine, for instance, Mr. Temple
ton must know to a penny how the
major part of the fund was spent.
IF THE STREET COMMITTEE IS
THE ONLY COMMITTEE THAT
HAS STAYED WITHIN ITS BUD
GET THIS YEAR, THE PEOPLE
OUGHT TO KNOW HOW IT DID IT.
The Courier, therefor, will print
free, gratis and for nothing any detail
ed report that Councilman Templeton
as chairman of the street committee,
will give this paper for the year's
work.
The street committee had the lion's
share of the budget.
It ought to have been able to get
through the year with some left.
The Courier and the people of Ore
gon City would like to know how the
"economy" in the street committee's
affairs worked they ought to know.
And "so the Courier makes this offer
to Mr. Templeton.
SEND US IN A REPORT, MR.
TEMPLETON. TELLING US WHAT
YOU DID WITH THE MONEY EN
TRUSTED TO YOU.
We will publish that report prom
inently. It ought to be the very fin
est boost in the world for your can
didacy for mayor so send it in and
get the publicity FREE.
Here's a real chance for the people
and Mr. Templeton to get nicely and
intimate v acauainted surely Mr.
Templeton will oblige and do his
share ? t ?
FINE CHANGE TO
MAKE CAMPAIGN
STATE AID GOOD
fill
WORK
STATES WHERE SYSTEM IS IN
VOGUE LEAD IN AMOUNT
OF CONSTRUCTION
WASH'GT'N WESTERN EXAMPLE
Pennsylvania, With Practically Same
Amount of Local Road Funds
As Oregon, Makes Record
The value of a thorough and regu
lar system of state aid for the con
struction of highway is clearly shown
in a federal report on road construc
tion just issued by the United States
government. Contrasting the records
of Washington and Oregon particular
ly show that state aid is a great ad
vantage, for in these two neighboring
states Washington has an excellent
system of state highway construction,
while Oregon relies almost entirely
upon district and county work. Fur
ther information as to what may be
done by state aid is also shown by
contrasting the figures relating to
Pennsylvania with those relating to
Oregon, as Pennsylvania's counties,
townships and districts spent approx
imately the same sum as did Oregon's
smaller divisions on road work during
1914.
For the year 1914 local road funds
expended in Oregon amounted to
$5,155,657. In Pennsylvania the total
was $5,500,091. In Washington the
money expended on roads was an
even $4,000,000, of which the state
contributed $1,343,431.
In the same year the state of Ore
gon contributed but $10,697 for road
building; while in Pennsylvania, where
practically the same total was ex
pended on roads, the state contributed
$1,976,768. Thus it will be seen that
in both Pennsylvania and Washington,
where state aid exists, the state put
up over one-fourth of the road funds.
In Oregon the state contributed but
one-five-hundredth of the amount.
The totals of all moneys spent on
roads in the three states for the year
1914 figures out as follows: Oregon,
$7,002,632; Washington, $6,221,131;
Pennsylvania, $10,424,580. This mon
ey was spent on 42,930 miles of road
in Oregon, 87.387 miles in Pennsyl
vania, and 37,000 miles in Washing
ton. Of this mileage, Oregon has 9.3
percent surfaced (other than dirt
roads); Pennsylvania has 4.5 percent
surfaced, and Washington has 11.5
percent surfaced.
With these sums of money during
1914 Oregon built 125 miles of road,
Pennsylvania 300 miles, and Washing
ton 288 miles. During the same time
state aid maintained in Pennsylvania
6,882 miles of roads, and in Washing,
ton 340" miles of road. Oregon, hav
ing no state aid system, didn't make
any maintenance showing at all.
For roadwork in 1915, there was
available for highway construction
this year $233,000 of state funds in
Oregon, $5,000,000 in Pennsylvania
and $3,167,583 in Washington.
These figures should conclusively
prove that the State aid system for
highway construction means, more in
value for the taxpayers than does the
system followed in Oregon. With
state aid Washington last year did
practically double the highway con
struction that Oregon did in the same
time, and not only did it do this, but
it had a large fund on hand for
maintenance. Pennsylvania, with
practically the same amount of dis
trict funds to use that Oregon had, se
cured a great deal more of highway
work owing to the vast sum of state
money that could be drawn upon for
the main trunk roads.
State aid work is invariably done
on the main highways, which leaves
the district funds to care for the side
roads and connecting links in traffic,
And state road funds make possible
the laying of better highways, the
nutting down of "surfaced" roads.
Comparing the Washington and Ore
gon figures Will show this but 4
percent of Oregon's roadwork for 1914
being of this class, while during the
same year 11 percent of Washing
ton's roads were surfaced.
Yet there are people who like the
Oregon road system, and say it gives
results for the money paid in by the
taxpayers!
The Courier $1.00 per year.
WATER RATE INCREASED
Forty Percent Added to Burden of
..Consumers Except for Sprinkling
At a meeting of the water board,
held Wednesday afternoon, it was
voted to increase the water rate in
Oregon City from $1.25 to $1.75 per
month for the time being. This in.
crease is to take care of the cost of
the new South Fork pipeline. AH
water rates will be increased 40 per
cent, except the rate for sprinkling,
which will remain as it is.
The matter of levying a mill tax
to care for the cost of the new supply
was discussed, but as there is a limit
to the city tax levy, it was deemed
best not to attempt to make up the
cost in his way.
BRAND NEW ALIBI
Lloyd Riches Discovers that European
War Hurts Pheasant Shooting
Mr. Lloyd Riches, the distinguished
thespian and strong man, he who
threw the bull at or about Pendleton,
has discovered that the conflict now
being waged in the Old World is ser
iously interfering with the pleasure
of Clackamas county sportsmen who
go out in pursuit of the brilliant
plumed pheasant. Mr. Riches confid
ed this discovery to the Courier this
week, while discussing philosophy and
psychology with a humble reporter
who dropped in to see him in his of.
fice on Main street.
"They aren't loading the shells
right,'' said Mr. Riches, gazing judic
ially at the wall through his beautiful
tortoise-shell glasses. "And of course
that is to be expected, with European
nations paying high prices for every
kind of explosive. Why, Sunday when
I was out hunting I hit five birds and
knocked them over, -but only got one
of them. The others simply got up
and flew away there wasn't pow
der enough in the shell to make the
bullets kill them."
Mr. Riches' discovery regarding the
skimping of shell loads will come as
a great relief to sportsmen who have
failed this year to get the usual num
ber of birds, and who might have
thought that their aim had been poor.
They may all of them now congratu
late themselves on shooting in their
regular form, and may blame their
ill-fortune on the poor charge in the
shells. War is surely what General
Sherman is said to have said it was,
when it makes the ammunition trust
cheat American sportsmen with light
loads of powder.
NEW BANK PLANNED
Oregon City To Have One of Chain
Throughout the County
Announcement was made last week
by Leroy D. Walker, that a bank
would be opened in the Weinhard
building, Oregon City, to co-operate
with similar banks in Canby, Molalla,
and Estacada; with all of which Mr,
Walker is affiliated. The institution
will be a private bank and will open
for business about the middle of No
vember, with a capital of $50,000 and
a paid-up surplus or $5,00U. A sav
ings department will pay four percent
interest. . ' , .
, Application for a charter for the
new bank has been approved by the
state superintendent of banking. Mr.
Walker was for many years cashier
of the Canby State bank having or
ganized that institution, and is now
a director of both of the banks in
Canby. He will devote his entire time
to the new Oregon City bank, of which
he will be the active head and mana
ger. "JIT" IS STUNG
Verdict in Personal Injury Suit Hangs
CoBts on Machine Owner
A jury in the circuit court last
week gave a verdict of $5, to
Shenefield, a civil war veteran who
was run down some time ago on Main
street by the Van Auken jitney. The
verdict carries with it all the court
costs of the action, and Bill Stone,
who defended the jitney outfit has
promised to pay these if Shenefield
will not appeal his case. ' B. N. Hicks
was attorney for the plaintiff, being
assisted by Westbrook & Westbrook,
of Portland.
Under oath Earl Van Auken, who
was driving 'the "jit" at the time,
admitted that he saw Shenefield
crossing the street in front of the
machine, that Shenefield was holding
an umbrella in such a way as to make
it impossible to see the approaching
car. Van Auken said he slowed his
machine up to give Shenefield an
"opportunity' to get out of the way,
Because Mr. Shenefield did not take
advantage of this "opportunity," the
"jit" struck him, knocking him a con
siderable distance and bruising him
considerably.
MORE FROM GEORGE
Weird Prohibitionist, Speaking at Cor
vallis, Again Attacks Law
Speaking at Corvallis last week the
Honorable George C. Brownell, an
attorney of some note in these parts
and at one time a receptive candidate
for the prohibition nomination for
United States senator from Oregon
found a new thing the matter with
the statewide prohibition law. As re
ported by the Benton County Courier,
our George s latest outbreak is as fol
lows:
"Then he took up the session laws
and read Section 12 to the audience;
under which a common carrier might
deliver liquor made outside of Ore
gon to any person who would sub
scribe to the affidavit. He read the
affidavit form in which the consignee
swears he is 21 years old, not an
habitual drunkard and that the liquor
is to be used for SACRAMENTAL
PURPOSES ONLY.
"He explained that the newspapers
and lawyers hold that this bungle of
the legislature will not btand because
it is a plain bungle.
"I have been a lawyer for 35 years
and I think I know something about
law. As plain as English words can
make the affidavit, every person who
gets liquor must declare under oath
the liquor is for sacramental purpos
68. Who has the right to scratch
out these words the satute requires
Who has a right to change the form
(Continued on Page 8)
TRUST" HAS
UNIVERSAL FIELO
COMPETITION IS JOKE WHEN
MANUFACTURE OF STEEL
ARMOR IS REVIEWED
RICES HELD FOR 20 YEARS
Inside Facts on Greatest Profit-Mak
ing Industry in World Given
by Congressman Tavenner
(By Clyde H. Tavenner)
There appears to be no real com
petition between the armor manufac
turers of the various countries. Once,
1893, the American armor ring
made a noise like competition, when
sold armor to Russia for $249, while
charging the United States $616, and
for a time great consternation prevail,
ed in the ranks of the war trusts of
the various nations.
But during this period the armor
manufacturers of the world met in
Paris, and since then there has been
little or no competition worthy of the
name. The armor manufacturers i
asked themselves why they should cut
each others throats and why . it
would not be to their advantage to
receive $500 or $600 a ton instead of
$200 or $300.
In his report Secretary of the Navy
under Cleveland, Hon. H. A. Herbert,
in commenting on the question of a
trust says:
"I am informed upon authority
which I believe to be good, that about
or perhaps before, the time of the
last contract of the Bethlehem com
pany with Russia, there was a meet
ing in Paris of the representatives of
the principal, if not all, of the armor
manufacturers of Europe and Amer
ica.'
This was in 1894; and commenting
upon the prices charged in Europe
and America, he says on the same
page: . , ,
"These facts seem to lead to the
conclusion that there is at least a
friendly understanding or agreement ,
among the principal manufacturers of
the world that prices shall be main- :
tained at about the same level.'
Here we find evidence 20 years old
of a-world-wide Armor Plate Trust.
In the naval hearings for 1914,
page 621, the present Secretary of
the Navy, Josephus Daniels, used the
following language in referring to
an advertisement for bids for armor
plate for the dreadnaught PENNSYL
VANIA: ;
"When we came to the armor we
ejected all the bids, and were then
absolutely in a situation from which
it appeared there was no relief.
Though you can not establish it in
black and white, there is no doubt of
an Armor Plate T);ust all over tho
world. That is to say, the people
abroad who make armor plate will
not come here and submit bids, be
cause they know if they do our manu
facturers will go abroad and submit
bids. They have divided the world,
like Gaul, into three parts."
There are tricks in all trades. If
the peoples of the several powers can
be incited to mutual distrust, suspic.
ion and hatred, for instance, it means
increased dividends for the stockhold
ers of the war traffickers in each
country.
The several leading powers aim to
increase their naval strength in the
same proportion. If one of the pow
ers can be induced to take on an ad
ditional superdreadnaught, it is used
as an argument as to why the other
leading powers should do the same.
It works as an endless chain, with the
war burden ever and ever increasing
on the backs of the taxpayers of the
world. As the armor and powde
makers of the world work hand in
hand, it is to the interest of the War
Trust of one country to have a for
eign nation increase its building pro
gram..
If a new design can be worked out,
that, too, means more grist for the
shipbuilders. It calls for the speedy
"scrapping" of the vessels already on
hand as "obsolete," "scrapping" mean
ing throwing on the scrap heap as old
junk. So the life of the battleship is
ever lessening.
Another trick in the trade of tho
war traders which is obviously profit
able, otherwise it would not be con
tinued, is the hiring or retired army
and navy officials and ex-members
of Congress by the powder, armor and
shipbuilding concerns. These ex-of
ficials know the inner workings of
the workings of the military branches
of the Government, know the person.
nel in an intimate way, and by pri
vate conversation, by correspondence
and various ways are in a positino to
obtain much useful information. They
know how to go about things for re
sults. Through these ex-officials the
War Trust has become thoroughly in
trenched in the governing power.
There seems to be no limit to the
extremes to which the war traders are
willing to go for business.
The Courier has a full line of Legal
Blanks for sale. If you are in need
of Legal Blanks you will find that it
I will pay you to come to the Courier.
v