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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 1895)
5CHB aCOBSrSG OBjBGOSXiari!l4lIDA"-, JASTTABY 4, 1993 pte tje&omsm Entered at the Postoffice at Portland, Oregon, ss second-otass matter. REVISED SOBSCBIPTIOK RATES. Br Mail (postage prepaid) In Advance. ID&ily. with Sunday, per month $ 1 00 Daily. Sanday excepted, per year.... 10 00 SDally, with Sanday, per year.......... 12 00 Ennday, per year................. ...... " 00 IThe Weekly, per year 1 5 true "Weekly, three months 5 TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. ta!1y, per week, delivered, Sunday excepted..25c JDally, per week, delii-ered. Sunday inchided..SOc Xews or discussion Intended tor publication in Che Oregonian ehould be addressed invariably '"Editor The Oreconlan," not to the name oi any individual. Letters relating to advertising feubscription or to any business matter should be addressed simply "Tlte Oregonian." The Oregonian does not buy poems or stories from individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscript sent to it without solici tation. No tsamps should be Inclosed for this purpose. DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT PORTLAND. Jan. 3. S P. M. Maximum temperature, 32; minimum temperature. 2S: Jieight of river at 11 A. M. 3.0; change in the past 24 hours, 0.9; total precipitation today. 3 64; total precipitation from September 1. 1894 et season), to date. 14.39; average, "1.07; de Jflclency, 0.6(1. "WEATHER SYNOPSIS. Owing to the heavy fall of snow, no reports Slave been received from plaoes in "Washington. tonly one from Oregon and two In California. It Is raining from Central California northward to Jloseburg. rive inches of sleet feel at Portland daring the past 12 hours. From the reading of the barometer to the Southward, it is evident that only slight progress was made by the Btorm, so that a continuation may be expected. "WEATHER FORECASTS. Forecasts made at Portland for the 24 hours fending at midnight January 4: For "Washington, Eastern Oregon and Idaho tSnow and colder, with fresh southerly winds; gales on the coafrt. For "Western Oregon Rain or snow, and twarmer, with fresh southerly winds. Por Portland Rain or snow, and slightly Svarmer. with fresh southed' winds. B. S. PAOUE. Local Forecast Official. PORTLAND, FRIDAY, JANUARY S. U'HE PRESIDENT AND HIS PARTY. President Cleveland's relations to his party are such that it is hardly possi ble to call him a democrat. His party's festimate of hhn almost equally for bids such designation. Yet he has a certain power over his party because he is in accord with its most intelli gent and therefore most powerful ele ment. Its masses do not like him, its politicians are unfriendly to him, but its business element, its men of knowl edge and affairs, are "with him. T;he soundness of his currency views and Ihe firmness of his stand against the socialistic tendencies that are so pow erful in the democratic party make his position as a democratic president unique, and give him opportunity of great service to the country. President Cleveland is today unques tionably the nation's bulwark against the populist and socialist schemes "which the struggles of his party for power during many years had done so snuch to promote. A large portion of the democratic party had become thor oughly imbued -with fallacies of many dangerous kinds. He has checked it and them; he has drawn a line of sepa ration between different elements of his party, and has shown that the ascendency of his party in the govern ment Is not incompatible with the public safety: but he has shown it at the expense of a division In his party .which gives -warning that the most nu merous branch of it, at war with the sound policy he pursues, is not to be trusted at all. On the tariff question republicans never can be in accord with him, nor he with them. In his foreign policy likewise there has been much to crit icise. But on money, currency, gen eral questions of financial administra tion and enforcement of measures nec essary for preservation of order and property and protection of business, he Jias pursued an excellent course, and republicans find no fault with him. But tiust here is the ground on which his party, in the mass, has been alienated from him. That enounous element of his party which is tainted with dan eerous financial notions, or with social istic tendencies, is at war AVlth the president that its votes elected. But the effect of his career on his party will prove a great good to the country, for it will tend to a new alignment of parties, so that democrats and republicans who see things alike can more easily co-operate hereafter. The Rural New Yorker of December 9, 1S24, has a letter from a man in Oregon who had bought a piece of land and set out fruits, etc.. but now has lost his home and cannot find profitable work. He says: That we hud crops here, but no market, was due this year to a combination of elr v jmstances. The strike stopped shipment cf fruits from California, and the canner ies there did an extraordinary amount cf work to try to save something to the growers; and In view of this fact, and tightness of money market, the Oregcn canneries did not run. except two, at last Portland and at Forest Grove, and thev were overstocked, of course, My frmt, that In an ordinary year would have made my panient and slaved my home, found absolutely no market. I did not get 1 per cent of a price. My farm cf 33 acres, for which two years ago I refused $3500 cash, can now be bought for r.' arly $1000 less. Our Oregon laws need an amendment that will give the buyer Iiis equity in the place In the event of making default of p&yment. The Rural New Yorker, commenting on this letter, says: "Let us hear no more complaints unless you can match that- How would you like to live at the mercy of a lot of railroad strikers in a country so drained of cash that farmers must bid for it in Increased quantities of their products?" Thus did the railroad strikes of last year, made professedly in the interest of railroad labor, crush other labor, while they failed utterly to protect their own. The fruit product of Oregon and Washing ton last year was virtually lost through the railroad strikes. The Salem Statesman Is continually attacking the Portland Committee of One Hundred, on the assumption that this committee wants to create a lot of new offices and enact a big batch of ew and expensive legislation. Noth ing could be more erroneous than this assumption. The Portland Committee of One Hundred is composed of per sons who are not so fond of paying taxes. The whole work of this com mittee has been devoted to retrench ment and reform. It has suggested but a single additional oflice that of bank examiner and it was moved to this by The appeals of many persons in Port land and elsewhere, who have lost money during the past two years by bank failures. But even the incumbent of this office, if such otiioe be created, is to be paid by, -assessment levied up on the banks, in proportion to their business; so there would be no charge upon the taxpayers. The Portland Committee of One Hundred will do all in its power to reduce public expendi tures. It has recommended the aboli tion of many offices and reduction of salaries in many more. TWO NECESSARY THINGS. Ex-Senator Farwell of Illinois puts the case very tersely when he says three things are necessary to put our currency on a sound basis, restore con fidence in business and re-establish in dustrial prosperity. But the case may be put still more tersely. Here are Senator Farwell's three things: First Let the government fund its floating debt and refund its bonded debt In 2-per cent 50-year bonds, and Tetire from the currency business altogether. Second Allow the national banks to use these bonds at par as a basis for their circulation, exempting them from all federal taxation, except just enough to pay for printing the notes. Third Repeal the subtreasury act and let the revenues of the nation be deposit ed In the national banks where collected. Only two of these are vitaL The sub treasury is a mere convenience. The deposit of the revenues in the banks is a mere convenience. It matters Jlttle which method is employed. In point of fact, large part of the money of the government now lies in bank depositor ies in the interval betveen collection of taxes and payment of government ex penses. The law need not be changed In this respect. The large accumu lation of money in government sub treasuries, especially in New York, Is due to the necessity of keeping a re serve to redeem treasury notes, and of having it always convenient to pay out for these notes on demand. So long as the government maintains a great .bank of issue, it must keep a large coin reserve, and must have a place to keep it The present large use of the subtreasury is a mere incident of the vicious policy of keoping out a mass of treasury notes. If these notes were called In and the reserve released, there would Tje little government money to lie permanently in the subtreasury. The regular revenues would pass into the depository banks as they do now, and be checked out for expenses. The two things really vital are that the government should go out of the banking business, and that it should make it possible for the banks to Issue notes upon the present perfectly sound and safe basis, without actual loss of interest. It is probable that these two objects can be accomplished by the single act of substituting long-time low-interest bonds for the present large volume of demand treasury notes. If any farther removal of the restrictions upon national banking is necessary, it will be slight, like reduction of the tax on circulation, which yields less than a million of revenue now, and extension of the circulation privilege to the face of the bonds deposited, in stead of to only 90 per cent. This would sacrifice neither revenue nor se curity. The great obstacle to issue of bank notes now is the scarcity and high price bonds, the volume of these having been reduced more than half by the foolish policy of applying revenues to that purpose, instead of to redemption of demand notes. Now a crisis has ar rived where we must redeem the de mand notes and go out of the banking business. This can be done only by large sale of bonds so large as to af ford an abundant basis for banking. Solution of the first of the vital problems of our currency, by sale of bonds and redemption of treasury notes, will solve the second also or solve It so nearly that solution can be made complete by some slight amendments of the national banking law by furnishing ample basis for banking. The very act of re tiring treasury notes with bonds will call into being an equal volume of bank notes. This will settle our financial difficul ties by placing the burden of mainte nance and redemption of credit money on the general business of the country, as represented by the banks, rather than upon the national treasury. -This is where the responsibility of redeeming credit money belongs and where it is put by every civilized nation. This policy enlists the Interest of the banks to sustain the credit money of the country instead of tempting them to attack it, in order to make profit out of disturbance of values and fluctua tions of purchasing power of money. This is the only possible solution of our financial difficulties. They will continue until it shall be adopted, no matter how long that may be. His honor, the mayor, assures a grat ified public that the expenses of the fire and police departments will be ma terially reduced during the current year as compared with their cost in 1S94, mentioning $25,000 as the sum that will be saved in the former department by lopping off useless expenditures. More over he says that "both departments are managed on a close, economical basis, yet their efficiency is up to a high standard." This is certainly cheering evidence of retrenchment that retrench es, both as a fact and as a possibility of accomplishment in other lines of municipal management. The salaries of city officials present a most tempting object for the practical economist to work upon. Not until these are brought within proper limits, divers and sun dry "assistants" and "deputies" dis charged and officials required to per form the duties designated by their titles, will the administration of city affairs approach a legitimate business basis. The Steeves trial is not only a heavy tax upon the public purse, but upon the public patience as well. Though based upon a tragedy, it has been from the first a howling farce In which at torneys have grimaced and scolded each other from morning until night, to the confusion, it may be feared, rath er than the enlightenment of the jury, and the manifest disgust of the judge. If conviction is to be secured it should be done while the pardon lamp "holds out to burn," otherwise the crowning act in the farce will of necessity be omitted; it acquittal follows, it may be hoped in economy's name that it will not be much longer delayed. One of the first acts of the extraordi nary session of congress in the spring, since this congress will do nothing, will be to provide revenue for the needs of the government, either by tariff or in ternal taxation. The treasury receipts for December were $6,009,000 less than the expenditures for the same time, and the deficiency since the beginning of the present fiscal year, not quite six months age, is $3S,009.00. This con stant deficit combines with distrust of our currency soundness to drain gold put of the-ireasury The- total -deficit so far this fiscal year Is very close to the total withdrawals of gold from the subtreasury at New York since the latest bond issue, less than one-third of which was for export. The demand for gold at home is far greater than that for shipment to Europe, and a considerable proportion of the gold taken from the treasury is to meet cur rent expenditures by the government, the rest being absorbed by banks in New York city, which desire to strengthen their own gold reserves in view of the decrease in the stock which is held for the people at large. The tariff law is as great a failure, con sidered as a revenue act, as the finan cial policy of the administration. Both must be changed as soon as the con gress elected last November can be called together. A LESSON IN MARINE HISTORY. The intelligent friend's of the Amer ican marine ar rapidly being aroused to the fact that a very necessary and important element in solving the prob lem of restoring our flag to the seas is the education of the general mind. Our people have been so busy with their own pri-ate affairs that interest in and knowledge of public concerns have lapsed. This is true of finance and in a pre-eminent degree of maritime mat ters. The maritime journals have long bewailed the lack of knowledge congressmen show in these matters. Their readers are, however, compara tively few, and recourse is being had, therefore, to the wide distribution of pamphlets and to articles in trade jour nals and newspapers. One of the first steps in a clear un derstanding of the condition and needs of our marine interests is the treaty of this government with Great Britain, which is frequently referred to in the press dispatches as bearing on the ship question. The American Economist prints a timely resume of the history of our merchant vessels, with special ref erence to this treaty. The first congress of the United States, in 17S9. enacted that goods imported in American-built ships paid 10 per cent less duty than goods imported in foreign ships. But this resulted in such a remarkable in crease in the. number of American ships that the revenues of the gov ernment fell off, and it was found nec essary to change the law so that goods imported in American ships paid the regular rate of duty, but the goods im ported in foreign ships paid an addi tional 10 per cent of customs tariff. This had the same effect, namely, to main tain the American merchant marine, and also to restore the .revenue to the requirements of the government. One of the results of the war of 1S12 was, however, that we agreed by treaty to discontinue this discrimination. This treaty was binding for four years. It was continued for an other ten years by the con vention of October 20, 181S, and it was again continued indefinitely by the convention and renewal of August C, 1827. The second article of this con vention, however, provides that either of the contracting parties can, at the expiration of the ten years, which was after October 20, 1828, annul the con vention by giving twelve months' no tice. This, therefore, Is meant by the talk of abrogating the treaty: That con gress at once give notice to annul; the annulment which would take effect in 1896, to be followed by the levy, as be fore, of a 10 per cent additional customs duty on goods imported in foreign bot toms. It is urged from the record of history that such an act would agaic build up our merchant marine. The fact should be pointed out upon every possible occasion, that it is sim ply impossible to build up the American marine by spread-eagle talk of our en ergy, resources and genius. We are grievously handicapped by the differ ence in wages paid Americans and those paid foreigners, and by the great aid extended foreign steamship owners by their governments. The government must do something to overcome these odds, or it will continue to be impos sible, just as it is today, for American shipping to compete with that of Great Britain. Reports of the gold production of the world for 1894 are not all made up yet, but the director of the mint thinks It will be not less than $175,000,000, or a gain of nearly $20,000,000 over the figures of 1893. The principal gains have been in the United States, the Witwaters randt region of South Africa, Australia and Russia. It was evident last sum mer that mining activity in Colorado and other Western states would carry the product of this country for the year from $35,935,000 to $42,000,000. It now looks as though the total would reach $45,000,000. Carefully revised es timates show an increase of $3,750,000 in Colorado, 2,000,000 in California, $1,000, 000 in "Montana, and $SOO,000 in Idaho. Large gains are also reported in other states for which exact figures have not yet been received at the mint. South African returns indicate a production of 2,300,000 ounces, against less than 1,800, 000 in 1S93. The value of this product was about $26,000,000 in 1S93, and will be about $3S,000,000 in 1S94. Australia, which showed a production in 1893 of $35,GSS,600, is credited with an increase of $3,000,000 in 1894. The Russian em pire was credited in the last mint re port with the same production in 1S93 as in 1S92, which was $24,806,200. Official figures since received show an increase in 1893 of about $1,500,000, and it is thought that this will rise to $2,000,000 for the present year. These gains alone will swell the world's production by $26,000,000, and would make an aggre gate of more than $181,000,000 If no losses were indicated in other countries. It is expected that such a loss may oc cur in China, where the reported prod uct of 1S93 was $S,426,000, on account of the war with Japan. The most liberal allowance for this loss makes the mint estimate of $175,000,000 conservative. This is about $20,000,000 more than the largest year's production of gold in the history of the world. "Mr. Sperry, of the house banking com mittee, understands what is needed, and has courage to act up to his knowl edge. He has prepared a substitute for the Carlisle bill, providing for refund ing all the treasury notes in a 5-per cent bond issue. This has been laid before the president, who certainly will approve it, though he may not think it worth while to urge it upon this con gress. But the next will have sense enough to pass It. Sacramento is reaping the fruit of Its sentimental dalliance with sturdy beg gars' and defiant idleness. It has cher ished various camps of lazy ruffians, who demanded to be fed without work, until vagrancy has grown to brigand age, mendicancy, to robbery, and bully ing of unprotected women and kitchen maids into 'assault and murder for plunder. There has been a reign of terror in the city, marked by the bold est robberies, brutal assaults and two or three horrid murders. The author ities seem powerless, but a citizens' committee has been formed for public protection, which is trying to get its courage up to the point of breaking up the tramp camps . and driving the sturdy vagrants out "of the city. The murderers in jail are. said to be in ter ror of lynching, but probably they need fear nothing from the people of Sacramento. In an old school reader we had a story of a man who was a victim of a pecu liar hallucination. His mental disor der found expression in the continual utterance, "Once one is two.' No mat ter what the subject of conversation or discussion might be, he always brought it to the conclusion, "Once one is two." This man seems to have been the true prototype of our silver lunatics. The world's ratio of silver to gold is 02 to 1. They say the ratio is 16 to 1. In other words, their hallucina tion is that of the old man who was everlastingly muttering, "Once one is two." The new vagrancy ordinance which has received the unanimous assent of the city council will, if vigorously en forced, do all that a law can do in pro tecting the public from these hangers on upon its bounty. The efficiency of the police department is readily gauged by its activity In carrying out the minor details of municipal laws enacted for the welfare of citizens and the cred it of the city. It may reasonably be supposed that this vagrancy ordinance can be enforced; certainly, therefore, it Is not unreasonable to expect that it will be. The amount of money sent to Europe from the United States by those who continue to help friends in "the old home" is enormous. During the three weeks preceding Christmas there were sent from the New York city postoffice alone 131.9C0 money orders. The amount they carried to Great Britain was $735,500, to Germany 5370,877, to Sweden $145,475, and to Italy $31,064. These remittances, though specially large at Christmas, are going on all the time. There is a city ordinance requiring property-owners to clean all the snow off their sidewalks before 10 A. M., un der penalty of fine, upon complaint and conviction in the municipal court. It is obviously the duty of police officers to present all delinquents on their beats under this ordinance and it is the duty of the municipal judge to en force the prescribed penalty upon all brought before him and convicted. Though the city has plenty of idle laborers at command in the prisoners in the city jail, the snow has net been cleared off the sidewalks before the city buildings. This is not a good ex ample to citizens whom It is the duty of the city authorities, under the law, to prosecute for failure to clear the snow off sidewalks before their pri vate property. It is not likely that anything will come of pending peace negotiations between China and Japan. It is evi dent that China ismerely playing for time, vaguely hoping that something will turn up. Japan. probably realizes this and will not relax her offensive activity. No wonder the prices of Oregon sal mon are depressed. The Charleston News and Courier brags on the fact that "the sturgeon of Georgetown, S. C, Is converted into the best salmon sold in the Northern markets." The democratic administration which was to bring unexampled pros perity to the nation, ran it $31,000,000 farther into debt last month. CHURCH TAXATION. One Who Doesn't Relieve lu Churches antl Want Them Titxed. PORTLAND, Jan. 3. (To the Editor.) I have read with a great deal of interest the communication of Mr. MeCamant, in The Oregonian of the 2d instant, upon the question of the taxation of church property. The Oregonian pronounces Mr. McCamant's views "un-American." This may all be so, but whether un-American or American, it is sound doctrine, and I defy any advocate of the exemption of church property from taxation to galnsay or disprove what Mr. MeCamant says. To me his argument is unanswerable. For clearness of reasoning It is seldom equaled In the columns of The Oregonian. The exemption of church property from taxation in certain states of this Union is, as Mr. MeCamant says, a linking of the question of church and state a ques tion the consummation of which . our fathere strove so carefully and so guard edly to provide against. In the early days of the republic there were great numbers who favored taxing all property in the support of one certain church. Our fathers said no. This move to exempt church properly is but a species of that idea. I do not want churches. I do not believe in them; and, neither believing! Ih them nor wanting them, I do not know why I should be taxed for their support. Why should they not pay their proportion of the general tax as well as I? The churches claim exemption upon the score of their doing the community a public good suppose them to be doing the community a pub lic good, is this any reason why they should be exempt from taxation? The Oregonian is doing this community a pub lic good, and I claim a vastly greater good than the churches of this city. Is this any reason why It should be exempted from taxation? I have no objection to people having churches if they wish them, but what I do object to is that I should be compelled to contribute to their main tenance. As I said before, I do not be lieve in them. I consider they do more harm than good. But this Is foreign to the subject matter the subject matter is the making of myself and thousands of others in this city pay for sombody's else privileges and enjoyments to which I am not a party and In which I am in no way interested. J. R. REED. This is narrow. The public Is not taxed to support the churches. Exemption of the churches, the buildings devoted to re ligious uses, throws 'po burden on per sons like Mr. Reed, who think churches an unnecessary evlL 2o one's taxes are increased by exemption of church build ings, for church buildings would not ex ist If taxed as private property; and where Is the city that would prohibit these ar chitectural structures that beautify and adorn it? Then, as man is not wholly a clod or an animal, these edifices produce an effect on his intellectual and moral nature that makes a constant influence for the puriflca-tloa of, society and the ele vation of humanity. They who cannot understand this clearly are insensible to the lessors uf history'orfthe consequences of trying to banish religion from the world. Man is a religious creature, or he is nothing. Every branch of art In all ages of the world oes Its development to his religious nature. The controlling influence over the whole nature of man, of the imagination that has produced the great art of the world. Is summed up in the history of civilization. Where is the person who is not subdued at once by the beauty of Milton's lines that describe "Storied windows richly dight. Casting a dim religious light"? Every person of true sensibility must regret that the argu ment for taxation of houses of worship runs always Into an assertion that churches are needless. They are not need less unless man feels that he possesses nothing at present and hopes for nothing hereafter! The Oregonian will say further that it did not pronounce Mr. McCamant's views "un-American." That was a headline that summed up "what he said In his ar ticle. Further, The Oregonian will take this occasion to say that the argument that property should not be taxed because it Is unproductive will not apply to private property as to churches, because such pri vate property, though for the time un productive. Is expected to have a pro ductive value presently, or Its owner wouldn't pay the taxes, and, in fact, would not be property at all. So, in this sense, churches are not property and never will be property. SENSE AROUT MONEY. Orcgoa "Want N't Debasement ot the Cnrrcney. Salem Statesman. The real goldbugs are the howlers who arc demanding that an ounce of silver be called a dollar (51 29 which would result in gold being the only money worth its present face value the only money each dollar of which would pay a dollar's worth of previously contracted debt the only money each dollar of which would buy a full dollar's worth of any article of com merce. Every Intelligent man must ad mit that this would be the result of the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. Every intelligent man does admit' It. No one but a fool will contend that the goevrnment can make 50 cents worth of silver worth a dollar by simply stamping it as such, any more than it can make a piece of paper worth a dollar by printing upon its face that it is a dollar, without some promise to redeem it. In order to make 50 cents worth of silver worth a dol lar, Or to make a piece of printed paper worth a dollar, the government must not' only take it as such when offered, but it must show its intention of continuing to do so, and, besides this, its ability to carry out Its intention. The government stamp does not help gold. It adds not a shade to its value. The gold coin of every country is put upon the scales In the London market and weighed, and the stamp of any gov ernment on earth lends no sort of value to the gold coin thereof, from the royal effigy of the czar to the likeness of the American eagle. There Is not a country on the face of the globe which has the free coinage of gold and silver, where the standard is not sil ver, and the silver coins pass as money only at the commercial value of the bullion they contain; there Is not a coun try under the sun where silver circulates by the side of gold where there are not similar provisions to those of our own government for the redemption of the sil ver coin In gold (or. maintaining exchange ability), thus giving the silver coins more value than they naturally possess, by rea son of their being convertible Into that which is of more value than themselves. The people of Oregon want more money, but they want good money. Their vote would be cast at a popular election with an overwhelming majority against the de basement of the currency." THREE DAYS' GRACE. lluukcrH "Will Present a. Bill to the Illinois Legislature to Abolish It. Chicago Tribune. The executive committee of the State Bankers' Association met at the Sherman house yesterday. The subject of abolition of the three days of grace was first con sidered and in accordance with the recom mendation of the state body it was de cided to present a bill to the coming ses sion of the legislature for the abolition of the three days attached to the life of a note. To the same committee, which will have charge of the measure, was also referred the presentation of another bill to make the indorser of a note or com mercial paper equally liable with the maker. At present the holder of a pro tested paper must exhaust the maker be fore recourse can be had on the Indorser. The bankers desire the law so framed that they can proceed against both and recover from the most available on the judgment rendered. The committee directed the appointment of a committee to report at the next con vention a plan for mutual action in the punishment of forgers. o PERSONS "WORTH KNOWING ABOUT. Miss Emily Davies, who laid the founda tion of Girton college In 1S69, Is still liv ing. Mme. Bodichon, who gave the first endowment to Girton ($3000), is dead. D. L. Moody, who is holding a revival at Lowell, Mass., has been obliged to shut all Christians out of the meetings In or der to make room for those who are not Christians. Archduchess Elizabeth, daughter of the Crown Princess Stephanie of Austria, is said to own the smallest dog In the world. It weighs about half a pound and Is seven Inches long and seven inches high. Few persons know that Huntingdon, Pa., was named in honor of the Countess of Huntingdon, an ISth century great lady, who did much for the university of Penn sylvania. Provost William Smith, of the university, founded the little city In 1777, and gratefully honored the- university's patron in naming the new settlement. Henry R. Pomeroy, who died recently at the city hospital In Indianapolis, was the personal friend of three presidents. He was a neighbor of Lincoln, a com panion of Grant, and a close acquaintance of Arthur. He had been a newspaper writer and an inventor, but hard times and ill-luck sent both himself and his wife to the poorhouse. Abbe Theure, of Loigny, has been given the chief prize of 52500 by the French academy for his bravery. The abbe, on December 2. 1S70, under a heavy fire, saved more than 500 wounded, French and Ger man, who, in the confusion of a night combat, would otherwise have been mas sacred. On the following day he attended more than 1000 wounded In his parsonage and church. Mr. Whltelaw Reld, who sailed for the Mediterranean early In December, is, ac cording to latest advices, spending a few days in Morocco. At Tangiers, the Amer ican consul-general presented him to the young sultan's minister of foreign affairs, the sultan himself being at Fez, and also to the Moorish governor of the provinces. Mr. Reld was received with some show by the soldiers. The next day both these offi cials called upon him by appointment. Mr. Reld has already been benefited by his short stay in the Mediterranean, and Is gaining in health and strength. "The Falrmount Park Art Association," says the Philadelphia Times, "ha3at length iiTirtprtnlrpn a niihllo dutv that has hn rirnmizfi for manv vears. This is thp erection of suitable memorials to Ben jamin Franklin and Robert Morris, the two inuaaeiphians most consnicuons for their services to American Independence. Franklin is variously remembered In PhU- aueipma, out there is no actual public monument especially dedicated to hlm, and Morris, than whom no civilian la more entitled to national gratitude, and wno is. moreover, a. distinctly representa tive Phlladelphian, is without any fit me morial at all." A SIMPLE FINANCIAL PLAN. Exchange of Lcsal Tender Notes for Bonds, as Formerly. PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 3.-(To the Ed itor.) Much has been said and written upon the banking and currency question. There la one of two ways in the line of remedial legislation that can be proceeded with, and the adoption of a method that will Interfere as little as possible with ex isting methods of national banking as now in vogue would seem to commend Itself to our judgment. This system has stood the test for over CO years, and no bill holder and but few depositors have ever met with serious loss under Its banking provisions. The simplest way therefore to retire the legal tender currency would be substantially to re-act the law that provid ed that any one with $1000 in legal tenders could present the same to the treasury and receive a bond bearing interest (for merly six per cent). Now let them be funded at three per cent. This will grad ually retire the redundancy or surplus of legal tenders In circulation, and the bonds Will form a basis for additional bank cir culation, and make It incumbent upon the banks to redeem their currency in coin when demanded. One other method could be adopted to take care ot these trouble some legal tender notes; say authorize the Issue of $300,000,000 two per cent regis tered bonds, bearing interest, payable quarterly; authorize the legal tenders to be funded Into these bonds, whenever the redundancy is too great, (holders will avail themselves of this privilege); let these legal tenders be retained (one dol lar" for every dollar of bonds Issued) In the subtreasury at New York, as a redemp tion fund, and the bonds be redeemed on demand from this fund less any accumu lated Interest not dae. This would make the bond3 and legal tenders interchange able, and in times of stringency, would furnish an elastic currency. In making the interest on these bonds, payable quar terly, no one in the exchange for legal ten ders could lose quite one-half of one per' cent, and In a time of stringency, the forfeit of this one-half per cent would not be a matter of any consideration, In order to realize for an emergency. The bonds may be called "the interchangeable bond," and the fund called the "Interchange able redemption fund." These bonds would be largely used at the great com mercial centers, where money accumu lates, and where the Interchange would take place. When legal tenders are plenty they will be changed for the bonds. When money Is scarce they will exchange the bonds for the legal tenders. This, In my judgment, would also obviate to a great extent the issue of clearing-house cer tificates. H. W. CORBETT. o FIRST-SNOW POEMS. " New York Sun. Snow, snow. The beautiful snow; We wished it would come, Now we wish it would so! As first Joys frequent Turn to pain. So doth the first snow Turn to rain! "When the blizzard blithely buzzes, And the snowflakes softly drop. Then we don our old goloshes And so sloshing: through the slop! "The snow, dear Fred, Doth blow," she said: " "I fear mamma won't come." Said he: "Then still That wind is III Which blows no good to some"' She talked of snow and merry bells. And all the joys ot sleighing; But now she's changed her tune and tells The fond delights of Maying! Cliff House Well Rnrneil. Philadelphia Bulletin. The burning of the famous Cliff House, near San Francisco, can hardly be called a calamity, since the antiquated structure is to be replaced by one more in keeping with the demands of the times. To a Philadelphlan the low, rambling building, with its lunch-counters, prominent bar, shabby surroundings and general air of dilapidation, was strongly suggestive of Gloucester. It was not the kind of thing he expected to find guarding the Golden Gate, and It was more than ever out of place when Sutro built his magnificent million-dollar bnth-house beside it. In the presence of this, of the magnificent park on the heights above it and of the grandly beautiful scenery to be viewed from that point the Cliff House was an eyesore. It could not have been burned at a better time, and San Francisco should rejoice in its loss. There is a chance, now, for a handsome hotel as the chief ornament of what is beginning to be the city's great pleasure resort, although, as yet, San Franciscans themselves care less for the beauties of the Golden Gate than do visitors from the East. Must be for Revenge. Grant's Pass Courier. The manner in which Governor Pennoy er has been pardoning cold-blooded mur derers and other felons has disgusted many decent people who were otherwise kindly disposed toward him. There is ab solutely no excuse for many of the par dons he has been so lavishly bestowing of late and the governor has evidently turned these outlaws out on the com munity in revenge for the manner in which the state refused to vote for him last June. There can be no other excuse for his unreasonable actions. Oi- Word to That Effect. Marshfield News. Among the distinguished visitors at Marshfield on Monday was Indian Jack son, hyas tyee of the Coos bay slwashes, whose wigwam Is located at Dewey's rock. The great war chief was accom panied by hl3 favorite kloochman and daughter Lottie, and the object of their visit was to purchase Christmas goods for a hyas skookum fandango, to be held during the holidays. Another Chance for Royalty. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The story to the effect that "Lord Ran dolph Churchill's happiness was wrecked by royal libertinism" some years ago, presents another opportunity for the Prince of Wales to "perjure himself like a gentleman." O i His Whiskers Too Expansive. Gold Beach Gazette. J. H. Upton, when down here last week, reported the heaviest wind of the season so heavy that it blew him bodily from his horse, when on the summit of Cole brook hill, near Frankport. The Governor in Prayer. New York Evening Sun. Governor Pennoyer, of Oregon, on his knees praying that the present admin istration may be guided into the light of purer 'populism, Is a subject for a great historical picture. a And Still the Wonder Grows. Atlanta Constitution (Dem.). Once more we ask why there i3 not some democrat in congress willing and capable of leading this herd of patronage bought and bulldozed and bewildered dem ocrats. m Five Thousand Dollars Per Year. PORTLAND, Jan. 3. (To the Editor.) What salary Is each senator, representa tive and delegate entitled to, or is the compensation of each member of congress the same? A1ANY READERS. XEWS OJF TOE NORTHWEST. Oregon. John Craig, the Eugene forger, was held in $500 bonds to the grand jury- He, gave bonds. Jim Averill, the Plstol-rlver duelist, has been put under $1500 bonds to answer to the Curry county grand jury. Secretary of State Kincald will refuse to grant the use of the state house for an Inaugural ball, he having written to 28 members of the legislature, who object to its being used for that purpose. At a meeting of the stockholders of the Eugene Loan & Savings bank, the paid up capital was increased, from $40,000 to $50,000. and the following named directors elected to serve the ensuing year: J. C. Church. J. B. Harris, W. E. Brown. B. D. Palno and F. W. Osburn. At the directors meeting, which Immediately followed, J. C. Church was re-elected president and F. W. Osburn cashier. John Sexton was arrested at Eugene Wednesday, charged with adultery com mitted with Eliza J. Smith, wife of C. C. Smith, prosecuting attorney. The woman is about 50 years old and Is expected to be arrested also. The Smiths have a fami ly grown and have been married about SO years. Sexton is single and about 33 years old. The case has created considerable excitement In Spencer precinct. Lane county, where they reside. Grandma Townsend died in Dallas De cember 30, at the residence of Hon. W. C. Brown, her son-in-law, with whom she had made her home for the past 52 years. Harriett Townsend was born near Nashville, Tenn., October 25, 1S00, and was, therefore, S3 years, 2 months and 2 days old. In 1S21 she removed with her parents to Missouri, and in lS2t was mar ried to James Townsend, who died in that state in 183S. She came to Oregon in 1W7. At the Coquille dairymen's convention, held at Coquille City last week, a perma nent organization was) effected: J. J. Lamb, president; R. C. Dement, vice-president; S. D. Sanford, treasurer: W. C. Bul lard. secretary. The sense of the meet ing was taken and found to favor a plan of co-operation, and It was decided to either purchase or lease one of the cream erics on the Coquille. A committee has the matter in hand and will report at a subsequent meeting. Some dispute has arisen in and about Lyons over the reputed refusal of the M. E. church for funeral purposes, a state ment to which effect has been published but refuted. Since then one of J. G. Boulin's (from whom it is said came the report ot the refusal of the church) cows was said to have been cruelly de prived of her ears, and the owner of the cow is reported as attributing the deed to the Methodists. This led to a wordy war between Mr. J. H. Barlow and Boulin, the latter drawing a revolver to em phasize his arguments. Bystanders in terfered and quieted the dispute. AVashlngton. The Douglas county commissioners are again being urged to buy strychnine for the farmers to use to poison squirrels. The pests are very bad in certain dis tricts. A Minneapolis seed firm is negotiating contracts for seed-growing on 500 acres of Big Bend farms. If the first year's work is satisfactory, the area used will be Increased to 2000 acres. Tom Cannon and a couple of compan ions killed IS deer while on a two or three days hunt up the Entiat recently. Four teen of the dead animals decorated a Waterville butcher-shop Saturday. The Seattle News estimates the losses of the Dally Telegraph during the three years of its proprietorship of Messrs. Burke and Gilman, at $150,000; subsequent losses under the Collins-Sander syndicate and John Collins, probably $100,000. A memorial, prepared by the county commissioners of Okanogan, has been sent to congress, praying for an appro priation of $23,000 for the opening of the Okanogan river from its confluence with the Columbia to Osooyoos lake, on the .tsrmsn ime. James H. Causten, James W. Jones and D. H. Kenaga have been appointed by the treasury department as an examining board for the Puget sound customs dis trict. This puts the district one step near er the civil service regime recently an nounced for the customs service. Ellery Rogers has leased the boom of the Belllngham Bay Boom Company, at the mouth of the Nooksack river, and the river is open so steamers can reach Fern dale. Mr. Rogers has taken 250,000 feet of logs out of the river. The company claims to have spent 5S0.0Q0 on the boom, and to have done more to keep the river open than the government. There are in the state some 35 flouring mills that do custom grinding, and in addition there are a dozen or so small mills that confine themselves to local busi ness, exchange and feed-grinding. The daily capacity of the state mills will reach about 75C0 barrels per day, or something over 200,000 barrels per month. There 13 at present exported about 30,000 barrels per month, which is about 23 per cent of the capacity of the mills, and this amount could easily be doubled if proper carrying capacity were available. As an evidence of what is looked for In the way of Eastern lumber business, it is stated that the Port Blakeley mill, which has heretofore cut exclusively 'for the cargo trade, will enter the trade a3 a com petitor for Eastern business. In order to do this It will be necessary to expend something like $25,000 for transfer facili ties. This the Port Blakeley people are said to be cheerfully doing. The St. Paul & Tacoma mill has an order that is somewhat of a departure In Puget sound business, and the flattering part of the departure is that the order is to go to the far East. It is for 100,000 of gutters and eaves, the cut being from clear fir. The stuff is to go to Buffalo, Providence and other Eastern cities. PARAGRAPHERS' FLEASAXTRIES. "I wonder why it is called an intelli gence oflice?" "Stupid boy, because peo ple who lack cents go there." Chicago Inter-Ocean. Man may marry for economy, Since the damsel of today Is less expensive as a wife Tban as a fiancee. Detroit Tribune. A Grafton (N. D.) thief stole the steeple off of the Baptist church. That thief ought to be able to give some of the church papers a good ecclesiastical point er. Minneapolis Journal. I know at least a score of girls. And like them all so well That, though I'm sure I've lost my heart, Who has It I can't tell. New York Herald In these sad, melancoly days The grocer fills the Idle hour By dumping new cornmeal in sacks. To label "Extra Buckwheat Flour." Cleveland Plalndealer. Tough Have you got pull enough In Washington to get a patent fer me? Patent Lawyer What's your invention? Tough It's a pneumatic tire fer perlice clubs. New York Weekly. "There is no chance for a man without cash," Ho wailed in tones of dispair. And his words they were neither thought less nor rash. For he'd been to a big church fair. Buffalo Courier. "Who is the author of the song, 'Ben Bolt?' " asked the New York girl. "Thomas Dunn English," said the Phil adelphia girl. "That cannot be the name," said the Boston girl. "Why not?" "It must be Thomas Did English." New York Press. "There comes that Mrs. Flowers: let's hurry along." "Why I thought you kissed each other on the street yesterday when you met?" "We did; and that's the reason I want to escape her today. I think she is going to ask me to con tribute something for that next mission ary tea." Pittsburg Dispatch.