VB3B -UOEKTSQ -OSEGOSIA2T,; SATTJEBi;? $3STTf2&S&-&fiaf&:,
ht rXjmtm
Entered at the Postof3ce .t Portland. Orzoa,
u second-class mattes.
P.EVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
By Mail (postage prepaid) la Advance.
Daiiy, with Sunday, per menth $ 1
Xtelly, Sunday excepted, per year.... 10
Daily, with Sunday, per year -
Sunday, per jear.. ....... -
The Wekty. per year 1 j
The Weekly, three raontM
TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS.
Dally, per week. deMvered. Sunday excepted.-25c
2aily, per -week, delivered. Sunday Included..::
11VILY METEOROLOGICAL KEI'OHT
PORTLAND. Jan. 4. S I'. M. Maximum
temperature. -15: minimum temperature. a:
height of river at 11 A. M.. 7.4: change in the
part 24 hour?. 3.5: total predpHation today,
. total precHrftatlon from September 1, I'l
wet seaxmi. to date, 16.C4: average, 'HJSZ; de
Jicieno, ri.Cb.
WEATHER SVXOPSIS.
Heavy rain fell mi California during the part
12 liours. and Hunter ram m Western Oregon.
There has been a decided change in the tem
perature In Northern Oregw. beeeming much
warmer. No reprw have been received from
"Washington and EaMern Oregon. Prom the
fat that the barometer is reading lower at
Portland than at places to the uthward. It is
inferred that the storm's center is In British
Iumbia. and that raiH must necessarily con
tinue from such a. condition.
WEATHER FORECASTS.
VorecatU made at Portland for the 24 hours
Uridine at midnight January :
IV,r Western WatMngtoa and Western Oregon
-- ontinued rain and nearly stationary u-tnixr-aturc,
with freeh southerly winds; sales on the
coast.
Fur Portland Rain and sIlRlit temperature
changes, w ith f re-h southerly winds.
B. S. PAGCE. Local Forecast OBk-.al.
before the president can set rid of
this congress and call the 54th in extra
session. That is, the public debt prob
ably must be increased 550,tw0,000 more
before government comes into hands of
legislators with sense enough to stop
the drain.
I'OHTLAM), SVTl'RDYY, JAMAHY 3.
SPECIAL FEATURES TOMORROW.
Continuation at Bret Harte's new story of the
cnil war. Cterenee." Illustrated.
"Not PrnclleaU." A new short story bj' An
thony Hope. HlHetralrrf.
"Bau" jitiilosoplilzes thh. week upon "The
Woes of Womankind."
"Great Da." an illustrated atride on famous
brnch-ahow prizewinners and iiolnts in breed
ing. vz "Woman's Departnient" contains the UMtal
.Trench falion letter, an article descriptive
i skating costumes, and another on toboK
Kannlng, all Illustrated with drawings of new
designs in wraps.
The "Youth's Deparment" oontains a continua
tion of the "Little Mr. TblmblefinKer" sterie.
fcj Joel Chandler Harris, an interestinK his
torical s&etch of "Xapoleon's Only Son," an
article on "Trained Bee?." and a descrip
tion of "Twelfth Night Games." All illus
trated. ?
"Sodal Happenlnge" contains a record of Hie
doings of hociety people for the past wek in
Portland and vicinity.
THE INTENT OP THE PEOPLE.
Oregon's definite purpose last June
was to suppress Pennoyerism. This
was alike the purpose of republicans
and democrats. The central principle
of Pennoyerism was base money. Part
of the scheme of base money was free
coinage of silver. It was set out
through the public journals and pro
claimed by public speakers in every
part of the state that Oregon could not
afford to express approval of Pennoyer
ism, with its free silver and base money
schemes, and its general assortment of
socialistic and populistic follies. The
emphatic result of the election was due
to the desire of the people to crush once
for all the effort to commit Oregon to
irrational finance schemes and ruinous
currency schemes, with the whole train
of attendant follies, perilous to sound
and safe financial administration, that
are bound up In the term "Pennoyer-'
ism."
Lately it has been assumed In some
(quarters that Pennoyerism was not
beaten after all; that Oregon did not
declare against free silver and base
money; that the populist platform, not;
the republican, was endorsed by the
people of Oregon; and hence a senator
must now be elected who will stand
for that victorious populism, which the
people of Oregon voted for last June.
Jf that is so, then no man like Fulton or
Tongue, no man who supported the
republican ticket on the republican plat
form last June, ought to be elected to
the senate. The election is due to
Pennoyer himself.
Men who did not act with the repub
lican party last spring, but who fought
it expressly because the party, its plat
form and its candidates were alike op
posed to adoption of silver as the stand
ard of money; men who did their utmost
lo defeat the republican party because,
sis they knew and said, "nothing could
he expected for silver from it," have
been endeavoring during many weeks
Xo take the leadership of the repub
lican party for election of a free-silver
senator. The noise they make attracts
some attention; but after all, a senator
"ft 111 be elected who will not favor free
coinage of silver and consequent de
basement of the money of the country;
a. senator, in short, who is a republican,
and not a Pennoyerist.
Oregon was very solicitous for her
name last June. She made a great ef
fort to set her seal of condemnation
Sn the most emphatic manner on all
.razy notions of finance, on all pro
jects of base money, on all schemes
vf lax and inefficient administration, on
ull theories of fiat value on all things,
in short, that are summed up in the
term Pennoyerism. The people votd
th republican ticket tremendously.
5reat numbers of democrats, men of
business and men of affairs, voted u.
The voted it for a definite purpose.
They saw that was the way to vote
t-ffectlvely against the loose and dan
gerous schemes of populism, chief of
vhich is free coinage of silver and
degredation of money to the level of
the silver market: to be followed by
withdrawal of gold from circulation,
general impairment and curtailment of
t redlt. and a terrible crisis to industrv
and business. This was the meaning
of the overwhelming republican vic
tory in Oregon last June. The silver
ttes, headed by Pennoyer, universally
complained that "the democratic gold
bugs and plutocrats had joined the re
publicans, and voted the republican
ticket."
The afterthought of reviving Pen
noyerism and populism, of etting the
result of the June election aside by elec
tion of a senator on Pennoyer's prin
t jples, will not be thought to have much
merit when the legislature shall assem
ble and settle down to business. Xo
republican Jumping on Pennoyer's plat
form, disguised In the robes, or rags, of
populirm, will be able to deceive or
mislead the people of Oregon.
GOYER.YMEXT AND BANK PAPER.
A correspondent criticizing Senator
Fnrweli's suggestion that the govern
ment retire the treasury notes by fund
ing them in fifty-year bonds, and relax
some of the restrictions of the national
banking law, so that an adequate vol
ume of credit currency can be provided
under it, addresses the following to The
Oregonian: "Will jou please tell me
how the government is to get out of the
currency business If its bonds are to be
the basis for the issue of currency, even
by the national banks? And will you
please also tell me why, if its bonds,
bearing 2 per cent interest, are good
enough to form a basis for the issue
of currency, the go ernment should not
Issue the currency direct, and save the
interest?"
It may not be easy to make the per
fectly simple and obvious answer to
this question entirely clear to a mind
which sees no difference between the
sale of an interest-bearing bond to a
voluntary bidder, who buys it as an
investment, and the forced issue of
treasury notes, in payments by the
government to Its citizens, which are
nominally due on demand, but which,
in reality, the government has no
money to pay, if even one-fourth of
them were presented for redemption
at once.
But it ought to be clear that the gov
ernment will be cut of the banking
business when it is no longer responsi
ble for redemption of the credit money
of the country; when it is not obliged
to keep a coin reserve like a bank of
issue; when the value of the circulating
medium does not depend upon the vis
ible resources of the treasury, shifting
with the size of the gold reserve, or the
fluctuations of revenue; wnen the sta
bility of that which passes for money
and the uniformity of that which meas
ures values does rot depend upon the
shifting breezes of popular opinion, and
the constant changes of party admin
istrations. The grand object of the change pro
posed by Senator Farwell'is to take the
burden of redemption of credit money
from the national treasury and place it
upon the capital and the business of
the country, represented by the banks.
Under the national banking system
the government has no responsibility
for redeeming the notes. The capital
of the banks is pledged for their re
demption, not formally, but actually,
since an amount equal to the notes,
under the proposed plan most liberal
to the banks, must be deposited in the
tieasury in form of bonds. When the
government redeems the notes of a
failed bunk, it sells these pledged bonds
for money to do it with. The notes are
really redeemed out of the capital of
the bank. The government has In
curred no risk and suffers no loss by
its service as redemption agent for the
banks for protection of noteholders.
Therefore it is out of the 'banking bus
iness, under the national banking sys
tem, even if its own bonds do form a
basis for circulation.
The second question of our corre
spondent really Is answered in the
above, but it may be profitable to try
to make more clear the distinction he
fails to grasp. Bonds are a sound
basis for banking, because their pur
chase is a voluntary act, and the cap
ital of the country will not buy more
of them at par than it believes gov
ernment can pay interest upon and re
deem when due. Treasury notes are
not a safe currency, because they are
forced upon the country by payment
to creditors of the government, and
their volume has relation neither to the
real ability of the treasury to redeem
them, nor to public confidence in that
ability. Thus resort to a credit money
of government paper inevitably and al
ways leads to a crisis, like the present,
in which presentation of the notes for
redemption exceeds the ability of the
treasury to take them up. Were bank
notes redundant and pressing for re
demption, the banks would have to
take them up or suspend, in which
case the treasury would take up the
notes, not with its own money, but
with money realized by sale of bonds
of the banks in pledge with it, these
bonds having been bought with the
money of the bank, and representing
part of their capital. That is the dif
ference between treasury notes anu
national bank notes.
buildings. Security, economy and con
venience have aided and waited npon
the practice of carrying structures in
central thoroughfares to great heights.
In ordinary mining, the great reduction
in the cost of steel beams has been an
Important factor in extending their use
for propping'and roofing. Wood is still
cheaper in some localities, but the fu
ture of the steel beam and post in min
ing operations is practically assured.
It is of interest to note also that in the
proposed construction of a dam to be
built across the Santa Ana river, in
Southern California, steel is to be large
ly used. The face of the dam is to be
of riveted steel-plate, and the supports
of tubular steel. The cost will be less
than one-half the ccst of masonry, the
material used will be capable of more
rapid construction, and the work when
finished will be less liable to rupture
from seismic disturbances. It is need
less to say these advantages point to a
new era in dam-building.
throughout the stcrm belt generally
are still to be heard from. Most of the
damaged trees are of the class that
makes rapid, growth, so that by proper
pruning they will recover what is lost
in a year or two at the farthest. The
loss to next year's crop will probably
be considerable, but a partial recom
pense for lack in quantity is more than
likely to be made "up in the quality of
the fruit produced, and in any event
there is very little Sanger of a serious
shortage. The discomfort of such a
storm Js not great, but it caused much
inconvenience, and the true Oregonian
welcomed, as an old and tried friend.
the coming of the rain, which promised
a speedy relief from its annoyances.
A.V EXCELLENT EXAMPLE.
The fire department of Portland has
been brought to an economical basis
without impairment of its efficiency.
The commissioners now in office are ful
filling the just expectations of the tax
paj ers of the city. The cost of the de
partment for the year 1S93 was $150,
55S 09, and the estimate of the former
commissioners for the year 1S94 was
5153.000. During the first half of the
year 1S94 the expenditure was $74,-
769 SI; during the last half, (under the
new commisisoneis), the expenditure
was $58,031 63. This makes a' reduction
in six months of $16,737 65.
The estimate of the commisisoners
for 1S95 is $109,800, and it is their pur
pose to support the service for this sum.
It is $40,748 09 less than the expense of
1893, and nearly $24,000 less than that
of 1S94. It is a considerable reduction,
moi'eover, from the late of expense on
the reduced scale for the last half of
the year '94.
The force has been reduced by about
35 men. yet it is believed now to be
adequate for all demands In all ways
the closest economies consistent with
general efficiency are enforced. Close
watch is kept by the commisisoners of
all the details of expenditure, and all
the property of the department is util
ized to the utmost through vigilant in
spection and careful repairs.
The police department has not yet
been brought under equally rigid rules
of economic administration, but it
should be. If the expense of the fire
department can be reduced nearly 30
per cent, it should be still easier to
make an equal reduction, or even a
greater, in the cost of the police de
partment. Some reduction In this de
partment has, we think, been made,
but it is not considerable enough. The
cost of the police force of this city
should be brought within $75,000 a year.
There should be reduction also of the
expenditure for public lighting. On the
1st of April, at -the expiration of the
present contract, the number of lights
in the city may be reduced 25 per cent.
This must be enforced. We are not
complaining of the price of the lights)
but the city Is buying more light than it
can afford. There is no private citizen
who does not study economy in the use
of light as in all oiher things, and the
city at the earliest practicable time
must adopt the same rule. The strict
est possible economy must be enforced
In all public expenditures. The fire de
partment has set an excellent example.
Portland has been pretty nearly iso
lated from the world for the last two
days, as the meager telegraphic columns
of The Oregonian prove. But it Is a
fact of some interest that this paper
has had about as much telegraphic
news in this stress, when two-thirds
of its dispatches were cut off, as any
other paper west of the Rocky moun
tains, outside of San Francisco, prints
in the best times.
Water filters and Ice, excess of light
and luxuries of various kinds, which
taxpayers can't afford in their own.
homes, are supplied by the public funds
in state, county and city offices. Hen
in office, who do not buy these luxui'ies
at their own homes, have no hesitation
In ordering them when they are to be
paid for out of the public funds.
chased these lands from the Northern
Pacific had a right to expect of the gov
ernment. Nor can any one complain "who
may have initiated an adverse claim as
a settler. They had notice of the rights
and equities- of these people, their pos
session and improvements warned them
of these facts.
There are two sides to this "honest set
tler" cry so often raised to shield real
"invaders" (as the secretary In one case
designates them) of the private property
of others. Also in the case of the lands
in dispute and patented to the Oregon &
California Railroad Company, and every
siroilar case. We may say that were the
grantors any less a personage than the
general governmert, they would be con
cluded by issuing this patent -where the
title had passed to an innoeent pur
chaser, and it is to give this transaction
the same effect that the act of March 3,
1SS7, provides in the fourth section as
stated.
The department and the courts should
give the most liberal construction of
laws passed by congress to accomplish
this end.
It has been with an aim to accomplish
the beneficent end, and at the earnest so
licitation of many vitally interested, that
Mr. Dolph has acted, and expects, we
hope, to continue; and while I am not
engaged for his defense, and especially
not so for his re-election, yet I do think,
after he has manifested the interest he
has in this important matter, justice de
mands the facts should be known, and
proper motives credited to him for his
acts. W. T. BCRNEY.
Governor Pennoyer still has it in his
power to render the state and the cause
of public honesty one last service be
fore the close of his term, by seeing to
it that the ballots for selection of school
books are not tampered with. How
much soever the governor's opinions
are questioned, his honesty is relied on.
The only bimetalist is the man who
opposes free coinage of silver: Free
coinage of silver at 16 to 1
simply silver monometalism. We have
both gold and silver now, but with
free coinage of silver we should have
silver only.
Mr. Reed la correct, and: I cannot see how
The Oregonian can safely assume from
the history of the past that taxation
would exterminate them.
There are many people, whb, like Mr.
Reed, think the progress of civilisation
has not been advanced by the churches,
but rather that it has been retarded by
them. This view -would seem to be sup
ported by the fact that in those countries
where the Protestant religion prevails
progress has been most marked. In other
words, the further a country gets from
dogmatic beliefs, and the less it is en
thralled by superstition, the greater
strides It makes in civilization; and may
not the remnant of those crude supersti
tions, which the protestant churches still
contain, be a retarding power even In
those more progressive countries. It
seems to me, that the fact that this ex
emption of church edifices is abused by
including other church property to large
amounts, and, as The Oregonian recently
admitted, there seems no way to prevent
this abuse, that this alone should settle
the question. That the "hard shell" Bap
tist church should be the one pf all others
to advance the liberal and just idea of
church taxation Is to its credit but just
how far it is actuated by the hope of
crippling the Catholic church, I do not
pretend to say.
ONE OF THE CLODS.
ABOUT SALMON" PROTECTION.
It would be interesting to know what
and whose meddling attempt provoksd
the recent declaration of the Japan3se
foreign minister that Japan "will know
how to deal with China without the td
vlce of any foreign country."
It is said that the new secretary of
state is opposed to an inaugural ball.
That is very wise. We see no reason
why we should have an inaugural ball.
There is nothing to bawl about.
The debate on the taxation of church
property has developed an extraordi
nary amount of Philistinism in Port-laud.
Copies of the New Tear's Oregonian
may still be had at the office of publication.
LET JUSTICE PREVAIL.
Congress continues to gabble, while
the gold runs cut of the treasury- The
leserve probably will fall below $S0,O09,
UM) before the end of this week. It has
fallen nearly $30,000,000 since the last
bond sale, near the end of Xovembtr.
This is at the rate of about $5,000,000
per week. At this rate, the reserve
w ill be below $60,000,000 bafore March 4,
nud another bond sale .will'benecesar'
AMERICAN" ART EXCELLING.
It is nothing to the discredit of the
United States that its civilization, in
some phases commendable, has very
little in literature and less in art to
commend it to future ages. Its litera
ture and its art are both in great meas
ure imitations and blendings of the
thoughts and creations of other lands.
But its limitations are those neccssarlly
concomltant of youth and inexperi
ence. In common with the peoples of
other times, we follow in our history
the logical and natural order of devel
opment. A nation learns to build Its
house before it begins to beautify the
Interior. Accordingly, we are now, as
a people, at work upon architecture.
Architecture and engineeerlng, once
Identified, became somewhat disasso
ciated through several centuries cf
bastard art. The achievements cf mod
ern engineering are now followed by
this result: That the true connection
between architecture and engineering
Is now to be restored; and this, in the
esthetic aspect of the matter, by
adupting to the problems of architec
ture the new resources ot engineering.
The chief factor in the situation is the
application of metal to building pur
poses. This work is peculiarly Amer
ican in its best and highest develop
ment, it includes the introduction of
the cast-iron column: the displace
ment of cast by wrought-iron, built
into suitable shapes, and the gradual
introduction and use of steel. In gen
eral, the architectural gains made have
been greater rigidity with less mateiial:
economy of space in outer and partition
walls; the approximate completion of
buildings at the factory, rather than
in the street, increasing the earning
oapacity of the ground by making lofty
structures possible, and safety from
tire and other disturbances.
Obviously, little has yet been made
from our wonderful structural f teel but
objectsof theseverest practicability; but
the possibilities are as great for effects
both beautiful and imposing. The
achievement along practical lines is
very great, and of Increasing promise.
The United States has led the way in
this extension of the use of steel and
iron for railroad ties, mining beams
and posts, 'in marine, construction, for
brldges1 and fr public and private
The statement which is said to ac
company the Bluefields correspondence
transmitted by the president to the sei
ate, that the administration has suc
ceeded in removing obstruction to
American construction of the Nicar
agua canal, by inducing Great Britain
to withdraw her pretensions to a pro
tectorate over the Mosquito coast, is
very optimistic. The serious obstruc
tion to building of this canal by the
United States is the British pretension
to common use of it as neutral waters.
This is based, not on her vanished
protectorate over part of Nicaragua,
but on the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, py
which we deliberately agreed that we
would claim no exclusive right to con
trol, fortify or protect such a canal,
if it ever should be built. We have
been trying to get this treaty annulled
for ten or fifteen years, but the English
hold tenaciously to their rights under
it. Mr. Blaine contended that the
treaty had been violated by Great
Britain, in that she had asserted ter
ritorial rights in Honduras, as well as
in Nicaragua, contrary to its provisions,
and that the treaty was therefore no
longer binding upon us. It may well
have been remembrance of this con
tention that induced Great Britain to
withdraw her pretensions to a pro
tectorate over the Mosquito coast, be
lieving that she would thus strengthen
her own contentions that the Clayton
Bulwer treaty must be regarded as still
in force. Her apparent surrender at
Bluefields. then, really discovers pur
pose to hold out firmly on the main
question. It is improbable that the
Clay ton-Bui wer treaty ever will be ab
rogated by diplomacy. Wc shall have
to repeal It, so far as it binds us, by
an act of congress, and let Great Britain
make the best of it.
Nathan Straus is one of the practical
philanthropists of New York. The
Straus coal yards, from which coal was
distributed to the poor at the rate of
twenty-five pounds for 5 cents last
winter, were again opened for business
early in December, making it possible
for hundreds of the more thrifty poor
families to have comfortable warmth
in their homes without asking fuel as
a charity. His plan is to buy coal in
5000-ton lots, and sell it in small quan
tities at the price stated. This does not
quite pay expenses, but is yet not a
gratuity, the tendency of which is to
undermine self-respect and sap the
foundations of personal effort. The en
lightened philanthiopy of the age is
that which administers its own bounty
and makes each dollar thereof do full
duty without increasing pauperism.
The features of the snow and sleet
storm that is now abating were tame
and commonplace. The temperature
was so mild throughout its continu
ance that no one suffered the sharp
pinch of cold. The most serious incon
venience was caused by the stoppage
of the street-cars, and the greatest ac
cruing damage was the destruction of
many shade and fruit trees and much
shrubbery by the heavy weight of the
sleet that accumulated on their
branches. The poplars and locust trees
that abound in some sections of the
city are almost entirely crushed, and
many of them are uprooted, while pear
and apple trees in door yards and on
lawns suffered a like fate. Cherry
trees being of tougher fiber, stood the
pressure well, while the prune and
peach orchards ' in the suburbs and
Senator DolpU's Action. Ileffnrilintr
Forfeited Rnilrond Lauds.
PORTLAND, Jan. 5. (To the Editor.)
T, with many others, have been greatly
exercised over the dispatch appearing in
your issue of about the 11th ult., purport
ing to give the substance of a bill Intro
duced by Senalor Dolph, and a day or so
after by Mr. Ellis In the house, relative
to the vexed question of the forfeited
railroad lands. The report seemed to war
rant it, and many persons and papers be
gan at once to denounce Mr. Dolph. I
have today been furnished with a synop
sis of the bill, or the proposed amend
ments to two bills,.and, while I do not
desire, as so many seem inclined, to rush
in and proclaim the law and its interpre
tation where angels dare not whisper
their opinion, so great is the uncertainty
prevailing as to what the department and
the courts will do in the premises, never
theless, the great interests involved and
the number of persons affected requires
some immediate reiredlal legislation to
settle these titles, and all expected our
delegation in congress, responding to nu
merous requests, to propose some remedy
possible of enactment in this congress.
Hence the anxiety experienced upon see
ing the Item referred to, and the explana
tion required must excuse this letter.
Briefly stated, the case is this: Under
the provisions of the fourth section of the
act of March 3, 18S7, relating to the final
adjustment of railroad grants, purchasers
In good faith and their transferees of
lands patented to any company errone
ously, which patent is subsequently can
celed, by voluntary relinquishment or pro
ceeding in court, may take title from the
government, the latter collecting from the
company, of the purchase money paid, the
price of like government lands, leaving
the owner to call on the company for any
remaining over the required sum.
As the main trouble is likely to occur
over the interpretation of this section, Mr.
Dolph began by suggesting to thenebftf
mlssloner of the general land office that
it seemed that persons who had not paid a
sum equal to the full government price
would not be protected and could not pur
chase; and this official, a3 also the secre
tary, agreeing to the suggestion, as the
interpretation entertained by them, Mr.
Dolph introduced an amendment provid
ing that such sum as was paid the com
pany should be applied in favor of the
purchaser, and he permitted to pay what
ever balance was necessaty to make up
the price of the land; and this class should
likewise on these terms be permitted to
take title as aforeiaid.
This is the only amendment so far pro
posed to the act of March 3, 1SS7, and why
it can be supposed to be in the interest
of the railroad company I cannot see, but
can see many reasons why they would
oppose it, and I am credibly informed they
are not trying to get it passed. The
amendment Is certainly one justice re
quires, and nothing short of a far-reaching
anticipation of the strict construction
put upon all laws for the disposition of
public lands by the department can meet
these cases as they arifce.
The other amendments relate to the
forfeiture act of September 29, 1S90, and
affect Oregon lands south of the Colum
bia river and east of the 30-mlle limit
of the Oregon & California company.
All the lands involved in the suit by the
government against the said company
will be disposed of under the fourth and
fifth sections of the first named act, or
the settlement laws.
The amendments reiterate the limita
tion of all purchases under the forfeiture
act to 320 acres, and provide that per
Eohs who have improved lands adjoining
their farm may purchase a prescribed
amount on certain conditions without
residence, as was formerly ruled in the
interpretation ot the original act. Also
that purchases may be made of noncon
tiguous tracts which may have been im
proved. All these propositions are just and
right, and nothing 'more nor less than
I what the people who improved or pur-
Flsliwnja Should lie Unlit After nn
Approved Model.
PORTLAND. Jan. 4. (To the Editor.)
Having had seven years' experience in
the artificial propagation of fish In the
state hatcheries of Wisconsin, naturally, I
have been somewhat interested in the
preservation of salmon, since making
Oreeon mv home. A sreat deal has been
I entil ViT.fttio.Vi fik rtlnirlYKl rtf 'PVlA Orp-
means I - , """" - -". .
of the present situation, and many the
ories are advanced as to the proper legis
lation necessary to restore the Industry.
Some have been very good and practical
suggestions, while others could not be
executed.
The law relative to the fishways seems
to have given our present fish and game
warden the most difficulty to enforce, and
the point seems to be, "What constitutes
a fishway?" This same question was a
very perplexing one to some of our East
ern states, until they adopted a regular
system ot fishways. What we should
have Is a-system of fishways adopted by
the state, and compel owners of dams to
construct the same, subject to the ap
proval of. the board of fish commissioners.
I was especially interested in your edi
torial, of Saturday's issue, touching on
the subject of protecting the young sal
mon, etc. This is one very important
question, and there is no reason why a
law to that effect cannot be properly en
forced. Wisconsin has a law specifying a
minimum weight at which white fish and
wall-eyed pike can be offered for sale,
bought or had in possession, which has
been enforced with good results, and, al
' though receiving considerable opposition
at first, it is now acknowledged by both
fishermen and dealers as essential to the
preservation of these fish.
With our fishing industry In such a con
dition as it is, we hope before the com
ing session of legislature closes, we will
have some stringent laws enacted, for
protection of what salmon we have left,
and a liberal appropriation secured for
operating our hatcheries, as it would only
require an amount, small, comparatively,
with what is required in the Eastern
states. It is a settled question that ar
tificial propagation is the only mean3 by
which we can restore our fishing Indus
try, so why not have the state assume
control of our hatcheries and operate them
as other states do, and not wait for the
United States fish commission to shoulder
in all? BADGER.
ANOTHER MAX'S VIEW.
PORTLAND. Jan. 4. (To the Editor.)
The subject of taxation of church prop
erty Is receiving considerable notice just
at-the present time. I have read with in
terest the views of different people on
the subject, and will say that I am thor
oughly in accord with the views expressed
by Messrs. McCamant and Reed.
I beg to differ in seme respects from the
comments made on the articles of the
above-named gentlen.en by The Orego
nian, in this respect: It says: "The pub
lic is not taxed to support the churches."
Literally, this is true, but in a general
sense it is not. The church receives all
of the protection of the law without shar
ing any of the expense thereof. If my
house is burned, I have to help share the
expense of trying tho criminal for arson;
also, if a church is burned, I have to do
the same, while the church does so In nei
ther case.
"Church buildings would not exist if
taxed as private property." Something is
wrong, sure. Either the people do not
want them bad enough, or there are too
many for legitimate purposes; and as to
their "beauty and adornment," that is
good in some cases, but may be carried too
far.
Religion is not necessarily found in
stately structures, and I think that the
country would be better off if the money
expended in church property were prop
erly divided among the hospitals and sani
tariums of the land.
Christ never held religious services in a
temple costing millions of dollars. No;
he used no edifice at all, but you must
remember he did not live in a city of
wealth in the age of "19th century re
finement." There is a difference between
"Where through the long-drawn aisle and
fretted vault the pealing anthem swells
the notes of praise" and "The groves
where God's first temples"
I agree that religion is a prominent fac
tor of the human mind, but I also state
that it is not necessary that the best cor
ner lots in the city should be used for re
ligious purposes.
As to the churches not being property,
I will answer by asking a question: Is
a drone the less a bee because he does
not make honey? A. H. BUCKMAN.
THE SXOW ORDIXAXCE.
Perhaps n Fevr Arrests of Prominent
Offender Would Do Good.
PORTLAND. Jan. 4. tTo the Editor.)
If there is an ordinance upon our statute
book requiring property-owners to clean
all the snow off their sidewalks before
10 o'clock in the morning, the city offi
cials should see that it is rigidly put In
force, and not wait to be reminded of the
existence of such an ordinance by The
Oregonian, before acting. It Is their duty
to see that the city is kept in order and
the laws enforced, without waiting to be
reminded of this by any one. For the
past 43 hours this city has been in the
worst plight I have ever seen in any
clty, excepting the meanest hamlet, in
the United States. By Mr. Pague's re
port in yesterday's Oregonian, I, see that
we are liable to have 50 inches of snow,
or over, during the winter, and if this
be the case and no more attention Is paid
to keeping the sidewalks clear in the fu
ture than has been paid to this work
since Wednesday last, we had better stop
crowing over the beauties of Portland
as a city of residence.
If, with a population of from S0.000 to
100,000 people, we can't clean our walks,
right down in the very heart of the city
around the city hall, even, where, of all
places the sidewalks should be cleared of
snow Immediately after every fall (as an
objects lesson or example, as The Ore
gonian very truly remarks, if for no other
reason) then we had better throw up our
charter constituting us a city and revert
back to the autonomy of a country village.
CITIZEN.
THE XEW YEAR'S OREGOXIAX.
Live People In n. Live City.
Skamokawa Eagle.
The New Year's Oregonian was a 40-
page paper, and is as handsome a sheet
as ever saw daylight in that city. It il
lustrated what can be done when live
people get together to advertise a city.
It will win, too, for people will lay it
away and read it more than once.
Creditable All Around.
Winlock Pilot.
The New Year's number of The Ore
gonian, which appeared on Tuesday, con
tained some 40-odd pages of choice read
ing matter, was gotten up in the highest
style of the art, and was a credit not
only to the management of that excellent
paper, but to the city of Portland and the
state of Oregon. All states are not
blessed with such a newspaper as The
Oregonian. One which is should be proud
of the fact.
Putting: It Mildly.
Castle Rock Advocate.
The New Year's edition of the Portland
Oregonian is at hand, apd to say that
it is a splendid paper, one that all Ore
gonians should prize highly, is putting it
mildly. All the more prominent Industries
of that state are described in a pleasing
manner and are finely illustrated in The
Oregonian's 40-page edition. The Oregon
ian is by far the most newsy and pro
gressive journal in Oregon, and by its
splendid New Year's edition it only ex
emplified the energy and pluck of the
proprietors that ably conduct the journal,
nal.
o
Cot'krnn and Crolier,
New York World.
Bourke Cockran has an opportunity
such as comes to few men. He knows all
about Tammany methods as they existed
under Croker, and he has never profited
by them. Now that Croker Is making
war upon him why should he not fight
back? Who 13 so well equipped as he for
such a conflict? Who has so much of in
side information without being himself
responsible for the evil to be exposed?
Croker invites retaliation at his hands.
He madly challenges the ugly revelations
that Bourke Cockran can make if his
courage is equal to his ability. He even
broadens his defiance of the lightning
by coupling with Cockran all other decent
men who have had Tammany affiliations
and bidding them all "come on." Perhaps
some of them will accept the invitation.
Having seized a tomahawk to run amuck,
Croker may find himself the person
brained when the melee is over.
XEWS OF THE XORTirWEST.
' '-OreRon
George and James Curry, of Euchrd
creek, Curry county, have killed seven
bears and have saved 20 gallons of finei
oil, -which thejr are selling at a bit a
pound.
The deeds for the new railroad subsidy!
have been filed in the county recorder'3
office at Astoria. There are 2CS of them,
and the .estimated value of the property
transferred reaches up into the millions.
The souvenir holiday of the Klamath
Falls Express, just issued, is a most cred
itable production. It is printed on fine
paper and contains upward of 60 half-tone
engravings, all Illustrative of the re
sources and residents ot the Klamath
country.
From different parts of the Nehalenl
country sales of timber lands are re
port edK which is proof of returning Ufa
to the lumbering industry. The Lower
Nehalem has bright prospects for three
sawmills this year, and if the demand
for lumber increases there will be more.
F. A. Stewart's black sand mine, at
Gold Beach, has panned down until it is
in fine shape, and they are shoveling sand
In a hurry. The gold Is very coarse, and
accumulates rapidly upon the plates. Mr.
Stewart will start for Salem on January
7, where he goes to represent Curry county.
In the lower house.
William Rumbaugh, a pioneer citizen of
Linn county, died at his home in Albantf
on January 2, from the effects of a stroke
of paralysis several days ago. The de
ceased was born in Wayne county, Ohio,
on February 15, 1S29, and came to Oregon
at an early day. He lived at Sweet Homo
for many years, but has lately resided irt
Albany. He served the county as com
missioner and has always been a useful,
respected citizen. He leaves a wife and
several grown children to mourn his loss.
Smith Brothers livery barn, burned at
Newberg last week, will be rebuilt att
once. The loss, $2000, falls heavily on thej
owners, who are unable to stand it. Helif
will be extended by the citizens. Within
14 hours from the time the fire was dls?
covered, a load of lumber was on tha
ground for the new barn, which will bo
4OxS0 feet, the same size as the main part;
of the old one. Nearly $250 in cash otf
lumber has been subscribed, besides lib
eral donations in feed, and supplies, and
work enough to build the barn.
The need for quick and cheap commu-f
nication up and down the Oregon coasfi
was never better demonstrated than aft
present. With a large output of wool in
Curry county, and the shipping the past
season of from 40 to 50 tons of wool, thero
is a scarcity of wool at the Bandort
woolen mills, and Bandon Is now im
porting wool from San Francisco bj
schooner, to enable the mill to run. Ow
ing to lack of communication along thd.
coast. Southwestern Oregon cannot sup
ply the wool market of Bandon, as it ia
easier and cheaper to ship to San Fran
cisco, 300 miles away, than to Bandon,
which is but a few miles distant. Thua
Curry county ships its wool product to
San Francisco and Bandon then Imports
It from San Francisco, instead of from
Oregon ports direct.
Conceded. Too 31nch.
Syracuse Standard.
If Secretary Gresham informed the
American minister in Constantinople that
the absence of a treaty rendered It im
possible for the American government to
demand that Turkey respect the citizen
ship of Armenians who have been na
turalized in the United States, he con
ceded altogether too much. If anything
in the diplomatic principles of this coun
try is settled. It is that foreign born and
naturalized citizens are on the same foot
ing before the government of the United
States, which guarantees to them when
abroad the protection of the American
name, no matter what treaties may neg
lect to say on the subject.
AND STILL ANOTHER.
PORTLAND, Jan. 4. (To the Editors
Mr. J. R. Reed, in this morning's Ore
gonian, bases his objection to the exemp
tion of churches from taxation on the
ground that many people, who, like him
self, think that churches do more harm
than good, are indirectly taxed to support
them by this exemption. The Ore
gonian responds that "No one's taxes are
increased by exemption of church build
ings, for church buildings would not ex
ist if taxed as private property." Then,
contrary to the usual logical course of
The Oregonian, a very irrelative attempt
to convert Mr. Reed to the prevailing
religious views of the day is made, and
the usual terms "clod or an animal" are
brought in as extremely conclusive.
Now, I would like to ask by what au
thority The Oregonian asserts that if
churches were taxed they would cease to
exist. It seems to me that the Protest
ant churches were born and continued to
exist for many years before any favors
like exemption from taxation were shown.
More than this, the members of these
churches paid taxes to -the government
in England and also paid taxes to sup
port the established church besides. It
seems to me that our good Baptist breth
ren, who are in favor of taxing churches,
do not think that the tax would tend to
exterminate the church edifice. If they
i would continue to exist when taxed then
He Pops With the Pops.
Newberg Graphic.
For several days after Hofer, ot the
Capital Journal, arrived home from his
trip East, he was on the wing with refer
ence to the senatorial election, evidently
endeavoring to take a 'alf 'alf stand, but
something has evidently dropped, as he
has gone over kerflop on the everythin-to-beat-Dolph
side. Nothing is strange in
this proceeding however, as the Journal
would, about half the time, pass for a
pop sheet any way.
o
Au American Mascot.
Buffalo Express.
An agent of the Chinese government is
said to be negotiating with Brazil for the
purchase of the NIctheroy, the dynamite
cruiser which was sent down to Rio Ja
neiro to destroy the rebels. Apparently
Zalinskl's Invention is destined to make
several fortunes for those who buy and
sell It, without being required to fire a
shot.
Enterprise.
Chicago Dispatch.
The Siloam Springs (Ark.) Herald offers
a year's subscription free to the man who
brings in the body of outlaw Bill Cook,
dead or alive.
A Valuable DIscuhnIoh.
Indianapolis News.
The democratic party should digest
thoroughly the present scientific discus
sion as to how a cat manages to light on
Its feet.
Something on the Traelc.
Detroit Tribune.
The condition of the track just ahead
impels Chairman Springer to whistle for
brakes and put it off till after Christmas.
AVaishInj;toii.
Grand Recorder Pickens monthly re
port cf the A. O. U. W. for December
shows two deaths, requiring two assess
ments for January. Eighty-two new
members were initiated into the order in
the state during the month, making tho
total membership 4905.
J. B. Ternes has applied to a Tacoma
court for letters of administration on the
estate of Edward W. Grant, who was
killed on the Northern Pacific railroad
in November, 1893. The suit against the
road has been settled by the payment of
$1000 and costs by the company.
John Robin, of Castle Rock, cut 20.19S,
000 shingles with his one single-hand
machine during the year 1894. Any single
hand shingle-mill in the state that can
beat that cut will please let Mr. Robin
know, and he will go them 5,000,000 better
this year. He can cut 25,000,000 shingles
during the year 1S93.
H. V. Gates, after getting the elected
light plant In Castle Rock Tunning in
prime shape, departed last week for Hepp-
ner to look after his light and water sys
tem at that place. From there he will
go to Idaho on other business matters,
and on his return will begin his legislative
labors in the Oregon legislature as repre
sentative for Washington county.
Last Monday, Emerson' Heath, of II
waco, treed a bear in a hollow cedar, and,
being unable to get him out any other
way, undertook to smoke him out. As
the smoke became thick, Mr. Bruin
scrambled to the top, but on sticking hia
nose out he saw Emerson awaiting hint
with a club, so slid back again in the tree,
where he was smothered to death before
Emerson could put the fire out.
It is probable that Tacoma will ask
the legislature this winter for consider-,
able special legislation. The bulk of iti
may be in reference to charter revision,
but one important bill will ask for aui
thorlty to expend the $300,000 voted bjj
the people for water extension to Thoma)
and Patterson springs to get water at
some other place, or to use the money for
some other purpose. The News says therg
Is not, as has become well known slnco
the light and water purchase, enough
water at the Thomas and Patterson
springs to warrant the spending of the,
money in that direction.
PERSONS WORTH. KNOWING ABOUT,
Thackeray's dinner service is offered for
sale in London; but It wasn't the service
that made the dinners gay.
Mrs. Emily Robbins Talcott, of Wesfi
Hartford, Conn., celebrated the 105th an
niversary of her birth recently, in good
health.
Senator Wolcott, of Colorado, and Rep
resentative Clark, of Missouri, are men of
one kidney, each having had one of those
organs removed.
Professor Neumann, of the university,
of Koenigsberg, is 96 years of age, and for
66 years has been lecturing continuously
on physics and mineralogy, lie is tne
oldest professor in active work in Ger
many. General Duchesne, commander of the
French expedition to Madagascar, first
did service in the Franco-Prussian war,
receiving the rank of captain. He fought
against the Chinese in 1884. and in 1893 was
made a general of division.
Eugenie, ex-empress of the French, is
nearly 70 years ot age. She is now living
in exile In the beautiful retreat in Farn
borough, England. She was 27 when she
married and ! when her only child, the
prince imperial, was killed by the Zulus.
Franz Kossuth, who had raised quite a
furore in Hungary by trading the memory
of his father's name, has had the chagrin
of seeing his factitious boom collapse.
Among other things the liberal party all
over the country decided not to take part
in any public reception that might be
given to him.
Sir Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, M. P., who
was born In Brooklyn, has received a let
ter from one of the Swazi envoys to the
queen, informing him that the Swazl dep
utation, as some return for the zeal with
which he has championed their cause.
have conferred upon him the name Of
"Sllonlo." which means "The popular one,
the fearless one, the courageous."
"Captain Robley D. Evans, of the cruiser
New York," says the New York Sun.
'complains that the cold penetrated her
side at the navy-yard, and nearly froze
him to death. Fighting Bob can't expect
that warmth and fervency of underlying
principle that made his distinguished trav
eling companion so happy In South Caro
lina. Brooklyn is good, but cold, and her
hospitality has not the tropical glow of
the land of the palmetto and the Tillman.
The New York is to start shortly for
lands of warmer welcome. Including Ja
maica and Curacoa. Fighting Bob may
yet be happy; but who shall console his
faithful mate left behind in Washington?"