"THE SlOEa&IHXa- OBEGOmA3T. WEHNESUArY, FEBKTTAire 10. 1895
$jmsm
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News or discussion Intended for publication
la The Oregonian should be addressed Invariably
"Editor The Oregonian." not to the name ol
any Individual. Letters relating to advertising,
eubscriptions or to any business matter should
be addressed simply "The Oregonian."
The Oregonian does not buy poems or stories
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pose.
DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
PORTLAND. Feb. 12. 8 P. M. "Maximum
temperature, 3S; minimum temperature, 28;
height of river at 11 A. 1L, 2.0; change in the
past 24 hours, 0.C: precipitation today, .12; pre
cipitation from September 1, 1S04 (wet season),
to date, 19.76; average, 30.70; deficiency, 10.91;
number hours of sunshine Monday, 0:00; pos
sible number, 10:20.
WEATHER SYNOPSIS.
Apparently there was a southerly movement
made by the storm on the coast during the past
32 hours. The lowest barometer Is at Rose
burg. This change in its -position cannot be de
pended upon. It is due to the shift of the po
sition of the storm that precipitation in Oregon
and "Washington was light today. Three Inches
of Enow fell at Baker City, though no snow fell
ia Eastern Washington.
WEATHER FORECASTS.
Forecasts made at Portland for the 24 hours
ending at midnight February 13;
For Eartern Oregon, Washington and Idaho
Saow and nearly stationary temperature, with
fresh to brisk southerly winds; high to sales on
the coast.
For Western Oregon Rain or snow, and sta
tionary temperature, with fresh to brisk south
erly winds.
For Portland Rain or snow, and stationary
temperature, with fresh to brisk southerly winds.
S. M. BLANDFORD,
Acting Local Forecast Official.
PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13.
ONE STANDARD OR THE OTHER.
Tho standard of money in the United
States, as in all countries above semi
civilized conditions, is gold. Though
we have in the United States a silver
party, it is really absurd to suppose
that gold will be discarded for silver.
But infinite mischief may be done, and
has been done, by insistence upon a
policy that threatens it. Insofar as
there is a question about money, it is
a contest of standards. Double stand
ard cannot possibly exist. "We have
the gold standard now, and long have
had it. Free coinage of silver would
give us the silver standard, with the
value of money cut in the middle. It
is because the country has known this
that it has so steadily refused to pass
a free-coinage act, no matter what
party was in power at "Washington.
This is the money question in the
United States. It is a contest of stand
ards. A secondary question is the
management of credit currency, a por
tion of which must be retired before
we can reach stable financial condi
tions. An additional cause of embar
rassment lies in the fact that the reve
nues haVe "beon cut down too much.
But the treasury officials insist that
the present laws will soon produce
revenue enough. This may not be
true, but at any time it is within the
power of congress to amend the laws
so as to increase the revenues.
The country is on the gold basis, and
it is not reasonable to suppose that
it will abandon It and go to the silver
basis. Nevertheless, the agitation for
free coinage of silver, which, should it
prevail, would mean the speedy sub
stitution of silver for the gold stand
ard, has a paralyzing effect on money,
credit and business. It is for this rea
son that those who contend that the
gold standard should be discarded and
the silver standard substituted for it
should not be strengthened further in
the senate. Insofar as there is any
money question in the election of a
senator for Oregon at this time, this is
that question.
The executive authority has been
nnd will steadily be exercised, when
necessary, as President Cleveland de
clares, "for the purpose of reinforcing
and maintaining in our treasury an
adequate and safe gold reserve."
Therefore we shall not go to the sil
ver basis, we shall not reject the gold
standard and accept the silver stand
ard; but it is injurious as well as fool
ish to keep up this agitation for a
change from the gold to the silver
standard and prolong the country's
financial and Industrial distress. The
president, in one of his recent mes
sages to congress, called attention to
a consequence of this, in the discrimi
nation of investors between our bond
obligations between bonds made "pay
able in coin" and bonds specifically
made "payable in gold," and he added
the significant words: "It is hardly
neccsscry to suggest that, whatever
iray be our views on the subject, the
sentiments or preferences of those with
whom we must negotiate in disposing
of our bonds for gold are not subject
to our own dictation." There is an in
vincible truth here, which, however, is
fatuously opposed and resisted by not
a few of our people.
No one of sound judgment can sup
pose that Oregon would deliberately
vote to abandon the gold basis and go
to the silver basis. Oregon should not,
therefore, now so declare by election of
a silver senator. So far as this ques
tion is in the election, it is one stand
ard or the other. Which?
A groat many papers, daily and
weekly, are printed in Oregon, but only
one general newspaper. Not a few of
these papers continually exhibit a ran
corous spite against the one. The main
reason is simple. If It .isn't creditable.
The scope, extent, energy and fullness
of The Oregonian are such that others
cannot equal or approach it. Is it then
so great an offense to publish a news
paper that others cannot equal; the
newspaper, therefore, that is univer
sally read? If so. it must be said that
this has been the mission of The Ore
gonian these many years, and this will
continue to be its mission. The fact
may as well be accepted by others
without grumbling about it. It is one
object of The Oregonian to please, but
it cannot reduce its quality, limit its
scope or range, or get out of the way.
in order to please people.
The "outing system," as-it Is called,
Js a new feature in the Indian educa
tional .spafcem of the government that
will be extended to all the Indian res
ervations and schools. It consists,
briefly, in inducing adult Indians of
both "sexes to seek employment in the
homes of farmers In the vicinity of
the reservations. Secretary Hoke
Smith believes the Inauguration of this
system will be an important factor in
making these Indians self-supporting.
The real difficulty will perhaps be en
countered in finding families willing to
open their homes to the thriftless, un
taught creatures, whose heritage from
long generations is indolence and irre
sponslbilitj The attempt is to be
made, however, the secretary having
approved a circular to agents and
school superintendents, asking them to
find suitable families who will receive
these Indian servants in their homes
and give them practical training In
every-day duties. It may be predicted
that this Is a class of home missionary
work that Is not likely to become popu
lar or fashionable, even though fostered
by the government.
AX ENDANGERED FICTION.
It is difficult for Intelligent Europeans
or Americans to comprehend the real
reason why the Japanese must take
Peking and capture or drive out the
emperor before they can make a solid
and lasting peace. This reason Is hint
ed at in the London dispatch of Harold
Frederic, printed yesterday, and Is ex
hibited more fully in an article by Gen
eral "Wolseley in the current Cosmopoli
tan magazine.
So dense and universal is the igno
rance of the Chinese people, and so
slavish their belief in the divine om
nipotence of the emperor, that nothing
but occupation of the capital and con-,
spicuous humiliation of the government
will make them believe that their na
tion has been beaten in war. The gross
deceptions by which government Is car
ried on in China are amazing. The
people swallow the most gigantic fic
tions invented by the ruling classes.
They believe that the emperor is the
most powerful prince on earth, and that
all other nations are subject to his will.
When the English and French occupied
Peking in 1860, and retired after ex
torting commercial concessions, it was
proclaimed to the people of China that
they were admitted by the will of the
emperor and driven away when he was
done with them.
The same fictions would be asserted
and believed of the Japanese, should
they make peace and retire with a
war Indemnity. TheChinese still would
believe their emperor omnipotent, ex
cept the ruling classes and the few who
live about Port Arthur and Wei-Hai-Wei,
there being no general diffusion
of information throughout the empire.
The nation would be as ready as it was
six months ago to support the govern
ment in vast pretensions of universal
dominion, and all the costly and bloody
work of this winter might have to be
done over again in a few years. The
only way the Japanese can gain secur
ity for the future is to inflict upon the
ruling dynasty such a conspicuous hu
miliation as shall be realized through
out the empire. The Oriental mind con
nects defeat with the ideas of massacre
and destruction, of sack of cities, and
torture or imprisonment of conquered
kings. Forbidden these by their new
civilization, the least the Japanese can
do is to occupy the enemy's capital and
dictate terms of peace to him from that
visible eminence of victory.
This is Japan's policy. The only
question is whether .the .powers of
Europe.will permit.its execution. ,They
care little enough for the humiliation
of the Chinese dynasty in itself, but
they fear the effect upon their com
mercial relations of its reaction upon
the organization of the empire. No one
can even guess how far this unwieldy
and heterogeneous mass Is held to
gether by the fiction of the omnipotence
of the emperor, and whether it would
not fall into hopeless chaos and ruin
were that bond broken. This is a ca
tastrophe which all the "Western pow
ers expect sooner or later, and which
those having greatest influence in
China dread most, not being able to
see into the future and estimate its ef
fect upon their political and commercial
relations. It is doubtful if a single
power, even Russia, is ready for the
crash. If they agree that the occupa
tion of Peking by Japan would pre
cipitate It, probably steps will be taken
to compel both nations to make peace
before that critical point shall be
reached.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR
CRIME.
"When the current fad of hypnotism
was Invented, practical persons pre
dicted that It would soon begin to play
a dangerous part in criminal trials. It
offers weak accomplices in crime too
convenient escape from responsibility
for their own acts not to be seized upon
with great eagerness. The current
news of the last few months has been
full of instances of persons, confronted
with evidences of their actual commis
sion of crime, who set up the defense
that they acted without volition under
the influence of others. The most re
markable case is that of the woman
lately murdered at Minneapolis. One
man has confessed that he killed the
woman under the hypnotic influence of
her lover, who had borrowed money
from her and insured her life in his
favor. Another, an elder brother of the
lover, testifies that he was tempted to
commit the act under the same Influ
ence, but had power to resist, though
not enough to discover the plot and
prevent the murder.
There Is only one course for the
courts to pursue In such cases. That
is absolutely to ignore all pleas of un
usual influence of one mind over an
other, and to hold each individual
strictly responsible for his own acts,
and all conspiring or acting In common
jointly responsible for all the criminal
consequences of their conspiracy. The
law can know nothing of spiritual com
pulsion, loss of volition or hypnotic
control. It cannot recognize the sub
jection of one nature to another as re
lieving the weaker from responsibility.
It knows only acts and consplrinffs
which lead to acts. These it must de
tect and punish, each in its own degree
of guilt.
In the case in question, the testimony
of Bllxt, confirmed by circumstantial
evidence, seems to establish that he
was procured by the younger Hayward
to kill Miss Ging for the hitter's profit.
This makes them a pair of murderers,
both equally responsible for the result
of their conspiracy, though only one
struck the fatal blow. If the evidence
is complete and not successfully contra
dicted by the defense, no court or jury
should hesitate to hang them both. As
for the elder Hayward, his testimony
shows him to have been an accomplice
before the fact. In that he knew that
his brother intended to have the woman
killed, and took no steps to prevent it.
He ought to be punished as the law
directs. Both these witnesses seem to
expect some sort of immunity on ac-
i count of the influence they claim the
younger Hayward exercised over them.
The law cannot connive at such shirk
ing of responsibility. If they escape
punishment at all, it ought to be only
on the ground that they have given
evidence against the chief criminal.
EMPLOYING THE CONVICTS.
The report of the board of managers
of the Oregon state stove foundry,
showing what Is therein claimed to be
a profit to the state in the present
method of employing prisoners, as com
pared with the contract system that
prevailed for ten years prior to 1S93,
the repeal of the jute-mill act, and the
introduction of bills for working the
convicts on the highway and for leas
ing their labor to the Oregon Beet-Sugar
Company, raise the entire question of
the best disposition that can be made
of the labor of the men confined in the
penitentiary; the fact that they should
be required to work, for their own
good and to lessen the burden of their
maintenance, being taken for granted.
Chiefly as the outcome of demagogic
and ignorant agitation, the last legis
lature refused to renew the contract
that has during the ten years previous
added some $205,000 to the state treas
ury as the earnings of the prison, an
average of $20,000 a year, and made a
large appropriation for a jute mill,
which, happily, was not expended, and
that folly has been corrected. Though
the contract was not renewed, on the
ground that convicts should not be em
ployed at work in competition with free
labor, the legislature, in order to pro
vide work until the jute mill should be
ready, authorized the purchase and
operation by the state of a foundry
plant, and appropriated $65,000 for this
purpose. The practical result of the
change has been that the convicts con
tinue to make stoves, but under a state
superintendent Instead of a contractor,
though with the important difference
that the contractor was compelled to
employ all the prisoners not needed for
other work, while the state managers
have not been able to conduct the es
tablishment so as to keep half of them
at work half the time. The board fig
ures a profit from the operation of the
plant for twenty months of $16,S72 20,
and, as the wages of the men actually
at work would amount to only $12,844 56
at the former contract rate of 40 cents
per day, it asserts that there is a dif
ference in the present system Of
$4028 '24 in favor of the state.
This Is specious, but incorrect. Under
the contract, enough men were worked
to earn for the state $20,000 a year, or
for twenty months $33,333 32. Deduct
ing the $16,872 20 alleged net earnings,
leaves the state worse off than it would
have been under the old system -by $16,
461 12. Looking into the matter far
ther, it appears that, aside from the
plant, the chief credit is some $24,000
worth of manufactured goods not yet
disposed of, equal In amount to more
than one-half of the total sales for the
twenty months. The actual situation
is that Oregon has paid out $65,000 and
forfeited $40,000 in earnings, and has on
hand as an offset $4888 15 in cash, ac
counts to the amount of $7716, merchan
dise and supplies to the estimated
value of $29,172 94, and an old foundry
plant for which it paid $40,000. Added
to this actual loss is the further disad
vantage that there has not been "work
for the prisoners 'half the time. -
As to the, employlmentwof,pris,gners::otit
the roads, it is pretty generally admit
ted that this is not practicable, except
in the vicinity of the penitentiary or
some other place fitted up for their
safe-keeping. The expense of caring
for them and guarding them and sub
sisting them would be so much greater
than at present that the state could
make no profit out of their labor, while
the frequence of escapes and the added
harshness necessary in their treatment
would be demoralizing. Thirty years
ago the state employed its convicts
outside the prison, and in two years
nearly half of them escaped from the
guards while at work. It was after
this experience that the system of em
ployment within the walls of the prison
was adopted. The bill of Senator
Denny, authorizing a contract to be
made with the Oregon Beet-Sugar Com
pany, contemplates the employment of
a portion of the men in the factory,
which should be located within the
walls, and the remainder In the culti
vation of beets, with reference to which
a provision should be inserted that the
prisoners should not be taken more
than a specified distance from the
prison, say five miles, and should be
returned to the prison nightly, and the
contractors should pay the cost of
transporting and guarding them.
The rate of 30 cents specified in the
bill is 10 cents less than that of the
contract the legislature two years ago
refused to renew. The lease system
was inaugurated in 1S64, and the rate
was 60 cents per day. Ten years later,
at the request of the superintendent,
the rate was reduced to 50 cents. In
1SS0 the superintendent reported that
he could do nothing at that rate, and it
was reduced to 30 cents, but two years
later a contract was made for ten years
at 40 cents. It would seem as though
it ought to be worth that much now,
where the employer is not called upon
to lodge or feed his help. Looking at
the matter solely in its financial aspect,
in view of the experience the state has
had for a third of a century, this would
seem to be the best disposition of the
labor of the convicts yet suggested.
"Whether it is desirable to establish the
beet-sugar industry in this state on the
convict-labor basis is another question.
Modern marine architecture, en
gineering skill and navigation have
scored another triumph against acci
dent and tempest in the arrival of La
Gascogne at New York, crippled, but
safe, with all on board. Rejoicing is
due first for the safety of the large
number of people so long in supposed
jeopardy; next for the safety, with but
relatively slight damage to her ma
chinery, of the splendid ship, and last
for the triumph of human skill over
the combined forces with which it bat
tled. The incident teaches again the
relative Improbability of shipwreck by
storm in the present advanced position
occupied by ocean service.
The storm that swept the eastern sec
tion of the continent with such fury
seems to have beaten itself out against
the Rocky mountains in its effort to
reach the Pacific coast. At all events,
.t arrived here late and in an exhausted
condition, and, after a great show of
surly prowess, was subdued by "fresh
to brisk southerly winds and light
rains," of which the Oregon climate has
usually a large reserve force on calL
Comparative values of certain farm
products for 1S92 and 1S94, furnished by
the department of agriculture, show
that farmers sold their wheat last year
for 13 cents a bushel less than in 1892,
their rye for 5 centsjless, their barley
for 3 cents less, their potatoes for near
ly 14 cents less, and cotton at almost
half the price of that staple in the last
named year. They have got the "cheap
coat" promised if they would help to
put the democratic party in power, but
wool is relatively so much-cheaper that
they cannot pay for -the coat.
The Olympia is nearly ready for sea.
The best thing to do with her is to
order her to China and send two or
three of the gunboats loafing about
Mare island with her- There is a gen
eral naval assembly In Chinese waters
now, and we ought to be represented
by as fine a ship as any there. The
little gunboats may he' needed soon to
go up the river to Tien-Tsin and Pe
king, where larger ships like the Balti
more and Charleston cannot go.
The quality of the finance committee
of the senate is proved by its action
upon the compromise currency bill of
Jones of Arkansas. It has taken out
the free-silver section and decided to
report it as a separate bill by a vote of
6 to 5. The distribution of parties upon
this Important question is shown by the
vote on this act. The majority is com
posed of five democrats and one popu
list, and the minority of four republi
cans and one democrat
As the record of the alleged Ameri
cans engaged in the Hawaiian royalist
revolt is examined, they turn out to be
a lot of cheap vagabond adventurers,
whose character minimizes their claim
to protection. If Mr. Gresham shall
take up any of these claims, he will suc
ceed only in making himself and his
government ridiculous. The Hawaiian
authorities are too shrewd to give any
worthy American real ground for com
plaint More than $5,000,000 in gold will be
shipped from London to the United
States this week. But it will not stay
here long, unless congress shall either
retire the greenbacks with which it is
drawn out of the treasury or so in
crease the revenues that these can be
locked up there. London can play the
"coonskln game" as well as New York.
It is a thing to be regretted that the
proposal for a central bridge for the
city is loaded up with the Stark-street
ferry, that the city doesn't need; but
perhaps it is the best that can be done,
since private interest is so strong In en
forcing its demands in the legislature
over the public weal. $
We think there is no question about
this fact, namely: That when the peo
ple of Multnomah county voted for re
trenchment last June they did not sup
pose that retrenchment was to be post
poned to some future time, but was to
begin as soon as possible.
Banks and railroads, after a while,
will be regarded as necessary in Ore
gon, and men will 'cease to try to de
stroy them. We shall become in time
as intelligent and civilized atf people in
other states.
The committee on ways and means
wastes time working on a currency-reform
bill. This, house will do nothing
-with the subject.
it i'ij's 'j -
The banks haveVpeen hoarding, gold
simply because they fear gold will go
to a premium.
THE SALMON SEASON.
VIcyvh of the Superintendent of tlie
CInckanto.it Kntchcry.
PORTLAND. Feb. 12.-(To the Editor.)
I beg the privilege of saying a few words
on the subject of the regulation of the
salmon industry; into, which a joint com
mittee of the legislature has been Inquir
ing for the past two weeks. The commit
tee has made a trip to the Cascades and
made an investigation among the wheel
fishers; it has also made a journey to
the mouth of the Columbia and looked at
the traps and talked with their owners,
and with the cannerymenandgill-net fish
ermenall with a view of ascertaining the
exact conditions urder which fishing is
carried on and salmon go up the rivers
to the spawning grounds. It has, I un
derstand, practically concluded its inves
tigations, and is preparing a report. Such
being the case, I must express my surprise
that Superintendent W. F. Hubbard, of
the Clackamas fish hatchery, has not
been called upon to express his ideas on
the subject before the committee. Mr.
Hubbard is the only man now in Oregon
who has an expert kncwledse of the hab
its of salmon in the Columbia river and Its
tributaries. This knowledge is not merely
theoretical, like that of Commissioner
McDonald, whose rpport seems to be so
much relied upon, but Is based upon hl3
practical expedience at that hatchery and
on the spawning grounds for a series of
years.
It is well known that this practical ex
perience has led Mr. Hubbard to conclu
sions varying somewhat from the office
theories of Commissioner McDonald, and
that the recommendation he would make
would not be in accord with the legisla
tion desired by some of the parties in in
terest, who seem to have the most influ
ence with those members of the commit
tee who are apparently guiding the com
mittee in its investigations.
Superintendent Hubbard's books show
that the spring run of salmon has been
absolutely valueless for propagating pur
poses at the hatchery, and that the spawn
taken from the fall fish has been entirely
relied upon for propagating purposes, and
that no spawn is taken until long after
the fall close season begins, and that much
of it Is taken long after that season ends;
showing that with early beginning of the
fall close season, enough fish would as
cend the rivers for .spawning purposes;
and further showing hat the close season
should extend much later than at pres
ent In order to permit the fish to spawn
unmolested.
In regard to the spring run, the books
show as follows: In 1SS7 the rack was
put across the river June 23. The next
year, thinking to get the early fish, the
rack was put across March 10, but all the
early fish stopped by It were found to be
diseased by their, long stay In the river,
and their ova was of no value and had to
be thrown away. The following year the
rack was put across the river May 2, but
this also was found to be too early, and
that the fish stopped by it were of no
value for propagating purposes. Since
then the rack has been put across the river
later; and in 1S93, the last year of the
operation of the hatchery, it was not put
In place until August 3. This shows that
the August run of fish must be depended
upon, and that the fall close season
should begin as early as the first of Au
gust in order to permit a sufficient num
ber of them to get up the river. As to the
time of spawning, the records show that
the earliest date that spawn was taken
from salmon was August 25, and the latest
date November 16. This proves conclu
sively that the fall close season should ex
tend at least until the first of November;
otherwise, the fish will not receive the
protection they should have on the spawn
ing beds while in the act of spawning.
I know that these faSts do not suit those
interests that want a spring close sea
son for the benefit of the fish wheels; nor
those that want the fall close season put
off until August 10, so that the canneries
at the mouth of the river can catch the
entire run of fall fish. But they are the
absolute facts In the case, and had Super
intendent Hubbard been requested to come
I before the committee, be would gladly
have given the only expert testimony
that is available In Oregon, and would
have testified to these facts; and I have
no doubt he would have recommended the
abolition of the spring close season and
the creation of a long fail close season,
extending from August 1 to November L
This, in my opinion also, is the simplest
and the surest means of providing suffi
cient natural protection for salmon.
GEO. L. RAYMOND.
TOLLS ON THE DREDGES.
To Submit the Question to a Popular
Vote.
SALEM, Or., Feb. 12. Following is the
full draft of the toll-bridge bill passed by
the house Monday nisht:
A bill for an act to authorize the charg
ing and collecting of tolls and ferryage
upon the bridges and ferries of the city of
Portland,. In the county of Multnomah,
state of Or2gon, and to submit the ques
tion whether or not tolls and ferryage
shall be charged upon such bridges and
ferries to a vote of the taxpayers of said
city:
Be it enacted by the legislative assembly
of the state of Oregon:
Section L That the city of Portland, in
the county of Multnomah, and state of
Oregon, or the bridge commission, the
board of public works, mayor and common
council of said city, or the county court of
the state of Oregon, for the county of
Multnomah, or whatsoever agency or au
thority shall be charged with the care
and operation of the bridges and ferries
now owned or controlled or hereafter ac
quired or controlled by said city of Port
land, be and hereby are authorized when
authorized by vote as herein provided, to
charge, collect and receive tolls and ferry
age upon vehicles and animals crossing
any such bridge or ferry at not exceeding
the following rates:
For four-horse vehicles, loaded or un
loaded, not exceeding 10c
For two-horse vehicle, loaded or un-
loaded, not exceeding - 03c
For horses, mules and cattle, per,head,
not exceeding 02c
For sheep and hogs, per head, not ex
ceeding 01c
And said city, board of public works,
bridge commission, mayor and common
council, or county court, as the case may
be, is authorized to issue and sell commu
tation tickets upon each of the classifica
tions above mentiontd, which shall not
make the rate of toll or ferryage 1 ss than
sixty (60) per cent of what is then the
regular charge for a single toll or ferry.
Sec. 2. Whenever fifty (50) or more tax
payers of the said city of Portland shall
file with the auditor of said city a peti
tion requesting the submission of the ques
tion of Imposing tolls upon the bridges and
ferries of the city of Portland, the said
auditor shall give notice in like manner
and for the same time as notice is re
quired to be given for an annual school
election, for the election of directors in
school district No. 1, of Multnomah coun
ty, Oregon, of a vote to be taken at the
next ensuing school meeting or election
for the election of directors of said school
district No. 1. by the taxpayers of said
city, for and against the right to charge
tolls upon such bridges and ferries.
Sec. 3 At the annual meeting or elec
tion of directors In school district No.
1, of Multnomah county, Oregon, next fol
lowing the giving of the notice provided
for in section 2 of this act, the taxpayers
of the said city of Portland shall, at
said school election, and either upon the
ballots for which they vote for said di
rectors, for said school district, or upon
separate ballots, vote for or against the
Imposition of tolls and charges for ve
hicles and animals upon the bridges and
ferries owned or controlled by the said
city of Portland.
Each taxpayer desiring to vote in favor
of the Imposition of tolls and charges
for vehicles and animals upon the bridges
and ferries of the said city of Portland
shall write or have printed upon his ballot
"Tolls Yes," and each taxpayer desiring
to vote against the same shall -write or
have printed Upon his ballot "Tolls No."
j 'The ballots 'for -ana -against the-imposi
'tion'of tolls shall be received and counted,
and a record kept of the persons, voting
in the same manner as is required by
law in the conducting of an election for
directors of said school district, and the
judges and clerks of said election shall be
the judges and clerks of the election
herein provided for the determining the
question of tolls or no tolls, and they
shall canvass the votes cast for tolls or
no tolls, and shall certify the result of
such election of tolls or no tolls to the
auditor of the city of Portland, who shall
in turn certify such result to the agency
or authority then in charge of the bridges
of the city of Portland.
Sec. 4 If a majority of all the votes
cast for and against tolls at such elec
tion shall be "tolls, yes," then the said
city, mayor and common council, bridge
commission, board of nublic works, coun-
tv prsiirt cit ?.TnltTinmnh rnimtv or
other agency or authority as the case
may be, having the management of the
bridges and ferries belonging to or con
trolled by said city, shall be authorized
and it shall be their duty and they shall
Impose tolls and charges for all vehicles
and animals crossing any of such bridges
or ferries at rates not exceeding those
specified in section 1 of this act. '
Sec. 5 The city of Portland, or its
bridge commission, mayor and common
council, or board of public works, shall
not have any authority by virtue of this
act to impose or collect tolls or charges
upon any of the bridges or ferries of
said city until authorized to do so by the
vote of the majority of taxpayers of
said city voting and the election as pro
vided for in this act.
Sec. 6 The common council of said city
of Portland is hereby authorized and em
powered to pass and to cause to be en
forced any and all ordinances and provis
ions, and to do and cause tq be done
all acts and things necessary to carry in
to effect the provisions of this act.
Sec 7 All tolls and charges received
and collected for crossing any of the
bridges or ferries of the city of Portland
shall go into and become a part of the
bridge fund of said city of Portland, and
be used for the maintenance, keeping in
repair and paying the expenses and opera
tion of the bridges and ferries owned or
controlled by said city of Portland.
AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION.
Boston Herald.
Very few people realize how great has
been the fall in price of the necessities
of life during the last 20, or even during
the last 10, years. At the present rate of
human progress, the luxuries of today are
apt to become the necessities of tomorrow,
and so the saving effected on one side
merely supplies the means for new ex
penditure on another. But in dealing with
the great transactions of International
commerce it is impossible to overlook the
enormous shrinkage that has taken place
In the value of the staple products of the
labor of man, side by side with a steady
increase of the rates which are paid for
that labor. The exports and Imports of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland furnish, perhaps, the most accu
rate standard that could be selected of
the course of prices of these staples.
There has been no fluctuating tariff to
affect values, and no irregularity either
In the monetary system or the conditions
of exchange to render them uncertain.
When we find that in 1S74 England paid
$155,000,000 for 47,000,000 hundredweights of
foreign wheat and flour, and that last
year 89.000,000 hundredweights cost her
only $133,000,000, we get a realizing sense of
more than the significance of cheap bread.
For there Is in such figures the sign and
the measure of a social revolution whose
progress has been none the less moment
ous because It has been peaceful. To go
back only 10 years ago, $50,000,000 buys 25,
000,000 pounds of tea more than It would
have done m England In IB&i, and 14,000,-
f 000 hundredweights of refined sugar can
be imported for the price paid In 1S84 for
little more than 10,000,000. In 10 years the
quantity of dead meat imported into the
United Kingdom lias nearly doubled,
while its declared value has Increased
barely 50 per cent.
The cheapening of articles of food has
been no more remarkable than that of
I the raw materials of manufacture. In
1S74, 14.000.000 "hundredweights of raw cot
ton are valued among British Imports at
$255,000,000, while last year 16,000,000 hun
dredweights count for only $163,000,000. The
Imports, of wool were 130,000,000 pounds
more last year than they were In 1SJH, but
they cost $6,600,000 less than they did then.
Of course, the value of the manufactured
product bears the impress of the de
creased value of the raw material. Great
Britain received $25,000,000 less for the cot
ton fabrics she shipped last year than
she did for those exported In 1S71, but she,
nevertheless, sent out 1,700,000,000 yards
more. For less than 2.5C0.C00 tons of Iron
and steel manufactures exported In 1S74
the price was $133,000,000; for considerably
more than 2,500,000 tons exported last year
the price was about $93,000,000. These are
some of the data which will go to the
making of one of the most remarkable
chapters In the history of this century
the still incomplete economic revolution
to which the concluding quarter of it will
have been a witness.
A MODERN BORGIA.
New York Press.
For some time a woman who has nei
ther wealth, rank, nor beauty, has com
manded a remarkable degree of attention
In Europe, and has been the subject of
numerous cable dispatches which have
been published in American newspapers.
This extraordinary personage, Madame
Jonlaux, has just been convicted of mur
der in Antwerp, after a dramatic trial,
which was to the people of Belgium what
the trial of Lizzie Borden was to the peo
ple of Massachusetts. The crime of which
she has been declared guilty, recalls the
exploits of the Borgias and the achieve
ments in the art of poisoning recorded of
Catherine de Medici. This middle class,
unprepossessing Belgian woman, has been
convicted of poisoning successively her
brother, her sister, and her uncle. This
trio of murders was accomplished in
about two years. The motive in each case
was the securing of the insurance money
on the life of the victim, and no suspicion
seemed ta have been aroused until the
death of the uncle, who was the third
subject of Madame Joniaux's skill in tox
icology. . After her arrest, and during the trial
which followed, Madame Jonlaux mani
fested such consummate self-possession
that the public interest in her case con
tinually grew more intense. In the court
room, where she was tried according to
the French method, which virtually in
vests the judge with the functions of pros
ecuting attorney, she parried every
thrust with marvelous skill, and man
aged, notwithstanding the overpowering
weight of evidence ugalnst her, to im
press a large proportion of the spectators
with a firm belief in her Innocence. Per
formances of this sort on the part of a
young and beautiful woman are by no
means rare in the annals of criminal pro
cedure on both sides of the Atlantic. That
Madame Joniaux, without the aid of per
sonal attractiveness, should have been
aa'e to enlist the sympathy of so many
persons proves that she possessed histri
onic capacity of a high order.
Her conviction, in spite of the great
shrewdness which she displayed, and the
signal ability of her counsel, M. Hen
driks, whose closing plea in her behalf
was one of the most eloquent ever made
in a Belgian court, demonstrates for the
hundredth time the practical Impossibil
ity of concealing murder by poisoning.
Modern science has clothed the poisoner
with new powers, but it has also created
methods of detection which are infallible
if skillfully used.
V
PASSING OF STANLEY
."
X.
Press and Printer.
Tl rAi-Tirt lr-nAr IAvtmr "XT Cnnlflr TT"liin
he was a newspaper man will not be sur
prised at the early "passing" of the Afri
can explorer. He has now almost Entirely
dropped from public notice. Among a
number- of New York's leading publishers J
wno -were mscussing ina.matter.tne. omer:
day, it was stated that Stanley was now
living In the small suburbs of London. He
has a comfortable house there, but even
the neighbors scarcely know who he is.
Not long ago one of this book-talking
group said an article from Stanley came
to New York, and it actually went beg
ging for a publisher. This seems very
strange when one considers that it is only
three years ago when one of the Scribners
hastily packed his valise and went to
Cairo, in Egypt, to head off other publish
ers and secure the American right to
Stanley's book. He received a fabulous
sum for it, sold the English, Indian, Aus
tralian, Canadian, German and French
rights separately, and made a small for
tune out of his book. Then he came heze
and lectured, and added thousands of dol
lars to his resources. Now those who are
in a position to know question whether
he could draw a paying house at moderate
prices. Much of this has undoubtedly
been due to his desire to be offensive, a
fact which seems very strange to hun
dreds who once knew him. He tried to
show that he Jacked cordiality. One never
knew whether he was really gratified by
an honor shown him or whether he was
bored by It. It was a very bad case of
what Boston called "megalomania," and
may be vulgarly translated "big head."
Stanley Imagined that he had not only
hewed out himself a niche in the temple
of time, but he had ascended the pedestal
and that the season of obeisance and pil
grimage had begun for him. Now, with
much of his work discredited, and his
name besmirched with storfes of canni
balism and other horrors, he begins to
find that even a Stanley in all his panoply
fills but a small space in this big, bustling
and ever-investigating universe.
BOARD OF HORTICULTURE.
PORTLAND, Feb. 12. (To the Editors
Mr. S. A. Clarke has repeatedly made the
statement in The Oregonian that nine
tenths of the Oregon fruitgrowers did not
know of the existence of the state board
of horticulture, and again made this state
ment at the horticulture meeting, just
closed. At first I concluded to let the
matter pass, but to allow it to go unno
ticed any longer would be acknowledging
It as a fact, for silence is consent. I here
with annex a letter just received, which
is only one out of several hundred and
explains itself. It is dated at Lake Che
lan, Wash., and signed by Enos B. Pcas
lee: "Please advise me how much to remit
you for a copy of your Biennial Report
of State Board of Horticulture, and I
will sent it to you. Myself and neighbors
are eager to learn from others' experi
ence how to grow orchards and raise
fruit. There is so much to know that we
ought to learn from competent advisors.
I think your report would help us vastly."
Looking over my list of correspondents
I find that I have received within the
last two years over 200 letters of inquiry
and requests for our reports, mainly from
Washington, Utah, Arizona and Califor
nia; yes, even from Australia, New Zea
land and South Africa, and over 1C00 let
ters from all sections of our own state.
These letters received respectful replies,
and reports were sent where requested.
All this work was done without compen
sation of any kind, as the commissioners
are allowed small pay only when actually
engaged in field work or attending semi
annual meetings. The leading horticul
tural papers of the East have repeatedly
quoted from our reports. Are we known?
HENRY E. DOSCH.
Commissioner First District.
K
J?
XiOUlSVllIC -UUHCl-OUUiUilI.
The notion that cheap and abundant
money is an evidence of prosperity is
negatived by the facts. Money Is cheap
because of the slack demand. The de
mand is inadequate to employ the money
which we have. If it were certain that
the $45,000,000 of idle money in the New
York banks that has been offered at 1
per cent could be employed so as to earn
14 or 2 per cent It would be utilized at
once. Men able to secure the repayment
of the money are not satisfied of their
ability to do this. There is a lack of con-
r fidence which keeps business down to the
basis or current consumptioa,
IfBWS.OF THE XORTOTVXST.
Oreson.
The wife of Captain R. S. Littlefleld,
superintendent of the government works
at Bandon, )as been committed to tho
hospital for the insane at Salem.
Mrs. Theresa M. McKay, wife of ex
Sberlft William McKay, of Benton county,
died at Corvallis Sunday, aged 53 years
She came to Oregon from Ottawa, Canada,
inlSSi.
The farmers' warehouse at Eugene was
destroyed by fire early Sunday morning;
also a feed and chop mill. Some 6000
bushels of gr.Un and a large quantity of
chittem bark were destroyed.
Two boy3, -about 12 years of age, ia
King's valley, stole a revolver, and soon
afterward one of them, named McTim
mons, had a bullet in his side. The story,
of the other boy is conflicting.
Mrs. Catherine Hedges, wife of John E.
Hedges, died, at Tualatin last Friday, aged
73 years. Mr. and Mrs. Hedges have been
married 54 years. They came to Oregon la
1S51, from Ohio, and have lived on their
Tualatin farm 42 years.
Chrlsman Bros., of Silver Lake, to whom
a contribution of money for the relief of
the sufferers from the Christmas fire was
sent from Eugene, have returned the
money to the mayor, with a letter of
thanks and a statement that no more as
sistance is needed.
A petition Is m circulation in the ex
treme northwestern portion of Lane coun
ty asking that a small portion of Lane
and Lincoln counties lying along Five
Rivers and Lobster creek be annexed to
Benton county. This would take from
Lane county two townships of land that
pays no taxes. The county authorities
seem to favor the movement.
A young man from King's-valley, who
had lost a cigar and acquired, two black
eyes for Insisting upon smoking at the
skating rink, went to Corvallls to procure
a warrant for the arrest of the man who
caused them- He was told to go back
home and and get justice from the local
court, but as he had already had that in
the shape of a fine for discharging his re
volver, he was not pleased with the ad
vice. Washington.
The North Bend Milling Company':!
shingle mill was burned Monday with
940,000 shingles.
The expert examining the penitentiary
books makes the shortage of the late
Warden Coblentz $12,467 54.
A child 5 years old died at Ballard Mon
day from eating canned plums, and five
other persons were seriously ill.
The city of Tacoma has been sued for
$10,000 damages for the death of a boy
killed by an electric car two years ago.
The Tacoma board of education has been
petitioned by citizens to appoint none but
residents of the city as teachers in the
schools.
The Walla Walla Bar Association has
Indorsed John L. Sharpstein for appoint
ment as judjre of the ninth judicial circuit
by President Cleveland.
Charles Webber, mate of the barkentino
Modoc, lying at Fort Blakely, had his leg
crushed Saturday and was taken to tho
Marine hospital at Port Townsend.
M. F. Backus has resigned as receiver
of the Rainier Power & Railway Com
pany, at Seattle, and Frederick Baus
man has been appointed. The road ha3
passed into the hands of the Third Street
& Suburban Railway Company.
Walter Merrick, ex-city clerk of Port
Townsend, had a narrow escape from
death from electricity Saturday. He
grasped a guy wire, and could not let go.
A log he was standing upon rolled and
broke his hold, throwing him into the
water, whence he was released.
PERSONS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT.
Julio Renfifo Is commander of the chief
Colombian army that is trying to put
down the Insurgents.
Mrs. LilHe Devereaux-BIalre.rtlie' Tritely- ,
known champion of woman's rights, has
been addressing the North Carolina sen
ators. The ameer of Afghanistan, who is go
ing to visit England in the spring, will
probably come by way of Japan and the
United States.
To Dr. Arthur G. Webster, of Clark
university, has been awarded the Elihu
Thompson prize of 5000 francs for the best
treatise on electricity.
Mme. Marchesi, the famous vocal teach
er, speaks seven languages with ease.
She was a pupil of Garcia, who was the
teacher of Malibran and Jenny Lind.
Melba, her favorite pupil, Is, she thinks,
decidedly the greatest singer In the world.
William A. Fisher, who is mentioned
as a probable democratic candidate for
governor of Maryland, is a leading mem
ber of the Baltimore bar. He has been
a state senator, and for five years served
on the supreme court bench of Maryland.
Rev. Dr. Reld, the well-known Presby
terian clergyman, of Yonkers, is an en
thusiastic fisherman and mountain climb
er. He owns a cottage at Lake Placid,
in tho Adirondacks, and repairs thither
every summer to engage in his favorite
pastimes.
Dr. George F. Root, the veteran com
poser who wrote "The Battle Cry of
Freedom" and other patriotic war songs,
is a white-haired veteran of 75 years, but
his voice is still clear and resonant. He
produced his famous song In his little
music store in Chicago 34 years ago.
Miss Jeannette Douglas was the first
woman who ever filled a regular clerkship
in any of the departments at Washington.
With several other woman who were ap
pointed a few days later she was em
ployed to separate and trim the paper
money, a labor which is now done by
machinery.
General Resvy, the senior officer In the
Russian artillery, has just celebrated hl3
70th year of active service. He entered
the army of 1S25, under Alexander T, and
has served under five czars. His long ser
vice is surpassed, however, by that of
Admiral Count Heyden, who entered the
Russian navy in 1820.
FARAGRAPID3RS' PLEASANTRIES.
He They say kissing is unhealthy. She
Everything has Its risks. Spare Mo
ments. Just a little sunshine,
And a little ground hog, too.
And then we have the question:
"Is ft cold enough for you?"
Jllson says that marriage may be a fail
ure, but the man who embarks in it usually
has to pay 109 cents on the dollar. Buffalo
Courier.
Wiggles I know just what to take for
seasickness. Waggles (eagerly) Do you?
What Is It? Wiggles An ocean steamer.
Somervllle Journal.
Teacher There are three kinds of poetry.
You have mentioned two lyric and dra
matic: now what is the third? "Well,
epi " Elsa Epidemic Fliegende Blaet-
ter.
"See here. Mldgley, when do you propose
to pay that bill?" "Confound It, I pro
posed last night, in order to pay all my
bills, but she wouldn't have me." New:
York Recorder.
Oh. woe to all these boarding-houses!
They harp the same old tunes;
It Is hash you get for breakfast,
And at supper It Is prunes.
Syracuse Post
"How shall we serve that new mission
ary?" asked the chef. "As hash, I guess,"
said the kin.tr of the Mowoka. "He told me
before he left home.1
nal.
The ship was sinking In the foam.
Dashed by the headlong wave;
The passengers they thought of home,
And then a watery grave.
And mothers to their bosoms clasped
Their little ones In dread.
While the great sea's mad billows grasped,
And with their offspring fled.
"No hope upon the ocean wide!
Captain, we look to you!"
And as they drowned, the captain cried:
"Thank heaven, we've saved the crew!"
Atlanta Constitution.