TBE MOBSnrG OEESOMTAJT, TJffUBSDAY, EBBRXTAEY 14; 1895
lx&vQuvm.
Eattred at the Postofflee at Portland, Oregon,
as second-class natter.
REVISED STJEECKIPTIOX RATES.
By aial. (postage prepaid) In Advance
"Daily, with Sunday., per month... ....$ 1 GO
JiHy, Sunday excepted, per year. 10 00
Bally, Trith Sunday, per yew.... .... 12 00
Buaday. per year......... ... . 2W
3fce Weekly, per year . - 1 w
The "Weeiay, thrce-Tnonths 50
jTO CITX SUBSCRIBERS.
"Dally, per week, delivered, Sunday excpleL25c
Daily. p" reek, delivered. Sundf ladEded-SOc
DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
PORTLAXD. Feb. 13. -8P. JL-Maximum
temperature, 43; minimum temperature, S3,
h 'ht of river at Jl A. M., 3.S; change In the
past 24 hours, 0.8; precipitation today, .00; pre
cipitation from September 1. 1S94 met season),
to date. 19.76; average. 30.94: deficiency. 11.18;
number hours or sunshine Tuesdaj, 4:05; pos
sible -muaber. 30:24.
v WEATHER STXOPSIS.
From all appearances the etorm v.hleh has
beenrpahe coast ha entirely disappeared to
the wiwttrara. belns forced to change its posi
tion through the influence of an area of high
pressure, which prevails oxer British Colum
bia." nd Montana. Though a decided rise oc-i-urred
In the barometer, contrary to rule In
Hcb cases, the temperature beeame warmer.
Snow and rati occurred In Koutbvrestern Ore
Koac.3nd fair weather elsewhere.
" ' WEATHER TORECASTS.
Forecasts made at Portland for the 24 hours
ending at midnight February 14:
Kor Oregon, Washington and Idaho Fair
weather awl nearly stationary temperature,
with fresh easterly winds.
. Vjt Portland Fair weather and nearly sta
tionary temperatue, with light to fresh east
erly winds.
. " 5. PAGCE. Loal Forecast Official. -
PORTLAXD, THURSDAY, FEB. 14.
3ftjjCBUSE AXD PERFORSIAXCE.
Last" "June the people of the city of
Portland and ."he county of Multnomah
voted for reduction of the taxes that
burden the city and county. They were
aware that this reduction could be
brought about onto' by the cutting of
feee. reduction or abolition of salaries
aifd general economy in methods of ad
ministration. Members of the legis
lature -were elected under pledges to
enforce these economical reforms. Not
one of the members elected from this
county last June would have been elect
ed had these promises not been made.
- But now it is said there was a reser
"XatiQn In favor of the persons then can
didates for office; that it was under
stood they were still to receive the
former salaries and fees, and that the
economical measures were to be post
poned till their terms had expired and
they had had their "pull." Had this
been whispered, had the people sus
pected it, not one of these persons
would have been elected. Such a pro
posal, would have been received with
a storm of indignant derision. Every
man would have been hooted down and
voted down.
The Committee of One Hundred took
it up. It Insisted on pledges from the
candidates of all parties that these re
forms should be introduced without
delay;; that the reductions should be
put in force as soon as the necessary
legislation couIO. dq enacted. After the
election .the matter repeatedly came up
in the Committee of One Hundred, and
many members of the committee ex
pressed fear and incredulity as to the
disposition of the members of the leg
islature to keep the pledges as to im
mediate enforcement of the necessary
measures of retrenchment. But other
members of the committee gave assur
ance that the pledges would be kept;
that the Multnomah delegation were
in earnest and would do their utmost
to put these measures of economy in
force at once, and not put them off to
a future time. It was the Committee
of One Hundred and the whole people
of Multnomah that pressed this mat
ter, both before and after the election.
Nobody then heard the talk, common
now, that there was a "contract" be
tween the people and the officials that
these exorbitant fees and salaries
should be paid till the end of the ensu
ing terms. That assumption is sheer
impudence. It is just the contrary of
' what the people demanded, just the
contraryof what the Committee of One
Htmdredinsisted upon, just the con
trary of 'what the candidates were re
quired to promise and pledge.
Many salaries and fees are excessive.
They belong to the past era of inflated
values and general speculation. Com
pensation of officials must be brought
down to a fair proportion with other
things. Officials of whom steady and
continuous service is required must be
adequately paid. But there is a large
class of public duties which do not take
much of the citizen's time, and which
he may incidentally perform, and
there are good citizens in every com
munity who, if called upon, will per
form such duties, as an obligation of
citizenship, without salary. "We have
many examples In Portland. Here is
tur board of school directors, doing
without pay more business than mem
.JlfiKLS? tne common council do with it.
Here are the fire and police commis
sions, whose duties require a great
deal of time and of painstaking atten
tion, aicre' is the water committee,
SQpn to be superseded by the water
cpmmission serving without pay.
Should there be a board of public
works, the large and varied duties de
volving upon It will be rendered with
out compensation. The commissioners
of the city hall have performed without
pay the service to which they were
assigned, and the little salaries paid
to the members of the bridge commis
sion are to be cut off. Are members
of the common council, then, who now
have comparatively little to do, and
soon will have less, to set up a clamor
for salary? "What is there in the office
that entitles it to this exception? The
mayor has ma'ny duties to perform;
he must devote his whole time to the
city, and, therefore, should have paj.
But members of the common council
are no more entitled to it, have no more
right to demand It, than directors of
the schools, than members of the fire,
police and water boards, or members of
the board of public works. Through
many long years Portland was able to
call upon her citizens of public spirit
for service in the common council with
out salary, and this class of men have
not yet disappeared. To say -that we
can get better men for $1000 a year for
the common council than by making
an appeal to the public spirit and to
the responsibilities of citizenship, with
out salary, is an insult to public hon
esty and civic virtue. It is not true.
Nor is it true that repeal of the salary
would rule all but the rich out of the
common council, any more than service
without salary rules all but the rich off
the school, fire, police and other boards.
Did none but the rich hold seats in the
common council during the long period
when no salary attached to the posi
tion? The contrary was true. It was
seldom that a man of wealth was a
member of the council.
There is no "contract," express or
implied, for continuance of salaries and
fees in state, county or city. The Ore
gonlan recently reprinted the pledges of
reform in this direction made in the
platform on which the republicans car
ried the state last year. Did anybody
declare from any slump that these re-,
ductions were to be postponed? In our
local canvass in Multnomah, reduction
immediate reduction was proclaimed
on every hand as indispensable, and
there was no dissenting voice. The of
ficials who ought to have salaries will
still be adequately paid. Salaries that
are unnecessary should be cut off en
tirely, and the whole business should
be simplified and reduced. The legisla
tion now in progress will go far toward
securing these results. It is the legis
lation the people called for and ex
pected. It will afford the relief so
soiely needed in these conditions of
public distress. The claim, that "the
officials put up money for the cam
paign, and therefore ought to be per
mitted to draw the salaries," is a pe
culiar argument for a legislature that
takes fright at the mention of "the
Portland ring." If it were the "Port
land ring" in the legislature that was
putting up this claim, how the woods
and hills in Oregon would resound with
denunciation of a proposal so corrupt
and shameless!
COST OP THE GREEXBACK.
The common argument for forced
issue of government credit currency,
such as has been kept in circulation in
the United States since 1S62, is that,
since it is a loan to the government
without Interest, it saves a large an
nual expense. The government could
have borrowed money for the expenses
of the war instead of issuing legal-tender
notes, or, if not so, it could have
borrowed money as soon as the war was
over to pay them off. But it would
have had to pay interest on this bor
rowed money, probably 6 per cent up
to 1S70, 4 per cent from that date to
1S80, and 3 per cent afterward. At an
average of 4 per cent, and assuming
the loan to have been 5500.000,000 to
cover all the issues and contingent ex
penses, the interest charge would have
been J20.000.000 per year, or $600,000,000
for the thirty years, and the bonds,
would be still to pay, making the total
cost of the loan up to this time $1,100,-"
000,000.
This is what it would "have cost the
government to borrow money at inter
est for war expenses, instead of issuing
legal-tender notes to pay them, and
keeping them in circulation as the cur
rency of the country afterward, instead
of redeeming them out of the first sur
plus revenue and canceling them. It
is an enormous sum, but the bare
truth is that the legal-tender currency
already has cost the government di
rectly $1,000,000,000 more, or $2,100,000,000,
and the necessary redemption of the
notes now out will cost $300,000,000 more,
making the total cost of the "cheap"
substitute for money from 1S63 $2,400,
000,000, or about as much as the na
tional debt at its highest point. In this
case, as in most, the cheapest means
is found the'most costly in the end.
The New York Times has published a
series of articles, the last of which ap
pears elsewhere, in which careful com
putation is made of the actual cost to
the government of all the legal-tender
issues, from the first greenback to the
treasury notes of 1S90. This computa
tion includes the increased expenses of
the government from 1862 to 1879, due
to depreciation of the currency used
in making payment, the cost of interest
and redemption of bonds issued to re
tire greenbacks and to maintain the
gold reserve, interest on the latter, the
mechanical and clerical cost of main
taining legal tenders, the future cost
of interest and redemption of the bonds
still out, and the future cost of re
deeming the legal-tender notes them
selves, from which is deducted the
value of the gold notes and silver bars
now in the treasury.
The greatest item, of course, is excess
of government expenses, due to depre
ciation of the greenback, which
amounted to over $333,000,000 in one
year, 1S63, when the greenback was
worth less than 50 cents on the dollar.
This ran the total cost of the green
back, up to specie resumption in 1879,
up to about $1,750,000,000. Since that time
the main Item of cost has been the
interest and redemption of bonds to
maintain specie payment, which ran
the total, up to 1893, up to over $1,919,
000,000. This is the actual outgo up to
this time. To it falls to be added the
cost of the bonds issued for this pur
pose, now outstanding, which will be
nearly 5172,000,000, bringing the total
up to $2,100,000,000. The final item is for
the redemption of $346,000,000 of green
backs and $152,000,000 of Sherman notes.
Deducting the value of the gold, paper
and silver bars in the treasury, this
will be about $300,000,000, bringing us
to the impressive total with which we
started.
This enormous sum represents what
the people of the United, States have
paid in taxation for the use of about
$360,000,000 of greenbacks for thirty
years, and of $150,000,000 of treasury
notes for from one to five years. "We
could have borrowed 5500,000,000 of gold
and kept. out $500,000,000 gold certifi
cates for the same time for an average
of 4 per cent, $20,000,000 per year, or
$600,000,000 for the thirty years, taking
up the certificates with surplus reve
nue, and at the end of the time pay
ing off the bonds with the gold orig
inally borrowed. That is to say, this
cheap swindle of a forced loan has cost
the country more than twice as much
as the same amount of honest money.
Clergymen make a great mistake to
launch their thunderbolts at Paine
alien the Psine anniversary comes
round, and little groups here and there
glorify hlnv It gives him an im -
portance he does not deserve, and
tends to perpetuate an idolatry that
would gradually exhaust itself were it
let alone. Paine is an inconsiderable
figure in the world of thought and liter
ature, and would quickly become un
known to all but the universal reader
if the over-zealous orthodox clergy
would let him alone.
EXTRAVAGANT. IXDECEXT AXD IX
H13IAX. Jeffrey's bill to" regulate the carry
ing of prisoners, lncorrigibles and In
sane persons to the institutions pro
vided for them by the state is more
than a measure of economy, as applied
to the latter class; it is a measure of
decency and humanity. It embodies
briefly the idea more elaborately set
forth by the retiring secretary of state,
relative to the conveyance of insane
persons to the asylum by officers de
tailed for that purpose from the
trained force of asylum employes. It
makes it the duty of the clerk of any
court wherein a person has been ad
judged insane and ordered cdmmltted
to the asylum to notify the superintend
ent of the asylum of this fact, the lat
ter to respond immediately by sending
an experienced deputy or deputies to
convey such person thither. It is pro
vided further that the persons per
forming this detail work shall re
ceive no compensation for such service
beyond the salaries each one is paid
as an officer of the institution, the
actual traveling expenses incurred to
be paid by the state upon a properly
audited account.
The total cost of conveying insane
persons to the asylum during the past
two years, under the present system of
sending them under the escort of sher
iffs and their deputies, was $:i0,051 56,
a sum which is shown by the secretary
of state to be largely in excess of a just
or economical compensation for this
service. A careful and competent esti
mate shows that six attendants em
ployed at $50 a month each could have
performed this service at a saving of
several thousand dollars to the state,
and given one-third of their time to
other duties in connection with the in
stitution, while suitable arrangements
for traveling expenses in such cases
could be made by the superintendent
of the asylum on behalf of the state,
which would effect a still further sav
ing. This is the economical view of the
proposition merely, which, though of
special importance at this time, is of
secondary consideration. It is surpris
ing that a plea for the attendance of
a kind and skillful woman upon an In
sane woman en route to the asylum
must be urged in the name of common
decency, or that the public should be
insensible to the inhumanity of com
mitting this class of unfortunates, in
their utterly irresponsible and pitiable
condition, to unskilled, ignorant and
perhaps brutal attendants.
It is not or should not be necessary
to arraign the present system as a
gross abuse under each of these in
dictments, since either one of them
should be sufficient, in the simple pre
sentment, to convict it as outdated by
the intelligence of the age, and secure
a change in keeping with the just
economies, the inherent decencies and
the approved humanities of an enlight
ened "era. Whatever may be done in
regard to the conveyance of convicts
and incorrigibles to the institutions pro
vided for them, the present system of
conveyance of the insane to the asy
lum by unsuitable persons should be
superseded by the more enlightened
method embodied in the proposed law.
The joint resolution in relation to the
income tax, which has been passed by
the house, concurred In by the senate,
with amendments, and which now goes
back to the house for concurrence in
the senate amendments, will afford
considerable relief from peremptory
and inquisitorial processes adopted by
the treasury department. This joint
resolution doss not undertake to amend
the law, but it alters materially regula
tions established by the department
without authority of law. For exam
ple, the law requires that the Income
tax be paid before July 1, but leaves
the department to fix the date at which
return of taxable income shall be made.
The secretary fixed March 1, which is
said to be Inconveniently short no
tice for persons doing large and compli
cated business. The resolution extends
the time for making returns till April
13. Then the department prescribes a
list of inquisitorial questions to be ad
dressed to every person making a re
turn, which have no direct bearing upon
the object of the law, unless it be as
sumed that the taxpayer will try to
evade it by perjury unless subjected
to a sweating process. The resolution
provides that no questions shall be
asked of taxpayers not directly re
quired by the law. Other clauses pro
vide specifically for exemptions and
deductions, only authorized by the law
in general terms, and not allowed by
the secretary. This resolution prob
ably will become law within a few days.
In justice to the central portion of
the city, which pays at least two-fifths
of the taxes, there ought to be pro
vided adequate accommodations at this
locality for crossing the river. Other
portions of the city have this ad
vantage, and the central portion ought
not longer to be deprived of it. It is
felt by the taxpayers in the central
portion that they have been unfairly
dealt with by the bridge commission,
since free transit over the river, which
has been provided for other parts, has
been denied to this large central dis
trict, which pays the greatest propor
tion of the tax. This question is now
before our legislative delegation at
Salem, and it is hoped they will do
justice to the central part of the city.
It has been agreed, we learn, that there
may be issued an amount of bonds
adequate for this purpose, provided the
question of collecting tolls on vehicles
be submitted to the taxpayers at the
coming school election. It would seem
to be a good financial proposition to
pay 5 per cent on the bonds necessary
for such purpose, which could not
amount to more than $10,000 a year,
provided tolls be levied on vehicles,
which will save to the taxpayers, in the
matter of maintaining the bridges, at
least $50,000 per annum.
It is not improbable that New York
and London money-changers have
taken advantage of the straits in which
the treasury was placed by the neglect
of congress to authorize a bond Issue
to obtain the bonds lately marketed
for much less than they are worth.
The bonds sold for less than 105, and
it is said that the buyers have negoti
ated sale for them in London at 112.
This is not the fault of the president.
Congress left him in the lurch, and he
1 had to make such terms as he could
with the usurers. -TSven now congress I
can block the profitable game of the
bond-buyers by providing within a
week, for 3 per cent gold bonds. These
may be substituted at par for the 4s
contracted to be sold, making a saving
of three-fourths of one per cent inter
est, or over $16,000,000, on the whole
transaction.
"We ought to have a proper census of
the state. A census this year is re
quired by the constitution and laws.
"Within the limits prescribed by law, it
should not cost much. Each county
has authority to provide for the neces
sary work within its own limits. The
work falls upon the assessors. There
ought to bo no hesitation, it seems to
us, in making the necessary provision
in each county to get a full census, and
we hope the county of Multnomah will
not be remiss in her part of the work.
The taxpayers, we do not doubt, will
sustain the county court in such rea
sonable expenditure as may be neces
sary for the purpose. Let us Have a
census, so as to see where we are. A
little extra allowance to the assessors
will enable them to do the work and
get the results. .
The opposition to re-election of Sen
ator Dolph Is said to be chiefly a pro
test against the financial policy he rep
resents or supports. But this policy is
the policy of the country. It is the pol
icy that has been steadily pursued by
each of the parties alternately in power.
It is the policy of the present congress,
and will be the policy of the next one.
It is the policy under which gold is
recognized and maintained as the
money standard, with such use of sil
ver as may be practicable without loss
of the parity. This is the policy of the
country; it is the policy to which Mr.
Dolph is committed, and it will be sus
tained, whether he shall be re-elected
or not. The opposition to him on this
basis, therefore, is without sufficient
cause.
The ways and means committee has
advanced to the point of recommend
ing an act to authorize the sale of gold
bonds. All bonds will be gold bonds,
so long as parity is maintained, but no
doubt tlie bonds would sell better if
repayment in gold were distinctly
pledged. The present congress prob
ably will not pass any financial meas
ure, but every resolution like this shows
an advance toward the necessary ad
mission and declaration that the gold
standard is to be maintained. It will
be maintained, In any event; but there
is reason for such action as will cause
men and parties to cease from juggling
with equivocal expressions.
Dr. Gaff finds it difficult to procure
bail, his male acquaintances refusing
to trust him. He need not repine, since
he has the sympathy of his woman
callers. Probably his detention will be
brief. The law does not take serious
cognizance of these offenses. He will
be discharged in a few days, and may
pursue his career of lechery so long as
his physical vigor may last, if he only
is careful not to run foul of any girl
whose male relatives are men. In that
case he will not need ball, and the sym
pathy of sentimental female callers at
the morgue will avail him nothing.
The proposiubh to let the taxpayers
of the city of Portland decide whether
the bridges and ferries across the river
that divides the city shall be absolutely
free to the public, or be maintained and
operated by a small toll upon vehicles
and animals crossing them, is a just
one. The people, upon whom alone the
expense of the construction and main
tenance of these highways falls, are
competent judges in the premises, and
may well be allowed to decide the mat
ter. The end of contradictory rumors about
Wei-Hai-Wel is that it has not been
taken and the fleet still Is intact, but
that propositions have been made to
surrender both, on condition that the
lives of the troops are spared. This
condition is the fruit of the unhappy
experience of the troop3 at Port Ar
thur. Of course, it will be granted.
The Japanese don't want to kill sol
diers unless they have to. They want
the town and the ships in a? good con
dition as possible.
It was easy for everybody to prom
ise economic reform last spring, in the
sweet and breezy election time; but
now there is terrible resistance to the
effort to fulfill the promise. So easy
is it to talk reform, and so hard to ac
complish it. "Which recalls the words
of a solemn poet:
Virtue abounds in flatterers and foes.
'Tis pride to praise her, penance to, per
form. LESS THAX A YEAR AGO.
What Representative Lester, of Clat
sop, Tliousrlit of Debased. Money.
WARRENTON, Or., March 20. (To the
Editor.) "Will Mr. DeLashmutt kindly in
form the readers of The Oregonian in
how many silver mines he is interested?
"We outsiders have an idea that the en
thusiasm of the leaders of the Bimetallic
(?) League smacks largely of self-interest.
The whole tenor of Mr. DeLashmutt's
communication of the 29th inst. is to the
effect that if the Oregon Bimetallic League
is not allowed to dictate the platforms of
all the political parties of the state they
intend to throw their strength for the one
which they can dictate. In other words,
that the minority proposes to rule or
ruin. Such a declaration, that personal
interests are to be placed first, leads one
to doubt the sincerity of the political con
victions of Portland's ex-mayor.
It is high time the honest-money men of
Oregon had taken steps to right our
selves before the world on this question.
Free silver appears to act as a lung-expander,
and a man filled up with the idea
can shout twice as loud as an ordinary
mortal. As a consequence, we have been
placed before the country as a free-silver
state, while I believe a popular vote would
show the silver men in a hopeless minor
ity. The leaders of both the republican and
democratic parties, who believe in a
sound currency, ought to take a firm
stand and see that men like Mr. DeLash
mutt do not write our platform. If the
campaign is to be fought out between hon
est money and rag-babyism, let us draw
the lines distinctly and make no compro
mise. One can drink either hot or cold
water, but lukewarm it is nauseating. If
the silver inflationists and monometalisus
desire to betake themselves into the pop
ulist camp, they will be in congenial com
pany. The party which stands up for as
much silver as can bo maintained on an
equality with gold, and no more, and
for international bimetallsm as soon as it
can be brought about, will draw more
votes on such a platform than they will
lose by refusing to indorse free coinage
under existing conditions. And should
we lose, we will have the satisfaction of
knowing It is better to lose on a sound
platform than to win on a rotten one.
C. F. LESTER.
The above letter was published in The
Oregonian of April 4, 1894. It was on the
statement of principles contained la this
letter that Mr. Lester was nominated
and elected to the legislature. He now
acts with those who refuse to vote for
Mr DOlph because Mr Dolph stands for
the "honest-money" principles which Mr.
Lester then so vigorously defended. Mr.
Lester ought, in justice to himself and his
Lconstituents, to quit this company and
vote for Mr. Dolph. This Is what both he
and Mr. Curtis pledged themselves
to do. Mr. Fox, candidate for the
senate on the same ticket with
them, refused to come out for "honest
money" and for Mr. Dolph, and was not
elected. In all kindness. The Oregonian
suggests to Mr. Lester and Mr, Curtis
that it is time for them to consider and
to reconsider, and to put themselves back
into the position where the people who
elected them intended they should stand.
"COIX" IX LAW MEAXS GOLD.
And That Is the- Reason. Why Gold
Can Be Got for "Coin" Bonds.
Chicago Herald.
A New York financial newspaper pub
lishes a letter from a prominent business
man containing statemerts in substance
as follows:
1. The resumption act requires the sec
retary of the treasury to redeem "in gold"
all greenbacks presented for redemption.
2. If the gold is not In the treasury the
act requires the secretary to sell bonds to
get the gold. "The only discretion allowed
him is to decide whether it shall be 4 per
cent or 5 per cent bonds he will sell. But
sell one or the other he must, and he
could be mandamused if he refused to do
his duty. The one restriction is that the
bonds must be sold at not less than par."
This is true in substance, but not in
form. The secretary can sell not only 4 or
5 per cent bonds, but 4J& per cents, if he
chooses. But that is not a material point.
The essential thing is the requirement to
redeem in gold.
The word used in the law is "coin," not
"gold." But, althourh the law does not
specify gold coin, it none the less certainly
means gold coin. At the time the law was
enacted, gold coin was the only coin of
unlimited legal tender capacity. The coin
age of silver dollars was discontinued in
1873, and the only authorized silver coins
in 1S73, when the resumption act was
passed, were fractlonals, which were then
legal, tender to the amount of $3 only in
any one payment. It necessarily follows
that the secretary of the treasury is re
quired to redeem greenbacks in gold coin.
Congress placed this construction upon
the law when it passed the bank charters
act in 1SS2. Although that act was passed
four years after the passage of the Bland
Allison silver dollar law, it contained a
provision that whenever the "gold" held
in the treasury for the redemption of
greenbacks should fall below 5100.000,000
the secretary of the treasury should sus
pend the issue of gold certificates. By
law, therefore, as well as by invariable
practice ever since resumption, the gov
ernment is pledged to the redemption of
greenbacks in gold.
The resumption act also provides that
the bonds sold for the purposes of the act
shall be sold at not less than par in
"coin." "Coin" means gold here as else
where in the act, and for the same rea
son. The secretary of the treasury can
not sell the bonds at less than par in gold
coin. But he cannot sell them at par in
gold if there is a serious doubt about their
being payable in gold. Therefore he has
a right to promise payment in gold. It
may become his duty to do so, for other
wise he may not be able to sell the bonds
as the law requires.
It has been stated repeatedly of late that
the president was Inclined to "stretch his
authority" so far as to insert the word
gold in the next issue of bonds. It now
seems to be understood in financial circles
that he has decided to do this if neces
sary in order to dispose of the bonds on
favorable terms. Indeed, it is sad that
the sudden cessation of the demand on
the treasury for gold is due to this deter
mination. Be that as it may, it is altogether likely
that the president will direct that the
world "gold" be inserted in the bonds if
he thinks it necessary. And he will not
stretch his authority much in so doing.
The principal objection to this course is
that it might cast a shadow upon existing
bonds authorized by the same acts, in
cluding those recently issued, in which
the word "gold" is not used.
For this reason Jt may be best not to use
the word unless it is clearly necessary In
order to raise gold on the bonds on favor
able terms and quiet all the fears that
have led to the run on the treasury for
gold.
PREFERRED CREDITORS.
OLYMPIA, Wash., Feb. 12. (To the
Editor.) While the legislature is in ses
sion It might be well to have some one
of Its members introduce a bill covering
a matter that does great injustice to
many people.
A case has recently come to light here,
about as follows:
A man died after a six months' sickness.
About all he left for his family of one
wife and three little ones was a $1000 life
insurance policy. For a long while the
butchers, grocers and bakers have fur
nished the family with the necessaries,
expecting, of course, that they would be
repaid when the insurance money came
to hand. The man died in the fond hope
that all bills against the family would
be paid by the insurance, and that there
would be a few hundred dollars left to
supply the immediate wants of the wife
and little ones.
But now come two doctors with very
large bills, an undertaker with another
large bill, and they tell the lone woman
that their bills must be paid first that
the plain law provides that their bills
come in ahead of all others. What is the
poor woman to do?
If she does the bidding of these three
men it will take almost the entire in
surance, and there will not only be noth
ing left to feed and clothe the little
ones, but hardly 10 per cent to pay just
claims of the men who furnished food
and clothing, and the landlord who kept
a roof over the family.
If the law discriminates as above, It
should be changed so that a reasonable
part of the insurance could be set apart
for the family, and the balance divided
pro rata among all creditors. JUSTICE.
PERSON'S WORTH ICXOWIXG ABOUT.
Ex-Senator Henry G. Davis has offered
to contribute $50,000 toward the establish
ment of an industrial school for girls in
West Virginia.
Dan Emmitt. author of "Dixie," is to
have a reception and testimonial soon
from the Confederate vets of Washington.
He will be 80 in May, and first sang the
song in 1813.
Captain Charles Louis Beaumont, of the
royal navy, England, who has just been
appointed equerry to the queen, has an
Americin wife. He was married in 183S
to Miss Perkins, daughter of Charles E.
Perkins, of Boston.
The Rev. Francis Sylvester Mahoney,
known as "Father Prout," wrote "Shan-'
don Bells" while he was a priest at Rome
and homesick for his native Cork. There
is a project on foot to erect a fitting me
morial above his grave.
H. R. Hatch, a well-known merchant of
Cleveland, O., has offered to erect for
Adelbert college of Western Reserve uni
versity, a commodious stone library build
ing. Work on the structure will be com
menced as soon as possible.
Governor Atkinson, of Georgia, recent
ly made an appointement which carried
him bade to the days of bis childhood.
He made a porter of Robert Atkinson, a
negro who was owned by the governor's
father, who went to the war with the
governor's brother and brought his dead
body from the field in Virginia.
Professor E. E. Bernard, of the Lick ob
servatory, loes not think much of the
scheme of a Chicago man for building an
enormous telescope nar San Diego, Cal.,
which is to have the largest glass in the
world. "He is working on a wrong hy-
pothesis," he says. "What he wants is
not a great glass of the kind proposed,
but to do what has not been dorte find
means of quieting the atmosphere. In
other words, his proposlton is an absurd
ity." George Q. Cannon, the leading spirit In
the Mormon church, will probably be the
first senator elected from Utah when the
territory achieves statehood. His son,
Frank Cannon, now aelegate-elect, has a
good chance of becoming his father's sen
atorial colleague
Parker Pillabury is now the sole survi
vor of the more conspicuous early aboli
tionists. Mr. Pillsbury was something of
a Boanerges In the cause at one time,
but in view of the complete success that
had been attained in the end of slavery
in America he has teen content to pass
his later years in the serene atmosphere
of a retired New Hampshire home.
The late Furman Sheppard was an in
satiate collector of books having a rare
or antique interest, and he has thus
amassed one of the finest private libraries
In Philadelphia, says the Record of that
city. It was one ot his greatest delights
to spend his evenings among his literary
treasures. After his death his law col
lection was disposed of, but his remain
ing library, which is classified in groups,
devoted respectively to medicine and
physics, theology and philosophy, general
law, political economy and politics, his
tory, geography and biography, general
literature, architecture and painting, and
miscellaneous, is still intact as he left It.
Mrs. Sheppard, it Is understood, is aa
yet undecided as to what disposition shall
be made of it. Some idea of the extent
of the collection may be formed from the
fact that the catalogue alone makes a
volume of 300 printed pages.
Mr. Corbett's Dinner.
Eugene Register.
Those who had an idea the members ot
the legislature were invited to Portland In
order to give an opportunity for persuasion
on the matter of the election have been
disappointed. We think Mr. Corbett made
it sufficiently plain why he inv'ted the
members to dine with him, and the motive
is not an unworthy one. He had a right
to entertain them, and he had a right to
talk with them in regard to the reduction
of expenses in Multnomah county by the
passage of a salary law. It is clearly evi
dent the salary law is needed in that coun
ty, as there are greater opportunities for
fee-grabbers In that county than in any
other. The salary law works well in coun
ties where it has been tried, and has dem
onstrated itself to be a great factor in re
duction of taxation. Every public officer
should be placed upon a salary. Plenty of
competent men will want the offices then,
and the people will know what the offices
are costing, which is not the case where
the fee system prevails. Under the salary
system there is an incentive to the less
ening of business in the courts, where oth
erwise the reverse is true. It is a com
mendable effort on the part of citizens of
Multnomah, and the legislature would
make no mistake by passing a salary law.
o
Semi-Annnal Payment of Taxes.
PORTLAND, Feb. 13. (To the Editor.)
In the fore part of the present session of
the legislature a bill was introduced pro
viding for the payment of taxes in two
semi-annual amounts. It would be to
the Interest of many to learn what has
become of this bill. In California taxes
are paid semi-annually, and it is found
to work there. There are mans reasons
why it would be to the advantage of the
community at large that such a system
should be in vogue here. It would ob
viate the unnecessary accumulation of so
large an amount of money in the treas
ury, as has been the case In the past,
and danger of any of it going astray, as
experienced here last year. Soon the time
will be around for all to go and pay their
taxes, and many will have a hard time to
meet them. It woould be somewhat of a re
lief, could half of the taxes be paid now
and the balance six months later. This
is an Important matter, and I would re
spectfully call it to the attention of the
committee appointed by the Chamber of
Commerce on the dalles portage propo
sition, that leaves for Salem Thursday.
Let them look into this matter.
SIMON HARRIS.
Unconscious Humor.
St. Louis Republic.
The "American silver dollar contains a
trifle less silver than the Mexican dollar,
but it is at a premium of about two for
one over the Mexican coin, even in Mex
ico. That is to say, if you go into
a shop in a Mexican town, buy a Mexican,
dollar's worth of something and hand the
salesman an American dollar, he will
give you back a Mexican dollar in change.
That is because the American silver dol
lar, under present conditions, is not gen
uine money. At the present price of sil
ver bullion the silver in our dollar is
worth only about 50 cents, and it is kept
up to a parity with gold only by the treas
ury manipulation, and by the laws mak
ing it a legal tender for all dues, public
and private. As our coinage laws stand,
we have no such thing as bimetalism, and
the silver dollar is practically an obliga
tion of the government, redeemable in
gold. In Mexico silver is the standard
money, and it passes in the markets cf
the world at its bullion value, just as
our gold money does.
Apples and Potatoes "Wanted.
Eugene Register.
E. C. Smith is in receipt of a letter from
a firm in St. Paul asking if he can ship
them a few carloads or" apples. They also
inquire regarding the possibility of his
shippingthem several carloads of potatoes,
offering 23 cents per bushel for them. He
states in the letter that there is a brisk
demand in that country for Pacific coast
fruit and produce. Apples, prunes, pota
toes, and even onions are sought for by
the commission men of St. Paul and that
section from the dealers in Oregon, Wash
ington and California. With all the op
portunities offered here, it is to be regret
ted that such calls cannot be supplied.
Raising of such staples In large enough
quantities to afford shipments by the car
load would undoubtedly be found profit
able. Milton Fruitgrrovrer Object.
Milton Eagle.
The Eastern Oregon Fruitgrowers' Union
held a meeting Thursday night of last
week and passed resolutions strongly con
demning the proposed changes in the horti
cultural laws of Oregon. The proposed
bill provides for a single commissioner at
a "fixed" salary of $1500, with an addition
al $C00 for traveling expenses, should that
amount be required. If the same amount
of interest should be taken in Eastern Ore
gon orchards by the one-man commission
er that has been displayed by the present
board, they could reasonably expect an of
ficial visit from his royal eminence early
in the fall of 1900.
m
Free Silver a Wnge-Redncer.
Des Moines Leader.
The day tills country went to a silver
basis the laboring men would find their
rents and the prices ot nearly everything
consumed advanced nearly In proportion
to the depreciation of the currency of the
country, while their wages fixed in terms
of money would advance slowly, and
never reach an amount proportionate to
the increase in their expenditures. Such
has been the e"perience of the past with
cheap money; such will be the experience
of the future if the experiment is ever
tried again.
All Are Pnynble in Coin.
GASTON, Or., Feb. 13. (To the Editor.)
Do the United States bonds now being
issued read payable in "gold" or "coin"?
Were there ever any government bonds
issued since the war that read, "payable
in United States gold coin"?
ALMORAN HILL.
Certainly.
CORVALL1S. Or.. Feb. 13. (To the Edi
tor.) Is the silver dollar coined in 1S79 a
legal tender for all debts, both public
and private? t P. M. ZIVOLT.
XEWS OF THE NORTHWEST.
' " OrcKon. l
La Grande's school census shows 230
children.
The Western Phillistine has ceased to
make its appearance.
A nntor-car at Salem knocked out a
meat-wagon in one round Tuesday.
Frank G. Hull will soon begin publish
ing at Milton an agricultural paper called
the Inland Homestead.
The city council of La Grande has for
some time been unable to secure a quorum,
for a meeting, owing to illness ot mem
bers. The capacity of the wool-scouring mill
at Pendleton is to be doubled. It is ex
pected to handle 6,000,000 pounds of wool
the coming season.
The young men of Eugene aro talking:
of organizing an athletic association. Tha
North Pacific coast association would wel
come a club at that place.
A movement is on foot at Eugene to
organize an agricultural society and hold
a fair next fall. An excellent site has
been offered at Merion Park.
A trout, 33 inches long, S& inches wide
and weighing 16& pounds, was caught in
Upper Klamath lake Friday last. He Is
the biggest trout ever seen there, and It
took two men to land him.
The Riddle city election Friday resulted
as follows: Trustees, J. B. Riddle, S. S.
Catching, George Cutsforth, L Lasswell
and W, C. Conner; recorder, George R.
Riddle; treasurer, Thomas Dyer; marshal,
L. Michael; street commissioner, William
Sanderson.
Salmon fishing on the Nahalem has
played out completely. Kinney's cannery
at that place has closed down for tha
season on account of the scarcity of fish.
The Chinamen who have been working
in the cannery will be brought to Astoria
on the Harrison the latter part of thei
week.
The project of the county court of Uma
tilla county to lease the road running;
through the southern portion of the
county to the John Day river, is stiongly
objected to. This road was built by a
state appropriation of $16,000. supplemented
by private subscriptions, and the people
of John Day object to paying toll upon it.
About 100 merry skaters from Enter
prise, Alder and Joseph, were on the lako
last Saturday and Sunday, and halt aa
many Tuesday night, says the Aurora.
The skating was all that could be de
sired, there being a sheet of ice three miles
long by one mile wide, and from four,
to six inches thick and s-mooth as glass.
The ice is excellent yet and will remain
so for some time unless there is a changa
in the weather.
The citizens of Detroit and vicinity held
a mass meeting at the Cascade housa
on Saturday, February 9, for the purpose)
of determining whether or not there was;
any plan they might devise to do away
with the letter of credit business by which
the people along the line of the Oregon
Pacific railroad have had to contend with
so long. The result was a letter to Ham
mond & Bonner asking that wood, ties
and other material be paid for in cash in:
future.
Messrs. Flamm, Crafts and F. H. ClarK
have struck a rich quartz lode above the
dry diggings near Grant's Pass. These
placers are among the oldest mines in
Southern Oregon, and in early days
yielded handsomely. They are still mined
every winter with fair results, but the
main ledge has been unsuccessfully
searched for for many years. The gold
found always had more or less quartz
mixed with it. The present find is about
600 feet above the old diggings.
A young man, by the name of Arthur
Hilliard, had both of his feet so badly
frozen while traveling on snowshoes out
in the Sprague river (Klamath county)
country, on the 21st ult., as to necessitate
their amputation at the instep. He started
to go from his homo at Robinson springs
on the summit of the mountain between
Bly and Barnes valley to the latter place.
The young man lost his way and did not
reach his. destination for IS hours, with
the result, of freezing his feet as stated.
Washington.
Amos Reed died at Yager February 5
aged S3 years.
A carload of salmon is being shipped
East from Gray's harbor daily.
Plans have been prepared for a new.
Episcopal church at Aberdeen.
Thomas Windsor will build a large saw
mill, shingle mill and sash and door fac
tory at Ballard.
The sportsmen of Tacoma and Seattle
will have a live-bird match near the for
mer place Sunday.
A barrel and tub factory will be estab
lished at Snohomish, to use the cedar tim
ber, so plentiful there.
The Pierce county commissioners ara
considering the question of setting the
prisoners in the county jail at work.
D. Woods has been arrested at Hlllyard
for stocking his butcher shop in the night
time, while the owners of the cattle wero
asleep.
The estate of Mrs. Marie Bernhardyj
Jasous, the Tacoma woman who wag
kified by falling off a train near Ashland,
has been inventoried at $39,912 30.
In a quarrel between two disreputable;
women at Sprague, one of them threw a
lighted lamp at another, and the arrival
and vigorous efforts of the city marshat
alone saved a conflagration.
The first meeting of the lady commis
sioners, recently appointed by Governor
McGraw for the Atlanta cotton stated
exposition, was held Tuesday afternoon,
at the Tacoma hotel. The organization
was perfected as follows: President, Mrs.
Samuel C. Slaughter, of Tacoma; first
vice-president, Mrs. Maurice McMicken,
of Seattle; second vice-president, Mrs.
Frank Allyn, of Tacoma; third vice-president,
Mrs. Eugene V. Hyde, of Spokane;
corresponding secretary, Mrs. A. B. Stew
art, of Seattle; recording secretary, Mis.
F. A. Turner, of Olympla; treasurer, Mrs.
Herbert Beecher, of Port Townsend.
1'ARAGRAPHERS' PLEASANTRIES.
A man may run into debt, but he seldom
comes out at anything faster than a walk.
Texas Siftings.
Bigg3There arc very few poor men in
the senate nowadays. Dlggs Yes, but
there are plenty of mighty poor senators-.
Life.
Tourist (on the dome of the capitol)
My, how the vind roars up here. Guide
That isn't the wind, sir. That's congress
in session. Detroit Free Press.
"Did you tell Mr. Snobberly that I was
not in?" Bridget I did, ma'am; but he
looked so doubtful, I don't think he'd
'a' believed it if ou'd 'a' told him wid your
own lips. Inter Ocean.
He returned the pound of sugar,
And sadly shook his head;
"I do not want the earth." was all
He to the grocer said.
Detroit Tribune..
Farmer If you wart work, 111 give you
a Job. Wlggley Waggles Well, I'd like
to take advantage o' yer offer, boss, but I
see a man comin' up the road that looks
as if he had a family to support, an as I'm
a batchelor I will resign in his 'favor.
Tid-Bits.
Eva I'm awfully disappointed in those
New York soldiers. Nance Why? Eva
Here we've been talking to some of the
members of troop A for an hour and not
oneof them, has swern once. I don't be
lieve they are real troopers at all. Brook
lyn Eagle.
"Dear me," said Mr. Meekins, "it seems
so absurd for men to be constantly talk
ing about their wives having the last
word. I never object to my wife having
the last word." "You don't?" "Not a bit.
I alvays feel thankful when she gets to
It." Washington Star.
"Really,Mr.Stalate,"she protested, "you
have given me four hours of your time
this evening." "Why er upon my word!
So I hive. The hours pass like minutes
when I am with you.' "You were telling
me that since your promotion your time
Is valuable." "Yes." "Well, papa doesn't
allow me to accept expensive presents
from young nen." Washington Star.