4
THE MOEKI3NTG- OBEGCXNTASr, MOHBATft FEBRUARY 18. 1895
2f Ire rsgaumu
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News or discussion intended far publication
In The Oregonian should be addressed Invariably
"Editor The Oreicenlan," not to the name of
any individual. Letters relating to advertising,
subscriptions or to any business matter should
be addressed simply "The Oregonian."
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pose.
DAILY METEOROLOGICAL HEPOUT.
TORTLAND. Feb. IT. 8 P. M. Maximum
temperature, 52; minimum temperature, -il:
lieight of rirer at 11 A. M., 3.4; change in pust
CM hours, 0.2, total precipitation today, .01;
total precipitation from September 1, lbot (wet
ceaoon), to date, 19.B7; average. 31.00; de
ficiency. 11. S3; hours of sunshine Saturday,
Ki&i. possible number, 10:30.
WEATHER SYNOPSIS.
Though a rapid rise occurred In the barom
teter on the North Pacific coast, and a sMght
Xall on the California coabt, which is a condi
tion usually favorable for fair weather, yet the
barometric gradient )s such that, light rain will
likely continue in the "Western portions of
Washington and Oregon. Light snow fell in
Eastern Oregon and Idaho, and light rain in
other sections.
WEATHER FORECASTS.
Forecasts made at Portland for the 4 hours
fending at midnight February IS:
For Western Washington and Western Ore
gon Occasional rain and stationary tempera
ture, with fresh southerly winds, brisk to high
v(T the ceast.
For Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon
- Fair weather and nearly stationary tempera
ture, with fresh southerly winds.
For Idaho Occasional light snow and warm
er, with light to fresh variable winds.
For Portland Occasional light rain and sta
tionary temperature, with fresh southerly -winds.
II. S. PAGUE. Local Forecast Official.
r OUTLAID. MONDAY. FEBRUARY 18.
IS THERE TO HE A SENATOR?
It is possible, it is probable, that the
cession of the legislature will terminate
Without the election of a senator. The
situation is such that the supporters of
Mr. Dolph cannot yield. But there are
those among his opponents who could
yield, without humiliation or dishonor,
vere they so inclined. The assertion
hat if they should yield they would He
under the imputation of having been
bought" is a pure Insult. Nobody has
talked of "buying" anybody; nobody
lias been bought or will be bought to
.vote for Mr. Dolph. He was the choice
wf the republicans of Oregon as ex
pressed through the election of last
June. He now has the support of the
majority of republicans in the legis
lature, and this support has the ratifi
cation of the party caucus, from which
there was not, at the time the caucus
twas held, nor till days afterward, any
dissent. They who are supporting him
cannot abandon him.
One question is whether party usage,
ifaith in politics, is to be a force now
and hereafter, in political action, or
jiot There has been ho situation like
this in our state hitherto, because never
before has the usage of party been de
ified in this manner. Members have re
fused to go into caucus, and therefore
liave declined to recognize a proceed
ing In which they did not participate as
creating any obligation over them; but
never berore has there been a caucus
in which all participated, and from
whloh all departed without dissent,
ithat was not regarded as creating an
Obligation.
The supporters of Mr. Dolph cannot,
5n these circumstances, yield. But there
tire members who hitherto have not
voted for him, who can yield without
dishonor, or suspicion of it. From the
iflrst nobody has been "bought" to sup
port Mr. Dolph. To the last, nobody
will be bought to support him. The as
sumption or assertion that any man
;who hitherto has not voted for him, yet
4nay hereafter think fit to do so, will lie
under the imputation of baving yielded
to a corrupt inducement, is the assump
tion or assertion of those who have
claimed to be the special friends of the
inen whom they would thus dishonor.
Mr. Dolph may not be elected, for tho
legislature may adjourn without an
election; but since he has bought no
body and proposed to buy nobody, and
since at last in every case the majority
must rule, the reasonable and fair
minded men of the minority need not
consider it in any way derogatory to
themselves to cast their votes for the
4nan who was the choice of the caucus
rind who was universally regarded as
the man indicated for senator by the
general election at which the legislature
.was chosen.
THE IKKIGATIOX PROBLEM.
An excellent pamphlet, in behalf o"
development of the West, has been pre
pared by the national Irrigation com
mittee at Chicago. It presents the sub
ject of irrigation as a national scheme
for aggressive development which
shall absorb the idle energies of labor
and capital alike. The fact Is pointed
out that one-half the area of the United
States contains only 4.000,000 inhabi
tants, while the other half contains
64,000,000. It recalls the prediction of
Macaulay and Carlyle that the real test
of our institutions will come when the
great patrimony of land shall be ex
hausted, and when our cities shall
swarm with the idle and discontented;
and it states with force that should
make an impression upon the East that
this fateful moment is now upon us un
less we shall enter, in a spirit of high
patriotism, upon the conquest of the
greater West
But this is largely an arid region, and
the laws of the United States hitherto
have not been favorable to development
of irrigation on a large scale. The con
trol of the non-navigable streams rests
jwlth the states, while the control of the
lands has rested with the general gov
ernment But the so-called Carey law
lias put into the hands of each of sev
eral states one million acres of the
lands, so that now for the first time the
publlo waters and a considerable por
tion of the public lands are brought un
der one control.
But It Is not easy to devise ways
to make this advantage practically
available, for most of the states In
which there are large bodies of arid
lands are still young and poor, and
cannot afford to spend much for devel
opment. The only way is to enlist pri
vate capital in these undertakings, on
term3 that will hold out hopes of profit.
Such is the proposal submitted to the
legislature of Oregon. It may yet be too
soon to engage In this work in our
state, but the ttme is not distant when
it must be undertaken.
I XTERNATIONAL BIMETALISM.
New hope and vitality Is given to the
movement for international bimetalism
by the action of the German reichstag
Saturday. That body passed with
great enthusiasm and by a decisive ma
jority a resolution advising the federal
council to issue invitations for a new
international monetary conference. This
action is not mandatory, but the im
perial government is said to be so far
In sympathy with it that the invitations
will be sent out promptly.
It Is extremely significant that the
movement for a new monetary confer
ence comes from Europe. Every con
ference held heretofore has been called
by the United States and has been
treated with coldness and indifference
by the nations of Europe. Now it be
gins to be understood that other than
silver-producing nations may suffer
from the progressive decline in value of
that metal, and Europe is ready to take
the initiative in arresting it. Silver
sentiment has been growing in Ger
many with decline of industrial and ag
ricultural prosperity. Disturbance of
trade with India has created great dis
content in manufacturing and commer
cial circles of Great Britain with sepa
ration of value of gold and silver.
France always has stood ready to join
any practicable movement. The new
conference will meet, therefore, under
more hopeful auspices than any be
fore it.
If international bimetalism is a mere
dream, it is a hurtless one. It can
harm no nation to join all others in
trying the experiment. Failure will
give none an advantage over the others,
if all fenter into the agreement on equal
terms. For one nation to undertake to
hold up the A-alUe of silver alone is to
risk fall to the silver basis alone, loss of
its gold to the other nations, and es
tablishment of a costly and hampering
barrier of exchange between its com
merce and the rest of the world. But
this cannot happen if all nations join
in the effort to hold up the price of sil
ver and establish a permanent and un
varying ratio of coinage value between
it and gold. Even if the effort fail, it
can only leave each nation where it was
before no worse, even if no better off.
And it is mere dogmatism to declare in
advance that the effort is foredoomed to
failure. That can be determined only
by the trial.
On the other hand, success of interna
tional bimetalism would bring univer
sal and incalculable advantage. All
nations would share in the gain and
none would be loser. To restore silver
to its old value would be to double the
money basis of the world and relieve
gold of half its present burden the
burden of sustaining half the nominal
value of the silver currency as well as
all the value of the paper currency of
all the nations. Even to find a new per
manent ratio at which silver can bo
coined freely with gold- would
strengthen the fund of what is called
"money of ultimate redemption" by all
the new silver coined, though the old
silver coins, if a higher ratio were fixed
upon for the new, would remain as at
present, a token currency. But the
amount of this would remain invaria
ble, except as it was reduced by recoln
age, while every dollar of new silver
coined would add to the stock of full
value money, upon which token cur
rency as well as paper credit currency
would be supported. So that every year
would inciease the fund of money of
ultimate redemption without increasing
the amount of coined credit money sup
ported upon it. The monetary system
of the world, besides having gained uni
formity, would gain constantly more
stability and permanence.
No one is qualified to declare dogmat
ically that such a permanent and
steady ratio cannot be determined by
agreement of all nations. History
throws no light upon the problem, for
the experiment never has been tried.
History teaches that different nations
never have been able to maintain arbi
trary and varying coinage ratios be
tween sliver and gold, but that is an
other matter. No one nation can hold
up the price of silver against all oth
ers, no weaker nation can hold it up
against a stronger, nor any weaker
group against a stronger group. This
attempt simply results in loss of gold
and fall to the silver basis. But this
is because the higher value placed upon
gold measured in silver in another coun
try drains it away, as the best market
for any product draws it from all quar
ters. "When all nations put the same
value upon silver and gold, measured
in terms of each other, there will be no
such drain. The effort to maintain a
permanent c6lnage ratio between gold
and silver, which always has failed and
always must fail when undertaken by
nations separately or in conflict with
each other, may well succeed when
undertaken by all nations in unison.
On the witness-stand In Chicago a
few days ago Eugene V. Debs testified
that for years he was editor of the
Locomotive Firemen's Magazine at a
salary of $4000, and that, on the or
ganization of the American Railway
Union, he became its president at a
salary of $9000 a year. This is the man
who professes such friendship for the !
worklngmen and claims to work solely
to improve their condition. While pre
tending to help the workers' condition,
he drew from their small earnings a
greater salary than that of a cabinet
officer and lived in luxury on the con
tributions of his misguided followers.
In order to keep the money coming in,
he had to make a show of activity, and
so stirred up the great strike of last
summer, in which the worklngmen were
so badly worsted. There is a calculat
ing selfishness among these profes
sional agitators that does infinite harm
to the cause of labor.
Inquiry Into the Elbe disaster has
disclosed the fact that some, at least,
of the equipments for the safety of the
great ocean steamships are useless,
through the inattention of owners and
masters to the details necessary to ren
der them quickly available. Thus, in
a discussion on the safety of ships at
sea, in the German reichstag a, few
days ago. It was alleged that the crews
of the North German Lloyds vessels
have never been drilled in closing the
water-tight compartments constructed
for the purpose of keeping a ship afloat
under conditions similar to that In
which the Elbe went down. It being
found in a test made on one of the
vessels of the line, subsequent to this
disaster, that it took the crew ninety
minutes to close these compartments.
Since not a trace of the Elbe was visi
ble forty minutes after she was struck
amidships by the Crathie, it will be
seen that her water-tight compartments
were practically useless as a protection
to the ship when she most needed them.
As in all disasters that involve great
loss of human life, the wreck of the
Elbe will no doubt work to the benefit
of the public at large through calling
attention to the possibility of danger
that constantly dogs the footsteps of
a man when handling the forces of na
ture which he has harnessed for his
benefit
A VERY PLAIN CASE.
A citizen of Independence, Folk
county, who signs himself "Silverman,"
writes The Oregonian:
Can you tell why the government could
not issue enough silver actually needed
within the United States for actual bus
iness purposes? During wheat harvest,
hop-picking, and in the South durlhg
cotton-picking time, sliver is actually at
a premium. T0u can't get a $20 gold piece
changed Into silver without it being con
sidered a favor, and at least a "thank
you" is expected. Why not issue enough
silver for home consumption?
Here is a common error. Silver
would be more abundant had less of
it been coined. This may seem a con
tradiction and a paradox, but it is not
so. Silver is scarce because nobody
wishes to keep it. It is known to be
inferior money, and as fast as paid out
it is thrown back through merchants
and bankers upon the government; for
they who have money to keep always
keep the best. Distrust of silver is the
cause of its scarcity in circulation.
Hence, under such conditions, the more
there is coined of It the greater the
distrust, and the more anxious those
who get it are to be rid of It. The
treasury pays it out whenever it can,
and has even gone to the expense of
paying express charges on immense
sums of it to remote parts of the coun
try. With instruction to disbursing
agents to pay it out. But It soon makes
the circuit through mercantile chan
nels and the banks back into the treas
ury. Government's dues are paid as far
as possible with silver and silver paper,
and gold is held by every one who can
get it and keep it To issue more silver
would merely increase the distrust and
add to the general stringency. For
years past this has been foretold and
retold by every person who has knowl
edge of the laws of money. There is
but a small gold reserve; there are enor
mous quantities of inferior money and
credit currency in circulation, whose
value rests on that small reserve, and
nobody who can get rid of that inferior
money and credit currency wants to
keep it $
This process will go on and there will
be scarcity of money, including silver
and silver paper, In the channels of cir
culation, till one of two things shall
come about that is, till we quit this
mistaken policy of threatening the in
tegrity and stability of our money, or
tumble over the precipice to the silver
basis. People will no longer be timid
about money when they discover that
It is to be one thing or the other. But
till they know to a certainty whether
a dollar that has cost them 100 cents is
not to fall to 50 cents they will -want
little to do with that dollar; and if the
slump to the silver basis should occur,
then silver will circulate freeiy and all
notes will be based on It, but prices
will fluctuate and business will be sub
jected to many disadvantages and
losses. A stable currency is the neces
sary instrument of safe and prosperous
business. We have threatened and still
threaten the stability of our currency,
we threaten its very basis and stand
ard; and in consequence credit is gone,
values are reduced and money disap
pears. To Coin more silver would only
make matters yet worse, as our In
creasing Issues of silver have steadily
made them worse during years past.
Under a mistaken notion of making
money more abundant, we have actu
ally made it more scarce by these in
creasing issues of silver, now half fiat,
year after yeai. Money would be more
abundant throughout the United States
had we never issued a dollar of this
full-tender silver and silver paper, but
had relied on gold and notes based on
gold, and had coined no silver except as
token money. Gold has left the coun
try as fast as we have thrown this in
ferior stuff into the channels of circu
lation, and this inferior stuff itself,
thrown back on the government by
every one who gets a quantity of it,
maintains no free circulation in the
channels of industry and trade, because
it is distrusted. Till confidence in money
shall be restored there can be no revival
of prosperity in the United States.
It is argued in some quarters that if
the legislature shall adjourn without
having elected a senator, a special ses
sion ought to be called to renew the
effort But there should be no special
session. By the end of the regular ses
sion the legislature will have had am
ple time to elect a senator, and if it
shall fail to do so, there is no reason to
suppose that it would elect if a special
session were called, for the same antag
onisms would certainly reappear.
Again, the people are in no mood to
bear the expense of a special or extra
session. It may be remarked, by the
way, that the legislature need not ad
journ at the end of the foity days un
less it wants to. It can stay in session
the year round without pay beyond
the forty days.
Who sets up to. say that there was a
"contract" between the people of Mult
nomah and the officials elected in June
last that the salaries, fees and emolu
ments, scandalously excessive, were to
be continued? Who can produce the
titles, articles, muniments of such "con
tract"? The pretense is absurd, impu
dent, shameless. And who are they
who put up this pretense? The
"ring"? Not at all. On the contrary,
the "ring" is denounced for its efforts
to terminate this profligacy and to give
the people relief. Cupidity, avarice,
humbug, assumes, when it suits its pur
poses, this virtue of "opposition to the
ring."
Has any one the hardihood to assert
that there should be no reduction In the
emoluments of district attorney and
justices of the peace at Portland?
Through these offices there is an Unnec
essary burden, direct and Indirect, of
$25,000 to 540,000 a year upon our tax
payers. Is this excess to be cut off, or
not? Is the taxpayer of Portland to be
forever the prey of greedy officialism?
The secretary of state of Oregon gets
$15,000 to $1S,000 a year. It is an outrage
on the people that this tax upon them
i should be allowed to continue. The
constitutional salary of the secretary of
state is $1300 a year. It is enough, for
the clerical work of his office Is fully
provided for, and. it is more than the
secretary has ability to earn in any pri
vate employment. Moreover, the state
republican platform gave a pledge that
the compensation of officials should not
exceed the constitutional allowance.
"What Is the legislature doing that it
obeys neither party platforms nor the
constitution of the state?
Do the people of the East Side want
Bull Run water? Unless the charter
now before the house becomes a law
they are not likely to get it for the next
two years. It is well known that the
common council has refused to turn
over the East Side water plant to the
water committee, and unless it shall do
So the committee will be powerless to
make the connection for that part of
the city with the Bull Run system. The
charter now before the house, the Simon
charter, requires the water committee
to take charge at the earliest practica
ble moment, and to turn Bull Run
water into the pipes on the East Side.
This charter will in various ways save
the taxpayers not less than $150,000 per
annum. It would certainly be proper
for citizens of the East Side and property-owners
there to make effort to
have this charter carried through. This
can be done by earnest effort at Salem.
It may be feared that citizens of the
East Side do not realize the importance
of this, or they would be more active
in urging upon, our representatives the
enactment of this charter. If action be
not taken at once, the charter may fail.
It would be well for a.body of responsi
ble citizens to go to Salem on this er
rand tomorrow morning.
All the work in behalf of retrench
ment for this city and county which
the Committee of One Hundred, the
press of Portland and the people gener
ally have been doing for a year past
and more, is concentrated in the bills
which have passed the senate and now
are before the house. The only ques
tion is whether the people are to have
relief from excessive taxation, or not.
The new charter for Portland, which
has passed the senate and is now in
the house, is a measure drawn for the
purposes of economy. Its main object
is relief of the taxpayers. It will save
them great sums every year. It ought
to pass.
There have been a great many
charges' against "the Portland ring." It
is now berated because it is making an
earnest endeavor to cut down official
expenses and reduce taxation.
PERSONS WORTH KNOWING ABOLT.
Hartman "Wesley was 95 years old when
he died the other day at Lyons, N. Y.
Since he was 5 years old he has consumed
a pound plug of tobacco every week and
a pint of bourbon whisky regularly each
day.
The bill introduced In the Missouri leg
islature to place busts of Thomas H. Ben
ton and Francis P. Elalr In memorial hall,
Washington, is warmly commended by
the citizens of. the state,, irrespective of
politics."'" -" T" -
Dr. Conan Doyle arrived home to find
himself roundly scored by the London
Medical Magazine for having recorded
false and fictitious medical experiences in
"Round the Red Lamp." A scandalous
breach of professional honor is charged.
The ordinance appropriating $12,000 to
buy the house Where Betsey Ross made
the first American flag received but scant
favor in the Philadelphia city council.
It is reported that if Philadelphia does not
care for the historic mansion, New Haven
does, and, what is more, will buy and
take it away.
It was the irony of fate that both Dr.
Loomis, the specialist in pulmonary dis
eases, and his first wife should die of
pneumonia. Dr. Loomis was one of the
first prominent New York physicians to
send his patients to the Adirondacks to
try the curative properties of the air there,
and nearly 30 years ago he built a cottage
of his own in the North Woods, then only
half explored and boasting but one hotel
where now there are scores.
In the recent Radcliffe college report it
was announced that a gift of $3000 had
been received to provide for a scholarship
in memory of Joanna Hoare. The gift
was anonymous, but was accompanied
by a letter written ir quaint old style
and purporting to be inspired by the good
lady herself. It contained the condition
that the benefits of the scholarship should
be enjoyed first by girls from the town
of Concord. It is now said that the donor
was the late ex-Judge E. R. Hoar.
"Book plates are treated nowadays as
If they were a sort of Christmas card or
valentine," complains Edmund Gosse in
an open letter. He is getting numbers of
letters from American friends asking
him to swap book plates, but he says he
would as soon swan pocket-handkerchiefs.
"People will next take to collecting one
another's latchkeys or flannel waist
coats," says Mr. Gosse. "My book plate
i3 an absolutely private and personal mat
ter. I use it to identify and protect my
books, and if I scatter it broadcast the
very purpose for which It Was made will
be stultified."
Colonel Henry B. Beecher, one of the
three men who have been indicted to
gether with William E. Midgely, president
of the American Casualty Insurance &
Security Company, charged with making
a false report of the financial condition
of the company, is a son of the late Henry
Ward Beecher. He inherited none of his
father's eloquence and went Into business
instead of the ministry. Ex-Judge Truax,
his counsel, says that Colonel Beecher
was not present .at the meeting of the
directors when the alleged false statement
was issued, nor was he present at the
meeting when a dividend was paid out
of the assets. Judge Truax. therefore,
cannot see how Colonel Beecher could be
indicted for things he was not responsi
ble for.
Judge Howland, a prominent Yale alum
nus of New York, recently gave out the
following statistics as ilustrating to
some degree the part Yale's- sons have
played in the history of the nation: One
vice-pr.-sldent, 17 cabinet officers, 1 chief
justice of the United States and one of
Canada, 2 national officers oi tne .Ha
waiian Islands. 1 minister plenipotentiary
for China from the United States, 3
justices of the United States supreme
court, 1 surgeon-general, 50 United States
senators, 20 United States district judges,
1 circuit judge. 22 ministers plenipoten
tiary, 160 state judges, four chancellors.
1S7 members of congress, 40 state gov
ernors and 92 college presidents. Four of
her graduates signed the Declaration of
Independence, and four signed the federal
constitution. The first presidents of
Princeton, Columbia, Williams, Hamilton,
the universities of Georgia, of Missis
sippi, of Wisconsin, of Illinois, of Chica
go, Johns Hopkins, the university of Cali
fornia, and several others were Yale men.
She gave- Jonathan Edwards to Prince
ton, Harper to Chicago university. Gil
man to Johns Hopkins, and George Wood
ruff to Pennsylvania.
Settled, Hot Subtle.
PORTLAND, Feb. IS. (To the Editor.)
In my letter published yesterday under
the heading "Duties Payable In Gold
More Important Than Bonds Payable
! In Gold," the second paragraph ought
to have read: "Such a law would restore
confidence at home and abroad in our
ability to carry out the settled (instead
Of subtle) policy of the government to pay
cur bonds in the best money."
H. W. CORBETT.
OREGON A WINTER, RESORT. '
And Uer Fruit Will Be In Great De
mniid. Chicago Inter Ocean.
The cold wave has played many freaks
with the people, but none have been more
disappointed with the weather record
than those who live in the North but have
gone to the 'South to escape the rigors of
winter. The cold waves have swept the
South as well as the North, have pene
trated into Florida and Louisiana, Geor
gia and the Carollnas. They have de
stroyed the oranges in the South, and
then, to even up the scale and show that
the weather Is no respecter of sections,
they have swept down the Pacific coast
and blighted the orange groves of Cali
fornia and Arizona.
They have crossed the Atlantic and
swept Germany, England, France, Spain
and Italy, and we may next hear of them
in India and the Orient. The only sec
tion that seems to have escaped is that
from which we have expected the bliz
zard. This is the extreme Northwestern
state of our country, and the cities of
Puget sound send out to the frost-bitten
people of all the rest of the world the
cheering intelligence that the ro3es are
putting forth their new buds and the
farmers are engaged in their spring plow
ing. It may be too early for the people
of Washington and Oregon to boast of
their escape from the cold waves, but
they are sending out the cheerful notes
that are heard over the frosty wires.
And there is consolation for all in the
balmy spring weather in the extreme
Northwest. The peach crop of Delaware
may be killed, the apple crop of Michigan
blighted, the oranges of Florida and
Southern California withered, and the
strawberries of the South killed, but
Washington and Idaho promise an abund
ance of fruit. It may be a novel move
to go to Washington for apples and pears
and plums and berries of all kinds next
summer, but if we have to do it there will
be consolation in the fact that the coun
try which John C. Calhoun said was not
worth a pinch of snuff has come to the re
lief of Uncle Sam to prevent his forget
ting how apples and peaches taste. Then
we may also have to turn to the North
west and cross the blizzard plains of the
Dakotas and the home of the avalanche in
the Rocky mountains to find our perpet
ual summer under the shadow of Mount
Tacoma, Which wears a perpetual diadem
of snow and ice. The people of the North
west have long tried to make the rest of
the world believe that they had the only
safe and sure El Dorado, and when they
can boast the only winter resort still left
where roses bloom while all the remainder
of the continent is buried in snowdrifts,
they are dangerously near the proof.
. f
HILL'S LATEST PLAY.
AVliat He Intend to Accomplish With
Ills Resolution.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
It is evident that David B. Hill has got
ten rid of that presidential bee that once
buzzed so loud in his bonnet His fight
against the income tax was made with
such prominence as to show that he was
trying to pose before the citizens of New
York who have Incomes of over $4000 a
year, a very formidable class In that
state, but few and far between in many
states. And now he has come forward
with a resolution designed to make him
the pet of the single-standard goldites.
There are great statesmen who follow
their own convictions of public expedi
ency, Indifferent to popular sentiment,
but Hill is not that kind of a man. He is
a cool, unscrupulous, and persistent poli
tician. He knows that the democratic
party cannot hope to win the presidency
-lnl806,"and he'does not want' the nomina
tion. He further knows that he could not
get the nomination If he wanted it. He
no longer plays for it. With mm, the
question how Is, Can he secure a second
term as senator from New York? His
chances are Very poor, but that is all the
prize in sight, and he is determined to
make himself as serviceable as possible
to the capitalistic class, hoping that he
will not thereby forfeit any favor from
the rank and file of his party. The Iegls-
lature to choose his successor will be
elected next year, at the same time with
the presidential electors.
The latest Hill bid for Wall street sup
port was the introduction of a resolution
pledging the government to pay coin
bonds in gold. Of course, he does not ex
pect the state to pass this resolution. It
was a clear case of genuine buncombe,
only in the form of a resolution, instead
of a speech, a species of demagogism with
a variation. Instead of playing to the
gallery he plays to the boxes. iue boxes
hold only a few, and the pit is large, but
it must be remembered that campaign
contributions are a great factor in poli
tics. One of the arguments used by his
political friends last summer in favor of
Hill's candidacy for governor was that he
could get all the money he wanted for
campaign purposes "dead loads" of it. In
that way the modern demagogue counts
on help from the rich in the boxes to
furnish the funds to buy the "gods of the
gallery."
THE BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
PORTLAND, Feb7l6.-(To the Editor.)
The Oregonian of the loth inst is in error
in stating that Opdycke's brigade at
Franklin, Tenn., belonged to Wood's di
vision. It was Wagner's division to which
it was attached. At least three regiments
of this brigade were formerly a part of
Sheridan's first brigade, which, with
others, disobeyed orders of General Grant
at Mission Ridge in not halting when the
first line of rifle pits was taken. They
could see at a glance that the safest place
for them in the assault on the ridge was
close to the heels of the Johnnies. They all
went over the works on the summit near
ly at the same time, the Johnnies serving
as a breastwork for our men. Had the
rebels fired directly on our line they would
have mowed down their own men first
At Franklin a single line of federals,
just before the assault, was left about
one-third of a mile immediately in front
of where the line a little later was broken.
It was Mission Ridge repeated, with this
difference, that the federals were In the
lead now, and the Johnnies were as quick
to take advantage of the situation as were
the "Yanks" at Mission. Ridge. And again,
they went over the works together, the
Yanks just enough in the lead for the
"breastwork" to shelter the Johnnies. The
works were theirs, and fairly, too.
But Opdycke's men were in the rear cf
the broken line. They recaptured the
works in less than two minutes. And by
whose orders was this masterful stroke
made?
The Oregonian seemingly think3 Gene.-al
Schofield has been retired as a. lieutenant
general because of Opdycke's success In
this battle. This may or may not be true.
But Schofield or Opdycke as commanders
deserve no more credit for the recaptura
of the works at Franklin than Grant or
Thomas did for the capture of Mission
Ridge, in the manner in which it was
done. As th-j men went up Mission Ridge
w'thout orders and captured General
Bragg'3 stronghold, likewise some of the
identical r-giments, now of Opdycke'3
brigade, when our line was broken at
Franklin sprung to the works, and, as
I verily believe, saved Schofield's little
army.
Opdycke could not have given the order
to more than one cr two regiments in his
immediate presence to retake the works,
because he did not have time to order the
regiments forward before the broken line
was repaired. It was all done too quick
ly for orders. By one impulse the men
sprang to the works, which was the
safest place for them. They could see
our little army-rllkewise Hood's army
a part of which was working Its way to
our left rear to cut off our retreat io
Nashville, and to meet this threatened
attach T. J. Wood's division was detached
on the north side of the Harpeth rlvr.
I am confident Opdycke was In the midst
of his men In the assault. He was built
that way. Any of the veteran brigades
of either array, so situated, would havs
done the same as Opdycke's did.
This has been written not so much to
remind the present generation of the
herOic deeds of the blue and the gray, as
soldiers, as to remind them that Opdycke s
men of the blue, and Pat Cleburn's of the
gray, were of the common people, whom
Mr. Lincoln in those trying times rellil
on Implicitly, often disregarding the ad
vice of his cabinet and others high in
authority to obey their voice. The press
of that time had little influence with him.
only as the wishes of the common people
were reflected by It
If those high in authority at this time
Will be guided as Mr. Lincoln was in his
time, the Americdh republic will soon re
gain its past prosperity, and be safe in
the future. S. E. GILBERT.
IRRIGATION" POSSIBILITIES.
What 3IiKht Be Done on the Arid
Lands of Oregon.
George H. West, an Irrigation expert,
was in the city on Friday, and, in com
pany with S. P. Sturgis, of the First Na
tional bank, and others, he was driven
along the line of the proposed Umatilla
ditch, says the Pendleton East Oregonian.
Mr. West was seen at the Hotel Pendle
ton on his return to the city. He is one
of those enthusiastic advocates of arid
or semi-arid land reclamation, who could
convert the Sphinx to belief in its neces
sity. Having had practical experience
with irrigation, and having seen an hun
dred blades of grass made to grow where
none grew before, he knows whereof he
speaks. His remarks were, in substance:
"I come from the potato town, Greeley,
Colo. Formerly we grew only grain, and,
as in all cereal-producing sections, were
engaged during good crop seasons in pay
ing up bad season debts. The idea finally
occurred of rasing a diversity Of crops,
and those more sought after than wheat.
We began raising potatoes In a small
way, hampered by ignorance of the best
methods and the yields corresponding.
When experience had been gained, potato
crops gave tremedous yields, and now in no
part of the United States are produced as
many potatoes as in our locality. Last
year, within a radius of 13 miles from
Greeley, we shipped 10,000 cars of this
vegetable. Freights on agricultural pro
ducts sent out of Greeley alone during 1S94
amounted to 5S0O.0OO. Before irrigation be
came general, our farmers were always
complaining. During the present naru
times, no effect is noticed and our farmers
are making money all the time. The av
erage for our potato section is SCO bushels
per acre.
"We follow a plan of rotating crops.
Alfalfa is seeded with all grain, and after
the g-ain Is cut we obtain one cut of
alfalfa. The following season three crops
of alfalfa is taken off, and the next year,
when the alfalfa is knee-high, we plow It
under, sending the plow down 10 inches
and cutting the top root below the crown.
This kills the airalfa and manures the
land richly. Then potato crops are raised
for one or two years.
"The alfalfa yields on an average five
tons per acre, though some cut hlne tons
from each acre. It brings 54 per ton for
sheep feed as an average price. On ranches
under my control lately were 200,000
Oregon sheep being fed on our alfalfa at
this price for fattening to sell in Chicago
and for export. You people might as well
have fed those sheep on your own alfalfa,
if you were Using yodr abundant water
supply which flows by your doors and to
waste, which means to lose tnousanas oi
dollars annually.
"I have been over your lands today, and
I am astonished that you people do not
at once or have not long ago put the
Water on your lands and turn these plains
and hills into gardens. " The rolling hills
aro exactly like our Greeley hills, tho soil
is the same, but yOu have two months
longer growing season, glvlng-thus bettefc
opportunlties. Your soil will raise any
kind of croDs raised in this zone. Let me
say to tho people of Umatilla county, get
in together, and put water on your lands.
Don't delay. Remember that every sea
son means a loss of thousands. Irrigate,
and you'll wear diamonds. I will add
that although the mineral wealth of Colo
rado leads the United States, our agricul
tural production is now more valuable
than the products from the mines."
THE LIBERAL CRISIS.
Overthrow of Rosebery's Ministry
Only a Matter of Time.
New York Morning Advertiser.
When a dominant political party Is
forced to depend upon the magnanimity
and forbearance of its opponents to save
It from defeat, it is plain that its over
throw is merely a matter of time, and
that its usefulness for the present is at an
end. Such is the "predicament," to use a
Cleveland euphemism, in which the Rose
bery ministry is now placed.
Had a division occurred in the house of
commons InBt week, when It was expected,
the government would have been found in
minority, but the conservative leaders de
clined at that time to press their ad
vantage. Tills singular state of things
cannot last long. A test of the strength of
the ministerial party Is bound to come
within a few days at the latest, and it is
clear, from the consternation that pre
vails among the liberal leaders, and the
frantic appeals of the liberal whips, that
the government has little expectation of
surviving the ordeal. This means that
Great Britain will probably be in the vor
tex of an exciting general election before
many weeks have passed.
As a political chieftain, the Earl of Rose
bery has proved a total failure. Although
heralded as the future hope of liberalism
when he succeeded Mr. Gladstone as pre
mier, his party has not only met with a
succession of crushing defeats under his
leadership, but is torn asunder with in
ternal dissensions. The liberal "masses"
in Great Britain evidently have no faith
in the "classes" as liberal leaders, and it
is hardly likely that the next liberal cap
tain will be a person of lordly strain and
aristocratic sympathies.
SAME SERVICE FOR LESS MONEY.
State UniverNlty anil Agricultural
College Too Expensive.
PORTLAND, Feb. 17 (To the Editor.)
The salary account of the state university
at Eugene for last year, exclusive of
$2000 given the law and medical depart
ments in Portland, was 523,412. The at
tendance being 175, tuition of each pupil
cost the state $133 78. Twelve instructors
were employed, giving to each less than
15 students. The salary of the president
was at the rate of $3000 per annum; of
one of the professors, $2175, and of six
others, $2200 each.
To save the taxpayers of Oregon $20,000
or more per annum, without necessarily
impairing the efllciency of the school, at
least six of the professors should be dis
missed, and the pay of those retained,
save the president, reduced to $1500 each.
Then an anrual appropriation of $10,000
plus the 510,000 to $15,000 received from
the land and endowment fund, will main
tain the school handsomely. Similar ac
tion in regard to the agricultural college
at Corvallis will result in the annual sav
ing of another $20,600. ECONOMY.
AVnr of the Yn Uinta Succession.
Billie John, brother of Captain John,
who after getting "the power" was mys
teriously killed in the Walla Walla coun
try, claims that he is the residuary chief
of the Yakimas, and that he intends to
maintain that position against all usurp
ers. He was the second chief during the
life of Captain John, and under the laws
of the tribe he became head chief at his
brother's death. He says that no election
will have any force, and that he has
made his hereditary claims Impregnable
by paying off the store debts of the mem
bers of his tribe through the sacrifice of a
good many horses. Tho sun and salmon
dances of the Indians will be held In the
medicine house, below the gap, in about
i six weeks.
EWS OFTllE XORTHWnESTi"
OrcKon.
John Shields, an old pioneer of Lane
county, died at Cottage Grove Wednes
day, of paralysis.
The women's edition of the Salem
Statesman netted $245, which the ladles
have turned over to the city board of
charities.
William Sebring has bought a tract of
40 acres of bottom land near Riddle, and
will experiment in raising cane for mak
ing sorghuml
A new machine for separating gold
from black sand is being tested on the
beach at Randolph, and is reported to
work satisfactorily.
An effort Is being made to raise money
to repair the dam at Lexington, and to
put in a fishway so that salmon can as
cend Willow creek.
The receiver of the Baker City Nation
al bank announces himself ready to pay
a dividend of 20 per cent, and says that
another will be declared about the 1st Of
April.
A movement is on foot at Mcdford to
erect a building for the Y. M. C. A. Half
of the $S000 necessary has been sub
scribed. The building will be a three
story brick.
The people of southern Linn county,
now that the new county scheme has
been killed, are talking of an effort to re
move the county seat from Albany to a
point nearer the center of the county.
A roof-repairer at Marshfield saved
himself from falling off a roof by grasp
ing a live wire. He then yelled for some
one to save him from the wire, but man
aged to do It himseir, escaping all in
jury but burns on his hands.
Three men plowing in a Held near Irv
ing left their teams and chased a ground
squirrel. The teams took advantage of
the excitement and ran away, smashing
Up the plows more or less. They killed
the squirrel, but he was expensive.
Last Sunday a. man named Martin,
while hunting in the mountains with an
old rifle, carelessly held his hand over the
muzzle while fumbling with the gun, and
had the palm pierced by a bullet He was
taken to Brownsville for surgical treat
ment. A most peculiar theft has been perpe
trated in the Waldo hills. On Thursday
night of last week two unknown persons
went Into Frank Eagon's hopyard, built a
fire, and dug hop roots most of the night,
taking several thousand roots and haul
ing them away befcre daylight.
The residence of E. Jorgerson, about
one-half mile below Young's river falls,
was burned, together with its contents,
late Thursday afternoon. The flames
spread rapidly, and it was with difficulty
that the seven children, together with a
few garments, were saved. About $300 in
gold and paper money was stored away
in the house and was burned with the
rest of the things.
Two trappers in the Blue mountains on
the old Thomas & Ruckles road are re
ported not to be meeting with much
success, animals being scarce. A young
man going from their camp a few day3
ago was injured by his horse falling and
sliding some distance down the hill. For
tunately, he had some pitch wood with
him and was able to make a fire and keep
from freezing during the night. The next
day he managed to go back to camp.
Fcrndale is a peaceful and literary ham
let, if the correspondent of the Milton
Eagle may be relied upon. A literary so
ciety meets at the schoolhouse to settle
grave matters of state, and young men
who do not belong amuse themselves by
cutting the harness, saddles and vehicles
of these who do, with the result that a
fight is the usual accompaniment of a
literary session. A few days ago the
teacher of the school only prevented his
charges from whipping him by drawing a
revolver upon them. A farmer in that
peaceful neighborhood has a calf born
without a tall, but even that Is prefera
ble to boys without brains, manners or a
towhldlng.a -i " , . -
Washington.
The residence of A. M. Hensley, at Ana
cortes, was burned Friday morning.
Ocosta has raised a bonus for a cold
storage plant to handle the fish business
of Gray's harbor.
The Puget Sound flouring mill has just
completed boring an artesian well at Ta
coma, that flows naturally 43,000 gallons
a day.
Joseph M. Pfahl, a rancher living on
Wolf island. Lake Washington, was
drowned In the lake Friday night, whilo
returning home from Seattle under the
influence of liquor.
William McLaughlin, a rancher leading
a solitary life near South Bend, was found
sick and helpless and nearly starved. He
was taken to South Bend for treatment,
but died Monday last
Gus Smith, of North Yakima, was sen
tenced to CO days in the county jail for
cruelty to his two little daughters and
bestial practices. The children were
taken away from him.
Two Hoquiam druggists were arrested
Friday for selling liquor without a li
cense. One of them pleaded guilty and
paid a fine, and the other decided to take
his chances with the grand jury.
The Hoquiam fire company met last
week and smashed the old organization
and began a new one. The officers were
elected for a period of 30 days, or until
the new organization gets on its feet.
They were as follows: H. M. Cochran,
chief; C. Beall, president; A. Bruce, treas
urer; I. W. Fritzinger. secretary.
Last Thursday, while coming down the
Yv'ynooche river in a canoe, a man named
N. S. Hadley was drowned near the home
of J. R. Patten. He was accompanied by
a companion, and at the place where the
accident occurred the canoe capsized and
both were thrown into the water, near a
drift, and Hadley was drawn under the
logs.
The three men sent out from Duluth to
inspect the lands selected at Acme in the
Nooksack valley for the Rapperswyle
colony, have decided to return and report
favorably. The colonists are Germans,
Swiss and Poles. A half section has been
reserved for a town site, and the re
mainder Is divided into IP-acre tracts.
They will engage In dairyirg, fruitgrow
ing, stockraising and lumbering.
PARAGRAPHERS' PLEASANTRIES.
The unselfish mortal always keeps some
good resolutions for others. Galveston
News.
"And, papa, what did grandfather do
for his country?" "Nothing whatever,
my son. He was a member of congress."
Atlanta Constitution.
"Jack," said mamma, "run into the
parlor and see whether your father Is
asleep or not" "Not quite," exclaimed
Jack, on his return. "He is all asleep out
his nose." Harlem Life.
"Has Miss Gildingby any accomplish
ments?" asked the young man. "I should
say so," replied her enthusiastic admirer.
"She can refuse to play the piano and
stick to it" Washington Star.
"Money talks," and so does congress,
Would the latter'd take a walk,
And just give our sufferin money
All the chance it needs to talk!
Atlanta Constitution.
Old lady Why are you two men using
such frightful language? Ragson Tat
ters Well, lady, rae an' me pard has to
exchange heated words fur ter keep
warm, not havin no overcoats. Phila
delphia Record.
"There are no new developments as
yet," telegraphed the correspondent at
the Arizona town where the railway ac
cident had happened. "Jury has not re
turned verdict Waiting for the coroner
to sober up." Chicago Tribune.
"I was sorry. Willie," said his Sunday
school teacher, "to see you l:eep your seat
when the superintendent asked all those
who wanted to go to heaven to rise. Don't
you want to go to heaven?" "Yes'm."
"Then why didn't you rise?" " 'Cos he
didn't have no right to tell me to rise,
ma'am." answered Willie. "He aln t no
I ancel Gabriel." Chicago Tribune.