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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1895)
THE MORKXKX3- OBESOOTAS" TUESDAY, FEBB,TjAX,X 19, 1S33. A BRITON'S LETTER MIS OBSERVATIONS OX THINGS SEEN Vt CALIFORNIA AND OREGO.V. lie la Aninzed at tlieWollonx of Many I'eoplo sx to 3Ioney and Hastiness. The following- letter from a young Eng lishman to his father in Bristol, of -which st copy -was obtained, appears to strike in so many places near the truth that the Jlnder has thonght It -worthy to lay be fore the public It is dated Portland, Or., U. S., February. 1SS5: In my last letter to you from San Fran cisco, CaL, I gave you some of the partlc lilars of the new democratic, or, as it ap pears to me, rather, of the president's tariff law. That, as an Englishman and a manufacturer yourself, you will like many things in It, I am satisfied. But that a large portion of the American peo ple should applaud it, when it appears plain that quite a. number of their Impor tant industries will, under Its operation, have to go to the wall, and most of all that the most Important and essential of them all, their agricultural interest, must practically be destroyed by it, I cannot understand. On another point, what they "here call the silver question, I found the people of San Francisco almost unani mously crazy. This is. of course, not a polite expression, but to you, my dear father. I write as I feeL That in a city like San Francisco, in -which a dozen of Its leading- men have accumulated through the enormous output of their silver mines jrobably not much less than a thousand million dollars, it is but natural that their local influence to form public opin ion rauit be very great. I can also un derstand how such men would at length become fearful of overstocking the mar ket, and under such a dread would leave no stone unturned to prevent puch a glut. That It should occur to them to try to make, by appropriate laws, the United States treasury a perpetual purchafeer of their metal, looks quite natural. That they actually succeeded in this, the whole nation has found out to its cost. But by v.hlch means thehe few men have been ible to convert or persuade two-thirds of a c cngress, elected by a wide-awake na tion, to adopt a policy which the -whole civilized world looks upon as radically t.rong and fraught with unspeakable dan gers, is a mystery to me. and particularly bo when I become aware of the arguments used by them so successfully for this pur pose. Had 1 not received them from the mouth of one of these so-called silver liings himself, I should have been inclined to disbelieve these reports and ascribe them to party rancor. As it is, I will ;lve you the trend of them, as an evidence of the ease with which designing men can mislead an unthinking- and ignorant mul titude, if such it is their interest to do This is the essence of what the rich man sa.d to me: "Our money is gone, none is to be had, and business Is at a standstill. To do the business of the country properly v.- ought to Increase our circulating medium imme diately by at least a billion dollars. Gold is undoubtedly the nicest thing to do this with. But as the whole world cannot fur nish this additional amount of It to us, particularly as just now everybody every where appears to be crazy for it, we shall lje obliged to use silver. Of this, the mountains of the United States are full, and it can be furnished by our own peo ple in unlimited amounts. If even it Is not In every respect as desirable as gold, there Is no difficulty whatever tojnake It bo by law, and to make both metals in all mon;y transactions stand side by side in full parity." What do you think of these arguments, my dear father? I know I have been as yet in the United States and made these subjects my particular study only for a comparatively short time, still long enough to see the utter hollowness and falsity of every one of these pretended arguments. When money disappears from sight, it does not go out of existence. As the value representative in all business transactions and exchanges, when work is plenty then money is plenty, and when times are hard because there Is no work there is no use for money and it disappears. I have learned that in these United States, dur ing the last DO years, overproduction, as the principal cause, has produced four times great depressions, accompanied by ereat and serious suffering among the people, but particularly among the work ing classes, with apparent great scarcity of money. As is natural and to be ex pected In a country like the United States, of so great resources and with a labor-loving people, these depressions were followed again by prosperous times, with plenty of -work and nlenty of money. And just here 3 perceive the shocking- perversion of these k'Iv er-holders' arguments for their pre tended necessity of this enormous in crease of their circulating medium. Of tourse. as might be guessed. sller is to be the material to be used, which they liold and can furnish in unlimited quanti ties. The almost simultaneous appearance und disappearance of money as times be come prosperous or hard has made it possible for these inflationists to reverse cause and effect and make the people be lieve that It was money that caused the work during the booming times, and that its disappearance caused the cessation of work and the hard times, and that, there fore, the more money a country could get. the more prosperous it would be. As re-K-irUs America, the lessons of Its repeat ed booms and depressions, and its perpet ual readiness to meet every requirement with money In prosperous times, convinces me that America, like England, has all the money it needs for many years to come, and every inflation in either coun try, as things are now, is in the wrong direction of their people's true interests. The firm hold that this utter perversion of facts has taken upon the American peo ple, namely, that "money produces work, and that, consequently, the more money the more -work." added to the conception that when in hard times the money passes cut of circulation it has gone out of ex istence, and calls for more in unlimited quantities, shows itself clearly in the stu pid and wild schemes now before con gress. A few words about the so-called double standard, or, as my rich San Francisco friend expressed it. "if silver is not as eood as gold, law can easily make it so. and make both metals stand in our cur rency forever sldi? by side in full parity." How utterly futile and impossible it" Is to make two unequal things equal by law or flat, appears to me so plain as not to need argument, and It certainly does not speak well for the perception or statesmanship of the present secretary of the treasury that when under the natural action of this double-standard law he saw J8.000,0W of his redemption reserve dis appear, that he could not see the cause of its disappearance, and. instead of get ting the law that caused It wiped out, he asked congress for 559,000,000 of bonds with which to buy gold to stop the leak, and w hen he got it. and saw that also pass away, that he still remained purblind und asked for 5100,000.000 more, which is going the same way; and now of a stone blind congress he has asked for 5200.00a.ew more, and has got that too. to do what God Almighty himself tannot do. namely, to put good and bad on a par by flat. But one thing he can and will do in this dreadful experiment settle an enormous debt upon a suffering nation in the midst of peace, and which will benefit but a few rich banking houses and some wily money speculators. And, v.orse than all. the people appiaud. la observing all thee things taking place In the foremost of all republics in the worJd, a great sadness, dear father. o ertakes me. You often called me a re publican when at home, and 1 acknowl edge that It has been for years my ideal form of government. But now that I see the great, lurking danger lying at its very center, namely, the necessity of In trusting to men utterly unfit the greatest and dearest interests of a great nation, and which may shape their destinies for weal or woe for ages, where shall we henceforth look for the salvation of our suffering brothers? A friend Invited me to go with him to Salem, the capital of Oregon, to see the legislature which is now in session there. As nearly all over this country, so also here in Oregon the two principal political parties are the republicans and the demo crats, the former just now In decided ma jority, and to which a handful of men have to be added, who call themselves "populists." but who more significantly, as it appears to me, ought to call them selves the "windies." They want to be considered the real financiers of the country. It is they whom par excellence, I call on this question, "the cranks." They don't want gold to be the standard and base of the money of the country, neither gold and silver combined. They want no standard except it be "wind"; their foundation " principle, as announced by themselves, though not expressed In these identical words, being that the mere wind that can be inserted into their money, the more stable It will be; and the more worthless It can be made in the eyes of the world, the more precious it will be in their own eyes. All that they want is to get lots of good, strong paper, cut it into strips, print various numbers on them, attach the name of the United States president to them, with his printed order added to it, that these numbers shall signify dol lars, and that henceforth the United States and the lest of the -world shall treat these rags as real money, and shall accept them as such in all their money transactions. As there is no redemption clause or any responsibility to anybody attached to these rags, this windy party promises to be very liberal with these new-fangled strips of paper. In their speeches to their deluded followers some have thought that to print and distribute In fair proportion among all the people a sufficiency of these paper strips as would represent, say a hundred billion dollars, which would average pretty near ly about 510,000 to each family, would be about the fair thing! I am very much afraid, my dear father, that you think me joking. But I am not Joking. I am in full earnest. The tragic comedy Is at this very moment being played in Salem, before the eyes of all the people, with the said Windies as the star players, and some 20 odd bolting re publicans as the applauders and subs. In plain language, the financial question is just now the all-absorbing question of the country. The Oregon legislature, now in session, has a United States senator to elect. The republicans have always stood before the people as the friends of good money, though of late some of them have yielded to the persuasive arguments of the sllverites. In spite of this defection, the party in Oregon was unanimous for the re-election of the same man who for 12 years, standing almost alone among his Western compeers, had boldly proclaimed in favor of gold as the single and only standard for the money which the whole world would receive. But suddenly and unexpectedly the sen atorial bee made its appearance, buzzing in the hats of about a dozen men. With no chance for any one of them, except they could divide the republican party on this money question, It was attempted and succeeded. Some 20 or more Bloughed off, and, their reason being demanded, they had to swallow their words and re pudiate the very principles on which they had been elected, and had to pass over to the wind-makers. Some of these men were pointed out to me. Whether it was only fancy, to me they looked like school boys found out in a disreputable scrape, and undoubtedly most of them are con vinced by this time that the time is near that both the party of a stable currency, as well as the party of paper and wind, will spew them out. In the meantime, while trying with their feeble powers to make themselves the laughing-stock of the country, they nevertheless will suc ceed In keeping their own state unrepre sented In the counsels of the nation for years to come. COLORADO A GOLD STATE Her Silver Idea Arc Detrimental to Her. A Denver financial writer, Mr. John E. Leet, contends In the Times of that city that Colorado has already reached a point In gold production where hor mining In terests, as a whole, would now lose rather than gain by the free coinage of silver. He argues, from the silver point of view, as follows: Our people are saturated with the Idea that Colorado cannot have any prosperity until the free coinage of sliver is restored. Let us see. Last year this state produced approximately 512,000,000 in gold bullion and 512,000,000 In silver bullion. Conceding that the gold standard has reduced the average of commodities one-half in 20 y-cars, it is clear that the 512,000,000 of gold bullion will now purchase as much as 521.000,000 would have purchased then. The 512,000.000 In gold which we received for our silver bullion will also now pur chase a quantity of commodities equal to what 524,000.000 would have purchased 20 years ago. Therefore the actual purchas ing power of our gold and silver product for 1S91 was equal to what 51S.000.000 of gold and sliver would have been about the time of the demonetization. Xow our theory Is that if free coinage was re stored prices would double and go back to where they were In 1573. If this Is true the 512,000,000 of silver bullion which we produced would be coined Into 24,000,000 silver dollars. Yet as all prices would have doubled the purchasing power would not be increased. But how would it be with our 512.000.000 of gold product? Its purchasing power would be cut In two. With all prices doubled by free coinage it would only purchase half as much as now, while silver would gain in purchas ing power by doubling, along with com modities. Stated differently, our 524.000.003 of gold and sliver bullion now purchases what would be 54S.OO0.O0O -worth of com modities under free coinage prices, but if free coinage existed this same gold and silver bullion would only purchase 5ft. 000.000 of commodities, because gold would not double in price as silver and commod ities would. Therefore, theoretically, the free coinage of silver would have caused us a loss on our gold and silver product the last ear of 512,000,000. O course It is not exactly true that all prices have fallen one-half as a consequence of the gold standard. Labor has not fallen one-half a yet. But If the theory were true, my conclusion that free coinage would injure our mining industry rather than help it would be irresistible. Of course this cal culation leaves out of view all the Inter ests of the state except precious metal mining. But we will encourage ourselves and encourage others to invest here if we qutt mourning over the loss of free silver coinage and contend that under the gold standard an ounce of silver will purchase as much as It ever did, while an ounce of gold will purchase just twice as much s It did before 1STS. The Flower of Fnjtltlon. The woman who loves flowers, but whose Income is such that she cannot al ways gratify her taste, will be glad to know that carnations are high In favor. They are the raest satisfying flower in ex istence, and are inexpensive enough to be bought frequently. The flaming red car nations are just the things to brighten a dull room. Those which blush In pink are charming to wear with an evening- gown. The shaded carnation is a delight to the eye. and those which are pure white are cool, restful and refreshing: with their spicy odor. Is it any wonder the car nation is fashionable, when one adds to its other charms Its lasting quality? "Talking: about styles in women's dress." remarks the bald-headed philosopher, "I notice about every man thinks the style the handsomest that the women wore when he was about 2fc years old." In dianapolis Journal. MCARAGUA CAJfAL ITS RELATION TO TRANSPACIFIC COMMERCE. Interesting Statement by Americana Hexident nt Sydney, Ans- tmlin. The American business men resident in Sydney, the commercial metropolis of Aus tralasia, held an enthusiastic meeting in the great reading-room of the "Australia," to canvass the propriety of taking some steps to strengthen the hands of friends ini America who favor the construction of the Nicaragua canal by the general gov ernment of the United States. There is considerable American capital and a great deal of American enterprise centered in this city at the Antipodes. Many Ameri can firms are represented here by gentle men who would be an honor to any coun try, and they hold their own in competition with the world, as might be expected. These American business men usually have large experience and broad and en lightened views. They are succeeding, though the odds are against them In many ways. Owing to the meagerness of the population our people have not a proper appreciation of the trade of this country. But It must be remembered that, with a population approximating but 4,000,000, there is no like number of people anywhere having so large a per capita commerce. In the value of her commerce. Sydney Is the fourth cHy of Britain, and tenth among the commercial ports of the world. Aus tralasia has a purely external trade of C.457,030 tons, In 1S91. Of this vast ton nage, nearly all, except 286,319 tons which go to India and Ceylon, 324,820 to Hong Kong, 127.1S9 to Fiji, and C60.2U to Cape Colony, or a total of 701,539 tons, goes, to Europe and the United States. This leaves for the European and American ports over 5,700,000 tons, most of whlch-v.348,409 tons go to the United Kingdom. In this trade, the Americans are placed at a great disadvantage, both In distance and freights. By sail, the distance and cost are about the same between Sydney and Xew York as between Sydney and London. The more favorable winds, I be lieve, it is claimed gives an average ad vantage to London. But the length of the average voyage is 100 days, and time is be coming more and more a factor In com merce. By steam, the average voyage be tween Sydney and London is 42 days, while there is no direct steam line between Syd ney and New York. Of course, San Fran cisco is but 23 days from here by steam, but, as It costs more to carry goods 500 miles by rail In portions of America than 7000 miles by water on the Pacific route, our Eastern trade Is greatly handicapped. Theniost of American goods now demand ed In this market must be shipped overland over 2000 miles, and then transshipped over the Pacific, or sent by England and then here by tne 42-day route. This places American dealers at a disadvantage of a distance more than equaling the Atlantic ocean carriage. Under the strong competition in Austral asia, with a growing necessity for a bor der market for American products, an idea has dawned upon the minds of the shrewd Sydney Americans, that the Nicaragua canal is the only solution of the Austra lian trade problem. With a purpose of discussing these questions, the meeting at the "Australia" the finest hotel in the Southern hemisphere, run on the American plan by a wide-awake American waa held. Major Rennie, of the Mutual Life Insurance Company, of New York, was called to the chair, and Mr. Jerome, editor of the Cosmos Magazine, was chosen secretary. The purposes of the meeting ?ere stated by the chairman, and intelli gently discussed by the meeting. The local advantages of the canal to our Atlantic and Pacific states were but briefly set forth. It being, however, incidentally claimed that It would bring New York and San Francisco 10,000 miles nearer together by water, and vastly develop both sides of the continent, but the aspects of for eign traffic were carefully reviewed. Books, charts and statistics were used by skillful hands, and the case made too plain for doubts. It was shown that while New York was now seven days from London, plus 42 days from London to Sydney, or a total of 49 days from Sydney, by the Nlca raguan route It would be not to exceed S3 days, or say 17 days shorter, in addition to saving transshipment. Besides Austral asia, Hong Kong, Yokohama, Manilla, and other Eastern ABiatlc ports, would be cor respondingly nearer New York. Of course, It was shown that the Nicaragua canal would also bring London nearer Sydney, Yokohama, etc, by fully five days, than she is by the Suez route; yet it would give New York at least five days, and nearly 2000 miles, advantage in this trade. The canal, then, would not only remove the dis advantage of seven days' time and trans shipment that our Eastern ports now labor under In these competitive markets, but it would give them the advantage of the five" days in distance above indicated, as against all competitors. It may seem strange to your readers, but none of the many and Interesting facts placed before the meeting were new to the wide-awake "Yankee merchants" and business men. The methods for the construction of the work were also dis cussed. One gentleman objected to "as suming" to "Instruct congress" how the work should be done, or by what financial methods, but the Americanism soon show ed Itself by calling to memory the fact that the "people" are the rulers and con gress but the servant of the country- The question of toll was then discussed, and it was shown that as a decreasing distance was an attractive force, so a toll was a repelling force, and as the average toll on the Suez canal was about 52 a ton, and as traffic ence afloat can be carried at a ton 1000 miles for 40 cents, and as 50 cents per ton would largely influence the traffic, with distance nearly equal. It was decided to suggest a toll of 52 per ton on freight passing the canal, instead of 52 50, as had been proposed by the company whose measures have occupied the attention of congress. It was shown, too, as the time from these ports to London via Nicaragua would be shortened fully five days, be sides esecaplng the monsoons of the In dian ocean and the heats of the Red sea, that at the same toll most of the 5,700,000 tons of Australasian traffic would go by the new route, as well as that of Japan, Hong Kong, etc., and this would increase the revenues of the canal. It was further shown by the most careful, conservative estimates, based upon full and detailed sta tistics, that at 52 per ton toll at least C.000,000 tons of traffic would annually pass the canal, and old shipmasters nnd navi gators present declared these estimates to be too low by at least 30 per cent. The proposition now before congress to aid a private company at the expense of the nation was earnestly discussed and emphatically disapproved, the feeling be ing unanimous that the safety as well as the commercial interests of the country demanded the construction, ownership and operation of the work by the general gov ernment. These gentlemen were opposed, as much as they desired the canal, to handing so important a highway or so gi gantic a monopoly over to a private cor poration. This led to a discussion of sub sidies generally, with the result that as the United States is rather opposed to the policy regarding shipping, and as a subsidy policy among other nations had deprived the Americans of a power to compete In the carrying trade. It was sug gested that, in the event of the govern ment becoming willing to assume the con struction of the canal as a public or na tioal highway, American-built bot toms be allowed to pbes toll free. This, it wss claimed, would be no discrimina tion as a fact, as the man who builds a house may justly occupy a room without paying rent. But It would develop our commercial marine and restore our pres tige upon the seas. It would also fur nish a vent for our disaffected population, furnish employment for the Idle, and op portunities for Americans to compete on I fair terms In the open markets of the world, while unr ability to pass and repass with warships from ocean to ocean would insure our peaceful march, to commercial supremacy. The whole case was then briefly reviewed by copious references to the calculations of experts employed by the Maritime Ca nal Company of Nicaragua, by French and English statisticians, by reports made to congress, by committee upon foreign re lations, and by Senator Morgan's great speech, showing the difficulties to be over come, the cost of construction and opera tion, the time necessary for construction and the certain and probable traffic that would pass through, as well as the na tional and commercial interest it would be to our country, and from this mass of facts the following- petition was read, and. being: unanimously accepted, it was signed by those present, with instructions to the chairman to forward it for presentation to both houses of congress, towit: "We, the undersigned, your petitioners and citizens of the United States, now en gaged In business or sojourning" in Sydney, New South Wales, mest respectfully call the attention of your honorable body to the importance of some measure providing for the early construction of the Nica ragua canal. "Your petitioners respectfully assume that the members of your honorable body are familiar with all the facts which have been published regarding the advantages of this canal to our coastwise trade, to the growing Importance of the Pacific as a highway between the United States and the Asiatic and Australian countries, and that they are desirous at all times of learning: the views of persons belonging to the great constituencies. "We have learned from senate report No. 1142, 52d congress: from speeches made by honorable members of both houses; from pamphlets published by the Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua; from re ports of various engineers and experts, and from general statistics of trade and commerce, that the said canal can be con structed at an cutslde cost of 5100,000,000; Including value of the present company's franchises that at a toll of 52 50 per ton there would pass through it, at least 7,000, 000 tons of traffic annually, less than 1,000, 000 tons of which would be American; that the annual operating- expenses would not exceed 5100,000.000, and we believe, with modern appliances, that the work can be completed inside of five years. "Further, to secure to our own people the full advantage cf this great high way; to bring our widely-separated coast states closer together by water transpor tation; to enlarge the opportunities of ourv industrial classes; to encourage the con-" struction of an American merchant ma rine, and to secure our shores from pos sible foreign aggression; we respectfully petition your honorable body to take measures at the earliest possible moment providing for the construction, operation and ownership of said canal by the gov ernment of the United States, and that as a means for carrying out such proposi tions you do issue 5100,000,000 3 per cent canal bonds, payable in 20 and due in 50 years, to be used as banking- capital as found desirable, and we respectfully sug gest that, when said canal Is finished, it be opened to the traffic of the outside world at a toll of 52 per ton (equal to av erage toll on Suez caral), but free to all American-built bottoms. "We would respectfully call the atten tion of your honorable body to some of the advantagas of the proposed scheme: "First By the sale of bonds, only as money Is needed for the work, at the time of completion, at the end of five years, the government would have actually ex pended but T12,000,000 interest on bonds. "Second That on comple tion of the kork there would annually pass at least 6,000,000 tons of foreign traffic, at $2 per ton, yield ing1 an annual revenue of 512,000,000; that the revenues from the foreign tonnage would pay interest, operating expenses and the entire issue of canal bonds inside of CO years, leaving a handsome revenue ever afterward, and the property a valuable national asset. -- "Third That freeing- 'American bottoms passing through the canal would be equiv alent to a bonus of 52 per ton, which would result in the creation of an American, merchant marine and a restoration of our prestige on the seas, and that the opening of this highway, and so vastly lessening the distance between our own opposite coast states, as well as between the Eu ropean markets and Japan, Australia and many of the Pacific countries, would revo lutionize the commerce of the world and make the United States matchless in peace and invincible in war." The above Is furnished by United States Consul Bell, who is well known in Oregon and Washington. THE MEXICAN SOLDIER. Kurd "Worked, Poorly Paid, But a Good Fighter. !AJ regiment of Mexican infantry contains four companies of 153 men each, counting-non-commissioned officers. There are two captains, three first lieutenants, threer sec ond lieutenants, 10 sergeants and 19 cor porals. The first captain receives 5S0 per month; the second captain, 5j per month; first lieutenant, 563 per month; second lieutenant, 555 per month; third lieutenant, 550 per month; first sergeant, 530 per month the other sergeants $21 per month, and the corporals 44 cents a day, and the pri vate soldiers 374 cents a day, or at his option, the government providing the ra tions, deducting from his pay for the same, 16 cents per day. Clothing is issue'd to the soldier without charge. Commissioned officers furnish their own uniforms and rations. The first captain commands the company. The second captain keeps the company records, in addition to duties at the time Imposed. The first lieutenant act3 as officer of the day by turns of one week each, the first sergeant always act ing as paymaster in the presence of the then officer of the camp. During drill the corporals are used as markers, carrying a small flag for that purpose. During battalion drill the regi ment Is divided into three sections, and each section into three platoons. The bat talion has one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, and one adjutant, all or whom are mounted, as are also the first captains. The ether commissioned officers are usually mounted during active cam paign. Ten days' rations consist of 15 pounds of flour, 2' pounds of rice, 5 pounds of dried beef, 2 quarts of beans, 2 pounds of coffee and 2 pounds of sugar. On an estimated 10 days' march, the soldier cooks one-half his rations at the start. He Is not provided with a haver sack, but always has a canteen. His ra tions are rolled up in his blanket. They frequently bake cakes in live coals, turn ing them often, and they appear to be as good as any. A commissioned officer may resign in time of peace, but his act Is looked upon with suspicion; but after two years of campaigning- he can resign with all honors. Desertion Is punished by being placed under arrest in camp for four months and compelled to do manual work, and no pay during sentence. If three or more desert the leader gets from 15 to 20 years in prison, forfeiting all pay, and if in the presence of the enemy, death. Com missioned officers cannot obtain leave of absence during active campaigns. The private soldier seldom gets leave of ab sence, even in time of peace. The arm used i3 the Remington breech-loading rifle, 43 caliber, 90 grains of powder. The German Infant Terrible. Here are two or three anecdotes of German children. It was a large party. A gentleman bad the misfortune to break a glass. Little Lena, who was standing near her mamma, raised herself on tiptoe and whispered, load enough for all the company to hear: "And one of the borrowed Ones, too!" Later ia the even ing the hostess gave one of her little daughters a nice apple. "Now,, give your mamma a kiss. there's a dear," said the child's uncle. "I'm not allowed to xhen she's painted her face." Little Paul was sent with a bunch of flowers to the manager's wife on her birthday, and waited in silence alter he had been dismissed. Lady Well, my young man, what are you waiting for now? Paul Mamma aid I was not to ask for a piece of birthday cake, but wait till I got it. ME BILLS PASSED NET RESULT OF THE DAY'S WORK AT OLYMPIA. New Bills Continue to Flow la and AH Told Twenty-four Were Introduced Yesterday. OLYMPIA, Feb. IS. Both houses of the legislature convened this afternoon at 2 o'clock, with more members in attend ance than have been present for a week, owing- to the return of numerous com mittees from -visiting- state institutions. Three bills were passed by the senate and two by the house. New bills continue to flow into both houses. Eight were pre sented In the senate and 15 in the house. Most of the afternoon In the lower house was passed In the second reading of bills, and several interesting discussions were Indulged In. The bill by Senator Lewis, relating to the method of counting de grees of relationship in all cases, passed without dissent. This amendment is a statutory statement of the civil law. The law already prohibited a judge from hear ing a case when he is related to either party within the third degree, so that if a justice or judge were cousin to plaintiff or defendant, he would be four degrees removed, and could hear the case. Under this bill the degree of relationship is as certained and computed by ascending from the judge to a common ancestor and descending to the party, counting a degree for each person in both lines, in cluding the judge and party and excluding: the common ancestor. The bill to protect singing birds, which has already passed the house, was reconsidered, amended and passed by the senate. As amended, It permits the killing of the red-breasted European robin, black bird, swallow" or ordinary robin. Four bills by Bush, which passed the house, came up In the senate for third reading, and were referred to the fishery committee for more careful consideration of the Industries they seek to protect. Senator Van Houten's bill to permit main tenance of actions for damages through death caused by negligence, was defeated in the senate. Senator Taylor contended that the bill amended the present law, so as to abolish some of the existing safe guards. The senate then passed Easter day's bill, which makes assignments in valid unles they be for the benefit of all creditors In proportion to the amount of their respective claims. Senator Campbell presented a bill today which, he says, will drive all Chinese out of the state. It prescribes a penalty of from 5100 to 5500 for any male person re siding In the state wearing a queue. A bill was also presented by Hall appro priating 580,000 for maintenance and con struction of buildings for the agricul tural college, and one by Taylon abolish ing days of grace on commercial papers. Among the new bills introduced in the house was one to appoint truant masters in cities with over 20,000 population to patrol the streets and gather in truant school children; another for the appoint ment of a sheep inspector, to prevent bringing into the state sheep affected with scab; and a third making the professor of veterinary surgery at the agricultural college a state veterinary. Murray's bill fixing the fee for cancel lation of mortgages, when the same is entered on margin of record, and Callow's bill relating to purchase and sale of tide lands passed the house, while Conner's bill relating to fee3 of officers of election was indefinitely postponed. In the senate tomorrow the local option bill by Senator Taylor, of Pierce, will come up as the special order. Both liquor men and the friends of prohibition have been industrious during the past few days, and there is no certainty that the measure will pass the senate. Senator Ide remarked today that, in his opinion, the bill will never reach the house, and the senator has made a careful estimate of local option's strength in the upper house. The senator today received the following telegram, signed by the Spokane Ministerial Union: "In behalf of the good people of Spo kane, we earnestly Implore you to stand by the local option measure." The presentation of a bill in the house by J. C. Taylor, of Pierce, for annulment of the capitol building foundation con tract, was somewhat of a surprise to the friends of the administration, Governor McGraw having urged the completion of the building in his regular message. It was known early in the session that there was a desire on the part of some members to make a fight on the capitol, but the hearty support given the governor's mes sage created the impression that the effort to delay construction would not be at tempted. Taylor, however, comes from the district in which Puyallup is located, and, it is said, hopes to have the location of the capital moved from Olympla to that town. Taylor's bill is based on a section in the capitol building law, passed two years ago, which reserves the right of the board, for good cause shown, "to annual a contract without allowance for damages, and allowing only the expense incurred and the labor performed, not exceeding the contract price, or the pro-, portion that the the work done or ma terial furnished thereunder, bears to the total amount contracted for." It also re peals that portion of the law appropriat ing 5300,000 for the work. Spokane and Seattle school districts have protested against the passage of Rogers school bill to give children 510 per capita for school purposes, as an unjust taxation. PROTEST FROM EMPLOYES. Tliey AhIc the Leerl.slnture Not io Pa.iK Pending: Grnln-Rntea Hill. TACOMA, Feb. 18. Seventy employes of the railroads entering Tacoma held a meeting tonight and adopted a strong resolution asking the legislature not to pass the bill now before it reducing rates on wheat and other grain. The employes say they believe they are entitled to the same consideration and protection af forded any other class of citizens; that they are familiar with the cost and work ings of the various roads In the state; that the officials' statements as to the cost of handling grain have been correct, and that "we have no reason to believe we can escape the hardships worked upon other railroad employes throughout the country, where such legislation has been enforced." . Destitution, in Hocking: Valley. CINCISTXATr, Feb. IS. Word from Buckingham and other points In the Hock ing valley today stated that the destitu tion was such that the sufferers were be coming desperate. Governor McKlnley or dered immediate necessities purchased at Buckingham, and the bill sent to him. The Cincinnati relief committee later sent a carload of supplies, and Congressman Paul J. Sorg, of Middletown, will send an other carload on his own account, as soon as he can have the shipment made. m Death in. n Dnlcota. Blizzard. ABERDEEN. S. D., Feb. 18. Reports have been received today of a severe blizzard in the hills east of here yester day. Mrs. Nehring and four children, liv ing near "Webster, attempted to go to a neighbor's house during the storm. They became bewildered and, when found, the mother and two children were dead and the other children badly frozen. N. W. HARRIS & CO. BANKERS, 163-165 Dearborn-st., Chicago. 15 Wall-st.. New York. 70 Stalest., Boston. CITY, COUHTY. SCHOOLATER ana GTEE2HIGHGEADE Bought and Sold. CorrecpoaSencs Solicited, j CAST YOUR EYE OUmn THIS CODE?iSED HIST OF OUS SERLt ESTUTE These are all Bargains, ana you. can buy out of this Hat -nrlta youreyes slant ana hit it every time. WEST SIDE Business Property. 540.000-One block, between 13th and ICth, Irv- lng and Johnson. 535,000100 feet square. Second and Jefferson sts.; frame building. $.0,000100 feet square. First and Couch sts.; 3-story brick. 512,500100 feet square. 14th and Irving; store and dwelling. 51,500 One lot. Hood, between Wood and Gro oeLframe building. , $-3,000-100 feet square, Elxth and Main; 4 ..nouses, all rented. 5-5,000 50xOS feet. cor. Second and Madison esl?.a11 fme buildings. 533.000 Half interest la 3-story brick. 100 feet 5quai?' within three blocks of The Dekum; 510.000 down. 510,000 Corner lot and bouse, two blocks from fJ?,2ljm buHns: 5C0O0 down. $0000 Hair lot and bulldlnr. on North' Third ,o l-.Snt"ird down, balance can run. 512.000100 feet square, oa 17th and GUsan sts.; will trade. Residences. $7.000 Brick house. Robinson's Hill. $3,500 No. 323 Fifth, between Clay and Mar ket 8-room house and barn. $.,000 Northrup. between 23d and 21th; 8-room modern, two lots. $6,500 Seventh and Caruthers: 6 houses. 3 lots. $1,000 7-room. hard-finished. Grover's add. $3.500 11-room house, cor. Front and Curry. . $2,100 Nice cottage. 21st and Upshur sts. $1,730 6-room cottage, Corbctt, between Ban croft and Lowell. $2,000 Front and Hood; 7-room house. fa, 750 B-room cottage. Caruthers add. 7,000 Two houses. Park and Hall sts. $4.000 Two houses, 21st, between Kearney Lovejoy sts. 84,500 Good house and 2 lots. Meade and South Water. $5,50013 rooms, half block, Kelly st and Ham ilton ave. $4,6002 houses and 1 lot. Glbb3 and Hood sts. $13,500 9-room house and 5 lots, on Portland Heights. $0,000 3 houses and 2 lots. North 14th and Johnson sts $.t0fth down. $0,2502 houses and 1 lot. Fourth St., 7 blocks from city hall; will sell separately. $0,1004 lots and 6-room house, 16th and Mill; well sell separately. $2,000 S-room house and 23x100, on Clay st. near 16th. $4.750 S-room modern house and corner, oa Lane Et, in South Portland. EAST SIDE Business Property. $11,500 2-story brick and 2-story frame, 14 lots. Delay and Knott sts. $4.500 Saloon and up stairs, 624x100. Union ave. and Tillamook st. $2.500 Half lot and 2 stores, East Washington. between th and 10th. $0,5001 lot and frame building. Union ave.. between Oak and Pine. $5,00040x100 and 2-story building, on Russell st. ; rents for $50 per month. $3,20025x75 and 1-story building. East 20th and Morrison sts.; will trade equity for farm. RcKidenccH. $1.C00 East 2Cth and Sandy road; 5 rooms. 2 lots. S900-3 lots and 1 house. Mt. Tabor; very cheap. $000 One lot and cheap house, East 24th and Ellsworth. $4,000 Two 8-room houses and corner lot, 13th and East Pine. . - , . . .. . $6,500 11-room house and 3 lots, convenient to center of city. .... $2,000 7-room house and 1 lot, S2d ahd Haw thorne ave. , . . .. $7.000 Large house and 100 feet square, Weld- ler. near 17th. $3.000 6-room house and 2 lots, on Base Line road, near Mount Tabor. $5,500 Fine modern house and 1 lot, Stephens' addition; $2000 down, balance can run. $2,300 7-room house and 2 lots, on Michigan ave.; $600 down, balance In Installments. $4.000 7-room hoaso and Inside lot. ort Larra- bee st.; $1100 can run UU 1837; will trade bal ance for farm. $7.500 G-room house and 2 acres, on Hawthorne ave.; will divide. $1,100 Double house and 2 lots, in Montlcello addition. $2,000 5-room house and 2 lots, in Sellwood. $1,000 S-room house and 1 lot. In Klnzel Park. $3,800 8-room house and 100 feet square, on 28th and East Pine sts. $2,300 8-room house and 1 lot, Sellwood St.; easy terms. $1,600 13-room house and, 1 lot, on East 26th st. in Brush's addition. $1,500 S-room cottage, In Sunnyslde; will trade. $1,800 S-room cottage and 2 lots, in Portsmouth addition. $12,0005 houses and 3 lots, renting for $63, on East Ash st.; $3500 down, balance can run. $3,730 6-room houso and 1 lot, East 8th St., near &iarK. $2,000 7-room house and part of lot, at Sunny- $l,500-5-room house and part of lot, at Sunny side. $2,000 5-rcom house and 1 lot, Woodlawn. $1,800 apiece 2 fine, roomy cottaees, at Wood- $l,300-5-room house and 1 lot, Woodlawn. $1.200 5-room house and 1 lot, Woodlawn. $5.000 7-room house and 2 lots, 11th and East Davis sts. $1,700 House and lot, Willamette; $350 down. $1,300 House and lot, Willamette; $325 down. $1,250 House and lot, Willamette; $325 down. $1,700 5-room, modern house and half lot, Cherry st. and Vancouver ave. $3.150 9-room house and 1 lot, on 12th and Davis. . . $5,300 2-story house and 2 lots, on East 19th and Weldler. $7,500100 feet square and 2 houses. E. 13th and Belmont. $3.500 Modern. S rooms, and 1 lot. Clackamas, near East First. $2,000 6-room house and 100x133 1-3, on 33th. near Hawthorne ave. $1,200 5-room cottage and 1 lot. Haight ave., between Skldmore and Mason sts. Unimproved Lots. J300-PorUand Heights. 115x56. S2.000 Portland Heights, cor., 30x100. $8.500 10th and Kearney, cor., 100x100. $5 600 Two lots. Johnson, bet. 2Sd and 24th $100 Columbia Heights. 50x100. $100 Irvlngton Park, 50100. 54 ion East Seventh and Harrison: 3 lots. $3!o00 Inside lot, College, between West Park and 10th. $1,2002 lots. Bancroft st, between Ohio and Illinois. .,,., , . $300 Willamette addition; inside lot $500 Inside lot. Commercial, between Faillnc and Posts sts. $2,0004 lots, Monroe and Mitchell sts.; will sell separately. $3,0002 lots, cor. 10th and Weldler. $2,500-2 lots. cor. 10th and Broadway. $1,000 apiece On Erbeln st. and Vancouver ave., between Morris and Stanton. $900 aplce On Morris and Erbeln sts. $3501 lot on electric line. In Cloverdale add. $10,000-2 lots, between 12th and 13th, Couch and Davis. $3,250100 feet square, cor. Third and Woods. $4,0001 lot, Glisan, between 21st and 22d; will trade. $1,1002 lots, on Market-st drive. $1,000 apiece 10 rivtr-front lots, near Fulton Park: will trade. $1,000 apiece 2 lots, on Portland Heights. $1,250 apiece 2 lota, on Portland Heights. $5,000 2Vi lots, on Portland Heights. $3,500100x120 feet, on Portland Heights. $500 apiece 3 lots, in South Portland, on rail road. $0,2502 lots, cor. 14th and Pettysrove sts. $1,3001 lot, on McAdam st, between Wood and G rover. $900 Next to cor. Knott st and Rodney ave. $1,5001 lot. cor. 19th and East Oak. $3,0002 lots, on East Fifth and Taggnrt. $4,0002 lots, on East Eighth and Yamhill sts. 000 Missouri ave., between SchaeCer and Ma son sts.. 1 lot $1,2002 lots, in Central Alblna. $300 apiece Lots In Sellwood. $2,750 1 block, in Kir.ffs ; will trade for farm and assume some Indebtedness. $2,2504 lots. In Alblna Homestead. $5004 lots. In Mansfield addition. Just east of Mount Tabor. $1,2004 lots. In Terminus addition: will trade for small farm and assume indebtedness. $4 500100 feet square. 12th and East Ankeny. $3001 lot, in Central Alblna. on St John's moor- -r. ...,. $5,250100 feet square, on First and East Wasco streets. , . . $5,000100 feet square, on Eighth and East Hancock sts. $5301 lot In Woodlawn. $6306 lots. In block 6. Chicago add. $3501 lot. In Orchard Home. $125 Lots in City View Park. $10,0005 lots, on Collect, between Second and Third; will sell separately. Magnificent building tracts. In Belmont Villa; prices from $2500 to $3500. $125 apiece Lota in Tremont; easy terms. The above is a. partial list of the prop erty we have for sale. For further particulars call on or address DeLASHMUTT & SON, MISCELLANEOUS Farms. $4,00030 acres. In Lafayette, Or.; improved; will trade. $40 per acre 320 acres, S miles from Albany; highly Improved. $1,100 10 acres, Clackamas county; 15 acres cleared, will trade. $32 50 per acre 327 acres, near Salem; 00 acres in cultivation. 5J,000 7 acres, near Beaverton: half cleared. $-000168 acres, near Goldendale. Wash. $50 per acre 4CO acres, at Farmlngton. Wash ington county; 180 cultivated. $12 per acre 600 acres, at Viola. Clackamas county: 120 acres clear; will trade for city property. $6,000100 acres. 50 in prunes, near Laurel, Washington county; will trade for city prop erty. $17,0001000 acres, Oakland. Or.: 430 in culti vation. $123 per acre 10 acres, on Sandy road; part in fruit $15,0001520 acres. In Umatilla county; stock and grain ranch. $4,14641 46-100 acres, in Grant's Pass; light timber. $630 10 acres, lt miles from Coble; S acres cultivated. $1,10061 acres, 1 miles from Gale's creek: 8 acres cultivated. $2,500160 acres, ia Nebraska; highly culti vated: will trade. 21 farms In Yamhill county. For particulars call at office. $2.000 111S acres. 1 mile west of Ralclsh sta tion, on Scholl's Ferry road. $900 SO acres. 7 miles from Oregon City. $1,00040 acres, J miles from Moscow; 5 acre clear. $12 per ncrc 576 acres. 5 miles from Medford; 50 or 73 acres In cultivation. $35 per acre 125 acres, 7 miles from Salem; 250 acres In cultivation. $3,500 CS acres, 1 mile from Damascus; 30 acres In cultivation. $23 per acre 351 acres, in Tillamook county: fine dairy ranch. $1,500127 acres, 4 miles from Damascus: 11 acres clear. ?45?r1.0.acres n"ar Scl0 nal cultivation; will divide or trade. $23 per acre 120 acres, near Solo, one-third cul tivated. $6,150203 acres, near Sclo, all In cultivation: divide or trade. $S.O00 200 acres, near Sclo. 50 acres hops: will divide or trade. $2,50050 acres, near Tlgardsvllle; some clear. $8 per acre 570 acres. Sherman county, all clear. $1,50040 acres, in Benton county, 16 acres clear. $10,000 4S0 acre. 5 miles from North Yam hill. 240 acres In cultivation. $2,500100 acren, 1$ miles from Albany. 30 acres in cultivation; good stone quarry. $33 per acre 259 acres. 2 miles from Wash- ougal. 150 acres In cultivation. $1,20020 acres, 1 mile from Warren's, 11 acres in cultivation. $2,25036 acres, 6 miles from Forest Grove, one-half beaver-dam: cultivated. $2,500160 acres. 9 miles from Goble. 25 acres clear: will rent. $15 per acre 193 acres, at Junction of Cow litz and Cowhegan rivers; fine dairy ranch. $0 per acre 2720 acres, iu Morrow county, all clear. $2,73045 acres. 6 miles east of Woodburn, 30 acres in cultivation. 10 per acre Land on water ditch. In Umatilla county; nothing larger than 40 acres sold. $3,000120 acres, near Carrollton. Wash.; 33 acres cultivated. $1,000160 acres. In North Dakota; will trade. $10.600 160 acres. In Douglas county: 70 acres in cultivation. $115 per acre 13 acres. 6 miles from Van couver: one-half In orchard. $73 per acre 20 acres, 6 miles from Vancouver; all clear. $80 per acre 10 acres, 6 miles from Vancouver; all clear. 42 acres adjoining above, to rent $C00 25 acres, 5 miles from Scappoose; 3 acres clenr. and livestock. $6,40055 acres, 8 miles from Portland, on Powell Valley road; will cut up Into tracts:, 40 acres' In cultivation. $2,500 102 acres; in Douglas county; well stocked and Improved; will trade for East Side property. $600 SO acres. In Benton county; 8 acres la cultivation. TimTier nnd Wild Iiand. $630160 acres. Hood River. $2.830 ISO acres. Nehalem vallev. $950160 acres. Lewis county. Wash. S2.SS0 4SO acres. Hood River. $30010 acres, Tlgardsvllle. Or. $1,000120 acres. 6 miles from Taylor's Land ing: timber down and easily cleared. $1,19093 acres, 3V& miles from Scappoose. $1,00040 acres, 10 mites from Hillsboro. $1,000160 acres. 5 miles from mouth of Bull Run river; would trade. $960-r-320 acres. In Linn county. $1,50040 acres. Multnomah county, near Hoi brook station. $1,100160 acres. In Clatsop county. $1,500160 acres, on Yaqutna bay. $600100 acres, In Chehalls county. Wash, $030 10 acres. In Jackson county, $800160 acres. In Lewis county. Wash. $4,S00 320 acres, near Kalama. $40085 acres, In Clatsop county. 52,100320 acres, in Michigan; will trade. $3.000 4S0 acres. In Chehalls county. Wash. 5800100 acres, In Columbia county. $52521 acres, near LInnton. $1,500 41 acres, near Hillsboro; timber down. $3,200320 acres, in Tillamook county. $72080 acres, near LInnton. Also soma large tracts, from 1000 to 10,000 acres. Small Tracts'. Sl.SOO-lO-acre tract, near Bertha station. $4,0005 acres, all in fruit, Frultvale. $4,0005 acres, fully Improved, Clackamas sta tion. $2,00010 acres, near Shattuck station. $1.000 S,4 acres, in Willsburg. $6502 acres, adjoining Wlllsburg. $3,00012 acres, near Wlllsburg. S030 5 acres. In Hazelwood. $3,00010 acres, adjoining Kennedy's add. $2,20010 acres, Taylor's Ferry road. $0T0 5 acres, DeLashmutt &. Oatman Littla Homes No. 2. $2,300 10-acre tracts, adjoining Carson Heights. $4,000 4',-4 acrts, adjoining Kenllworth. $200 per acre 5 and 10-acra tracts, at Beaver ton; all clear. $2,73015 acres, Mount Scott: partly cleared. $1,6002 acres, clear. Palatine Hill. $3,800 Prune orchard, near Vancouver; 2500 trees. SS00 Half acra and house, at Zlontown. $2,00040 rods of ocean front, at Long Beach, near Stout's. 34 lots At Mount Tabor: 3 acres; price cheap. $85013 acres, on Base Line road; 3 acres clear; small house; 11 miles out $1.150 10-acre tracts, 8 miles from Portland, on Powell Valley road. , $1,10010 acres. In Hazelwood. 20 acres well Improved, 3 miles from Port land, for rent, $20 pr month. $1,3505 acres, all in cultivation; near Mount Scott motor. Business Chance. $33 33 per month Store and 13-room dwelling, at Beaverton. SS00 Drug store, stock and fixtures, in thriving country town. $3,000 Drug store, stock and fixtures, In tba city; good location. Fourth Interest in good-paying business. In city. $050 Furniture for 15-room lodging-house. SS50 20-room lodging-house. $300 Restaurant. In city; $2,500 30-room lodging-house. $1,050 Good home and business, in thriving town down the Columbia. $6.500 Old-establlshel hoteK in city. $1.300 Banking fixtures and supplies, in a lively town on the Columbia. $1.600 Hotel business, established, at Dallas. Oregon. $2,200 50-room lodging-house: will trade for small farm near city. $1.750 Good 32-room hotel. In thriving country town. $2.300 Good store and house and lot: also good physician's practice thrown in. In Washington county. S60O Photograph gallery, on East Side. $700 Furniture in 8-room house; cost $1200 two month ago. $2.500 Good boot and shoe business, on East Side. In Other Towns. VANCOUVER. WASH. $3,200 One-half block and fine residence. 10th and C sts. $2 230 Two lots and house. Eighth and West C S630 One lot. Ninth, between B and C. $400 Four acres, uncleared. $10.000 Nine houses and 6 lots; prospective business location. $3,000 Fine house and lot In St Helen's. $2,000120 feet river front and wharf, at St Helen's. 2.050 8-room house and -1 lot, la Warenton, Oregon. 20'9 STARK ST., PORTLAND, OR