.THE MOEKXSG OEEG05TIA2fr. .WEKXESDAY. EEBB.1IAKX 27, -1895
3f lie (togsroiim
Entered at tie Postofflce at Portland. Oregon,
ex second-class matter.
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News or dicusslon Intended for publication
5n The Oregenlan should be addressed Invariably
"Editor The Oreironlan," not to the name of
any individual. Letters relatlns to advertising,
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le addressed simply "The Oreeonlan."
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DAILY 3IETEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
PORTLAND. Feb. 2C. 8 P. M. Maximum
temperature, 57; minimum temperatme. S(i.
Jifight of rtver at 11 A. M.. 4.S, change In the
yast '2i hour. 0.1; predpltatien today, 0.0; pre
cipitation frem September 1. 1S94 (wet season).
xo date, luns; average. 34.04; deficiency. 13.4G;
number hours of sunshine Monday, 3:14; pos
sible number, 10:51.
WEATHER SYNOPSIS.
There hs a storm central north of Montana,
ttMeh, though it pasf-ed north of Washington,
produced no precipitation, except at Tatoosli
istand. There is an area of high barometric
pressure, or fair-weather conditions, prevailing
oor the North American plateau, which ex
tends nerthward east of the Cascades. Prom
tMs area the fair weather of the past few days
resulted. Warmer weather Is reported from all
Eeotlon.
WEATHER FORECASTS.
Forecasts made at Portland for the 24 hours
tending at midnight February ST:
Pr Orepm, Washington and Idaho Fair
weather and nearly stationary temperature, with
Jlght southerly winds.
I'fcr Portland Fair weather and slight tem
Jxrature change, -with light variable winds.
B. S. PAGCE, Local Forecast Official.
$127,000 for police, $142,000 for fire de
partment, $87,000 for lights, and $18,000
for street-cleaning. Most of these
items are much below similar items
at Portland, in proportion to popula
tion. For example, we spend 584,000
for public lights at Portland, against
$87,000 at Denver; yet Denver has twice
Portland's population.
Nearly all comparisons show that
Portland is paying more for almost all
kinds of municipal service than other
cities; but extravagant government
here is extolled in the name of patriot
ism, and the men who have broken the
pledges they made that expenses should
be reduced are called the champions
and saviors of the city.
rORTLAXD. AVEDXESDAY. FEU. 27.
by enduring captivity. Of another
army of freedom, the whole fifteen es
caped. The other eight have not re
porte'd. These revolutionary risings in
Cuba rarely number less than fifty de
voted patriots.
aEXT YEAR'S STATE PLATFORMS.
No doubt the democrats and populists
;wlll pledge themselves next year to
economy, retrenchment, reduction of
fees, salaries, oillces and emoluments,
and to relief of the people from bur
densome taxation. The republican
party, of course, will not; or, if it
should, nobody would be expected to
believe it. Just now there is a loud
chuckle all over the state, from the fac
tion that "held up" the legislature,
over the great success gained in killing
all the measures for relief of the peo
ple. The logical thing for the next re
publican platform would be a resolu
tion indorsing and approving the ear
nest and successful efforts of the late
legislature against reduction of sal
aries, offices, fees and taxes, and pledg
ing the party to renewed efforts in that
line.
It may well be supposed that this
matter will be duly attended to at the
state republican convention, which will
JjjeTheld in March or April, 1896, a little
over a year hence. If the platform is
,to accord with the policy and acts of
"the recent legislature, it should read
'something like this, ito-witi " n
'The republican party, both from prin
ciple and Interest, believes in high taxa
tion for the benefit of public officials. It
pledges Itself to stand firmly against all
efforts to reduce the number of offices, or
the salaries, fees and emoluments thereof.
3ji insists that officials who have put up
Trioney for campaign purposes, to secure
tho success of their party and their own
election, are entitled to recoup from the
taxpayers, and that through their elec
tion a moral obligation is created which
forbids offices to be cut off or salaries and
emoluments to be reduced. "We congrat
ulate the people of the state on the defeat
f the efforts made In the legislature of
3S03 to cut off salaries, offices, emolu
ments and fees, and denounce those efforts
as the height of outrage and Injustice;
and we approve the large and liberal ex
penditures for clerks In the legislature,
and point with pride to the numerous
5toms and the grand total of the general
cppioprlatlon bill."
Something like this will cover the
ground very fairly. The convention
phould be held early, so the platform
snay anticipate and set up a barrier
against the vile efforts sure to be made
toy the opposition against the record
of this legislature for the purpose of
throwing discredit on the republican
party. The enemy must be met In the
Bate.
THE PERIL OP JAPAX.
Japan Is approaching a crucial point
in her history; is nearing a crisis which
may arrest her amazing national de
velopment by checking the outward im
pulse of national vigor and turning it
back upon the very sources of national
life at home- There are hints in well
informed correspondence from Japan
that the inevitable result of this for
eign war may breed domestic revolu
tion. The people of Japan are in a very
fever of warlike ambition and lust of
conquest They have supported the
government with resources of men and
money as no nation ever supported a
government in a war of aggression.
They expect to reap the fruits of this
extraordinary effort in extraordinary
conquests. They certainly expect more
than the policy of Europe will permit
them to enjoy. The rulers of Japan
understand the necessary limitation of
their hopes, and know that they have
to make peace, not with China, but
with England and Russia, France and
Germany. They know they can exact
no more from China, however crushed
and beaten, than these powers permit.
The people of Japan do not understand
this, and it will be hard to make them
understand it.
The terms of the best peace that can
be made will be a shock and a disap
pointment to the people of Japan. They
probably will get no territorial acqui
sitions on the mainland of Asia. They
will get no permanent influence over
the government of China. They will
not even get a protectorate over Corea.
These things the European powers are
reserving for themselves. The most
they will concede is to let Japan make
an insignificant member of the con
gress in which the destinies of these
countries will be settled. All she will
have gained by the war, then, except
possibly the island of Formosa, will be
recognition as one of the family of
civilized nations, a glorious epoch in
her history, and a war indemnity, which
may be paid or not. Russia was balked
of her conquests in just this way by
the European congress of 187S, and she
never even has been paid the Turkish
war indemnity.
The danger to Japan is that public
opinion, in the Inevitable shock of this
barren peace, may turn in fury against
the government compelled to make it,
accusing it of weakness, if not corrup
tion, and endeavoring to overthrow it.
Parliamentary government is young in
Japan. The people lack the intelligence
and self-restraint that come from gen
erations of participation in public af
fairs. If they see the substantial fruits
of victory snatched from them by the
exigencies of a foreign policy they do
not understand, they may hold their
rulers to an unjust responsibility for
adopting and executing that policy. It
is a dangerous thing to excite lust of
military glory and warlike conquest in
a. whole nation and then deny it natural
fruition. The fever is likely to strike
inward and threaten the life of the
nation.
OERMAXY'S BAXKIXG SYSTEM.
The banking system of Germany, like
her coinage system, was completely re
organized on the establishment of the
empire. Before that time, each state
had its own banking system and its
own currency, and the greatest di
vergence and confusion existed in notes
as well as in coins and values. By es
tablishment of the gold standard and
recoinage of all the silver but about
130,000,000 thalers, the coinage was re
duced to units. The same object was
sought to be acomplished by making
the Prussian bank of Berlin an imperial
bank and the financial agent of the
government. This has a capital of $30,
000,000, and has branches all over the
empire. The number of banks of issue
in other parts of the empire was re
duced from thirty-two to nineteen, and
all were required to establish redemp
tion agencies in Berlin. All the paper
currency of the empire is issued by
these banks, except about $30,000,000 of
treasury notes, issued after creation of
the empire to supply an uniform cur
rency till the banks could be gotten
under way, and never retired. These
are not general legal tender, however.
These state notes are in small de
nominations, the least being 5 marks
($1 20), and serve, with the $220,000,000
of silver, the purposes of small change.
The smallest bank note is 100 marks
($24), and their number is enormously
greater. In January, 1894, the bank
note currency of the empire was about
$350,000,000, of which about $90,000,000
was uncovered; that is, not supported
by an equal amount of gold or silver
coin or bullion, state notes, or notes of
other banks held as reserve. At least
four-fifths of these notes are issued by
the Imperial bank and its branches.
Silver is employed indiscriminately
with gold in the bank reserves, though,
like American silver, it is overvalued
100 per cent. But the government
maintains parity by careful restriction
of coinage and limiting the legal-tender
power of all the new coinage. It is not
known how much of the bank reserve
is in silver, but the gold in the imperial
bank is estimated at over $150,000,000.
If the minor banks have one-fourth as
much more, and the total reserves are
$260,000,000, there must be about $75,000,
000 in silver and notes. This makes it
easy enough to maintain the parity.
The great advantage of this currency
system over ours is the small amount
of legal-tender credit currency, only
$110,000,000 in old thalers and $30,000,000
of state notes, legal tender to the gov
ernment only. There Is thus no danger
of draining the gold reserves by the
"coonskin game," so successfully played
at the New York sub-treasury. "We
have about $400,000,000 Jegal-tender sil
ver and about $300,000,000 legal-tender
paper, against $100,000,000 gold reserve
in the treasury. Another advantage is
the great excess of gold over silver in
the coinage. Germany has about $600,
000,000 of gold in the country, to $220,
000,000 of silver in circulation. We have
about $600,000,000 of each. Germany's
currency is bimetallic, like our own, but
is on a. much sounder basis.
ficiencles and unexpended balances,
transfers of -funds, etc, that confuse
and bewilder. The main fact as to the
appropriations of both sessions seems
to be that everybody got all that was
asked for, and, as to the recent session,
that all pledges of economy were disregarded.
Grover Cleveland has prevented the
fall of the monetary standard of the
"United States to the silver basis. He
has had intelligence to see the situa
tion and the courage to meet it. But
for his resolute action, the finances and
business of the country would now be
involved in the most terrible and
catastrophic disorder. For the business
and credit of the country could not
be shifted from the gold to the silver
basis, from the basis of full money to
the basis of half money, without gen
eral disaster and ruin. This has been
averted by the judgment and courage
of President Cleveland.
This congress will adjourn without
any legislation, either to bring relief to
the national treasury or to increase its
embarrassments. The populists will
not permit consideration of the amend
ment to the sundry civil bill providing
for certificates of indebtedness, and the
administration democrats and republi
cans are equally determined to resist
the amendment repealing all laws au
thorizing the sale of bonds. Fortunate
ly the president has demonstrated his
ability to do what is necessary to sus
tain the national credit, without the
help of congress.
far as can be learned at present they have
not kept a-single pledge made by the party
last June. Instead of reducing the ex
penses they have been increased. How will
they, with a long list of broken pledges to
their credit, face the people at the next
election?
Roseburg Plalndealer.
Even if the useless laws and commis
sions were not abolished, the ISth session
of the Oregon legislature is a. thing of the
past, and for this we are duly thankful,
Pri.ieville Review.
It will go into history renowned for what
it did not do, Instead of what It did.
It is said that the silver men are
going to organize a party for the presi
dential campaign of 1896, with a plat
form, containing a single plank declar
ing in favor of free coinage of silver
at the sixteen-one ratio. This would
take the silver question out o the
tangle of party platforms and make a
clean, sharp issue. The probable re
sult is that the silver party will take
rank about with the prohibitionists.
The sheriff of the county, enraged be
cause some part of his enormous offi
cial perquisites is cut off by legislation,
attacks a state senator and draws a
pistol! This very happily illustrates
the spirit of the gang that held up the
legislature.
The French exclusion of American
cattle and dressed meats will cost this
country $18,000,000 per year. But this
is only small part of the price this coun
try must pay for the infamous Have
meyer tariff law.
The grand jury should indict Sheriff
Sears for assault with a dangerous
weapon.
I MUNICIPAL FACTS.
Though the effort to get legislation
2for reduction of the expenses of our
city and county has failed, and prob
ably never will be renewed, a feeble
and languid interest may yet be felt
3n statistics of the expenditures of
other cities.
The report of the chief of police of
the city of Omaha for the year 1S94
shows that there are 93 men in his
'department, and SS of these are on
patrol duty. The department made
G249 arrests during 1894. and convic
tions were obtained in 3052 cases. The
total expenses of the department for
the year were $94.63S. The police de
partment of Omaha is relatively much
less costly than that of Portland.
The population of Toledo, O., is over
50,000. Its fire department consists of
94 men, and the whole expenses of the
department for the year 1S94 were $97,
614. The expenses at Portland under
the present commission have been re
duced to a basis that compares not
unfavorably with that of Toledo, when
It is observed that salaries are con
siderably higher here. Toledo has six
steam engines, three chemical engines,
four hook-and-ladder trucks and 19,000
feet of hose.
The funded debt of the city of New
CTork is $17S,991.0S1; that of Buffalo is
$11,636,502. Pittsburg is increasing her
bonded debt by $4,750,000, chiefly for
extension of her water works, but pays
the members of her council no sp.lary.
At Portland (West Side) we consume
or waste about 12,000.000 gallons of
water a day. This is at least 200 gal
lons per caput. At New York the con
sumption is ISS.000,000 gallons a day, or
abeut 100 gallons per caput. London's
entire supply is only 177.000.0W gal
lons a day; but at London
the most careful and econom
ical regulations are made to prevent
M'aste of water. In any of our cities
they would be deemed Intolerable. Paris
has o. water supply of only 100,000,000
gallons daily, and the most rigorous
regulations are enforced there also
Estimates of the expenses of the city
pi Denver for the seat 1S93 Include
Postmaster-General Bissell will, it is
said, retire at an early date from the
cabinet, his reason for this being the
expenses incurred in maintaining offi
cial position. His salary is $S000 a
year, one-half of it being absorbed by
house-rent alone. Ordinary living ex
penses eat up the rest, and the demands
of society, backed by the natural de
sire of his young wife to make the
most of her opportunities, draw upon
his outside income at an alarming rate.
Only cabinet officers who have nothing
to spend except their salaries, or who
hate society, like Herbert, on the one
hand, or are brave enough to live within
their means, like Morton, on the other,
can keep up on the very liberal pay of
the government. It is possible to do
this, of course, but not agreeable to
men who enjoy keeping in the social
swim with their wives and daughters.
The truth is that the essence of ex
travagance exhaled from an abounding
prosperity has permeated the social
and domestic as well as the political
fabric through all of the intermediate
grades between top and bottom, with
a subtle influence that has led the in
dividual and public will captive. Su
perfluities have been raised to the plane
of necessities, and it is difficult to dis
lodge them. From the cabinet officer,
who cannot maintain the style which
he thinks essential to his position on
$S000 a year, to the mechanic, who sees
starvation in a wage rate of $2 a day,
all are practically in the same condi
tion. The distinction between actual
and superficial wants has been practi
cally lost in the great swirl of prodigal
ity. According to a correspondent, there
has not been such a boom in bibles in
China since missionaries began the tus
sle with the doctrines of Confucius.
The moving cause of this is found in
the fact that 10,000 Christian women
in China presented the empress dowager
on her sixtieth birthday a handsome
copy of the New Testament. The vol
ume Is a royal quarto in size, bound in
silver covers, made In Canton, upon
which are carved In relief birds and
bamboo, signifying messengers bearing
peace. The book is enclosed in a Tsolid
silver casket, which rests in a teak
wood case, the price of the whole being
$1200. The emperor was so pleased with
the gift that he sent out and bought
a large number of copies of the scrip
tureshence the boom. From all of
which it appears that the gospel may
be silver-plated wjth good effect even
In heathen lands.
Hard times seem to have sharpened
the wits of the people. In evidence of
this appear applications filed in the
patent office during 1S93 for 21,000 pat
ents on new inventions. Myriads of
housewives, whose monthly allowances
have been scaled to meet the universal
cut in breadwinners' wages, will shud
der at this announcement, since it fore
bodes visitations from agents urging
upon their attention offspring of this in
ventive fecundity, representing every
thing from a pocket pianoforte to a
dish mop, and from a marvelous steam
cooker (an improvement upon the one
bought last year with the money saved
a dime at a time for a new dress), with
which a child can prepare dinner in fif
teen minutes, to an intelligent wash
boiler that will get the weekly wash
ready for the line without assistance
while the mistress indulges in her morn
ing nap. Let the garrets be cleared to
make room for the new installment of
articles covered by letters patent that
have been evolved by pressure from the
wits of the people. Spring is coming
and they will soon be here, and it will
save time and temper to be ready for
their advent.
The report that Justice Field is about
to retire from the supreme bench should
not be considered premature, as the
eminent jurist is now nearly SO years
old. He must be an exceptionally vig
orous man, physicallyand mentally, who
can at that advanced age serve the
public interests well in so responsible
a capacity. This Justice Field is said
to be, though nature warns him of his
declining powers and age asserts its
dominion over him in the growing diffi
culty he experiences in concentrating
his mind upon the weighty matters pre
sented. The nation's young or younger
men should perform its exacting tasks
and leave its old men to an honored
and well-earned repose in the length
ening shadows of life's winter. This is
the humane and logical view in connec
tion with the proposed retirement of
Justice Field from the supreme bench.
The political view, from a republican
standpoint, is that he should have re
tired three years ago, and, failing in
this, should take things as easy as pos
sible and continue in his present posi
tion until he is S2 or thereabouts.
Most advocates of free coinage of sil
ver say they are bimetalists. But all
the intelligent ones know it wouldn't
be bimetalism at all. They know that
it would carry our money quickly to
the silver basis, and that is what they
want. Others would not desire this,
but they do not know the consequences
of the act they demand. All advocates
of free coinage of silver are silver mono
metalists. whether they know it or not.
SENATORIAL OPIXIOXS.
Whnt the State PresH Say of the
Xew Senator.
Albany Democrat.
George W. McBrlde, the senator-elect,
is a good man personally. He Is an aver
age business man and a fair lawyer; but
he is not brilliant in any sense. He is a
man who has the confidence of his party
so far as his integrity goes. His record
Is undoubtedly a clean one. The indica
tions are that.Mr. McBride will not make
a strong United States senator among the
big guns at. Washington; but Mr. McBride
is an accommodating man, anu, nis con
stituents may depend upon his doing
his best for1" them. He will be as faithful
as his poor health will permit. It is an
Interesting fact that Mr. Dolph has been
fought by the 30 on account of being a
gold-bug, but Mr. McBrlde is also a gold
bug, as nearly as can be learned, though
some say not. Consistency thou art a
jewel.
Astorian.
The dark horse has again won the race, J
and his past record Is a guarantee that
Senator-elect McBrlde will not misrepre
sent either his state or party. It was an
unsettled question last night where he
stood on the money question, but he is
well known to be a safe man on every
other point of republican policy, and as
his election was unquestionably dictated
to a large extent by the Dolph supporters,
it is extremely unlikely that he is at all
unsound on the money issue. On the
whole, we think the people of Oregon,
as well as Mr McBride, can be congratu
lated on such a termination of the sen
atorial contest.
The Dalles Times-Mountaineer.
The election of Hon. George W. McBrlde
as senator will be a surprise to very many,
and yet, perhaps, It was the only peaceful
solution that was possible of the contest
that had been waged in Salem the past
40 days. All republicans will be thankful
that the senatorial contest ended the way
it did, and that those who defied the
voice of the public and. trampled under
foot every political obligation were obliged
at last to accept the man named by the
friends of Senator Dolph.
The Dalles Chronicle.
The long agony Is over, the legislature
has adjourned and ex-Secretary of State
George W. McBride Is elected United
States senator to succeed Hon. J. N.
Dolph. The choice does not meet with
general approval, but re believe that that
fact Is due-to the surprise occasioned by
the election of McBrlde, who was a horse
so dark that he had not been considered
by the pubjic. If Mr. McBride's physical
condition permits, he will prove an en
ergetic senator.
Roseburg Plaindealer.
The election of George W. McBrlde to
succeed Sehator Dolph meets with the
hearty approval of the people of Oregon.
As secretary of state Mr. McBrlde made
many warm friends throughout the state,
all of whom are highly elated over his
election to the highest position within the
gift of the people. He is a native-born
Oregonlan, and of him we are all proud.
Eugene Guard.
Apart from the physical condition of
Senator McBrlde, the selection is a good
one.
Salem Statesman.
Nothing but expressions of universal
satisfaction are heard over the result of
the senatorial contest.
For the twentieth time since the
Latin-American republics gained their
independence. Cuba is said to be on the
verge of successful revolt against
the dominion of Spain. The flag of in
dependence has been raised in New
York, and torrents of eloquence have
flowed In the cause of liberty. In the
island Itself martial law has been de
clared, and all the resources of an
effete despotism have been summoned to
rivet again the chains of slavery upon
a nation struggling for freedom. Of
twenty-seven revolutionists in one
place, six ha e won the martyr's crown
Another good man, one of Portland's
pioneers, passed away yesterday.
Philip Wasserman came to Portland in
1S5S, was mayor of the city twenty-four
years ago, served two terms in the leg
islature from Multnomah county, was
a school director at Portland during
several years, and did a large mercan
tile business, from which he retired
some time since. Mr. Wasserman was
a very good citizen, and a true and
worthy man.
DR. GRAXTS SUXDAY LECTIRE.
Partly in the Way of Criticism and
Pnrtly of Approval.
PORTLAND, Feb. 26. (To the Editor.)
Dr. Grant, in his lecture of last Sunday
evening, at the First Baptist church, in
this city, asserted that It is certain that
God has not dealt with any nation so well
as he has with this, and added: "The real
glory of this nation is that it is a Chris
tian nation; next to this stands the glory
of its educational system." But Is this
true?
Are we a Christian nation, In any sense
other than that as distinguishing us from
the other great faiths of the world the
Mohammedan, the Buddhistic, or the Con
fucian? Is there not more of Idle declara
tion than of reality In this claim that wa
are a Christian nation? Aside from pro
fession, is there anything to show that
this nation, or this people, is Christian?
Are the beatitudes of the man who the
Christian claims was the founder of his
faith the motto of this nation? Is striv
ing after perfection of life. In morality
and goodness, the nation's aim? Do we
return good for evil? When another na
tion attempts to smite us, do we turn the
other cheek? Do we love our enemies?
Do we love our neighbors as ourselves?
Are we, as a nation or as a people, as so
licitous for the care and wants of the
poor, the unfortunate, aid the dowr trod
den, as we are for 'those of ourselves? Is
the Golden Rule the standard by which
our dealings are measured either as a na
tion or as a people? Arg our political and
commercial interests based upon Christian
precepts? Is the good of mankind or tha
good of each individual uppermost the
supreme end with both nation and people?
If not, how, then, can this, as Dr. Grant
claims, be called a Christian nation, or we
a nation of Christians? In speaking of our
political character, the doctor answers
most of my interrogatories very fully and
very correctly. Listen to him. He says:
"Did you ever realize the danger of poll
tics? Have you ever analyzed politics?
Do you know what It Is? Then the Lord
pity you, for they who go down Into poll
tics never come up clean again. It is
the most fascinating of all things. It is
a science, simply a science. It is a river
of filth that overflows and blights the fair
valley of our nation. No nation can long
survlv.e In the awful and noisome mist
that arises from that river and thickens
over the land."
There is nothing truer than this, and
the doctor could not have described the
governmental machinery of this, what he
calls Christian, nation in more fitting terms.
This nation's politics is a mire of filth, a
stench in the nostrils, a maelstrom of
sin and corruption. How, then, can a na
tion having an autonomy of this character
be called Christian? Is not every man,
seemingly, in this nation, pitted against
every other man? Are not the poor pitted
against the rich, and the rich against the
poor? Who cares for the poor? Are not
the rich combining, all over the country,
to reduce labor and crush out the poor
man's means of obtaining a livelihood for
himself, his wife and children? And call
this a Christian nation a nation founded
upon the precepts of Christ! A nation
almlngat perfection of character and man
hood! A nation caring for the well-being
of others equally wlththat o,f ourselves!
A."riatIOff a's fuirdr,glnmllls anagambllng"
shops and brothels as it is of other Insti
tutions! A nation of more gamblers and
drunkards than any other nation upon the
face of the earth, except It be Presbyterian
Scotland or Episcopalian England! Call
this a Christian nation? Absurd!
But while I disagree with Dr. Grant in
his main position, there are many of his
views with which I do agree, and with
none more heartily than with his views
upon these idiotic, senseless clamorers for
the free coinage of silver, and for woman
suffrage. Listen to what he says in regard
to these free-silverites:
"Don't you believe that prophets from
the lowest, most Ignorant classes we have,
from men who are not trained to think,
can come up and solve the problem off
hand, as they would have you believe.
Don't you be fooled by them. Men who
are not capable of being leaders have been
carried away by a mass of harebrained
theories, whose fallacy has been proved a
thousand times, thinking they are some
thing new."
And again, upon the subject of woman
suffrage, he says:
"The last danger is one affecting Ameri
can citizenship, namely, the broadening of
the franchise. I am coming to the ques
tion of 'woman's right3,' so-called. I am
not a believer in 'woman's rights inso
far as they touch upon the extension of
the franchise. You say that women will
purify politics. I say that my wife shall
not go into politics until it is purified.
The spirit of gallantry under which I
was reared does not ask a woman to be
come a scavenger. Shall women be thus
brought in a position of competition with
men? There are men who are as noble
and pure as women. There are many hon
orable men who have given up the task
of purifying politics. Do they say: 'Send
the women down; we give up?' "
There la nothing truer than Cardinal
Gibbons' remarks when he said "If you
increase woman's sphere politically, you
-weaken that sphere socially in the home,
which is woman's legitimate sphere." And
the remarks of the queen of Roumania,
when she says: "I shall always maintain
that the active life "of woman ought not
to go beyond the sacred interior of her
home, and that the voice of woman sounds
nowhere so sweetly musical as on her own
hearthstone, in the midst of her children."
A DISSENTER.
Its fate myself if I could. Why, there's
no justice, no law here. If the press is
not muzzled, and that soon, the streets
will yet run blood, mark my words."
"Honest" John Da-vis, ex-governor of
Rhode Island, was married recently to
Miss MargeUa Pierce, of Providence- Ex
Governor Davis has two adult daughters.
He was the first democrat elected to the
governorship of Rhode Island In 40 years.
Elijah Thayer, who died the other day at
Blackstone, Mass., at he age of S3, was a
curious character. He was somewhat daft
on the subject of religion, being accus
tomed to walk the streets barefooted and
bareheaded preaching the Gospel. He be
lieved in bodily translation, and hence re
ceived the nickname of "Prophet Elijah."
He walked through Europe and Asia Minor,
where his peculiarities frequently got him
Into trouble. He was a man of means,
having acquired money early in life in the
shipping business, and he gave freely to
charity.
BIG MAJORITIES DAXGEROl'S.
The Xecesaity for a. Povrerfal Minor
ity in the Legislature.
PORTLAND, Feb. 26. (To the Editor)
The necessity for a powerful minority
was never so apparent as in the last leg
islature. Had there been 40 democrats
or populists in the two houses, there
would have been some legislation in the
interest of a. taxridden people.
As It was. the republican party had
such an overwhelming majority they di
vided into two parties and opposed each
other, and thus managed to defeat all
legislation for the benefit of the people
to whom they were so profuse in prom
ises made before election last June.
The people must suffer now for the
next two years at least, and if the future
is to be g.tuged by the past, but little
can then be expected of a legislature which
is to elect a senator. Every useful act is
made subordinate to the election of sen
ator. Had there been a bare majority of four
or five, a senator would have been elect
ed the first day a vote was taken, and
then this stumbling block out of the way
legislation looking to a reduction of taxa
tion would have been enacted. Office
holders swarmed the lobbies of both
houses, from the mayor of Portland down
to the seven-by-nine councilman, justices
of the peace, prosecuting attorneys, and
their numerous assistants, all intent on
retaining their hold on their living at the
expense of the taxpayers.
No reform in our extravagant city char
ter; no reduction of the extravagant sal
aries paid district attorneys and justices
of the peace; no reduction in the appro
priations made for "high schools"
throughout the state. On the contrary, the
expenses of these schools in some cases
are increased. The state university holds
on to the large grant made to it to pay
for political services of a political hench
man. The governor, with Increased emol
uments for his office in the way of In
creased compensation for being a member
of commissions; and $1600 for a stenog
rapher, and the good Lord only knows
how much more, for the members of the
legislature don't know nor don't care.
Power is granted to buy a bridge and
ferry at Portland and issue bonds to pay
for the same; and thus another burden of
$10,000 or $15,000 is added to our burden
to be raised by taxation. None of this leg
islation would have been done had there
been a large minority. TAXPAYER.
i
FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
PORTLAND. Feb. 26. (To the Editor)
Will you kindly permit me a word or two
in support of the sentiment which in
spired your editorial headed "Helps and
Handicaps" In yesterday's Oregonlan, the
subject of which was the life and work
of Frederick Douglass, recently deceased.
When the republican administration made
a pretense of redeeming, In a barmecidal
,wAv.ylia,flJedcegjtoth&olaredpterof.
this country, it saw fit to place this man
in office over what had been a slave-holding
community, and to make him United
States marshal for the District of Colum
bia. At the time this appointment was
announced I had charge of the Washing
ton Law Reporter, and I thought it part
of my duty to ascertain, as far as I could,
the sentiment of the Washington bar
with respect to this appointment. Among
the gentlemen whom I approached on
the subject was Richard T. Merrick, since
dead, but who was then cordially recog
nized as the leader of that bar. He said
that he had! no cbjectlon to seeing a "nig
ger" United States marshal of the Dis
trict of Columbia, but he did object to
Douglass in that position, because he
was nothing but "a dilettante nigger."
It seems to me that this is a true char
acterization of Mr. Douglass. He was al
ways a chronic office-holder, and, al
though what good there was in him he
got largely from the white blood that
ran in his veins, he always used the
African infusion for all It was worth
to a money-getting and office-seeking
end. WALTER S. PERRY.
, SEWS OF THE XORTHWEST.
v Oregon.
Martin Miller, of Eugene, broke his arm
on a wash tub, but not while attempting
to do the xamily washing.
Many owners of hopyards are putting
up the wire system this spring. It cons
but little more than poles and lasts for a
number of years.
Otis Savage, who has been In jail at
The Dalles several months, charged with
robbing the express company at that
place, has been released on $3300 ball.
It Is reported that Tom Farquhar ha3
made a rich strike at Coffee creek, near
Roseburg. A few days since he struck
the "old channel" in his mine, and it is
said that the gravel prospected as high
as $1 to the pan.
Washington.
An effort Is being made to start up the
Ocosta mill plant, that has been idle for
a year.
Angus Duncan, a Seattle stationer, has
been arrested for selling unstamped play
ing cards.
W. W. Barnam. who recently purchased
the Ocosta-Westport telephone line of L.
M. Hamilton. Is putting it in repair, and
extending it to North Cove.
A Tacoma firm Is making large ship
ments of eggs to Montana. This is a re
sult of the Eastern blizzards cutting off
the supply from that direction.
Thomas Pentony, the defaulting treas
urer of the Tacoma stevedore's union,
shipped for Liverpool, on the Lydgate.
and is now at sea. So is the union about
his accounts.
The land bonus to L. C. Werk. of Cin
cinnati, to aid In the construction of a
$40,000 cold storage plant at Ocosta, has
been forwarded to him. Over 60 valuable
lots were subscribed.
Sadie Gooderham, wife of Edward Good
erhara, died yesterday morning at Spo
kane. She was an actress, well known by
her stage name, Sadie Mclhtyre, and with
her husband, known as Edward Dolan
Captain Maltby has sent the Whatcom
board of trade somesamples of Wilson
hybrid tobacco raised on his farm at Lyn
den. This year, he and G. L. Ramsdell
will raise about 10 acres of the Havana
variety.
Mrs. Elizabeth Bottger. of Sprague,
whose 3-year-old child had been spirited
away from her, though left in her cus
tody by the court when she was granted
a divorce, found the child in Walla
Walla Sunday.
Byron Brundage. one of the pioneers of
Spokane, died yesterday at his horne. 1204
College avenue. He was born in Oswego
county, .New iork, 53 years ago. and came
with his family to the Pacific, coast in 1S74
settling first at Yaquina bay, Or., and r
moving to Spokane in September, 18SL
' m
PARAGHAPHERS' PLEASAXTRIES.
He If you would but say yes, Amanda,
my love. I would treat you like an angel.
She I believe you. Nothing to eat and
less to wear! Not me. Sheffield Week.
Little Sister: "Any new studies this
term?" Little Brother: "One elocution."
"What's that?" "It's learnln how to
read a thing so it will sound as if you was
at the other end of a drainpipe." Good
News.
Women are gradully winning recogni
tion in China. Twenty years ago you
could buy a pretty good sort of a wife
for $25. Now the price is $250, and the
market has an upward tendency. Florida
Times-Union.
Miss Peartr "What should I say to
Charley when he begins to kiss me?"
Miss Bluster: "Tell him to stop, of
course." Miss Peart: "Gracious, girl, he
might think I was In earnest." Phila
delphia Inquirer.
It may be feminine instinct in women
"THE WORLD DO MOVE.''
PORTLAND. Feb. 25. (To the Editor
Today's Oregonlan is a regular sympo
sium, so to speak, of interesting matter
to the student of religious literature.
Dr. Grant abhorring all creeds, denying
their authority, claiming the right for
himself and his children to interpret the
Bible as they see fit, and for himself and
his congregation the right to believe what
they please, and as much as they please,
pertaining to religious matters.
The citizens of Brooklyn, N. Y., ineffect
ually attempting to suppress Colonel Bob
In the delivery of his lecture criticising
the Bible.
Dr. Driver asserting that the Bible is
not put together right.
The expulsion of Professor Charles W.
Woodworth from the First Baptist church
of Berkeley, Cal., for interpreting the
Bible according to the right and prac
tice claimed by Dr. Grant, the pastor of
the First Baptist church of Portland.
Could any one ask for more in one is
sue? "The world do move."
Thanks to Dr. Jasper.
S. J. SNOW.
It can scarcely be told whether the
recent legislature or the one of two
years ago was actually the more prodi
gal. It Is probably impossible to make
a close comparison of them to this end
and get a result that would be indis
putable. The system of accounting Is
very complicated, and there are de-
THE LEGISLATURE.
More Expressions of Opinion Upon
Tli Lates Session.
La Grande Chronicle.
The session of the legislature just closed
was anything but a success for the inter
ests of the people at large. There were
very few bills of Inuortance to the state
that became laws. With 72 republican
members, the election of a senator was
allowed to occupy almost the entire time,
and the people will naturally hold the
party In power responsible for a waste of
time and the Indulgence of the usual ex
travagance. Thfre was promise of econ
omy, but the promise Is barren of any
partlcular results. It must be apparent
to the most careless observer that the
question of election of United States sen
ator is not a matter properly entrusted
in the hands of the legislature, but that,
like the choosing of other public servants.
It should be put in the hands of the peo
ple, and allow the legislature to attend
solely to the business of making laws.
Salem Statesman.
The session is at an end. May an ever
kind Providence ever deliver us from such
another.
Eugene Guard.
There is a republican majority of 5 in
the legislature which adjourns tonight. So
PERSOXS AVORTH KXOAVIXG ABOUT.
The Rev. Father John J. Carroll, of Chi
cago, Is said to possess the only typewriter
in the world with Gaelic characters.
Governor O. "Vincent Coffin, of Connecti
cut, is said to be the best-dressed execu
tive that the state had had for many years.
Chaw Fa Maha Vajlravadh has been pro
claimed crow prince of Slam. He is a
studious-looking, brown-faced youngster
of 15, who is being educated at Eton, in
England.
The king of Portugal has conferred the
rank and insignia of a Knight of Christ
of Portugal upon Mr. J. Foster Rhodes, of
Chicago. Mr. Rhodes Is at present on a
tour of that country
Mrs. Amelia Rives Chanler, of Castle
Hill, Ya., who has had a return of rheu
matism by the recent cold weather, Is
forced to go to a dry climate, and she will
pass the rest of the winter In Texas.
Ras Mangarsia Is the leader of the Abys
sinlans in the hostilities with the Italians
on the east coast of Africa. He is a
claimant of the Ethiopian throne, looks
like a Tartar chieftain, and hates the
quirinal for favoring a rival.
Ell Marks, who was one of the most
widely known gamblers In the country,
died in Louisville last week. From hie
honesty at cards he was known as "Square
Eli." But he got here. Once in Chicago
he said to a man who bad arisen from a
table declaring that the game could not ba
beaten, "I'll show you." He had $100 in his
pocket. Three hours later he had $20,000.
Once at Long Branch he won $10,000 at a
sitting. He died at the age of 49 a poor
man.
Mrs. Paran Stevens plainly tells the pub
lic that It has no business to poke its nose
Into the Astor quarrel. Then she reads a
lecture to the press In this manner: "I
kpow two more great society leaders, men
of millions, who are going to quit this
country, which, owing to the press. Isn't
fit to live in. I would leave America to
, The Treasnry Snrplna.
New York Sun.
John G.
Carlisle, he
Says there's a surplus in the Treasuree!
And
John G.
Carlisle, he
Knows a heap more than you or me.
If
John G.
Carlisle, he
Says there's a surplus in the Treasuree,
Then,
John G.
Carlisle, he
Ought to set it out so's the folks can see.
John G.
Carlisle, he
Is likely's right as he can be -
But,
Taln't that;
To stand pat. v
John ought to say vhere the surplus's at.
ANXIOUS INQUIRER.
,thRLromptsJhemtpcarry .ajeiv- pins
about, tnelr person, bpt wuuuyjrmtaering
Impulse in men is It that prompts the lat
ter to always close their hands over the
pin points? Philadelphia Inquirer.
Bacon That man Black, who plays the
heavy villain in the new drama, must
.have a wonderful constitution. Egbert
Why? Bacon He smokes an entire box
of cigarettes in the first act and doesn't
die until the last act.-Yonkers States
man. Mrs. Simplex It seems to me that it is
very foolish for the New England cotton
manufactures to move their plants to the
South. Mr. Simplex Think so? Mr?.
Simplex Yes; I don't believe Northern
plants will thrive in the South. New
York Tribune.
"Your majesty," said the chief cook,
timidly, to the cannibal king, "the new
missionary is enveloped In a complete
suit of armor from head to foot." "Then
send him away," returned his majesty.
Indifferently. "I never could bear canned
goods." New York World.
Police captain (severely) You say that,
as you were going home from your club,
an hour or so ago, you were held up and
robbed? General Booze (indignantly)
Nossing of th kind! I say I was stopped
an robbed. I want you to understan' I
could stan up without assistance. Judge.
"And when we are married" She
nestled closer to him on the sofa "Will
you let me have my own way always?"
"Yes, darling, I will even" His voice
quivered with emotion "Let you ride a
bicycle and wear bloomers." With a glad
cry she fell upon hi3 neck! Brooklyn
Eagle.
XI1VCULU1 x iicfcc: auuicLiiiub jaclc: iui.ii i
win save its cost in a montn. x'tatowneri;
XJUU I. 1I1L It. J. Ill LUCU LXlil LUCSCfl
new fangled "But this Is really a money
saver, sir. It is a heat regulator. When
your tenants are too warm, they merely
touch a button, and that puts the fur
nace fire out " "Hum! Good notion!
First rate! How do they turn the heat
on again?" "There is no way to turn the
heat on." "Gimme all you've got." New
York Weekly.
A man with a package in his hand rang
the bell at the door of a house in Harlem.
"I've got something that every good
housekeeper ought to have," he said.
"What Is it?" asked Mrs. Peterby. "It Is
a new kind of baking powder." "None
for me, if you please. I slipped up on
some baking powder not long ago. It was
of no account in the world." "Is that so?
It is possible that I have been here be
fore." Tammany Times.
"Down she goes
Striped hose;
Let us turn away.
Sights like this
One cannot miss.
On days like yesterday.
"Covington girl, proud and fair,
With feet in the air;
Is a novel sort of show
To witness in the snow."
Covington (Ky.) Enterprise.
Journalism as It Too Often la.
A Rural Exchange.
Last Saturday night at 12:30 the people
were aroused by the dreaded fire whistle.
The fire boys responded promptly but
owing to the slough being dry or for some
cause, the engine could not work for
some 20 minutes, only the hose from the
mill was used for some minutes. Fortune
favored the city, as it was most remarka
ble that such a heat within a few feet of
the big barn should not have Ignited it,
the wind also was very favorable, but
for a time it looked as though the whole
block on eleventh street must go. Two
bucket brigades were formed and some
good work was accomplished. Only the
building used as a paint shop that was
destroyed, the building was unoccupied
and how It originated is a mystery; va
rious causes have been assigned, none of
Farmers Slionltl Support Creameries.
j Dallas Itemlzer.
i Yesterday- a Dallas merchant remarked
t to us that every day country people
brought in butter which the stores naa
to refuse because it was not marketable.
If the article is fresh, sweet, firm, of good
color, and evidently clean and full weight,
there is always a market for it and gen
erally at a fair price, but such stuff as
some people bring in and call butter Is
unfit for any table or any stomach. The
mnwhant ? hlRmeless in refusinsr to buy
what he cannot sell, but that does not pre--,.
vent tne maKers oi tne vue anu wuhukm
stuff from complaining to their neigh
bors about the stores rejecting produce.
Most people want good butter or none;
and how often have you heard merchants
say they had some butter, but could not
recommend It. Again we say that all the
butter properly made and put up in an at
tractive shape can be sold to the home
merchants for shipment, but they can find
no profitable market for the whitish,
sloppy, rancid kind that some people offer
in exchange for goods. If you cannot
make a good article, you had better feed
your surplus milk to the pigs. Instead of
trying to force an interior article on tne
J which are satisfactory.
j butter-buying public.