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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1900)
2 .'"tr MOANING- OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1900. Q&mtaz Entsred at the 1eete(ace at Portland. Oregon, ai second-class matter. TELEPHONES. EdItorll'!Booras....lCG Business Office. .857 REVISED SOBSCniPTCON "KATES. By Mail postage prep&M), In Advance Daiif, wuti Sunday, per month....... -....-$0 STi JJari, Sursdaj excepted, per year.. ........ j iaily. with Sundaj. per ear.. ...... ....--- Jjj fcunday, per year ......................... -- !y The Weekly, per ear. 1 The Ueekfe-. 3 months M To City Subscribers . Daily, par week, delivered, Sundays escepted.l&e Daily, ptr wck. delivered. Sundays Ir.cluded.-oc New r discussion intended" for publication In The Oregonian skotfld be addressed Invariably "Editor The Oregenlan." no, to tne name of any tndivl&uai. letters relating to advertislns. subscriptions or to anr business matter sbould be addressed simply "The Oregonian." The Oragonian doee not buy paems or stories from individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to It without solicita tion. Ho stamps should be Inclosed ior this pur pose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson. office at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 935. Taom& postoffice. Eastern Business Office The Tribune building. 3ew York city; "The Rookery." Chicago: he S a Beckwlth special agency. New York. For sale In San Francisco ay J. K. Cooper, 74G Market street, near the Palace hotel, and at Goldsmith Bros . 236 Sutter street. Fcr tale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co., 217 Dearborn street. TODAY'S "WEATHER Probable rain la after noon; -winds shifting to southeast. PORTLAND, MOXDAT, JASUART 15 BRITISH WAR BLUNDERS. The straits in "which the British find themselves at Ladysmith, Eimberley and Mafeking are the consequences of a policy "which "was adopted fcr the purpose of holding in check the Dutch element in British territories. This population strongly sympathizing with their countrymen of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, it "was deemed very necessary to hold back by advance of such force as the British could then command; so the larger part of this force "was pushed forward toward the frontiers of the Natal to meet the Boer invasion in that quarter, and such troops as could be had in the west were thrown into Kimberley and Mafeking to check the Boers on that side. Just "before the outbreak of the "war there were about 13,000 British troops in South Africa. An additional force of 21,000 men was received from India, and British ships at Cape Town and Durban furnished a naval brigade of 120 men. Thus the whole British force in South Africa, before the troops from En-gland began to arrive, was just about 25,000 men. Of these about 2000 are shut up at Mafeking and 5000 or 6000 at Kimberley. The remainder, less the losses suffered, are with General "White at Ladysmith. They number perhaps 10,000 men; but what the num bers of the sick and wounded may be, and kc-w many arc lit for duty, can only be conjectured. General White may have from 6000 to 8000 effective men. What his supplies of provisions and ammunition are cannot be learned; but as there is heHographic communi cation, General Builer may be sup posed to know. After severe fighting at Laing's Nek, Dundee and Eland's iaagte, with con siderable losses -to the British, includ ing tfteir commander, General Syxnons, the British troops, now under General "White, were pushed back by superior numbers to Ladysmith. For the moral effect upon the Dutch population of the Nft&l It "was deemed highly important to hold this position; so General White fortified it as rapidly as possible, and fortunately got up some naval guns from Durban just before the Boers cut his communications. General White knew, indeed, that he would be isolated and besieged; but he trusted to his ability to hold out till a relief force should raise the siege. By the contin ual floods in the Tugela river for this is the rainy season the relief columns nave been stopped; and it is a question of endurance on the part of the force commanded by General White, whether the Boers will be able to capture this prize. It would seem that prudence would have dictated the retirement of General White on Colenso, twenty miles further, rather than his halt at Lady smith; so that the Tugela river, a for midable torrent during the whole rainy season, would not have been between nim and the forces coming to his sup port. But it is probable that General White was under positive instructions from, the war office at home; and there is every reason to believe that the war office had no conception of the extent of Boer preparations, of the strength of the forces of the two Boer states, or the magnitude of the effort that it would be necessary to put forth in or der to meet them. But the greatest error of all on the part of the British was their omission te blow up the railway tunnel at Laing's Nek. Why they did not blow it Tap is a mystery. Possibly this also was due to orders from England. This tunnel is nearly two miles long; it pierces a rough mountain range at the herder of NataL Left in the hands of the Boers, with the railway equipment which they detained in the country, it becomes the means through which they get forward all their troops and sup plies. Without it they could not have got their heavy guns forward for the siege of Ladysmith, nor could they, without greatest difficulty, subsist their large forces around Ladysmith-and on the Tugela river. This tunnel could have been so completely destroyed that the Boers would not have been able to reopen it in a year's time. It is the key to the whole movement of the Boers in Northern Natal. Seldom in war has such a blunder heen perpe trated as that of leaving this tunnel in the hands of the enemy. If it was the thought of saving the tunnel that prevented the British from blowing it up, if there was hesitation to destroy bo valuable a property, the motive was absurd; for when the Boers shall be compelled to retire they certainly will destroy it, so as to check the British advance. The tunnel, therefore, will not be saved, and the omission of the British to destroy it Is the source of their present difficulties, has already cost them great waste of life and will cost much more, and may cause the loss of General White's army. It is evident that British blunders and failures thus far have been due to no proper conception of the magnitude of their undertaking. Their excess of confidence is now being replaced by caution, preparation and strenuous en deavor, backed by resources practically vathout limit. But they may not finish the war for a year or more. Mrs. Eddy appeared before Christmas In tlve role of a dictator ingthings ma terial as well as spirltualr She pub lished & card directing her friends to limit their Christmas gifts to ber to three tea jackets. "Nos. 1 and 2 to be common-sense jackets fcr mother to work in, and not over-trimmed by any means; No. 3 for best, such as she can afford in her drawing-room." There was :no:?Ioubt,a generous response from the faithful, which means that "mother" has a supply of the articles designated sufficient to keep her in working and drawing-room "tea jackets" for the hundred years she confidently expects to need clothes. MR. GAGE OK BASK XOTES. Hen in the city do business with checks. Men in the country do busi ness with cash in hand. The present national banking laws make it a mat ter of far greater" difficulty for the country merchant to get notes for his business than for the city merchant to get a credit at the bank against which he may draw his checks. This is the substance of the argument set out in a paper by Secretary Gage, a synopsis of which is elsewhere printed. Its dis cussion is of great value and suggest iveness; but its demands cannot be granted, and there is good reason to believe that to grant them would be unwise and unsafe. It is perfectly true that the popular prejudice against banks is unreasona ble, and that fair-minded men of or dinary mental acumen are fast com ing to see it. Those who regard ruin of the banks as a preliminary of pros perity are becoming few, and those who formerly upbraided banks as the promoters of panics begin to under stand their error. It will soon be pos sible to Interest the public on behalf of more liberal banking laws. It will soon be understood, as Mr. Gage points out, In his paper, that bank deposits and bank notes are alike forms of credit material, and susceptible in a limited sense of definition as currency. There is no gainsaying the contention that the interests of the country districts will be advanced by liberal banking laws-, so that t. he ease with which the country bank can supply notes to Us customers may approximate the ease with which the city bank issues a de posit credit to the city merchant. But there is a flaw in Mr. Gage's reasoning, and his illustration of three men, one wishing1 a deposit credit, the other a certificate of deposit and the third notes, supposes things to be equivalent which are not equivalent. The third man is not after bank notes, strictly speaking. He is after any kind of currency, and he Is just as likely to get government paper, gold and sil ver, as he is to get bank notes. Not only that, but the government has an attitude toward the third transaction different from its attitude toward the first and second. Government will do very little to help the first man collect his check against the deposit credit. It will try to give the second man a fair show in division of the bank's assets in case it fails. But the third man it undertakes to protect absolutely. No body shall issue money or currency that is not to be absolutely good at all times and places. Why should government guarantee bank notes and require security against their issue, any more than guarantee deposit credits or certificates of deposit? That "Is not the point. The point is that the jrovernment does it, and the absolute safety of our national bank notes is an argument not lightly to be set aside by theoretical considera tions In favor of "more scientific" sys tems. Mr. Gage cites the state bank notes, and many of those systems were sound and efficacious. But others were not. State bank notes are, in fact, al most proverbial for uncertain values. This need not have' been the case, but it was the case. It need not be the case again, but it might be. On any system of national banking, other than deposit securities, there is an element of Tisk. Some banks will fail, some notes will be uncollectible, unless the solvent banks are required to redeem the notes of the insolvent, an arrange ment both expensive and unjust. Advocates of banking on assets talk about the superior European method based on experience. Now what is the European method? There is none. That is, there are many. The perfect European bank note system is like the celebrated Continental pronunciation of Greek and Latin. Every one Is differ ent. There Is the English system and the German system and the Scotch sys tem and the Canadian system. Every country has its own system, and the reason is that every country has its own experience. That experience is the foundation of its financial system. One will not take the usages of the others because they are not adapted to its pe culiar conditions. We have become used to bank notes in this country that are absolutely safe. The student of banking says they are "too good." But If he is a student of human nature as well, he can see that nothing less good will satisfy the conditions of a suc cessful currency. Every liberalizing reform, compatible with absolute safe ty, should be enacted. The time may come for abandonment of deposited securities against hank notes. But it must be preceded by experience that is now non-existent. THE REGEXERATIOX OF PUERTO RICO. The nature and scope of the "white man's burden," as taken up in the isl and of Puerto Rico, Is plainly set out in the reports made public by the war department showing the progress made in relief work In the Island. In an es timated population of 318,926 there were, within two months, a daily average of 221,087 ministrations. The worst area contains a population of about 250,000, and ift it not a wagon road is found, of any description, over which food can be transported. Of this population. 200,000 must be fed or they will starve. So utterly irresponsible are they that if not fed the more able-bodied among them will tramp to the cities, leaving the weak to die. Their work will be left undone and their future will be hopeless. While every effort known to civiliza tion Is being made to arouse these thriftless, inert, irresponsible creatures to a sense of their duty to themselves and their obligations to each other, the methods of Spanish rule, Ingrained in their very natures, are slow to yield to enlightened treatment, and their habll itation on the basis of responsible citi zenship will be a process of growth difficult to hapten hard even to inau gurate. Relief measures are being con ducted on a systematic basis, and with all possible encouragement to self-endeavor; but supplies are asked on the basis of full two months' further rc quirement. The estimates call for 2000 tons of food in addition to that already issued, making the total Issued 20,162, 758 pounds. In dealing with the ladi- gent, able-bodied men have been re quired to work for the food they re ceive, a task by no means easy of ac complishment. Through persistence and energy, however, much public work has been done through this means, in the way of clearing' roads and clean ing towns. The task to which the government has set itself in dealing with these people is a tremendous one. It may be said to outrank missionary effort, in the generally acepted -view, which that term designates, since it is much more' difficult to induce an indolent, filthy people to accept the present gospel of work and cleanliness than to induce a superstitious or imaginative people to accept a new plan of future salva tion. Having, however, put its hand to the plow, the United States govern ment will not turn back, and some time two or three generations hence,, perhaps it will be able to point to a work of regeneration in Puerto Rico that has proved moderately satisfac tory, and to justify thereby the theory of expansion as worked out in the first of its insular possessions, from a stand point of humanity as even now it is justified upon a political basis. THE HEROIP3I OF SCIEXCE. 'The absolute devotion that a man filled with its spirit can upon occasion give to science was witnessed in the recent death in Lisbon of Dr. Camara Pestana. of the bacteriological insti tute of Philadelphia. His death is re garded as the severest blow that the institute has sustained since its organ ization, while the manner of it has given or in due time will give to the world important facts In regard to the bubonic plague and its alleviation, if not Its cure. Working in the dissect ing room in a hospital at Lisbon upon the body of a victim of the plague brought from Oporto, Dr. Pestana mo mentarily dropped his hand to his side, and in so doing the sharp point of the instrument held touched his body, in flicting a slight wound. A moment be fore it had been probing the lymphatics of the victim of the deadly scourge, and the virus was upon the point. It just penetrated the cuticle and the tiniest drop of blood made the scientist aware of the damage that had been done. The gravity of the situation was at once recognized, and every possible precaution was taken to prevent the germ of the disease from becoming act ive in his system, but without avail. Within twenty-four hours incubation had taken place, and the brave spirit of the scientist rose to meet and make the most of the situation. He himself gave directions for his removal to the wing of the hospital to which virulent contagious diseases were assigned, and once there he called two students to his assistance and watched and minutely reported his own case. As the symp toms of the disease developed he an alyzed and discussed them to tils two attendants (whom he 'had previously instructed in precautions for their own protection) and explained to them the treatment that would relieve the pain of the patient. So matters proceeded, the disease progressing rapidly in defi ance of remedial agencies, and the cer tainty of death came. During all not one thought of himself appeared to cloud his purpose of leaving the fullest possible record of experience in battling the scourge. He vividly described to his two attendants his symptoms and sen sations, making his condition and suf ferings the theme of a lecture upon the progress and treatment of the disease. Lying upon the little, plain cot in the big, empty hospital room, wholly with out furnishing save a little table be side the bed, he completed his immo lation upon the altar of science without a murmur of complaint. A more complete abnegation of self for the benefit of science has never been recorded in medical annals. A thorough post mortem, conducted also under his injunction and direction, complefed the sacrifice that he made, and the results, together with his mem oranda of the symptoms and progress of the disease, will, when summarized, be sent to the Pasteur institute in Paris, where they will be formulated and published for the benefit of science and of humanity. The heroism of such a death surpasses that with which death is met in the sudden onset or prolonged excitement of the battle-field. The deliberation with which a man stricken by the scourge and with a full knowledge of its power approaches the inevitable makes a draft upon courage that few natures can honor without protest; and when courage of this qual ity is joined to zeal for knowledge the benefits of which will accrue solely to science and to humanity, it reaches a point in exaltation that can only be contemplated with awe. AS ECCEXTRIC MARKET. The great change in the demand for mules and horses, caused by the wars in South Africa and the Philippines, is recorded not alone in the market quo tations of city papers, but in the local paragraphs of country weeklies in all stockgrowing regions. The frequent announcement that on a stated day a horsebuyer will be at a given locality in Eastern or Southern Oregon, "to purchase sound and well-broken ani mals, of solid color, weighing from 950 to 1100 pounds," indicates that the shrewd middleman is on the alert to get between the producer and the gov ernment, with a view to a good return for his time and labor in selecting ani mals and getting them to the point of availability for the army's representa tive. The advance in price of horses is so great as to bring out the statement in some papers that "growers who have agreed to accept 30 to $40 per head would be glad to break their contracts at a penalty of $10 to $15," or that "farmers who sold good horses at $60 to $75 per animal would be glad to buy them back at an advance." The changes in the mule market are similar to those in the horse market, though the advance is not so pro- nounced, because the price of mtrles had not shown such deep depression. The government of the United States Is reported to have purchased more than 16,000 mules in 1S99, at an average price of $100, and the British government has been buying so freely that in the St. Louis market, in spite of enormous re ceipts, the price ranges from $75 to $150 for animals from 15 to 16 hands in height, with the bulk of sales be tween $95 and $105. Exceptionally good animals bring from $150 to $200 per head. The great war demand has re sulted in sending mulebuyers all over the United States, and the country pa pers of Oregon have many notices of sales of mules at good figures, though, this state is not specially noted for mulebreedlng. The price pendulum for every com- modity known to man swings back and forth in keeping with the variations of supply and demand. The horse mar ket, which was dull and depressed a few years ago, is but another illustra tion of the rule. In "some portions of Southern Oregon, Northern California and Nevada, where' three years ago "medium" to "common" horses seemed hardly worth "breaking," there is now reported an active demand even for small and wiry animals, while in cities of the" Mississippi valley "plugs" are Quoted at 20 to $32, and "commons" at $30 to $40. The "passing of the horse" is not yet at hand. Horses may be displaced to a great extent, but occasionally there is likelihood of a sudden demand. There is, consequently, a probability of sharp fluctuations in the horse market of the future. It bids fair to become in great degree" speculative, and horse breeding will in considerable measure be dependent upon the quarrels of na tions. The rancher who has means to stay with the business during a dull period, and the nerve to follow it up in the face of adverse conditions, may hope for rich return at any time. Es pecially is this true, since the number of horses in the United States has fallen one-third in the past decade. But for steady-going ranchers, who lack the speculative spirit, hograising or cattle growing seems to offer prospect of safer "and surer remuneration, since cleft-hoof animals show fully as great decrease in numbers as horses, and the demand for meat is unlikely to suffer .diminution. So rank is the growth of fall wheat in Umatilla county that farmers are pasturing it with all the stock available for that purpose, thus at once saving their hay and preventing a too rapid development of the growing grain. Their chief anxiety, it is said, is in getting stock enough to keep the ex- I u-ft;jkci.iii. 5iuriu liliw. Date xiuuiti u... after all danger of fre'ezing is over. This argues an undue scarcity of cattle as the result of high prices offered by fall buyers, an Increased acreage of grain, or a winter unusually favorable to the growth of wheat. The intimate relations that different branches of ag ricultural industries sustain toward each other are illustrated in the infor mation that a certain amount of stock requiring pasturage is necessary to se cure vast areas of wheat from damage in the February freeze. As New York is the first, Boston is easily the second port of the United States. The following table of the im ports and exports at the more import ant seaports for the year ending June 30 last will not differ materially from the totals of the calendar year re cently closed: Imports. Exports. Totals. New York... $465,559,050 $459v444,217 ?925,003,SS7 Boston 52,097,960 128,037,149 1S0.135.109 Baltimore ... 9,151,155 107,155,240 116,307,305 Philadelphia. 41,222.528 60,950,065 102,172,892 New Orleans 11,917,650 87,993,277 99,912,927 San Fran...- 42,821,945 41,223,750 84,045,695 Galveston .. 2,291,366 78,476.047 80,768,047 Senator Hoar asserts that "the blaze of empire is offered by Satan for the temptation of our ambitious people." Here is a strange mixture. It is an ob solete theological figment, compounded with milksoppery and namby-pamby-ism. Why shouldn't our people be am bitious? If they are not, they will soon be as emasculate as Senator Hoar. Every new bit of evidence that Eng land befriended us in the Spanish war is the signal for an outburst of Anglo phobia on the part of the antls. Show them a man that stood by the United States when it needed a friend; and that is all they need to know. He is the object of their scorn and rage, from that time on. Registration of voters is not so rapid as it ought to be. The time to regis ter is now. Three months hence there will be a great press. Go to your coun ty courthouse, or go to a notary public, and register now. You cannot vote un less you register, and the sooner you attend to it the better. Bryan's political opponents seem to be descending to manufacture of cam paign material based on utterances he never uttered. This is an indefensible form of partisan chicanery. Besides, it's superfluous. Nothing can be in vented more absurd than what he has really said. It is certain that conditions about Ladysmith and Colenso aro becoming very tense. Within the next few days there will be some terrible fighting. If the British succeed, there may be a virtual end of the war. If they fail, the war may have indefinite prolongation. The vile, dirty little scrub, McDaniel, says the comments of the newspapers have caused him much "mental, an guish." Only because he fears the pun ishment that his crime deserves. So dirtya dog as he is can have no moral sensibilities. Diversified farming must be the warery of the Oregon farmer. Albany Democrat. This is a better shout than "IC to 1," and an indication that the Democrat's insanity may orove to be not entirely hopeless. William WaldoTf Astor is making himself useful as a British subject a role which he did not essay as an American citizen. His war contribu tions up to date aggregate 12,000. miniMwpjin hiiiimhi wniiwrtn BIGOTRY OF THE BOER. Jo Priests in the Transvaal for Dead ' or Xyine. "Any Roman Catholic who may stray into the ranks of the Boer volunteers," writes Sidney O'Brien, an Irishman, of Washington, in fi letter to the Detroit Free Press, "should leave all trace of his religion behind, wear no scapular or beads and forget his religion, even at moments of peril or suffering for should he un fortunately betray his religion, although fighting far the Boers, they will hang him to the nearest tree. "It came to the writer's immediate knowledge that a poor, illiterate Irish teamster was badly (probably fatally) crushed by his wagon, and in moments of agony, he beseeched thoss around him to 'bring a priest.' This wag overheard by some Boers, and that night the suffering Irishman was dragged from his shelter and hanged on the gable of a cabin. For a Catholic to be allowed to die on his bed would be a crime in that land of heretics, -od help the wounded British of the faith. The Boer stipulated at Mod der River that only clergymen of the Re formed church should officiate at the burial of the British dead. "The feeling is abroad that the A. P. As are willingly supporting the Boers, because of their intense hatred of Cath olics, for they (the A, P, As) think any country or constitution should be upheld that will try to- crush Roman Catholicism. Is this right in a land of freedom?" o r MULTNOMAH'S ASSESSMENT. A Plain and Fair Statement as to Real Estate Valnes. Among our citizens of very best Judg ment is ex-Mayor Goldsmith. Herewith The Oregonian reprints, with intent of spe cial commendation, some extracts from his statement, printed yesterday, about real estate in Portland: Everybody Is afraid to Invest in real estate fearing taxation, which In numerous instances Is equal to confiscation. The asessacr has been severely criticised for the low assesEment of town lots In 18S9 as against 1SSS, on the greuad that property wad worth not less In 1S09 than in 1SC3. This Ic true enough, but the assess ment of 18G8 of town lots ffas much too high. In fact, ever since 1S03, when the depression took place, the assessment of town Uts was much too high, and it took the assessor Just about six years to And out that his assessment of town lots and improvements upon them, out ride of a small area, of the moot favorably located propcrtteo, was much too high, and more than the properties cculd be sold for. Finally, In 18S9, he came cewn to a reasonable aasearment on town lots and Improvements thereon, but left the assessment on merchandise about the same towlt, about $2,000, COO while he reduced money by more than half. The as cessor is not to blame for what Is called hla arbitrary reduction. It reduced itself, as far C3 town Iota arc concerned, and had reduced Itself over since 1893, though the unreasonable assessments wore kept up till 1SC9. Mr. Goldsmith says, further, that in Portland real estate is burdened with an unfair proportion of taxes as against per sonal property. He illustrates in this way: In The Oregonian of January 11, on page 12, I And that in 159S the town lots and Improve ments upon them were assessed for a little over 30,000,000. the merchandise for a little over $2,000,000. Money was acsessed at a little over f.l.OOO.OGO. For 1809 the assessment was: Town lots and Improvements, about $21,000,000; merchandise, $2,400,000; noney. 327,000. Now, everybody knows that the assessment of 52,000,000 on merchandise Is ridiculously low. We ought to feel ashamed to have it go out to the world that this large city, the center of a big jobbing trade, claimed to do over $100,000,- (100 business a year, hat only $2,000,000 of merchandise, the Insurance on which is. I lievo, at leaet over S10,O00,OCO. The money 1 on deposit In the national banta alone Is over ?7,000,C0O, leaving out the large banks not na tional banks, and yet money Is asseased In 18S9 at $527,000. Again, ho says, truly, that there has grown up a system of extravagance in state, county and city administration, the burden of which falle on real estate; and, as it cannot escape this burden, it is de pressed In value. This excess of expendi ture grew up under conditions based on the notion, so generally prevalent some years ago, that real estate in Portland was worth two, three or four times what it actually is worth, or ever was worth. It is an error that was common in West ern cities. Yet it Is the hardest thing in the world to induce those Intrusted with administration to reduce the system. During the craze for creation of "pub lic utilities," a heavy debt was created, and the interest account is large. This la another great factor in the depression of real estate. The Oregonian fully agrees with Mr. Goldsmith in his statement that "the as sessor is not to blame for what is called his arbitrary reduction. It reduced itself, as far as town lots are concerned, and had reduced itself ever since 1893, though tho unreasonable assessments were kept up till 1899." o Southern Voices for Expansion. Louisville Courier-Journal. The Southern chorus for expansion con tinues to swell. Major W. H. Hayncs, the "Nestor of Arkansas democracy," who learned his faith "from the lips of Old Hickory himself," thinks that the policy of antl-expanGion, to which some would be leaders are trying to commit the demo crata, "is more dangerous to the party's success than anything undertaken since Seymour's defeat." He thus vigorously protests: If the Immortal author of the Declaration of Independence were alive he would be aston ished that any of his countrymen could be In ths way of America's progress or opposed to the advantages surely ours with the Nicaragua canal and Manila under our flag. The mislead ing politics of some of our latter-day leaders who are opposing expansion Is so confounding, so antagonistic to thoroughly well-established democratic doctrine that It Is certainly gratify ing to know that many of the South's best statesmen are conspicuously advocating the prac tical needs of a people essentially enterprising and progressive, who will enjoy the full fruition of industrial and agricultural prosperity if a majority of their countrymen shall be true to democracy and expansion, and shall drive to the rear the "blind-stagger" politicians who would block the way to the Immense possibili ties awaiting American domination of the Pa cific " o Espannion in the Sonth. The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph by tho way, an excellent journal makes a summary of the attitude of the leading Southern, newspapers touching expansion showing that the principal organs of Southern opinion are for expansion, not against it and concludes as follows: As to the Telegraph, although we favor mak ing Cuba independent according to promlsa (un less a majority of the people freely vote for annexation), and, although we believe that the question of the retention of the Philippines should be left for decision until the people are heard from in the elections naxt fall, our sym pathies are strcngly enlisted in behalf of every honorable means whereby trade expansion for the South aTid the whole country can be se cureil. And we think that this sentiment Is now shared by a large majority of Southern peo ple. The prospect of large gains for this sec tion through the Increased export of our manu factures and otherw-lee is engaging the rnlnds of all classes. The commercial and progressive South Is fascinated with the ilalcn of empire to como through an Isthmian canal and Asiatic trade. j c The Tactics of the Boer. Cape Town correspondence In Che London Times. It ia evident from the battle of Magers fontein that the Boers have 'learned, whether from foreign Instructors Or from their own common sense, the art of fight ing behind entrenchments in such a way as to enable them to hold an enormously long line with comparatively few men, al ways strengthening from the rear any points attacked, and always causing their numbers to be overestimated. The Boer does not face death wi,th willingness, but the moral courage with which the enemy ventures to thin his line, relying on the steadiness of the Individual, Is admirable. Wo ought to be able to beat the enemy at his own tactics, for, having never to fear the possibility of a direct attack, troops with bravery equal to that of the British soldiers could afford with equal numbers to extend their trenches even further, outflanking the enemy unless he chose to come into the open. -e t Orl&lJinl and Secondary Knowledge. Louisville Oonrier-Journal. Senator Beveridge spoke yesterday from his knowledge of the Pnllippines acquired through a long visit to the Islands. Sen ator Hoar spoke from his knowledge ac quired from Atkinson and tho Massachu setts aunties. Senator Beveridge ought to have been ashamed of himself to profess to know anything of the subject in tne presence of Senator Hoar. The MIgrlity Meat Bnsiness. The meat sales of Swift & Co.. one of the great packing firms, were upward of $160,000,000 in 1899, and the net profit was $2,252,065, or 1.41 per cent. That was not more than a reasonable profit, but just imagine a business of that magnitude In that line! " ho firm employs 25,000 persons, and pays In wages annually S,O0O,OW, THE OREGOXIAN'S ANNUAL Oregon's Prosperity Widely Adver tised. Hartford Courant. A week ago today The Portland Ore 'gonlan, a journal that would be a credit to any state of this Union, celebrated the close of the most prosperous year Oregon has yet known by publishing a spaclal edi tion (GO pages) with one of the largest and finest Illustrated supplements ever issued from an American newspaper offlee. It 13 our contemporary's belief that Ore gon now has a population of about 425,060. She did not receive many Immigrants last year, but those who came to her were just to her mind native-born Americans from the Middle West and a sprinkling of Yankees, home-makers w th plenty of money in their pockets. All her towns are growing steadily and healthily, and all of them are practicing a strict economy in their civic affairs. The people outside the towns were never better off than now, If as well off. La3t year's yield of the Oregon farms, ranges, orchards and dairies is given as $45,550,737. The lumber cut mounted up to 669,550,001 feet; value, ?5,22S,250. The state's output of manufactured products, all kinds. Is estimated at over $56,100,000. The yield of gold was $3,225,000; of silver, $193,140; o! coal, $204,163. The fisheries did business last year to the extent of $2,443,155. Portland had its share of the general prosperity. It will soon have 100,000 in habitants at the rate it Is growing. Its commerce in 12 months was $9,130,803. Its jobbing trade reached $10O,CC0,C00 a gain of 25 per cent from the year before. Its bank clearings were $91,652,230. December 2 Its savings banks had Individual deposits ag . gregating J7.S42.7S3. The new buildings put up last year represent an expenditure of $e4S,920, and tho sales of real estate amounted to $3,605,555. We hope that 1900 will treat Oregon, and Oregon's big city, and Oregon's big news- Xs4f,. 4K- -icon in be-t.pape" everl better than 1S3D d!d Appearances o Prosperity. Scranton (Pa.) Tribune. Tho Portland Morning Oregonian gives a review of the past year of prosperity on the Pacific coast In a 60-page edition, a portion of which Is in the form of an il lustrated supplement containing numerous half-tone views of public buldings; tho shipping, hunting and fishing scenes; wheat fields; the various industries; por traits of public men and other Interesting subjects. From appearances The Oregonian has shared in the general prosperity of the state, ana iraternai congratulations are cordially extended. Only Half Twld In Half-Toncs. Omaha Bee. "This Oregon of Ours" is the fetching headline with which The Portland Orego nian introduces an elaborate annual re view of the Pacific Northwest. It was pub lished on New Year's day. In Illustra tions, statistics and descriptive details it has not been equaled this season. The half tone supplement Is a perfect jam of pic tures of Oregon's industries, resources and scenic wonders. Of the latter the half has not been told. Enterprise Everyvrliere. Rock Island (III.) Argus. The Portland Oregonian published an attractive and Illustrated special edition January 1, containing 500 illustrations all on the finest enameled paper, the views embracing the scenic features and beauties of Oregon and covering every important industry of the Pacific Northwest. The Oregonian shows enterprise in every de partment and In every line. Great Development. Jollet (111.) News. The Portland Oregonian reaches us with enough material to keep us busy for a week, reading of the wondrous growth of that great Northwestern city. A glance at illustrated tables shows 'how great is the development In wheat, fruit, fisning, mining, shipping, finance, schools. The il lustrations are in half-tone, and are very suggestive. From Far Massachusetts. Springfield Union. The Portland Oregonian shows true Western enterprise in its annual number, a special feature of which Is a supplement with 500 half-tone views on enameled pa per of scenes In Oregon and industries of the state. t Lome's Conrteouii Action. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. It is stated by a Canadian historian that the Marquis of Lome, while governor-general of Canada, bought the sword of Gen eral Montgomery, then held by a Cana dian as a relic of the battle before Que bec, and sent it to relatives of Mont gomery in the United States. This cour teous action may have been reported at the time; if so, it ha3 been forgotten. Posers for Senator Hoar. Louisville Post. Senator Hoar believes Aguinaldo is "the George Washington of the 19th century," and that Boss Quay should be seated, al though the legislature of Pennsylvania re fused to elect him. This shows that the unexpected is happening with the sena tor's mind, and we hasten to ask him. When does the 19th century end? And likewise, who struck Billy Patterson? p p ' Hotv He Would Act. Chicago Times-Herald. Senator Pettigrew, of South Dakota, said the other day: "If I were a Filipino I would fight until I was gray." But this Is only an idle boast. It Mr. Pettigrew were a real Filipino ho would probably run until he got black in the face. q O " The Better Way. Philadelphia Record. "I would lay down my life for you!" he exclaimed, passionately. "Wguldn't it be better if you would lay something up for me?" she asked. For she was a practical girl, and expected 'to get married some day. Tho Slgrlt for Gnietude. Washington Star. I'm goln back to Pohlck; back to Pohlclc on the Crick. "Where there ain't ru raore newspapers epread- ln' news around ?o thick. I'm gettln all a-tremble at the rumars flyin' 'round. An I'll be almighty thsnkful to git home, all safe an.' sound. Fur the kaiser he's a fumhv, an' the czar is gittln' riled. An' the Boers Is raisin' trouble, aa.' the mar ket's runrtln wild. An' ever- one seems laying fur a chance to raise Old Nick. Escpt tho folks that's trvin' up to Pohick on the Crick. I want to hear about the stock, aad If it's prospering; J -vhat chco j3 tbV tmd how much fresh eggs' 11 bring: An' when it comes to flghtla' we kin call the farmhands- in An' turn a pair ti chlcklne loese, an' let the best one win. But I want to travel soma place whera there ain't no telegraph An' the din of war don't scare you even- time you want to laugh, "Where tho Colics la all old-fashioned, an." not dressed up none too slick- I want a ticket, jes" one way", to pehlck on the Crick, NOTE AND COMMENT. As far as news is concerned, the Trans vaal Is now Darkest Africa. That Interview which contained thinga Bryan did not say must have been very short. What has becomeof that Pennoyar presi dential boom that was going to be launched this year? Men who think abU2asaw will draw In Its claws while they stroke it are born every hour. Between cheap rates to Portland and tho Morning Astorian, Astoria sems In a fair way to become depopulated. The action of the Montana legislature, to which Senator Clark once pointed with pride, he now views with alarm. "Where are those New Year's resolutions of yours?" "Oh, they were tco good to keep." "Give us a. song." the asglers cried; "A song- thAt'a swtt awl pretty. A sons tltsU's popular bselde. A catchy llttte tStty." It Is reported that a fish has been caught In the Chicago river. This is carrying a fish story to a wasteful and ridiculous ex cess. "That waa a high-handed proceeding." said tho man with a full hand when the stranger across the table showed down four aces and raked in the stakes.. A gas well has been discovered in Ohio which discharges 1,000,OCO feet a day. It Is said that the popullpts are endeavoring to "secure It for a presidential candidate. The army clothing bureau at Philadel phia is trying to make soldiers clothing waterproof by returning to the cloth the oil the wool contained when It waa on the sheep's back. Thero will be no moaning of the bar when A. Austin puts out to sea. The Eng lish people will chip in to dredge it out be fore he crosses, so that there will be no danger of his grounding. There i3 one station where men of the United States navy are not supposed to eat. It is tho naval museum of hygiene at Washington. The treasury department has decided that a sailor stationed thero is not entitled to rations or commutation of rations. Gazing on the collected curios i3 supposed to be- stomach-satisfying. A pleasing glimpse of tho kindly char acter of the late General Wauchope, killed at the Moddcr, is given in an au tograph letter recently sold by auction In England, in which he regrets that he can not find a position for a. discharged sol dier of the Black Watch, and includes a check for a pound. An English paper recently asked for short essays by boys on current topics, and printed them without editing. Hera Is a specimen: Krugjrer and KannerbuHsm is one. lie is a man of blud. Mr. ChamberUne has wrote to him sarylae come out ana fite or- else give up the blud of the English you have teok. he is a. boaxdutchman. and a wtekd heeUtin. lord Kitchener hss been sent for Wet goary blud and to bring' back his rcatvderlua head detl or alive. It seems that the Ninth Massachusetts regiment has put in 650 claims for pen sions. As the total strength of the regi ment was 1200. this means that more than one-half ,of its members havet appttttd for pensions. The. regiment-was iti..thei'sfciw--' ice but six months. If. immediately after the war of the rebellion had closed, the soldiers of the Union army had made such a rush as this for pensions, they would have bankrupted the country. Sunday as a Sabbath is very generally observed in Portland. It Is an "open town" In the respect that the saloons and places of amusement are kept open, but saloon men say that It Is their most quiet day. This Is a home city, and men who have families spend their Sundays with them. The theaters are well patronized on Sun days, but amusements out of doors are tabooed. Ao a general rule, the body poll tic of nny community is morally sound where home influences predominate. This observance of Sunday speaks well for Portland. A Missouri paper says that Senator Cockrell keeps in closer touch with the people of his state than any other man in the senate. One of hi3 habits, accord ing to capitol gossip. Is to road In the senate the name of every constituent who sends him a petition, and when the Con gressional Record appears, there are the names, of his constituents, looking very large. Forthwith to each parson thus dis tinguished goes a copy of the Record, which Is shown with much pride at tho country store or crossroads postofflce, and tho voter is a friend of Cockrell for life. Old Boreas is reigning supremo in ths East this winter. Press dispatches tell of the usual storms, blizzards, sleets and snows that are riding tandem through all the states beyond tho Rocky mountains. People who live in this favored land of the sun and the sea, warmed by the gen tle Chinook, have frequent occasion to shake hands with themselves and con gratulate one another on their environ ments. Occasional days of rain, while not pleasant to contemplate, are preferable to the Ice and snow of the Middle West and East, with the inevitable suffering and destitution that follows in their wake. Representative Shattuc, of Ohio, whoso recent sharp correspondence with Edward Atkinson has not passed out of the public mind. Is reported by a Washington cor respondent of the Chicago Record to have found in tho congressional library an old book called "The Royalist," which was published to commemorate the services of prominent American families that re mained loyal to the king during the war of the Revolution. Mr. Shattuc says that it contains "a complete genealogy of Ed ward Atkinson, a eulogistic sketch of his ancestors, and an account of the assist ance they rendered to the royalist forces and against Washington during the Revo lution." From which it appears there is a mitigating circumstance in Atkinson's love for the enemies of his country in Luzon. A etream cannot rise higher than its source, and his disloyalty to America comes direct from his forbears. His IiOBS. Harlem Life. "At the Jacksons last evening I upset a glass of champagne all over Tom BInk'a dress suit." "Ruined It, I suppose?" "Why, of course. Dress suits don't help champagne a little bit." 8 Rise in Price of Wool. Boston Transcript. Woolen clothing next spring will be from 15 to 33 per cent higher than It was last. Perhaps there will be more people looking for those signs wbieh say: I "Clothing cleansed, repaired and pressed,' J