2
.'"tr MOANING- OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1900.
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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