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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1900)
THE MOTKKrtNG- OEEGONIAN, FRIDAY, - 'JANUARY 26, 1900. JN0 ill mix matters Multnomah's Failure to Make Scalp Bounty Levy. SPECULATION ON THE EFFECT OF IT Warrants Are Being: Drawn and Paid ' as Provided lijr tne Law Some From Tliis County. SALEM, Or., Jan. 25. The action of the Hultnomah county commissioners In re- ;slng to make the of a mill tax levy r the scalp bounty fund, as required by the law enacted by the recent leg.sla lure, haa caused a great deal of discus sion In this city, .particularly among state and county officials. Of course, every body knows that the state will have to pay the scalp certificates issued by the clerk of Multnomah, county, but the ques tion is whether other counties may not fall in line of default and leave those which have already made the levy to bear the burden of taxes for the protection of stockmen. Still another question arising Is what action the next legislature will take in regard to the matter, if the constitution ality of the statute be not tesed. Some persons think that the members from counies which complied with the law will propose a deficiency bill, compelling' the delinquent counties to step to the front and liquidate the debt caused by their re fusal to make the levy. In this event, so a prominent state official says, Multnomah county might be forced to pay $12,000, whereas, were the assessment made this year, it would have to pay only $8000. Up to the present time the state at large, through warrants Issued by the secretary of state, as required by law, and paid by the state treasurer, has had to pay boun ties on a large number of scalp certifi cates issued by the Multnomah county clerk, and will have to continue to pay them until the law shall be invalidated. Nullification of the law would be a blessing to county clerks, many of whom are crowded with their usual work, and the registration of voters, and who must also give a part of their time to tne reception and destruction of scalps and the Issuance of warrants therefor. It would also cause a decrease in the extra work required in the department of state and state treasurer's office, where between 600 and 700 certificates are audited and warrants issued and paid monthly. A PETITION BY LAWYERS. AsIc Judgre Lowell to Discontinue Fees for Defending: Paupera. Pendleton East Oregonian. Attorneys of the Umatilla couhiy bar have united in the .following petition to Judge Jowell, of the sixth judicial district: Come now jour petitioners and respect fully show, that they are each and all duly and regularly licensed attorneys and counselons-at-law, admitted to practice in the supreme court of the state of Oregon, and that they are members of the bar of Umatilla county. That a long time ago, when the sixth judicial district embraced substantially all that portion of Oregon east of the Cascade mountains, and when the attor neys traveled long distances with the judge to attend the terms of court held in the several counties, it was deemed wise by the judge to allow to attorneys appointed to defend pauper criminals a nominal sum of money, ranging from $15 to $25, to be allowed and paid by the county in which the trial was held. That the said compensation was allowed at said time ostensibly for the purpose of defraying extra expense that .said attor neys mlg"ht incur necessarily In prolong ing their stay at the county seat when the trial was held, or in other ways. That reason for the allowance for such expense has long since passed away, but that the custom lias remained, and can no longer be justified on the ground of reasonable expense of attorneys defending paupers. That since a time "Whereof the mind of man runneth not to the contrary," the office of attorney and counselor-at-law has been an office of honor, and It has been the pleasure of attorneys and coun selors to render to indigent persons ac cused and indicted for crimes, their profes sional services without material compen sation, but performing such services gra tuitously and for the honor of the profes sion. That this time-honored principle has In later times been crystallized into positive law, and in the state of Oregon It Is pro Tided In paragraph 8 of 103S of Hill's an notated laws of Oregon that an attorney is "never to reject, for any consideration personal to himself, the cause of the de fenseless or of the oppressed." 3rurther.it has been decided by the courts of last resort of various states to the effect that it is part of the general duties of at torneys to render their services to destitute persons accused of crimes when not in consistent with their obligations to others. And that as compensation for such services the attorney must lock to the future abil ity of the party, and that the county for such services is in no way responsible. (See "Rowe vs. Yuba County, 17 Cal., 6L Lamont vs. Solano County, 49 Cal. 153.) That the custom heretofore prevailing in this county of paying attorneys a paltry sum for professional services rendered pau per criminals is contrary to the time-honored and well-established custom defining the duties of attorneys, and tends to low er the respectability of the bar, and de stroy that good repute In which the pro fession should be mentioned. "Wherefore, Your petitioners pray that said custom be discontinued, and that here after no compensation be allowed the at torneys of this bar for defending pauper criminals when appointed by the court, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition is signed by John J. Bal leray, A D. Stlllman, W. M. Pierce, John W. Walters, James A. Fee, R. M. Tur ner, J. H. Lawrey. J. E. Miller, T. G. Hailey. Tj. B. feeder, Thomas Fitzgerald, J. T. HInkle, J. H. Raley, Charles H. Car ter, E. D. Boyd. FAVORS TO SHEEPMEN. Will Tliey Now Demand a Repre sentative in Congress? PRINEVILLE. Jan. 22. (To the Editor.) At a meeting held here last Saturday there was shown paternalism of govern ment carried to its logical conclusion. This was a meeting called by those interested in the sheep industry to protest aga-nst the passage of the Foster bill for the leas ing of the public grazing lands. This meeting, after passing resolutions con demning the Foster bill, adopted a resolu tion to appoint a committee to wait upon the county judge, requesting him to call a special term of court to appropriate money to further the protest The full significance of this resolution cannot be appreciated without a brief review of what the general government and state have done for this Industry. First They ask to be protected from for eign competition. Congress complies by levying a tariff of 10 cents on foreign tfooL Second They ask that their flocks be protected from disease. The state complies by creating the office of sheep inspector. This is a county officer, appointed by the county court, and paid by the taxpayers, whose duty it is to visit the different flocks and inquire Jnto their health. Third They ask that they be protected from loss by wild animals. The state cgmplles by fixing a bounty on scalps and taxing the property-owner mJl to pay theijfifor. Portland, with its assessment -c $3p0O,0O0. pays over $8000 for their bene-C-fejJgrger sum than the combined sheep sneo'of Eastern Oregon pay. Fourth They ask that they have free access to the range of the Cascade re serve, Tegardless of the damage that may accrue to other interests. Threats that the state will be turned over to Bryan this fall are heard if their demand is not granted. And now they ask that they continue to have free access to all the range. Their anxiety on this point needs explanation. The public range Is not divided, as might be supposed, among1 the sheep, horse and cattle men, but virtually every acre of public range Is allotted and divided among the sheepmen. Hence every acre that might be leased to the rancher with his small flock, or to the cattle and horse man with their larger flocks, decreases by that much what they sheepmen regard as their exclusive range. The settler, with his lit tle herd of cows or horses, who has hoped and prayed for years that he might have a few acres about his dooryard free from the devastating hordes of sheep, finds him self, just as the first glimmer of hope be gins to show, confronted with the request that he himself shall assist in dashing this last ray of hope from himself. Are these men of many sheep In need of assistance, that they should appeal to the county for assistance. They admit, and It Is conceded, that they have the best-paying business In the state today, many of the flockmasters making 40 to 50 per cent net on their flocks. Is not the true reason that alms-taking degrades the class as It does the. individual? What next will they ask? A rumor Is afloat that Williamson, the father of the scalp bounty act, is being quietly groomed by his fellow-sheepmen to succeed Representative Moody. The sheepmen, on being questioned whether Moody has given offense.say he has not, but that they want one of their own men to look out for their interest. "Their interest," report has It, Is a barbed-wire fence around their range. We will not vouch for the truth of this, but as all other of their Interests have been looked after carefully by a kind paternal govern ment, it is presumably so. ALFRED RODNEY. THE FLOUR MILL TRUST. In Imminent Danger of Disintegra tion. NEW YORK, Jan. 25. The Herald says: It Is persistently rumored in various quar ters that the United States Flour Milling Company is In imminent danger of disin tegration. The report has It that the methods of the officials of the company are severely criticised and that the open dissatisfaction Is likely to result In the attempted withdrawal of the Hecker-Jones-Jewett Milling Company, and of the Northwestern Milling Company. It was said last night that an attempt which now promises success Is being made to place the trust on a better finan cial basis and that a large working capi tal is to be provided, in which case the secession movement will be checked. Offi cials of the company, when seen yester day, denied In positive terms that there Is any probability of disintegration. They admitted that there had been propositions to purchase certain of the mills controlled by the company, and fully confirmed the story that a plan Is well under way which will provide ample working capa city and which will place the company up on a sound financial basis. A conference was held at the Waldorf-Astoria last evening, after which it was confidently predicted that the financial plans would be perfected and the desired capital im mediately obtained. As at present organized, the United States Flour Milling Company has under its control 24 mills in seven cities, as fol lows: Hecker-Jones-Jewett Milling Com pany, New York, four mills; .Empire state mills, Syracuse, N. Y., two mills; Urban Milling Company, Buffalo, one mill; Daisy Roller Mill Company, Milwaukee, two mills; Anchor Mill Company, West Su perior, Wis., one mill; William Llstman Milling Company, West Superior, Wis., one mill; Russell & Miller Milling Com pany. West Superior.- Wis., one mill; Freeman Milling Company, West Super rlor, one mill; Mlngota Milling Company, Duluth. Minn., one mill; Duluth Imperial Mill Company, Duluth, Minn., one mill; Duluth Roller Mill Company, Milwaukee, one mill: Minneapolis Flour Manufactur ing Company, Minneapolis, three mills; Northwestern Milling Company, Minne apolis, five mills. The 19 mills originally acquired gave a total capacity of 30,000 barrels of flour a day. This was Increased with the North western Milling Company's plaht, which was purchased two months later, by 12,500 barrels. The stqrage elevator capacity of the combination Is now about 3,000,000 bushels. Under the appraisement which was made when the combination was formed, the real estate, machinery, water and steam power, docks, warehouses, ele vators, etc., were valued at $10,500,000. Per sonal property brands, Tvith the trade mark and good will was valued at $4,250, 000. The cash working capital was $1,125, 000, giving total assets of $16,000,000. To this should be added the $1,500,000 paid for the Northwestern Milling Company's plants. Chartered accounts last May certified that the average net earnings of the com bined mills amounted to $922,873. At that time It was estimated that as p. result of the combination there would be a net sav ing In the operating expenses of $500,000. This amount, however, was cut In two by the accountants to insure safety. The prospectus, which was Issued last May, showed the expected total of the avail able net Income to be $1,173,873, which Is equal to 6 per cent on $7,500,000 bonds; 6 per cent on $5,000,000 preferred stock; 7 per cent on $3,500,000 of common stock; net surplus, $177,873. Again to these figures must be added net earnings of the North western Milling Company, which are said to amount to $300,000 a year, and which should make the securities of the United States Flour Milling Company more valu able In the market than they were when first Issued. So far from this being the case, how. ever, the stock, both common and pre ferred, as well as the bonds, are and have been for some time Inactive In the market. The last reported sale of the bonds gave them a quotation of 50 per cent of their face value. There have been no offers for the common stock, which Is nominally held at 25. while 35 Is asked for the preferred stock, with no bids. i o RAILWAY MAIL CLERKS. Postmaster-General Indorses Their' Request for More Pay. NEW YORK, Jan. 25. A special to the Times from Washington" says: Some time ago Postmaster-General Smith re-Issued an order made by Postmaster-General Wilson in 1895, prohibiting postoffice employes from visiting Washing ton to influence legislation. The order car ried dismay to the hearts of employes 'n the railway mall service who had been planning a vigorous campaign i nsupport of their contention for a reclassification of the service. Mr. Smith, however, had no intention of leaving them In the lurch or of having the plan defeated through lack of support. He has himself laid before the committee on postoffices and postroads the claims of the employes, with a strong argument fn favor of Increase In pay. He points out that the United States expects more from its employes In this service and pays them less than the leading countries of Europe. Compared with France, our railway mail employes do the work of two men and re ceive comparatively less pay. In Eng land appointment to the railway service comes as a promotion from city postoffice work and carries with It an advance of from 30 to SO per cent. Germany Increases the salaries of Its railway mall employes according to the length of service, the average being 30 per cent. a Scnley "Was Entertained. BUENOS AYRES, Jan. 25 Rear-Admiral Schley was given a brilliant entertain ment by the American residents here last 1 night Many British and Argentine resi dents were present. President Roca has been invited to dine with Admiral Schley on board the Chicago today. WEATHER BUREAU LAWS BILL TO REORGANIZE IT IS NOW IN THE HOUSE'. Appointments to Be Made From Every Congressional District Fund for Retirement Provided. Weather bureau employes are greatly In terested In the bill Introduced In the house by Hon. James W. Wadsworth placing the bureau on an Independent civil service basis. Weather bureau employes are now Included under the civil service class, Pres ident Cleveland accomplishing that act during his last term, but the purpose of the present bill Is to make civil service rules for the. bureau separately, placing It more exclusively under the control of the secre tary of agriculture and his subordinate, the chief. To promote discipline and effi ciency, it Is deemed better that the bureau exercise greater authority over its em ployes, yet absolutely working on the mer it system. Willis L. Moore, chief of the weather bureau, drafted the bill introduced by Representative Wadsworth, Incorporat ing in It such1 provisions as his experience in the work, especially since the civil service regime, told him were essential. Three Important features of the new bill cover, in a general way, most of its pro visions, and suggest the only radical changes Intended. These are: Congres sional nomination of candidates for posi tions In the bureau, examinations for 'pro motions in the work, and retirement of employes at a given age on a per cent of their former pay, which Is provided for by compulsory deductions during their service. The nomination of candidates by various state and territorial representa tives Is to pass In regular order from one to another, so that every community will have a due share In furnishing employes. Examinations for promotions are to be conducted by the bureau, by means of ex amining boards appointed for the pur pose, and aldng lines suggested by the ex perience of the old and tried members. Retirement is much like the same provis ion in the army, only with the weather men they provide their own fund, 3 per cent of each man's salary being deducted for the purpose, and provision Is made for a man getting back the total or a large part of these deductions under certain cir cumstances. This Is an Insurance feature. Chief Moore says that, In the light of ex perience, the existing civil service law, while accomplishing much good, Is still defective in Its application to the weather bureau In the following particulars: "It attempts to meet the requirements of widely varying conditions of the pub lic service by a general law supplemented by regulations drawn by those who, no matter how honest and well-meaning, can not know the necessities of the vast rami fications of the several departments and their numerous bureaus, instead of provid ing a separate law in detail for each de partment and for each important bureau In each department, so complete as to ren der it impossible to embarrass the proper and expeditious handling of the public business, or to defeat the intent of con gress by defective regulations. "That It takes from the national rep resentatives of the people the power to nominate, under proper legal restrictions as to health, age and education, those who may compete for the classified service. "That It neither prescribes the physical qualifications which a candidate must pos sess nor rigid legal conditions to- restrict unjust promotions. "Thai it permits regulations to be drawn and to assume the force of law which may usurp the proper functions of the secre tary of a department or-of the chief of a bureau, and thereby Injure or destroy their discipline. "That It does not provide a method whereby the bureau may be purged of its meritorious but older disabled servants by an enforced assessment upon themselves and their co-workers." The chief explains that his criticisms are not Intended to Injure the civil serv ice, but Its improvement so far as the Weather bureau is concerned. In summing up the merits of the new bill, he says: "It apportions appointments among sen ators, representatives and delegates, with out regard to their political faith. It provides that candidates shall be nomi nated by the representatives of the people, under such rigid restrictions as to age, physical condition and education as to ren der It difficult, if not Impossible, to effect the permanent appointment or the promo tion of an unfit person. It prohibits the use of political or other influence to se cure promotion or assignment, and I be lieve properly co-ordinates the preroga tives of congress and the executive officers of the government in the matter of the ap pointment to and the control of the fed eral service. It places each em ploye strictly upon his merits, and compels him to work out his own salva tion, while the present law leaves all th-s to the caprice of the executive officer or the rules of a commission. It prohibits the removal of any employe for political reasons, and makes his tenure of office secure so long as his services are advan tageous to the government, and no longer. Without one cent of expense to the gov ernment, It provides for the separation from the public pay rolls of disabled or aged officials, and at the same time pro vides, support in their hours or need." Briefly, the bill provides that the clvli service commission shall examine all can didates for original appointment; that va cancies in the lowest grades of observer, clerk and stenographer shall be filled by appointments apportioned "among the states and territories in alphabetical or der and the congressional districts In num erical order, the senators of states being first recognized In the order of their seni ority, and vacancies In positions of mes senger, watchman or artisan shall be filled in like manner, except that the order of nominations shall be reversed; that ob servers, clerks and stenographers shall not be under 18 nor over 30 years of age; ar tisans, watchmen and mechanics not un der 20 nor over 35 years of age, and mes sengers not less than 15 nor more than 25 years of age. Successful candidates shall receive probationary appointments of one' year, during which time they may be re. moved, if in the opinion of the chief or the secretary of agriculture they are not suited to the work of the weather bureau. After one year of satisfactory service, no employe receiving moie than $300 per an num shall be removed except after op portunity has been given him to answer written charges preferred by the chief of the bureau for Inefficiency, Immoral con duct, conduct prejudicial to good order, or to the good name of the bureau; disobe. dience of orders, or insubordination. If the offense is not too serious, provision is made for reprimand or temporary sus pension from duty without pay. All pro motions shall be on merit, and shall be made regularly from one grade to another, after passing the examinations prescribed by the chief. If the act takes effect, from the begin ning of July, 3 per cent of all salaries ex ceeding $3G0 a year will be deducted for the retired fund. Those who have been In the service of the United States, not In the army or navy, for 20 years, and who be come incapacitated from performance of duty while In the weather bureau, may be retired by a regular retirement board on 30 per cent of the highest annual pay received during the. last five years of em ployment, and 40 per cent If they have been 25 years In such service. Employes reach ing the age of 60, who have been so em ployed 30 years, may be retired on their own request and will receive 60 per cent of the highest annual pay during the last five years. If the ago of 65 is reached, after 30 years of such service, compulsory retirement Is commanded, with an annuity of 75 per cent of the highest annual sal ary received during the last live years. If the age of 65 Is reached before the em ploj e has been 30 years in the service, for each year so employed he will receive one thirtieth of the 75 per cent of the annual salary, as above. If a person so employed Ytev Our NEW SYSTEM has REVOLUTSONiZED DENTISTRY. Our NEW METHODS have STARTLED the DENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY as well as grat- V-t v ified and pleased our patients. We will divulge the secret of OUR SUCCESS: " ISO PASN, FIRST-CLASS WORK AND POPULAR PRICES." V , . AH operators now employed at THE YORK DENTAL PARLORS vW . are registered MEN. PwVa, m sM&sp KB !ve - yy& $ ijby A Full Set $5.00 We Guarantee a Perfect to extract) fi1 and appiy goid cr0wns and porcelain crowns, undetectable ifit or No Pay. from natural teeth, and warranted for ten years, without the least particle c-ptI KOft Pan" crowns a"d teeth without plates, gold fillings and all other Set Of Teetn !p5.UU dental work done painlessly and by specialists. Gold Filling $1.00 Our prices are the lowest consistent with first-class work. We do not r lA rrAiun ; Ofl 7 to compete with CHEAP dental work. ilOlO LTOWn 'uu All work examined by professional manager, Dr. J. S. Walter, regis- Silver Filling 50 tered dentist SEVEN EXPERT DENTISTS NO MORE DELAYS Hours 8 to 8, Sundays 10 to 4 Lady always in attendance. die before retirement, 75 per cent of thti total collected from him urlng his serv ice shall oe paid to some person previously designated; and any employe discharged by reason of any legislative act or failure of congress to make appropriation for his salary, shall receive all the deductions made during his service. SOLDIERS' REMAINS COMING Mineral Surveyors for Alaska Teachers for Puerto Rico. WASHINGTON, Jan. 2L The friends of Daniel T. Kyger, of Walla Walla, have been Informed by the war department that the remains of his two sons, who died from typhoid fever, will be returned to him for burial. A corps of undertak ers and skilled embalmers is at present engaged In locating and preparing for shipment to San 'Francisco, as .rapidly as possible, .the remains -of officers, and sol diers burled in the Philippines. The war department anticipates that this 4wQrk will be completed by April next. The remains of the Kyger boys, Miles E. and Daniel, late of Company I, First Washington vol unteers, are reported buried in Paco ceme tery, Manila. The exact location of their remains Is Indicated by the war depart ment as "niches 7 and 2, and sections 63 and 63, respectively." When the remains of his sons shall ar rive in San Francisco, Mr. Kyger will be notified by telegraph. A large number of applications are be ing received at the general land office for appointment to Alaska as deputy mineral surveyors. The appointments are not se cured without considerable trouble, but the Inducements for taking part In the Alaska gold-hunting rush seems to war rant many In seeking them. The surveyor-general of Alaska, General Dlstln, makes the appointments, and usually re ceives recommendations from prominent party leaders before taking action. A bond In the sum of $100,000 must be given and the deputy mineral surveyor receives no fees or other pay except as arranged with the parties desiring surveys to be made. He serves for no specified time. The required bond must be approved by the commissioner of the general land of fice. The declared Intention of Dr. Walter Wyman, supervising surgeon-general of the marine hospital service, to locate a marine hospital at St. Michael or Dutch harbor is not giving satisfaction. He was asked to locate the hospllal at the latter place by parties well versed In the requisites for such an Institution, and Dr. Wyman Indicates that he will investi gate as between St. Michael and Dutch Harbor. , Pedagogues residing In the Northwest make frequent Inquiry of the departments and congressional delegations here regard ing the prospects for securing positions In the schools of Puerto Rico. For their information It may be said that' the war department refers such Inquiries to. Dr. Victor S. Clark, president of the Insular board of education, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. Clark, It is stated, will furnish all the desired Information on matters of this kind. BURGLAR NEATLY CAUGHT. Officer Charles "Venable Captures an Early Morning: Housebreaker. patrolman Charles Venable. whose beat Is in Upper Alblna, caught a burgiar .right in. the act this morning between. 12 and 1 o'clock. The officer was passing the gen eral merchandise store of Kennard & Adams, 478 Williams avenue, when a slight noise at one of the show windows at tracted his attention. He made close ex amination and found a young, hoodlumlsh appearing fellow lying on the sidewalk directly under the window, which he had just pried open. He had already extracted half a dozen umbrellas, and was In a fair way to make quite a haul when the officer grabbed him. Both thief and plunder were brought to the police station In the patrol wagon, and when the fellow was seaiched a home-made jimmy, a candle and a good supply of matches were found upon him. He gave the name of John C. Ward, and played drunk while being questioned by Captain Holman, almost dropping to sleep In the arms of the officer who was searph Ing him. He says he came from Tacoma. The case against him Is a good one and he Is not likely to break into any more stores for some time to come. o No "Corner" on Money. . Lebanon Criterion. A gentleman of this vicinity, a man. of means and intelligence, who has recently visited Portland, tells us that In that city money can be had in sums as low as $300 for 6 per cent Interest, and that 330 and $100 loans can be had for 7 and S per cent. Sums amounting to several thousands dollars can be had lor less than C per cent. If these are facts, and no one can dispute them, what has become of the "corner" Wall street had on the money in 1896, and how is the. debtor class ruined by the perpetuation "of "the gold standard? pSO PLATES figU -sags. ""HEDmPS ll YYv"Y ,i '&iIP' rfjSSsIM rlpnicfrv REVIEW OF WOOL MARKET INTERESTING REPORT ON THE SIT UATION PAST AND PRESENT. Iondon Brokers Explain In Detail the Course of the Market and Comment on Prospects. Helmuth, Schwartze & Co., -wool brok ers, London, in tnelr annual report on wool for 1SS9, say in part: "The past year will be memorable for a complete revolution In the value of wool. Merinos and the finer classes of crossbred rose over 60 per cent, the coarser crossbreds from 35 to 40 per cent, and I the average value of a bale of Colonial wool, which, at the end of 1S93 was 12, stands now at 19. Such prices as were established in the last December series for fine wool have not been known for nearly 20 years, and the whole movement recalls, In Its sustained force, the great rise which the article witnessed in 1871 after the war. "If we examine the prices of the fine wools we find the jump from the low point of 1S95 to the present level similar in proportion to the rise between 1S69 and 1S72, viz., about 100 per cent. Merino wool is now worth more than double what it was five years ago; It approaches the 18S0 high level. but still falls short of the extreme 1872 position by 20 to 25 per cent. The rise in crossbred since 1895 Is much smaller; It shows best in the finest, where it is over 50 per cent, but falls away to 30 per cent In the medium and to 10 per cent In the coarsest classes. "The cause of this immense transforma tion In the range of values Is not far to seek. It Is the decrease in the produc tion of fine wool which has been uninter ruptedly In progress since 1S95. The low prices for merino current in the past decade led In Australia, and still more In the River Plate states, to ever Increas ing crossbreeding, as a means to secure In the meat trade an additional source of profit. That was one cause limiting the production of merino wool; the other was the unparalleled series of droughts, which, in the course of four years, re duced the number of sheep In Australia by 21,000,000. "In the face of these facts the rise In the value of merino wool and of fine crossbred, its nearest substitute, is per feqtly intelligible. What Is less clear Is that it should have required four years of ever-contracting supply before any scarcity of fine material made Itself felt. The delay probably accounts for the mag nitude of the improvement which has now come at last, to the advantage. It need hardly be added, of all concerned with the article. A year In which wool rises rapidly to the extent of 30, 40, 60 and more per cent must manifestly be a year of great prosperity to the whole woolen trade and Industry. A 6mall advance is often a difficulty to the manufacturer, but one of the magnitude of last year cannot be, for It could not have been carried had the industry been unable to follow with a corresponding rise In the price of its products, yarns and goods. This rise has taken place to a full extent, and the industry finds itself In conse quence, after several years of losses or, at best, meager results, once more In a position of full and profitable employ ment. The prosperous condition and great expansion of many industries all over the- . world, the rise In wages and greater spending powers of the masses, have no doubt in some measure contributed to this result, but it Is noteworthy that to America, though its trade is flourishing, the great rise and improvement owe nothing, the American purchases of wool and woolen goods in the past year being insignificant. "As regards Australian merino wool and the finest crossbreds the price level of each of the six series of sales showed an advance on that of its predecessor, the total rise at the end of the year ex ceeding 60 per cent. Medium and coarse crossbred fluctuated considerably, espe cially the coarsest kinds, In the case of which the rise came only right at the end of the year. They stand 35 to 40 and medium 50 per cent above December, 189S. In Capes the rise amounts to 55 per cent. Among the group of luster wools alpaca has advanced nearly 50, mo hair 20 and Lincoln hoggetts about 15 per cent. "The following gives the yearly total value since 1896 of the Colonial supply, based upon a fairly trustworthy average value per bale: "Imports Into Europe and America for the season: Average Austral- Total value aslan, Cape, Colonial, per Total bales, bales, bales, bale, value. 1S96..1,84G,000 288,000 2,134,000 12 15,608,003 1S97. .1,831,000 274.000 2.10S.000 11 24,242,000 1898.. 1,703,000 279,000 1,982,000 12& 24,280,000 1899. .1,611,000 267,000 1.90S.O0O 14 27,666,000 "The total value is the highest on rec- NEW YORK DENTAL PARLORS ord, and the average would have been We are making a specialty of gold crown and bridge work; the most beautiful, painless and durable of all dental work known to the profession. Our name alone will be a guarantee that your work will be of the best. We have a specialist in each department. Best operators, best gold work- Wp will f-f11 vrm in arlvnnrf pvnrrlv by free examination. Give us a call, and you will find we do exactly, as we advertise. TEETH EXTRACTED WITHOUT PAIN Teeth extracted and filled absolutely without pain by our late scien tific method. No sleep-producing agents or cocaine. These are the only lAn-f-al nnrlrvt-c in "Prr1 o rl frliaf liauA thf rdfrfmf nnnlinnr'PC anrl incnwlipntc still higher but for low crossbred, which occupied an exceedingly low level during the greater part of the year, and only Improved In November. Based on the closing rates of last series the average is about 19, against 12 a year ago. "The total deliveries are 70,000 bales lesi 1,924,000 bales, against 1,994,000 bales and they show a decrease of as much as 3S9, 000 bales, or 17 per cent, as compared with 1S95, the largest year on record. The sales In London amounted to 1,013,000 bales (962,000 Australian and 51,000 Cape), against 1,088,000 bales (1,023,000 Australasian and 65,000 Cape), and the direct purchases to 911,000 bales (694,000 Australasian and 217, 000 Cape), against 906,000 bales (691.000 Australasian and 215,000 Cape) In 1S98. The shares of the English, Continental and American consumption were 42, 56 and J 1 per cent, against 42, 55 and 3 per cent. respectively, in lbas. "Great as the rise in the past year has been, there is little more certain than that it was not brought about by specu lation, but by scarcity. Fine wool was wanted, and there was not enough of it. The present high prices may affect the rate of consumption, but It must be to a great degree, Indeed, if any falling off Is not to be more than equalized by the fresh heavy decrease in the supplies that Is before us. Australia will probably send about 100,000 bales less, from the Cape ther Is likely to be a shortage on account of the war and all the River Plate ac counts speak also of a decrease. Unless, therefore, fashion changes the same con dition of scarcity which sent up prices In 1899 will prevail in the present year in an aggravated degree. There are no stocks to fall back upon, either of the raw material or of goods, for they were exhausted in supplementing an insufficient supply of fine wool of not one but of really three years. Besides, there Is the proba bility of American demand for wool and goods to be reckoned with. Duly consid ering all these circumstances, and look ing at the present flourishing condition of trade generally, we think that the pros pects for the year before us are good. "Australasian. The imports for the cal endar year were 1,221,115 bales Into Eng land and 440,852 bales Into the Continent direct, against 1,273,273 and 405,928 bales, respectively, In 1893. "Cape. Imports for the calendar year Into England 264,569 bales and Into the Continent direct 1188 bales, against 2S3.115 and 4218 bales in 1S9S. "River Plate. Direct Imports Into Eng land 15,179 bales, against 26,865 bales in 1S9S. The total Imports Into Europe and North America for the season from No vember 1 to October 31 were as follows: Into Into Europe, United States, Total, bales. bales. bales. 189S-99 530.000 10.000 1897-98 540.C0O 15.000 1896-97 481,000 69,000 1S95-9G 514,000 29,000 1S94-S5 470,000 43,000 540.GC0 ' 553,000 550.0CO 54.1,000 513,000 "East India. Imports 105,755 bales, against 120,913 bales In 1898. The Ameri cans secured 27,000 bales, against 19,000, 28.000 and 22,000 bales In the three pre ceding years. Prices declined early In the year, and the March level was. on the average, probably the lowest on record. An improvement ensued towards the end of the year. Stocks 14,200 bales In Liver pool and 300 bales In London, against 26,600 and 250 bales in 1898. "Russian. Imports 32,063 bales, against 39.185 bales In 1S9S. The American demand remained restricted, and prices were de pressed. Donskol average white carding was worth 5d from December to March, 5d. in April, 5ld in July and September and 6d in December. Stocks of all kinds ln London and Hull 3200 bales, against 6300 bales a year ago. Russian camels' hair Imports estimated at 15,000 bales, against 17,000 bales In 1898. Average Orenburg was worth 4&d in December and February, 4d In April, 4d In July and October, and 4d in December. Stocks In London and Hull 2000 bales, against 4200 bales in 1S93." Fire Service Acknowledged. PORTLAND, Jan. 25. (To the Editor.) We would like space ia your valuable paper to express our sincere thanks to the fire department of Portland for their heroic conduct in handling the recent fire at our plant. The generalship displaced by Chief Campbell, In making use of the means at his command, merits especial commendation. Individual acts of heroism by firemen, and those assisting, were many, and to all of these we wish to ex press our gratitude for the persistent hard work, which has saved the larger portion of our plant. By the good man agement of the chief and his assistants, every drop of water was made to count, In a manner that shows the Portland fire "USE THE MEANS AND HEAVEN WILL GIVE YO THE BLESSING." NEVER NEGLECT A USEFUL ARTICLE LIKE whnr vrmr wftrk will rnsr N. E. Cor. Fourth and Morrison Sts. department Is second to none In efficiency. We also want to thank Chief: of Polica McLauchkm and his men for their valu able services during the fire. STANDARD OIL COMPANY By George C. Flanders, Special Agent. e Patterton pnd Harvey. Corvallia Times. The penitentiary will be too good a place for Patterson and Harvey, debauchers of Winnie Thorn. The girl Is only a child of 15. She Is scarcely out of the way of babyhood. But her name Is sullied, her life Is darkened by the shadow that hi3 fallen over It. Patterson and Harvey. steeped in lust and lost to shame, wrought' this xuln. Even If the child's detent on was not by force, the crime Is scarcely' les3 heinous. She was a little, unpro- tected girl; they were two strong me1, who should chivalrously protect little ch V dren. Instead of devilishly ruining them, If there Is not a hell, there ought to be) lit i A. Prohibition Audience. ' Grant's Pasa Courier. At the temperance lectura on Saturdai evening, the lecturer was greeted by ij fair-sized audience, but, alas! the numbca of men present amounted to no more thaa a dozen, of whom three were ministers.' Of the remaining nine, at leaat two of thm had come as escorts for young ladles, lea.- Ing of the laity about a doubtful ha'C dozen voters who were In attendance. Tho conclusions to be drawn from this are many and various, but the conclusion that no more than sIt men In Grant'3 Pass besides the preachers are Interested in tha cause of temperance would be palpably unfair. 3 Weakness, the result of youthful Indis cretion, means simply that the body la lacking In natural electricity. We proe this by systematically charg ing the nerves, organs and tissues with the life-giving current, when strength gradually returns. I have seen it In thou sands of cases. iectric I have devoted thirty years of my prac tice to weaknesses of men, and use elec tricity exclusively, because drugs only stimulate and but temporarily benefit. To get proper results from electricity It must be used a number of hours each day for two or three months. The nerves then absorb It just as the stomach digests food. The Dr. Sanden Electric Belt gives you this proper application. It generates just the proper amount of current for the best results, and you wear It comfortably around the waist all night. Seven or eight hours a day for two or three months of the life-giving electricity will make you a new man. It takes the uneasy pain out of the small of your back and strengthens every organ of the body. Write or call for my little book, which explains all. Mailed in plain seated envelope. I glv free consultation at my office and show the Belt In working order. DR. A. T. SANDEN RusscI Bldg., Cor. Fourth and Morrison Sis. PORTLAND. OR. Office hours r 9 to 9; Sundays, 9 to 2. Saoden Belt