Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, March 13, 1900, Page 6, Image 6

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    THE MCVRNING OTCEGONTAN, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1900.
i XZQQXtVX&
Entered at the Postofflce at Portland. Oregon.
as second-class matter.
TELEPHONES.
Editorial Rooms.. ..ICO Business Office.. ..GOT
REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
By Mall (portage prepaid). In Advance
Daily, with Sunday, per month ......JO 85
Sally, Sunday excepted, per year-....-.... 1 CO
Dally, with Sunday, per year 8 00
Sunday, per year ............ 200
The "Weekly, per year ...... ... . 1 50
The Weekly. 3 months... .., W
To City Subscribers
Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays exccpted.l5c
Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays included.20c
The Oregenian does not buy poems or storiea
from individuals, and cannot undertake to re
turn any manuscripts sent to It without solicita
tion. No stamps should be Inclosed for this
purpose.
News or discussion Intended for publication in
The Oregonlan should be addressed invariably
"Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name of
eny Individual. Letters relating to advertising,
subscriptions or to any business matter should
be addressed simply "The Ore-ronlan."
Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson,
office at llll Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 955,
Tacoma postoffloe.
Eastern Business Office The Tribune build
inc. New York city: "The Rookery." Chicago;
the S. C Beckwlth special agency. New Tork.
For sale in San Francisco by J. K. Cooper.
746 Market street, near the Palace hotel, and
t Goldsmith Bros., 230 Sutter street.
For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co.,
"517 Dearborn Btreet.
r .
TODAY'S "WEATHER. Fair; winds north to
east and southeast.
PORTLAND, TUESDAY, MARCH 13.
THE TIME FOR. EVTERVEXTIOX PAST
If the Boers ever had any hope of In
tervention In their behalf by any of the
great powers of Europe, that time is
past. In October, when the Boer ulti
matum was issued. Great Britain was
unprepared for serious war, but today
England is thoroughly organized and
better prepared for war on land or sea
than she has been since "Waterloo.
"Within three months Great Britain -will
have in the field available for new op
erations an army of 200,000 men, dis
ciplined by actual warfare and full of
the confidence -born of victory. This
army -would be ample to defend India
and the Nile Valley. The recent assur
ance of the Ameer of Afghanistan that
he is ready to figh't for England 'against
"Russia may be accepted ifs sincere, for
Great Britain has always been saga
clous in her treatment of her Moham
medan subjects or allies, whether in
India, Afghanistan or Africa. Not only
do the English authorities treat the
Mohammedan religion with toleration,
but on the Mohammedan public feast
days the English high officials honor the
public ceremonies by their presence and
treat the Mohammedan religious teach
ers and hierarchy with courtesy and
respect. The Sikhs and other Moham
medan subjects of Great Britain were
loyal during the mutiny of 1S57, and
since that date the loyalty of the In
dian Princes, who are not Mohamme
dan, has been firmly established.
There is every reason for believing
that any attempt on the part of Rus
sia to assault England's Indian Empire
would be resisted fiercely by the Mo
hammedan tribes of Afghanistan and
the vast majority of the fighting races
colonial and International problems.
Service of this sort in the Nation's
cause makes all the more humiliating
the fact that with such men as Roose
velt and Olney to choose from, the
party leaders seem determined to force
us to choose between "William the
Wily and Billy the Blower.
IX1IEREXT WEAKNESS OF TRUSTS.
The troublous times on which the
sugar trust has fallen are "well worth
study, not only because they shadow
forth the inherent weakness of the
trust as an Industrial device, but par
ticularly because the sugar trust's ac
quisition of properties bears a remote
resemblance to the similar operation
of the salmon "combine" on the Co
lumbia River. The New York Journal
of Commerce has been at some pains
to explore the facts in the case of the
sugar trust. From Its investigations It
appears that the original sugar trust
was formed under a trust deed dated
August 16, 1887. This deed was an
agreement between the owners of all
the shares of stock of a number of
sugar refining companies doing busi
ness in the States of New Tork, Massa
chusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Missouri,
Louisiana and California, by which
they assigned their shares to certain
trustees called "Trustees of the Sugar
Refineries Company." The shares of
stock of the corporations were trans
ferred to the trustees, the management
of the properties remaining in the
hands of the individual corporations.
The total capital stock of all the com
panies that went into the trust was
only about $7,000,000, but. In view of
their probable earning capacity, the
properties were estimated to be worth
$50,000,000. The function of the trus
tees was simply to receive the earn
ings of the corporations and to distrib
ute them among the holders of the cer
tificates. This form of combination "was ad
hered to till after the decision of the
New York Court of Appeals in the case
of The People against the North River
Sugar Refining Company. Immediately
after the publication of this decision,
in June, 1890, the trustees and holders
of certificates in the original sugar
trust took the necessary proceedings
for a reorganization, and the American
Sugar Refining Company was Incorpo
rated under the laws of the State of
New Jersey, with a capital of $50,000,
000. The initial weakness of the com
bination "was not cured under the plan
of Incorporation, and It was somewhat
aggravated by including the Philadel
phia refineries in the trust, with the
consequent issue of $25,000,000 in com
mon and preferred stock. It was esti
mated that the whole business of the
combination could have been carried on
with plants costing not more than $10,
000,000, while as a matter of fact stock
has been issued and bonds pledged
against a considerable number of plants
that were shut down and machinery
that was left unused. The necessity of
paying these their proportionate share
of the profits of the business evidently
contained in it the elements of disso
lution, or at least of new incitements
to a competition as ruinous as the old
had been.
Here, In brief, is epitomized the bur-
abidfng people who enjoy the experi
ment they are making, preparing to
learn from experience rather than his
tory facts as old as civilization and as
stubborn as the individuality which
they represent. "When they have
learned that social, industrial and ac
cumulative "equality" Is a myth, often
pursued by visionaries, but always elu
sive, they will probably disband as
other colonists have done, and It may
be hoped on an equitable basis that will
demonstrate to this extent the fitness
of the name Given to their colony.
"VICISSITUDES OF PARTISAXSHD?.
treat. The story, properly Illustrated,
of the young girl who vanquished the
pursuing tiger with her parasol, and
of the woman who put a vicious cow
to rout with her umbrella, might -with
profit find place In the school leaders
of today. The Judicious teacher could
readily give It the wider application
needed, in teaching a class of -"iris the
value of self-defense In an emergency,
and the potency of an ever-present
weapon in Its exercise.
of British India. The day has gone by den under which trusts labor in the
"When Russia COUld cause an lnsurrec- acnulKitinn nf lndpnendPnt nmnertlps at
tlon in India, and It is doubtful whether
Russia could penetrate the Indian fron
tier, defended as it would be by a mixed
force of 75,000 Englishmen and an
equal number of native troops. The
advance of Russia through Afghanis
tan to the Indian frontier would be the
signal for a revolt among Russian Mo
hammedan subjects in Turcomania.
The British islands are impregnable
to attack by sea. "With the Boer war
closed In complete victory. Great Brit
ain will be a more formidable antag
onist than she has been for eighty-five
years. Her colonies are bound by
stronger ties of sentiment than they
were before the war, for the glory and
the suffering of this severe conflict
gilds the pages of their colonial history.
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, will
not soon forget that the blood of their
sons has mingled with that of the chil
dren of the mother country In defense
of the Empire. By this much Great
Britain is Immensely stronger than she
was before the Boer war.
It is too late for successful interven
tion by France and Russia. If it be
said that when Russia was before Con
stantinople, at the close of the Russo
Turkish war of 1878-79, the powers of
Europe called a halt and substituted
the treaty of Berlin for that of San
Stefano, practically robbing Russia of
the Just spoils of victory, it can be an
swered that on this occasion it was all
Europe against Russia, but today it
could not possibly be all Europe against
Great Britain, for the German- Emperor
Is sure to be at least a friendly neutral,
and Russia and France today could not
afford to Intervene In behalf of the
Boers at the risk of war with England.
"Within a week after a declaration of
war every commercial seaport in
France could be blockaded by the Brit
ish navy and her trade ruined. Russia
could not afford to halt In her Siberian
railway, nor suffer the capture of Port
Arthur and the nullification of her
scheme for commercial expansion on
the coast of China. France could not
afford war, for the Republic is not yet
deep bolted down to the bedrock of na
tionality, and would hardly survive the
shock of a great war.
If France and Russia have ever seri
ously thought of Intervention on behalf
of the Boers, they have waited too long,
for Great Britain is ready today for a
great war as she has not been Teady
since 1815. She is ready not only in or
ganization, in aroused energy of mind
and body, but she is ready in patriotic
sentiment and aroused national pride,
not only throughout Great Britain, but
throughout all her colonies. There is
not a spot on the globe where the Eng
lish flag flies but would applaud with
wild enthusiasm the stern negative an
swer that the home Government would
be sure to return to a demand from
France and Russia for cessation of war
against the Boers. This Boer war Is a
blessing In disguise for England, for It
has made the Empire fit to fight France
and Russia. Without Intervention
there is not likely to be a very long
siege of Pretoria, for obstinate defense
is only possible when some ulterior pur
pose can be served by long and dogged
resistance. Pemberton could afford to
resist, hoping that some disaster to the
Union arms under Rosecrans in Ten
nessee might force Grant to raise the
siege of Vlcksburg, but when the Boers
are once penned up In Pretoria, they
will not resist long when all hope of
intervention Is gone.
inordinate valuations. The burden may
be carried for a long time, in fact until
competition has time to develop. Then
the load is Insupportable. So it proved
with the sugar trust. The combina
tion remained Intact while it continued
to be Impossible for any dealer In sugar
to count on a steady supply outside of
the product of the trust or of the refin
eries which had accepted its rules as to
price and distributors' profits. The
multiplication of small beet-sugar re
fineries in the "West was the first in
fluence that weakened the trust's con
trol of the market. Then came the
construction of two new and well
equipped refineries at New York, run In
absolute Independence of trust meth
ods, and with it accumulating evidence
that the combination between the trust
and the wholesale grocers was destined
to fall to oleces.
Just this has happened. The "factor"
system has been broken In upon by the
offerings of Independent refineries, and
Jobbers in sugar can now buy that
commodity In the market as freely and
competitively as they can any other
article of merchandise. Perhaps there
is not another trust in the country
whose failure to control absolutely its
market would be more convincing of
the inherent weakness of the trust
system than is this failure of the sugar
trust. The more excessive the profits
of a trust, the greater the Incentive to
capital to organize competition; and
when the trust's properties are over
capitalized, competition has a powerful
weapon of effective warfare laid to its
hand. If the sugar trust, with all Its
protection from tariffs and intrench
ment at "Washington, its vast wealth
and multifarious resources, can be dis
lodged by competition, why may not
others, unless, as in the case of the
Standard Oil trust, they have a natural
monopoly, through control of the
sources of supply?
That always Interesting and Instruct
ive writer, "Ex-Attache," offers in the
New York Tribune a study of politics
that may be taken as a companion
piece to Mr. Nelson's paper In the At
lantic Party politics Is their common
theme, but while Mr. Nelson depicts
partisanship only to censure, the Trib
une writer, though he views it with
equal disapproval, thinks he can dis
cern a remedial tendency already man
ifest, both in Great Britain and in the
United States.
It Is evident that times like these re
veal the abysmal dangers of unre
strained partisanship. At this moment
both England and the United States,
the two countries where party systems
have reached the highest contemporary
stage of development, are passing
through periods of crisis in which oppo
sition to the existing Government be
comes a matter of grave responsibil
ity. Party loyalty, that is, antagonism
by the party of opposition to the meas
ures taken by the party In power, be
comes positively dangerous when the
state is engaged In a war with some
foreign power or in suppressing an
armed rebellion within its borders, and
It Is the opinion of "Ex-Attache" that
"when the prestige and the welfare of
the entire nation are at stake, when
soldiers are in the field shedding their
blood and sacrificing their lives, the
party system should be modified to the
extent of presenting a united front to
the foreign enemies."
This opposition to the Administra
tion has done mischief both here and in
Britain. As "Ex-Attache" points out.
It may be doubted whether people re
alize how far party utterances here In
the United States and in England have
contributed to bring about the Philip
pine insurrection and the war in the
Transvaal. There Is not the slightest
doubt that the belief entertained by
the enemies of America and of Great
Britain In the sentiments enunciated by
the members of the opposition, as well
as the exaggerated Importance at
tached to the latters remarks, have
strengthened their resistance. The
Filipinos and the Boers would have
been far more amenable to the argu
ments, diplomatic and other, of the
American and English executives had
they not in each instance been under
the impression that the Government
merely represented a portion of the
nation, and that a resistance sufficiently
long would carry the day through the
advent to office of the members of the
opposition.
Yet It Is plainly to be seen that parti
sanship has held Itself In check in each
nation; more, perhaps, in Great Brit
ain, for there the need has been greater
for the crisis was sharper. Had our
struggle in the Philippines been as se
vere and critical as the British task
In the Transvaal, It Is hardly to be
doubted that the support of Congress
and people would have been nearly as
hearty and unanimous as was given at
the outbreak of the war with Spain.
In England the dreadful onslaughts
formerly made in Parliament and
pamphlets on administrative measures
have been very rare in the present
crisis, and it is probably true that "at
no time has the prestige of the party
system fallen so low in the eyes of the
English people as since the outbreak of
hostilities in South Africa." So that,
with all the doubts British men have
felt as to the efficiency of adminis
trative officers, and with all the com
punctlons as to the necessity or wisdom
of the war, the "Government" has had
loyal and even enthusiastic support.
In the United States the growth of
independence of party leading strings is
too plain to be mistaken. Not only in
the Spanish war, but in the Tagal re
bellion, men in Congress and through
out the country have risen superior to
partisanship and declared themselves
as determined to support the govern
ment as long as its arms are assailed
or authority disputed. The present.
contest over Puerto Rico's status re
veals a wonderful degree of independ
ence, not only in Congress, but among
our public men generally, and In the
almost unanimous voice of the Repub
lican press. Only through exercise of
this spirit of independence can parties
be purified and taught the danger of
trifling with error and Injustice. "What
the Gold Democrats did for their party
In 1896, Republicans may have to do
for theirs in 1900.
Taxpayers are interested in reports
from the State Reform School, which
Indicate an effort to run that institu
tion upon an economical basis. "While
It Is a fact that the state's bad boys
are better clad, better housed and bet
ter fed than the sons of two-thirds cf
the farmers who rustle up taxes for
the maintenance of the Institution,
there seems to be no help for It, since
the reform school Is a political Insti
tution as regards its management. This
means that it pays big salaries end
plenty of them, and renders a large till
of expenses, after the manner of offi
cialism. It is a matter of gratification
therefore to learn that the milk and
butter for the small army of boys and
the big army of officials are produced
by the state's cows; that a part of the
meat that supplies their tables Is fur
nished by the state's hogs, and that
the state s acres produce forage for the
stock. "Whether the boys do the
"chores" of the farm. Including milk
ing, churning and feeding, or whether
these dutlt- which are performed ty
the Industrious sons of responsible
fathers everywhere, are performed at
the Reform School by titled farmers,
dairymen, swineherds and others, who
draw salaries for the work, we are rot
Informed. The uestion may be fairly
stated thus: If the boys do the work
there are more "bosses," as shown by
the payroll, than are necessary to con
trol the working force; If they do not
do it they ought to.
out-of-date and useless construction. A j
trust combination in either of these in
dustries means the issue of shares to
cover all of the nonproductive capital,
and in many instances a liberal addition
of water besides. The moment a new
concern, capitalized on a sound basis and
employing only the newest and most pro
ductive methods, takes the field, the trust
aggregation Is at a disadvantage, and
sooner or later must absorb Its new rival
or go to the wall.
It is becoming very evident that the
trusts are not such a menace to legiti
mate individual business enterprise as
many have supposed. Trusts are a new
development, and very few of them have
been In existence long enough to demon
strate their ultimate effect upon business
methods. A sufficient number have come
to grief, however, to show that they are
not above and beyond the influence of
the economic laws' that have been in
force for centuries. The trust Idea is
new, but the laws which govern success
ful business enterprise are as old as
civilized humanity, and the trusts can
no more escape their operation than
water can run up hill.
9
"FORM" AS A MEANS OF GRACE.
Recognition of the fitness of Mr.
Thompson for the position of School
Director has caused his election. No
man, in the history of Portland, has
shown a deeper Interest In or more in
telligent devotion to the public schools.
Of Mr. Flnley's repeated efforts to ob
tain this position. The Oregonlan has
little to say. But why should any man
want it? "Willingness to serve the pub
lic, disinterestedly, should be the only
motive. Mr. FInley, in a communica
tion printed yesterday, said he was a
taxpayer, but not a large one; which
was a proper remark. But when he at
tempted a slur by the statement that
he had not been able to buy a $300
library for a school named In his honor,
It becomes pertinent to say that he has
spent more money in the effort to be
elected School Director than It would
have taken to furnish libraries for sev
eral schools; and since he talks about
his merits as a taxpayer, it may be
remarked that he has spent more
money in these efforts than all the
taxes he has ever paid.
Good Taste n. Poirerfnl Safeguard
for the Yonncr Mnn.
New York Commercial Advertiser.
There Is one period in the experience of
every father when anxiety comes upon him
very strongly, and that Is the period when
he has finally to send forth his eon Into
the world to make his own way, to learn
the lessons of experience for himself and
to meet temptation. It is Inevitable; but
this fact makes It no less fearful to tha
one who has up to this time tried to pre
pare the young man for contact with actu
al llfo. Religious teaching there may have
been In abundance. Practical morality
may have been Inculcated In every possible
way. Yet, nevertheless, there must always
be a feeling that these things will break
down and cease to, be an efficient safeguard
against the stress of passion, the prompt
ings of curiosity, the Infection of example.
the Intoxicating Influence of freedom, and
the charm of novelty. Well It Is for such
a father If he has been able. In addition to
the precepts of religion and morality, to
Imbue the mind of his son from childhood
up with that true refinement and unerring
taste which shrink from what Is coarse
and vulgar and low; for this taste will not
only supplement and support tho other
teaching, but it will often stand In the
place of It to restrain, to counsel and to
save. Many a young man, with all a young
man's dread of seeming to be priggish, will
be ashamed to say that he will not do
a certain thing because It Is not right;
but no one Is ever ashamed to say that he
will not do it because it is bad form. It
is, indeed. In early manhood that taste
Is most effective as an ethical agent, since
It Is taste above all else which teaches
one to turn aside from the temptations of
pleasure in their cruder and coarser
forms. To the young man the subtler
lures make no strong appeal, for no young
man Is ever very subtle. The more seduc
tive, and, thereforo, the more dangerous,
forms of pleasure will not as yet appear
to him attractive; so that If his Innate in
stinct for what is fitting and refined has
been sufficiently cultivated to tide him over
the first few years of his apprenticeship
to the world, experience and observation
will then come to his aid, and he will be
shielded and guarded by that knowledge of
good and evil which enables the great ma
jority of men- to go through llfo unshaken
and unharmed.
- a
CARTER'S CURIOL'S COURSE.
chance to choose a Senator preferred a
vacancy? What gross injustice and In
decency to vote one man In and onother
man ont on exactly the same case. If
the rule of good fellowship Is to let one
man In and lack of good fellowship to keep
another man out, the see-saw will be per
petual. Every session will raise the point
anew, 'or the question of good fellowship
varies with the Individual selected, and
cannot -jo determined In aavance. A Sen
ator seeding to succeed himself will al
ways have an advantage over a new one,
as the former has had a chance to prove
his good fellowship to most of the Sena
tors who will pass Judgment on his claim.
That this rule of action Is certain to de
stroy respect for the Senate and Its decis
ions may cr may not be an argument
against t- The Constitution must be en
forced, and gf-od fellows must be admitted
to the Senate on appointment whenever
they fall of election In their Legislatures.
4 6
War Taxes to Pay Subsidies.
Philadelphia Ledger.
It Is announced from Washington that
an arrangement has been arrived at be
tween tho Republican opponents and ad
vocates of the subsidy shipping bill. The
representatives of the beneficiaries of the
proposed gifts having hit upon a working
plan for the division of the people's
money, the question now Is simply wheth
er Congress and the President will yield
to the powerful Influences that are at
work and give millions of dollars a year
for a number of years of the public money
as gratuities to rich private business con
cerns. Is there any need for this ex
penditure, and does the condition of the
Treasury Justify It?
The estimates of the Secretary of the
Treasury for the present and next fiscal
years Indicate that the two sessions of
this Congress will reach a total of some
thing like $1,500,000,000. leaving the $1,000,
000.000 Congress, which a few years ago
excited wonder and alarm, far behind. The
Pacific cable project is knocking at the
doors of Congress, asking for a subsidy;
the Nicaragua Canal will require, if it Is
built. $140,000,000 or more; the new navy
estimates call for an expenditure of about
$75,000,000; the army Is still on a war foot
ing, and the war taxes, which were re
sorted to merely as an emergency burden
unon tho people, are likely to remain In
definitely and, perhaps, permanently. No
matter how these taxes are exacted, or
by what method they are levied, the peo
ple, directly or Indirectly, pay the cost In
Increased rent. In higher prices for com
modities, and for everything that enhances
the cost of living, and the burden falls
most oppressively upon the poor, who can
least afford It.
Tfoa question, then. Is simply. Is there
any Justification for taking millions of dol
lars for a long term of years from the pub
lic funds, wrung from the people of this
country, In order to give great gifts to
rich corporations for the extension of their
private business?
Five hundred bronze and brass can
non purchased In Cuba by American
speculators and brought to this coun
try to supply the demand of cities,
towns, colleges, schools, etc., for war
relics will have to pay a duty of forty
five per cent, the Government having
decided that they come under the head
of manufactures of metal. If this de
cision holds, the venture is not likely
to prove a very profitable one. Little
sympathy, however, will be wasted
upon the speculators, for the reason
that the Spanish "War relic iaea has
been worked beyond Its legitimate ba
sis. These guns were not used In the
Spanish war at all, having long before
been condemned as obsolete. The Im
position is a palpable one, and It is not
a matter of regret that the promoters
of the scheme are not likely to make
it largely profitable.
Literary Warriors.
A local article in yesterday's issue of
The Oregonian descriptive of improve
ment In conditions in the North End
neglected to mention one element in
the good work done there, which should
not be slighted. The various missions
and rest places maintained there have
done much in advancement of the tone
of VWhitechapel." This is especially
true of the mission conducted in the old
Coliseum Theater building, under the
auspices of the First Presbyterian
Church, by Rev. J. E. Snyder. The
best results in such matters are ob
tained through co-operation on the part
of police department; and philanthropy.
This Joint effort has been made in this
case, and with gratifying results.
It is an Impressive exhibit in national
activity these valuable discussions
such men as Professor Moore and Cap
tain Mahan are contributing to our
TO" SOCIALIZE THE STATE OF
-WASHINGTON.
The "equality" colony, located In
Skagit County, "Washington, with a
view to test the practical workings of
co-operation, might, it would seem. In
view of the failures in this line of ef
fort, find enough to do without looking
forward to "socializing" the State of
"Washington. Yet to assist in this last
named object is the avowed purpose of
the organization.
"When we reflect that the citizens of
the great State df "Washington are not
unlike those of other sections of the
Nation, in that they have strong Indi
viduality, are full of purposes of per
sonal achievement, understand thrift
to imply the accumulation of property
In their own right, and especially to
possess and maintain their own homes
and direct the education and Industries
of their own children; and when we re
member, further, that the State of
"Washington contains between 425,000
and 450,000 people, a very large propor
tion of whom are self-supporting, re
sponsible, self-respecting factors In the
industrial life of the commonwealth, we
can readily realize the magnitude of
the task which the handful of men and
women who have gone into the co-operative,
socialistic scheme at Equality
have set for themselves. The quality
of their philosophy may be estimated
when it is added that these people pro
pose to console themselves, if they fail
(perhaps we should say when they
fall), with the reflection that they have
but "proved their own Incompetency."
From all accounts, the members of
this community are industrious, law-
The stpry of a brave girl who was
saved from the fury of a tiger by
marching upon the beast vigorously un
furling her parasol represented the es
sence of courage to the children of a
past generation. This story, with the
illustration that accompanied it, show
ing a determined young woman In
broad leghorn hat with wildly flutter
ing ribbons, short skirts distended with
hoops, and wide pantalettes falling
over her shoetops, with parasol extend
ed, advancing upon a furious tiger,
was the awesome delight of myrladB
of little girls of a past generation who
felt within themselves qualities of hero-
Ism equal to the most extravagant per
formance In contemplating It. And
now this unforgotten lesson In courage
and presence of mind In the face of
sudden danger comes In duplicate from
Linn County. The heroine, a younpr
woman walking across a pasture to the
house of a friend, was charged by a
vicious cow. Giving the animal battle
with her umbrella, she came off con
queror and uninjured, though not with
out the demolishment of her weapon.
There is no defense in an emergency
that equals self-defense, and In view
of the dangers which beset the path
way of otherwise unprotected young
women who foolishly or of necessity
walk abroad unattended, reference to
the umbrella as a means of defense
may not be untimely. The woman who
walks abroad In Oregon Is supposed
always to be accompanied by an um
brella. That there Is a latent power
In the umbrella that with presence of
mind and courage to wield it could be
turned to good account as a weapon, Is
shown by fact and tradition. Let the
next strong-minded damsel who finds
her footsteps dogged by a human nl
mal make a sudden rush upon him
with her umbrella, and she will he
surprised at the precipitancy of his re-
"With clear Judgment Senator Simon
favors free commercial intercourse
with our new insular possessions. He
feels that it would be unjust to make
the discrimination proposed in the
House bill, and that the Republican
party cannot afford to do it. "With the
subtleties of the constitutional argu
ment he does not much concern him
self. In these positions he Is right, and
Oregon will sustain him. "We shall
hope to see Senator McBrlde take the
same position.
CANT ESCAPE NATURAL LAWS.
Flour and Sugar Trusts Developing
Proof of "Weakness.
Philadelphia Times.
The flour trust has gone Into bank
ruptcy because no flour trust could be
formed big enough to prevent competi
tion. The sugar trust has Just been com
pelled to reduce its dividends one-half
for a similar reason. For years It has
been paying a 12 per cent dividend on a
grossly Inflated capitalization, but the
Arbuckles and other sugar refiners would
not go into the trust and could not be
driven out of business. Dividends have
dropped one-half, and sugar-trust shares
have fallen below par, and people are
asking which of the trusts will be next
to go Into a receiver's hands or to reduce
dividends.
There is nothing about these indications
that trusts are subject to the same re
lentless, inexorable business laws that
furnish or refuse success to individual
and ordinary firms in business life that
should surprise any thoughtful man.
Combining a dozen firms or corporations
Into one under the name of a trust does
not change the laws and principles under
which business success must be achieved.
Big dividends earned as a result of a
temporary suppression of competition
only invite other big aggregations of cap
ital Into the same business, and tho new
competitors always enter the field with
the advantage of using the newest and
most economical methods of production
and -without a dollar tied up In outdated
and unproductive plant or machinery.
The germ of final failure to most In
dustrial trust aggregations lies in the
dead and inflated capitalizations of these
concerns. Invention has Introduced and
Is still Introducing new economies Into
the refining of sugar, the making of steel,
flour and other articles of trust manipu
lation. It follows that at any given time
there Is a large amount of dead capital
in each of these Industries Invested in
This Paper Must Have Read Senator
Simon's Speech.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
The attempted explanation of Senator
Carter, of Montana, why ho voted against
the admission of Corbett, of Oregon, and
can now vote for the admission of Quay,
is not very tenuous. Of course, every
one who knows Carter knows that, like
Quay, he votes without regard to principle
and solely with reference to the political
Interests with which ne is allied. But
since he has undertaken to make an ex
planation of his voting one way in one
case and the directly opposite way In an
other. It Is pertinent to note that his the
ory of action. If It has any force, operates
fatally against the Quay claim.
Carter assorts the "belief of Senators"
that the Oregon Legislature was prevented
from organizing by a conspiracy In which
Corbett was a part. In order to secure his
appointment. He produces no evidence
of this fact, and only asserts tho "belief.'
"While by Its own statement, thereforo,
there is no clear proof, what is beyond
the shadow of a doubt in the Quay case
is that the meeting of tho Legislature,
called for directly by the state constitu
tion, and Indirectly by tho United
States Constitution, has been pre
vented by the Governor of the
Quay machine for the express pur
pose of serving the Quay Interests. There
i3 no doubt that the United States Consti
tution limits the Governor's appointment
till "the next meeting of the Legislature,"
referring to state enactments the timo
when the next meeting of the Legislature
shall be. There Is no doubt that the
state constitution. In accordance with this
provision, enacts that the next meeting
of the Legislature shall be a special ses
sion, called by the Governor. It Is also
indisputable that this provision has been
nullified by the Governor, to the end that
the Quay tenure under his appointment
may be Indefinitely prolonged.
If Carter could vote against Corbett on
account of a suspected and unproved con
spiracy to prevent the organization of the
Oregon Legislature, how can he vote for
Quay In the face of a clear and Indisput
able nullification of the Constitution to
prevent the meeting of the Pennsylvania
Legislature, which, by both the National
and State Instruments, Is charged with
filling the vacancy? Only by virtue of
tho well-known fact that principles are
unknown in the actions of Senator Thomas
Carter.
to
A SERIOUS MISTAKE.
Refusal of the Democrats of Ken
tucky to Modify the Gochel Law.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
The Democrats of the House have voted
down a bill repealing the Goebel election
law, some of them explaining that, while
they may be in favor of amending it, they
are opposed to Its outright repeal and a
return to the old law.
"Very well. But what has been done to
amend the Goebel law? Tho Senate has
passed the Johnson bill, which does not
touch the evils of the Goebel law. So
far as the present session of the Legis
lature Is concerned, the Democrats have
evidently made up their minds to let the
Goebel law alone.
This Is a very serious mistake. The
Democrats may let the Goebel law alone,
but tho Goebel law will not let them
alone. It was all they could do to carry
the state once under the handicap of that
law; how do they expect to carry It a
second time, when the opposition to the
law increases rather than diminishes?
Mark this prediction: If the election next
fall is held under the Goebel election
law. and If the vote of Kentucky Is ne
cessary for the election of a Republican
President, Kentucky's vote will be count
ed for the Republicans. It matters not
what th returns may show.
Nothing In future politics Is surer than
this.
at'
Justice In the Qnay Case.
Philadelphia Press.
Senator Simon, of Oregon, yesterday
spoke against Mr. Quay's claims. Cer
tainly, If Mr. Quay has a Tight to a seat
by appointment, Oregon was treated with
great Injustice when Mr. Corbett was re
fused a seat on a still better title. "What
reparation will the Senate make for the
injustice done Corbett if It now says by
seating Quay It was wrong in refusing
Corbett a seat? Will there not be some
back salary due to Beckwlth, Allen and
Mantle, who were refused their seats on
their Governors' appointments in 1833 be
cause their Legislature, having had a
Chicago News.
Many of England's military men are au
thors in their spare time. Of the Generals
In South Africa, Lord Roberts ha3 writ
ten "The Rise of Wellington' and "Forty-One
Years In India." Lord Kitchener
has contributed to Blackwood's Maga
zine, and Is, besides responsible for part
of "The Survey of Western Palestine."
Sir H. E. Colvllle's works are "A Ride
In Petticoats and Slippers." "The Ac
cursed Land," "History of the Soudan
Campaign," "The Land of the Nile
Springs" and "The Nick of Time: a Mu
sical Romance in Three Acts." Sir C. F.
Clery Is the author of tho well-known
"Minor Tactics."
Major-General Hlldyard translated from
the German "Studies In Troop Leading";
he has also written "Historical Record of
the Seventy-First Regiment, Highland
Light Infantry". Major-General Hart Is
the editor of "Hart's Army List."
Hart Is the editor of "HaTt's Army List."
Amone Sir Charles Warren's productions
) are "Underground Jerusalem," "The Tem
ple of the Tomb" and "Jerusalem." Col
onel Baden-Powell has written much,
notablv "Cavalry Instructions" and the
I recently published "Aids to Scouting."
i o
NOTE AND COMMENT.
The trees are already 'decorating for St.
Patrick's day.
Possibly. Candidate FInley neglected to
re-hearse his part sufficiently.
The Prohibitionists say Ihey are not
going to take water this year.
We can still speak of him as Director
Irtnley when we remember his calling.
Mr. Bryan eays he felt humiliated once,
and did not allude to November, '96, either.
As long as the National Tube Company
raises wages, Its achievements will not all
be hollow.
It appears that there were several tnoan
Ings of the bar when the Republican law
yers put out to sea.
Another woman has given a child a re
volver to play with, and she never found
out in this world that it was loaded.
it is saia tnat the .ttev. Mr. Sheiaon'x
lighting editor resigned'because he couldn't
stand for turning the other cheek.
If the French people want to do CronJi
a real favw, they will "beat that sword
they are going to give him Into a plow
share. On. the railroads in Kentucky
While the present quiet reigns
All the floatliwr population
Has to ride in armored trains.
The Chicago News says that salt meat
was first known when Noah took Ham Into
the ark. It forgets to add that the same
day Japhet constructed the first chestnut
bell to ring the next time Shem got off
that Joke.
The Maryland Democrats have about
made up their minds to give up the Idea
of disfranchising Illiterate voters, be
cause, while of the 44.923 such. 26.G16 are
negroes, yet the 1S.207 who are whites are
so placed In the eastern shore and the tide
water counties of the western shore that
their removal from the lists would seri
ously endanger Democratic majorities.
A century and a half ago "fun," a word
of Irish origin, was considered snocic
Ingly low." "Mob." too, was a word "no
self-respecting gentleman would use" till
Pope boldly wrote, "the mob of gentle
men who write with ease." Of "humbug"
a writer In 1750 said: "I will venture to
affirm that this 'Humbug' is neither an
English word nor a derivative from any
other language. It Is. Indeed, a black
guard sound. It Is a fine makeweight m
conversation, and some great men de-
celve themselves so egreglously as to
think they mean something by It"
Poker Demoralising Vienna.
New York Tribune.
The ravages of American poker In "Vien
na exceed those of the bubonic plague,
and the government and the police are
obliged to Interfere to protect society from
disintegrating under the action of a solv
ent so pernicious and powerful. Women
have been carried away by It3 seductions
as well as men, matron and maid coming
alike under Its spell. It has drowned out
all other social Interests: there is no longer
any talk in the salons of Shakespeare, and
the musical classes, all conversation be
ing limited to the terminology of the game.
As the Vienna Intellect Is so constructed
that It can never learn when to lay down
two pair, tho financial consequences of the
pastime there ore destructive to a degree
not known In the country of Its origin, and
it Is no wonder that government feels
Itself called on to Interfere.
Helping: the Standord OH.
Indianapolis News.
It appears from Senator Frye's report In
favor of the subsidy bill steal that even the
Standard Oil's tank steamers are to share
In the government bounty If the steal goes
through. The Standard Oil Is supplying
tho greater part of the world with Illumi
nating oil. Out of the business it Is mak
ing dizzy millions of profit every year. Its
dividends are so lan-go as to pass the
bounds of credibility. And yet, actually,
our able Senators and worthy Representa
tives aro calmly proposing to give this
odious monopoly a bounty on every cargo
of oil It ships abroad!
o
What the American Spirit Requires.
The Outlook.
The Outlook does not stand with Mr.
Littlefield In his opposition to the consti
tutional light of Congress to Impose a
tariff on the Puerto RIcans, but we aro
heartily In accord with him In his pro
test against the tariff as a policy; for we
believe that the American spirit requires
that we regard the wishes of the inhabi
tants If Puerto Rico, and that Justice and
expediency confirm their Judgment In fa
vor of free trade.
Duty the Same as Three Months Aro,
Washington Post.
It it was our plain duty three months
ago to give to the products of Puerto
Rico free access to our markets, it is our
Rico duty today. The President summar
ized the ethics of the situation. Our obli
gation has been in no wise lessened since
the message was written.
o
"We Owe Generous Treatment.
Washington Star.
We owe the Puerto RIcans not only good
government, but generous treatment. We
should invite their fullest confidence and
co-operation in all that we may do for
them. They are within our authority,
and completely in our power.
13'
The Duty That Is Near.
"Washington Star
"Whut gits me," said Uncle Eben, "Is
de way some people kin fin' time to sym
pathize wld nations 'way off yonder when
dar Is so many po folks right aroun' de
corner who Is fightin' temptation on an
empty stomach."
1 a
Stands a Deal of Dunnlnsr.
Boston Transcript.
The world owes every man a living, it
13 said: but the world will not pay Its
debts, except under compulsion. In other
words, you have got to work for all you
can get out of it.
- '
Use for the Gold Whistle.
Philadelphia Record.
Bingo I understand that Agulnaldo car
ries a whistle as a badge of office. I won
der what that's for.
Jingo Probably he uses it to keep his
courage up.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has deold
cd that a court of equity has not power
to enjoin a legislative body. This Is a.
case where the Injunction was leveled
against a corporation grab, and the oorpo-t
ration with Its grab accordingly escapes,
The men In contempt of court wore the
Mayor and a majority of the City Council
of Milwaukee, who locked the doova o?
tho council chamber In order the mara
easily to Jam through a very unpopular
measure, extending the franchises o( the
street railway monopoly. They had been
enjoined from doing this, and tho present
decision of the higher court purges them
of the contempt.
Most of the songs that are Just no
popular in the London music halls are,
of course, "patriotic," and as poor ex
amples of verse as most made-to-order
song3. Ono or two others, however, are
worth quoting In part. The first recounts
the love affairs of a certain contrary May.
It asserts that, in the case of this young
lady.
Her first was a curate, seraphic but slow.
The other men called him a sotty;
His views. I believe, were remarkably "low,"
His alms were remarkably lofty.
He wanted Miss Mary to wed him and come
To live in a Bermondsey lane,
Instructlmr the sinners that dwelt in the slum
Which frightened Miss Mary Maclean.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary-.
Sent him away with speed;
She liked the sinners that give you the dinners
And not the poor sinners you feed.
A Chicago manufacturer of mining ma
chinery says: "Were It not for the boom
In mining in other portions of the world,
the war In South Africa would have been
quite a serious blow to mining machinery
men. As much expensive mining ma
chinery has been sent to this section as
any place in the world. American fac
tories furnish most of It. But Just as this
market was closed we had the demand In
British Columbia, an Increased demand In
the United States and an Impetus In min
ing in other places in the world. Our
business Is booming. When the war is
ovor all the mining engineers and ma
chinery manufacturers in the world can
not supply the demand. The Boers will
blow up the mines and destroy the ma
chinery as fast as they bave to abandon
them. If there Is a surrender before the
English reach Johannesburg the Boers may
not do this, but the men in our business
who are very well posted are not looking
for this. It will require millions of dol
lars' worth of machinery to replace that
destroyed and to be destroyed."
c
Little Puerto Steppa-Dad.
Baltimore American.
I'm Jusrt-a
De llttle-a fel'
Xot make-a so much-a de mon'
Not scrappa, not fighta,
N"ot go out
At nlghta.
But always 1 have-a de fun
Hlspano,
He once-a my
Dad.
He make-a me
Cry all-a day.
Uncle Samma,
He come,
Bring-a gun, brins-a drum
He drlve-a de mean dad
Away.
Uncle Samma. '
He say: "By de gosh! '
I mak-a dls place look-
Glad! f
. Cheer-a up. Little Fort,
An' be-a
One sport!
You gotta de new
Steppa-dad!"
But now
Uncle Samma. he eay:
"Here-a boy!
Make-a de chaset
Gogetta
Dejob!
'Now. qultta de eob,
Or I give-a
De push on de facet
You gotta to
Make-a de mon
An brtng-a
De ol man de ecad
You gotta to pay
Your-a board right away
Yoheara -
De new steppa-dadT"
Ah!
LJberta it is
Sublime!
It make-a de hcarta
Mos" glad.
But,
Hully-de-gee!
No-a Lib' can I
I've gotta
Denew
Steppa-dad!
i