Morning Oregonian., March 21, 1900, Page 6, Image 6

THE MOKNING OREGOtflAN, WEDNESDAY, MRCI 21, 1900.
Jw rejgomon
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For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co.,
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TODAY'S WEATHER. Fair; growing warm
er; wxnds northwest to north.
PORTLAXD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
OX A SMALL SUBJECT.
McBride's Postmaster at Albany,
who edits a paper called the Herald,
does what he can from week to week
for his patron and boss; which from
one point of view is well enough, for
there is a kind of virtue In the fidelity
cf the servant to his master, and more
over there is high literary authority
for the remark that It is no sin for a
.man to labor in his vocation, even It
the vocation be that of taking purses
on the road; or, we may add, tho next
thing, that of partisan and personal
servitude for office.
Naturally, this Postmaster's main ef
forts are directed against The Orego
nlan. Naturally, we say; for every
cheap fellow In the pay of politicians
thinks he must run a-muck at the
newspaper that pursues its course quite
independently of Dollticians and their
wishes. It is very seldom The Orego
nlan notices them; and it notices this
Albany fellow less perhaps than any,
because perhaps he Is least worth no
tice. Just why it notices him now It
would be hard to say; but somehow
in an Idle moment on the street you
find yourself listening to the tones of a
parrot or watching the performances of
a monkey. And with return of self
consciousness you feel like apologizing
to yourself.
But, having tarried thus long with
this antic, The Oregonlan will squan
der just a little more time on it now;
for probably it never will notice It
again. This eminent journalist who
edits the postofflce at Albany in the in
terest of the eminent Senator who se
cured him the appointment finds that
The Oregonian has been exceedingly
Inconsistent on the money question,
hecause in 1892 it spoke against a pro
posal that the Government should then
declare It to be its intention and policy
to redeem all paper currency at the
Treasury in gold or silver coin, at the
option of the holder. The Oregonlan
is quoted as having said that the effect
of this would be to "empty the Treas
ury of every dollar of its gold before
the end of the first week, and would
corner every dollar of it in the hands
of the gold ring." "We have not exam
ined the file of. The Oregonlan to see
"v hether it said this or not; but we sup
pose it did say it, for it is just what it
ought to have said at that time. The
statement was perfectly sound and
strictly true. At that time we were
purchasing sliver at the rate of 4,500,000
ounces a month, and issuing treasury
notes upon it. The way to save the
gold standard was to repeal this law.
It was not possible to continue the
Issue of this amount of notes on pur
chases of stiver, and yet to maintain
redemption In gold. But, having re
pealed the silver-purchase act and
made provision for a greatly increased
gold reserve, we are able to declare the
gold standard and to maintain It. Such
legislation, before the repeal of the silver-purchase
act, would have been
lolly, and, without precedent repeal of
the silver-purchase act, would only
have hastened the crisis in our mone
tary affairs and slump to the silver
"basis. The Treasury, though redeem
ing its notes in gold, always held the
option to redeem in silver, which was
come check upon the gold raid, though
not an effective one; but to give It up
without repeal of the silver-purchase
law would only have aggravated the
difficulties of the situation.
Some degree of knowledge Is pre
supposed and required by the laws of
this state in those who would enter cer
tain professions and practice those pro
fessions within the state's borders.
Since some Intelligence and knowledge
are required in law, dentistry and med
icine, why not In journalism? It would
he well if a fair degree of intelligence
ere Insisted on, even In applicants for
country postofflces something more
than subservience to the dispensing
political boss; but that probably never
will be realized The newspaper, how
ever, ought not to be forever beyond
redemption.
THE RETREAT OP THE BOERS.
The announcement of the retreat of
the Boers to the north after blowing up
the railway bridges on the Slodder,
Vet, Zand and Valsch Rivers, is not un
expected, for the Intrenchment of the
Boers at Blggarsberg, In Natal, and the
Intrenchment of Vereenlging, just north
of Viljoen's Drift, on the Vaal River,
indicate a determination to concentrate
their forces for the defense of the
Transvaal. The Intrenched line at
Blggarsberg, just south of Glencoe
Junction and Dundee, is Intended to
prevent General Buller from pushing
up the railway and from Dundee or
Newcastle crossing the Buffalo River
into the Transvaal.
The Boers have not men enough to
defend both the Orange Free State and
the Transvaal, so they have wisely con
centrated their forces for the defense of
the Transvaal. Kroonstadt, from which
the Boers have just retreated, Is just
150 miles in a direct line south from
Pretoria, and 130 from Bloemfonteln.
Glencoe. in Natal, before which the
Boers are Intrenched at Blggarsberg,
Is 280 miles from Pretoria. Should Gen
eral Buller force the Boer position at
Blggarsberg, they could withdraw
these troops by rail to the next defensi
ble point between Glencoe and Lalng's
Nek. The passes from Natal Into the
Orange Free State and the Transvaal
will naturally be held stiffly by the
Boers to prevent a junction between
the forces of Lord Roberts and Gen
eral Buller, while the Boers are In
trenching their new line north of the
Vaal River.
The right of this line will rest on the
Vaal River, near Klerksdorp, and the
left in the mountains of North Natal.
The railway bridges destroyed between
Bloemfonteln and Kroonstadt can prob
ably be easily restored, and when Lord
Roberts army begins Its forward move
ment it can easily turn the left of the
Boer position on the Vaal River. It is
quite likely that the war will be over
by the middle of May, for when the
Boers are once forced back to Pre
toria they are not likely to endure the
horrors of a hopeless siege merely to
furnish the world with a sensational
spectacle.
Pretoria Is neither a Saragossa nor a
Sebastopol, and it Is more than likely
that when Lord Roberts reaches Pre
toria Its defense will be neither long
nor stout, II sufficient supplies were
accumulated at Bloemfonteln and am
ple land transport provided for his
flanking columns, Lord Roberts could
probably turn the Boers out of position
and force them back to Pretoria within
three weeks from date.
PROFITING
BY REPUBLICAN
3I1S-
TAKES.
The Bryan platform adopted at dicta
tion of the Boy Orator of the Plati
tudes, by the Nebraska Democracy,
proves that the enemy have been
prompt to profit by the mistakes of the
Republicans, for not only Is our tariff
policy toward Puerto Rico denounced
but the "blmetallsm" section of the
Republican financial bill receives an
effective thrust In the sentence which
declares that "a Republican Congress,
even while trying to make the gold
standard permanent, has confessed
judgment against the standard by at
tempting to revive the delusive hope of
blmetallsm." The Republican Congress
deserves this thrust, for while the
financial bill really holds out not the
slightest hope of International blmetal
lsm under present conditions, but will
make It practically Impossible ever to
have International "blmetallsm" at 16
to 1, or any other ratio, nevertheless
the "blmetallsm" section was Inserted
Into the bill with dishonest Intent to
give the Silver Republicans, like Wol
cott and Chandler, an excuse to vote
for It, The presence of this section is
a survival of the tricky attitude of
certain eminent "Western Republicans
who, as late as 1896, tried hard to win
votes from both factions by pretending
to believe In the practicality of Inter
national bimetalism.
The adoption of the Bryanlte plat
form by both the Democratic and Pop
ulist Conventions of Nebraska makes
It perfectly clear that the friends of
Bryan mean to renominate him for
President upon the Chicago platform of
1896, with the addition of anti-expansion
and anti-trust planks. The cus
tomary bone Is thrown to the hungry
dog of pension claimants. The decla
ration In favor of the Immediate con
struction of the Nicaragua canal Is
worthy of hearty approval, but It Is as
sociated with a stupid demagogue de
mand for Its fortification by the United
States. This demand for the fortifica
tion of the canal Is born of demagogy,
ignorance and Anglophobia. Amend
ments to the Federal Constitution spe
cifically authorizing an income tax are
part of this Demo-Pcpulist platform.
Of course, the Income tax that these
Demo-Populists want is a graduated
income tax, which proposes to confis
cate an undue portion of a well-to-do
man's goods simply because he la rich,
and make him bear more than his just
part of the public burden. This kind
of undemocratic, communistic measure
was actually enacted In South Carolina
and went into effect January 1, 189S,
but has recently been repealed by the
South Carolina Legislature. Of forty
counties in the state, nineteen made no
returns whatever of the income tax,
while a half-dozen others turned in less
than 550. The law could not be en
forced because It was a class law and
unjust, exempting one cjass of taxpay
ers while It increased the rate of other
classes of taxpayers in proportion as
they were more enterprising; that Is,
the energetic, vigilant, successful man
paid a tax out of all proportion to the
tax exacted from his indolent, shiftless,
apathetic neighbor. The South Caro
lina Legislature having discovered that
the graduated Income-tax law Is a
farce, has repealed It, and yet the
Demo-Populist advocates of a national
Income-tax law propose to make the
stone which the Democratic Legislature
of South Carolina rejected the head of
their corner.
Of course, "government by Injunc
tion," which is the Demo-Populist defi
nition of the exercise of lawful author
ity by the Federal courts to protect
property and enforce order against the
assaults of lawless combinations and
riotous conspiracies, is bitterly de
nounced. Monopoly is denounced In
the broadest language, but nothing Is
said in condemnation of that most for
midable and dangerous trust, the labor
trust, which seeks to make it both dif
ficult and dangerous for a working-
man to earn his bread If he does not
part with his personal freedom and
pay tribute to the labor trust. The'
right hand of fellowship Is extended
to the Boers, whose so-called "Repub
lic" by the time the November elec
tion Is held will have ceased to exist.
The Republican party Is accused of
trying to tear up the Declaration of In
dependence by trying to govern with
out the consent of the governed. But
Franklin, who was on the committee
that drafted the Declaration of Inde
pendence, wrote a clause of the treaty
of alliance with France In 177S which
provided for the acquisition of Inhab
ited territory by conquest and asserted
the right of the United States to gov
ern the territory thus acquired as a
dependency. "We did not ask the con
sent of the French Inhabitants of the
Illinois country, conquered by us in
1778-79, when by the right of conquest
they were ceded to us by the treaty of
Paris of 1783. Jefferson, the author of
the Declaration of Independence, gov
erned the Louisiana purchase, with Its
30,000 whites, without the consent of
the governed, and defended his action
by saying: "Our new fellow-citizens
as yet are as incapable of self-government
as children.'1- Congress empow
ered President Monroe to govern Flor
ida as absolutely as Jefferson did Lou
isiana. Franklin, Jefferson and all our
statesmen regarded "the consent of the
governed" as a phrase which In theory
represents a principle that In practice
must have its application determined
by actual facts and conditions. But
Jthen Franklin, Jefferson and Monroe
were mere statesmen, while Bryan la
the peripatetic "Boy Orator of the Platitudes."
THE LATEST M'KIXIiEY COMMISSION.
The bill providing for the appoint
ment of a commission to study com
mercial and economic conditions in the
Orient Is now before both houses of
Congress. Both committees to'whom It
has been referred have reported favor
ably upon it, and In due time the com
mission will be enjoying the pleasures
of a first-class trip to the far East, with
the Government to foot the bills.
There Is unquestionably much informa
tion of value commercially that can be
gathered by a commission of this kind
If the proper men are appointed to col
lect It, The wording of the favorable
reports on this bill, however, will not
prove entirely satisfactory to a large
number of men to whom trade with the
Orient no longer comes under the head
of new business. These reports, partic
ularly that of Mr. Loverlng, of the
House, while excellent In intention,
seem to display considerable Ignorance
of the subject, with which greater fa
miliarity is necessary and should be ex
pected. In the density of that Ignor
ance Mr. Loverlng makes a direct slap
at the men who have brought our trade
with the Orient up to Its present pro
portions. He talks of the possibilities
of the Oriental business "when that
trade shall be Intelligently and vig
orously prosecuted." He Intimates that
we shall not get our share of the trade
until we adopt new methods, and that
In many ways our merchants doing
business in the far East have every
thing to learn.
It will undoubtedly be a matter cf
surprise to Mr. Loverlng to learn that a
firm In Portland, Or., ships more flour
to China and Japan than is shipped by
any other firm in the world. This is a
fact, nevertheless, and the flour busi
ness in the far East, which has now
reached mammoth proportions, and is
steadily growing, Is largely the result
of the "intelligent and vigorous prose
cution" of the work by Mr. T. B. Wil
cox, of this city, and is not due to the
labors of any expensive commission.
Mr. Wilcox saw the possibilities for
trade with the Orient years ago, and
he did not wait for the Government to
appoint a commission to show him how
the business should be done. Perhaps
he thought the commissioners would
not be the kind of men he would em
ploy In a commercial undertaking of
such Importance. At any rate, he sent
trained men over to the Orient, and
ten years ago had learned more about
the flour trade of the Orient than any
commission will ever be able to tell
him. Mr. Wheelwright, the President
of the Pacific Export Lumber Com
pany, of this city, followed the same
line of operation in the lumber busi
ness that Mr. Wilcox did with the flour
trade. The men whom the Government
would appoint to a place on the com
mission might be well equipped Intel
lectually for the task, but Mr. Wheel
wright preferred to send over his own
men, and afterwards to go himself.
By these methods has the flour trade
and the lumber trade of the far East
been established, and by these methods
has the 'trade In nearly every article
shipped from the United States been
worked up to its present healthy and
growing proportions. The last regular
steamer leaving Portland for Japan
took something like l.OOO.OCO yards "of
sheeting, and jeans, drills and other
cotton textiles are being shipped in"
large quantities. The demand for these
goods was not worked up by chance,
nor has It been facilitated or increased
by the efforts of a junketing band of
commissioners. It is simply the result
of well-directed effort on the part of
trained men, who have been sent to the
far East to introduce these goods. The
same policy and line of effort must be
followed with every Item which figures
In our export trade with this compara
tively new country.
The knowledge we now possess re
garding this trade has been secured
from men who have spent years In the
particular field for which they were
trained, and no roving band of commis
sioners wandering from place to place
in the Orient can learn as much as 13
already known In this country regard
ing Oriental trade. The commission
can do but little that has not already
been done by our numerous consuls In
China and Japan. The trade Is already
being "Intelligently and vigorously
prosecuted," but the commission will
not have lived In vain If It come3 back
from the Orient and points out to Con
gress and the people of the United
States where unjust tariff restrictions
will prevent this trade expanding to
Its fullest extent If they are keen ob
servers they will find that steps In this
direction must be taken in order to
preserve the opportunities which we al
ready possess. Lack of knowledge of
the Orientals, and their manner of do
ing business. Is not handicapping us In
the race for their trade, but some of
our own foolish laws are bothering us
very seriously.
A MOST INOPPORTUNE CONFLICT.
Nothing could be more unfortunate
at this juncture, both as regards the
season of the year and the constantly
Increasing Industrial opportunities.
than a disagreement between labor and
capital of a nature so serious as to In
duce a strike Involving 100,000 working
men and Industrial plants representing
an aggregate value of many millions of
dollars. Never in the history of the
world has the demand for metal manu
factures been as great as at the present
time, and never before in the history of
the Nation have metal-workers had the
opportunity now presented for skill
and accumulation. Not to mention the
enormous loss to correlative Industrial
and trade interests, and the great In
convenience to which the public will be
subjected by a strike of the metal
workers at this time, It would seem
that the immediate interests would In
sure a settlement of all disagreements
between them upon a basis of mutual
advantage. Concession must in the end
be made by one or both of the forces
Involved. If they are not made in ad
vance of a disruption of. business, so
serious that it will take months to re
cover from the losses inflicted, it will
be painfully apparent that the moving
powers in the industrial world have
learned nothing from experience and
are wastefully reckless of opportunity.
To an ordinary observer (there can
scarcely be said to be any disinterested
observers In a matter of this magni
tude) it would seem that the plain
principle of self-interest directed by
simple prudence should be the compe
tent arbiter of labor differences at this
time. That it will yet prove so there
is some reason to hope, though the dif
ferences have reached the stage of
schoolboy wrangling, represented by
I obstinacy aadjusofancg. a gauarlBg fat
the contest, eo to speak, and an un
reason and heat that decline to con
sider consequences. Experience should
have taught men useful lessons along
these lines, since such lessons have
been provided without stint, and, Indeed,
forced upon the consideration of em-
ployers and employed with heavy tui
tion fees attached and ruthlessly
pressed to payment, A review of these
lessons just now would be timely, and
might. If calmly undertaken and pa
tiently pursued, result in concessions
In advance of a strike that must come,
from one side or both, before the wheels
of a ponderous industry, once stopped,
can again be set in motion. It may be
hoped that the counsels of moderation,
of justice and of expediency will yet
prevail in the conferences of those who
rule in the domain of labor and capital,
to the end that the great strike now
threatened will be avoided.
The most ludicrous thing yet is the
appointment of "Archie" Johnson, of
Sclo, to be bank examiner. Johnson- is
one of McBride's discoveries. Possibly
he might be fit for something, but not
for bank examiner. He would be quite
as fit for a position in the Naval Ob
servatory; for he knows just as much
of astronomy and navigation, and In
deed of any and every other science, as
he knows of finance and banking. It Is
well known that a high general level of
knowledge of the science and practice
of banking .prevails in the Forks of the
Santiam; and we seriously fear that
"Archie's" standard is not up to it
At any rate, we are Informed that there
are many In the Forks who are doubt
ful about It, But Johnson's real quali
fication and actual merit for the posi
tion rest on his treachery to Se'nator
Dolph and his Intrigue for McBrlde In
the Legislature of 1895, and on his rabid
support of Mitchell In the Legislature
of 1897. Through all the heat of the
struggle for the gold standard and
down to the final victory, he was a sll
verlte, because he knew nothing of
money or its laws. "Archie" for bank
examiner Is a spectacle for god3 and
men.
The English War Office recently noti
fied the last of the militia to be ready
by May 1, and the reserves, which Eng
land has summoned, actually mo
bilized, prepared for active service,
will by May number about 300,000 men,
of whom two-thirds are In England.
The English fleet has been placed upon
a first-class war footing. When the
Eighth army division arrives In South
Africa, there should be a total of 20S,
000 troops there. Some 12,000 remounts
have been sent to the British forces,
and SC00 more are on their way thither.
England has In the field today In South
Africa nearly 30,000 colonial troops from
Cape Colony, Natal, Canada, Australia
and New Zealand. By the middle of
May Great Britain will have a veteran
army of 200,000 men about footloose to
defend her In any quarter where she
may be assailed, and she will still have
nearly 300,000 men In fair military shape
for home defense.
Half-Moon Bay, near San Francisco,
has claimed another victim from the
sea, the British ship City of Florence
becoming a total loss there yesterday.
From first reports received It is appar
ent that no lives were lest, but the un
derwriters will have an expensive bill
to. foot for both vessel and cargo. Half-
'Mpon Bay Ib a few miles south of the
entrance of San Francisco harb6r, and
for this reason It is to be hoped that
the Puget Sound.papers will not credit
the City of Florence disaster to the
Columbia River, although It Is appar
ently an accident which was possible
at almost any point on the Coast, near
the pert for which a ship might be
heading.
It Is to be regretted that the House
tabled the resolution to Inquire what
fortifications Great Britain is con
structing and completing along the
Northern frontier of the United States,
and especially at points opposite Puget
Sound. An amendment ought to have
been offered calling also for Informa
tion a3 to what fortifications the United
States Is constructing and completing
along the Southern frontier of Canada,
and especially at points opposite Brit
ish Columbia; and then the resolution
ought to have been adopted. Had that
been done, we should have the whole
story.
The United States has paid the State
of Oregon in full for the clothing it
provided for Its soldiers who went to
the Philippine Islands. This clothing
ought to have been given to the sol
diers by the state; but Inasmuch as
there were difficulties In the way of
doing It, the Legislature at the next
session should appropriate the "money
for distribution among the men who are
living, and to the heirs of those who
are dead. This is an act of justice
which the Legislature must not over
look. The remarkable work done by Adjutant-General
Gantenbein on behalf of
the state certainly entitles him to high
praise. The difficulties of overcoming
the adverse Influences and determina
tion of official Washington are great,
and the Adjutant-General's success is
attributable to his service In the Phil
ippines, his good address, and his
knowledge of National Guard matters.
He seems, in short, to have been the
right man In the right place.
Nebraska being the Democratic can
didate's state, the Lincoln platform 13
the embodiment of the party's position
In the campaign. Gorman's jockeying
for a later convention than the Repub
licans hold will avail nothing. Bryan
Ism is defined, for acceptance or rejec
tion. Senator Simon has the Puerto Rico
business by the right handle; and ap
proval of his course by the Chamber of
Commerce of Portland is the right
thing. On this subject opinion In Ore
gon is practically unanimous.
In contending for free trade with
Puerto Rico, Senator Simon Is contend
ing for conditions favorable to growth
of commerce across the Pacific. In no
other subject have our Pacific States
so deep an interest.
Popular nnd Political Hearts.
Boletha Mercantll de Puerto Rico, Feb. 23.
Such reforms as the Government of the
United States Tield out for Puerto Rico to
expect after the cession have never been
extended to her. Even now Congress
seems hesitant about offering to this fer
tile, yet poverty-stricken, possession the
slightest hopes for a proper commercial
relationship between It and the rest of the
Union. Shut out from the markets of the
world, shut out from the home market
by an unjust and discriminating tariff on
the.Bt of tie United, States, is it any
wonder that the trade of the Island lan
guishes? Compared to the vast area -of
the United States of America, the Island
of Puerto Rico is a mere dot on the map.
Yet, although by all right her political
protector, some of the statesmen who are
at the helm of affairs in Washington seem
indisposed to render the slightest relief.
When the Island was devastated by a
great hurricane last August, the heart of
the American people went out to the suf
ferers, and their temporal needs were sup
plied. There la a popular heart; but,
verily, there is also a political one.
a C
OUR CHEAP STATESMEN.
Varltms Influences in Operation
A&ralnat Hay-Panncefofre Treaty.
New York Times.
The opposition to the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty has become a national disgrace.
It has never advanced an argument that
was not an affront to the intelligence of
those who have to listen to them, and Its
appeals to the American people are made
up of the familiar ranting of the lowest
demagoguea In our politics. We have al
ready expressed the belief that this oppo
sition was In part as dishonest as It is
Ignorant. The transcontinental railroads
want no canal. If this treaty is killed
the Nicaragua project will be indefinitely
postponed. The Panama Interests need
no treaty, and would naturally be favored
by the death of any convention that
opened the way to the construction of the
canal from Greytown to Brito. Here are
elements of opposition that take no con
cern about the wisdom of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty as a measure of national poli
cy. Any instrument that would defeat it
would serve their purpose.
But a more potent influence than either
of these Is at work In Washington. The
fear of the Irish vote, and probably of the
German vote, too, has once more possessed
the souls and paralyzed the senses of the
Republican politicians. The organs by
which what Is called the Irish vote Is sup
posed to express Its views have denounced
the treaty as a piece of "truckling" to
England. This opinion Is born of crass
ignorance, and is quite contrary to fact,
but It Is- not the first time that ignorant
prejudice has been supposed by the poli
ticians to "be the spring of action of the
Irish vote. Tho Irish voter is known to
dislike England. It was enough to say
that the treaty was drawn up by England
to get tho better of us. That. It is as
sumed in Washington, would drive every
voter with an Irish name over to Bryan.
It Is further assumed that the German
American voter will go with him If the
treaty Is not killed. Professor Delbrueck
has told tho world that every German ex
cept the Kaiser "hates England." The
German-American shares the sentiments
of his brothers at home. Therefore the
treaty must be killed on his account.
This reasoning of the politicians of the
Senate about American voters of Irish
and German blood Is an Insult to both
races. If tho Irish and German voters
were as Ignorant a"nd prejudiced as they
get credit for, they would be a national
danger. But It is the politicians who cre
ate the danger. They customarily give the
voters of all classes credit for less intelli
gence than the poorest of them possesses.
In this case they assuaze that a large por
tion of the electorate Is utterly unworthy
of the suffrage. The treaty of arbitration
with England was killed out of regard for
the supposed prejudices of the Irish voter.
The Hay-Pauncefote treaty will go the
same way If the Senate cannot be made to
see that the majority sentiment of the
American people Is always en'Ightened and
never blind to the National welfare.
a a
3IR. M'KINLEY'S PREDECESSOR.
The President Might Borroiv His Ob-
Htliincy to Advantage.
Indianapolis News.
In considering the attitude of Mr. Mc
Kinley, one cannot but revert to the way
In which Mr. McKInley's predecessor met
such emergencies. The country owes the
repeal of the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act to the persistence, the Inde
pendence and the unshakable courage of
President Cleveland. Day after day and
night after night he stood solidly for
sound finance, and fina'ly forced Con
gress to act for the welfare of the coun
try. He did not "change his mind." He
did not think that the good of the peo
ple should be sacrificed "to the -interest
of party harmony and discipline." He
split his party In two, rather than yield
one jot of his convictions on the financial
question. Again, when the Gormanized
Wilson tariff bill was sent to him, he re
turned It without his signature having
done his utmost to sustain the House In
Its fight with the Senate but with a let
ter to Representative Catchlngs, In which
he said:
"I tako my place with the rank and
file of the Democratic party, who believe
in tariff reform, and who know what It
is; who refuse to accept the result em
bodied In this bill as the close of the
war; who are not blinded to the fact
that the livery of Democratic reform has
been stolen and worn In the sen-Ice of
Republican protection, and who have
marked the places -where the deadly blight
of treason has blasted the counsels of
the brave in their hour of might. The
trusts and combinations, the communism
of pelf, whose machinations have pre
vented us from reaching the success we
deserved, should not be forgotten nor
forgiven."
The contrast Is startling, and extremely
unflattering to President McKinley. If
Mr. McKinley had a tithe of the courage
of Grover Clevend, the Puerto Rlcan
tariff bill would have been overwhelmed
In the House of Representatives.
o
A PHILOSOPHICAL JUDGE.
The Bar Association of Boston recently
paid a tribute of honor In a public ad
dress to Chief Judge Oliver Wendell
Holmes. The following extracts from the
reply of uJdgo Holmes Indicate that he
has Inherited something of the metaphy
sical and philosophical quality of his gift
ed father:
I ask myself what is there to show for
this half lifetime that has passed? I look
Into my book in which I keep a docket of
the decisions of the full court which fall
to me to write, and find about 1000 cases.
A thousand cases, many of them upon
trifling or transitory matters, to repre
sent nearly half a lifetime! A thousand
cases, when one would have liked to
study to the bottom and to say his say on
every question which the law ever has
presented, and then to go on and Invent
new problems which should be the test
of doctrine, and then to generalize it all
and write It In continuous, logical, phil
osophical exposition, sotting forth the
whole corpus with Its roots In history
and Its justifications of expedience, real
or supposed!
When it Is said that we are too much
occupied with the means of living to live,
I answer that the chief worth of clvlllza.
tlon is Just that It makes the means oi
living more complex, that It calls for
great and combined Intellectual efforts,
Instead of simple, unco-ordlnated ones. In
order that the crowd may be fed and
clothed and housed and moved from place
to place. Because more complex and In
tense Intellectual efforts mean a fuller
and richer life. They mean more life.
Life is an end In itself, and the only
question as to whether it Is worth llvlnfc
is whether you have enough of It.
I will add but a word. We all are very
near despair. The sheathing that floats
us over Its waves, is compounded of hope,
faith in the unexplalnable worth and sure
Issue of effort, and the deep subconscious
content which comes from the exercise
of our powers. In the words of a touch
ing negro song:
Sometimes I's up. sometimes To down,
Sometimes I's almost to the groun';
but these thoughts have carried me, as I
hope they will carry the young men who
hear me, through long years of doubt,
self-d'istrust and solitude. They .do now,
for, although It might seem that the day
of tdal isras over, in fact U is renamed
each day. The kindness which you have
shown me makes me bold In happy mo
ments to believe that the long and pas
sionate strugglo has not been quite in
vain.
ii e
NEED OF THE CANAL.
Commercial "Want Now Enforced ljy
Asiatic Politics.
Chicago Times-Herald.
Discussion of the canal treaty and the
Iavls amendment naturally tends to ob
scure the commercial aspects of the pro
posed isthmian waterway. While the en
terprise must Inevitably strengthen the
war power of this nation, whether forti
fied or not. Its probable effect upon trade
conditions Is of far greater concern to our
commercial and industrial Interests. These
interests are unanimous in support of any
arrangement or agreement that will make
the canal ajx all-Amerlcan waterway for
the promotion of American commerce.
The commercial importance of the canal
Is widely discussed by naval officers In a
New York paper. One authority declares
that America Is losing a vast trade by
reason of her delay in digging the water
way. "America's new Interests In the Pa
cific are sufficient warrant alone for the
cost of the canal, even If the cost reaches
$150,000.00)," says former Minister to Slam
John Barrett. It is argued that in three
years after the canal Is opened the in
creased trade with China, Japan, Siberia,
Corea, Slam, the Philippines, Hawaii and
Australasia will more than pay the whole
expense of construction.
However urgent may have been the com
mercial need of a shorter route to India
that need has been tremendously accentu
ated by our newly acquired Interests In
tho Pacific and In the Caribbean Sea. As
Captain Mahan points out, "all sea roads
to the Isthmus" run through the latter sea,
and it contains many strong positions.
No matter what may be the ultimate dis
position In the Philippines we will becomo
through our Interests in that archipelago
an "Eastern power," and whether we like
it or not we become a factor in the Chinese
problem and a formidable competitor for
the trade of the Orient.
Our position In the Philippines and in
the Caribbean Sea now makes the con
struction of the canal across the Isthmus
an Imperative necessity. We must estab
lish consecutive water communication be
tween the two oceans and shorten the ac
cess from our Eastern shores to Asia.
n o
A Fnble for Puerto Ricnns.
"R. W. B." in New York Evening Post.
Once upon a time, as an Elephant was
being driven through the Forest by Its
Mahout, the Latter chanced to see a Par
tridge on her Nest hovering her Young
and Pecking at them when they tried to
escape from under Her protecting Wings.
"Thou Cruel Bird!" shouted the Mahout,
"Thou art Killing thy Young by slow
Degrees!" And He threw things at the
Mother Partridge and drove her away
Into the Forest. Then seeing the Help
less state of the Young Partridges, the
Mahout said,. "I will protect you from
the prowling Beasts of the Forest," and
with that he made the Elephant to sit
down on the nest of young Ones, and Is
now considering whether he shall make
the Elephant remove S5 per cent of its
Weight from them.
Moral: Sugar. Tobacco and other Es
tates In the Isles of the Sea ought to be
going Dirt Cheap pretty soon.
a
Is There Chnncc for n Third. Man?
New York Evening Post.
Every such movement as that of the
Gold Democrats of Indianapolis toward
some other resource than McKinley and
Bryan in next fall's election Is to be wel
comed. It is, of course, too early to take
any definite action, but It Is not too soon
for those who want something better than
a choice of evils In November to hold
conferences. The feeling of disgust with
McKinley has gained greatly In force since
he "changed his mind" about "our, plain
duty" as a Nation to Puerto Rico, at the
demand of tho protected Interests. On the
other hand. Bryan still seems an Intoler
able alternate to independent voters
who feel that they cannot help the Presi
dent to a re-election. Between now and
midsummer It ought to be possible to se
cure a candidate and a platform worthy
of enthusiastic support.
x C
Rhetorical Value Not Everything-.
Providence Journal, Rep.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, the thlck-and-thln
supporter of Mr. Quay and one
of the few newspapers that still give un
qualified endorsement to everything that
the President may do, asks attention to
the fact that Mr. McKInley's speech at
New York was characterized by "fellci
tlCh of phraseology." It certainly was.
But a good many American citizens would
like to see a man In the White House
whose remarks would have something
more than a rhetorical value enough
more, at least, to enable them to count
on them as having a positive meaning for
a reasonable length of time.
a
No Compromlne Is Possible.
Milwaukee Sentinel. Rep.
Talk about compromise Is foolish. On
the one side are those who believe that
Puerto Rico should have free trade with
the United States. On the other side are
those who believe not only that nothing
should be done, which, by implication, ad
mits that the Constitution applies to
Puerto Rico Senator Davis has proved
that free trade can be- given to Puerto
Rico without making this admission but
also that the demands of certain protect
ed Interests must be complied with. How
can these conflicting opinions be united
upon a "compromise"? They cannot be.
No compromise is possible.
a
Ineligible to the Presidency.
Chicago Chronicle.
In the course of an address on Wash
ington's Birthday, Senator Depew declared
he was the only member of the Senate
who did not 'hope to be President. The
New Yorker had for the moment ap
parently forgotten that Senators McMil
lan, of Michigan, Nelson, of Minnesota;
Jones, of Nevada; Galllnger, of New
Hampshire; Sewell, of New Jersey, and
Simon, of Oregon, are without hope of
such honor, all having been born abroad
McMillan and Galllnger In Canada, NeTson
In Norway, Jones In England, Sewell In
Ireland and Simon In Germany.
o
Forvrardl
From Arohbluhop Keone's address on "Wash
ington's Birthday.
Recent events have mode It manifest
that our International relations must
henceforth be more extensive and more
Important than In the past. The peaceful
national seclusion of the last century Is at
an end. We now are forced to take our
part in the responsibilities, tribulations
and botherations of the world. We may
be tempted to look back regretfully to the
peaceful quiet of former days, but It Is
better to look forward to the burdens and
duties of the future.
c
The True Theory.
St. Paul Pioneer Press, Rep.
Once let Congress be lifted above the
petty considerations dinned in Its ears by
ultra protectionists to breathe the "upper
air" of a broad, far-seeing statesman
ship, and the true theory of legislation for
our new dependencies will be grasped. And
that theory forbids any "working" of the
Islanders for the benefit of our home In
terests. It requires that every act affect
ing them shall be framed exclusively with
a view to the advancement of their Inter
ests as a portion of the great American
brotherhood.
e
A President Who Presides,
- Providence Telegram.
3 The American people want to see once
more a President In the chair of Wash
ington and Jackson and Lincoln who has
frankness In expression and forcefulness
of characteii-dafact, a President who
pretties.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
t
Bryan has broken his long silence.
They have been having an election down
at Holbrook that Is worthy of Kentucky.
After all, there was nothing mlracu-
lous about the conduct of the Topeka
Capital.
Two nominations are not always bet
ter than one, as Bryan will find out bo
fore long.
Li Hung Chang has acquired a con
trolling Interest in a newspaper. He
will probably run It as Confucius would
have run It.
A local grocery store Invites Its cus
tomers to come In and wait for the car,
but neglects to add as an Inducement that
the weight Is sure to be short.
Mr. Sheldon overloked a golden oppor
tunity when he didn't add a famous re
mark of General Sherman's as a com
mentary after the Transvaal news.
No one has ever accused Kruger of
being a funny man, but his mind appears
to run in the same groove with that of
Artemus Ward In some things. Ward
expressed himself as willing to sacrifice
all his wife's relations in the war for
the Union. Kruger says he has 203 blood
relations fighting and would sooner sea
them all perish than yield to England!
unholy aggression.
The Rhode Island election for Governor,,
various state officers and a full Legisla
ture occurs April 4. In the April election
of 1SS6, the Republicans carried Rhode
Island by a plurality of 11,411. and In tha
following November Mr. McKinley had
22.97S plurality. Subsequent state elections
have shown only a small falling off in the
Republican pluralities. The registration
this year Is large, and the probability is
that the plurality of April, 1S05, will bo
equalled.
Measured by the early appearance of
the wild flowers, our Spring is a month.
In advance of that of ordinary seasons.
Last Sunday, the 18th, the wild Iris and
the Erythronlum (Adder"s-tongue) wer
both in bloom at Oregon City. Mr.
Thomas Howehs, the botanist, says thac
he never before saw the wild Iris in bloom
in March. Last year the Iris did bloom
until about April 20. and the Erythronlum
Is very seldom seen In bloom about Port
land before the second week of April.
"Tfyey met at the Woman's Republican
Club ball at Chrlstansen's," says the Salt
Lake Herald. "She was from the East;
he was a home product. The conversation
lagged between the dances. Finally ha
ventured this: 'How do you like "David
Harum"?' She bristled like a porcupine.
'I have no use for harems of any kind,
she retored; 'they're just perfectly horrla.
Look at the Sultan of Sulu! Look at thoso
wretches In Turkey! The whole system ia
Intended to degrade women Into beasts.
Don't talk to me about harems.' Tho
young man was frantically trying to
square himself when the music drowned
the conversation."
The late Rev. Dr. Thomas K. Beecher,
of Elmlra. N. Y., was a half-brother of
the famous Henry Ward Beecher and Mrs.
Harriet Beecher Stowe. being the son of
Rev. Dr. Lyrnah Beecher, by his second
wife. Curiously enough for a brother of
the man who was the foremost antl-slav-ery
orator of his time, and of the woman
wio wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Thomas
K. Beecher was a believer In slavery and.
Indeed, never thoroughly forsook that
leaning. His personal habits were not
altogether clerical, for he played a skill
ful game of billiards and was fond of the
game when he could find time to play It.
Then, too, he drank beer and nle. and was
so little ashamed of it that he would go
Into any public restaurant or hotel and
order it. But he never would drink with
any one else nor Invite any ono to drink
with him. When he was criticised for
drinking, he only smiled, nor did he stop
until he decided in his later years that
malt liquors were not good for his diges
tion. He was a philanthropist In practice
and a "greenhacker" In finance. He vis
ited the Paclflc Coast about 10 years ago,
spent several days In Seattle and Portland
and In an Interview published In The Ore
gonlan confidently predicted that "the
boom" In both cities was near a collapse
was "not five years distant."
My name Is Bryan, William J.
I hail from down Nebraska way.
You know the far-famed River Platte,
When I'm at home, that's where I'm at.
Though great and wise, I'm still a. boy,
Modeot. shrinking-, timid, coy.
You'd scarce expect one of my ag
To speak upon the public stage.
But I have done it. acted too.
I got bouquets, and egg (a few).
But acting- somehow didn't pay:
Too much hard work about tho pl2.
I "ran a paper for a while.
And thought I had a fluent ot le.
But soon I found the office cat
Could give me cards and spades at that;
And so I left the prea behind.
With this enraed upon my mind,
"Ot all hnrd work e'er done by men.
The hardest Is to drive a pen."
My Journalistic labors done,
I championed slxtcen-to-one;
The Democrats were shy on bralna,
And so I left the dreary plains,
And shouted silver In the ear
Of every one who'd stop and hear.
That course? was one which made a hit.
And soon I found that I was IT.
They nominated me all right.
And I'd have beaten out of eight.
Except by pome misfortune tough
I didn't get quite votes enough.
But now I'm In the field once mere
To tell how rotten at the core
The Government has come to be,
And how it needs a man like me.
I'm antl-everythlng cr bust;
Anti-freedom, anti-trust.
But antl most the element
That don't want m for President.
To young and old I make one plea.
And that is simply, "Vote for me"j
My name Is Bryan, William J.,
I come from down Nebraska way.
And by your leave It's my Intent
To get that Job of President.
e
Weary Adam and Fair Eve.
S. E. KIscr In Chicago Times-Herald.
She stood before the window
And gazed with dancing eyes.
And those who hurried past her
Could hear her "my-oh-mys!"
There was the hat she wanted
A dainty thing to see
The price was thirty dollars.
Her breast was full of glee.
The price was thirty dollars.
She didn't care for that
She knew her trtyle of beauty
Demanded euch a. bat;
She stood before a mirror.
The hat was on her head;
Her heart was full of gladness:
"Just charge It, please," she said,
Hl3 brow was deeply wrinkled,
His tired eyes were red;
A thousand kinds of figures
Kept dancing through his headi
He footed up long columns.
He hurried here and there;
He schemed and tolled and worried.
And saw things in the air.
His clothes are getting seedy.
His luncheon cost a dime;
Importunate collectors
Pursued him all tne time
He fondly called her "Baby
And bore his woes alone.
And she. somehow, was weary;
CUh3S.4wUiJ3 own."
x