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THE MORNING OREGONIAS, THURSDAY, 'APRIL 12, 1900.
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TODAY'S WEATHER. Showers: variable
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PORTLAND, THCnSDAT, AF1UL 12.
today's coxvnirnoxs.
The state conventions of three politi
cal parties will assemble In tHls city
today, to nominate candidates for pub
lic station and make proclamation of
principles.
Portland gives a cordial -welcome to
the delegates to the three conventions.
The Oregonlan, speaking in some de
cree on behalf of the people of the city,
hopes the delegates may not forget
their duty fully to debate measures
now before the country, and that they
may not hesitate fearlessly to declare
their purposes. Honesty Is the best
policy In politics as In business. May
we get from pach of our conventions a
full and frank statement of Its beliefs.
Differences of opinion and conviction
ere founded in both the interests and
intellects of men. Growth and prog
ress are the outcome not alone of
clashing purposes, but of education
and environment. Free interchange of
ideas tends to mental vigor and spread
of knowledge. As war is the sharp spur
to National spirit, so the contests of
politics add to the vitality and useful
ness of parties. Ours is a government
of discussion, and out of the fierce
strife of partisan campaigns grows the
wisdom that finally separates the true
from the false, and crystallizes right
In the country's laws.
The gathering of three bodies in
Portland at this time serves to empha
size the fact that this city is the center
of Oregon. Though in the northwest
ern corner of the state, this city, by
reason of .transportation lines, is the
most convenient and accessible point
for the people of Oregon to meet, and
Its business connections bring it into
close relation with all the rest of the
state. It recognizes what it owes to
the state at large, and hopes the visit
ors in the city today will learn that
Portland understands fully Its duy as
the metropolis. Here we have the halls
adequate for such gatherings as those
which assemble today, and the Inclina
tion to provide them every convenience
for the prompt performance of the
work of conventions. Here we have
also the hotels to lodge and feed the
throngs of delegates and visitors. Let
us all take Increased knowledge of the
fact that the city and country are in
terdependent, and may we all keep in
mind our reciprocal obligations.
The Oregonlan will fulfill Its function
as the newspaper of the Pacific North
west, and report fairly the proceedings
of all the conventions, later. In Its
editorial columns, it will discuss their
work and principles, and endeavor to
make intelligent discrimination be
tween the declarations of the different
bodies. For the present, it greets the
three political bodies, and hopes they
may hold earnest and fruitful sessions.
TOXXACC RATES EQUALIZED.
About a year ago. some careless and
perhaps biased students of the eco
nomic conditions which underlie the
ocean carrying trade .of the world in
general, and the Pacific Coast in par
ticular, had a great deal to say regard
ing the alleged disadvantages of Port
land in securing cheap freights. A few
misguided and misinformed Astorlans
"went so far in their crusade against
Portland as to Issue a pamphlet con
taining a lot of doctored figures, which,
"by careful arrangement, conveyed the
Impression to the casual reader that
we were paying about 10 shillings per
ton more than San Francisco, and 4
to 5 shillings .more per ton than was
paid by Puget Sound ports.
The Oregonlan at the time called at
tention to the fact that whenever Port
land and San Francisco were com
pelled to draw tonnage from the same
ports there would be no difference In
charter rates, as the port expenses
were practically the same in both
places. San Francisco is a large im
porter of merchandise from Europe and
of coal from Australia, and the big fleet
of ships coming to that port with cargo
under ordinary circumstances give the
"Bay City a supply of tonnage which
they can secure for cheaper rates than
are demanded by shipowners when they
are forced to send their ships to Port
land and Puget Sound in ballast. Even
Puget Sound had a slight advantage
over Portland when freights were dull
all over the world, and ships were sent
to the Pacific Coast "seeking." The big
sawmills on the Sound were almost cer
tain to supply a cargo of lumber. In
case grain was not obtainable, and for
this reason there was always more spot
tonnage lying Idle at the Sound ports
than there was at Astoria, and it fre
quently happened that a ship could be
picked up at a shilling less for Sound
loading than she ould ask for coming
round to Portland. ,
Since the present world-wide advance
In freights commenced, this difference
In rates between Pacific Coast ports
has vanished, and today it is possible
to charter a distant ship to load at
Portland, Puget Sound or San Fran
cisco at exactly the same rate. This
condition of affairs will prevail until
California works off the enormous sur
plus of wheat now held in the state, or
until San Francisco inward cargo trade
Increases so that she will have a suffi
cient amount of tonnage without going
out and bidding against Portland and
Puget Sound exporters for ballast ton
nage in the Orient, or at Honolulu. The
highest rate, size considered, that has
been paid for a grain ship on the Pa
cific Coast this year was paid in San
Francisco, and there will be little or no
difference In the rates anywhere on the
Coast for many weeks.
The actual experience of the past
few months will necessitate the revis
ion of a number of essays on "Why
Portland Can Never Be a Great Sea
port," and the ocean freight situation
as it exists today and has existed for
the past few months should have the
effect of quieting all quibbling which
might arise in the future about the
comparative merit of the different
Coast ports In the eyes of shipowners.
MOnE MOXEY.
The currency supply of the country
at the present time carries refutation
of contentions made by two sets of ex
tremiststhe silver maniacs and the
asset-currency cranks. The circulation
is expanding, but the additions are
maintainable as good as gold. Instead
of being debased through free coinage
of silver or fiat inflation. On the other
hand, the expansion Itself refutes the
contention of certain Idealist currency
reformers that unless we have a bank
ing currency based on commercial
assets there can be no elasticity to the
currency.
If a currency is being securely main
tained at the gold standard, it will ex
pand automatically in response to in
creasing needs of business, through ad
ditions of gold money. Need of cur
rency sends gold to the mints Just as
surely as an Influx of inhabitants sends
wheat to the flour mill. Since the elec
tion of McKInley on a gold platform. In
1S9G, the supply of gold and gold certifi
cates in the country has Increased by
nearly $300,000,000; that Is. from $4S9,
000,000 April 1, 1S96, to 786,000,000 April
1. 1900.
It is a fact, moreover, that other
kinds of currency have also Increased.
For the twelve months Just past, every
kind of currency, other than "Sher
man" notes and currency certificates,
has Increased In volume. National
bank notes have Increased by -$26,896.-194;
gold and gold certificates by $5S.
098,958: United States notes by $12,283,
827: silver dollars by $4,500,000; silver
certificates by $4,000,000; subsidiary sil
ver by $5,000,000; Increase of all kinds.
$93,427,564. In the month of March
alone bank notes Increased by $21,000,
000 and gold by $8,000,000.
Silver has shared In this expansion.
The amount of silver and paper notes
based on silver Is $631,000,000 now, as
against $558,000,000 In 1896. If we take
the whole stock of silver and silver cur
rency In the circulation today and com
pare It with 1879, for example, we have
this showing:
Jan. 1, March 1,
1879. l!MO.
Standard silver dollars.? CD.1.T3.0W $ 6.700.721
Silver certificates 400.1O3.4S7 413.300
Subsidiary sUver 74,702,310 C7.0S2.G01
Treasury notes or J.S30. fc3,0t5.227 277.008,511
Total $C29,OS1.018 43ol.2S3.193
This addition of $280,000,000 to the sil
ver currency of the country has been
made under the gold standard and with
the notorious crime of '73 still un
avenged. Through limitation of silver
coinage, through issuing no more of it
than we can maintain at par, every
dollar of this Increased silver currency
has been kept as good as gold; so that
the wages of the tolling masses of this
country, gentlemen, or Senator Teller's
man with the blistered hand, have re
tained their full purchasing power, in
stead of being reduced to half their
value.
It remains merely to notice the aggre
gate increase in circulation and in the
"per capita." The past four years pre
sent this record of expanding currency:
Total Per
circulation. capita.
Arpl! 1. ISM $1.S3G29.4C3 421.53
April X, 1897 l.CfiO.000.034 23.01
April 1, 180S 1,750.058.045 23.03
April 1. 1803 1.327.840.02 2S.45
April 1, 1000 2,021.274,500 20.12
Observe, also, that this Is a sound In
crease, because of the $500,000,000 that
has been added to the circulation.
$300,000,000, being in gold, will safely
sustain the other $200,000,000.
Yet the quantity of money Is a minor
matter, after all, compared with Its
quality. Unlimited additions to the cir
culation, whether through free silver
coinage or busy Government printing
presses, soon result In deteriorating the
value of the currency, and introduce
disorder, uncertainty and panic The
supreme interest of the individual is
that the coin or the paper representing
coin, or the bank) check, received in re
turn for his possessions or his services,
has a safe and constant value. If these
are made worthless by the very plentl
fulness with which they are scattered
about, it makes little difference to him
how many of them he gets. If a man
gets $1000 a year and is $1000 In debt, it
is far more important to him that the
$10,000 he receives In 10 years is of full
purchasing power, than that he can
pay his debt for $500, and his Income for
the five years Is reduced to $5000.
A SOUND PROPOSITION.
The claim made before the Society of
Ethical Culture at its New Tork meet
ing last Sunday, by noted speakers,
among whom were two graduates of
the Tuskegee Institute, that the uplift
ing of the negro can come only through
the law of labor Intelligently applied. Is
sound. And when It Is added, "the
religious and moral welfare of the black
and white alike In the South can only
be secured by industrial education," the
case may be held to be amply stated.
The "knowing how" was. never before
so essential to industrial success and
community prosperity as now. A la
boring man untutored in the ways of
some branch of industrial life Is as
helpless as a mariner at sea without
a compass. This is perhaps especially
true of the negro laborer In the South,
whose stock in trade through the gen
erations has been his brute strength.
supervised and directed by others him
self the mere machine. It is this igno
rance of handicraft that hat made free
dom a delusion to him for more than
a generation. Schools like the Tuske
gee and Hampton Institutes do more to
solve the problem of the future of the
negro race than all the laws enacted
for its benefit and protection have ever
done, from the Fifteenth Amendment
to the Federal Constitution down
through the list.
This is not the dream of the philan
thropist, but the testimony of compe
tent witnesses, to whom this practical
side of the negro problem has. present
ed itself through careful experiment
and observation. If this seed, instead
of that of political equality, had been
planted at the close of the war, and
received patient and adequate cultiva
tion through the years, the solution of
the negro question would not nowhavc
been greatly vexing political econo
mists. It would, on the contrary, be
satisfactorily working itself out, with
the political equality of the colored man
already in sight.
The platform of the county Demo
crats of Multnomah County contains
this statement:
'We denounce the official organ of the Repub
lican patty for its ojroosltlon to any reform la
the tax laws, and we are opposed to any sys
tem of taxation which aHbws such organ the
enormous sum of 104,000 for advertising tar
lists, without any' appreciable benefit or re
turn to the county.
First place, there Is no official organ
of the Republican party. Second place,
the Journal they mean has not opposed
reform in the tax laws. Third place, no
'such sum as $64,000 has been paid for
advertising tax lists unless all pay
ments for such objects made within the
memory of man be included. Fourth
place, vast benefits have accrued to the
county from advertising the tax lists,
slpce hundreds of thousands of dollars,
delinquent during many years, have
thereby been collected. Fifth place,
the cost of advertisement does not
come out of the county, but out of the
delinquent taxpayer, as a Just part of
his penalty. Sixth place, they who
don't like to pay this and other costs
of delinquency can save themselves the
trouble and expense by paying their
taxes when they ought to pay them.
Seventh .place, the charges made by
The Oregonlan for publishing the de
linquent lists have been moderate, and
much below that of a great deal of
other advertising that runs through Its
columns from year to year. Eighth,
place, publication of the delinquent tax
lists is no new thing In Oregon, but
an ancient usage, under general law of
the state; and if it be discontinued, the
main spur to tardy or delinquent tax
payers will be lost Ninth place, the
Democratic Convention was talking
through its hat.
AX TJXJTJST ASSAULT.
The resolution passed by the State
Prohibition Convention denouncing
President McKInley for the continued
life of the Awny canteen Is unjust,
while the resolution charging the Pres
ident with responsibility for the alleged
fact that "intoxicating drinks have fol
lowed the flag to the rln of the na
tives" is utterly absurd and without
foundation of fact. The facts regard
ing the canteen are stated In the annual
report of the Secretary of "War, who,
while not a Prohibitionist, is neverthe
less a very able lawyer, and while not
a Prohibitionist Is nevertheless a man
of absolute veracity and unblemished
moral character. Secretary Root, In
his report, recites the fact that Attorney-General
Griggs, on the 12th of
April, 1S99, rendered an opinion to
the effect that the act of March 2,
1S99, "does not prohibit the continu
ance of the sale of Intoxicating drinks
through the canteen sections of the
post exchanges, as heretofore organ
ized and carried on, except that, of
course, no officer or soldier can be put
on duty In the canteen section to do the
selling, either directly or Indirectly."
The Secretary of "War, who stands at
the head of his profession, says that he
agrees with the view of tSe Attorney
General that this Is the more reason
able construction of the statute, but
adds:
It Is, however, questioned by many citizens,
and It is very desirable that it Congress does In
fact Intend to absolutely prohibit the sale of
beers and light wines In post exchanges to the
soldiers of our army In states where such sale
Is permitted by law to all other persons, this
Intention should bo expressed In terms which
are free from doubt.
A bill is now before Congress whose
passage will certainly settle beyond all
doubt the Intention of Congress. These
are the facts, and no fair-minded man
will blame President McKInley for re
fusing to override the legal construc
tion placed upon the act of March 2,
1899, by both the Attorney-General and
Secretary Root. The charge that the
President has neglected to "protect the
helpless and defenseless natives of
Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines
from the merciless greed of the liquor
dealer;, that Intoxicating drinks have
followed the flag to the ruin of the na
tives," Is utterly absurd.
The appendix to the report of the
Secretary of "War contains ample evi
dence that the people of these Islands
on the arrival of our troops "followed
the flag'J around, offering for sale alco
holic Intoxicants of native manufac
ture far stronger and more deadly in
their character than any produced In
the United States. The correspondence
of the Army officers with the "War De
partment proves that, so far from alco.
hollc intoxicants of American manufac
ture ruining the natives, the native
alcoholic intoxicants were omnipresent,
and were so powerful and so cheap that
the establishment of the canteen for
the sale of beer was an efficient meas
ure of sanitary reform. The natives of
Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines
have always manufactured strong al
coholic intoxicants, which they sell to
visiting soldiers and sailors, but the
natives of Spanish-American countries,
like the-lower classes of old Spain, are
not given to the use of ardent spirits.
"WIno Is temperately consumed, and
light alcoholic stimulants, but Intem
perance is not among the vices of the
lower classes of Spain or any of her
colonies In America or Asia. In the
City of Mexico or Havana Intemperance
in the use of ardent spirits on the part
of a native Is rare. The cheap ardent
spirits manufactured are made for "for
eign consumption," and drunk by vis
iting sailors and soldiers, but not to any
extent by the natives, who do not care
for ardent spirits. They have other
vices, but while they have for centuries
made and sold exceedingly strong alco
holic Intoxicants of native manufac
ture, the Filipino is no more a consumer
of ardent spirits than Is the Hindoo.
The betel nut, opium, hashish, are
among the stimulants of the Malay. th
Hindoo and the Chinaman, but Intem
perance in the use of ardent spirits is
not likely to "ruin the natives" of the
Philippines, who have always made
and sold ardent spirits of the vilest
sort, but they do not drink them to any
extent, according to the testimony of
the Army officers. Lieutenant Mullay,
of the Fourteenth United States In
fantry, writes:
The good results obtained from the establish
ment of a canteen In Cuartel de Malate, Ma
nila, nave made Its value very apparent to me.
The soldiers, not being able to obtain easily
other drink, bought a vtle'stufi! called "an!,
sado" or "vino" from the natives at dos cen
tavos a drink. The effect of a few drinks was
to make the man almost crazy and very un
ruly. Everything was done to stop Its sale.
Officers and patrols seized and destroyed It
wherever found, and a reward of $10 was
given for the arrest and conviction of anyono
selling It. But It was Impossible to stop Its
sale altogether. The men would get It, no
matter what their punishment.
The establishment of a canteen for
the sale of beer restored order and
health to the consumers. It Is clear
that the natives, who have made this
"anlsado," or "vino." for a great many
years, have cheaper and more power
ful alcoholic Intoxicants of their own
than any we can import "for their
ruin." An Army of over 60,000 Ameri
cans will have in Luzon such malt and
spirituous liquors as they have been ac
customed to use at home, and It is far
better that they should have the Amer
ican saloon than the native. Sin shack.
as the Army Chaplains confess. Presi
dent McKInley has done no wrong In
the matter of the canteen. He hat
taken the law as the Attorney-General
and Secretary of "War have construed
It. H has no responsibility for the
"ruin of the natives," who are In no
danger of being ruined by the-Amerlcan
saloon, which Is a temperance booth
compared with the native gin shacks
that filled Manila before the American
saloon had' arrived.
Sickness among the Boer prisoners
causes the British authorities more
trouble than did the taking of them.
Healthful and full-of vigor on their na
tive veldt, literally living in the open
air, eating and digesting their food on
the run, the Boers cannot bear the con
finement of transports or shore prisons,
but sicken by hundreds in the close and
fetid air. For this reason the remain
der of the prisoners held on board
transports off Slmontown, some 2000 in
number, have been Bent to the main
land, a proceeding which, in the name
of common humanity, the British au
thorities could not refuse. War is war,
now as It has ever been, and untold
sufferings follow in Its train. But civ
ilized warfare differs from savage fn
this, that unnecessary cruelties are not
inflicted upon those whom the fortunes
of the battle-field have disarmed, and
while the ictors may not And it possi
ble to keep prisoners of war in comfort
able quarters, they must answer to the
demand of humanity as well as they
aro able by rendering the condition of
these captives tolerable. In this view,
while no doubt the situation of Boer
prisoners on British transports has
been wretched enough, it has probably
been as tolerable as the British facili
ties for keeping them would permit,
while all accounts agree that British
prisoners at Pretoria are well fed and
humanely treated.
The Puerto Rico tariff bill has now
passed both houses of Congress. It Is
such a tariff bill as no Congress ever
passed before the object being to "pro
tect" One part of the United States
against another part. It is useless to
enter Into subtle disquisitions on the
Constitutional phases of this question.
The point Is that the measure is un
just. Any people under the flag of the
United States should have and must
have the right to a market for their
products in the United States. It Is
true that 15 per cent of the present tariff
isn't much. But the principle asserted
In It is unjust. It cannot stand. It is
negation of expansion. Unjust taxes
are none the less unjust because they
are light. So thought our fathers when
they rebelled against unjust taxation
and declared their Independence. In
vain did Charles Townshend, George
Grenvllle, Samuel Johnson and others
set forth that the tax was small, and
therefore that It was not worth while
to resist It. The answer was, "Why,
then. Insist upon it? It was the injus
tice that kindled the colonial wrath.
If we pursue this course we shall surely
have a state of chronic rebellion in
our new possessions. But we shall not
pursue it far. Congress will be forced
to reverse Its action.
The Bryan Democrats have endeav
ored to fasten upon such men as Hill,
Whitney, Wattersop, Lamont and Gor
man the responsibility for Admiral
Dewey's appearance In the Presidential
field; but all who have been taxtifcwtth
It file disclaimers. On all sides people
are saying that Dewey Is "as innocent
of intrigue as an Infant, and that his
wife alone Is responsible for hla candi
dacy. It is said, too, that both of them
are so Ignorant of political methods
and of our system of government that
until after he had "come out" for the
Presidency they supposed the people
could walk up to the polls and vote di
rectly for George Dewey for President.
A.correspondent of the Chicago Record
writes,' from Washington:
It Is related that Mrs. Dewey, In planning
th(s great political maneuver, Isltrd a lady
relative of Theodore Roosevelt now In this city
and requested her to arrange with him to take
the second plsco on the ticket. Mrs. Dewey
was laboring under a delusion that thejr needed
only to distribute tickets with the name ot
Dewey and Roosevelt for President and Vice
President printed upon them, and the people
would do tho rest. Neither she nor the Ad
mlral has ever considered conventions, cam
paign committees, electoral colleges or any
thing else ot that kind, and they were a good
deal surprised when the machinery ot a presi
dential election was explained to them last
night.
The local Democrats deal a terrible
whack at Jacksonlan principles when
they denounce the Republican party for
trying "to enrich its employes and
parasites at public expense." This Is a
far cry from Old Hickory's spoils doc
trine. However, Jackson is no longer a
Democratic Ideal, any more than Jef
ferson, the expansionist. Lincoln has
been dead so long (hat they adopt him
now as the only true source of Demo
cratic principles. Wonder how long It
will be before they cite McKInley as the
great fountain-head of Democratic doc
trine. As far as the public Is able to Judge
from conflicting statements made from
day to day. Admiral Dewey Is still a
candidate and both he and his wife
greatly desire that he should be made a
nominee of some- National convention,
presumably the Democratic A sailor
on .a strange sea, Dewey Is trying to
read an unintelligible chart and set a
course that will be the least dangerous,
hoping by some chance to strike the
right one. The spectacle Is not an edi
fying one to1 the patriotic American
people.
In 1S90 the number of persons of
school age in Multnomah County was
15,464, and the total population was 74.
SS4. The school population now is 24.
8SS. The proportion of 1890 would make
the population of the county now about
121.000. Outside of Portland, Multno
mah County has not now over 20,000 in
habitants. Anti-Bryan Democrats got the cold
shake "yesterday In the Democratic
County and City Convention. They are
told they will have to sit In sackcloth
and ashes awhile.
Plenty of Stiver.
Baltimore Sun.
Warm friends of silver sometimes com
plain that the gold standard, by Increasing
the volume of gold in use in this country.
Is malting the beloved whto metal hard to
geC Tet the statement of the Treasury
Department for March 1, 1900. shows that
on that date there were in the country
'477,0S,53 silver dollars, besides 90.346,414
In halves, quarters and dimes. But 13,
,133,994 silver dollars, it Is true, were In
circulation, but the holders of the $400,
103,487 of outstanding silver certificates
could get them redeemed in sliver dollars
on demand. There to no lack of silver.
There aro tralnloads of it In the Treasury
at Washington, and the Government would
bo pin tT " It In f T"h?Tjx loi tif cer.
tWcatea. Under the new currency act
some es.000.00a mora In halves, quarters
and dimes Is to be coined, and when this
is done we shall hav SSS2.000.000 of silver
available. The amount' Is even larger, as
there are.$S7,S70,000 ot Treasury notes of
1S30. which represent silver bullion. Of
these 35,000,000 were: In circulation on
March 1, making the total available sil
ver for our silverite friends $67O,O00.CO3
enough, in nil conscience. In view of the
fact that these silver dollars are worth in
trinsically but K cents. The) present
abundance) of these dollars may bo appre
ciated by reflecting that In 1S79 theentire
amount of sliver In circulation was but
$68,000,000.
WHAT IS A PUERTO IUOASt
Amnslnir Fate of at .evr York Paper's
Advertising Scheme.
New York Times.
One ot our esteemed contemporaries bar
undertaken, by an ingenious device, to
secure an adjudication of a doubtful ques
tion. The question Is, What is the status
of a Puerto Rican in the United States!
The device was to Import a Puerto Rican
under contract to perform labor in the
United States, and make a test case of
him. If the Puerto Rican is a foreigner,
such an Importation Is illegal. It subjects
the importer to pecuniary pains and pen
alties, and the person imported to imme
diate deportation. The Herald naturally
did not conceal Its purpose. On the con
trary, it flaunted Its importation in the
faces ot tho Custom-House officers, of the
learned Powderly, and of the Secretary of
tho Treasury himself, and had htm de
tained. But Mr. Caere is not without ingenuity
on his side. When the matter was brought
to his attention he directed that the im
portation should bo released, "in bond,"
so to speak, and left go at large and pre
sumably to fulfill his contract, "without
prejudice." Thereby Mr. Gage largely Def
iled any attempt at advertising Itself
which may have been mingled with purer
and more patriotic motives on the part
of our esteemed contemporary. But also
ho postponed the decision of the interest
ing question It is true that be himself
suggests a way in which it may still be
brought up, and that Is by a suit against
the Herald for making a contract la vio
lation of the law. We gather that this
would not suit the Herald so well as the
procedure laid out, and to which the Sec
retary declined to accede. It would, how.
ever, have the effect of fixing the status
of the Importation, uniess, as the Secre
tary suggests. Congress shall in the mean
time chance It, and the issue bo raised
on the Constitutionality of its action.
Meanwhile the question remains, what,
internationally and nationally. Is a Puerto
Rican? Senator Fpraker"s bill, unlefs it
has been amended, declares that he la a
"citizen ot Puerto Rico," which Is non
sense on the face of It, since Puerto Rico
Is not a' nation which can confer citizen
ship. It seems to be equally absurd to
contend that he Is a foreigner In this
country, of which he comes nearer to be
ing a citizen than of any other. If he be
not a foreigner, he is not subject to the
operation of the contract labor law, and
cannot lawfully be deported for having
been brought In under It. We entirely
sympathlzo with the solicitude of the
Herald to get a speedy judicial decision
upon this point.
SILVER IS UFFERMOST.
Drynn Stand by the White Metal,
"IlncKlnK the Delusive Phantom
of Hope."
Chicago Record.
Washington. Colonel Bryan declines to
accept the advlco recently tendered him
by Oswald Ottendorfer, the eminent edi
tor of the New York Staats Zoitung, and
a representative goldbug Democrat. Not
long ago that gentleman addressed Colo
nel Bryan a letter, suggesting that he
might command the almost unanimous
German vote throughout the United States
at the next Congressional election ithe
would only drop the silver issue and con
fine himself to anti-expansion and the
trusts: but Mr. Ottendorfer warned him
that tho rcadoptlon of tho Chicago plat
form would deprive him of the support
Of that class.
Mr. Bryan has written a friend in Wash
ington to explain that, while he has the
highest respect for Mr. Dttendorfer, In
order to follow the advice of that gentle
man It would be necessary to repudiate
his most sacred obligation to the people,
and he would rather suffer defeat than
betray them In that very particular. Colo
nel Bryan argues that the enactment of
the gold-standard currency law last month
does not alter the eternal principles of
the Democratic party nor permit It to de
part from Its plain duty. The people de
mand cheap, silver money, and he will
continue to proclaim their demands from
the. housetop, no matter what legislation
tho Republican party may enact In oppo
sition to their wishes, ft may be true,
as asserted, that the political composition
of tho United States Senate will prevent
any legislation In the direction of free
coinage for six years, but. If the Demo
cratic party docs its duty on tho stum?
and at the polls, this Republican majority
will be reduced year y year and finally
tho legislation referred to may be re
pealed. "It Is not p"Ible for tho Dem
ocrats to promote tho free colnnge of sil
ver by tho abandonment of tho Chicago
platform," Mr. Bryan says, and theiefore
ho will continue to stand by It.
a
The Net Result of a Sensation.
Baltimore Sum
After all the hue and cry raised In New
York In regard to Olga Xethersole's pro
duction of "Sapho." the actress has been
acquitted of the charge of assisting In un
Immoral and Indecent performance, and
"Sapho" has been virtually declared by
the same verdict not to be an Improper
play. Thus both the play and the actress
have received not only an advertisement
that Is worth many thousands ot dollars
to them, but the judicial Indorsement of
respectability a legal whitewashing which,
while not detracting rrom its dramatic
piquancy, will make. It more dangerous
than It could ever have been otherwise
by giving it a positive certificate of char
acter. The net result of the indiscreet
zeal which has been displayed In this case
has been to stimulate sales of the book on
which tho drama is based, to increase In
terest in the play and the actress, and
generally pander to morbid tastes and
unhealthy curiosity.
Where to Meet Them.
Philadelphia North American.
"I understand the Irish people are much
dissatisfied at tho Queen's visit to Ire
land."
"Why so?"
"If she really wishes to make up to the
Irish the feeling Is general that she should
visit the United States."
Promotion.
Chicago Tribune.
"So that's General Fullgore, Is It? If 1
remember rightly, everybody used to call
him Colonel."
"Yesi. but that was before he gave the
town a big barbecue at his own expense.
He's General Fullgore now."
Appreciation
Philadelphia Press.
He What a splendid girl you are. Do
you really think there is another person
in this Yiorld as Jollyas you are?
She Oh! I don't know. I may be a Jolly
individual, but I think you're a jollier.
Depressing
Chicago Record.
Citizen So your star wouldn't play be
cause she was 111?
Manager That's It. and I guess if you
had seen the box-office receipts you'd
have been indisposed, too.
i
Perilous Path to Fame,
Detroit Free Press.
She Why don't you do something to win
wealth and cloryT
He I would, but I'm afraid if I go to
Cape Nome I'll freeze to death, and if I go
to 0ha.EhlUy'," I'll Tot snob
VERNONIAN ASSIMILATION.
Newspaper readers who keep tab on the
poetry niche in the dallies have been ask
ing a good fleal about a bard signing
himself iJie Vernon In several ntws
papers and periodicals throughout the
country. Mr. Vernon halls from British
Columbia. It Is upon the extrenfe western
shore, where the quick, fresh ocean
breezes and salt air are supposed to de
velop the highest kind of poetic inspira
tion, that Mr. Vernon holds star-chambet
sessions with the muse. She seemed to be
all right until lateiy. when she became
afflicted with "unconscious assimilation."
As a poet the British Columbia scribe
seems to be making a strong bid for the
laureateshlp. Through his effusions there
have appeared at times some 'scintillating
lines that Suggested genius.
At least, there were a few editors who
thought so. The editor of Leslie's Weekly
was one. of them. He accepted a poem
entitled "The Peacemaker." It was pr.nted
this week, credited to Mr. Vernon.
But. notwithstanding "The Peacemaker"
reproduced In The Oregonan yesterday
is good, it has been discovered the piece
is not original. The theme is literally
cribbed from a much older poem, which
Is found in McGuffey's Fourth Reader, re
vised edition, copyrighted in 1S79. The
poem was then titled "The Dying Soldier."
Faith In Mr. Lue Vernon's original in
Epilation is badly shaken after a compari
son with the following verses. First Is
Mr. Vernon's version:
The dying1 lips the pardon breathe.
The dying hands entwine; ,.
The last rar dies, and over all
The stars from heaven shine.
The little girl with golden hair.
And one with dark eyes bright.
On Hampshire's Celds and sandy plain
Were fatherless that night.
The last stanza of "The Dying Soldier"
reads:
The dying lips the pardon breathe.
The dying hands entwine;
The last ray dies, and over all
The stars from heaven shine;
And the little girl with golden hair.
And one with dark eyes bright.
On Hampshire's hills, and Georgia's plain.
Were fatherless that night!
For some time past Lue Vernon has
been detected in the act of pirating the
work of others and passing it off as his
own. It was comparatively safe so long as
he confined his robbing to fugitive poems
and the many inglorious Mlltons who
wrote years ago. But growing bolder he
began to Improve and add to the thoughts
of the Immortals themselves, by changing
the text here and there and supplying
a different tlUe.
A San Francisco dramatic paper a few
weeks ago convicted Vernon of palming
off as original a piece which, upon lnves
tlgatlon, was found in Longfellow's
poems. The editor, fearing a refreshed
version of "Gray's Elegy" might come
next, called tho literary carpenter and pur
lolner to order In no complimentary man
ner. The exposure did not deter Vernon
from accrediting "The Peacemaker" to
himself, and also "The Old Band." which
was reeentlv nubllshed In Eastern papers.
Here Is the complete poem from Mc
Guffey's Reader which bears ? o striking a
resemblance to the plagiarist's "The
Peacemaker":
The DylriK Soldier.
(From McGulfy's Fourth Reader
A waste of land, a sodden plain.
A lurid sunset sky.
With clouds that lied and faded fast
In ghostly phantasy;
A Held upturned by trampling eet.
A field upplled with slain.
With horse and rider blent In death
Upon the battle plain.
The dying and the dead He low;
For them, no more shall rise
The evening moon, nor midnight stars.
Nor daylight's soft surprise:
They will not wake to tenderest call.
Nor see again each home.
Where watting hearts shall throb and break.
When this day's tidings come.
Two soldiers, lying as they fell
Upon the reddened clay
In daytime, foes; at night. In peace
Breathing their lives away!
Brave hearts had stirred each manly breast:
Fate only made them foes;
And lying, dying, side by side,
A softened feeling rose.
"Our time Is short." one faint voice said;
"Today we've done our best
On different sides: what matters nowt
Tomorrow we shall rest!
Life lies behind. I might not care
For only my own sake;
But far away are other hearts.
That this daya woi will break.
"Among New Hampshire's snowy hills,
There pray for me tonight
A woman and a little girl
With hair like golden light;"
And at the thought, broke forth, at last.
The cry ot anguish wild.
That would not longer be repressed
"O God. my wife, my child!"
"And." said the other dying man,
"Across the Georgia plain.
There watch and v. alt for one loved ones
I ne'er shall see again:
A little girl, with dark, bright eyes.
Each day waits at the door;
Her father's step, her father's kiss.
Villi never greet her more.
"Today we sought each other's lives:
Death levels all that now;
For soon before God's mercy-seat
Together we shall bow.
Forgive each other while, we may;
Life's but a weary game.
. And right or wrong, the morning sua
Will find us, dead, the same."
The dying lips the pardon breathe.
The dying hands entwine; .
The last ray fades, and over all
Tho stars from heaven shine;
And tho little girl with golden hair.
And one with dark eyes bright.
On Hampshire's hills, and Georgia's plain.
Were fatherless that nlghtl
And here is Vernon's:
The Peacemaker.
Lue Vernon In Leslie's Weekly.
Two soldiers, lying as they fell
Upon the reddened clay
In daytime foes; at night In peace
Breathing their lives away.
Brave hearts had stirred each manly breast.
Fate only made them foes.
And. lying, dying, side by side,
A softened feeling rose.
"Our time Is short." one faint voice said;
Today we've done our best
On different sides. What matters now?
Tomorrow we're at rest.
Life lies behind; I might not care
For only my own sake.
But far awa) are other hearts
That this day's work will break.
"Among old Hampshire's pleasant fields
There pray for me tonight
A woman and a little girl
With hair like golden light"
And at that thought broke forth at last
Tho cry of anguish wild
That would no longer be repressed.
"Oh. God. my wife and child!"
"And," said the other dying man.
"Across the sandy plain
There watch and wait for me loved ones
I'll never see again.
A little girl, with dark, bright eyes.
Each day waits at the door;
The father's step, the father's kiss.
Will never meet her more.
Today we sought each other's lives;
Death levels all that now.
For soon before God's mercy scat
Together v.e shall bow.
Forgive each other while we may;
Lite's but a weary game.
And. right or wrong, the morning sun
Will find us dead, the same."
The dying lips tho pardon breathe.
The dying hands entwine;
The last ray dies, and over all
The stars from heaven shine;
The little girl with golden hair.
And ono with dark eyes bright.
On Hampshire's fields and sandy plain.
Were fatherless that night.
The discovery of Mr. Vernon's latest ex
ploit was made here yesterday by Mr.
John F. Logan, the lawyer, who remem
bered the poem as one he used to recite
as a schoolboy, years ago. He found the
old McGuffey Reader, after something ol
a search. In woond.hand bookstore
K0TB AND COMMENT.
There is no doubt that the D:mccrat3)
need a doctor.
Some people swallow a ticket and others
bolt It. It usually asrees better with thes'
former.
Agulnaldo may not bo very wise, but
be hesn't express:d any willingness to run
for President.
Is "Bobs" going to remain in South Af
rica till he witnesses the ob-equles ot his
own repu:at!on?
As the British will learn ons of theses
days, it Is a safe rule never to crow till
you're out of tho woods.
Joubert and CronJe were great Generals
no doubt, but the Boers seem to be doing
pretty well without them.
Each noted hero ot tho war
Now hufVics home apace.
That he may be here to get In
Tho Presidential race.
Quay may be thankful that the lc: mn
manages to be popular, nlthough bo Is
obliged to stay on the co'd outside.
General Dcwet fought a fight.
And General Dewet won It,
And after this It's only right
To call htm General Dono It.
If the Democrats continue their present
tactics and postpone nominations, the
candidates when chcccn will find the elec
tion is all over.
Statistics embracing production, de
mand, price and" profit show that the
Southern iron and steel industry has
never been so prosperous as It Is today
Tho mills. In their orders, are from six:
to twelve months ahead of their output,
and In conjunction with this condition it
Is Impossible to meet the foreign demands,
for coal. Skilled labor Is at a premium,
and tfcose mills which have enough aro
running night and day.
A writer In one of the monthly mognv
zlnes asserts that the wickedness of tho
Paris boulevards Is foreign, and not na
tive. This etatement does the French
capital an Injustice. Doubtless a good
deal of Imported wickedness, displays It
self on the Paris boulevards, but It Is ab
surd to pretend that the Parisians them
selves are not very generous contributors
to the display. The magazine writer In
question may not be aware ot the fact.
but a good deal of the old Adam survives
In the heart of the average Frenchman.
New York Is getting such large sums
from Inheritance taxes that the general
tax rate for state purposes has been ma
terially reduced. This has proved to be a
productive source of revenue In most ot
thetstates which have adopted It, but the
tax on Inheritances Is much smaller in tnis
country than it la In Europe, as Is illus
trated by tho case of George Smith, the
man who accumulated a fortune In the
banking business In Chicago, which he
greatly Increased In New York, and. later.
moved to London. The State of New York
collected $1,934,753 from his estate, and the
government of England collected from it
$3,000,000.
In purchasing the Holland boat, the
Navy Department has acquired what is
generally regarded as the nearest ap
proach to a solution of the problem ot
submarine, navigation. This vessel has
been subjected to the most rigorous tests
by naval experts, and. while the results
have not been uniformly satisfactory, it
is agreed that the Invention embodies
principles which, with further develop
ment, may lead to the construction ot
submarine torpedo-boats of extraordinary
efficiency in naval operations. Perhaps
the most striking testimony to Its value
is that of Admiral Dewey, who declares
that. If the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay
had Included two or three vessels like
tho Holland. It might have prevented his
entrance Into those waters.
Tuberculosis, it Is said, has increased
more than SO per cent in certain district?
of Norway within the last 30 years, and
this despite the Invigorating cold of tha
Norwegian clime and the hardy physiques
of the Norwegian people. Statistics also
show a steady gain in the number ot
deaths from consumption In Sweden, Rus
sia and Northern countries generally,
while In more Southern territories con
sumption is seldom seen. This condition
of affairs eventually may mean that the I
Northern peoples will be compelled to mi
grate south In order to preserve their very
existence, and that the tropical regions,
now held as mere unprolUablo colonies,
will become Fcento of life, commerce and
civilization, and all through the havoc
made by tuberculosis in the temperate
and frigid zones.
s
A Tnx on rtorrowem.
Springfield Republican.
Tho mortgage tax bill has been killed In
tho New York Legislature. Along with it
also goes tho whole scheme of abolishing
the state tax and raising all state revenues
from sources independent of the local
property tax lists. Opposition to a state
tax on mortgages came chiefly from vested
interests, but the consideration as well
had to be fared that tho tax In the end
would find Its way to tUe pocket of tha
borrower, rather than to that of ttta
lender.
i e
Damocles.
Sidney Lanier.
My soul Is sailing through the sea.
But the past Is heavy, and hlndreth me.
The path hath crusted, cumbrous shells
That hold the flesh of cold sea-mells
About my rout.
The hugs waves wash, the high wave roll.
Each barnacle cllngeth and workcth dolo
And hlndreth me from sailing!
Old Past, let go. and drop 1' the sea.
Till fathomless waters coier thee!
For I am lit leg. but thou art d-iul;
Thou drawest back, I strive ahead
The day to find.
Thy shells unbind! Night comes behind,
I needs must hurry with tho wind
And trim roc best for railing.
The Old Quarrel.
8. E. Ktser In Chicago Times-Herald.
We loitered rhere strains of glad mu!c
Met the breath of the roso In the air.
The yean bad been kind since we pnrted;
Still, still she was girlish and fair;
We had gone from each other in anger
That night In the long, long ao
I was wrong and was ready to own It
The lights glimmered softly and low.
I caught her gloved hand and I held it:
"Forgive me." I cried, "you were right.
And I was coward for saying
The things I said to you that night!
She thought tor a moment and asked ma.
Half under her breath, half aloud:
"What was It you said? I've forgotten"
And then we strolled back to the crowd.
i m '
Delicatessen.
The buzzing of the delegate
Is heard within the land.
He is the same old reprobate.
Tou no'er can understand.
Ho scarce can write cr punctuate.
But on the street doth stand
And lie unto the candidate
And shake Mm by tha band.
But no kick hath the candidate.
For. with a look as bland.
Some hopeful politician's fata
He. too. full ott hath planned.
He. too. hath lied at the same rata.
He. too, Tata hopes tath fanned.
And written with touch delicate
His promts la the rand.
"rtaflrtflD Or. -"TrtrrFoiltlcs.
; - KWiifc,',. -etfSfttS
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