,-,s? - - ? sppwr mptFrw
pp
THE MORNING' OEEGONIAN, TTEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1900.
te segomcoi
&t the Postofflce at Portland. Oregon, as
second-class matter.
TELEPHONES.
Mortal Rooms.... 1 GC I Business Office 067
REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
Br Mall (bostate nrenald). In Advane-
Dutlr. with Sunday. pr Tnonth $0 85
uir, fcunc&r excepted, per jear 7 to
illr. with Sunday, ner year 9 00
Bnadiy, per year 2 00
rh Weeklr. oer rear. 1 50
The Weekly. 3 months Cu
To City Subscribers
Xteilr. per week. dellv ered. Sundays excented.lBc
Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lncluded-20c
Jews or discussion intended for publication in
The Oregonian should be addressed invariably
"Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name of
ear1 Individual. Letters relating- to advertising.
subscriptions cr to any business matter should
be Aodrefleefl simply "The Oregonlan."
The Oregonlan does not buy poems or stories
I from individuals, and cannot undertake to re
Iturn any manuscripts sent to it without sollclta-
Ition. No stamps should be inclosed for this pur-
IPOBS.
Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson,
Bee at 1111 Pacinc avenue, Tacoma. Box 955,
iTaeoma Postofflce.
Eastern Business Ofllce Tlie Tribure building.
Kew Tork city; "The Rockery," Chicago; the
C. Beckwith special agency, New York.
For sale In San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. 745
IVark't street, near the Palace hotel, and at
&Msmlth Bros.. 23G Sutter street.
For sale in Chlcaco by the P. O. News Co.,
IT Dearborn trret.
TODAY'S WEATHER. Gnrnllv fair and
continued warm weather; northerly winds.
M
pOKTIjA?fD, "WEDNESDAY, MAY 30
The voice of a portion of the country
iress is violent in denunciation of Mult-
aprnah County because its registration
tends color to their theory that illegit
imate votes swelled the KeDUblican
lajority here in 1896. There are grave
sasons for fearing that the portion of
the country press aforesaid is mis-
iken in its premises. The probabili
ties re that more legitimate votes -were
loefc through absenteeism than illeglti-
late votes were gained through fraud.
Jut that is not material. If illegiti
mate votes were cast in 189C or 1898, and
!he registration law is going to keep
them out, The Oregonian has no senti-
IWient but regret and shame for the
?rlor wrong, and xejoiclng for the sub-
iequent rectification. If McKinley -was
jected through fraud. The Oregonians
Bhare in the plunder has so far failed
to materialize, and any other prize de
pendent upon illegitimate voting has so
far failed to come Into its possession.
as to the registry law, Also, we have
Rot yet ascertained the precise cause
for regret at any purification of our
politics it may be the means of intro
ducing. The Oregonian has lived to see
the Australian ballot and the registry
late come in, partly, it is persuaded,
through its efforts. It hopes yet to see
popular election of Senators and direct
primary nominations of candidates.
The reforms ahead The Oregonian will
support as heartily as It has those al
ready secured. But it neither expects
nor cares for recognition of this sup
port on the part of its numerous and
uneasy critics. From them, doubtless.
is human nature is very set in its way,
It will receive continued misrepresenta
tion and complaint. It would be a
physical impossibility to please these
creatures. It would also be a moral
degradation.
Persons who have been clamorous for
pnunlcipal reform have a candidate pre-
"to their mind in Mr. Devlin, Re-
Ipjibllcan nominees for Auditor. As the
(author of publications on American
municipal affairs, Mr. Devlin has a Na
tional reputation, and to his theoretical
studies he Joins long experience in
practical municipal work. If Mr. Dev
lin Is elected Auditor, as he is reason
ably certain to be, Portland may look
forward Xo dome celebrity as a reform
city. It is doubtful if the city contains
a. more ideal man for Auditor than Mr.
evlin.
Woman ought to have her rights.
jlA.nd so should man. But in the prog
ress of women toward the things that
some -women desire there must be some
halting-place. The question Is where to
stop. Mrs. Stanton wouldn't stop short
of suffrage and easy divorce. She re
gards it as tyranny that a woman
should be denied the right to vote and
the right to be divorced at will to
marry whomsoever she prefers. Xiest
we do her and her cause an Injustice,
iere Is what she said about the refusal
of Dr. Morgan, of New York, to marry
divorced woman:
He had no right whatever to refuse to marrf
those ppople. They were both of an age to
Know their own minds land before the civil law
perfectly eligible for marriage. The canon law
3a no right to step in to prevent their mar
fre. ... The bishops of the Episcopal
Church are today the greatest enemies oi
progressive women. These bishops hae op-
. posed all progressive movements for the past
Q years. They are against co-education, suf
frage, and. in fact, even thing that tends to
ilooten their hold upon their female parlshlon
rB. It Is these bishops who aro advocating
tho National divorce law. which will prevent
cornea taking advantage of the freer laws of
the "Western States, whero women are more in
power. The easy divorce states of the West are
today to woman what Canada was to the slave.
Mrs. Stanton, of course, has the right
to her opinion. In which, however, few
will share. Numerous suffragists, no
doubt, will repudiate her view of dl-
vorce, -while sharing her antipathy to
tho opposition of bishops to female
suffrage. But it is worth reflection how
iar the "rights" of woman should be
extended in the direction of freedom
from conventional restrictions. Per-
iaps suffrage Is the safest place to stop.
The growing difficulty of securing ap
propriations for the Columbia River
readers it Important that a man should
be. kept in Congress from the Second
District w hose interest in the Improve
ment of the river is such that he will
push continuously and persistently for
the means to do the work. This is one
f the many reasons why Mr. Moody
iould be returned. He has been Inter-
tsted In the Improvement of the Co
ilumbia for years. He lives at The
telles, and has considerable property
Interests depending upon the prosper
ity land development of the Columbia
lJUver region. He may be expected to
rhow special diligence In looking after
appropriations for the river, as his rec
ord shows he has already done. To
keep him at his post would be an act
of wisdom by the voters of the Second
I restrict
The main railway line, north and
south, from Cape Cqlony to Rhodesia,
iklrta the western border of the Orange
je State and makes connection with
u Transvaal cities by a line from De
Junction to Naauwpoort, which at
lat point Joins a line which runs
lorthward through the Free State from
ort Elizabeth, on the coast. At
lgfonteln, in the Orange Free
Is the junction of the Port Eliza-i
,-tfie with another which has East
snuon for a port of entry. Northward
Dm Springlontein this line traverses
the Free State, and so reaches Johan
nesburg and Pretoria. Along this line
Lord Roberts main army is advancing.
There are two direct routes to the
TranBvaal from the East Coast. From
Durban, in Natal, a line runs north
west to Ladysmith, crosses the Drak
ensberg Mountains through a tunnel at
Doing's Nek, and reaches Pretoria via
Johannesburg by a line 520 miles In
length. The Delagoa Bay line for sev
enty miles traverses Portuguese terri
tory; the balance, 290 miles, is in the
Cransvaal. At Komatlpoort the border
is crossed.
MEMORIAL DAY.
Once again the organ swells.
Once more the flags are half-way hung,
And once again the mournful bells
Through all our steeple towers are rung.
Wbittler.
Obedient to custom that had its foun
dation in patriotic gratitude, and that
was baptized In its formative years in
the tears of multitudes bereft by war,
our people, in common with those of a
wide area of our National domain, will
visit their cemeteries today, and, re
turning, leave their dead asleep under
a mantle of flowers.
The order establishing Memorial day
and designating May 30 as the date was
originally intended to apply only to the
graves of soldiers "comrades who died
in defense of their country during the
late rebellion, whose bodies He in al
most every city, village and hamlet
churchyard In the country," as stated
In the order of General John A. Logan
of May 5, 1868, establishing the custom.
Its application to other graves followed
in the most natural manner, and the
growth of the custom was so rapid that
within a few years it was almost uni
versal, and Decoration day was made
a legal holiday In thirty-four states of
the Union. In the" very nature of
things a legal holiday Is a day regarded
by. the multitude as an occasion for
recreation, entertainment and games.
This being true, it is not strange that
the mournful suggestions which over
shadowed the first Memorial day have
no place in the thoughts of a vast ma
jority of the people who will observe
the day today, but that to these
it Is a grand gala day, dedicated to
pleasure according to the general inter
pretation of this term. Many, to be
sure very many since
There is no fireside, howso'er defended.
But has one vacant chair,
regard the day in the spirit of devo
tion and remembrance in which, in a
past era, it was dedicated, and of these
thousands will visit cemeteries today
and, departing, leave tributes of affec
tion upon the graves of the unforgotten
dead. This is well, since the act has
taken the form of duty, and which in
no other way could be so appropriately
discharged, and of affection, which in
no other way could be so tenderly ex
pressed. But after all, we would not have the
multitude in tears upon this day. In
the nature of things It Is impossible to
Impress people of a later generation,
who feel no sense of personal loss in the
great swaths mowed in the ranks of
men by the enginery of war, in the
great Rebellion, with a sense of be
reavement. These silent hosts have
taken their places In history; they are,
except to a few, relatively speaking,
as the other silent hosts that In all ages
of the world have gone Into battle and
come not out again. Though still re
vered for their brave deeds, the period
of mourning for them has passed, so
far as the later generation that has
followed them Is concerned. To regret
this Is vain; to censure those who make
merry on this day, folly. Det each ob
serve the day as he or she w 111 or may,
interpreting It as a lesson In mortality,
an opportunity for recreation or a trib
ute day to memory, and, having turned
aside briefly from the routine of life,
take up its duties again on the morrow,
soothed or invigorated according to the
individual need or desire.
THEOLOGY'S STORM CENTER.
"Those theologians who saw God only
in the unusual, the arbitrary and the
Inexplicable have been fighting a los
ing battle for four hundred years," said
Professor E. E. Slosson, of the Univer
sity of "Wyoming, in discussing recently
the attack on the "Westminster Confes
sion; "they have been successively
driven by the advance of human knowl
edge from astronomy to physics, to
chemistry, to biology, to psychology,
and can no longer hold their last po
sition. They denied God had anything
to do with phenomena that were uni
form and comprehensible, and so their
God, who could only exist in darkness
and chaos, is being gradually driven
from the universe."
This is as plain and succinct a state
ment of the evolution of the religious
Idea from the central point of a cre
ative and governing power as could
well be put In a few words. The story
of the creation of the world in six days,
confronted by the testimony of the
rocks, showing the formative processes
of millions of years, goes down before
the developed Intelligence of mankind.
The declaration that man was created
pure And holy a perfect being, molded
by the hands of God from clay and
placed in a position' where a fall from
the favor of his Maker was inevitable,
and that, as the old distich has it
In Adam's fall
We slnn'd all.
Has given place in reasoning minds"
from which inquiry has swept the mists
of theology to the view that man has
come up from smaU and insignificant
beginnings to his present state, and to
the reasonable belief that even In this
world he will. In accordance with the
uniform and universal laws of growth,
attain to still greater heights in intel
lectual development.
In the presence of these facts and
beliefs, old theologies weaken; disinte
gration sets in, and the revision of
creeds which conflict with them is de
manded. Patched Confessions of Faith,
modified tenets of belief, are demanded
and revised. If haply they be allowed,
the crumbling process may be stayed
for a time by the stiffening that the
new veneering gives, but without elim
inating the disintegrating forces that
still ply the hammer of inquiry, and
set the spirit level of justice within.
The "Presbyterian Church is the pres
ent rallying point of inquiry, the dis
turbed theological center, besieged by
men of thought who demand the elim
ination of doctrines at variance with
an intelligent conception of a God in
whom, there is "no variableness, neither
shadow of turning" the guiding princi
ple of whose universe is love. This
great theological body cannot grind
with water that Is past. It is doubtful
if revision will now satisfy. The old
creed, unchanged in its dogmatic as
sertions, may well be loyally recog
nised as a conscientious expression of
the faith of its makers, honored for the
place it so long held in the sincere re-
gards of Its followers, and set aside to
make way for a new and simple creed
which will secure the indorsement as it
will meet the spiritual needs of the
Presbyterians of a new era, on the
basis of divine love. Divine wrath has
had its day as the fundamental point
in belief. Divine love has supplanted
it, and sooner or later the creeds
around which church organization ral
lies will have to conform to the change.
THE PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE.
The President's constitutional politi
cal weakness is responsible largely for
the Cuban frauds. He was fairly fore
warned by Secretary of "War Root, who,
in his annual report, recognized the
demands of the situation when he said
regarding the government of Cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines, that,
wherever it should be necessary to em
ploy Americans, "a system of civil
service examinations should be provid
ed." The law under which the com
petitive system was established in Jan
uary, 1883, removed all difficulty about
following the recommendation of the
Secretary of "War. An order by the
President would have been sufficient to
set the needed system in operation, for
the civil service act provides for the
establishment "of open competitive ex
aminations for testing the fitness of ap
plicants for the public service now clas
sified or to be classified hereafter."
As soon as we assumed the govern
ment of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines, the merit system at once ought
to have been adopted. The responsibil
ity for failing to extend the scope of
the competitive system rests with the
President, who is expressly authorized
to prescribe such regulations for the
admission of persons into the civil
service of the United States as may
best promote the efficiency thereof. The
President had only to request the as
sistance of the Civil Service Commis
sion in framing the new rules required
for the new conditions in Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines, and the sys
tem of civil service examination rec
ommended by Secretary of "War Root
would have been provided at the start.
But the President, Instead of regard
ing the impartial system of competitive
examinations, urged by Mr. Root, fol
lowed the advice of Postmaster-General
Smith and made the selections "with
out academic examination, based on
tried service and personal knowledge,"
and the 'result is a group of, suspended
or indicted officials, which includes a
man who, after having proved a de
faulter in Porto Rico, obtained a place
in the postal service of Cuba. The Ad
ministration has been smirched by an
ugly scandal through the President's
constitutional disposition to allow the
politicians to treat the subordinate of
fices In our government of Cuba and
Porto Rico as so much professional
spoil.
IN THE FIRST DISTRICT.
Tongue's defeat would be a serious
setback to the First Congressional Dis
trict Three years of service has ac
quainted him with the resources and
needs of that division of the state, and
he has represented its Interests with
fidelity and ability. He has given spe
cial energy to the work of obtaining
appropriations for harbor Improve
ments at Coos, Tillamook and Yaqulna
Bays, for Yamhill locks and for public
buildings, to increase of the number of
postoffices and the mall service, to leg
islation pensioning the Indian War
Veterans, and many other matters. If
Dr. Daly should be elected, he would
need two, and possibly three, terms to
equip himself for competent labor. The
district would be the loser to the ex
tent of the time Dr. Daly would require
to educate himself to the needs of his
constituents. If it is willing to take
this risk It should send Daly to Con
gress;' if not, it would better re-elect
Tongue as a reward for efficiency.
Aside from the local aspect of the
contest. National Issues are involved.
On the one side we ha,ve Tongue, gold
standard advocate and expansionist;
and on the other, Daly, sllverite and
contractionist. Tongue stands for in
telligence and progression; Daly, cred
ulity and retrogression. Daly's plat
form demands the "free and unre
stricted coinage of silver and gold at
the present legal ratio of 16 to 2, with
out waiting for the consent of foreign
nations." Tongue supported the new
currency law, and in a speech in the
House December 15, 1899, declared that
the "value of silver is so completely
changing, so often fluctuating, that the
whole civilized world recognises the
value of maintaining the gold stand
ard." Daly's platform eohoes Colonel
Bryan's whine that occupation of the
Philippines endangers our Constitution
and that we would better pull down our
flag, withdraw and set up a protecto
rate. Tongue has a patriotic Ameri
can's faith in the life, strength and en
durance of his country, and condemns
"those timid souls who constantly fear
and predict the overthrow of our lib
erties and the final collapse of our in
stitutions." Tongue represents in the
highest degree the new idea, a result of
the Spanish War, American commercial
exploitation in Asia. "Somewhere," he
says, "we must obtain new markets,
somewhere new outlets for our produc
tions. The only remaining field is the
Asiatic countries. . . . They (the
Asiatics) are Just beginning to eat -the
food and. wear the clothing of civilized
people. As that development increases,
their wants will Increase, their trade
and commerce will increase, and it is
important, extremely Important, that
we should be prepared to take hold and
defend our share of it. No other power
must be permitted to close those ports
to our commerce. This will be our most
natural sphere." Open the doors of
Asia to the lumber, flour, fruit, etc.,
of the Pacific States, and the ports of
the Pacific Coast to the rice, silk, to
bacco, etc., of Asia, and you have
Tongue? close Asia against the Pacific
Coast and the- Pacific Coast against
Asia, and you have Daly.
Tongue's re-election ought not to be a
matter of doubt. The First District has
been redeemed from Populism, the
Bryanlte Democracy and silver. Let it
not be trapped in the new 16 to 1 net
which Dr. Daly has set out with an
anti-expansion bait to catch the timid
and credulous.
THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.
Senator Hawley, of Connecticut, cor
rectly defines the qualifications for the
office of Vice-President when he says:
"The candidate for Vice-President
ought to be one whom the party would
be perfectly willing to have for Presi
dent." This sound rule was observed
in the selection of John Adams and
Thomas Jefferson as Vice-Presidents.
It was violated in the case of Aaron
Burr, who, while Intellectually equal to
the Presidential succession, was so
greatly distrusted as a politician that
Alexander Hamilton, who hated Jeffer-
son most cordially, absolutely ieamd
Burr as a dark, dangerous man, a pos
sible political conspirator. George Clin
ton was an able man, but neither El
brldge Gerry nor Danied D. Tompkins
were men of Ideal qualifications for tlie
Presidential succession. John C. Cal
houn .and Martin Van Boren were fully
equal to the responsibilities and duties
of the Presidency, had they devolved
upon them through the death of Jack
son. Richard M. Johnson, John Tyler,
George M. Dallas, Mlllajd Fillmore,
"William B, King, John C. Breckinridge,
Hannibal Hamlin, Andrew Johnson,
Schuyler Colfax, Henry "Wilson, "Will
iam" A. Wheeler, Levi P. Morton and
Adlal B. Stevenson were none of them
men of bright record for solid, superior
ability as statesmen, although with tha
exception of Andrew Johnson they were
all equal to a decent, dignified, respect
able discharge of the duties of Preal
dent Mr. Johnson had good abilities,
but his temper, aggravated by his in
temperate habits, sometimes made his
Judicious friends grieve. "When Chester
A. Arthur was elected Vice-Presldfint
he was not rated higher than a well
bred, handsome man, and an astute
manager of party polities' in New York
City. Mr. Arthhr exceeded in his ad
ministration of the office of President
the most sanguine expectation of his
friends; for he b6re his unlooked-for
responsibilities with admirable dignity
and discharged his duties with superior
ability and wisdom. Thomas A. Hen
dricks was an able and accomplished
man, and Vice-President Hobart was
about the quality of President Arthur,
an able man of business and of politi
cal affairs.
There is no lack of strong men in the
Republican party from whom to select
a candidate for Vice-President who
would be fully equal to the Presidential
succession, but as a rule strong men
with any promising political future do
not care for the office of Vice-President.
If the choice of the convention
should fall upon John D. Long, of Mas
sachusetts, the country would secure
for the Presidential succession the
ablest and most accomplished man in
the President's Cabinet. He has been
the most eloquent and convincing
champion of McKInley's Administra
tion, and is bound to the President by
close ties of affectionate personal
friendship, which existed prior to Mc
KInley's election and has grown "with
the life of their official relations. Out
side of Governor Long, the leading men
named as possible nominees for the
Vice-Presidency include Governor
Shaw and Representative Dolllver, of
Iowa; Senator Cullom, of Illinois, and
Senator Fairbanks, of Indiana. Gov
ernor Shaw, of Iowa, is next to John
D. Long in his ability and forceful
quality as a public man.
A number of houses on the East Side
have been entered recently in the most
audacious manner, and articles of
value, chiefly jewelry, abstracted.
There is yet no clew to the thieves who
are so successfully plying their -vocation.
Householders should for their
own protection be more careful in the
bestowal about their premises of their
watches, gold chains, revolvers, opera
glasses and like readily movable arti
cles. It Is manifestly unsafe to leave
such things lying upon bureaus or in
chiffonier or sideboard drawers, yet
most people take the chances every day
and night until the thief discovers their
delinquency, when they make proverb
ial haste to "lock the stable door after
the horse is stolen." Light-fingered
gentry may not be more numerous in
the city at present than usual, but,
like the poor1, they are always with us.
and simple prudence requires that we
keep our movable property of the kind
easily converted into cash where at
least it cannot readily be picked up by
the sneakthief.
Mr. H. E. Dosch is right. The prune
growers of Oregon ought to have a
share of the difference between the
price of Oregon dried prunes here and
in the markets of the Middle West and
East. This manifestly can only be se
cured through organization, and the
systematic methods employed for mu
tual protection. When a man single
handed enters the market with the
product of his prune orchard and drier,
he abandons in so doing all reasonable
prospect of profit on his crop. Mar-;
kets even local markets are not sup
plied by haphazard methods, but ac
cording to fixed laws of trade.
Among radical departures from old
time practices the Methodist Confer
ence did not make was the abolition of
the injunction against card-playing.
But the limit was nevertheless taken
off pastorates. Theaters, too, continue
under the ban. This does not impose
so much hardship as "the ostracised
young persons might imagine, if the
modern playhouse is the test.
Trans-Atlantic travel Is reported not
all it was expected to be. The reanon
is that the Paris exposition is not all
It ought to be. Here is a perfectly
plain case of cause and effect that
ought to satisfy even the critical
French.
A Eugene Fusion paper complained
because Governor Geer, in his late
speech there, talked mostly about the
gold standard and 16 to 1. Why so sen
sitive? Towne might also be placed in the
hands of his friends for the Philadel
phia Vice-Presidential nomination.
Towne is wlllin'er than Barkis.
Cashier Hoyt ought to feel serene
about the outlook. Whatever happens,
lie will have that bank job left.
Ex-Governor Taylor has gone into
the life insurance business. Staying
out of Kentucky politics Is his best pol
icy. In a Qnandary.
New York Tribune.
The number and variety of knives and
forks that now grace a well equipped and
formal dinner table may well dismay one
unused to such variegated display of cut
lery and silver. There are forks for the
oysters, for the fish and for the roast,
and forks as well for anything else that
may be served. There are also knives to
correspond to the forks that may be
needed. These implements that social
convention decrees io be necessary to
convey .food to the mouth are usually laid
out in formidable rows on either side ot
the plate. The other evening a simple
Western maiden at her first Eastern din
ner, surveyed her supply of knives -and
forks with growing trepidation. Hsr
common sens told her that they were laid
out in the regular order In which It was
Intended that they should be used, but
nothing In her, experience had taught heir
which was the right end of the row to
start in with. Finally, in despair, she
sought help from her next-door neighbor,
a prominent physician. "Say, Doc," she
questioned anxiously, as she pointed at
the offending objects, "do you eat out or
tar
STATE 0"rXERSHIP OF RAILROADS.
Evidence Frea Germany of Oae of
Its Alternative Result.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
The following extract from a Berlin let
ter in the New York Evening Post should
furnish food for reflection to that class
of the population who insist upon the
Government ownership of railways:
Among the main receipts of the Prussian Gov
ernment Is the annual surplus from operating
the state railways. This amount has been ns-
lag year after year, and this time It amounts
to 4563,000,000. One of the. peculiar features
of the Income is that it remains outside parlia
mentary control. Tha Prussian Government
has, by fair means and foul, managed to either
buy up or control a number of competing rail
ways outside of Prussia, In neighboring Ger
man states, and at present the intention Is said
to be to gain control In some way of the Baden
and .part of the Bavarian State railways, and
advances have also been made to the Wurtem
berr railways. There Is, however, a strong
current of popular sentiment against such an
arrangement In South Germany, as experience
has shown that Prussian State proprietorship
of railways means the reverse of progress In
managing these roads and in dealing with the
traveling1 public In fact, the Prussian Minis
ter of Railways, Thlelen, recently pronounced
It as his settled policy to grant no reduction In
fares or freight charges, both of which are
exorbitantly high, freights being from three to
four times as high as on American roads, and
fares twice as high as in Austria-Hungary,
and three times as high as In Russia.
The consequences of Government owner
ship are almost certain to be one of two
extremes. In the Prussian case the man
agement has been conducted ably with
reference to the profits to the state. Tilth
the result that the rates are exorbit
ant and the service poor In every respect.
The other extreme Is fairly typified In the
Postofflce Department of the United
States, In which the business Is fairly well
and Intelligently conducted, the interests
of the people and not the profit of tho
Government being looked to, and the result
being an annual deficit of $10,000,000 to
$13,000,000. The PbBtofflce Department
might easily be made a great money
earner, but this would probably require
not only the utmost honesty and economy
of management, but also the cutting off of
some branch of the service. Certainly it
could not undertake the transportation
of millions of- publications, such as it
does now, for purely nominal compensa
tion. State ownership under the centralized
and paternal government of Germany la
much more practicable, and far better
results can be obtained from it than in a
republic like this, where the electors can
be organized Into demanding who shall
have charge of the service and how it shall
be conducted. Such conditions are in
compatible with ecenomy. if not always
T.lth efficiency. It is possible to conduct
the eervice with a reasonable amount ot
honesty, but hardly without extravagance,
as the records of the PostofHce Depart
ment establish.
, Spooner'n Great Speech.
Washington Star.
Senator Spooners magnificent speech' In
behalf of the honor of the Nation, which
he is now delivering in installments, is
easily one. of the most satisfactory fea
tures of the entire session of Congress.
The Wisconsin man. able in debate, keen
in retort, accurate in statement and ear
nest in enthusiasm for the cause he holds
to be Just despite the sneers and charges
of demagogues, stands sturdily by the
Administration as regards both Cuba and
the Philippines, showing that the course
of the Government has been that of good
faith, progress and enlightenment. It Is
refreshing to find the good name of the
Republic and Its officers so ably defended
when the order of the time seems to be
slurring and defaming. Mr. Spooner holds
that this country is doing In Cuba a work
of which any Nation may well be proud,"
despite the frauds which are repudiated
so emphatically- by the Administration. He
holds further that the policy of the Gov
ernment in the Philippines Is honest and
assured of success. And In both these
beliefs he Is unquestionably the sponsor
for the great majority of the American
people.
Hale'ii Uniform Hostility.
New York Mall and Express.
Senator Hale Is so thoroughly discred
ited by his unbroken record of opposition
to the purposes of the Administration that
his utterances concerning the status of
Cuba will receive no more notice than If
hey had come from Tillman or Pettlgrew.
His Insinuation that the Government Is
insincere In its treatment of the Cuban
problem, and that secret Influences are at
work to annex the Inland In spite of the
solemn pledge of Independence, is a vulgar
insult not only to the President, but to
every honest man in Congress. This lat
est exhibition of Mr. Hale's un-American
spirit is entirely In keeping with his for
mer performances. He opposed American
intervention In behalf of Cuba; he opposed
the President's war policy, he .opposed
the treaty of Paris, and he has persistent
ly fought every measure designed to pro
mote peace and order in our Island terri
tories. In all these matters he has found
himself practically alone among Repub
licans, but If he persists In the attitude
he is likely to find the lonesomeness In
tensify. "No Quarter for Rascalx.
New York Journal of Commerce.
A Cuban dispatch says that so many
Americans are implicated in the postal
defalcations that Cubans "believe no one
will be punished. They have not been In
the habit of seeing officials punished for
defrauding the revenues. This is precise
ly the crisis of American influence in Cuba
and Porto Rico. Spain did not punish Its
rascals; will the United States? This
country cannot afford to show any clem
ency. It Is In the position of a trustee In
administering upon the estates of others
Its reputation Is involved. There is now
the opportunity of proving that our Gov
ernment Is better than the Spanish Gov
ernment, and the wcrld Is watching to see
whether we make good use of the oppor
tunity. There is no great difference in
the theories of government held by us and
those held by Spain; if we are- to be an
Improvement on Spain we must prove that
our practice of government Is far Better
than Spain's.
The Soldier's Baby.
In the sunshine of homellfe she's blooming.
In the white love of motherhood true.
All the dull day her bright eyes perfuming
"With memories, dear husband, of you.
Dear husband, of you.
Dear husband, of you.
With memories, dear husband, of yon.
In the night-time I hear the dim rattle
Of far-away musket and drum, ,
"When straightaway she. starts her sweet prat
tle "Dear mamma, will papa be home?
"Will papa be home?
"Will papa bo home?
Dear mamma, will papa be home?"
I snatch the babe close In my trembling devo
tion. I kiss her bright sunlocks again and again,
I think of you. husband, beyond the black
ocean.
Still fighting the battles of heroes and men.
Of heroes and men.
Of heroes and men.
Still fighting the battles of heroes and men.
I hold the babe close as a pledge of our part
ing. The tie to bring you back safely to me,
I hear the last word to your eager lip starting,
T leave our baby, blest baby, with thee.
Baby with thee.
Baby with thee,
I leave our baby, blest baby, with thee."
They say there's & tomb on the far-away
Island.
A low grassy mound that covers my love.
But baby, sweet baby. In Heaven's fair high
land, Weil meet the dear father, thy father, above,
Thr father, above.
Thy father, above,
Weil meet the dear father, thy father, above.
Eva Emery Dye.
JOkzqs. CUyJIay. J200.
DO WE WANT A NEW CHARTER?
The former charter of the City of Portlands
which conferred upon the people of our mu
nicipality the power to change its entire city 1
administration at every election, if desired, was
changed at tha last session of the Legislature
for the existing charter, which denies the
people that power, and which virtually takes
the administration of city affairs from the' J
Mayor and Common Council asd confers it upon
various boards and commissions (not elected by
the people), which cannot be changed at any
one election. We pledge ourselves, if elected,
to secure a charter for the city restoring- to
the people of Portland control over the admin
istration of municipal affairs. "Citlxens" leg
islative platform.
Here is a bran new definition of re
form. It proposes a. revolution of the
scheme of civil eervice now for the first
time in our local history made a part of
our city government, and a re-delivery
of all the offices Into the hands of poli
ticians and jobbers every two years. If
this Is reform then all the plans of tax
payers' leagues and civic associations for
the betterment of our municipal situation
were either based on false pretenses or
Ignorance. If we are to have such re
form, all the former efforts of friends of
good government were in vain, and it
were better to turn over the city again to
any greedy crowd that happens to float
Into office at any election. It was to
take the office out of the hands of the
spoilsmen that the present charter w
adopted. To turn it to them again is- a
cardinal principle with these "citizens."
The policy of the new city charter, un
der which we are at present working, Is:
(1) To teep the city on a cash
basis.
(2) To limit coat of government
to the lowest point consistent -with
efficiency and real economy. ,
(3) To place larce powers in ad
ministrative officer and malcethem
secure in their positions.
The Oregonian yesterday exhibited fully
and exhaustively the financial situation
of the city up to the time the new char
ter went into effect. It was made clear
that we are doing about as well as many
Eastern municipalities similarly circum
stanced. But it is obvious that we are
going to get alqng even better under
our present system. The reduction of sal
aries and the eight-mill limit have alone
made a reduction in our expenditures ot
about 5127,000 per annum. And no debts
or Habllltes can he Incurred for any
purpose beyond the immediate means of
the city to pay. It is well enough to
repeat the particular provision ot tho
charter which has made this wise limita
tion: Neither the Common Council nor any officer
of the city shall have. authority to make any
contract or do any act binding the City of
Portland or Imposing upon said city any li
ability to pay money until a definite amount
shall first have been appropriated for the liqui
dation of all pecuniary liabilities of said city
under said contract or in consequence of said
act.
And it Is further provided that "no li
ability shall be incurred, debt created or
contract made Involving the expenditure
of moneys appropriated by the Council
during any year which exceeds the reve
nues received for that year." Inasmuch as
a specific limitation of an eight-mill levy
Is made, and the apportipnment la also
by charter V& mills to police, 2 mills to
fire department, and so on it is apparent
that great care must be exercised to
keep the appropriations under the maxi
mum. But It seems that the virtuous Citizens
nominees have no fault to find with tho
economies actually effected by the char
ter. They are sorely grieved because the
"people" do not get a chance to turn
everything upside down every two years.
The continuing power of the commissions
and Board of Public Works vexes their
rigMeous souls. They Ignore the fact that
the very essence of an orderly and business-like
administration of affairs lies in
placing these bodies beyond the whim and
caprice of every Incoming Mayor, The
public will not easily forget the scandals
that attended the removal of the Fire ana
Police Commissioners under Mayo
Frank, because the commissioners de
clined to make mere political machines
out of their departments. Nor will it fall
to remember the utter subserviency and
ruinous methods of similar commission
ers under Mayor Pennoyer. If theso dear
lessons taught anything, they demonstrate
that the power of the Mayor must be re
stricted, the efficiency of the depart
ments safe-guarded, and the comparative
Independence of their governing bodies
established. In other words, the Police
and Fire Departments must be taken
out of politics and civil service ordained.
That is what has been done, and it is
precisely what ought to have been done.
Critics of the charter complain that the
commissions are beyond reach or either
the Mayor or the public, and that the
constitute a continuing influence in our
city government that cannot be broken.
This is not so. The next Mayor will havo
the appointment of an entire Board of
Public "Works, made up of five members,
for terms of one, two, three, four and
five years respectively. Succeeding May
ors will thereafter name two of the five,
each for a full term. Mayor Storey's suc
cessor will appoint for six years ono Fire
Commissioner and one Police Commission-
,er. iacn Doara nas tnree memDers. it
will be seen that no Mayor may appoint
more than a minority of any of these
bodies, except In case of death, resigna
tion, removal or other disability. This is
no great matter to "complain of. It Is,
on the contrary, distinctly a subject for
congratulation, if we may judge from the
costly experience of the past.
San Francisco is not altogether ad
mirable as a city, but it has neverthe
less a satisfactory government. It has
long had in force a system similar to
ours. Including state limitation of the
tax levy. The Governor appoints the Har
bor Commissioners and the Police Board.
The city has a most serviceable Fire De
partment, under civil service so complete
that one chief remained In office for more
than 20 years. Chief of Police Crowley
also was undisturbed through a similar
term of service. In Seattle, control of
city affairs Is largely in the hands of a
Board of Public Works, over which the
Mayor has supervisory power. The policy
of rotation in office obtains. A civil ser
vice commission has direct authority of
appointment oyer all subordinate city
employes. An Illustration of the opera
tion of civil service is found in the fact
that one of the appointive city officials
was last March the Fusion candidate for
Mayor against the incumbent. He was
not disturbed in his employment, and
there was no suggestion from any source
that there was any Impropriety in his
attitude. Seattle, It may be added, has
always been on a cash basis, and San
Francisco has practically no Indebtedness.
It has been said In some quarters that
Mr. Rowe has been a city official long
enough, and that it is 'time some one else
took his plact on the payroll. It is a
fact that he never drew a dollar in salary
from the city, the Fire Commlsslonership
being an office without compensation.
The effect of the enterprise of the Cit
izens candidates In remodeling the char
ter would be disastrous In the extreme.
It proposes to restore the o"ld order which
many times outraged all sense of public,
decency, filled the departments with heel,
ers and strikers, and lowered the efficiency
of the whole municipal service. We want
no repetition of the disgusting Pennoyer
scandals. We want no packing of the
departments with political favorites and
varlets. What we do want is an admin
istration of city affairs on business prin
ciples, where merit and not politics is the
testof continuance of place.
tfOTE AND CiMMECT. ?
The Chinese boxers aro handling tho
army without gloves.
Chicago Is giving a pretty good Imila-
tlon of a comic opera, war.
When a Chicago parographer is te
doubt he abuses the- baseball team.
It is hoped now that Roberts'' has
reached Klip River he. will not sheer Off.
It is not surprising that so many men,
who, cultivate Presidential bees get waxed.
The more anti-Quayted the members of
the Senate are the better for the Senate.
Now that Dewey is no longer a candi
date, he will probably renounce the
World.
Tho doctor who will Invent a hoarselessA
cold on the lungs will be well patronised
by campaign orators. '
Perhaps when China gets a few
More solar plexus knocks, ,
She'll rise up In her might and put
Tha Boxers in a box.
Xord Roberts i3 well on his way to Pre
toria, but ha will probably make two or
three more stops to censure his subordi
nates before he gets there.
It is reported that a Missouri highway
man forced, a Pullman, porter to assist him
In robbing the passengers. He knew whero
to get an experienced hand.
Perchance now that tho festive Boer
Must take his fighting force
And stay besieged, a while himself.
He'll get & taste of hone.
"That's my trick," said Senator Clark,
excitedly.
"You mlstoko the game. Senator," said
the people of the United States; "It's your
move." And they presented him, with a
ticket to Montana.
The Massachusetts Legislature has re
duced the limit on the size of the lobsters
that aro brought into that state.. If it
reduced the number ao well the citizens
would be troubled with fewer anti-imperialists.
Only one native of Vermont has been
President of the United States, Chester
A. Arthur, the successor of Garfield. Ste
phen A. Douglas, Democratic candidate
for President in 160, was born in Ver
mont. "I have decided. General Buller," wrote
Queen Victoria, "to give you some fitting
reward for what you have dona I shall
make the gift emblematic of your services,
as well as something: more than on ordi
nary medal of honor." And in the next
mall the General received' the double cros3.
Governor Mount, of Indiana, has re
fused to honor the requisition of 'Governor
Beckham, of Kentucky, for the person of
Charles Finley, who was Secretary of
State of Kentucky during the administra
tion of Governor Bradley and has been
Indicted by a Democratic Jury for partici
pation in the assassination of Goebel.
Governor Mount's reasons for denying the
requisitions are that the Indictment was
found by a packed Jury, and that Finley
would be taken before a court packed to
convict.
Among those who left for Nome Satur
day evening were no les3 than half a dozen
lawyers, all of whom had) offices in the
Chamber of Commerce. There are enough
left to prevent each other from feeling
lonely. If anything goes wrong- on the
Nome City or Elder, one of these lawyers
is sure to be elected the Jonah for the
occasion; but it will take a mighty big
whale to hold him down. If the half
dozen of "Portland's own" do not bring
back a big sack of gold apiece, it will
be because there is not that much there.
The Boston Transcript fairly says that
on the Fourth of July, or any other day,
invalids do not lose their rights, and that
there Is no warrant in any holiday for
placing human life in periL "It is to be
hoped that the movement now in progress
to secure a day of quiet on the Nation's
brithday will have general sympathy and
support, for why should -the many longer
be made to suffer from the savagary or
the lunacy of the few? This blowing ot
horns and firing of guns and pistols and
flrecrackera is not very flattering to aij
enlightened people. It belongs to barba
rism, and if we ever are to emerge from
barbarism we must giva it up."
We ere running' Independent
For the dough.
We will get there If they'll ghro vm '
Half a show;
To election we aspire, - -
Our ambition soars not higher . .
It is little we desire Tt
Here below.
. i
We are out for every office ,'
That's in sight, ,x . t
We are rustling up supporters
Day and night. t
We aro very patriotic
And we think the ring's despotic.
So we'll make affairs chaotic,
With delight. y5-
Polltlcs can. cut no figure
In our case;
Parties go and come, hut still w -Want
a place. ,
We have got no nomination.
But the same's no Indication
That we'll not spread consternation
In the race.
Long the business men of Portland
We have bled;
And their taxes helped to put us
Way1 ahead.
If they'll second our endeavor.
And will vote for others never.
We will hold our Jobs forever;
On the dead.
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS
"Sometimes," said Uncle Eben, "when you
does a man a favor he never fohgits It. He Jes'
laugha at you de res' o' his life foh beln so
easy." Washington Star.
Where Ignorance Isn't Bliss. Lawyer Were
you ever called to serve on a Jury before?
Juror No, sir. This Is the first time my in
telligence has ever been questioned. Chicago
News.
Hla Field "Jipson has failed in all tha
newspaper work, he has undertaken." "Are they
going to bounce him?" "Oh. no. They are I
going to make him the dramatic critic"
Brooklyn Life. -
Refreshments. Mamma (to Bobby, Just re
turned from an afternoon party) What kind
of refreshments did you have, dear? Bobby J
Liquid. Mamma Liquid? Bobby Yes; us fel-'
lers all skipped out and went swimmln". Puck.
The Virtuous Clerk. "Sign your name here,"
3aid the chief conspirator, "and the money will
be paid you at once." "Sooner than let my
good right hand sign that Iniquitous docu
ment," said the virtuous Government clerk, "I
would cut it off! But, fortunately. I am left
handedJ And he signed IU Cleveland Plain
Dealer. v
Wedding Guest Now that the ceremony's
over, I'd like to ask you if you knew that your
son-in-law Is deeply In debt? Mr. Stockson
Bonds Heavens! No! "It's a fact. Pm sure
he simply married your daughter so as to be
able to pay his debts." "Why didn't you tell
me of this before?" "I'm one of his cred
itors." Philadelphia Record.
The Spy System. The municipal campaign
being now fairly open, they naturally spoke of
local politics. "The fight," observed the Lay
Figure, "seems to concern the employment of
an officer In citizen's clothes to detect viola
tions of tha liquor law." "Sort of aSpion
Itop affair, as it were!" exclaimed the Uncon
scious. Imbecile, -with glee. Detroit Journal.
il-
lL
,