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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 1900)
! . THEMpBNINa OREGpNIAN, FBID. OOTgBEB. 1900.- HEALTH OF THE ARMY ANNUAL R.EPOR.T OP SURGEON-GENERAL STERNBERG. Pew Oases of Permanent Insanity iraftny Troops Serving la tke Pacific Islands. "WASHINGTON. Oct. 18. The report of Surgeon-General Sternberg, United States Army, states that the force of the medical department consists. of 192 officers, which, he says, Is not enough in view of the large number of defense stations and the troops operating in Cuba, Porto Rico, , Hawaii and the Philippines. The con tract surgeons have rendered excellent service, but the Surgeon-General thinks the corps should be Increased. Refer ence Is made to the good work the Army nurse corps has performed. The medical statistics Jn the report relate entirely to the calendar year 1899 and nothing is given concerning the statistics for 1900. A report from the Chief" Surgeon of the Philippines, dated August 15, 1900, is giv en, showing a percentage of 8.7 sick-for the command, the total strength of the Army In the Philippines at that time be ing 60,554. The sick were divided as fol lows: la quarters 1281 In regimental hospitals Ul la military hospitals in departments. .1341 In Manila hospitals '1503 Total sick 6129 The Surgeon-General explains the con ditions In the Philippines as follows: "The exposure, fatigue and excitement of a prolonged campaign are responsible for the sick report and the relatively large death rate among the troops In the Phil ippines. However, the opinion is prevalent among our medical officers that in time of peace and doing only garrison duty the sick rate of the Army in the Philippines would be no nlgher than it ordinarily is In the Souther nStates." The Surgeon-General has this to say on the controversial subject of Insanity among the troops: "In the Army, regulars and volunteers, during the calendar years 1S9S and 1899 there was reported on the monthly reports of sick and wounded 347 cases of in sanity, and 202 of these cases, or SS.2 per cent, were committed to the Government hospital for the Insane. One hundred and thirty-five cases, or C6.7 per cent of the commitments, recovered In an average period of "3.9 months, 13 were Improved, 6 died, and 48 remained unimproved. Ninety-six of the 347 cases were reported on the monthly reports of troops serving in the Pacific Islands and 32 of these, or 33.3 per cent, were sent to the Gov ernment hospitals for the insane. Seven teen cases, or 51.3 per cent, committed. recovered in an average period of 3.6 months, 2 were Improved, 2 died and U remained not Improved." HAWAIIAN ARMY POST. Report of Major Ruliltn, Quartermas ter nt Honolulu. WASHINGTON, Oct. 18. In the annual report of Major-General Shatter, com manding tbe Department of California, there Is a report from Major George Ruhlin, Depot Quartermaster at Honolu lu. The garrison at Honolulu consists of two batteries of the Sixth Artillery, who are in quarters at Camp McKinley, four and a balf miles from the business center of Honolulu. He says that troops should be quartered in plain frame buildings, rather than in canvas, as the climate along the seashore is very destructive to the latter. Jio action has been taken looking to the selection of a permanent site for military posts In the Hawaiian Islands. Speaking of tho bubonic plague, Major Ruhlin says that no person .. connected with the military service was exposed to the disease. The effects of the plague were that the quarantine restrictions pre vented for a time the use of Honolulu for a port -of transport service. The transport service has used the port of Honolulu quite extensively. During the year there stopped at Honolulu, en route from San Francisco to Manila, 53 transports with troops and supplies, one with supplies only, 13 with horses, mules and supplies and one hospital ship. In addition to the land required for military reservations, the report advo cates the purchase of "about 30 acres more, in order to make It desirable as a military site. One reservation contains 1344 acres and another 11,403. The latter Is-18 miles from Honolulu, and is about seven miles from the railway station at Pearl City. One of the Indentations of the coast Is called Pearl Harbor. Major Ruhlin thinks this site Is very well adapted for a miliary reservation. A con siderable portion of both these reserva tions was leased In 1882 for 30 years and these leases will not expire until 1912. The lands are mostly used for grazing pur poses. TESTING EMERGENCY RATION. New Army Food to Be Tried on , Cavalrymen. KANSAS CITY, Mo.. Oct 18. Captain Fountain and Captain Foster, of the Emergency Ration Board of the War De partment who have been in Kansas City for several weeks, preparing the rations for an actual test, will leave for Fort Reno, I. T.,. early next week, probably Monday. Ttiey will start from Reno with a troop of cavalry mado up of men from Fort Reno and Fort Sllles and make marching expeditions, during which the men will live wholly on the emergency ra tion which has been prepared at a packing company's plant here. The ration is put up in an elliptical can eight Inches long. Each day's food weighs a pound and each can contains three cakes of sweet choco late and three cakes of a food preparation composed of meat and grain compound. The latter, which tastes not unlike parch ed corn, with a slight flavor of meat, is very palatable: at least people who have tried It say so. It can be eaten uncooked, mado into a porridge or a soup, or it can' bo made into mush and then fried. Each can contains small packages of salt and pepper. The effect of the food on the men will be carefully noted. They will be weighed every day and their condi tion closely observed by a physician. The test will probably last two or three weeks, and then the board will report to the War Department the result of the test. Itettxrn of the Logan. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 18. A cable gram has been received ait Army head quarters here announcing the departure from Manila on October 16 of the trans port Logan, carrying 273 sick, 10 Insane and 39 prisoners. Dr. Alfred tC. Girard, the commanding officer at the Presidio general hospital, has received promotion to the office of Deputy Surgeon-General of the Army, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. INCREASE OF THE NAVY. United States & Keep Up Witli tne t German Programme. NEW YORK, Oct 16. Germany's naval Increase will play an Important part in the determination of the recommendation for new vessels which the Navy Board of Construction will submit to Secretary long, says the Washington correspondent of the Herald. This board has com menced an Informal discussion of the programme which the Secretary is to sub mit to Congress, and views expressed by several members showed that they are taking into consideration the navy Em peror William is building. All the members desire that this Gov ernment shall have a navy at least the Blze of that of Germany, and some favor ft fleet which shall make tbe United States the third naval power of the world. It Is appreciated that, it is Impossible tth this: Government to provide a fleet''superlor to the navies of Great Britain and France, but they hold that it should be the equal of Russia and Germany on the sea&. . During the discussion, some of the mem bers urged that battle-ships only be rec ommended for construction, and that enough be provided to make the Increase equal to Germany's force. At least three members of the board favored battle-ship construction. One member is said to have strongly advocated the authorization of 20 gunboats for service in the West In dies, the Philippines and China, and In support of this he pointed out that there were IS battle-ships, armored cruisers and protected cruisers under construction and projected, and the shipbuilding facilities of the country would be exhausted In completing them. From complete indications the board will -favor the authorization of three battle-ships and 12 gunboats of about 1000 tons each. There Is no Intention of rec ommending amored or protected cruisers, as the board seems to think the United States wants very large and very small vessels and none of an intermediate class. Naval Movement. WASHINGTON, Oct. 18. Tho tank steamer Arethusa, en xoute to the Asiatic Station, has arrived at Singapore. The sumbarine torpedo-boat Holland and the tug Leyden left Newport for Delaware City. The torpedo-boat Rogers has been ordered to the New York navy-yard for repairs. The converted cruiser Dorothea V aejJLjL. - IP BRYAN WERE PRESIDENT Wouldn't He Be a Bird I Philadelphia Inquirer. will not go to Manila, but has been or dered out of commission. The Frolic, also a converted cruiser, has been placed in commission. PHILIPPINE NAVAL STATION Sublgr Bay Not Considered a Snltnble Place. WASHINGTON. Oct 18. Reports which have reached the Nayy Department are to the effect that Sublg Bay, in the Phil ippines, Is not a suitable place for locat ing an extensive naval station, coaling station or navy-yard, owing to the lim ited deptfi. of water. Naval opinion has been divided for some time as to the relative merits of Manila Bay and Su blg Bay. The Spanish Government spent large sums' on Sublg Bay and It was thought to offer facilities superior to those of Manila Bay for a permanent naval headquarters. An Inquiry as to the rela tive merits of this and several other points was instituted some time ago and the reports forwarded through the Com mander of the Asiatic station are not favorable to Sublg Bay, holding that It has disadvantages similar to those urged against Manila Bay. Several other points are suggested as offering good sites for stations or yards, Including Hi Ilo and Olongapo. Nava-l Constructor .Hob son has taken a different view, however, and has presented a plan for an extensive naval establishment on Sublg Bay. In view of the differences of opinion It is probable that a naval board will be named to pass upon the several points and select the one most available for a station. Transport Sherman Arrives. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 18. The United States transport Sherman arrived tonight, 35 days from Manila via Nagasaki. She brought 53 cabin passengers, 467 sick, 182 discharged, 71 prisoners, 12 insane soldiers and 42 bodies. Mlsionnry Convention Ended. KANSAS CITY, Oct 18. Work of some sort was mapped out for every minute's time of this, the last day of the twenty sixth annual convention of the Christian Church missionary societies. The day's meetings were divided Into five sect'ons, as follows: Christian Endeavor, R. S. Latimer, presiding; education,". "V. Zol lard; pastors and evangelists' conference, David Owen Thomas: conference on be nevolences, T. P. Haley, and Sunday schools, W. K. Homan. Addresses and reports in great profusion were read and discussed earnestly. Great satisfaction Is expressed over the gathering, which brought 10,000 delegates . and visitors to the city from all parts of the world. I, - McVey Charged With Mayhem. NEW YORK, Oct 18. Con McVey, the big California pugilist who gained no toriety November 10, 1898, by Jumping into the ring and interfering with the Cor-bett-Sharkey fight was today held in $1000 ball for examination on a charge of may hem. Thomas Clinton, a small-sized ho tel porter, appeared against McVey. One ear was badly lacerated, he claims, by the tooth of a hound pup set upon him as a Joke by McVey. An Indiana Tragedy. COIiUMBUS, Ind., Oct 18 At Waymans villfl. Ind., 15 miles south of here, Dr. Conda Beck, late this afternoon shot and killed William Barton, because Barton objected to Beck keeping company with his daughter. Two years ago Beck killed Miss Grace Cohee, because she refused to marry him. Beck was acquitted of the crime. The tragedy caused a tremendous sensation. Beck at latest accounts was still at large. The Potato Crop. CHICAGO, Oct 18. The potato crop of the United States, according to the Or ange Judd's Farmer final report in its Issue of October 20. at the completion of harvest approximates 239.000,000 bushels, or nearly 5,000.000 less than last yeafand a fairly good yield compared with the past ten years. . Hold-Up This Morning. A man named Patterson, living at 351 Oak street "was held up by three thugs at Seventh and Washington streets this morning, between 2 and 3 o'clock, and robbed of a watch and a small amount of coin. The case was reported to the po lice, who quickly rounded the trio up and' landed them In the city jail. Patter son was bruised about the head by a blow from a revolver, but not seriously Injured. Sudden Death. Mrs. Lucy A. Stephens, wife of Thomas Stephens, died suddenly at her home. Twenty-fifth and Johnson streets, ' last night, shortly before 12 o'clock. THE PERVERSE FARMER CLACKAMAS . MAN BERATES -HIS NEIGHBORS. , Conservatism Keeps Them From f-Havinsr Good Roads Year Round. A Political Straw.- - Charles Holman, a deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, in this district has a farm at Meadowbrook, Clackamas Coun ty, whero he usually spends Sunday re pairing his wasted energies and indulging in philosophical reflections. Just at this season of the year he has teams hauling ing bay to the railroad "at Barlow in order that bad roads may not catch him without tlie means to take advantage of a good market later in the season. The roads are good now, and part of the way they are good all the year. He says all Clackamas County would have perfect roads If his advice were followed: "I tell you we farmers are queer peo ple," said Mr. Holman. "So long as we have hayseed in our hair, hang our trous ers on one suspender and keep the whole premises as inconvenient and un tidy and unwholesome aa possible, our neighbors respect us and regard us as fellow-citizens. We may scrimp along and half starve our families in order to put ''money out at interest, and yet not lose our place In the esteem of our neigh bors as long as a general run-down ap pearance Is maintained. But let'one of us spend some money to make home com fortable, make the, place tidy and ship shape, and Introduce a few modern con veniences and he loses caste at once. Any enterprise or Improvement he may sug gest has the instant opposition of his neighbors, who regard him as an imprac ticable and selfish faddist "If the farmers of this country would turn out and work on the roads when they cannot use their teams at anything else, 'every farmer would- have a good graveled turnpike right to his door. But they won't do this, for fear somebody else would travel over the good road. They would rather flounder along axle-deep through the mud half the .year than de vote their spare time to making a hard road. It gives 'them pleasure, seemingly, to see that nobody else shall profit from their efforts. Nobody is helped more than the fanner by good roads, and they could well afford freely to add to the county appropriations sufficient to make permanertt highways. Let other people travel them, too, If they want to. The country would not bo so dreary If 'more people would travel through it at every season of the year. "This perverseness extends to a large extent to political action. I really believe some farmers will vot for Bryan in the expectation that his election would check the prosperity of their neighbors. They can't bear to see anybody else get along well. They seem to think that the fel low who succeeds robs them of some thing, something that they themselves might enjoy, but for his pernicious suc cess. I am pleased to note that this spirit also applies in another direction, however. Many who have been acting with the Populists have become) dis gruntled where Populism has to any ex tent succeeded, because their own per sonal views of reform have not .been fol lowed, and they will vote for McKlnley this .time. There are many of these in our county. "Still, there are some incurables. There are three or fourmen in my. neighbor hood, all able-bodied, who have been drawing pensions of ?13 per month for years. They live on the Government by virtue of the Republican party; and yet they are the most loud-mouthed yawpers for Bryan in the country, and have been so since he has been a candidate. Now, here Is another sort of man," and he turned to his neighbor, Robert Snodgrass, who was near. "Yes," said Mr. Snodgrass, "1 was a silver man and I voted for Bryan four years ago, because he represented my sentiments. The money question was not settled then, and I wanted it settled in favor of silver. But this year it's dif ferent I still hold my views as to silver, but I don't see any chance for getting them into practice. The money question is settled now, business conditions are settled. And I don't believe In tearing things up again and distressing the coun try, even if the silver cause might profit from it. which is by no means clear. Thing3 are running all right now, and I don't believe in upsetting them again. So I will vote to continue present con ditions." Idnho Notes. All the veterans who were members of the Soldiers' Home at the time of the fixe have been provided for. Five have been given accommodations at a. private house, and the rest will be cared for at the bar racks. Work on the P. & I. N. between Cam bridge and Council Is being pushed as rapidly as possible. The laying of roils will be commenced soon and the road will reach Council late in December. Professor H. G. French, of the Uni versity of Idaho, has taken a carload of thoroughbred sheep and some Shorthorn cattle Into Northern Idaho for stockmen there. He bought the stock at the Boise fair. A company, called the Idaho Opal Min ing Company, to operate in Owyhee Coun ty, has been organized, with a capital stock of $50,000. The directors are George L. Colo, W. C. Annett, Charles FIfer, J,. S. Bogart and O. E. Jackson. The Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows at Lewlston Tuesday elected the following officers: Robert Mobley, Boise, grand master; A. K Steunenberg, Caldwell, dep uuty grand master; Levi Magee Grange vllle, grand warden; D. L. Badley, Cald well, grand secretary; M. R. Gwlnn, 30136, grand treasurer; F. E. Cornwall, Moscow, grand representative; M. B. Gwinn, Boise; Frank Dekay, Blackfoot trustees of the Odd Fellows' Home. The grand secretary's report showed upward of 110,000 expended for relief purposes dur ir-P-Of ing the past year and an, aggregate prop erty valuation in subordinate lodges the strife of nearly $150,000, ma&ng 'a gain it- over; $18,000 during the year. It also jJlsOloseid' that the membership lri good standing in 53 lodges of the sta'te Is close 't'q 2200, making a gain for the.V'ear of up "wards'of 200 members. ' "' '." ". ' fl .VALET JONES' PE0T.f ,7- . ,1 More 'Petails of the Scheme to Get Rice's Millions! .. NEW- YORK, Oct. 18. Preliminary pro ceedings in the Rice case were resumed stdday before Magistrate Branr. W. O. Wetherbee, who was on the stand yester day, -was cross-examined1 by Lawyer House for the defense. He, said that the appointment between himself and Jones for the meeting was made 'by tele phone .January 3, last, and at: It Jones unfolded the plan to get up a fyill dispos ing of the property of thp deiyl million aire. Witness said the object' of his visit to Rice in January, 1900, was tojget .a loan of $7000 to take up a debt on property held by witness In Texas, but lie did not succeed. It was brought out that Wetherbee's first meeting withriJones, af ter Tones'" proposition' to wrtyej a bogus will, was in February, this jfear.j. The meeting, witness said, occurred in the hall of the bank; that he (witness) met In "Middlewood last March andHhat after telling Middlewood of the Jones proposi tion, prepared the affidavit relating to it and swore to it March 21 before Miss Mil ler, a notary. Asked whyv ho' did this, witness replied that he was apprehensive mat Jones mignt repeat the conversation which he and witness had about the will proposed by Jones. The witness said he wanted to be prepared jf or Jones. Witness also said he wanted! Jones to come to his house again so tfiat 'Jones could repeat his previous conversation in .the hearing of witnesses out "Jones would not come. ' Wetfierbee identified the $25,000 check as that which had been brought ino his office by John H. Wallace for comparison with cancelled checks of Rlcei Th "wit ness was handed a number 'qf letters, somo of which he identified as being in the handwriting of Mr. Rice .and pthers he said were not The witness, said he would not swear that tbe $25,000 check was not signed by Rice, but; n' hiq best opinion, it was not 4 " James A. Baker, Jr., the pext wit ness, said that he had been Knee's coun sel . ever since he was admitted to the bar. He knew Jones very well,' He then told" of his visit here after .Rice's death and of his getting sqme papers a few days later from Patrick. These were the alleged forged checks, oiie for $25,000 and the other for I6&000. The checks were given him voluntarily by Patrick, he said.In tho witness jjudg ment, the signatures were noi those of William Rice. The witness admitted be ing influenced by the report, of tlje ex perts in disputed handwriting .regarding the signatures to tho checks. He said he had not passed upon the genuineness of the signatures until the expert's declared them forgeries. ' ' ' William J. McKInstry, tho 'first hand writing expert witness for the, prosecu tion, was next called. He said the signa tures to tho check for $2&.OQ0,Hnd 165,000 were not written by the' same,-band. tnat wrote the signatures on the standards of comparison j submitted to him, J On cross-examination, Expert McKIn stry said he made examination of tho checks in the office of counsel' for Cap tain Baker, October 3, and ha'd verbally reported on the same to CapYain Baker that the signatures were forgeries and that the tracings were of a verpoor kind, from one model. McKInstry testified that tho checks drawn on tho Fifth Avenue Trust Company, the revocatjonqf Captain Baker's right to enter Rice's) vault an assignment of property and several other instruments were forgeries. ,' David M. Carvalho, the next,expert wit ness, declared that the signatures to tho disputed checks for $25,000 npd $65,000 were forgeries, the work of an unskilled forger. He thought that if the tracings had been filled in, bread was used; over the dry ink to efface the tracings. In the initial letter of th,e signature in tho $65,000 check, the witness testified to hav ing found unmistakable evidence of trac ings. The formation of the characters of this check, he said, compared with those of the $25,000 check, were widely different The witness had examined the checks drawn on the Fifth Avenue Trust Company and pronounced them .forgeries. The Houston Institute. HOUSTON, Tex., Oct IS. A ded to the Capitol Hotel property was today filed by the trustees of the William' M. Rice Institute to be situated at Houston. The deed was executed June 20, 1892 by Wil liam M. Rice and his wife, ,Ellz(abeth Baldwin Rice, as a donation to the en dowment fund of the William M. Rice In stitute for the advancement of literature, science and art. The property, is worth more than $300,000. Mr. Rice gave a promissory note for $200,000 to the en dowment fund of the Institution and on this note he had been paying interest reg ularly since 1892. - REGISTERED MAIL ' STOLEN. Pouch Carried Off From a New York Station. NEW YORK, Oct. 18. It has become known that five bags of registered mall, enclosed In one large pouch, were stolen from Station H, at the corner of Lexing ton avenue and East Forty-fourth street on Monday night last, and so far the Postofflce Inspectors have been unable to locate tha thief, although suspicion has fallen, on one man. , The pouch, which was so heavy that only a strong man could move it was stolen before it reached the delivery wag on and while it was still at tho station. It had been duly checked off, sealed and locked with a numbered key. ( With an other pouch of registered mall, it had been deposited on the floor near the em ployes' entrance. When the wqgon called for it, Station Clerk Nathan discovered that it was missing. Search In arid around the station failed to reveal.it. , The payment on the checks contained in the bag has been stopped. The amount in cash is not supposed ,to have exceed ed $1000, but the value of tho- contents of the registered letters, which were di rected to many parts of the globo, can only be guessed at. , Washington Notes. The number of voters registered at .Ev erett is 2010. The registration books at Whatcom closed with 1817 names on the list Fair haven has 885 voters. ' The number of paid admlssidnsto tho Spokane fair was 109,93d. The attendance broke all records and the fair was a great success. It is reported that the Mountain Lion and Tom Thumb properties In Republic will consolidate and pass Into the hands of Canadian and British capitalists. A Tacoma contractor has Japanese and white labor engaged on Bewer work. The latter protested to the municipal authori ties, but as no ordinance in their favor is on the statute books their complaint was unavailing. A meeting 'was held at Everett Monday to discuss the Asiatic labor situation. Resolutions wrere passed against the em ployment of Japanese labor a,t Everett, against the importation of Asiatic labor, and for prosecution of thoseguilty of importing alien contract labqr Illegally. A large barn belonging to William Hum mon a"nd located about a mile and a half southeast of Sumner, was totally de stroyed by fire Monday evening. All of the farm machinery, carrlnges," etc., were lost. The loss Is estimated ,-at about $1000, of which about half is covered by insurance. ', Rntrnr.hMt hftrvestlnir has becrun at Te- koa, and a few shipments have been made W( . - ,.. , .-o- , ifflllllHlfllilllHBtilBMfl S ' UP I MEN'S BUSINESS SUITS 1 MEN'S HATS I MEN'S SHIRTS S3 2 SI 1 THE HATS A new suit makes a need for a new hat. There's an opportunity to combine excellence and economy this week in our special line of new Fall shapes in Derbys and Fedoras; black, brown, durham and grays, at $2.50. A little better the "Brewer" union-made hat, $3.00. A notch higher our imported Derby, at $4.00. THE SHIRTS Youlike to be exclusive. We can give you some very exclusive "Manhattans," in French madras and '.percales, with woven border stripes, from $1.50 up. New Patterns in percale shirts, guaranteed fast color, $1.00, s ES i 5 8. E. COR. FOURTH AND MORRISON iunittinnninn! tables are running all the way from six to eight tons per aero. At this yield the growers say that a small profit can be realized. Not a large acreage was planted this year, because last year's crop was not altogether satisfactory. Within the past six weeks settlers have filed upon 30,000 acres of Government land In the Connell and Washtucna Lake coun try, 35 miles northwest of Walla Walla. The Northern Pacific Railway Company has disposed of 25,000 acres within the same period, and In the same locality, making in all a total of 55,000 acres. The prices paid for the railroad land varies from $1 to $2 50 per acre. Commissioner Lister, of the State Board of Audit and Control, is notified that, the Government will very soon deed to the state the 40 acres of land purchased by the Government adjoining the State Pen itentiary at Walla Walla. The land cost $4000, and the balance of the $30,000 ap propriated by Congress is being expende'rt in building a wing at the Penitentiary. The letter authorizes the State Board to take possession of the land at once. War den Catron, of the Penitentiary, has been instructed to sow the tract in wheat. The American Trading Company, a cor poration, organized under the laws of Connecticut, has brought suit In the Su perior Court against Dodwell, Carlill & Co., and the Northern Pacific Steamship Company, for $37,500 for alleged damages in the failure to ship a carload of lead on time agreed on in 1894. It is alleged the plaintiff contracted with defendants to make a shipment of 400,000 pounds of pig from New York to Yokohama, o,t $15 a ton. It was to be forwarded from New York to Tacoma on or before Sep tember 29, 1894, and shipped by one of the company's steamers to Yokohama Oc tober 30, 1894. The lead arrived on time and was loaded on the steamer, but was again unloaded, for the reason, it Is charged, the defendants falsely pretendea the lead was contraband of war and could not be 'landed In Japan. It was delayed so that It was not landed in Yokohama until January 4, 1895. Meantime hostilities between China and Japan had ceased and lead had materially declined in value. MUST A VOTER REGISTER? A Novel Point Raised as to Oar Elec tion Laws. LAKEVTEW, Or., Oct. 16. To the Ed itor.) As chairman of the Republican Central Committee of Klamath County, I have been asked to answer two ques tions concerning the operation of the elec tion laws of this state, viz.: First, may persons who are not registered awear in their votes on election day, at the No vember election: and secondly, are elect ors who are registered In a particular pre cinct of a county compelled by the regis tration laws of this state to vote in tho precinct whero they are registered? I see, too, that these questions are agitat ing other portions of the state, as evi denced by various articles In The Daily Oregonlan. It may strike a person, who has not given much, Mf any, thought to the elec tion laws, as a little abrupt to say that the registration laws of this state have no application whatever to the coming Presidential election, but that is the an swer to all questions, and renders unnec essary the advice given by The Oregonlan. Our state constitution provides, among other things, what persons are entitled to the elective franchise in this state, and the place where they may exercise that constitutional right As to the electors who have the right of the elective fran chise, our constitution says: In all elections not otherwise provided for by this constitution, every white male citizen of the United States, of the age of 21 years and upwards, who shall have resided in this state durlns the six months Immediately preceding such election: and every white male of foreign birth of tho age of 21 years and upwards, who shall have resided In -this slate the six months Immediately preceding such election, and shall have declared his 'Intention to become a citizen of the United States one year preceding such election, conformably to tho lawn of the United TO THE TIMES ALL THE TIME . , In tellings of suits today we-want to talk to business men with dressy notions men who can appreciate the special preparations we have made in their behalf. We know what good dressers want, and we have left no effort unturned in selecting the fabrics and the tailor ing of our business men's suits. We are showing" a handsome line at $15.00 in all the stylish Autumn weaves, Oxfords, stone and olive mix tures, single and double-breasted styles, plain or strapped seams, high cut vests with, or without collars. The fabrics are serges, cheviots, tweeds and cassimeres. These high-grade business suits differ from most jeady-to-wear. " How? We'll tell you. They are cut by hand from tailors' models; they have hand-worked button-holes, hand-padded shoulders; they are full of the little details your high-priced tailor charges you for. You can be fit in these clothes because we have had them made in regular sizes, stousizes, slim sizes and extra long and short sizes. States on the subject of naturalization, shall be entitled to vote at all elections authorized by law. Article II Constitution, section 2. While this section and section 3 of the state constitution undertakes to point out what persons have the right of the elect ive franchise In this state, the 15th amendment to tho Constitution of the United States practically renders void the restriction In our state constitution of the elective franchise to "white" male citi zens, for all male citizens of the United States, irrespective of race, color or pre vious condition of servitude, have the right to vote, unabridged by any state constitution or laws, provided they have the requisite qualifications of age, resi dence, naturalization, etc. Male citizens of this state, with these last-named qual ifications, whether black or white, Chi nese or mulatto, have the constitutional right of tho elecUve franchise in the va rious states, unrestricted by state consti tutions or laws to the contrary, notwith standing. If this proposition had been generally understood before the last elec tion the repealing amendment proposed to tho voters of this state would probably have been carried by a practically unan imous vote. Section 17 of article 2 of the state constitution provides: All Qualified electors shall vote in the elec tion precinct in the county where they may reside for county officers, and In any county in the state for state officers, or In any county of a Congressional district in which such elec tors may reside for members of Congress. From these provisions of our state con stitution, in connection with the 15th ar ticle of amendments to tho Constitution of the United States, it is evident that all male citizens of the United States, or males of foreign birth, having thp requi site qualifications of age, residence In the state, naturalization, etc., and who are not idiots or insane persons and who have not been convicted of any crime, the punishment of which is imprisonment In the Penitentiary, have the unqualified right to vote at the coming election In any precinct of the state, whether registered In any other precinct or not, and whether black or white, and without regard to the registration laws of this state or act of the Legislature to the contrary. All that a registered or unregistered elector would have to do In any case to entitle him to vote in any precinct of any county of the state would be to prove to the sat isfaction of the election Judges that ho had the requisite qualifications, as above stated, of age, residence in the state, nat uralization, etc., and the negative qualifi cations that he was not an idiot or insane person, and had not been convicted of a felony. To illustrate: Suppose John Doe of fers himself asan elector in some pre cinct lnldultnomah County at the coming election. Section 15 of. the registration law requires a'fter the elector. In this case John Doe, has given his name and residence to the election clerk, the judges of election shall ask the elector John Doe whether he Is registered or not, and also examlno the register. The next section 16 requires, in case he is not registered, that he subscribe and swear or affirm to the blank "A," prescribed by section 3 of the registration laws. This affidavit, by reference to- It John Doe finds to require him to fix his residence in tho precinct wherein he offers to vote, and also produce six freeholders to swear that they know his signature, residence and statements to be true. Now, or course, the elector could not do thl3. He does not reside in Multnomah County, and has no residence there: he does not xnow a sin gle person there, so that he could not produce the six freeholders to swear to his age and residence, even If he cared to take the chances of criminal prosecu tion by fixing his residence in Multnomah County. Ho simply could not make the required affidavit t But under the constitution, section 17 of article 2, which is quoted above, he has the undoubted right to vote for Presiden tial Electors in any precinct of anycounty of the state, they being, as itjwere, state officers, and persons for whom the entire state votes. By this registration act of our Legisla ture, a qualification is attempted to be added to the constitutional qualifications & !, "?' THE RELIABLE CLOTHIER of electors of this state, if election judges require voters offering themselves as electors at the coming election to either show that they are registered or produce the affidavit designated by section 3 of the registration act This the Leglslaturo cannot do without our constltu:ron Is first amended, giving it the power so to do. According to this registration law. If an elector happened to be In some distant part of the state away from, his residence on election day ho would be disfran chised, although the constitution of tho state gives him the right to vote In any county of the state for state officers. From the above facts. It seems quite evident that the registration act of this state has no bearing whatever on tho right of persons to vote at the coming; election, and cannot be. under the consti tution, used by election Judges to dis franchise any elector who nappens on election day to be away from his placo of residence in another county of tha state. HIRAM F, MURDOCH. Tho Oregonlan has carefully examined the law, and It does not agree with tha conclusions reached by Mr. Murdoch. Tho law Is certainly confusing In some minor po.nts, but the registration blank provided in section 3 of the act nowhero provides that a person not registered shall affirm) that he Is a resident of the precinct whero he undertakes to vote. It does provide, however, that he shall fill out the blanlc by stating at what place In the state his resldenco is. It appears also to provide, but it does not clearly state, that the six freeholders whoso names are to be at tached to the registration' j blank shall be residents of the county wherein tho elector offers to vote. It Is the opinion of The Oregonlan, thenr that the method to be followed by an elector wno happens to be in another county must be to pro cure a registration blank, get the signa ture of six freeholders who declare that they know him to bo a qualified legal voter of Oregon, naming hli residence, and then offer his vote with the blanlc duly filled out to the judges. Dr. Sander': Electric Be! Has no equal for the cure of Nervous and Physical Debility, Exhausted "Vital ity, Varicocele, Premature Decline, Loss of Memory, Wasting, etc., which has been brought about by early Indiscretions. Six thousand gave willing testimony during 1899. Established 30 years. Cor. Fourth and Morrison... -PORTLAND, OREGON