THE MORNING OEEGONIAN, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 19Q&.
Pte rgamopru
Entered at the PestoSee at Portland. Oregon.
as iteeead-olass natter.
TELEPHONES.
Editorial Boomfc....lC3 I Business O&ce....06T
REVISED 8UBSCKIPTION KATES.
B7 Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance
Dally, -with Sunday, per month ....$0 S3
XaUy, Sunday excepted, per jear. ......... BO
Sally, with Susday. per year.. 8 po
8anday. per j ear .,.. 2 00
The Weekly, per star X 00
The Weekly. 8 months 00
To City Subscribers
Dally, per wrek. delivered. Sundays xcepted 13e
Dally, per week. delivered. Sundays lncluded.20o
POSTAGE RATES.
United States. Canada and Mexico:
10 to 16page paper ...lc
10 to 32-page paper 2o
Foreign rates double.
News or discussion Intended for publication
In The Oregonlan should be addressed Invaria
bly "Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name
of any Individual. Letters relating to advertis
ing, subscriptions or to any business matter
ahould bo addressed simply "The Oregonlan."
The Oregonlan does not buy poems or stories
from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re
turn any manuscripts sent to It without solici
tation. No stamps should bo Inclosed for this
purpose.
Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson,
oSce at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box "853.
Tacom. Posteffice.
Eastern Business Offlee The Tribune build
ing. Nev York City; "The Rookery," Chicago;
the 8. C Beckwith special agency. New York.
For sal In San Francisco by J. K. Cooper,
T6 Market street, near the Palace Hotel: Gold
cmtth Bros. 236 Sutter street: F. W. Pitts,
1008 Market street; Foster & Orear. Ferry
News stand.
For eals In Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner.
839 So. Spring street, and OlUer & Haines. 108
60. Spring street.
For sale In Omaha by H. C Shears, 105 N.
Sixteenth street, and Barkalow Bros., 1012
Farnam street.
For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News
Co., 77 W. Second South street.
For sals In New Orleans by Ernest & Co,
115 Royal street.
On file In TO&sblngton, D. C, with A. W.
Dunn. 809 14th N. W.
For sale In Denver, Colo . by Hamilton &
Kendrick. 000-812 Seventh street.
.
TODAY'S -WEATHER. Partly cloudy, with
Occasional rain; southwest to northwest winds.
I
PORTLAXD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Some ct the best and brightest men In
Oregon are contributors to today's
Oregonlan. They -write as Democrats
concerning1 the mooted reorganization
of their party, and the general air of
candor and solicitude for the country's
welfare that pervades these utterances
bespeaks for them, as they should re
ceive, the thoughtful consideration of
every citizen. The Oregonlan Is not
given to mincing -words In political dis
cussion, and has small patience with
mischievous doctrine. In its strictures
upon those responsible for the finan
cial heresies and unpatriotic proposals
offered by the Democratic party In the
recent campaign It did not and does
not now desire to be. understood as
making war upon our Democratic
brethren as Individuals, but as politi
cians. Therefore we have asked for
these expressions of opinion, and wel
come them to our columns as the sin
cere efforts of men who love their
country and love their party, and
would have the party In the best po
sition to serve, through Its triumph,
the welfare of the country. The let
ters make pretty good reading, and as
political dissertations they will com
pare favorably with anything that
could be turned out by the general run
of Oregon Republicans. Some of them
have made some high scores, and their
average Is something no Republican
orator need despise.
In a friendly way, however, let us
notice that the Democrats do not ac
cept responsibility for defeat on be
half of platform or candidate, but at
tribute It. to the error of the people.
Republicanism, according to Judge
Burnett, stands for iniquitous central
ization, and Democracy for beneficent
separation. Dr. Welch tells us that
the present principles and the present
leaders are Just as they should be.
Mr. Hazard makes sure that the
trouble in 1990 was "the failure of a
large mass of the voters to compre
hend thoroughly and understand the
Importance of the issues," and Judge
Bennett's explanation is that prosper
ity "paralyzed the wisdom of the peo
ple." Colonol Myers avers that "true
Democratic principles are always
right, and certainly should succeed,"
and Mr. Sklpworth says that, "while
the Democratic party stands for the
tnasses of the people and the integrity
of our governmental fabric, there is
no reason why It should not be trust
ed." The logical deduction from these
positions is that the Democrats were
right, and the mistake, If any was
made, was on the part of the people,
line hope 1b, of course, that by 1904
the people will understand the ques
tions better and vote right This was
the expectation of 1SS6 as to the result
In 1900, but It failed of realization.
Fortunately, the election Is over now
and the country has other things to
think about; otherwise It would be In
teresting and profitable to consider
these Democratic contentions in some
detail; to show Judge Burnett the im
portant ends that can only be reached,
apparently, through "centralization"
and the anachronistic nature of States
Bights, now that the slavery conten
tion has passed away; to show Mr.
Hazard that the debates he treats of and
the laws, proclamations and decisions
of the time did distinctly recognize the
powers of Congress toward acquired
territory, in the precise way he fancies
they did not; to suggest to Dr. "Welch
that the retention of the gold standard
had an Important part in prosperity
as well as the acts of Providence. The
one deplorable thing In this batch of
letters is the effort of Judge Bennett
to characterize a rich man's party and
& poor man's party. His fine talents
are worthy a better cause than the
gospel of class hatred and the Idea that
the poor are to be served by dragging
down the rich. "We want people di
vided on questions of government, and
not on lines of worldly possession. Each
party should be the party of rich and
poor alike. They always have been
until the Democrats set out to drive
from their ranks every man that has
anything at stake. Let us have half
the rich and half the poor in each
party. Let us not seek to array the
people in two hostile camps, blind to
principles and anxious only to injure
each the other. If the Democratic
party is right, its success will be best
for the rich as well as the poor, for
employer as well as employee. The
spirit of the Paris Commune is some
thing no Democrat should encourage
in the United States.
The ways and means committee has
practically decided to abolish stamp
taxes on bank checks, express receipts,
telegrams and negotiable instruments.
These taxes are not burdensome. It
would be better to continue them and
spend the proceeds for opening the Co
lumbia River and other Internal Im
provements, including storage reser
voirs. No other agency can do this
work so easily and well as the Federal
Government.
LAWS ARE OXIiV TOOLS.
It is easy to overestimate the potency
of reform measures. The Philadelphia
Public Ledger, for example, regards
the success of Quay In Pennsylvania,
Clark in Montana and Ad dicks In
Delaware as "a convincing reason for
the election of Senators by direct vote
of the people." The logic Is not con
clusive. If election of Senators by
popular vote had no more to rest on
than this, it would fall, because prac
tice would be pretty certain to result
In disappointment. Suppose Pennsyl
vania had had popular election of Sen
ators who would have been elected in
November? Why, Quay. He dominat
ed the state convention, he would have
been nominated, and the people would
have voted for him. Probably the
same result would have been reached
by Clark In Montana and Addlcks in
Delaware. Then everybody would say,
"Look at your election by popular vote
It's a failure." Often, to be sure, a
contrary result would be reached, and
the reform Is worth trying for that
reason. But a more Important reason
Is the desirability of freeing the Leg
islature for its work of lawmaking, now
gravely interfered with by Senatorial
fights. The overshadowing Importance
of National issues makes the chief con
cern of a session turn about the Sen
atorial election. It Is worth while to
try to remove this Impediment, and
also give the people the power once
in a while to put down undesirable as
pirants for the Senate.
No mere device of legislative machin
ery will of Itself reform a popular evil.
The most it can do will be to put it in
the hands of the people to right their
wrongs, If they really desire to do so.
Take, for another example, the direct
primary system, which now seems rea
sonably sure of enactment into law in
Oregon. "Veteran politicians are apt to
regard It with disfavor, or at least con
tempt, because they think machine
leadership will be apt to have Its way
as heretofore, except that it will be
put to a little more trouble to gain its
ends. Thera is much basis of truth in
this distrust, for if the people are as
content as they have hitherto been
with machine rule, by the machines
they will be ruled. The direct pri
mary will not reform our politics by
itself; It must be used intelligently by
the people. If the rank and file of
the voters are going to abandon the
primaries to the machine as they have
done hitherto, the direct primary will
be as helpless to aid them as a new
self-binder would be to the farmer who
should turn it out unmanned in his
field to harvest his crop.
The direct primary is merely a tool.
The voters must use It. If they go
to the primaries and exercise their
choice, they will get results. If they
do not, we shall be no better off than
before. And the ground of hope In
the reform lies in the fact that where
It has been tried It -works well. Ex
perience has shown that when they
get a primary that gives them actual
choice in selection of candidates,- citi
zens will turn opt handsomely at the
primaries. They do It at Lincoln, they
do It at Minneapolis. It stands to rea
son they will do It in Oregon.
CRUSADES AGAINST VICE.
Bishop Potter is one of the most
earnest and effective men in public po
sition, and he has gone at the prob
lem of vice In New York in a way that
promises success; yet the history of
such efforts is such as to inspire grave
misgivings as to the value of the net
results obtainable In any reform move
ment of this kind. The purpose of sup
pressing drinking, gambling and Ir
regular sexual relations absolutely is
one Impossible of achievement, and
Bishop Potter, we may be sure, is too
wise a man to entertain it. He him
self, doubtless, has In view the highly
proper and practical end of destroying
the infamous system under which
saloons, gamblers and prostitutes se
cure police protection on payment of
blood money to blackmailing officials.
Yet in practice It Is always found Im
possible to keep reform movements of
this kind In their legitimate channel.
There are always Idealists and pruri
ent Paul Prys enough In the camp o
divert the enterprise from Its original
end to a vain and ridiculous war of
indiscriminate persecution of the
classes mentioned, that not only iguo
minlously falls of Its purpose, but
brings on a train of Incidental evils
that are pretty certain to overshadow
what good is accomplished.
The prurient reformer Is of all things
the most pestilential. He Insists upon
pursuing every devotee of Irregular
pleasure to the farthest retreat, and
spreading the fruits of his excursions
in the pages of respectable newspapers,
where they serve to advertise the dis
reputable resorts and sully the imagi
nations of pure-minded women and
youth who have no need to be in
formed of such iniquities. In New
York the reformers drove prostitutes
from their settled and recognized
abodes into lodging-houses all over the
city, where the Irregular practice that
cannot be eradicated until man Is made
differently was thrust Incessantly un
der the eyes and noses of decent peo
ple. In Chicago they drove late liquor-selling-Into
the hands of "blind pigs,"
where convivial and social infamies
were perpetrated such as no ordinary,
self-respecting saloonkeeper would tol
erate on his premises. In Kansas pro
hibition of saloons drove the liquor
business Into the drug stores, where
cupidity and perjury combined to make
a worse state of public morality than
existed before with licensed and police-regulated
barrooms. In Philadel
phia a similar crusade resulted, in lit
tle more than a thorough advertisement
of nearly every disorderly house In the
city, and the publication In all the
newspapers of a detailed statement
from the reform committee, including
such specifications aa that on -
street young girls could be found who
habitually sold themselves to all com
ers for 50 cents!
These are disgusting facts, but they
are the annals of crusades against vice
which have been perverted from their
first and commendable purpose by the
tribes of prying Incompetents who In
variably come to the front at such
times. Let us hope that Bishop Potter
will be warned by these shipwrecks
and steer his crusade through still,
deep waters of safety. The most we
can achieve in this matter is the ar
rest and punishment of blackmailing
officials and open deflers of law and
decency. Honest -and conscientious en
forcement of police surveillance can be
attained through wise methods, among
which indiscriminate advertisement and
persecution of the blackmailers' vlc-
tlms cannot be numbered.
ANTI-CATHOLIC LAWS IN FRANCE.
The present French Cabinet is on the
eve of a contest with the religious as
sociations, behind which will stand the
organized power of Catholicism in
France. M. Waldeck-Rousseau reaf
firmed his anti-clerical programme In a
speech made at Toulouse before the re
assembling of the Chambers; he pro
poses to cripple the financial resources
of the religious associations and oust
them from their educational functions.
The Premier declares that the relig
ious associations possess some $200,000,
000 in real estate, and as much more
in personal property, and that by
means of these associations the Roman
Catholic church had become a rival
power to the state. The government
therefore was determined to introduce
a law prohibiting the religious associa
tions from receiving further gifts of
property. The Premier further said
that the Ministers proposed to destroy
the vitality of the educational estab
lishments under the control of the re
ligious associations by giving a monop
oly of all the state offices, Including
military and naval commissions, and
also the right to practice at the bar, to
those educated in strictly secular
schools. This exclusion of all but
graduates of the state schools from
all government appointments would be
outrageous legislation, and in its In
tolerance would not be supported by
even the Protestants of France.
It Is not impossible, however, that
Premier Rousseau may succeed In Im
posing this grievous disability upon
Catholics, for It Is said that the pres
ent French Chambers are largely com
posed of agnostics. Despite the fact
that Napoleon was at heart a material
ist, he was too astute a statesman to
refuse to arrange the Concordat with
the Papacy, which Is enforced today.
Napoleon knew that France was
strongly Roman Catholic In sentiment,
and that he could not afford to have
the influence of the rural priesthood
against him. He remembered that It
was the priesthood that stimulated the
terrible revolt of the Vendean peas
antry against the First Republic, and
he wisely consented to the Concordat,
although' he would have preferred to
declare himself head of the church as
well as head of the state, had he dared
to offend the Roman Catholic sentiment
of France. Bismarck carried the
Falk laws through the Prussian Par
liament, but his success created a for
midable Catholic party and forced him
ultimately to repeal the offensive anti
clerical laws. Crlspl tried the same
game in Italy, with no better success
The passage of such laws aB those
contemplated by M. Waldeck-Rousseau
will be an act of persecution, and the
anti-Catholic party will soon become
strong enough In the French Chambers
to hold the balance of power between
the government and the opposition,
and In that event Ultimately will be
able to force the government to sur
render on Its own terms. The French
antl-Cathollc Ministry will find out
soon or late what Bismarck found out,
that in matters of anti-clerical legis
lation What thou wouldst
Thou better hadst enforce It with a smile
Than hew it, with a sword.
MENDICANCY ABROAD.
The spirit of mendicancy, detested
of all self-respecting persons, perme
ates, It would seem, to a greater or less
extent, all classes of society. At utter
variance with the principle of personal
Independence which underlies and sup
ports a republican form of government
It crops out In thousands of "get-some-thlng-for-nothing"
schemes, thinly
veiled or craftily concealed, as the case
may be.
A striking illustration of the preva
lence of this vice Is shown In a circular
recently sent out by Miss Helen Gould's
secretary, specifying the number and
character of the requests for money re
ceived by her In a single week. These
scheduled appeals for assistance in
seven days aggregated 1303, and the
sums asked for amounted to more than
$1,500,000. Glancing through the docu
ment, the reader finds nearly every
conceivable form of entreaty. Thrifty
parents who have named their girl
babies "Heteh Gould" demand payment
for the honor shown; a philanthropic
Individual desires to establish a colony
in Cuba at Miss Gould's expense; brides
who consider themselves entitled to a
more elaborate trousseau than their
fathers' purse will allow petition her
for help; an alleged clergyman mod
estly asks for a sum sufficient to buy
a horse and buggy, and any number of
plain, ordinary beggars ask for money
wherewith to buy watches, farms, live
stock, sewing machines and numerous
other articles. All request an early and
favorable reply.
The worst of It lsfthat Miss Gould is
not alone in this matter. Dozens of
wealthy people In this country are In
dally receipt of similar appeals to their
bounty, while in every community men
who have achieved business or politi
cal success are frequently besieged for
assistance upon the simple basis that
they have made money or are drawing
good salaries. The socialistic plea and
the Bryanlc howl encourage this most
audacious form of mendicancy. "Be
cause you have money and I have not,
divide," say the disciples and followers
of socialism and political sophistry.
Justice ignored, personal independence
stifled, the feeling that scorns an alms
trodden ruthlessly under foot, hun
dreds under this tutelage have come
to hang upon the skirts of Industry, of
capability, of endeavor, and beg shame
lessly for an unearned share of the
proceeds.
It Is said that all the fortunes in the
country would melt to nothingness in
a few weeks were the demands made
upon them by importunate alms-seekers
granted. And it may be added that
the country would be given over to a
saturnalia of extravagance, not to say
of debauchery, in the succeeding few
weeks, that would promise speedy res
toration of wealth to men who know
how to take care of it.
It is evident that Great Britain will
find the task of reconciling the people
of the late South African Republics
to their new rulers much more difficult
than was the by no means light task
of conquering their armies in the field.
Lord Kitchener, It is said, in assuming
the duties assigned him as successor to
Lord Roberts, finds himself face to face
with the grim fact that "the enemy
means the entire population of the two
states." An unreasoning people must
of necessity be an unreconciled people.
Hatred of England may be outgrown in
time; doubtless It will be, but It cannot
be stamped out. Our own experience
with the people of the South Is in evi
dence upon this point. As part of the
terrible price paid for the victory that
kept the Union intact, the people of the
North were objects of thfr Intense
hatred of the Southerners for a genera
tion. Patience, toleration, magnanim
ity, the slow growth of years, have suf
ficed to wear out a feeling that under
the circumstances was natural, and
could not be stamped out. History will
repeat itself in the problem which Eng
land has Undertaken to solve In South
Africa, though, owing to the ignorance
and non-progressive spirit of the peo
ple with whom that nation has to deal,
the process of solution will probably
take two generations, instead of one, as
in our case. Be this as It may, Eng
land is up against a problem that will
demand all the sagacity of her Minis
ters and a sublime patience and self
sacrifice on the part of her people to
solve to the credit of" civilization and
the advancement of her new subjects.
In the meantime, the sympathy of in
telligent humanity 1b divided between
the opposing elements in this matter.
That of the sturdy type, which Insists
that the ultimate good Of a race Is su
porlor to the present inclinations of its
representatives, Is with England, while
sympathy of the sentimental, put-your-self-in-hlsplace
quality follows the
hopeless, still desperate struggles of
the Boers for what they, In their ig
norance, conceive to be independence,
with yearning, and still with a measure
of baseless, hope.
Objection to Federal construction of
storage reservoirs, that of Its enormous
expense, is not whojly candid, in view
of the fact that it will proceed by slow
steps, and. the lands will gradually
enhance In value. There are said to
be t5.000.000 acres of arid land held by
the United States Government which Is
subject to reclamation through, irriga
tion, and the expense of doing this Is
placed at .$150,000,000. The scheme Is
to have the National Government ap
propriate from $10,000,000 to $12,000,000
a year, through Its river and harbor
legislation, for this purpose of build
ing reservoirs and Irrigation channels,
through which the waters of the over
flow seasons may be stored and distrib
uted over the. arid region as needed.
It would be idle to deny that Improve
ment of this magnitude will not en
hance the value of the land $2 an acre.
Just now, when we are printing so
many letters on both sides of the "common-point"
controversy, and Christian
Science, and the reorganization of the
Democratic party, is perhaps as appro
priate a time as any for us to repro
duce this delicate tribute from the Con
don Globe:
The Oregonlan denies free speech or even
independent thought to any man who disa
grees with it. . . . The Oregonlan Is a bigot;
It is self-righteous it arrogates to Itself all
the virtue and wisdom and concedes nothing
to those who differ with it.
One reason why The Oregonlan has
got along In the world Is because It has
Opened Its columns to free speech from
nearly everybody, with a latitude rare
ly excelled among newspapers. So we
cheerfully give space to the Condon
man's utterance about free speech, well
persuaded that he will be Just as re
gardfess of facts as he was before.
President MoKInley does well to enu
merate the open door In China as a pol
icy Indorsed by the people on election
day. In full sympathy with him,
doubtless, are the Southern States,
which -now petition Secretary Hay to
redouble his efforts for the open door,
after doing all they could to turn him
and the President out of offlee. Th
voice of the South wag against the open
door, but It hopes to see it maintained.
Yet to hint that there is inconsistency"
here Is, of course, Intolerance.
The Internal revenue tax on cigars
will be reduced 60 cents a thousand.
This reduction Is Useless. The manu
facturers are able to pay It. The con
sumer will not be benefited; and If he
were, he can well afford to pay this
small tax on his luxury. Yet we shall
be told there Is not money enough to
open the Columbia River at the dalles
or to build the Nicaragua Canal.
Andrew Carriegle, with all of his
striving and yearningB after the lux
ury of dying poor, has still, it is said,
something like $200,000,000 standing be
tween him and the honorable death
which he craves. He will have to re
double his activities in the way of dis
bursement Otherwise the grim mes
senger Is likely to And him unprepared.
By all means let John L. Wilson have
a Cabinet office. His labors for Repub
lican harmony In "Washington are only
equaled by che exertion for the gold
standard by which Mr. Hermann earned
his place In the Land Office.
So Ontario Is after the Malheur
Courthouse again. It is well. What
is a Legislature without a county-seat
fight?
A CONSERVATIVE UTTERANCE.
Reclamation of Aria Lands Blast Be
Done by Congress.
New York Evening Post
Both political parties are committed to
this policy in their latest National plat
forms. Much has been done already by
private enterprise, and much preliminary
work has been performed by the Depart
ment of Agriculture at Washington in
the way of surveys of reservoir sites and
forest preservation. This great work must
be prosecuted until the last acre of sand
and sagebrush that Is susceptible of Ir
rigation is brought under the reviving in
fluence of water. The country will not
be satisfied with anything less. It is with,
in the range of sound finance to make
this work pay for itself. It is the very
basis of the whole proceeding that the
Government should lay out Its work in
such way as to get back every dollar that
it expends, either by sale of the water or
by sale of the land after the water is
collected for cultivating it The question
may be asked, why not allow private en
terprise t6 carry on the work which it
has already begun? The answer Is that
private persons cannot control the sources
of supply." Private enterprise cannot pre
vent the cutting of timber on mountains
which hold the moisture that falls from
the clouds; private enterprise concerns
Itself only with schemes for present gain,
not with those of permanent benefit to
mankind.
Another and more convincing reason
why the National Government should
solve the problem, Instead of leaving it
to individuals and corporations, is that
private enterprise has reached its limit
It has, on the whole, been a losing busU
ness. It has failed financially for reasons
which would not be operative against
the Government The causes of failure
are stated by Mr. Elwood Mead In the
last year-book of the Department of Agri
culture. One of these is the necessarily
long delay In securing settlers for the
land to be irrigated, during which time
Interest on the investment remains -unpaid.
.Connected with this, and of the
same general nature, is the fact that
the settlers on new lands are generally
poor men, who cannot pay for the water
the first year, or until they have become
forehanded by the sale of crops. A third
cause of failure is the expense of liti
gation over water rights and land rights;
Still another Is the difficulty of acquiring
title to the land to be Irrigated, much
of It having been previously acquired in
one way or another by speculators who
would do nothing for itB improvement
All these difficulties would be surmounted
by the Government. They stand as a
perpetual deterrent against further pri
vate enterprise.
VICE EVERYWHERE.
Chicago Seeks to Rival New Yorlc In
Advertising Its Evils.
Chicago Journal.
During the National political campaign
Just ended the Journal spoke with some
frequency on the subject of official rascal-,
ity in New York. Its utterances In that'
connection were actuated principally by a
sense of New York's Importance as a
political factor. The voice of the first
city of the Nation is not the voice of the
Empire state, because the state Itself is
not in sympathy with fhe city, and votes
against it Nevertheless, the municipal
corruption of New York under Tammany
rule was a National scandal, and deserved
attention when the gaze of the country
was focused upon it The corruption has
had its rebuke. The gorge of the New
York voter has risen. Dnoent government
is promised and the discredited Croker is
turning his face toward his English ref
uge. So much having been accomplished
in New York, it is time to scrutinize the
necessities for reform nearer home.
The scriptural symbol of the mote and
the beam, has 5h added force when con
sidered In connection with any , Chicago
criticism of New York corruption. If we
were temporarily blinded to the situation
within our own gates by the, greater no
toriety of the Eastern gang of despoll
ers, there Is no reason at present existing
against the removal of the dust-Cloud.
The government of Chicago Is honey
combed and permeated with a system of
thievery and rottenness every whit as
iniquitous as the thievery and rottenness
of the rule of Croker or Tweed. The
people may have winked at it In years
gone by. Tjhe time has come to face it
and obliterate it
There is no necessity for nice phrases
or the mincing of words. There is not a
department of the city government under
Harrison that Is not festering and rancid
with evil. Gambling flourishes. Every
one knows it The Mayor himself main
tains toward that particular form of vice
an attitude of affected ignorance that is
childish and absurd. The gamblers pay
for "protection"; that is, for license to
operate. That also Is a notorious truth.
Nobody denies It.
Vice stalks, rampant Crime goes un
punished. The crook steals and the harlot
struts. Both pay wretched tribute to
their taskmasters for immunity. Who
will deny that they do?
Saloon-keepers sell whisky after hours,
In open violation of the law. They could
not do so for five minutes without offi
cial connivance. They obtain immunity
by paying for It. The profit of the law
breaking Is shared by those that pernitt
It. Everybody knows it Nobody de
nies it
Emanating from the City Hall there Is a
network of petty corruption and black
mall that throws a hood of menace over
companies and individuals. The Journal
Is in possession of facts to substantiate
this statement Private citizens who have
felt the "touch" of the "fine worker" are
not averse to telling of the experience
after It Is over. There Is a Washington
street shopkeeper who could not secure
the passage of an ordinance permitting
him to alter the construction of his prem
ises until he had paid somebody $300.
Franchises are audtlonable. Privileges
are bestowed on individuals able to pay.
The keynote of the syBtem Is plunder. The
darkest shame of all Is the tax levied
upon vice Vice pays for a tolerance that
adds to the stain of the vice Itself.
Mayr Harrison personally is honest
He leads a clean life. Officially he is
Weak, because he permits himself to be
made' the tool of men schooled In every
device of trickery and skin. For that
reason he Is not the man to head an- hon
est city government New York has evi
denced her determination to toss her bag
of rascals out. Chicago shakes hands
with New York through the distance and
pledges herself to do likewise. We need a
houscoleanlng. We will have It in the
Spring.
Colorado's Lynching Iniquity.
A henious punishment Inflicted by a law
less mob puts every menroer of that mob
on the same moral plane with the victim
It tortures to death. Utlca Herald-Dispatch.
It seem3 the Governor of Colorado, the
Sheriff, and the people generally sanction
a deed which would shock any other com
munity of savages on earth. Rochester
Democrat
Outraged law and a horrified moral
sense demand the punishment of the men
responsible for the barbarous killing of the
negro,but It Is probable they will go scot
free. Detroit Journal.
Lynch law Is a rough and violent cure
of defects In our system of government,
and lynch law cannot be put down by de
nunciation, but by strengthening the po
lice power. Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph.
,
Another negro burned at the-stake!An-other
blow struck at law and order! An
other triumph of the wild Justice of re
venge I Another proof that some are not
so far from the barbarous cruelty of the
Middle Agesl New York Evening Sun.
The right to criticise the lawless acts of
Southern communities for taking the law
into their own hands and to condemn
Chinese outrages upon hated foreigners
is, to say the least, Impaired by such oc
currences as this application of lynch
law In Colorado. Syracuse Herald.
Will Always Rankle.
New York Commercial Advertiser.
The official vote in Mississippi discovers
what a weapon this and. four other states
have put into the hands of those that
want to reduce representation In Congress
to the basis of qualified electors. The
vote was 51,706 Democratic, 5753 Republi
can and 1644 Populist, 59,103 in all. These
69,000 votes elect seven members of Con
gress. The population of Mississippi In
1S90 was 1,289,600. In the 14th Now York
district with a population of 227,973, one
member of Congress was elected this year
by a vote of about 68,000, neglecting the
scattering candidates; or some 10,000 more
than chose seven members of Congress in
Mississippi. This is a condition of in
equality and injustice that will rankle
continually in the American mind, what
ever fear there may be that to take any
specific remedy proposed would perhaps
make a bad matter worse.
Biggest Nngrffet.
In a little hook on "Gold Nuggets," by
T. J. Hurley, It is shown that the coun
try which holds the record for the biggest
and richest gold nuggets Is not Califor
nia, Australia, the Transvaal, nor the
Klondike, but North Carolina. For size,
value and quantity the Reed mine in
Cabarrus County, North Carolina, is far
ahead of ail rivals, and mines in Mont
gomery County in that state have also
produced some famous nuggets. The
Reed mine has produced nuggets weigh
ing 28 pounds, 17 pounds, 16 pounds, 184
pounds, SH pounds, two of 9 pounds each,
two of' S pounds each, 5 pounds, 3H
pounds, two of 2 pounds eachrand one of
l?i pounds. Alaska, the Klondike, and
the Transvaal produce no large nuggets,
but Australia, Siberia and Colorado have
some very respectable ones to their credit
INJUSTICE TO ARMY OFFICERS.
Asrsrravated Case of Government
Parsimony to Good Men.
Engineering Record.
Now that Congress is soon to convene,
it Is time to call attention to an injustice
which ought to. be righted at once, an
injustice which is placing the United
States in the position of a sweatshop op
erator toward a body of officers who can
not make complaint The Government is
ordering a number of members of the
Corps of Engineers of the Army to serve
outside the country on pay inadequate to
supply more than the bare necessities of
life. The pay of line officers of the
United States is traditionally niggardly,
but they have certain privileges in tho
way of commuting quarters and the like
which, it Is understood, are denied the
Corps of Engineers. Moreover, most of
the line officers sent to Porto Rico, Cuba
and the Philippines have volunteer rank
higher than their regular Army grade,
which enables them to draw pay ap
proaching more nearly to the value of
their services. In the Corps of Engineers
it is different and the officer has the
same, rank in San Juan or Manila as in
Washington, and only a slight increase
in pa, about enough to meet his laundry
bill.
The injustice of this will bo apparent
when it Is recalled that mo3t of these of
ficers are engaged on civil as distinct
from military engineering. If an engineer
in private life receives a call for work
in the tropin he expects to be very well
paid for the added risks to health, di
minished opportunities for rational enjoy,
ment and the general discomfort of a
busy life In such climates; in fact, he
very often refuses to go for any consid
eration. When the United States needs
to have public works built in Cuba or
the Philippines or Porto Rico, It has no
trouble In obtaining the necessary en
gineers. It selects the Army officers whose
Tecords of achievements are the highest
In the branches of engineering needed,
and orders them to these Islands. They
have to go. The Increased hazard of
life, tho increased cost of living, the dis
comforts of mere existence, are supposed
to have no weight with the Army officer.
He has shown himself competent at home,
so he must suffer abroad.
All this would hardly be a matter to
which to draw public attention were it
not for the faqt that many of our officers
are ordered to stations where the ex
pense of decent living nearly or quite
equals their pay. By decent living is
meant only simple food and clean sur
roundings. Some of these officers have
lately been drawing on the savings of
years to support their families in 1
healthful home in America, while the
Government is putting the entire charge
of enormous expenditures and its own
credit for good honest work in their
hands. Their pay Is far below what a
private engineer would receive for similar
work In the United States, and nowhere
near the salary he would demand for
foreign engagements.
White Barbarians In China.
Baltimore Sun.
The atrocities committed by the troops
of the allied powers in China in the plun
dering of cities, destruction of villages
and promiscuous slaughter of noncom
batants are a disgrace to Christian civ
ilization. The murder of missionaries by
the 'Boxers'' was Inspired by fanatical
sentiment It was an execrable proceed
ing, and deserves punishment But it
was the policy of semi-barbarous Asiatics
and was carried out by a low class of vil
lage ruffians, whereas the hard-heartod
butcheries committed by the Western
troops are ordered or permitted by na
tions that boast of their enlightenment,
ethical culture, refinement and philan
thropy, and are carried out by officers ana
soldiers who pride themselves upon their
superiority of -ace and religion.
1 4
Lbrd Pannccfote's Compliment,
New York World.
Lord Pauncefote is refurnishing and
decorating the interior of the British Em
bassy at Washington, and pays American
upholstery and decorative wall papers tho
compliment of using them in preference
to those of British manufacture. He is
reported as saying that the American
goods are better in quality and cost less
than British goods of a similar kind. He
thinks there is no CLo'iot that In this line
of manufacture the United States leads
the world. This is, indeed, a remarkable
compliment to be paid by the Ambassa
dor of one great industrial nation to the
manufacting genius of another.
Dangerous to the Party in Power.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
Tho scheme to scale down Southern rep
resentation in the lower branch of Con
gress must reach fruition within a year
or go over for another decade, since a
new reapportionment, based on the cen
sus ,of ISOO, must now be made. The
chances are heavily against the consum
mation of the -scheme, not because the
Democrats will have the parliamentary
power to prevent it, but because the Re
publican politicians, of whom the leading
one Is the President himself, are pretty
sure to regard the enterprise as inexpe
dient from a party viewpoint
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS
Badger-Charley's Unci Benjamin died last
week and left $160,000. Dudley He had to.
Boston Transcript.
Little Loss. CUmso Fosdlck lost his head
yesterday. Cawker Oh, well, there's nothln
in it. Detroit Free Press.
The Hero (aa the plot thickens) Now Is the
time to actl Voice from the Gallery 'Bar!
'earl "We've waited long- enough for it! Tit
Bits. His Pick. He I understand you have a fam
ily tree? She Oh, yes. He Well, the fellow
who picks you will set a peach. Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin.
A Light Lunch. "I don't think I want much
to eat today; my stomach Isn't Quite right."
said the gloomy-looking man. as he glanced
over the till of fare. "Just bring me seme
ipareribs and sauerkraut a glass of milk, a
piece of Rocuefort cheese, and a portion pf
plum-pudding; It's better to be careful of
your stomach than to be sick." Puck.
Helpful Suggestion. "I wish I could think of
some new and unusual Christmas present to
surprise mamma with this year," said Mlsa de
Mulr. wrinkling her fair brow In deep perplex
ity. "How do yoU think she'd like a son-in-law?"
hoarsely whispered young Spoonanwre,
falling readily Into the only line of thought
that seemed to suggest itself. Chicago Trib
une. It I Had Gifts to Brtag.
B. E. Riser in Chicago Times-Herald.
If I were Kins' of Fairyland
And had the right to say
How blessings should be passed around
Down here, from day to day
If I mlKht give to each and all
Whatever gifts I chose .
What should I give, my little boy.
To you, do you suppose!
Not heaps of gold nor mighty ships
Tt sail the ocean blue.
Not wealth to make of other boys
The hired slaves of you
But ruddy cheeks and sparkling eyes,
A laugh that bad the ring
Of honest pleasure in it and
A heart for anything I . .
If I wre King of Fairyland, $T
-With none to say me nay, t
O little girl, what think you I,
Should bring to you todayJT
Nay, I should bring across the sea
From soma knight-ridden strand
No mincing little "nobleman"
To ask you for your handt
X would not raise up castle walls
Where you should be the Queen.
But I would let you play with dolls,
Still artless and serene,
And X would put within your heart
The everlasting grace
That lifts a. woman out and leaves
Aa tngol la her place.
i. ; KOrfi ANft C0MMEHJ "i
f $ " ' . f t j 5
Ar student of Princeton- was killed "tha
other day while he wasn't playing foot
ball! It la not that the French loye Kruger
more, but that they love the English
less.
A new cave has been discovered in tho
Black Hills. Here is a fine opening lor
Bryan.
An Indiana bachelor lives on 6 cents a.
day. He doubtless looks llva five times
that much.
Money talks, but that does not prevent
foreign noblemen from seeking the hands
of heiresses.
Mr. Croker's return from England will
be an indication that Bishop Potter's
work is likely to be effective.
An Ohio man has died of cancer, due
to handling greenbacks. He probably
Was willing to subscribe to the senti
ment: O Death, where is thy sting?
Attempts will soon be made by Califor
nia merchants to put fresh asparagus on
the market In London and other places
in Great Britain. The California navel
oranges are growing In favor in England
and are being much appreciated. It Is
expected that California asparagus will
compete with French asparagus, which is
sent to England in, large quantities.
During the Illness of the late Professor
Max Muller at the end of last year public
prayers for his recovery were offered in
a Hindu temple at Madras a dfstlnctlon
never before given to a European. Simi
lar services were also performed in other
towns in India, including Benares, the
center of Brahmanlc learning and ortho
doxy. When the news of his recent ill
ness reached India all the priests and
pundits of Benares assembled together
and agreed to offer prayers on, hto behalf
In their sacred temple.
Among the most curious election bets
on. record Is one made by John P. Court
ney, Democrat, and Harry Wallace, Re
publican, two plumbers doing business in
Minneapolis. The agreement was that the
loser must for life cast his vote as the
winner shall dictate. Courtney, who was
a candidate for Alderman In tho recent
campaign, was the loser, and Is now en
gaged in earnest but so far unavailing
efforts to substitute some other penalty.
Wallace is obdurate and Bwears that
Courtney must in future vote the Repub
lican ticket
The Oregonlan is in receipt of several
communications from people who com
plain of the number of exhorters, sh out
ers and cranks who have been holding
forth on the streets of late, both by night
and by day, to the annoyance of many
and without any visible good resulting,
and it is requested that some means of
abating this nuisance be suggested. It
must be admitted that the number of
people who, as Kipling says, "shout and
become without sense" along the streets
of Portland. Is becoming alarmingly
large. Probably the only practicable way
of putting a stop to this nuisance is
for citizens to go along about their busi
ness and not block the sidewalks to listen
to some Mormon missionary cowboy
preacher, or undenominational crank. As
long as such people can get a crowd to
listen to them and Incidentally to con
tribute to thofr support they will Jron
tlnue to shout. One of the most singular
traits of mankind is the fact that any
one who will stand anywhere in a public
place and bawl or make a noise of any
kind will always attract a crowd of
listeners. If people will break themselves
of this foolish habit and not stop to
listen to the rantlngs of any orank who
feels it Is his right to howl, the shouters
will soon disappear and will no longer
annoy any one.
A Linn County farmer, who is some
thing of a practical Joker, was In the city
a day or two ago, and was telling of the
fun he had during the snooting season
testing the law-observing qualities of his
neighbors and sportsmen generally. The
game law prohibits shooting from tha
highway, a very proper provision, as
otherwise people would drive all over the
country and shoot on everybody's fields.
This farmer's houso and barns are near
the highway, and he procured the heads
of three Mongolian pheasants, placed
them on sticks and adjusted them In tho
stubble near the side of the road, bo that
there appeared to be three pheasants hid
ing there with their heads protruding, as
is the habit of these birds. Then he and
his family kept their eyes on all buggies
they saw coming along the road, and he
says that the result was very creditable
to the eyesight of all travelers, for no
one passed during the season without see
ing the three birds, and no one who had
a gun failed to take a shot at them, not
withstanding the law. When the shoot
ers heard the laughter from his house
which followed their shots, they under
stood the joke and generally looked sheep
ish. He says the worst case he saw dur
ing the season was when a party of Port
land sportsmen came along. There were
three of them In a buggy, with a driver.
Just as they came opposite his decoys
one of the Portlanders, a boyish-looking
fellow, saw the three heads, and, although
the buggy was going at a smart trot he
tumbled out without waiting for the
driver to slow up, landing in a heap in
the road. He ran back till he could see
the birds, and took a pot shot at them.
He looked much surprised when he saw
that none of them had been killed; but
when the farmer and his wife and his
daughters came out and gave him the
"grand ha, ha," shouted "pot-hunter" and
told him to give them the other barrel,
he was much disgusted. The farmer says
he has learned from experience that there
are but few sportsmen who will not vio
late the law by shooting from the high
way or killing more birds than allowed
by law, and he believes that if tfiey wers
around a farm, they would shoot out of
season, as they allege the farmers' boys
do.
ThBBlcscivins: Pessimist
Baltimore American.
Thanksgiving day Is not for me
No pleasure will X find.
No gastronomic Joyfulneas
Will Influence my mind.
I'll not be one of those who will
Surround the festal board
And aid in doing homage to
The pantry's lavish hoard.
The turkey, brown and glistening.
The oysters, succulent
The mincemeat pie, with visions rtfe
For me they are net meant. ,
Not even ohlcken croquettes may
Ensnare my appetite,.
Nor shall the gravy form to me
A source of rich delight
'Tls not that I'm not truly filled
With deepest tharjkfulnera
For all the many mercies that
My walk through life sow bless.
No. Such & meaty bill of fare
To me a shudder brings.
For Vox & vegetarian,
And do not eat such things.