THE MORNTNTG OREGONIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1900. to x&&oxtworu Entered at the Postofflce at Portland, Oregon, as second-class matter. TELEPHONES. Editorial Booms 100 I Business Office... 6CT REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance Dally, with Sunday, per month.... $ 85 Daily, Sunday excepted, per year 7 60 Dally, with Sunday, per year.. 9 O0 Sunday, per year 2 00 The Weekly, per year 1 5JJ The Weekly, 3 months To City Subscribers Dally, per -week, delivered, Sundays excepted.l5c Dally, per week, delivered, Sundays lncluded.20c POSTAGE RATES. United States. Canada and Mexico: 10 to 10-page paper . lc 10 to 32-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. News or dlscu.slon Intended for publication In The Oregonlan sbould be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name or any individual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or to any business matter should be 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 wltheut solici tation. No stamps should bs lncl03cd for this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson, office at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 053, Tacoma Postofflce. Eastern Business Office The Tribune build ing. New York City; "The Rookery." Chicago: the S. C. Beckwlth special agency. New York. For sale in San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. 740 Market street, near the Palaee Hotel; Gold smith Bros.. 2.M Sutter street; F. TV. Pitts. 1003 Market street: Foster &. Orear. Ferry News stand. For sale In Los Anteles by B. F. Gardner. 259 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines, 100 So. Spring street. For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co.. 517 Dearborn street. For rale In Omaha by H. C. Shears, 103 N. Sixteenth street, and Barkalow Bros., 1C12 Farnam street. For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co., 77 W. Sooond South rtreet. For sale In New Orleans by Ernest & Co., 115 Royal street. , On file In Washington, D. C. with A. W. Dunn, 500 14th N. W. For sale In Denver, Colo., by Hamilton & Kendrick, 906-M2 Seventh street. TODAT'S WEATHER. Increasing cloudi ness, probably followed by rain during the afternoon; fresh south winds. PORTLAND, TIimSDAY, NOV. 0, 1000 A very moderate acquaintance with human nature suffices to make it clear that the real offender In the West Point hazing episode is the injudicious re porter. The Booz boy fell so far be hind in mathematics that his marks were below the required point. So he resigned and gave out the story of his maltreatment by hazing. "What, alas, Is more common than some such re source as this? "Who has not met the fond parent whose ingenuity always comes to the rescue In cases of this kind? What boy or girl ever failed in deportment or scholarship but the fault was directly chargeable to Incompe tent teachers? "What revolutions in family opinion of a school's adminis tration, or of a teacher's capability and character take place in the twinkling of an eye, once the pet child comes home with a reprimand or a low mark? It is obviously the part of enlightened journalism to suffer such excuses to slumber in oblivion. In the Booz case the inevitable appears in the official denial from the academy and the con sequent humiliation of the complainant family. All of which might have been foreseen and avoided. The fault, of course, is the reporter's. Public policy forbids aspersion of the parental pro gramme. It Is a man's high duty, as Colonel Watterson has it in his lecture on "Money and Morals," to champion his own red-headed little brats as the Incarnation of all goodness and grace. There is, apparently, a good deal of humbug in the oft-repeated cry, not wholly a stranger to The Oregonian's columns, that to .replace a Senator by a new one is "for the state to lose val uable committee places. Notice, for ex ample, this exhibit In the case of Dolll ver succeeding Gear (deceased), of Iowa: GEAR'S COMMIT TEES. Pacific railroads Agricultural and for estry Education and labor Interstate commerce Postoffices and post roads DOLLIVER'S COM MITTEES. Pacific railroads Agriculture and fores try Education and labor (Interstate commerce Postoffices and post- roads Improvement of the Mississippi I Mississippi The other case this session is that of Vermont. And here the showing is substantially the same as in the case of Iowa. Thus: ROSS' COMMITTEES Civil service Engrossed bills Territories DILLINGHAM'S COM MITTEES. Civil service Engrossed bills Transportation routes) Territories Transportation routes to the seaboard Additional accommoda tions to the library to the seaboard Additional accommoda tions to the library (Indian annr&Driations The new Senator gets one more com mittee place than his predecessor en joyed. The gang of young hoodlums and night prowlers that has infested the central section of the East Side for some months, committing depredations upon property at various times In a spirit of pure wantonness, is, it is said, to be broken up by police authority. It is clearly time that slack parental authority, or, to put it more in accord ance with the facts, utter lack of par ental authority, so far as these pre daceous victims are concerned, were supplemented by a type of restraint that restrains. The community Is hor rified, and justly so, when an inoffen sive old couple are killed in a lonely place by a shot fired through the" win dow of their home. That we have In a thickly settled residence portion of our city young reprobates who are training tor cowardly, sneaking, murderous deeds equally reprehensible, is attested In the crashing of a rock through the window of a dwelling in this city into the very midst of the family circle, a few evenings ago. That the missile was thrown in pure wantonness and utterly reckless of consequences can not be doubted. That It was thrown by a boy, one of a notorious gang that has long been organized for mischief, is equally certain. If parents will not stop such doings. It Is clear that the police must. And when it comes to this no man's prominence in political, busi ness or social circles should prevent his name from being spread before the public as a most derelict parent and consequently a citizen who is recreant to his first and highest duty to the state the duty of bringing up his sons' with a proper regard for law and re spect for the rights of others. But we are told that some of these young vandals belong to our best fami lies. Well, who are our best famyies? Do the best families train their children to run the streets at night, to defy parental control, to make night hideous and destroy property? Do the best families permit their children to make daily and nightly companions of chil dren of our worst families, -who teach them the ribald language of the slums, the art of smoking cigarettes and a habit of alcoholism? It is to be allowed that families of high pretensions do this, but if we have been accustomed to call them our best families, we must revise our category. The best families are those whose children, a generation hence, will be the reliance of the state and the salvation of society. These will not have spent their youth in Idle ness by day and wanton mischief by night. They will have learned in youth to work, to be respectful and to obey. The boy who has his own way is an em bryonic anarchist. The worst families are they wherein neglect of precept and example are making jailbirds. The best families are they wherein charac ters are forming that must preserve the society of tomorrow through order, dis cipline and righteousness. History tells us that, according to this standard, the best families are as often in the homes of the poor as In the mansions of the rich. There are no children of the best families In this gang of hoodlums. The clothes they wear, the Saxony on their floors, the canvases on their walls, the father's name, the mother's social emi nence these do not determine the measure of their goodness. The fami lies they belong to are our worst. The celebration planned for Portland in 1902 by the committees hitherto at work was primarily conceived as an in dustrial and commercial project, and this might somewhat Impede adoption of the excellent suggestion made by Mr. Li. B. Cox, that the occasion be turned into an historical celebration of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The difficulty hera would be only one of harmonizing local predilections and plans, for there Is obviously no reason why the historical object-lesson and the business enterprise should not be fused Into harmonious whole. Such was the case at Philadelphia in 1876, at Chicago in 1892, and such is planned at St Louis in commemoration of the Louis iana purchase. It would be difficult to overestimate the significance of the work done by the expedition of Lewis and Clark. Not as forcibly dramatic as Captain Gray's discovery of the Co lumbia or the Whitman massacre, it was nevertheless profoundly effective as a steadily operating influence upon National development Nothing could better fix attention upon it or upon the local history of which it is an import ant epoch than such a celebration aB trade and manufacturing enterprise Is wont to make of historical expositions. To give the Portland enterprise an his torical significance would also be to en list the co-operation of persons whose influence and assistance may well be desired. We hope Mr. Cox's suggestion can be acted upon. Mr. Bogue's Interview, printed yes terday, is Interesting as showing the consuming Interest in and desire for the Nicaragua Canal that can exist In one who is not only a railroad man, through and through, but also a citizen abreast of the times. It would not be surprising to find that much of the rail road sentiment of the country is at bot tom In sympathy with the canal pro ject Mr Huntington was nominally against It, and he was the one supreme, dominant and effective figure of the op position now, since he Is gone, crum bling away. But Mr. Huntington's real views on the subject are unwritten, and we shall undertake to say that.hls Im pressions were largely formed from In terviews with blackmailing members of Congress who professed to him a desire to save his railroads from the certain loss this dangerous canal project had In store for them. Let us give the rail road men credit for some public spirit as well as a prudent desire to hold their jobs. Doubtless If the truth were known a great part of the reputed rail road opposition to improvement of the Upper Columbia consists of pure leg end. Certain it Is that the O. R. & N. has given the Government considera ble willing aid both at the cascades and at the dalles. Mr. Charles Francis Ad ams has long been an active promoter of the river's improvement, and per haps the fact that an O. R. & N. di rector offered the motion that recently committed the Portland Chamber of Commerce to the Celilo enterprise has significance more reassuring than sinis ter. The O. R. & N. might lose some thing by the Columbia's opening, but It Is certain it would also gain a great deal. SUCCESSFUL INVASION IMPOSSIBLE. General Mercier's assertion that France could Invade England with ease will not endure critical examination. It is true that some twenty years ago Lord Wolseley, in the British Parlia ment, said that the south coast of Eng land was so destitute of fortified de fensos that It would not be difficult for France to land an army; bat what was once a possible danger of French inva sion is no longer dreaded by the Eng lish people, who know that while France might land a corps. It would be sure of destruction, because the im provement in the range of modern re peating rifles has completely revolu tionized warfare. England Is an old country, full of hedges, orchards and lanes. Such a country, defended by a million of brave men who were sharpshooters, could not possibly be successfully invaded. With arms and ammunition inexhaustible, England would be Impregnable, defend ed simply by her volunteers who were armed with repeating rifles and were sharpshooters. These volunteers would not need any more drill or discipline than the Boers of South Africa. Dr. Conan Doyle says that out of the 40, 000,000 of Great Britain a very large army of brave marksmen could be easily assembled, and agalnBt such an army no force that any power in Eu rope could land would make any prog ress. This is true of England and still truer of America. Out of our 75,000,000 people It would be easy to assemble 500,000 men who would be marksmen. No for eign power could hope successfully to Invade the United States, for we are better off than England In this respect, that we have ample supplies of food, while England Imports all her food stuffs, and in event of any temporary blockade of her ports might be brought to some inconvenience. Of course, ex cept In event of disaster to her channel fleet English ports would be In no danger of blockade, but if unexpected disaster befell her navy, England would be worse off than we should If our Navy were beaten in battle. The Boer War has demonstrated that an army of volunteers, who are brave men and marksmen, can, with repeat ing modern rifles, give successful battle behind defenses to disciplined soldiers making frontal attacks. Under these circumstances, the successful invasion of a country like England or the United States, Inhabited by many millions of brave, intelligent people, would be im possible. England could put at a pinch 3,000,000 of volunteers into the field, placing them behind hedges, in or chards and all kinds of defenses. What could an invading army of 100,000 men do against such a swarm of splendidly armed volunteers? The United States could put 5,000,000 of volunteers into the field in an emergency. Invasion of either Great Britain or the United States is a practical absurdity under the changed conditions of modern re peating rifles and quick-firing cannon. POLITICAL SATIRISTS. That brilliant political satirist, known best as Mr. Dooley, lies sick of typhoid fever In Chicago. If there were any apprehension of a fatal ter mination of his case, the American peo ple would be as full of affectionate anxiety for Mr. Dunne's restoration to health as they were when Rudyard Kipling was believed to be hopelessly ill of pneumonia in New York City. "Mr. Dooley" Is very dear to thou sands of Americans of all parties, of both sexes and all conditions of life. He is the truest political satirist known to our literature, because he is the only one that has not been a partisan. In tho early days of the Republic we had no legitimate political satirists. We had a swarm of brutal political black guards, but no man who rose above low Invective and partisan vulgarity Into the domain of legitimate satire. Seba Smith, the author of the "Major Jack Downing" letters, made quite a sensa tion in his day by his satire of Presi dent Jackson, but they have no rank In permanent political literature, and are not marked by any superior powers of wit and humor. The most brilliant of American politi cal satirists was James Russell Lowell, but his Yankee dialect poems are par tisan satires. Those written before the war are full of blasting ridicule of the pro-slavery leaders, North and South, while those written during the war are devoted to excoriation of the copper head Democracy and denunciation of Jefferson Da-vis. These satires have permanent literary value, and yet they are the work of a bitter partisan. In his "Fable for Critics," Lowell proved that he possessed the power of the true satirist, for In this poem he laughs merrily at the whole literary guild of America, tweaks the noses of his friends or his foes with equal impar tiality, mingles praise with blame, cuffs with caresses. But thls quality Lowell does not exhibit In his political satire, which, as we have said, is In tensely partisan. Artemas Ward was a true satlrlBt, but he had not depth and power enough to make a trenchant political satirist He was without partisanship, but his touch was too light his laugh was too gentle, to make a strong impression upon his time. A man who on the heels of a terrible Civil War could smilingly say that "It would have been money in the pockets of Jeff Davis had he never been born" was too gentle a sat irist for his day and generation. New hall, who satirized McClellan In his "Mackerel Brigade," was a man of de cided talents, but of partisan quality. and so was that powerful political sat irist. Petroleum V. Nasby (D. R. Locke), who blasted President Andrew Johnson with ridicule. The native vigor of Locke and the trenchant quality of his satire attracted the attention and ob tained the warm praise of such men as Emerson and Holmes. With the end of the battle over reconstruction, the public lost Interest in the Nasby let ters from "Confederate X Roads," and Locke Anally found himself without an audience. An able, rough-ground polit ical satirist he was, however, a parti san, and when the issue which first gave him his opportunity was settled his vocation was gone. With the outbreak of our Spanish War, that charming political satirist "Mr. Dooley," appeared and was quickly recognized as a political satirist of rare quality, because he was not a partisan. Even as Aristophanes, the great genius of the ancient Greek com edy, ridiculed everybody, sparing neither Socrates nor the Sophists, neither Pericles nor Alclblades, neither statesmen nor demagogues, so "Mr. Dooley" has spared nobody. He has laughed at both Bryan and McKlnley; has made a "holy show" of both Alger and General Miles; has ridden very rough-shod over "Teddy" Roosevelt; has satirized the policy of the powers in China with a sharpness that must have captivated LI Hung Chang; has written a description of the Dreyfus trial that must have diverted both the friends and the foes of the accused. Mr. "Dooley" is our best political sat irist in this, that he is a true satirist, who cannot be a political partisan any more than a man can be a true artist who refuses to paint any portraits of persons who are not of his religious or political faith, of his social rank or quality. Nothing that Is human is foreign to Mr. Dunne's satire. He does not spare the foibles of his own countrymen any more than Shakespeare spares the vices and vanities of the people of Eng land in his plays; he does not spare Populism, free silver or any form of Bryanlsm; he does not spare "the stren uous life" of Roosevelt; and so impar tially does he hit every head that comes within the sweep of the shllla lah of his satire that it would be difficult to determine his politics from reading his writings. He shoots at folly wherever he finds it he nails in justice on the cross of public ignominy; he uses his wit as a free lance; he is a knight errant who Impales fools and knaves on his spear; he is a boon com panion to all men of good will who are disposed to be merciful when mercy does not wreck justice. If the prayers of his fellow-countrymen of all par ties are of any avail, Mr. "Dooley" will obtain speedy restoration to full health, for beyond any other American he has contributed greatly to the recent gayety of nations. The Important part of the Secretary of War's report is that which relates to the war In the Philippines, for the suppression of which the larger part of the Army, present or future. Is re quired. The situation in the Philip pines resembles that which confronts the British military authorities in the South African Republics. In the Phil ippines all open resistance to our arms has terminated, but we are confronted with vexatious guerrilla warfare, which it will take time and patience to sup press. The shortest way to suppression is to shoot the guerrilla leaders when captured and Identified as murderers of natives who are friendly to the United States. Our problem in the Philippines Is not so difficult to solve as that pre sented to Great Britain in South Africa. Legitimate warfare there has ceased, but roving bands of Boer riders go to and fro, cutting railways, destroying supplies, etc Compared with the Tagal rebels, the Boer riders are far superior In intelligence, skillful marksmanship and respect for civilized warfare. The Tagals are practically brigands, while the Boers are Irreconcilable insurgents. The Boers are mounted men, are of white stock, and from their superior intelligence are likely to offer a far more prolonged resistance than are the Tagals, who, since the election, have suffered considerably from defections In their ranks and extensive surrenders. The assumption of male characters by women Is nothing new; Its latest illus tration Is the assumption of the part of the youthful Duke of Relchstadt, the sickly son of Napoleon, by Sarah Bern hardt In modern times the finest women who have adorned the stage have played male characters and worn masculine attire. Charlotte Cushman played Romeo, Hamlet and Cardinal Wolsey. Olive and Celia Logan played male characters, and Anna Dickinson played Hamlet In "As You Like It," the famous part of Rosalind requires male attire, and so does that of Viola In "Twelfth Night" and that of Julia In "Two Gentlemen of Verona." Portia wears male attire for a time In the "Merchant of Venice," and Imogen, the delicate and lovely Imogen, wears man's attire In "Cymbeline." Ellen Tree, a famous English actress, who married Charles Kean, played male characters, Including Ion and Hamlet. Peg Wofflngton, a famous actress of Irish birth and blood, acted the part of Sir Harry Wlldalr. On the other hand. In the Greek and Roman drama, and even as late as the time of Shakespeare, female parts on the stage were present ed by boyB. Cleopatra is made by Shakespeare "to say: Tho quick comedians extemporally will stage us. And I shall see some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness. The Oregonlan appreciates the resolu tions congratulatory upon its semi centennial offered by the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and It" does so the more heartily because the paper's duty has often seemed to it antagonis tic to the desires of the Chamber. In the midst of antagonistic interests, pri vate, railroad, and of local corporations". The Oregonlan has endeavored to pur sue the straight path of truth and jus tice, print the news and tell the truth. It has taken occasion to censure more than one act of the Chamber of Com merce, and it has not hesitated to call attention to such acts of corporations or individuals here that seemed to In volve danger to the city's Interests. The Chamber's resolution, therefore, leads it to think that this course, In the long run, appeals to the sober Judg ment, even of those who may have been adversely affected at the time. The aim shall be hereafter, as hereto fore, to show up the truth about what Is going on here and elsewhere, and to hold the paper's columns open to every enterprise that promises to benefit this community. A notable feature .of the November death list of this city Is the relative number of the aged who finished their work and passed on within that month. Of the entire number 79 there were 14 between 60 and 70 years of age, 11 between 7C and SO, and 5 between SO and 100 years a total of 20 who may be said to have completed the purpose of life before being called upon to lay ts burden down. Death at old age rep resents a decree of nature at which no man should protest, since it Is but the fulfillment of the law. Mrs. Lease has deserted her husband the same way she deserted Democracy last Summer, and wants a divorce. Doubtless one of her complaints will be that she has been providing the notori ety of the family long enough. If Mr. Mary Elizabeth is not all done up by this most unklndest cut of all, he ought to be. The poor man, we suppose, will apply for restoration of his maiden name. The French owners of the partially completed Panama Canal are doing their best to prevent the choice of the Nicaragua routel The French company opposes the Nicaragua route, not be cause it expects to sell us the Panama Canal, but to prevent the United States from constructing any canal, so that the French company could raise an other loan to complete its own work. In raising its estimate of the canal's cost the Nicaragua commission has given the opposition food for thought If the canal we needed two years, ago would cost $133,000,000 and the canal we need today will cost $200,000,000, how much would the canal cost we should need a few years hence? Better take It at this figure, Mr. Objector, or we shall raise the price to $300,000,000. The German Baron who telegraphed a rich New York girl that the cere mony must take place across the water because he was too busy to come to America was taken at his word by the girl, and she refused to go. If a man can't leave his creditors ven for two weeks. It's a sure case of being hard up. The Vpsslsche Zeltung says Presi dent McKlnley is a high protectionist Now will It kindly cite its document ary evidence, derived from state papers of the past two years? Keep the Columbia River open and raise things. Ashes Very Comfortable. New York Commercial Advertiser. In the opinion of many this day ought not to be. They do not urge the aboli tion of it In so many words, but It is clear from what they do say that there Is nothing left to be thankful for. So why keep keep the day? Baal-worshipers, such as we. poor, spindling offshoots of a once noble race the sight of us rioting, full of sin and turkey, on the eve of retribution, disturbs them very much. Call It Shame Day, as they ad vised last year, oi Scourge Day, or the Devil's Own Day something to com memorate what we have been up to or show the sort of people we are. For see what a state we are In. We are holding on to the Philippines and the trusts are holding on to us. Prosperity, too. has clutched us. and all the virtues that thrive on adversity are now dead. So is the spirit of democracy; for. as a writer said recently, there was more Of It In the court of Louts XTV. than there is in the rich, ruling bourgeoise of the United States today. We have tern up the Constitution, spat upon the Declara tion, violated the tombs of the fathers, and have now but the two motives, lust of conquest greed of gold. Art and lit erature have long since sold out Educa tion Is the plaything of rich widows who banish all teachers who speak the truth. All nature, as some one expressed it Is really governed by a clique. But that 13 going too far. It Is Just because this is not so that we still have a right to be thankful, doomed though we are. Air and sunshine may still be had without a "pull," and "there are several other small matters left out In this philosophy. The ashes of this republic are still warm. THOUGHTS ON BRYAN. His Recent Mngaslne Article Xot Al together to His Credit. New York Times. The poverty of Mr. W. J. Bryan's Intel lectual resources and the complete help lessness of the man are exhibited In his North American Review article on his defeat There is not a living Idea In the article or In his head. He painfully and gloomily rakes over the ash-heap where the fires of conflict lately blazed up, and perceiving here and there -the dull glow of an ember not quite extinct, he tries to blow it Into life again. Free silver militarism, imperialism, the trusts those are the only public ques tions that seem to him to be alive. The election settled nothing. The Republicans won because Jiey had the most money and because the country was prosperous. "When prosperity fails, the gold stand ard will lose its charm," says Mr. Bryan. There, at least, is one clear conception. He Is calamity's candidate, and the only hope for him or his principles Is adver sity and ruin. Prosperity must fail to enable him to succeed. He perceives that he gained In the great cities and lost In the country and the small towns. In his cross of gold speech he declared thpt It was the country dis tricts, the farming communities, that had made this Nation. The country was the home of virtue -ind wisdom. In the sober sense and morality of the rural popula tion we should find our protection against the greed and unrighteousness Of the great cities. But It was in the haunts of Mammon tnat he made his gains this year, while the country people of whom he had so high an opinion turned against him even more generally than in 1896. This ought to alarm Mr. Bryan and lead him td re-examine his positions. We doubt whether he ever discover that in this city he was the dupe and instrument of Richard Croker's selfish purposes. The Tammany leader made an energetic cam paign and exploited Bryan -vigorously, not because of his interest In Bryan's can didacy, but because a big Bryan vote meant also ft big vote for the Tammany candidates for Congress and the Legis lature. The Bryan breeze brought his ships into port Mr. Bryan also says "the past Is profit able only for Instruction." He is evident ly not a profit-taker. The campaign taught him nothing, his defeat has not opened his eyes to the real attitude or. the country toward. He gives no Intima tion that he Intends to try It again. He will be ready, of course. If he is called. We presume he will try to 'get himself called. But If he will read the comments of the Democratic press of the South, the will be forced to conclude that he has haa only part of the country where the vote could give him any reason to hope, he his day. What Americans Learn Abroad. Westminster Review. It Is estimated that not less than 100,000 Americans visit the Old World In tho course of every 12 months. This body of people Is drawn, as a rule, from the most Influential class In the United States. So general Is the habit of making the foreign tour that It Is the exception to find among Americans of even moderate means one who has not been abroad at some time In his life. Fifty years ago It was the exception to find, even among the wealth iest citizens, one who had traveled in Europe. The more cosmopolitan spirit observed In the United States in the last three dec ades Is largely due to the Influence ot thlB foreign travel, which, by bringing so many of the American people in pe sonal touch with foreign nations, has re moved many prejudices which had their origin in mere provincialism. Wherever the American has gone In Europe he has seen clearly that It Is with Britain alone that his own country has much In com mon, whether in social or moral senti ments, political principles or fundamental laws. The tie of kinship seems closer after a visit to that land than It ever did before; a war with its people a more fratricidal strife; and continued bad feel ing toward them a crime against the en tire Anglo-Saxon race, whose Interests, after all, the American traveler observes more and more plainly the further he wanders, are practically Identical all over the face of the globe. 'i Thirteen Electoral Votes. New York Commercial Advertiser. There is Immense significance in the light vote In the South. Almost the only states that supported Bryan did it with spiritless, almost sulky, Indifference. This vote proves all that has been said of the essentially sound state of the dominant public feeling in the South on economic questions, and of Its strong inclination to join the West In cordial If not rather ex travagant support of the expansion Idea. All of Mr. Bryan's policies are repellant tc the new Industrial South. It desires foundation of sound money for Its ex panding business, access to new markets for Its expanding Industries, the protec tion of the law and the courts for Its In creasing rights of property, and the most effective organization of labor and capital for the development 'of Its great re sourcs. Every cry of Bryan's campaign was a word of offense to the new South. It gave answer by holding Its nose while it voted for him. The real truth Is, it didn't vote for him at all. It voted on that eternal "nigger" question. The only straight Bryan votes this year were 13 from four sliver mine states in the West Lord Kitchener's Rebalce. London Daily Telegraph. A certain yeomanry commander while on parade rated his men In unmeas ured terms. Nothing was right that the troopers did. They sat their horses wrong, they moved unlike machinery, etc, and were "no better than a d n rabble," "a lot of gutter snipes," etc. "That," said Lord Kitchener, who came up, "la not the way to address men. They are not a d n rabble, but soldiers, and to be spoken to as such. No troops can bo trained In that fashion, and the com mander who does not respect his men is unable to lead them." The whole force, we are told, heard the observation, and the men were as decorously elated as the yeomanry officer was obviously crest fallen. Iretral Shreds Notes and Queries. The law does not recognize orthography, and will proceed against Frank Phillips or against Phrangk Fyllypse with perfect composure. Some facetious persons, in stead of writing "I owe you," saw fit to express the obligation by the three let ters "I O XT," and this has now become the set form. A piece of paper bearing the words. "I O TJ" 50 pounds, written and signed by the debtor and addressed to the creditor, is admissible In evidence without a stamp, as being merely a slm plo acknowledgement of the debt; but If the document read "I O TJ 50 pounds, to be paid on the 2Sth Inst," it vould be worth less unless it bore an ad valorem stamp. Against Vlce-Protectora. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. The movement headed by Bishop Potter In New York is not a "crusade against vice," as it Is commonly miscalled. It Is directed against the vice-protecting New York police and Its direct and imme diate object is the reformation of' tho police force. The Police Commissioners understand this perfectly and are conduct ing themselves accordingly. UNJUST ASSESSMENTS. The Salem Statesman gives the follow ing presentation ot the assessment of the state, as returned by the counties and as equalized, and of Multnomah County and a's equalized by the State Board: Returned by counties. Equalized. ISO $140,691,272 $150.399.;u& 1S95 150.101.431 144.445,428 1800 133.762,122 143.176,071 This shows that la 1S94 tho assessment of tho whole state was raised by the board be tween $8,000,000 and $4,000,000; that for 1605 it was lowered nearly $6,000,000, and that for 1806 it was raised again $0,500,000. Now, how about Multnomah County for those years? Here la the comparison; Returned by counties. Equalised. 1S94 $49,845,103 $53,700,327 1S05 65.S.J5.950 52.025.S72 1SOO 43,452.130 01.410,105 This shows a raise by the Board of Equaliza tion In 1804; & decrease in 1S05 of nearly $4,000,000. and a raise In 1806 of nearly $3,000,000. The last year ts that of which com plaint la made, but a glance at the figures will show that no Injustice was wrought by tha State Board. In 1805. the county returned 1U valuation at $53,S35,950, and the board reduced It to $52,025,872. Now. by what system ot honest reasoning can any man claim that the valuation of Multnomah County went down from $53,S33,05O In 1805 to $43,452,130 the next year. a fall ot $12,383,820, when the balance of the state fell off only $4,000,000 altogether? And the State Board that year In raising Mult nomah County did not put within over $4,000, 000 as high as the county authorities returned It the previous year. Wo know a good deal about the workings of the old State Board of Equalization. It was not perfect at all. but it has received a great many curses It did not deserve. The majority of its, members were honest and meant to be fair and square, and there was no disposition to "cinch Multnomah County" except as they discovered, or thought they discovered, a sys tematic attempt In Portland to cinch the bal ance of the state. In reply to the foregoing It may be said In way of explanation, for a correct un derstanding of the matter, that in ISM boom prices were on, speculation was rampant, the assessment was about 15 per cent too high, and yet the equalization board raised Multnomah's assessment $3,753,111 (whereas outside city property dropped to one-half the assessed value), and the board lowered tho total assess ment of the balance of the state $157,111. In 1SS5 the Assessor stated there was no use reducing assessment, as the board would put It up, arbitrarily, so he made it $S5,835750. This assessment was so out rageous, compared with the entire bal ance of the state of only $94,327.4S1, that the board reduced Multnomah County to $52,025,872 and reduced the rest of the state to $92,419,554. Was that equitable? In 1S96 the total assessment of the state was $133,762,122. It was raised $9,414. 849, making $143,176,971. While Multnomah County was raised from $43,452,130 to $51, 416,195, which was an increase of $7,964,005, against an Increased assessment for the balance of the state of only $1,450,784. The Statesman asks: "By what honest reasoning can any man claim, that the valuation of Multnomah County went down from $55,835,950 in 1S95 to $43,452,130 in 1896?" The answer Is that large and nu merous additions of vacant lots and blocks from which no income la derived decreased in that time to less than one half from the boom prices. How is It that valuations outside of Multnomah County have decreased from $96,845,167 In 1894 to $90,309,992 in 1S95, where there has been no special boom In farm land, consequently no perceptible depre ciation? Portland only asks equity and justice. The assessment In 1E95, being un fair, was made for the purpose of raising a large revenue for city purposes. The Boers at the End of the War. London Spectator. People always argue as though the Boer at the end of the war would be exactly the same hard, arrogant, bumptious per son that he was at the beginning. In reality he will be a very different person. Out of the not very large male popula tion In the two republics when the war began, nearly 20,000 will have passed through a British military prison, and many of these will have visited Ceylon or St Helena an educational process of no small value. A large number of others will have sought a voluntary exile In German or Portuguese territory, or even In distant parts of the Cape and Rhode sia. Others, again, have been killed In battle, or died of wounds or disease. There is yet another section of the Boer population to be considered the men who were never really antl-Brltlsh, though compelled to fight us, and who will now be quite satisfied to remain within the British Empire. In other words, when the war is finished the number of really hostile and irreconcilable Boer3 will be found to be very much less than at the beginning of the war. In fact, the Boer In the Transvaal, whatever he may be in the Cape Colony and the Orange River Colony, will not be a very formidable fac tor. He will not, of course, be a quantity to be neglected as the vast material lm migration rises, and as the vast material resources of the region are developed, he will gradually lose his Importance. While the remnant of Irreconcilable Boers are raiding up and down the country they look very formidable, and are as difficult to count as the Irishman's moving pig. but when they cease from guerrilla war fare their relative unimportance In the population will be realized. Merited Tribute to Spooner. New York Evening Post A rumor has been going the rounds of the press to the effect that Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin, whose term ex pires In 1903, would not be a candidate for re-election, although In all human prob ability the Republican party would be both able and willing to return him. It would be a serious misfortune to the country If Mr Spooner should retire. He holds a commanding position, both in the Senate and in the forum of public opin ion. His influence Is of the high and use ful type which reminds us of the elder days of tho Republic. He Is still In the prime of life, and he owes service to the country In proportion to his ability to render It Nobody In public life Is so capable of attacking the Philippine prob lem and solving it In accordance with the principles of justice as Senator Spooner. He has the confidence of the Republican party as a man of practical sagacity, and of the antl-Imperlallsts as a man of hu mane feeling and honest purpose. Fortu nately, he will be In the Senate two years longer In any event within which time It is to bs hoped that the Philippine ques tion will be settled, and settled rightly. Whether It be so or not, the country needs Mr. Spooner's continued service In the place which he fills with such con spicuous fidelity to public interests. Mr. Hoyt's Incisive Clanse. Chicago Journal. In the will of the late Charles Hoyt the playwright, occurs the following coldly incisive clause: la making this, my will, at the present time I have no relatives nearer than cousins to be considered by me, and my cousins and distant relatives have never shown by any act any de sire for my friendship or good-will; hence I have deemed It more consistent with fair dealing and Justice to dispose of any property to those who during my life have been my well-wishers, anid to such charities as In my Judgment are most fitting. By his many acts of generosity during his life, and by. the several kindnesses shown in his will to persons that, as he had expressed it, had been "good to him," the testator showed that he was not de void of gentleness or kindness of heart He simply discovered that he was not popular with his relatives while he lived and did not desire to enrich them by bis death. It takes but a slight acquaintance with the New England character to ap preciate, under the circumstances, the sincerity of the relatives' remorse. NOTE AND COMMENT. We now begin to suspect that there really Is a Mr. Lease. As this Is the last month of the Nine teenth Century but let us not precipitate) another discussion. What with mince pie and football tha medical profession is enjoying a share) of the general prosperity. McKInley's turkey weighed SO pounds A distinguished citizen of Nebraska doesn't like turkey, anyhow. Now New York Is clamoring about tha badness of her water supply, but it is merely jealousy ot Chicago. The Czar Is now able to eat the win jelly and plum preserves that Queen Vic toria and the Empress of Germany have) sent in. Jerry Simpson has moved to Missouri. It begins to look as If the state would land In the Republican column In another four years. If Hanna had never written poetry, ha might get to be President But we have troubles enough with Aguinaldo, and an Alfred Austin would just about fix ua plenty. Mrs. Lull of Massachusetts Is going to Texas to restore a confederate flag cap tured by her husband. If the members of the G. A. R. happen to run, across her she Is likely to prove tho Lull bo fore the storm. Bishop Potter tells or a woman who lately went Into a store in New York and had hex eyes caught by a familiar legend In the place, which wc find on sale every where. "God Bless Our Home." "Yes," she said. In humble piety, "I should liko that I should like to put It up in my little home, and to have my husband and my children see It" And then, her mind following the thread of family love, it shot away over the path whither her husband had gone in the morning to hl3 task downtown; and, turning to the shop man, she said: "I wonder If you have any other texts and legends like this? I wonder If you could let me have one, I think John, perhaps, would like to have, that had on It the words, 'God Bless Our Office'?" The shopman looked at her for a moment and, without a shadow of sarcasm in his voice, said: "Madam, Isn't that rather a largo order'" Three prominent officers of tho Salva tion 'Army have broken the rules of th army by going Into business, and when ordered by Commander Booth-Tucker to "farewell" at once, they have refused. The men are "Col." William J. Brewer, editor of the War Cry, "Col." William Evans, commanding the Pacific Coast di vision, and "Bralgadler" William Hal pin, who goes from place to place. Their offense Is trafflklng In mining stock. "Col." Evans started the enterprise of the Great Republic Mining Company ot Seattle, which Is in his division; presently "Col." Brewer was made New York man ager, and taking offices In the big St. Paul building, he Issued a prospectus. This was all unbeknown to Commander Booth-Tucker, or to any one at the Army headquarters, and was found out by an accident Brewer had gone campaign ing for the prohibitionists, by permis sion, and a member of that party, not finding him at his mining offices, called for him at Army headquarters, and just let the cat out of the bag. In the Sibley Congressional District in Pennsylvania they are having some trou ble over one of the numerous bets made on the result of the election. It appears that among the bets was one for $8,000 be tween somq parties In Bradford and others In Franklin. A MeKean County man of wealth and connected with a bank volunteered to hold the stakes, and they were placed In his hands. After the election he turned over to the winners only a part of the money, keeping 25 per cent, or $2,0C0, of the amount as com mission. According to a Franklin news paper the friends of the gentleman thero still believe that he intends to return the money, and his action is explained In thl3 way, that he Is not aware of the source from which the bets came, and that when he understands the true situation the remaining $2,000 will be sent down at once. If the Pennsylvania laws wero enforced with regard to wagers on election It would go still harder with those who made the bet. They would not only lose the $2,000 which the stake holder has retained, but all they put up and three times more. PLEASANTRIES OF PAItAGRAPHERS Mrs. "Wlldway (vivaciously) The late Mr. Mellow was cremated, you know. Mrs. Stara (absent-mlndedly)-Oh! ah, yes; what did sha wear? Boston Transcript. A Comfortinr Thought- "They say turkeys will be scarce this Thanksgiving." "Then It's a lucky thing that this is the year we are in vited out." Cleveland Plain Dealer. Unkind Insinuation. "Mr. Homewood pro posd to me last night" said Miss Northsida to her dearest girl friend. Miss Manchester. "He lost an election bet, I suppose," was tho latter's comment. Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph. Wide Open. Brlggs Well, old man, how is that Authors' Club of your getting on? Griggs First rate. We have made a rule that no one can belong to it unless he has written a book. "Is that' so? I had an Idea that It was an ex clusive affair." Life. At a Boston Muslcale. Mrs. Beacon-Streeto (during Miss Skreeche's vocal solo) Do you enjoy Howells. Mr. Porkham? Mr. Porkham (from Chicago) You bet I don't! And It thero's another verse to that song. I'm going to get out. Brooklyn Life. Highly Improbable. Dr. Qutzz (school com mitteeman) Young man! Have you been at school today? Boy (proudly)-Hully Gee! Wot a question! D' yer fink I got dese two red squirrels an a yeller hammer fer standing at do head o me class? Well, hardly! Puck. The Honse on the Moor. Robert Louis Stevenson. A naked house, a naked moor, A shivering pool before tho door. A garden bare of flowers and fruit And poplars at the garden foot; Such Is the place that I live In, Bleak without and bare within. Yet shall your ragged moor receive Tha Incomparable pomp ot eve. And the cold glories of the dawn Behind your shivering trees be .drawn; And when the wind from place to place Doth the unmoored cloud-galleons chase, Tour garden gloom and gleam again. With leaping sun, with glancing rain. Here shall the wizard moon ascend The heavens. In the crimson end Of day's declining splendor; here The army of the stars appear. The neighbor hollows, dry or wet Spring shall with tender flowers beset,. And oft the -morning muser see Larks rising from the broomy lea; And every fairy wheel and thread Of cobweb dew-bedlamonded. When daisies go, shall Winter time Silver the simple grass with rime; Autumnal frosts enchant the pool And make the cart-ruts beautiful; And when snow-bright the moor expant How shall your children clap their hands! To make this earth, our hermitage, A cheerful and a changeful page, God's bright and Intricate device Of days and seasons doth suffice.