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Eastern Business OOce The Tribune build
Ins. New Tork City. "Tb- Itookery." Chlcapo:
the S C. Beckwlth pcclal agency, New York.
For sale In San FrancUco by 3, K. Cooper,
TI6 Market street, rear the Palace Hotel, Gold
smith Bros, 236 Sutter street; F. "W, Pitts,
1008 Market street. Foster & Orear, Ferry
Wont stand
For sals In I6a Anseto by B. F. Gardner..
239 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines, 10o
Bo. Sprang street
For sale In Chi-ago by the P. O. News Co.,
21T Dearborn strct.
For sale In Omaha by tL C Shears, IDS N.
Sixteenth street, and Barkalofcr Bros., 1012
Farnam street.
For sale In Salt Lirke by the Salt Lake Neirs
Co , 77 W. Second South street.
For sale In Stv Orleans by Ernest & Co ,
115 Ro al street.
On file In Washington, D. C with A. W.
DUnn, 500 Jilh N. W.
For sale in Denver. Colo, by Hamilton &
Eendrlck. 000-812 Seventh street.
TODATS WEATHER. Fair; winds mostly
northerly.
PORTLAJSD, MODAY, DECEMBER 10
MMMMmMMMnHMniMMMMHlMMair
Mr. Bingham's opinion as to the bear
ing the recent California decision has on
primary legislation in Oregon Is as dis
concerting as it is interesting and im
portant. He thinks the kind of a di
rect primary law we have been con
templating here would contravene the
view of the California Supreme Court,
and be is disposed to take It for granted
that the Oregon Supreme Court would
rule the same way. Therefore we
must adjust ourselves to this situation
the best way we can. This determina
tion of Mr, Bingham's can only be re
garded with deep regret. The Orego
nlan does not think the California de
cision Is sound, or that it should be fol
lowed In Oregon, and it entertains hope,
and even confidence, that our State
Supreme Court -would rule otherwise.
Therefore, while we are disposed to
acquiesce, in Mr. Bingham's judgment
on election law no man's Is likely to
be more thorough or profound we are
grievously disappointed that the bill
which he will prepare for the Legis
lature, and which yill, from his advo
cacy, be assured of almost certain pas
sage, is to offer only an authorization
of direct primary nominations, instead
of their prescription.
The objection to requiring party
nominations to be made at open, elec
tions by secret ballot Is that the Leg
islature takes the control of the party
out of the hands of the party. But
who is the party its members or Its
bosses? Mr. Bingham says the prin
cipal difficulty arises "In determining
who constitutes the party." He has no
doubt on this score himself. He says
the voters are the party; but he
strangely assumes that the Supreme
Court would see it otherwise. It is a
.gratuitous assumption. It would make
a very good Opinion for the Supreme
Court to hand down, that as the voters
are the party, no injustice is done the
party Itself or the common welfare by
prescribing a way in which the voters
may express their will untrammeled
Tjy intimidation or undue "influence
from dictators. There Is no limitation
here upon the legitimate influence of
leaders upon followers or upon acqui
escence by the rank and file in plans
formed In party councils. If the party
wishes to name candidates in coun
cil, and ratify the selection at the pre
liminary election, the direct primary
law would not offer to such course the
slightest impediment,
There is a great difference between
the California law and the proposed
Oregon law. The California law pre
scribed a method of electing delegates
to party conventions. The proposed
Oregon law proposes a method of select
ing candidates. It Is obvious that the
rights of Tom, Dick and Harry to
participate in election of Republican
delegates are far from being identical
with their right to express preferences
for candidates for office. The Califor
nia law steps in to regulate the private
affairs of parties; the proposed Oregon
law turns the people loose to select
the candidates for certain public offices.
The delegates are the party's, the of
fices are not, It would De idle to pre
tend that the party meaning its rank
and file Is thus deprived of a voice in
selection of candidates; and as to
whether or not the prerogatives of
party leaders were Infringed upon, it
would be within the province of the
court to Inquire whether that possible
infringement was less or more impor
tant In public policy than the exercise
of free choice in popular selection of
candidates. There is nothing in the
Oregon constitution that puts the in
tegrity of boas rule paramount to the
general welfare.
But if we are to have mere author
ization, let us understand It, and let
us make the most of Its opportunity.
The act, we take it, will provide that
nominations may be made by direct
primaries, and will leave the matter
at the option ot the party organiza
tions In the counties. These will be
controlled largely by public sentiment
We may see a very limited ue of the
system, and we may see a very Son
era! use of it In some places, doubt
less, the machines will find themselves
strong enough to perpetuate the pres
ent regime. We shall be reasonably
certain to have enough experiments
made to test the reform's practical ef
fects, which will depend upon co-operation
and Interest shown by the vot
ers. Nor must we too rashly conclude
that the cities will be the first to try
It or the most zealous in it enjoy
ment A recent laitac te Sb Ortfo-
nlan from Mr. I. "W. Myers narrated
the successful operation of .direct nomi
nations for thirty years In Louisa.
County, Iowa, a rural community. The t
country caucus needs reforming as
badly as the city primaries. The re
lief should be as welcome In the one
case as in the other
In another column appears a letter
written by Mr, Tohn Mlnto to the Salem
Statesman in advocacy of the division
of Oregon Into two states. The most
attractive part of the programme he
outlines Is the increase of power lit
Congress to be secured the Pacific
Northwest b7 that means. It is clear,
however, that this fact affords ground
also for strenuous opposition to the
measure from sections, and perhaps
parties, that would be unfavorably af
fected by the change. .There is un
doubtedly great -unrest throughout
Eastern Oregon by reason of the In
equality of appropriations from the
present state treasury. This Inequal
ity is real and most glaring. Recogni
tion of it should always temper dissent
from Eastern Oregon's requests for In
sane asylums and pcalp bounties. If
half the state institutions now scat
tered throughout "Western Oregon were
in Eastern Oregon, we should probably
hear very little of sugar and scalp
bounties. But it is a fact that the
eastern part of the state pays & great
many taxes that go to the delectation
of Salem, Eugene, Corvallls, Monmouth,
Ashland, Drain, Roseburg. Astoria, Al
bany, Portland and Beaverton
There is no blinking the fact that all
this tends toward disruption of the
state at the l'ne of the Cascade Moun
tains, and Mr. Minto's programme may
be at its worst only premature. The
change would not be all profit, for the
state's institutions and prestige would
suffer for a time, perhaps irremediably.
It is a question whether the most im
portant project whose furtherance Ore
gon asks of Congress'the improvement
of the Columbia Hiver would be
helped or hindered by the division.
The experience of Dakota, with its
small-bore statesmen from Its divided
parts, is anything, but reassuring, Tba
state may be divided some day. prob
ably will. Oregon has already parted
with Washington and parts of Idaho
and Montana. As a mother of states,
Its birth-pangs may not yet be over.
Yet for the sake pf its traditions, and
for the sake of those to whom the
whole state, with all Its varied his.
tory, resources and promise, is. dear,
we may wish the separation to be de
ferred as lonr as possible. It is ft
world of progress, but also of sad and
solemn partings. "We seldom leave the
old things behind without regret as
-well as hope.
Meanwhile the men of Eastern Ore
gon are entitled to justice. Now, jus
tice does not always mean an equal
share in illegitimate spoils. An un
righteous graft of "Western Oregon
doesn't justify an unrighteous graft
of Eastern OregQni "What, then, can
be done? For one thing, the Legis
lature should pass an act taking ad
vantage of the Carey law, under which
Oregon can get 1,000,000 acres of pub
lic arid lands. "We ought to have all
proper legislation In aid of irrigation
projects. If the state is going Into the
business of promoting institutions of
higher education, the schools of East
ern Oregon should be equitably treat
ed. It has become the settled policy of
the state to aid the TJhlversJty o Ore
gon and the normal schools. This la
not theoretically a proper function of
government But as the policy has ap
parently come to stay, it should be
fairly administered. The Weston Nor
mal School, for example, .must have
buildings and equipment, as well as
the one at Monmouth. There Is no pro
vision in the constitution explaining
why the youth, .Of "Western Oregon
must have good teachers, hut the youth
of Eastern Oregon must-be left ifa ig
norance. -Such taxes as th,e people of
Eastern Oregon pay for public educa
tion should not all be applied 'to the
schools, of Western Oregon,
TVOMBtf IK A 1VEW ROLE.
The public has from time to time
received many demonstrations of the
impractical nature of the feminine
mind when applied to business propo
sitionsdemonstrations that would be
sad, were they not in a -sense pathetic,
or ludicrous, were it not for the evi
dence of sincerity that Is in them sp
apparent It is with pleasure, there
fore, that we turn to a picture of prac
tical endeavor outside of the ordinary
routine of woman's life, as recently
chronicled by the New Tork World.
That journal Btates that, us a result
of the work ot its women citizens.
TJnlontown, a. quiet little Ohio town of
about COO people, has now the best
sidewalks of any village in the state.
This was effected by an organization
composed entirely of women, and
known as the Unlontown Improvement
Society The women of this up-to-date
town do not believe In wearing rainy
day skirts, perforce, and wading
through mud jankle-deep. Being in
tensely practical, this is what they did;
One of their number first had a side
walk of stone laid in front of her
property. With this object-lesson dem
onstrating the feasibility of the propo
sition and the actual cost of such im
provement tha women -undertook to
have similar walks laid throughout
the village. Men heard the talk and
wagged their heads, crying, "Tax, tax,
taxImpossible." Th answer, after
due deliberation, came: "We will have
the work accomplished without tax
ing anybody."
After numerous neighborhood , talks,
a meeting was called and an Improve
ment society was formed by the wom
en. They decided first that walks must
be laid, and second that none but stone
walks would meet the requirements- of
health, durability and cleanliness. They
held socials, bazaars, quilting bees, oys
ter suppers and ice-cream festivals,
and contrived various other devices
similar to those that have bought so
many church organs throughout the
country, and, while promoting the so
cial Ufa and enjoyment of the village,
raised the money to keep the people
out of the mud. Stone was purchased
by the carload, -volunteer labor was
called for to get the stone from the cars
to the places where the sidewalks were
needed; competent labor, in the em
ployment of whlclr there were, no poli
tics and. no jobs, was employed, and
the theory that Unlontown should have
stone sidewalks became an accom
plished fact It had them. As con
trasted with the heavy, clumsy and
expensive way in which men frequent
ly ati&mpt to improve streets, and fall,
after aa44iin a heavy -burden upon
iroprty-fcidv to fturslaai an improve-
1 intent that improve, this effort on the
part of the women, and its success,
challenges admiration. Of course, there
are two opinions about bazaars, "oyster
suppers, etc., as means whereby to
raise money, but since public opinion
has succeeded in eliminating very gen
erally the lottery element from such
undertakings, and they give to a con
siderable extent value for the money
contributed, the most valid objection,
next to the one that they work a few
women to death at the expense of the
multitude, has vanished.
Prom time immemorial a certain
number of women, greatly dispropor
tionate to the whole, have bowed their
shoulders to a heavy burden, carrying
it with Uncomplaining energy and de-
termlned purpose to a narrow goal. It
has heen said, that the number of grand
church organs In any thrifty and well-to-do
community is In exact proportion
to the number of. women who are "old
and tired before their time." "Saman
tha Allen" (Marietta Holly) has drawn
the ludicrously pathetic picture of the
woman who "carries the. meetia'-house.
on her back," and we have all been
ablo to duplicate the picture from real
llfei Reflecting, however, that the hur-.
dens of life, in whatever direction, are
borne by the few, relatively speaking,
we have been forced to reconcile our-,
selves to this order of things, with per
haps a mental reservation of regret
that the benefits of the object so pain
fully and laboriously attained wore re
stricted to the seating capacity of a
church building or by other limitations
equally arbitrary. By comparison,
therefore, the work of women, running
through bazaars, oyster suppers, so
cials and the rest, and culminating lit
good, substantial stone sidewalks
throughout the streets of an entire
village, may be indorsed both as a
triumph of individual and organized
feminine energy, and, a public bene
faction. PREMIUM ON jKARHIAGC
Providence, R. I., Is "away down
East" but it is, nevertheless, to the
fore In a matter that would create 8.
sensation in an ordinary town in, the
Wild and woolly West A local furni
ture firm is out in a circular statins
that, "In order to stimulate trade, pro
mote human happiness and benefit the
community," it will begin the new cen
tury -hy providing the marriage feast,
the ministerial fee and the expenses of
a three days' honeymoon trip to all
bridal eoup'es who will purchase their
housekeeping outfit from the firm. Tha
minister is to be, ot any creed pre
ferred, and the wedding feast Is to be
laid for ten persons, but without
liquid refreshments. The benefits are
graded according to the amount of the
purchases. Por example, the full list
is to ba furnished to those who fit UP
a seven-room house; the six-room
couples get the same, minus the wed
ding trip; the five-room brides will ba
entitled to the marriage feast only;
and those who cannot afford to furnish
more than four rooms will get only
the free services of the parson, but
all will receive a silver mug or a high
chair for every child born Within five
years after the marriage.
As art advertising scheme, this effort
will no doubt bring large returns to
the firm. Whether it wJll "promote
human happiness and benefit the com
munity" may be considered doubtful.
In the first place, it stimulates what
It Is to the social and business Interests
of every community to discountenance
namely, the Yery prevalent desire to
get -something for nothing, defeating
this Intent in the meantime by an
added cost upon the goods that are
purchased under the false idea that
something is being gotten without pay
lhg for it Its tendency will further be
to encourage yoUng people at a very
critical period in their lives to get
more than their needs require, or than
the state of their finances will justify,
in setting up their homes.. Court rec
ords show that there are more ill-considered
and hasty marriages in any
community than Is of "benefit" to It,
and since a scheme Of this kind "Will
entrap chiefly people ot the inconsid
erate class, i can hardly be claimed
that Its workings will "Increase hu
man happiness." However, the hook is
attractively baited, and fishes in
great numbers will no djubt ta.ke It
THE ASSETS OP ANOTHER COLONY
UNDER THE HAMMER
Another socialistic scheme will go
under the Sheriff's hammer some time
this month, marking the end of the
Christian Commonwealth ColoAy In
Muskogee County, Georgia. The as
sets of this colony Include 1000 acres
of land, with tho joint accumulations
in buildings, agricultural Implements,
stock, etc,, of forty men and women
during a period ot nearly three years,
all of which will be required to sat
isfy the community's creditors. It is
the familiar story of communistic ef
fort, summed up in a few words, "At
one time the colony seemed In a fair
way to succeed, but dissensions arose
over members who refused to do their
share of the Work, and finally a receiv
er was appointed."
Here Is an epitome of the history of
the socialistic, scheme when reduced to
practice. All men and women-even
moral and ordinarily tractable men and
women are not equally persistent,
conscientious and apcumulatlve work
ers. And so long "as humanity Is con
stituted as it is, so long as human na
ture is human nature, so long as the
Instinct of justice is strong in the in
telligent mind, and the element of self
interest, which Is the basis of all In
terest, la a power In the world of ac
cumulative endeavor, the thrifty In the
ranks of industry and the capable in
the ranks of business will refuse to
share equally with the thriftless and
the Incapable the proceeds of their
joint endeavor.
The case of this Georgia colony fel
lows closely the lines Of its predeces
sors. Briefly stated, forty men and
women from Ohio started out in this
enterprise early in 1SS8. They pooled
their money, and had several thousand
dollars in cash wherewith to begin
building. They were possessed of more
than average intelligence of the A.
Bronson Alcott order. That is to say,
they were Intelligent, but Impractical.
They bought a largo tract of tjood
farming land near Columbus, Ga., for
$15,000, half of which they paid in cash.
They invested $7000 in buildings, ma
chinery and stock. Meals were served
in a common mess hall, about which
the cottages or cabins of the members
Were grouped. A fine- stream watered
their domain, and on this a sawmill, -a.
grist mill and a brooju factory were1
erected. The output of these plants,
together with the agricultural products
ef tba land, yielded s. good income to
the coloay the am year: It lived well.
Jid Its bills and had. money; 1& thtsrrsra had t eatss?la44 a oaaall
Columbus banks, JU prosperity at
tracted to It seventy additional mem
bers, and In the aeccd year the trouble
began. About one-fifth of the- colonists
refused to k their share of the Work.
The drones were excelled by the votes
of the other four-fifths, who then had
to fight injunction proceedings against,
them with action for trespass. Trouble
of this kind has a remarkable capacity
for growth, and in this instance so
rapidly did It multiply that by the" be
ginning of the third year many mem
bers had given up the Unequal fight
and moved away, and a receiver was
asked for. During its brief career the
coiony was under the direction of a
president and executive council of three
men and two wemec, awl the institu
tion of the family war strictly re
spected. There is .nothing new in the experi
ence of this colony, except perhaps Its
relatively brief term of existence. One
of tha most noted of these communistic
establishments, the Oneida Community
was founded on a peculiar religious
faith, and ifhcn that changed, as all
religions do, being subject to the 'gen
eral Jaw of growth, it was perforce dis
solved, The same was true of the Har
mony Society, at Economy, Pa. Held
strictly to certain religious tenets, and
ruled with an iron rod of industry, this
society prospered in a financial Sense,
but It lacked the power to perpetuate;
itself, and when In the processes of
time it was reduced to a few old men
of the Rip "Van Winkle type, it per
force became a things of the past. The
colony at Zoar, O., was long successful,
but finally ieli Into dissension and dis
banded. The 8e.ttlem.ent at Icaria, es
tablished first at Nauyoo, 111... and later
near Corning? in Southwestern Iowa,
went to pieces three times in the same
way. A multitude of smaller colonies
have followed In the train of tbese
larger ones. It, is not necessary to look
for the cause of the failures. It is
inherent in human nature, which can
endure but briefly the strain which fol
lows the removal -of individual incen
tive to labor. Any scheme which pro
poses that the most resourceful and en
ergetic person In the community shall
be- no better aft in the distribution of
the profits of the year's work than tho
lazy and. Incompetent, cannot hope for
niOre, than temporary success. The
leveling process Is antagonistic to jus
tice -and Irksome in the most 'galling
sense to one party to the understand
ing, while it falls to infctill the princi
ples of equity ahd to promote Industry
in. the other.
The letter la Sunday's paper replying
td a reverend gentleman's arraignment
of the avolutiqn theory shows Just
tfherfe the base Is taickjst The. fact
of evolution Is established, and hardly
anybody disputes It, The manifesta
tions aad effects of the evolution pro
cess we do n&t agree upon. And when
the gentleman asaaUs ihe theory of
evolution, he does It because ho can
not separate the -evidences on which
men are divided, from tba fact on which
men are agreed.
The United, State will coin trade dol
lars for the. Filipinos, because those
wary people refuse to accept our stand
ard coins. And yet our dollars contain
100 5ents, be&r the stamp of the Unlted-
State.s, and are faced with, the touch,
stone eagle. Here la a lesson for Bry
anites and Coin JFIarveys worth ninety-,
nine full treatises on fiat and 16 to 1.
The purpose of Kruger in trying to,
put a stop to an unjust war forced upon
him In an unjust manner is noble, says
somebody. That is to say, it has been
unjust since success deserted Kruger.
At Tugela war was a picnic. After
Roberts appeared war was force.
Thq, resignation of tho CoUnty Judge
of Douglas has convulsed many brains
which are not Inured, to thinking. Is It
possible thai political jobs are not
what they are cracked, up to be, or only
so in Douglas County?
The man who denies evolution denies,
the evolution of thought and experi
ence. His opinions have not evolved
nOr grown, bufjust happened, and are
as absurd as spontaneous creation.
The British are unable to discover a
Ftllpina Junta at Hong Kortg. Prob
ably they try as hard as Americans did
several years aso to find, the Cuban
Junta at New York,
Tho peace confererica could not get
peace at The Hague, so that Kruger
probably is in the wrong place, again.
A $40,000,0 reduction la the war tax
will create a deficit in the earnings of
Government beneficiaries.
In whatever- year we have the expo
sition, 1902 or 1903, we will have it
"WANTKD A STATESJATT.
KlearxsHa Canal Pally Pravldetl Far
Except Ie"mer,
Chicago Iptsr Ocean.
The Nicaragua Canal project has been
befora Congress ever since 1X3. Presi
dent Grant's first Nicaragua Canal com
mission was appointed m March IS, 1672.
It had on It men of tried intelligence and
probity. It represe&ted this best expert
opinion that the country could afford.
After full Investigation and surveys of
the routes, it reported dn February T,
1876, In favor of the Nicaragua line.
Ever since that day obstruction tactics
have been employed against every canal
measUre introduced. All this time public
sentiment In favor of the canal has beet)
growing stronger and stronger,. In fe-
sponse to this public sentiment, the SSth
Congress made the excuse that more in
formation was needed, and an isthmian
canal commission was afKclnted ostensi
bly to make new surveys, to gather full
information and to report to Congress.
The report of this Oosimissloi was
submitted to the Senate and House yes
terday. It repeats almost word for ward
the general recommendation ot the com
mission that reported la jiTC It recom
mends, with Ugbt &dlflea.tlQns. tha
route recommended 3t years agp. It de
clares specifically that 'tas .most prac
ticable and feasible re-ute for an Isthmian
canal Undr the cefctrol. management and-
ownership of the unites Mates is that
known as the Nicaragua reufce."
This Is what Grant declared in his ser
s&ttes. It la. what th alwt American
engineers favored i-a 1ST& Csagress has
traveled la a circle, ana fa just where
It started a g?aratia ago.
Hcweverr no excase aow exists far fur
ther delay. The hope of sose that .this
commission, after fall tavestkratkm,
would rett la faver of the Paaassa
Canal, Is-dectroyed. Congress has ah the
nnf6natfcHf that It asked tor, Upies
t Jpt ignores the report ef t osaailts-Son
there cab be no awcasftcn as to the rela
tive merits of tha. Pahahu. a Nicaragua
routes.
Tws years m -mtmhyt ef Qvamm
who pretests ia ia fsVrer f tha Nie-
ar&cua Csaal ttMMMd Uw few that th
large enough to accommodate the heav
iest war and merchant vessels. The. pcaa.
nt commission has submitted as- -mate
for a canal with a depth ot X feet
It has considered all that the engineers
have, said about a tide-level canal and it
reoonnnenas a canal with locks. AH
the engineering: difficulties iaedea to- the.
construction of the great dam across the
San Juan River Rave been considered, and
tha commission favors the dam.
Two years ago Congressmen who wast
ed information feared that tha estimate
was too lowj The. present csmmlsslon
considers the whole question of harbors,
looks, dams, and preliminary and actual
work and ttxea the cost at $aWM0.
Tho report covers the -whole ground, of
canal exploration, investigation and con
slructlon. Congress has all that it asked
for two years jigoj and can act latelligeat
ly on every Question at Issue,
The only question regardis the caaal
today is, therefore; Dws WasblHeto
centals a man far-slghtedi. indepeadent
and statesmanlike enough tadQ th tteed.
which for SI years all America has wlshsd
to ace done?
BlvlSe Ortt&n. lato Tvr States.
John Mlnto In. Salem Statestaan:
The present capital of the tate was lo-
cated. when virtually all the cltiseBshta
of Oregon was. located -west of the CaJ
caoes. i jus. isas none ai a time vae
the productive resources of Eastern Ore
son were not understood. The means of
developing the resources of Eastern Ore
gon are as yet but little appreciated la
the western, portion 1 the state which
Is so diverse In climate that If Its de
velopment -depends upon state taxation
there Is na reason to believe tha majority
of citizens west of the Cascadea- Kill s
more willing- to ha taxed lor 'Irrigation
than for killing wolves-
If, as seems most reasonable and mast
just, the arid and semi-arid Btates have
to secure all the Irrigation, water possi
ble by construction of reserv olra to hold
the Winter flow of streams for Jftuasiaef
use, it will require National action and
the National financial resources. The
states needlns National aid Trill need, all
the votes theV can get in Congress to
make tho "wisdom and Justice of National
disbursements understood by those from
the Atlantic and Middle Western States.
In Procuring such legislation in Congress,
me -staiea or uregon, &smnion ana
California are historically the natural
leaders and ihey will need all the power
they cari honorably get. For; this purpose
as well 4 for peace and good wlU in
what wa$ all Oregon once, X helleve the
time has. come for ft dlYlslpn of the state
of Qregdn and Washington by tho- nat
ural boundary of the Cascade Rang.
I am aware that this proposition was
quite recently pronounced Impracticable
by the leading paper of the North Pacific,
but I submit that the natural division
of climate effected by th& Cascade Range
has been widened by the action of Con
gress In making the Cascade forest re
serve larger than the two states, ot Dela
ware and. HhOdf Island.
We need more Votes In Congress than'
we have, for several reasons besides the
necessity cf .National aid iA fertilizing
what is now. dejrert latfd, and as a citi
zen of Western Orecon, I am in favor ot
a division of the state
A Stjuafllar Afesardlty..
New Tork Evening Pos,t
A standing absurdity of our. Govern
mental system is receiving its biennial
Illustration In. the assembling ot a Con
gress for a, session qt legislation after
the election pf the pe?& Congress. Such
an anomaly Is unknown in. retrd to the
Legislature of any state In th Union,
and there Is riot a commonwealth In
which the people would stand It Thd
Nation endures It only because It has
become habituated to the system, and be
caoso It would ,be difficult to bring about
the needed reform. The Ide-al plan, ot
course, would be to have a new National
Legislature chosen in November meet In
thb following January, -like the state
bodies, which are elected at the same
time: but the Federal Constitution would
have to bo amended In order to Set suph
a system running, and that is so hard a
process as to discourage, everybody. So
wo ro on from One century Into another.
grumbling periodically ver the Injustice,!
out accepting it -as inevitable, This time
the injustlde Is not so great as it Is When
the party which, controls the expiring Con
gress baa JUst been beaten at the poile,
and tries, during these last. Weeks of an
existence which it ought not to have, to
put through measures against which the
people have declared themselves.
jraelusik Coanty far Cerfeeii.
Medford Mall
Tho raoe for the United States Senator
ship Is beginning to wax warm In eVery
part ot Oregon. The fight, as It Is now
shaping itself, seems to be wholly and
exclusively between, Hon. H. V. Corfeett,
of Portland, and Senator McBrlde, the
present representative of Oregon at
"Washington. As "between these two known
candidates, tho choice in this section is,
so far as our canvass ot opinion M
been made, almost unanimous for Mr,
Corbett Of course the people do not
elect the United Btates Senators, but
they do elect the state legislators who
have to do- with the election of the state's
representatives at Washington. "Without
any attempt' at a possible coercion of leg
islative opinions from this end of the
state, the Mall feels that it is safe la
positively stating that if a vote of the
people- was f.p ba taken Mr Oorbett would
receive an overwhelming majority. The
Republicans of this end of the state ad
mire, representative men politically; men
who have been Republicans from princt
pje, rather than pplioy; men who have
convictions to back thefr opinion, and
men with sufficient brain matter to form
opinions and courage to express them. No
one can say that such a man Is not Hon.
H. "WVCorbett
Diversion ef Taxes ta Private Kad.
Prineville Journal.
Oregon jaxpayers maintain an jexpen-
slve lot of Game" and Fl3h Wardens whote.1
principal duty It is to protect Columbia
River fisheries and Multnomah County
sportsmen; they maintain a Dairy aad
Food Commission, the scene of whdse
labors does not include the "cow coun
ties"; they maintain schools, colleges,
universities, hatcheries, experiment sta
tions aiid other institutions that are
especially valuable to certain localities
while only indirectly so to Hke average
taxpayer. If all these are justifiable on
the ground ot public policy,, is not the
ecalR-bounty law defensible on the same
prlnclplet
What the Coast Kxaeeta.
San Francisco Chronicle.
The neople- of California, Oregon- ana
t Washington expect to see the PhlUpytne
made a part or tne American union juef
as California, OregOn and Washington
were made by the process of expansion.
They do not desire and would protest
against the adoption of a policy ef ex
ploitation of the islands, for they clearty
recognise that it would overreach itsalf.
i
Ta Tfcaauui 3t.m9T.
Xord Bjtch.
, Hy bout Is en the s&ere.
And my birk Is on fix ca;
But bsfore I o, TTosa- 5C. .
Ectt'fi adubli health to thee!
Here's a ? ta tfeaie wfee l sac.
And a. smita to tao yrh& hate.
Asa, -whatever sky's afeer e.
Here's a heart for amj" ft.
Though the eceaa roar aros&a' at.
Tot It ittfl thai! bear pwn as;
Tbonsh a desert ahoala xwmmlrm.
It hath frprinra that a7 aa iwas,
Were't ihe last drop n the wejl, T
' As I aea apon the feriak;
Xti my falntlns plrit fell,
Its to thee that I would drlak.
nth that wM. tfcfc wlae,
Tha mat;oa lt saar
Sjaaair he yeace to thiae aarf lata,
-a a atalta Is Jaw, Tub. Katrv
1EAL OBJECT Of THE. SUBSIDY. !
New Tork Journal of Cowmerce.
Xrs John. Fiskd's. address at tlw 2S0th
anniversary of the- foun!8u Middle
town, Conn., is published to the Atlantic
Montkly fr December, and is a notable
ceotsribaWoa-te; 2e history of representa
tive InstitatieoR. Tho first-written consti
tution for1 a governent of tho people
was, the co&stttotlon, ot the colony ot
CsaotIcat consisting of the three towns
of BarffereV "SVeatbersfleld and "Windsor.
9ut the address contains a very inter
esting aaiat apart from this. He- recalled
that la hts boyhood the; maritime inter
ests ef tse city were prominent and slid
th4t the decadence- of tse American ma
rine" since the Civil War was commonly
attributed to the Confederate cruisers.
But a nation merchaht marine he said.
ceuJd. -a more be destroyed by cruisers
than a towa could be destroyed by cut
ting the grass? if the grass' didn't grow
again it ws evident that 6oaethlcg had
attickedv the rdots. He. suggested that our
medieval navigation laws had preyed Upon
tha. roots of oun merchant marine.
Mr. Flake's reasoning is- eminently
sound, but the close of American mari--ttase
dceadence goes back tot the Civil
"War Our entire tonnage of IScS was
5,12,001, and lq 1S5& there Was a 'decrease
of 6.53 per cent There: were some small
gatns, ana lh$ maximum waff not reached
till 18&, but the essential fact la that the
registered tonnage of the Uplted States
!ncrease 60 par tent between 1S30 and
1S65, ahd , per cent between 1S55 and
18. This, shows when the decadence of
the American merchant marine began.
TVhat event happened about 1SS5 to ex
plain this change? Two things had haP-
pened, the full effect of which; began to
be felt about this date. The Mexican War
had given us the whofe continent to the
Pacific Ocean, and the demonstrated suc
cess of railroads had given us the means
of deyepiag, our vast domain. On the
other hand, the success of iron steamers
had given England on advantage which
ws had Tosee&ed so long as. the wooden
clipper was tha best ocean carrier. Wo
retired from the sea because we had a
more profitkble field of employment for
labor and capital on land, and, because
the development of ocean carrying had
taken the position ot advantage from us
and given It to England.
.Seafaring Is a life of hardship and
small pay The American sailor-had near
ly disappeared befftre the Civil Wa
opeeed, for he could get better pay for
lighter work ashore, and the develop
ment of our great West absorbed the
capital and energy which had expended
itself upon the sea for want of a better
field.
Lait weak the International 8eamens
Union, m Boston, -adopted a report In
which Occurs the statement, "No one dis
putes tha fact that American boys do not
seek the sea for a living, nor Is it dis
puted that Jn the early history ot tha
country It was otherwise." Any old map
of the- United States will show th rea
son: la the early part ot th& century
there was no United States except a nar
row strip alortr the Atlantic Coast; there
were few factories and no railroads tg
absorb labor; the American boy went to
sea on account of the difficulty Of -getting
employment on land- "Regarding
the subsidy bill," says this eamoreport,
"we desire- to nx that in our opinion
this bill, as now reported, will fall 1n Its
purpose If such purpose be to furnish sea
men for the Government use when neces
sary. The real purpose of the bill is to
xa&ke business for the large, wealthy and
influential shlpbuUdlng interests; the sup
ply of seamen Is thrown in merely to In
terest the public Th report says that If
Congress desires to'lnrceasa tha number
of seamen "such amendments must be
added as will inducer the American boy
ts go to b& and remain there. We desire
to say, as sailors, that there is noth
ing in this bill as now reported by the
majority Of the Congressional committee
which will have this tendency."
Senator Thurston has been Interviewed
en the subject pf the pending bill, and
said of the building up of a merchant ma
rine: "It other great governments are
accsmpHshing that end by subsidies it Is
a condition and not a theory that con
fronts Us." No governments are build
ing up their merchant marine by sub
sidles. Bounties for navigation, such as
the Hanna-Payne bill proposes, are paid
by France, Italy and Austria, and all
these countries are complaining of the
meagsr results. England and. Germany
give postal contracts to a (ew of their
steamship lines for ths services of 4 or
5 per cent of the tonnage under their
flags. Even if the pay Under these con
tracts were Very liberal it would be of no
sort of service tothe 05 per cent or more
of tha tomiags; which gets nothing,
A few weeks ago an ofilclal of the Pitts
burg Coal Company said that In the
event of the parage ot tha subsidy bill
his company would build a fleet of col
liers and push the coal export. It was
announced in Baltimore, last week that
this company has already closed a con-,
tract for the export of 450,000 tons of coal
to France, Tho- export of coal is not
waiting for the United States Government
to pay the freight Mr, John
Lambert, ot Chicago, said of him
self and Mr, Gates last week:
"We expect to establish extensive ship
building yards on the Atlantic Coast If
the subsidy bill passes it will give a
great Impetus to the shipbuilding In
dustry in this country, and we think that
is a goed v?ay to Invest some pf our
maaey." Nearly the whole purpose of the
Hanna-Payno bill Is to hire men to buy
shijs in American yards.
FliKASAXTrtlES OP PAXAGSLAPHERS
A Type "The ev. Dr. TJptodata -seems to
he aa able man," ''Very abW. He can tak6
day text In the Bible and prova that it
does a' t maa. irhat it says." Puclc
The Portrait The Fair Sitter Won't you
9ls Ueaitze mi a trine. Mr Dauber? The
Great Artht T, TU ftx you up so your ova
S9atHr wao-'t know you. Chicago Record.
WTselMile Xrorhy Capture "Adelaide
&fclfs has mare lovely chlaa aad jspWr than
aay wtHaaa 1 know." "Ot course; she hilongs
ts Mra eachre clubs, and sometimes play
twtee a Uy." IndUnapolls Journal.
Httr I thjnk TtKn Jojes pe wjth ail his
heart. Why, he actually threatened to Shoot
hlK If did not look upon him with f ayor.
perth How like Tom! -That's what he Til
way says. Funny. Uat It? Boston Tran
WW Coatraeta . Bid yaa aKertaat AMennau
M8 aa I directed? Secretary Ts, sir. "How
la he atr' "He looked insulted." "What
M ae ayt" "He aald 1 oucht to he la the
peaiteatianr." rWhat did h doT .He took
the iaaar."-TltXMts.
Fors&fHtmrsIf. Wife1 My dear, you haven't
a CoM. have tob? Huebanc Ko. "Any head
saaer "Kaaa at alLr Rheuinatl?mr' "Not
a- aarttele.-" "Tou don't thlak it will rain, do
TvT' "Xo dMar. Way-?" "This la Sunday,
aad -.It', JapU church time-" New Tork
W(wr.' "
raea Coeelsslftly. "Wfcs.tt Fbhlug oa
th 'aaaaatar excUlaaaa tha Clersymaa, .re
aravtavty. "Pen't yom know that Uttla boys
J a-aa aa-the aaahata so to the had placer'
1 xM aai'a Mfht," replle th B4 hoy,
atacvatfriiy. "X aaaidat 'a attack aa wars
yteM aaa atr."-aj!aljfeta. XT
NOTE AND C0MSXJJT.
K
Knc Towne's, term Is yi sfeor ha wMJ
oppose adjournment for tho holidays.
It the British won!t geaatt Tod Sloan a
license. IfcKInley must Tesort to diplo
macy by recalling Chpate.
It really is not fair -to spring primary
reform n$on the; bosses, without giving
them an appeal to the plebiscite.
Kruger will star at Tha Hague and
await the result of the unequal contest
between theyiord and the. British.
The Presbyterian creed Is being deter
mined by a vote of- selection. This Is one
way of establishing absolute truth.
Spirit mediums next will form a trust.
If that man Hanna does not get his
deserts la this life he will In the next.
A St. Louis man has been appointed
Chief of Police In Manila. Agulnaldo can
handle him by getting up a street-car
strike.
It is said that Queen Victoria-made her
address to Parliament short In order to
show, McKinley the advantages of a
monarchy over a republic.
In order to conciliate the Almighty tor
a safe voyage a transport win sail from
San Francisco Saturday instead of Sun
day. Shrewd man, very shrewd.
The Duke of Manchester surprised his
friends the other day by doing a cake
walk. It would appear that, his grace Is
blacker than he has been painted.
Perhana tha men wio made history
would not have, done so it they Itnew they
were to be responsible for tho historical
novels which are responsible for the his
torical plays.
Kruger still has faith in tne King of
Kings. But he has faltb in the wrong
one. Might is, the King of Kings and ha
has lived till old age to maka the dis
covery. Commissioner Blnger Hermann has or
dered return of his decision which de
prives hard-working farmers of Wardner
Valley of their land. Perhaps ha wants
to see vhat la In it
There are fewer missing links in tha
evolution of the earth and Its species than
in the Intellectual evolution of a man
who Is dwarfed by superstition and Ig
norance" three thousand yeara old.'
Wo shall all heave a sigh of relief
when 1900 ends, not merely because ws
are tired ot the century squabble, but yet
more tired of the Index racket between
the Assessor and the Commissioners.
Secretary Wilson Is alarmed lest there
bo too many Belgian hanis in the vi
cinity. He need not be aiarmed, Port
land, which a few months ago had hun
dreds of these hares, is now nearly bald.
The Prince of Wales may take in tha
yacht race next Summer. A bevy of
burnt-ou.t Dukes, Counts and Marquises
will flock after, so thai American heir
esses will haye a wide choice for their
money.
A Princeton student captured a burglar
the other day. His college education has
equipped him for a place on tha polica.
force, and that In turn 111 bring him
boundless riches. What a wondrous boon
to a young man is a college education!
United States postal officials have been
instructed to refuse, until further orders,
to recolye for mailing to Germany, her
metically sealed cans ot sausages and
other chopped meats, even It sent as
samples. The cause of this order Is that
the Postal Department has been notified
by the postal administration of Germany
that the importation of sausages and
other chopped meats into that country has
been prohibited. This is a very proper
precaution, for if there is anything edible
which the, consumer should have a thor
ough knowledge of, tho manufactura of
and the materials used therein, it is that
mystery, the sausage, of any kind. When
Sam Veller said, "Weal plo Is a worry
good pie pfhen you knows the woman wot
made It," hs might have added that the
same rule applied to sausage.
There is more or less complaint from
all parts of the country about the bank
ruptcy law. It Is said to be all right
in cases where people are really bankrupt
and need the protection of such a law,
but It Is complained that it la too wido
open a door for many who seek to re
lieve, themselves of their liabilities. Peo
ple conceal their property and secure a
discharge from all their liabilities, and
even avoid payment of the costs In their
case, who should not in Justice be re
leased from their obligations. Such peo
ple, under the old assignment law, could
not secure a discharge unless they could
rake up enough to pay 60 per cent of
their llablHUes. It is said thaT the law
was merely passed to clear up the wrecks
of hard times, and was only Intended to
"be of a temporary nature, and that it Is
likely to be repealed at any time, and
within a few years for certain.
As at this season many persons are
sending packages by parcels-post, the
following extracts from the law regarding
the maillns: of such paskages will be of
Interest to them:
"Jfo parcel may contain packages ad
dressed to irersons other than the person
named on tho outside address of the par
cel itself, If such packages be detected
they must be sent forward singly, charged
with new and distinct parcel postage
rates.
"A parcel must not be posted in a letter
box; but must be taken into the post
offlce and presented to the postmaster or
person in charge, between the hours of 8
A M. and S P. M.
'See that tho parcel is securely and sub
stantially packed, bo that It can be safely
transmitted in the ordinary mall sacks,
and that it Is so wrapped or Inclosed that
It can be opened without damaging- tho
cover, so that its contents can be easily
examined by the postmaster.
"The postage must In ail cases be pre
paid by means ot postage stamps. A let
ter or communication p the nature of per
sonal correspondence must not accom
pany, be written on or inclosed ip aay
parcel. If such be found the letter will
-be placed In tha malls if separable, and
If the communication be Inseparably at
tached, the whQle parcel wilLbe rejected."
The Hamait .
John Keats.
Font aeaeoas all the sieasHse of ths Tear;
There era four jeAaons 1 th mind of maa;
He has Ws lusty Sprjn. whea &acr claar
Takes In all beauty with aa easy &pa;
He has his Summer, -when luxuriously
Springs honeyed cud ot youthful thought ha
loves
To ruminate, and hy a&eh dreamlnr high
la nearest uato heavea; quiet coves
His soul has is its Autwst. whea hie wlpaa
He turleth cloae; contented so U look
pn mlata In Idleness tt let fair thlacs
'Tax by uabeeaao M a threshold brook.
Kd has tUa Wiater, too, of pale aatof eata,
Or ! ba ytttte forage ate aural mWw.