THE 3I0TCSTXG OREGONTAN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1000.
Entered at the Postofflce at Portland. Oregon,
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Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson,
etnee at 1111 Pacific avenue. Tacoma. Box S&5.
Tacoma Postofflce.
Eastern Business Office The Tribune build
ing. New Tork City; "The Rookery," Chicago;
the S. C Beckwith special agency. New York.
For sale In San FrancUco by J. K. cooper.
"HO Market street, near the Palace Hotel; Gold
smith Bros.. 28 Sutter street: F. W. Pitts.
IOCS Market street; Foster & Orear. Ferry
Kens stand.
For sale In Lo Angeles by B. F. Gardner.
53 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines. 100
So Spring street.
For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co..
217 Dearborn street.
For sale In Omaha by H. C Shear. 105 N.
Sixteenth street, and Barkalow Bros.. 1C12
Farnam street.
For sale In Salt I.oke by the Salt Lake News
Co . 77 W. Second Fouth ftreet.
Tor sale in New Orleans b3" Ernest & Co ,
115 Royal street.
On file In Washington. D. C. with . W.
Dunn. 500 1-Jth N. W.
For sale In Denver. Cote., by Ilamiltoa &
Kendrick. 1K)6-12 Seenth street.
counties. The objection referred to is
offered now in opposition to the desire
of certain counties to be exempted from
the operation of the proposed primary
law. Doubtless the sparsely settled
counties coui arrange. If they desire,
such exemption. The law could apply
to such counties only as have 50,000 or
more Inhabitants, or it could be fur
nished with a proviso that it should not
apply to certain named countieB. It Is
that the retorm
the Army. It Is easy to see how both
of these doors may be open to fraud
and extravagance in pension allow
ances. The first might be readily
closed by defining a veteran's widow
as a widow who was the wife of a sol
dier within the term of his military
service and thus without defrauding
any worthy woman who has a legiti
mate claim upon the Government on
account of her husband's death from
rUsnhlHtlpe suffered In the Army. The
decade covered, or about the average
Increase of the entire country in th?
same period, indicating now, as never
before In our history, that the city and
the country are keeping even pace in
development. In the view of the polit
ical economist, the balance has been
struck In the Interests of the two sec
tions, and the growth has become normal.
ViJl 1j"ttAj3 rJATTOVAr
will be adopted throughout the whole i large Army of young or relatively
state The country bosses are as oaa as young wiaows ui vciwuuo vm. w....
the city ones, and sometimes worse, be- War has no claim upon the Govern
cause it Is harder to unseat them. An ment that it is in duty or patriotism
exaggerated idea of the Portland boss bound to respect. It should treat all
Is apt to get abroad throughout the such demands with a silence which In
state He Is precisely the same creat- itself would be a rebuke to marriages
ure that rules In every little county, so distinctly and shamelessly niercen-
nnu- nn somewhat larcer scale. There ary. Otherwise, the pension rolls will
is a good deal of superstition in poll
tics, as unreasoning as tne religion
type. It is admirably embodied In Ho
mer Davenport's cartoons of Hanna.
NATIVE
COLONIAL
TODAY'S WEATHER. Occasional rain, with
brisk to high southerly minds.
PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY DEC. 12
Fish Protector Reed's -eport, in the
condensed form the spae at our com
mand requires us to gjve it, is a most
interesting and valuable discussion of
an Important subject by a man who
knows what he Is talking about. His
acquaintance with, the salmon Industry
covers manv years of experience and
observation. He speaks with knowl
edge, but wjthi ut prejudice something
few fish 'jcperrs seem able to do. Mr.
Reed'sminor suggestions are many and
interring, and If we were likely to get
a salmon law on Its merits, they would
-"fe worth favorable consideration. Un
fortunately, however, experience au
thorizes the fear that legislation will
again resolve Itself into a fight between
antagonistic private Interests. Towards
this war of gear the Fish Protector's
attitude is the Fame maintained by his
able and conscientious predecessor, H.
D. McGuire, and by the United States
Fish Commission. That is, his remedy
for depletion of the salmon herds is not
to turn the fish over to one set of fish
ers to the exclusion of others, but to
propagate artificially and prevent over
fishing by shortening the seasons. Mr.
Reed, accordingly, advocates an open
season from May 1 to August 15, and
a limited Fall season irom September
15 to January 1. He also inclines to
favor a return to Sunday closing,
lengthening the weekly close period by
the daylight hours of Saturday. His
arguments In support of this pro
gramme are plausible, based upon de
' tailed knowledge of the conditions. The
Legislature will do well to heed Mr,
Reed's advice.
In another column Representative
Nichols, of Benton County, pays his re
spects to The Oregonlan In candid and
doubtless well-meant fashion. Mr.
Nichols is in favor of the direct pri
mary, but while on the subject he can
not forbear to offer us some good ad
vice. He wishes that the paper would
"make at least helpful suggestions, In
stead of spending, according to the
Judgment of many, a disproportionate
amount of time snarling at and criti
cising the well-meant suggestions and
efforts of others." Upon this question,
us upon others, then, Mr. Ulchols be
speaks "a larger share of responsibil
ity" on the part of the paper, and less
criticism. Now, the fact Is that Mr.
Nichols, well-meaning though he is,
has an entirely wrong conception of the
newspaper function. In framing bills,
we should only usurp the place of the
legislator, who would rightfully resent
Euch interference. It is the paper's
business to censure the wrong where
it finds it, but not to praise the good.
Virtue Is Its own reward. The names
of blameless people seldom get into the
newspapers. They are at home doing
their duties unobtrusively, and so they
jjet no attention.
TROOPS FOR
SERVICE.
If we continue to hold the Philippines
we shall. If we are wise. Imitate the ex
ample of Great Britain and make large
use of native troops, commanded by
white officers, drlired and disciplined
ftftw Amerlom methods, and armed
with the improved weapons of modern
warfare The problem before us in the
Philippines was presented to England
for solution nearly 150 years ago, when
communication with the mother coun
try was maintained by sailing vessels.
The journey was long, and It became
necessary to organize a native force
under English officers to supplement
the scanty supply of European soldiers.
The first brilliant campaign of Cllve
was fought largely by the native
troops. They were Increased under
Cllve's successors, and today constitute
more than one-half of the British-India
army of over 70,000 men. The British
Anglo-Indian regiments are recruited
from the flower of the native fighting
races of India. The Bengalese are not
a fighting race, so that England re
cruits her Sepoys from the Sikhs, the
Rajpoots, the Jats, the Goorkhas and
from the Pathans, who compose
the "hill" tribes on the Afghan frontier.
The troops that suppressed the Tecent J
revolt In Ashantee were negro soldiers,
chiefly Houssas, commanded by British
officers. In the Soudan the Baggaras
under Kitchener routed the forces of
the Mahdl. In the British West India
Islands native regiments of blacks are
employed exclusively. In South Af
rica, until the outbreak of the present
war, Sulus, supplemented by a small
contingent of English troops, composed
the military forces of England.
Great Britain's latest experiment in
the organization of native troops has
been made in China, where at Wei Hal
"Wei last year a Chinese regiment was
recruited for three years to serve In
any part of the world. All the com
missioned officers are British, but the
non-commissioned staff, with the ex
ception of one Sergeant-Major, one
Color Sergeant, one Orderly-Room
Clerk and one Armor Sergeant, are Chi
nese. Each company contains 120 men.
whose average height Is 5 feet 8 Inches, I
with a chest development of 38 Inches.
These Chinese recruits required six
months' hard work to make them un-i
derstand the Importance of precise obe
dience In military affairs, but at the
end of that time they had been con
verted into admirable soldiers; respect
ful, orderly, sober, and, most remarka
ble of all, of excellent record la mus
ketry practice.
The subsistence of the Chinese sol
dier Is $2 15 Mexican a month; his pay
Is $8 00 Mexican a month, making the
entire cost to the government for the
soldier and hie subsistence $10 15 Mexi
can, or $5 gold, a month. All vegeta
bles and luxuries are purchased by the
bulge with the names of "veterans
widows," representing women who
were born perhaps years after the Civil
"War ended, and who were for a few
years the wives of decrepit old sol
diers, for a single purpose.
INDEPENDENCE NOT FOR THE POPE
Archbishop Ireland's prediction In his
recent sermon In Washington that at
no remote day "the Italian people and
Christendom at large will give back to
the papacy Its wonted dignity and lib
erty" Is not likely to be fulfilled. Revo
lutions do not often go backward, and
the restoration of the pope to temporal
sovereignty is not likely to take place.
The Franco-Prussian war legislated It
out of existence, and In matters of
serious consequence the "legislation" of
great wars is seldom if ever reversed.
The Stuarts were restored, but tne
House of Commons continued to rule
England. The first French revolution
was drowned In a sea of blood, or, as
Carlyle put it, "blew Its own brains
put," but the land tenurer it enacted re
mained unchanged. Napoleon the
Great died a wretched political pris
oner, DUt tne UOae .Napoleon reramaa
and the basis of French civil institu
tions is essentially today as It was fash
ioned by Napoleon's hand.
It Is a strange fact that so Intel
lectual and accomplished a priesthood
as that of Rome should, both in Europe
and America, be blind to the fact that
revolutions never march backwards
so blind that they re-echo the pope's
plea and hope for the restoration of
temporal territorial power that is never
more to return. The unity of Italy and
the territorial sovereignty of the pope
In Rome are absolutely incompatible.
Since 1870, when the King of Italy sup
planted the pope as the clvjc sovereign
of Rome, nothing has taken place to
warrant the expectation that the pope
will be restored to his temporal king
dom. Crispl's laws were unworthy a
great statesman, even 'as the Falk laws
were unworthy of Bismarck, but Crlspl
was not more deaf to the teachings of
history or blind to the Irreversible
march of events than Is the present ex
ceedingly able and accomplished pope,
who has unwavering faith In the ulti
mate restoration of his temporal sov
ereignty in Rome.
The Roman Catholic Church Is as full
of life and strength as any of the great
faiths of the world; but the resurrec
tion of the temporal power of the pope
Is an idle dream that will never be
realized. "With the death of the tem
poral power of the pope his spiritual
sovereignty has been vastly Increased.
That Is. the Influence of the "Vatican
has gained rather than lost ground In
both Europe and America since the
death of the temporal .power of the
pope, who no longer carries the weight
of political odium charged against Plus
IX by the friends of young Italy from
1848-49 to the day of his death. The
life of the present Italian monarchy Is
of doubtful longevity. It is a mere
house of cards that will succumb to the
The Tacoma Ledger, which printed a
deliberate He about the German ship
Gertrud striking on the Columbia bar, j
is very much worked up over The
Oregpnian's objection to such willful
misrepresentation. "With some of the
characteristics of a crawfish, and oth
ers of a cuttle-fish, the Ledger Is
squirming away from punishment
which all liars earn. The Oregonlan
called attention to the recent disasters
which overtook the steamships Duke
of Fife and Alpha, both of which were
injured after leaving the Straits, just
as the Gertrud was injured after leav
lng the Columbia River. The Ledger
goes to unnecessary trouble to Inform
The Oregonlan that the Alpha did not
sail from Tacoma, although the Duke
of Fife did sail from that port. The
heavy expense to which the underwrit
ers were put by the accidents to these
two steamships Is not directly charge
able to the port of Tacoma, but any
line of reasoning which makes the re
ported accident to the Gertrud a reflec
tion on the port of Portland must, If
followed out consistently, place the
blame for the Puget Sound disasters
on Tacoma. "What does the Ledger ex
pect to gain by all of this misrepresen
tation and this petty lying about the
Columbia? It certainly has no effect
on the shipping business, for if it had
Portland would not continue to show
up year after year with an increasing
percentage of the entire shipments of
the wheat crop of the Pacific Northwest.
such ascertainment of the Electors ap
pointed" and the same certificate in dupli
cate to the Electors before the day of
their meeting. These certificates are to
be sent by the Electors to the Secretary
of State at "Washington along with the
list of persons voted for President and
Vice-President. It is the duty of the
Secretary of State of the United States
as soon as practicable after the receipt of
the certificates to publish them In full
In a newspaper and at the first meeting
of Congress thereafter he shall transmit
to the two houses copies of the certifi
cates.
Congress is required to be in session
on the second Wednesday in February
succeeding every meeting of the Electors.
Both houses of Congress are to meet in
the hall of the House of Representatives
at 1 o'clock P. M. that day and the Presi
dent of the Senate presides and announces
the vote as the certificates are handed to
him.
HOW TO I1ELPTBESUPREME COURT
Another plate-glass window on the
East Side has been smashed by a rock
thrown with malicious Intent, and still
no arrest has been made, nor has the
name of any "prominent citizen" as the
father of one of the lawless young
scoundrels of the "S. S. S." been given
to the public. This Is a phase of reck
less mischief that fathers can control
If they will take the trouble to do so.
Falling in this, it may be hoped that
some of the more "prominent" among
them will be haled before the courts
and made to stand sponsors for their
unruly sons, before a rock hurled at
random through a window results In
something much more serious than a
broken pane of glass and a badly
frightened household.
firs- estrone breeze: but In event of an
soldier at his own expense. The health i .,. ..ii v,Q-rv wnn v. nn
of this Chinese regiment was excellent, 1 hope of a restoration to the pope of his
The man who does battle with hjs
dinner pall against a highwayman
armed with a revolver, in defense of
his month's earnings, challenges ad
miration for his fearlessness in defense
of his rights. His prudence, however,
is of questionable quality, since it puts
In jeopardy his future earning capacity,
not to say hit. life, for the sake of a
single month's pay. The judicious
thing In these times of menace from
footpads is to go abroad in the evening
with 'empty pockets, and cheerfully
comply with the order, "Hold up your
hands," when backed up by a pistol
presented by "Gentleman Jack." Such
compliance Is not a mark of cowardice,
but an act of prudence.
Though this Is the true and right
course of action, it is rarely followed
as duty prescribes. In the way of con
fession, therefore, let us recall that The
Oregonlan has been talking about elec
tion of Senators by popular vote and
about direct primaries for a long time.
It has made no end of suggestions and
has taken "a larger share of responsi
bility" than it had any business to
take. It has been boosting an Oriental
Fair for Portland In 1962. which was
not its business at all. It has been
praising a great many people for their
good deeds., notably the promoters ofl
this same Oriental Fair and that same
primary. It has been whooping It up
here for river improvements and for
coal development. It has been turning
its grindstone for numberless axes of
private and community enterprise, and
it has been distributing compliments
about among our enterprising movers
In public undertakings with excessive
prodigality. For all of this It hopes to
be forgiven; and as the New Year Is
drawing near, we shall here and now
record a vow that the descent Into the
role of a suggester and jollier shall
never be repeated. Hereafter let no
man be honest or woman virtuous in
expectation of reward In these columns.
Within the last two years the Idea
has gained currency that a law limited
in Its operation to certain counties is
unconstitutional. The fact is that we
have many such laws in continuous op
eration. Such 'are the laws regulating
Sheriffs' fees, probate fees, $12 trial
jury fees. Justices salaries. Constables
salaries, and the trust fund law. Spe
cific laws also affect the Multnomah
County Commissioners, bicycle tax and
Park Commission. Laws sometimes
specify that they shall apply to coun
ties of over 50.009 inhabitants, and
sometimes they are general in terms
with a clause providing that they shall
cot apply to such and such -named
and Its British Colonel was confident
that with a year's training his men j
would be equal to any soldiers In the '
world. This Chinese battalion formed
part of the Br-tlsh contingent to the ex- j
pedltion of the allies against Pekin in
August last, and In a sharp action with
a vastly superior force of Boxers,
quickly routed the enemy, killing sixty.
Of the Innate courage of the China
man when he Is placed under resolute
white officers there Is no doubt Ad
miral Dewey has borne the strongest
testimony to the gallantry of the Chi
nese who helped serve his guns at the
battle of Manila harbor. The official
reports of our own officers serving In
the Philippines testify that on the
firing line the Chinese drivers or litter
bearers wure as absolutely unconcerned
under fire as Kipling's famous water
carrier, Dunga Din.
The success of Great Britain in mak
ing admirable soldiers out of the fight
ing races of India, out of the Egyptians,
out of the Nubian negroes, out of the
Soudanese Arabs, out of the Houssa
negro tribes of West Africa, is not more
remarkable than the success of our ex
periment with negro troops in the reg
ular Army. Before Santiago the Twenty-fourth
and Twenty-fifth United
States Infantry and Tenth Cavalry, ne
gro troops, led by white officers, did as
effective work as any men in tne nem.
When Manila fell, Spain had in her
loyal army 5000 Filipino troops. Aguin
aldo promised them immunity from
their countrymen and reward for their
service. He made almost every one of
these disciplined soldiers an officer in
the Filipino ranks, and our failure to
secure them was a military calamity.
It Is in our power today to enlist the
native Chinaman or Filipino in unlim
ited numbers for $10 a month. He can
be subsisted for $4 more. Allowing $2
more for transportation, the native sol
dier would cost $16 a month, or not
more than $200 gold a year, or about
one-fifth of our present expenditure.
under which every American soldier
costs the Government more than $1000
gold a year for pay, subsistence, cost
of transportation and medical attend
ance. The pay of the American soldier
in the Philippines is $16 gold a month,
and his ration costs far more, through
wastage and expense of transportation,
and then he is sure to be an ultimate
pensibner. The native troops in the
Philippines can be recruited from the
friendly tribes of the Ilocanos and the
Macabebes, who are relentless foes of
the Tagals. Half our army In the Phil
ippines ought to be composed of native
troops, Chinese or friendly Filipinos.
temporal power, for neither the Repub
licans nor the Socialists would consent
to It. and there is no nation In Europe
that would attempt Intervention in Its
behalf.
Without any temporal authority over
Rome. Pope Leo was nevertheless
through his spiritual sovereignty more
than a match for Bismarck at the
height of his power. No matter who is
King of Italy and civic ruler of Rome,
the pope as a-spiritual force and In
fluence is among the most powerful
statesmen in Europe. It would add
nothing to his dignity nor his Influence
to become a civic ruler and temporal
Prince as well as a spiritual sovereign.
The consensus of opinion among busi
ness men of this city seems to favor an
Oriental Fair, providing the idea can
be fully and sufficiently carried out.
Certainly we want no half-way meas
ures that will belittle our conception
of the possibilities of Oriental trade and
subject our Ideas of meeting Its de
mands to ridicule. Tersely stated, we
want an Oriental Fair, or we don't
want one. No half-way measures, lim
ited to meet a scant supply of funds,
will suffice. A fair to justify Itself and
promote Its object means open-handed
generosity on the part of our people
not tialf-hearted dole.
At Carnegie Hall, New York, the So
ciety of Ethical Culture listened to an
address on "Confucius" by the Chinese
Minister to the United States. They
heard him compare the great Oriental
teacher writh the Man of Galilee, arid
no protest was heard when he said:
"A good Christian is a good Confucian,
and a good Confucian is a good Chris
tian." Truly, we are living In an age
of Investigation and of greatest rellg
ious toleration and freedom.
DANGER AHEAD,
Timely Wnrnlng to Republicans
About Subsidy BUI.
Chicago Tribune.
Already there Is much uneasiness mani
fest among the people over the sugges
tion that war taxes shall be continued
In order that $9,000,000 a year may be
turned over to mlneowncrs, shipbuilders
and other rich men, for the most part
living in the East, while it has not as
yet been demonstrated that a particle of
benefit will accrue to any agricultural
Interest, nor much If any to the manu
facturing Interests of the Middle West.
It may be that some producers on the
seaboard will be enabled to transport their
commodities to foreign markets at a
lower rate than at present. This will not
be the case as to the West, which Is
handicapped, so far as the sale of manu
factured products in foreign markets is
concerned, by Its distance from the sea
board and the cost of railroad transporta
tion.
Nor has any sufficient reason been ad
vanced why the money of the people
should be used to subsidize particular pri
vate commercial Interests. The word
"subsidy"- is odious to the people. It is
itself enough to damn any measure to
which It is attached. That word has
killed more than one statesman. Senator
Pomeroy, of Kansas, was known to his
dying day as "Subsidy Pom." A nickname
of that kind, which sticks and stings for
ever, may be attached to some of the
statesmen who propose to vote for this
indefensible bill now before the Senate.
That bill will slay more political repu
tations in the West than any measure
which has been before Congress since
the salary grab law of 1S73. It will oust
from their comfortable seats In the Na
tional Legislature a number of gentle
men who feel secure now. They will not
bo so secure under the new apportion
ments which will be made In most of the
states next year.
There is a narrow Republican margin
in the House at the best. It will be sur
prising if a sufficient number of votes
can be mustered In that body to pass a
bill so indefensible in its nature and so
hateful to the common people not hateful
necessarily to the rich people who have
large bank accounts and who have money
Invested In mines, steamship lines, and
large manufacturing enterprises, but alto
gether hateful to the people who work
with their hands or are merely well to
do.
There was a great outcry during the
late campaign against the attempt of Mr.
Bryan to make an appeal to class dis
tinctions and to excite class animosities.
The object of the present Congress ssems
to be to rush through, under whip and
spur, n the expiring hours of a Congress
not fresh from the people and out of
touch with them, a bill embodying class
legislation which will justify in some
measure Mr. Bryan's class appeal.
That appeal was not unsuccesful In the
large cities of the United States, both
East and West. It was notably success
ful In Chicago. All the advantages were
on the side of the Republicans so far as
the great issues of the campaign were
concerned. Yet they were only able to
carry this city by the poor plurality of
7619.
If there is a change In Issues, the sound
money question disappearing from the
scene the gold Democrats going back to
their natural party affiliations and the
"subsidy" Issue has to be confronted in
stead of the money Issue, there will not be
a Republican plurality In Chicago in 1902
arid fewer Republican ' Representatives
will be elected from this part of the
state than were elected last month.
Will The Oreronlan claim that the score of
The Price of Reform.
Kansas City Star.
The crusade against vice in New York
has again brought out the familiar accu
sation that certain wealthy citizens who
are ranked with the better element rent
will The ureronian claim mat tne score oil "
that Seattle-Portland football game was fixed? I out their property for immoral purposes,
ftn will hn Ka nrtan xlh tlmmlni ni 1-ionV- S "I'hlo cAit tf nnilenl 1e stArftlvi in -
The increase in pension expenditures
foreshadowed for the current year rep
resents the difference between $138,000,
000 as disbursed on this account last
year and $142,008,000 needed to liqui
date demands now pending. Thin In
crease Is due to the more liberal pro
vision made for the widows of veter
ans and the Urger construction of the
law in regard to disabilities suffered In
URBAN GRAVITATION CHECKED.
As shown by the census bulletins is
sued from time to time during the past
few months, the great rush of people
from country and suburban districts to
the cities and large towns has received
a substantial check. In the two dec
ades succeeding the Civil War, owing
to the revival of manufactures and the
up-springing, of trade and commerce,
there was a strong demand for labor in
manufacturing and seaboard towns.
This demand was met from two
sources. Our own people, and espe
cially women widowed and children or
phaned by the war, poured Into the
cities, where needed work was to be
had, and the tide of immigration from
Europe set in with renewed vigor
These two streams joining built up
towns as by magic, and added rapidly
to the population of cities the first at
the expense of the rural districts. A
congestion of labor In cities, incident
to the depression of our industries in
the early and middle years of the dec
ade represented by the twelfth census,
resulted, and after the stranded hosts
of labor had exhausted every device
whereby a living could be secured, the
return tide to the country set in. Now
the countrymen and the foreigner hav
ing been absorbed or sloughed off, the
cities have apparently gotten down to
a firm basis of growth. The rising tid
of commercial prosperity would again
throw the laboring element Into the
manufacturing towns, but fortunately
there has been a substantial Increase m
the value of farm products during the
past four years. New openings for In
vestment in agricultural centers have
been made,"and young men find good
reason for staying in the country and
developing tht resources of their lands.
In other words. It Is not necessary for
the intelligent, thrifty young man o
leave his home and holdings, or even
his father's house in the country, and
go to the city in order to make a living
In the modern acceptance of that term.
Hence the halt shown by recent census
bulletins In the gravitation from rural
to urban districts throughout the
country.
Specifically, as shown in one of the
November bulletins, 159 towns showed
Or will she be content with slamming our bank
clearings? Seattle Times.
The Oregonlan would not "claim" if
the score had been fixed. It would use
better than Seattle English, and main
tain, or affirm, or allege. If Portland
were given to claiming the earth and
Alaska, of course The Oregonlan might
use the barbarism without knowing It.
The Vermont Legislature killed a bill
prohibiting the granting of free passes
to the Judges of the Supreme Court.
The Judges evidently accept and use
passes, and do not wish to abandon the
practice.
There may be some argument In the
fortuitous circumstance that Holland
is the cradle of liberty and Kruger is
in his second childhood.
The greater Oregon is the greater
men it needs in Congress. Oregon Is
not a little state, nor are its Interests
little.
The farther Kruger gets away from
his compatriots the fainter grows the
echo of his fighting to the death.
The
mode
Prcxldcnttnl Elector.
Baltimore Sun.
Legislature of Maryland in 1S05
a curious oversight la fixing the
meeting of the Electoral College for the
election of President and Vice-President
of the United States on the first Wed
nesday In December. That was the day
named by the act of Congress passed In
1S15. It was changed to the second Mon
day In January by the act of Congress
approved February 3, 1SS7, and, of course,
la this matter the act of Congress pre
vails over a state law. The Legislature
In 1898 In enacting the election law
should have fixed the same day for the
meeting of the Electoral College as that
designated by Congress. Their failure to
do so, however, has done no barm except
to cause some confusion and uncertainty
among persons who do not have the acts
of Congress in their libraries.
The act of 1SS7 prescribes the entire
proceedings for the ascertainment and
declaration of the result of the meetings
of the Electoral Colleges and also for
the settlement of disputes in the returns
such as occurred In the election of "1S76.
As soon as the vote of a state 13 ascer
tained in -the manner prescribed by the
laws of the- state the Governor must
This sort of reprisal Is certain to ac
company any effort In the direction of
reform. It Is by no means confined to
New York. It Is a spirit which is practi
cally universal in its operation.
It Js not surprising that the Trinity
Church corporation, the Astors and other
large and reputable property-owners have
been made the objects of attack by cer
tain newspapers and sympathizers with
public Immorality, rather than the vicious
resorts which it 13 proposed to suppress.
That Is what every advocate of public
morality and decent government must
expect. Slander and vilification is the
certain portion of the person who dares
to oppose popular abuses and scandals.
The criticism of feeble and dishonest of
ficials aiway3 causes an arraignment or
the advocate of purification and a gen
eral mallgnment of the sponsors of re
form. This sort of thing malies the correction
of evil practices under the sanction of
municipal or state authority a task which
is more or less unpleasant, but the re
sults, where the work is undertaken in
good earnest and with a righteous pur
pose, yield an ample compensation for the
hardships and IndignUles endured In
carrying It out.
The Vclocltr of 3Ioney.
Cambridge Encyclopedia.
The velocity of money in France has
not yet been satisfactorily determined.
M. Paul de Essars, who is engaged upon
this difficult problem, accords to the
total bank balances an average velocity
of once in six days, and this cannot be
far from the velocity of all the money of
France. In. the United States of America
the velocity of money Is about once a
week, or 50 times a year. In the United
Kingdom It Is about once In two days,
or ISO times a year. In France It stands
between these two extremes. If conjec
tures be permitted where information la
lacking. It may prhaps not be far wrong
to estimate its velocity at about once In
four or five days, say SO times a year.
This slowness of money, as compared
with its rabidity In Great Britain, does
not wholly nor mainly arise from the
causes alleged by Necker. Something Is
due to the lack of the check system;
something to the fact that, while in
Great Britain the bulk of all the ex
changes take place In the single City of
London, the exchanges In France are
(happily) divided among many cities, while
something mar also be due to the mode
of collecting the taxes and the temporary
detention of the money in the hands of
local officials. Should this last surmise
prove to be well founded, a new field of
usefulness will suggest itself to the rising
SALEM, Or., Dec 1L To the Editor.)
I have heard of the proposal of the
State Bar Association, to Induce the Leg
islature to create a Supreme Court Com
mission, and have read in The Oregonlan
the interviews had with several leading
Judges and attorneys of your city on that
subject.
The ostensible purpose is to provide as
sistance for the Supreme Court in the
labor of clearing the docket of the large
number of cases which have accumu
lated there and have not yet been dis
posed of. The average taxpayer will see
In the measure a scheme to create a new
and costly addition to the present large
number of boards and commissions with
which the state is already burdened.
So far as known, the Supreme Court
itself has never Intimated a desire for
assistance. It is true that the court Is
still behind some with its work, but it
has been stated that during the past year
a considerable gain was made In the
work, so that the business Is not so much
In arrears as It was a year ago.
Litigation generally has decreased
throughout tne state during the past
three or four years. Besides this, the
National bankrupt law has made large
Inroads upon all commercial litigation
and has effectually dispensed with as
signments under the state law for the
benefit of creditors, all of which were
formerly productive of much labor for the
courts.
Putting District Attorneys on salaries
and giving them power to prosecute by
information without a grand Jury, has
lessened criminal litigation wonderfully,
as you yourself lately pointed out In an
editorial.
These circumstances indicate that the
cause of the congested state of the Su
preme Court docket is being minimized
to a considerable extent; that the situa
tion will continue to improve as to the
business of that tribunal and that time,
natience and perserverance of the Judges
will accomplish the clearing of the docket
without resorting to a measure of the
kind proposed.
But if there must be some additional
help to clear the docket of the Supreme
Court, the following plan is suggested:
Let the Legislature confer upon the
Supreme Court power to call to Its as
sistance In hearing arguments and pre
paring opinions some number eay two or
three of the Circuit Judges at a time
and to designate other Circuit Judges to
circuit duty in place of those called to
the assistance of the Supreme Court.
There are now nine Judicial districts
and 14 Circuit Judges In the state a
paucity of Supreme Judges and a plentl
tude of Circuit Judges. The First dis
trict has four counties and two Judges
who are not occupied in the discharge
of their official duties half the time.
The same Is true or the two Judges in
the Third district, which Includes five
counties. It Is confidently asserted that
two, or at most three. Judges could at
tend to all the business of the Circuit
Court In Multnomah County which con
stitutes the Fourth district. The Judge
of the Sixth district vibrates leisurely
between Heppner and Pendleton, the
county seats of the two counties in his
district. The Eighth and Ninth districts
have each three counties with one Judge
in each district. Between the two. the
business of both districts could be trans
acted, at least part of the time, by one
of those Judges, while the other was
absent assisting the Supreme Court. It
is probable that the Judges In the Sec
ond, Fifth and Seventh districts have
their time fully occupied and would not
be available, unless replaced by other
Judges, although all three are well qual
ified for the proposed work.
Of course, no Circuit Judge should bev
allowed to participate in neanng or pre
paring an opinion in any case appealed
from his own decision. It used to be said
of the old Supreme Court, whether justly
or not, that It was dlfllcult to 'get a case
reversed there because the Circuit Judges
who composed the court then, inclined to
uphold each others decisions. This could
not, however, be an objection, to the
present proposition In view of the para
mount and exclusive authority of the
present separate Supreme Court wnicn
alone would promulgate and be respon
sible for its decisions.
At most, the Supreme Court needs only
temporary relief and among the 14 Cir
cuit Judges are men o judicial train
ing and experience well equipped to ren
der the necessary assistance.
The project has the advantage of- not
requiring the creation of new offices,
which are hard to dispense with after the
necessity for them has passed, but of
making better use of men already In
office. It would also be less expensive
than a now flull-fledged commission, as
It could not be expected that the Cir
cuit Judges thus employed should hV'e
their present salaries Increased in any
event, if at all, beyond those paid to the
Supreme Judges.
Indeed, In the present dearth or litiga
tion in the Circuit Courts. It would be
no hardship to require this temporary
additional service from the Circuit Judges
without extra compensation.
The desired aid could thus be provided
for the Supreme Court which could make
use of it or not. in Its discretion. When
the present stress of business was ended,
as it surely would be soon, the services
of the Circuit Judges In that capacity
could be dispensed with by the Supreme
Court until further occasion for their
aid should arise. The proposed system
would accomplish the desired result as
well as any commission and would be
available for like future emergencies
when they arise, all without great, or
perhaps any, additional expense.
BEN HADAD.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Magazines still foolishly devote space?
to Bryan which might more profitably
bo given to other advertisers.
Tho Democratic party In Utah has
passed a resolution to disband. Here are
Democrats who aro sharp-sighted enough
to see their finish.
communicate to the Secretary of State
an increase of 32.5 per cent during, the of the United States "a. certificate of legislator of France.
Greeley at Cliicnso In 18CO.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
If It was Horace Greeley who brought
about the nomination of Abraham Lincoln
for President In IS), then, of course, the
man responsible for Greeley's presence at
the nominating convention is In a way
to be credited with a liberal share of
responsibility in the matter. That man.
according to a story told in a Western
newspapsr by James Madison Connor, was
Mr. Connor himself. He appointed him-,
self a delegate from Polk County, Oregon,
and rode 60 miles on horseback to the
Oregon convention for the express pur
pose of naming Mr. Greeley to represent
Oregon at Chicago. "The editor of the
Tribune accepted the trust, went to Chi
cago, and did more than any other man
to secure the nomination of Lincoln." But
It seems to some who recall all the fact3
In the case that Mr. Connor attaches un
due Importance to the circumstance that
Greeley held the credentials of a delegate
to the convention. He would have been
there just the same, and would have ex,
crted just as much influence adverse to
Seward and in favor of any man who
could beat him as he did with Oregon
credentials In his pocket. Nay, he might
have appeared to better advantage, since
there were many among those in attend
ance who looked upon Greeley's act In
securing an Oregon proxy, when he had
been unable to get on the list of dele
gates from his own state, as not wholly
creditable His defection from the rank3
of Seward's supporters unquestionably
had much to do with turning the scale
in favor of Lincoln; but there were
mightier inlluences than his at work for
the same end. By the way, Greeley's
defection from Seward, then for the first
time widely published to the world, oc
casioned scarcely more or a sensation
than did the great journalist's appearance
for the first time in a Dlack broadcloth
dress suit and silk hat In place of the
traditional white garments so familiar at
previous conventions. The writer of this
paragraph well recalls the amusement of
himself and companions as Greeley was
observed, engaged in a heated argument
on a street corner, his ill-fitting clothes
flapping around him, his face flushed, and
the silk hat projecting from the back
of his head at an angle of 45 degrees.
A small fire occurred in the Treasury
building in Washington the other day.
Times are so good that the Government
has money to burn.
Vice-President-elect Roosevelt is going
to Colorado next month to hunt mountain
lions. And It Is just possible that he may
visit Victor in quest of bigger game.
People who have clauses they would
like to ee In the army bill should get
General Miles to advise against their pas
sase. Towne has been appointed to fill Senator
Davis position, but be will have plenty
of room In it to rattle around as muck
as he likes.
President Kruger has sent a wreath to
be put on tho tomb of Emperor William
I. He would probably be willing to add
an I to the name. If the opportunity of
fered. If Holland goes to war with Portgual
she will be glad to have Kruger at her
capital, for possibly she can make a
dicker with England to exchange him for
Cronje.
Roberts is to be made a Duke, but as
he has no American heiress In sight for a.
wife, he can hardly hope to occupy much
space in the newspapers belonging to W.
R. Hearst.
The Chicago preachers are going to
preach In the Chicago aaloons, but as
there will not be nearly enough of them
to go around, the saloon frequenters will
not be obliged to stay at home while the
services are going on.
Any Infraction of the rules at Girard
College, Philadelphia, is punished with 20
minutes on a stood of repentance. When
the Institution first adopted this schema
of punishment one stool was enough. A3
the college expanded the stools multiplied.
and today no fewer than CO four-legged
painless Instruments of discipline are in
more or less constant use In a room de
voted exclusively to the punishment of
those who have transgressed the rules.
There Is absolutely nothing to the dis
ciplining except the order to sit on a com
fortable stool for M minutes and "think It
over." Any of the lads would sooner tako
a sound thrashing and have done with It,
but the stool of repentance has proved It
self an Ideal punishment, and It has coma
to stay at Girard College.
It now seern3 that, while the question of
a general amnesty for all persons con
cerned In the Dreyfus case was being ex
amined by a commission or the French
Senate, Commandant Esterhazy, who was
then In London, made an exhaustive depo
sition before Ihe local French Consul-Gea-eral,
which, however, was either not com
municated to the commission or rejected
by IL A recent number of the Independ
ance Beige, published in Brussels, con
tains the full text of the deposition, which
was sworn to by Esterhazy. Copies of the
documents to substantiate the declara
tions are also In some instances present
ed. The deposition Incriminates Colonel
du Paty de Clam, Colonel Henry, General
Billot, General Bolsdeffre, General Gonso
and General Saussler.
Esterhazy swears that the bordereau,
which was the sole lecal piece of evi
dence against Dreyfus, was forged by
Esterhazy, and that, therefore, the ex
amination of it by the nandwritlng ex
perts was illusory. He practically con
firms the" conclusions arrived at by tho
Court de Cassation, as far as they went,
admitting the truth of the charges made
by the court against him, but declaring
that In forging the document he acted in,
nwwTir to orders. Moreover, he de
clares that the alleged letters from tho
Kaiser, containing evidence of Dreyfua
treason, were simply fabrications.
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS
Precipitate. He Do you object to the word
"obey" in the marriage service? She Oh, Mr.
Walter, this Is so suddens Detroit Free Press.
"And was my present a surprise to your sis
ter, Johnny?" "You bet! She said she never
suspected you'd give her anything so cheap."
Tit-Bits.
Inadvertently Pleasant. "I didn't know It
was to be a comic opera." "Well, you knew
it was to be an opera given by an amateur
company, didn't you?" Chicago Record.
Fully Guaranteed. Mrs. Fadd Are you sure,
that this pure rood is a standard article? Gro
cer Tes, ma'am! You'll notice tnat its niga
priced. looks like dog bUcuir, and tastes like
excelsior. Puck.
The Manly Thing. Elranor No. I can't bear
college theatricals. I don't like to see a man
take a woman's rart- r.osalle My goodness
I think It would be cowardly ot htm It ha
didn't. Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.
The Ladder ot Prererm int. First Lawyer
Young Elacksione has political aspirations,
hasn't he? Second Lawyer Why do you thlnlc
so? First Lawyer I notice he calls all tha
barkeepers by their first names. New York
Weekly.
An Eye iot the Present. Miss Smoothe No,
I cannot give you my answer until the first of
next year. Mr. Softelgh But. why? You say
you love m! and Miss Smoothe Why, you
silly thing! It our engagement were an
nounced now. none of the other men would
send mo a single Christmas gitC Baltimore
American.
The Successful Operation.
Chicago Times-Herald.
My friend was on the table
And I waited, full of doubt.
But the surgeons brought me comfort
As they hurried In and out
Thpy were full cf hope, they said,
It was not a thing to dread.
They had found the scat of trouble, and they
knew
Where to probe and where to cleave.
So they gave me j.o believe
That my friend would rest In peace when they
were through!
They were famous, they had practiced
In those foreign countries wnere
The Inscrutable professors
Lay old Nature's secrets bare.
And they laughed my fears away
As they clo cd the door, that day
It was rometbing that bad oft "been done be
fore!" Long I waited for the end.
For the moment when my friend.
Through their skill, should be the prey of pain
no more.
Full of smiles, at last, they sought me.
And they told me It was done
"Skill had waged another battle -And
had gloriously won I"
They rubbed their hands in glee.
They congratulated me.
And they complimented one- another, too!
Each had deftly dene his part, f
Each had glorified his art.
For Success had followed aU their movements
through!
I heard them, full of wonder
At the marvel they had wrought.
And I asked if he could see me.
But they told me he could not
For my luckless friend was dead!
It was all his fault, they raid
They had triumphed. Skill had risen to tha
call!
They had found and cut away
All they sought, I heard them say.
And the shock had left him lifeless that wa4
-U1!