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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1900)
THE MOKXIXC? OKKOOXIAN, FRIDAY, DErEMHEK 11, 1909. it rsgamem. Entered, at the rnstoKlce at Portland, Ore-eon, as second-class matter. TELEPHONES. Editorial Rossis 100 J Business Office. ..CG7 REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid), la Advance Dally, with Sunday. icr memtta '.....J 5 Dally, Sunday excepted, per year 50 Dally, with Sunday, per yoar... 0 00 Sunday, per year 2 00 Tho Weekly, per year........ 1 50 The "Weekly. 3 months 50 To City Subscribers Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays excepted.lSe J Dally oer week. Slivered. Sundays lncluded.20c POSTAGE KATES. United States, Canada and Mexico: 10 to 16-page paper ...le 10 to 82-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion Intended for publication In The Oregonlan should be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addressed simply "The Oregonlan." The Oregonlan dors not buy poems or Ftories from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to it without solici tation. No stamps should be Inclosed for this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson, office at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 053, Tacoma Postofllee. Eastern Business Office The Tribune build ing. New Tork City: "The Rookery," Chicago; the 8. C. Beokwith special agency. New York. Tor 6alo In San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. 74C Market street, near the Palace Hotel; Gold smith Bros.. 2S6 Sutter street; F. W. Pitts. 100S Market 6treet; Foster i. Orear, Ferry News stand. For sale in Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner. 39 So. Spring street, and Oliver &. Haines, 100 So. Spring street. For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co., "217 Dearborn street. For salo In Omaha by II. C Shears. 105 N. Sixteenth street, and Barkalow Bros., 1012 Farnora street. For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News t., 77 "W. Second South street. For sale In New Orleans by Ernest & Co., 115 Royal street. On file In Washington, D. C with A. W. Dunn, 600 14th N. TV. For sale in Denvor, Colo., by namlltcn & Xendrlck. 000-912 Seventh street. TODAY'S WEATHER. Occasional rain, with "brisk to high southwesterly winds. TOJVTLAXD, TniDAY.DECEMDER 34. Mr. M. S. Grlswold writes us from Oysterville. "Wash.: Thus far but one side of the question has been beard in the matter of the decision of Attorney-General Blackburn on the Bible and Lord's Prayer in the public schools. Did I give The Oregonlan too much credit In presuming upon Its fairness to give both sides a hearing? Inasmuch as a good deal has ap peared in The Oregonlan on both sides of tho question referred to, we are in doubt as to which side Mr. Grlswold favors. His case is not uncommon, for In excited controversies it Is usual for fcaated disputants to Imagine, and to complain, that their side is given unfair representation. At the time of the A. P. A. agitation some years ago, when The Oregonlan was crowded with let ters on both sides of the question, angry" partisans "became so enraged at the unfair treatment they imagined they saw in the paper that they stopped their subscriptions in considerable numbers. Investigation showed that the complaints came In about equal de gree from Catholics and the A. P. A., showing how baseless was each side's charge of unfairness. As to the Bible In the schools, we have printed all ar guments offered on either side, and shall be glad to print one from Mr. Grlswold, whichever side he is on, pro lded he will enlist an amanuensis or typewriter in aid of his vigorous but somewhat unconventional chirography. The linotype is an implacable tyrant in the matter of poor "copy." Court derisions not seldom reflect public sentiment. Judges themselves do not know It. They think they are governed solely by the merits of the case, and their imbuement with the spirit of the hour is all unconscious. The latest illustration of this truth ap pears in the decision of the Illinois Su preme Court virtually nullifying the state's anti-trust law. When passed, this statute was thought to be a glori ous triumph of jUBt and salutary leg islation; but in operation it soon devel oped Into a mere instrument of prey upon business corporations. One enter prise after another, notably the Asso ciated Press, fled the confines of the state for more tolerable habitat. Then the popular cry for war on corporations was superseded by a desire for more reasonable conditions. The newspa pers changed their tone. The Chicago Tribune, for example, one of the potent agents In the legislation and its Judi cial approval, now says: If something is not done, and done soon. Chicago will suffer discredit as a financial cos ter and Its stock InVoMment 'HI regarded with suspicion. Illinois is crtalrily entitled to corporation laws as good as those of Massa chusetts, New York and Pennsylvania, and the subject demands consideration at the forth coming session of the General Assembly. The comment this utterance elicits from the Chicago Inter-Ocean is, if not judicial in tone, at least Instructive: This is true, but it was as true four years ago and two years aso as it Is today. The newspaper quoted antagonised, every effort made in the legislatures of lb97 and IStn) to pass laws which would afford reasonable pro tection to mvetorc and stockholder) In Illinois corporations. It attributed evil motives to every member of the Legislature and every private citizen who dared to aaert that the corpora tions of the state should be trtwted with fair ness. We do not care to F)Kctilate upon the cause that have led to tht chans of mind. Tuat part oC the matter may be left safety to an Intelligent, observant and discerning public The courts, manifestly, have shared in the transformation of opinion. Yes terday's dispatches state that the Cir cuit Court at Chicago holds section 1 of the anti-trust law to be unconstitu tional. As this is the part of the law defining the nature of rtrms coming un 2er the act's operations, the serious character of the blow thus delivered Is apparent. Convictions under the law will be likelj to cease from this on, ai.d Chicago. will be able to keep such corporations as it has not already lost. The light the Illinois statute sheds on the difficult problem of discriminating letwen nefarious and beneficent cor porate acts seems to be very faint. The evils that result from marriages of the immoral or diseased are not more apparent thar is the hoHlessfless of their amendment through law. A La Crosse attorney is said to have drawn up a bill to be presented in the Wiscon sin Legislature requiring all candi dates for matrimony to go before a radical examining board before they can secure licenses to marry. The measure embodies suggestions made by the Health Commissioner of Milwaukee, and its object is to prevent the mar riage of moral or physical degenerates and of all persons with the taint of uisease. This most excellent and lu minous druam lias vexed the counsels of tb studious and optimistic from tin immemorial. The good it would Co 4-5 ouly equaled by the impossibility of its enaotiaenu. Ja this particular! case the only effect of such a law In Wisconsin would be that persons for bidden to marry in that state would simply go across the boundary line intoi Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois or Michigan, and be married there. In general, its effect would be to introduce a system of more or less open adultery among the criminal and diseased, akin to the customs that grow up under too rigid divorce laws, or. In another fleid, under prohibitory liquor laws. A state of so ciety in which no children could be born to criminal or diseased parents is greatly to be desired, and would hurry f ,,, , . , ' ..-. . -X . the millennium along at hot haste. But it is unattainable under present condl tions of public sentiment and private amativeness. The scientific remedy is a surgical operation from which our most hardened reformers would shrink in dismay. The DIngley law's countervailing du ties on bounty-aided sugar seem to have provided the last straw to break the already bending camel's back of European government aid to producers. The governments of France, Germany and Austria have finally reached an agreement to discontinue the payment of export bounties on beet sugar, for an Indefinite period at least. The bur den was becoming intolerable, compel ling the people of those countries.to pay more for the sugar consumed by them- j selves than any other peoples In the world. Even the sugar-beet growers felt the grind of the tax on other re sources made necessary by the pay ment of the bounty. Meanwhile the attempt to overcome by bounty legis lation the advantages afforded by na ture in other climates, like those of Jamaica and Cuba, had ruined the in dustries of other lands in a manner un justifiable by any sound economic, to say nothing of ethical reasons. It has been predicted that the repeal of the bounties would bring about an Indus trial crisis in the countries which have paid them; hence the repeal Is now at tempted more as a test than as a final ity. If it Is seen that general disaster Is to follow, the repeal may be abro gated. The United States is not affect ed by the action of Europe in the mat ter, since the countervailing duties im posed by the Dingley tariff have offset the bounties. Those duties will cease to be levied colncldently with the re moval of the bounties. Taken together, the export bounties and the counter vailing duties form a most impressive exhibit in the iniquitous artificial con ditions imposed by devotion to the pro tective idea without regard to reason. The German hope to force profits upon beetgrowers has proved vain, and now outside consumers will cease to buy cheap sugar provided at the expense of the Continental taxpayer. The Treasury Department has been in the habit of estimating the popula tlon month by month In order to state the per capita circulation of money, and the annual estimates are used by the Bureau of Statistics as a basis of cal culating revenue, and exports, and con sumption per capita. The census proved that the estimates were too high, so we have an estimated popula tion October 1 of 73,237,000, and an es timated population November 1, after the results of the census had been made public, of only 76,891,000. The New Tork Journal of Commerce offers the Interesting observation that on the basis of the actual population the beer consumption was last fiscal year greater than ever before with a single exception, though there has been no such Increase since the year before as the tables overestimating the popula tion would lead one to suppose. The average consumption In 1900 was a trifle over 16 gallons per head. In 1893 It was 16.08 gallons, and as that was only three years after the census, there could have been little error In population. In 1899 the average consumption was calcu lated at 14.96 gallons on the basis of an overstated population. But as the total beer production was over 7 per cent greater last year than In 1899, and the population could not have increased much over 2 per cent, the per capita consumption was certainly larger In 1900 than In 1809. This may be regard ed as an additional misgiving as to the need of a reduction of 510,000.000 In the tax on breweries. THE CAPITAL. CENTENNIAL. The ceremonies and addresses of Wednesday at Washington In celebra tion of the centennial of the establish ment of the National Capital call viv idly to mind the progress the country has made In a century. When Con gress first met in Washington, Novem ber 17, 1S00, there were sixteen states In the Union, with 32 Senators and 138 Representatives. The area of the coun try was about 1.000,000 square miles, and the population was 5,308,483. To day there are forty-five states In the Union, with 90 Senators and 357 Rep resentatives. The area of the country on this continent is S.C92.125 square miles, and the population Is 76,620,142; that Is, the country has grown In area about three-fold, and in population niatlzes it as "a world of smart harlots about fifteen-fold. Allusion Is made In and titled debauchees." By this testl the address of Representative Richard- mony of this distinguished English man son to the historical fact that the final ' of letters "the greed for gain" that selection of Washington as the site of! Plagues Bishop Potter In America the National Capital was the outcome . "would plague him far worse in Eng- of sectional controversy between the Federalists and antl-Federallsts. In 1799, Hamilton, as Secretary of the Treasury, had recommended that the foreign debt of 511.718,378. due France and Holland, be paid in full; that the domestic debt of 542.414,085 be paid at its par value; that the debts Incurred by the states during the Revolution should be assumed and met In full by the Federal Government. The first and second resolutions were -adopted, but the third resolution, for the assump tion of the state debts, excited violent opposition. While these financial meas- i ures were before Congress, the ques tion of establishing a seat of govern ment, was also under consideration. The South desired to place the cap ital on the banks of the Potomac Penn sylvania, New Jersey, New Tork, Dela ware and the New England States fa vored the banks of the Susquehanna or the Delaware. The South outgeneraled the North by making a bargain the South promising to support the meas ure for the assumption of state debts. It was arranged that White and Lee, of Virginia, should change their votes upon the resolution of assumption, and that Hamilton and Robert Morris should use their Influence among the Northern and Eastern members to bring votes enough to secure the choice of a site upon the Potomac for the per manent seat of the National Govern ment. Tn accordance with the terms of the bargain, the financial measures of the new Administration passed, as did also the bill temporarily establishing the capital Xor ten years at Phlladel phla and permanently on the Potomac. The establishment of a permanent cap ital had provoked much controversy and many sharp contests in Congress between the North and the South. In 1783 Congress announced that It would fix the capital In the 'state making the be3t offer. The New Jersey legisla ture voted to cede a reservation twenty miles square to the National Govern ment, and put up a subsidy of 590,000 In specie. In November, 1781, Congress met at Trenton, N. J., and 5100,000 was voted for the erection of .suitable Fed eral buildings, but Washington threw his influence against Trenton in an open letter to Richard Henry Lee, and when the bill came up for the appro priation of the $100,000 the motion was lost, and Trenton was not to be the capital of the "United States. At the next session the controversy was resumed, the South favoring the banks of the Potomac and the North desiring Philadelphia, and It was not until 1791 that the present location was settled upon. On April 15, 1791, the cor ner-stone or "the Federal city," as It was designated by "Washington, was laid. Major L'Enfant, a French engi neer officer, prepared the topographical plan under the direction of President "Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State. He took Versailles, the seat of government of France, for his plan, and Introduced the broad transverse avenues which now exist in Washington, and which make Jt the grandest city in the world. The site of the original Capitol was about the same as that of the present building. In 1S00. when the seat of government was removed from Philadelphia to Washington, there was but one good tavern about forty rods from the Capi tol. Pennsylvania avenue was a deep morass covered with alder bushes. The streets were' knee deep with mud. There were no sidewalks, no plank walks. The place was simply a back woods town In a wilderness, and Con gressmen for years were In the habit of finding such comforts as they could In lodgings in Georgetown, two miles dis tant. This was the condition of the City of Washington when President Adams and the Government reached the place in June, 1S00. George Combe, an Eng lish traveler, who visited Washington in 1839, described It as "looking like a large, straggling village, reared in a drear swamp." In this condition it re mained until 1873, when the system of public Improvements began which has made Washington a clean, well-paved, well-lighted city, surpassed by no capi tal In the world for Its broad avenues, picturesque squares and handsome dwellings. In 1800 there were no cabs, hacks, coaches or livery stables In Washington, no street railways, no onf nibuses, and but few private carriages. The smallness of our Government In 1800 may be gathered from the fact that when the Government offices were moved from Philadelphia upon the ad journment of Congress, in May, 1800, the whole archives, etc., of the Govern ment were loaded on a few large wag ons and placed on board a little packet sloop, which sailed away with the cap ital of the United States upon its deck. When Congress met In Washington, In November, 1500, our country was face to face with critical times. Bona parte as First Consul had won the great battle of Marengo In June, and was dictator of peace or war to Europe. Between England 'and France we were threatened with disastrous foreign en .tanglements. Washington, the leader of the Federalist party, was dead, and. Jefferson, a radical Democrat, and In full sympathy with Franpe, had just been elected President. XOT SURE OF HIS PACTS. Bishop Potter's view that the greed of gain is peculiarly the vice of American society as compared with that of Eng land finds no support from able Eng lishmen, whether pure thinkers and profound scholars like Frederic Harris son, or practical men of the world, like the brilliant English naval commander, Lord Charles Beresford. Frederic Har rison, In his article In the current num ber of the North American Review, "Christianity at the Grave of the Nine teenth Century," writes: Fashion, as It is called. Is now at the mercy of any millionaire gambler, or any enterpris ing Monte Crlsto from across the seas. ... During the reign of the Queen wanton extrava gance In dress, in living, in gaieties, has never been so crazy as now, with such sordid devices to scrape together the means for such extrava gance, such oen sale of rank and person by those who claim to lead society and dictate its taste. This is the testimony of an Oxford graduate, a man of the highest stand ing as a thinker, a scholar and a bril liant writer. At nearly 70 years of age Frederic Harrison thjnks that English society was never so sordid and pluto cratic as It -Is today. Mr. Harrison does not speak In the spirit of that kind of pessimism that is not seldom found associated with Christian piety, for he Is a rationalist. He speaks simply as a i Political philosopher who describes English society as he sees It, and stig- land, where It Is vastly more pervasive from the aristocratic top to the cock ney bottom of London social life. Now let us turn to Lord Charles Beresford's article, "The Future of the Anglo-Saxon Race," and take his tes timony. Lord Charles warns us that "in the mother land the corruption of money has wrought fearful havoc In the ranks of society." He confesses society has been eaten into by the canker of money- From the top downwards the tree is rotten. Beauty la the slave of gold, and Intellect, led by Beauty, unknowingly dances to the strings which are' pulled by Plutocracy. What shall we say of the new order of Wealth, of the greed for gold, which Is its mainspring, of the way In which those who by birth and education should be the sternest protectors of the race, abandon all and fling themselves on the shrins of the Golden God? This exceedingly strong language con cerning the greed for gain as saturat ing English social life Is used by an energetic man of the world, a gallant naval commander, a member of an il lustrious aristocratic family, whose po litical experience and social life have been full of the best opportunity to know the truth whereof he speaks. The testimony of .Lord Beresford corrobo rates that of Frederic Harrison and convicts Bishop Potter of ignorance in his charge that American society com pares disadvantageous with that. Of England In the matter of being blood- poisoned through 'the virus of the "gold bug" Bishop Potter is a good man, but he is like -too many of our evangelistic ."reformers"r he Is seldom sure of -his facts. Tour modern prophet, with all his zeal and good intentions, is, alas, generally reckless In assertion, and poorly fortified with evidence. It Is a habit of the cloth, inherited from an cient models. But it Is not as safe today as It was when" parishioners took every pulpit utterance at Its face value, knowing themselves no better. It is inconceivable that a thief so in dustrious in his calling as W. W. Scott has been could have plied his vocation successfully for months In this city without being caught not by the police especially, but by some of the many victims of his peculations or their neighbors. As bold a crook as ever made burglary a profession, this man has conducted his thefts quietly and systematically, departing In each In stance with his booty as silently as he came, and eluding detection for two years. In one Instance, finding the lower windows fastened, he deliberately took a ladder from the barn near by, placed it against the house, and, with only such slight protection as a con venient vine afforded, climbed up and into the second-story window, ran sacked the premises and escaped with his loot, apparently without the least haste. This job was done on a long, light Summer evening, while the fam ily was making a social call, and was likely to return at any moment. Only a professional thief and burglar well skilled In hi? trade and able to calcu late Its chances to a nicety could do such work as this, live In the commu nity like a gentleman, and avoid de tection for months. Compared to the vulgar hatraok thief or henroost rob ber, this man Is an artist In his voca tion. This fact, it may be hoped, will have weight with the Judge who will in due time be called upon to pass sen tence upon him. Insuring him the full penalty of the law, unmitigated by the possible plea that "the poor fellow Is a kleptomaniac, and for this reason Is en titled to leniency." The 12th of December was chosen as ah arbitrary date for holding the capi tal centennial exercises. It was not the date on which Washington was chosen as the Natlonnl Capital site, or the date oh which the removal from Phlladel phal was begun or ended. Neither was It the anniversary of the laying of the corner-stone of the Capitol building or of the completion of that structure. It was simply fixed upon as the most convenient time for the celebration of tlie capital centennial. The first two sessions of the first Federal Congresses were held In New Tork City, where Washington was first Inaugurated, but on Monday, December 6, 1790, Congress assembled In Philadelphia, where It continued to meet until Its adjournment In May, 1800. In Philadelphia Wash ington was inaugurated March 4, 1793, for the second term, and here in 1797 John Adams was Inaugurated Presi dent: here the official. announcement of the death of Washington was made. The attempt of certain disaffected members of the American Federation of Labor to "down Gompers," though carefully planned, seems destined to fall through disapproval of the major ity of the convention now In session at Louisville. Mr. Gompers It not an ar dent that is to say, not an aggressive socialist, and hence 13 not In favor with the radical socialistic element of that body and Its subordinate associa tions. It Is explained that he Is a "con servative ' socialist," who realizes the necessity of keeping the association within established lines If Its Influence is not to be dissipated and Its very ex istence wrecked. Evidently the major ity of the delegates that compose the convention are with Its president In this prudential view, since the organized at tempt to defeat him showed, upon test, little support. Of course. The Oregonlan will dis pense all light possible, as a corre spondent legislator beseeches It to do. But only a few legislators have given It any light to dispense. Have the oth ers any sparks? The Oregonlan comes within the sanctified pale of this self same wrlter'3 jobation for making too few suggestions. But The Oregonlan Is not In the lawmaking business. Legis lators are. And the glory and obloquy of lawmaking are all theirs. It Is a timid legislator who fears to propose measures because of criticism. Ten to one his lack of confidence portends the Inadequacy of his proposals. A man who was Invited to a carousal by an Omaha friend to find the com panions of the licentiousness his own daughters, was so enraged that he shot his host If the females had been daughters of another father, his wrath would .not Have been "so Inscrutable. The disclosure that the Duke of Manchester gave the stony glare to so many American girls makes them more hoity-toity than the fact. If he wants to-be prematurely bald, let him divulge trielr names. That gentleman burglar ought to re ceive a chromo and a pension. He de serves to be subsidized for being a gen tleman. Hobson is 111. We hope not seriously, because he has not yet made his choice, and there Is a great deal he has left unsaid. The China question is said to be solved. Good That removes the dan ger of Its solving Itself. New Tork servant girls are going on a strike. Good housewives may now have some peace. Minister Wu seems as hard to con vert to Christianity as the average Chinaman. Reapportionment Bill 3Iay lns Be fore Holldnyn. "Washington special to Chicago Tribune. "It was proposed to fix the basis of representation at 20S.917," said Represen tative Hopkins today, "which would make the membership of the House &, as at present. To adopt this basis it would be necessary to deprive some states of a Rep resentative, consequently there Is consid erable objection to this plan, and a de mand for a lower basis, which would increase the membership of Congres ma terially. "The most populir figure Is approxi mately 1S3.000. which would call for 3S6 members, and when the Territories of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico are admitted, the House would number about 2H) members. It Is likely there will be a caucus to decide this matter In a way which will be satisfactory to all. ."If the plan to keep the House at present size were adopted. Ohio, Indi ana, Kansas, Nebraska, Maine, South Cirollna. Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana and some other states would lose one 'member each, while Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, -New Tork; Texas, Massa- chusetts, and a few other states would gain one member. "It would be Inconvenient and expen sive to enlarge the membership of the House. The number proposed would In crease the cost of Congress at least $1,000. 000, and crowd the hall of the House. It requires a majority vote to pass any leg islation, and with a House of nearly 400 members it would require the constant presence of almost 00 members. Experi ence has taught us that It is difficult to keep such a large number on hand all the time." It is believed the reapportionment bill will be adopted by both Houses of Con gress before the holiday recess. WAS THERE A BARGAIN? Reduction of Beer Tax Said to Be to Pay Campaign Debt. Chicago Record. Those politicians and lobbyists at Wash ington who are manipulating the reduc tion of the war taxes In the ways and means committee are not employing their usual cautious methods to obtain the Tesults they desire. The natural pre sumption Is that they are alike certain of their game and Indifferent to public sentiment. A reduction flO.000.000 greater than advised by the President and the Secretary of the Treasury Is arranged by the bill Introduced In Congress, this $10,000,000 taken off the tax on beer, which the ways and means committee had agreed to leave untouched. The explanation is made In the tele grams from Washington that the reduc tion is not now proposed so much for the purpose of cutting down taxation as for the payment of the campaign debts of the Republican party. Speaker Hender son and Representative Babcock, the newly appointed member of the commit tee. It is said, practically forced this action as a political measure. Mr. Bab cock, as chairman of the Republican Congressional committee, knows exactly 'how much the brewers contributed to the campaign fund, and they are to get their money back In this way. If these are the facts the case furnishes one of the most shameless instances of political bargaining In the history of re cent legislation. No principle entered Into the brewers' campaign contributions ex cept their desire to assure themselves of a reduction of the tax on their product, nor did any consideration enter into the action of the politicians In remitting the taxes except to pay the price stipulated. In other words, the brewers and the politicians have so arranged It that the former, by contributing a certain sum to the Republican campaign fund, are ex empted from paying a much larger sum Into the National Treasury: while the campaign managers, brought into power by the aid of these contributions to their treasury, refund the amount, with heavy additions, out of the National Treasury. Washington, D. C, Dec C The Repub lican members of the committee of ways and means are severely criticised by some of their colleagues on account of the items in the bill which they reported yes terday for a reduction of the war-revenue taxes. It Is claimed to be so much In the interest of corporations and trusts as to justify the charges made against the Republican party during the last campaign. Out of the J40.000.000 reduction at least $27,500,000 Is directly in the Interests of people who- can well afford to pay taxes. Nearly $10,000,000 Is taken oft beer, al though Mr. Payne himself, chairman of the committee, has stated that 80 per cent of the breweries of this country are owned by European capitalists, and most of the brewers are united in a trust. The tax on bank checks Is claimed to be less onerous to the public and more easily col lected than any other, without any one asking for Its removal. The same is true of the stamps on drafts, certificates o deposit, foreign bills of exchange, con veyances. Insurance policies and express receipts, which combined amount to near ly one-half of the full amount of the reduction. If any one can afford to pay taxes it Is the people who write drafts, bank checks and certificates of deposit, and thoe who convey property and have buildings to Insure. There Is serious ob-' lection to the taxation of evidences of debt, like bonds, mortgages and promls sorv notes, but leases, conveyances, con tracts, warehouse receipts and similar papers are evidences of wealth, and the people who make them find the slight tax no burden and a very slight Incon venience. Under a decree of the court the express companies are required to pay for the stamps which are placed on express receipts. The Democrats say that this bill Is re ported In compensation for the services rendered the Republican party during the last campaign by the bankers and brew ers. It Is true that several of these items were not In the bill as originally pre pared. In" fact, before Mr. Hanna arrived in Washington and Mr. Babcock, chair man of the Republican Congressional committee, was appointed a member of the ways and means committee, the mem bers of that committee stoutly repudiated all intention of reducing the taxes on beer and banks. Mr. Hopkins, of Illinois, has been opposed to the propo sition since the beginning, but a majority of the committee have voted him down. Speaker Henderson Is credited with us ing his Influence In favor of the proposed reduction. A WAY OUT OF THE SLTJ3I. TIic Manufacturer's Interest In Workman' Welfare. Jacob A. Rlls has In tho current Amer ican Monthly Review of Reviews a most interesting account of the Jewish agri cultural and manufacturing colonies in Southern New Jersey. They are the re sult of 18 years' work an experiment which at first failed and then renewed on wiser lines has succeeded in one of the two great objects sought- The Jewish refugees from Russia were abjectly poor and possessed little skill sive In the most overcrowded of handi crafts. When tfiey began to flow Into New York their own people saw that something must be done, and tried the experiment of putting them back on tha land. In New Jersey lands were bought and ceveral hundred families settled. But the Impossibility of at once making farmers out of people forced for ages to be traders and town dwellers was soon apparent. The settlers licked the means, the skill, and the markets to win their living from the land. They drifted back to the slum. Then the trustees of the Hlrsch fund tried a new plan. They Induced several manufacturers to remove their plants to New Jersey, agreeing to furnish their employes with homes. They gave each settler a piece of land anc a cottage on easy terms. They established a school of gardening to teach how to use the land. This combination of work In fac tory and on soil has succeeded. The older settlers are steadily buying more land and leaving the factory to the new comers. The result Is the prosperous village of Woodbine, whose people are steadily developing Into a contented yeo manry. Space will permit citing but two cases to show the difference made in these people. Breslow was a carpenter. Nine months in 1S91 he and his wife and children starved In a New York tenement, pay ing $15 a month for three rooms. Then they came to Woodbine. They have paid $S00 for their comfortable cottage and original lot, and bought the next lot. "God be thanked," said Mrs. Breslow, "we owe nothing and piy no more rent, and are nevermore hungry." In the out skirts of the village a girl whom Mr. Rlls a few hours before had seen sewing but tons In the clothing ' factory welcomed him to her father's home. The man was a clothing cutter. His 30-acre place Is now the finest In the neighborhood, and Its owner Is on the 'road to substantial wealth. The attempt to return the Jew to the land had two objects. To relieve the man and to drain the slum. In the latter it has failed so far. In 18 years 1200 fam ilies have moved out of the city, but in five months last Winter 12.000 Jews came to stay In New York. Therefore, the Hlrsch trustees have reversed their plan. Instead of urging the people to move out they are trying to Induce their employers to do so, arguing that the workers will follow the work. They have formed ai Hinces with various suburban land com panies. They offer tho manufacturer lower rents and other advantages. They offer the workers real homes on easy terms. The new plan, In erffect, seeks to de stroy the slum by scattering the fac tories. "The" economic gains," as Mr. Rlls says, "by such an exodus are clear, provided the philanthropy which starts It will maintain careful watch to prevent the old slum conditions being repro duced." The way out of the slum may thus be found, as the way out of nearly every other evil has been found, by an appeal to Intelligent self-interest. The manufacturer may In time learn that he serves himself best when he puts his fac tory where his employes will have the chance to live decent lives. LlprUt on n 3Iurlcy Problem. Enterprise Chieftain. The real object of the cutting down of Multnomah's assessment Is that of a gang of grafters and taxeaters styled Mitchell Republicans, who at one time had control of the city affairs of Portland and Mult nomah County. By the way, they have branch organizations all over the state. Two years ago the Republican party oust ed most of them from the pay of the city and county and secured the passage in the Leslslature of a new charter for the City of Portland. This charter limited the rate of assessment for certain pur poses to a certain per cent when based on a fair valuation' and assessment of property. The Mitchell Republicans, how ever, still controlled the office of Assessor and last year he run the assessment away down below the normal, and average for years past, and as a consequence the rate of tax levy fixed In the new city charter was not sufficient to raise the amount of money to conduct some of the departments of city government. Conse quently, the City Council has had to pass ordinances licensing nearly all kinds of business to enable many of the depart ments, such as the Police and Fire De partments, to continue. Hence, the real object of the lowering of the assessment In Multnomah County was to embarrass the Republican officials now in control of the city. Portland, as a city, does not sanction this .method of doing business, and has been trying to force the Assessor, through the courts, to raise the assessment of valuation to a fair basis. This is a sam ple of the work done all over tho state by the Mitchell Republicans. Still they try to claim allegiance to the Republican party, and claim recognition at every turn. Indeed, it is announced that tho father of this organization is again an avowed candidate for the office of United States Senator. Without a doubt he will follow in the wake of John L. Wilson, of Washington, and Pettlgrew of South Da kota. The Just deserts of each are the same. Democratic Inconi.itency. Salt Lake Tribune. The Oregonlan, noting that Mr. Bryan received only 13 electoral votes outside of the Solid South, says: Every sane man knows that diplomacy, to get serious regard, must be backed up by force, and yet the South, through its Kansas City plntrorm. not only denounced "greedy commercialism," and uncomplimentary refer ence to the business spirit which now moves It to appeal on behalf of Its cotton trade, but It wants the Army reduced to a small National Guard In the several states, and wants us to got our trade rights In Asia "through a high and honorable example." The Sooth's prescrip tion for promoting trade Is to plunge the coun try to tho silver basis so as to destroy tho homo market, avoid friendly relations with Great Britain, which Is our only way to get help for "the open door." and seek without Army and with impaired National prestige to offset German and Russian aggression in China by means of the National Guard and "a high and honorable example." Is not the above true? Has not tho Democratic party for the past six-months fought In every conceivable way to crip ple the present Administration in all Its efforts to maintain the prestige and power of our country? The South wants the Nicaragua Canal as an outlet for her In land sea to Asia. She wants trade with China, with the whole East. She sees In that trade a market for all her cotton and cotton goods, and yet whenever It comes to the adoption of means to secure American supremacy against that of Con tinental Europe and England, the Demo cratic party insists on siding with the Old World and denouncing everything In tho New. Of Great iocnl Concern. Aurora Borealls. One of the most Important questions in which the West, the Pacific Coast in par ticular. Is interested, Is whether a tariff will be placed on American goods ex ported to the Philippines. By the terms of the treaty with Spain, no tariff can be placed on articles shipped from that country to the archipelago, and to levy on American products would be an In justice. Hon. Henry W. Corbett has tak en a deep Interest In this matter and has become the champion of the Pacific Coast He Is In the position to materially as sist this section In what Is really a heart attack, and will probably be where he can better exert his great Influence In a more telling manner. Every citizen and pro ducer of Oregon should feel concerned In the Congressional proceedings relative to this cause. All are vitally affected and should not permit Congress to make a target of the Pacific Coast. A Song: of Toll. Folger McKlnsey In Baltimore News. I take the llttlo kiss she gives when I go forth at morn, I take the little farewell wish upon the breeses borne; I take her little arms' caress and in the morn ing light Go out Into the world of toll, tho battle for the right. Ring, anvils, with your clangor! Burn, forges, fierce and far! The night shall bring the world of home, "Where love and goodness are! I lean to little lips she lifts to my rough lips of love, I read the mother-bojie that shines In eyes that zleara above: I hear the roaring city call, and unto It I go Light-hearted for the stress because a child heart loves me so. Swing, hammers, with your clatter! "Whirl, wheels, and shaft and beam! The light of love shall guide me homo From out this shroud of steam! I take the little roso she holds and pin It on my breast. I take the tender memory of her word that cheered and blest; I face the argent purpose of the labor that Is mine. Filled with her trust and patience, her youth and faith divine. Plunge, cities, with your thunder Of trafflc-sbout and mar! I take the task and do the deed, Walle she waits at the door! I take the task. I face the toll, I dem It sweet to be Bound to the labor that Is love for love's Una liberty: From morning unto eventide, remembering her I go. Under the bending wheel that glides forever to and fro. Sing, mills, with your clattering chorus, Down where the millions sweat! I barn my arms and give my strength And Joy In what I ret! I give and take, and clve again, and unto dark and bent Beneath the burden of tho task for which sweet life Is spent; But, ah! the wage so dear to have, the little lips that wait. , The hearts that rtnz. the arms that cling, when I unlatch the gate! Clang with your mighty revel! Roar, cities, with your strife! And God be praised for strength to toil For wage-'of love and life! x X0TE AND COMMENT. No one will ever accuse Pettlgrew having written the Queen's speech. Towne will be in the Senate only a month, so there is no time for him td make a speech. The city on. tho drainage canal 19 alarmed at the prospect of having ti play second fiddle to Nicaragua. Bryan has certainly earned the right to. bo candidate emeritus of the Demo crats four years from now. It would be well enough to have a fat more holidays, just so none of them are) Christmas or Fourth of July. In Bplte of the efforts to destroy tha Santa Claus myth, the mall of that gen- tleman Is as large as ever this year. The old year is a mere boy when com pared with the dying century, so he can expect to-occupy little space In the news papers. Thirteen fishermen from Gloucester: were drowned a day or two ago. NoW let any one say that 13 Is not an unlucky; number. Of course, now Von Bulow has ex plained that the Kaiser did not see Kru ger because he did not want to, Ootn Paul will feel much better about tha matter. The Chicago Tribune pokes fun at thd Topeka Capital for saying that a Kansas woman is making money out of Belgian hares. Why not? Every one knows that there are golden and silver hares. Mischievous persons -visited the dairy farm of John Anschutz. a Stowe Town ship, Pennsylvania, farmer, and adjusted a pair of red spectacles over the eyes of! his cross white bull. Dexter. When thl3 animal saw the whole world done in crim son, he made a wild charge to annihilate it. The side of the barn was knocked In, several lengths of fence prostrated, and a milkmaid barely escaped with her life. The bull Is now laid up for repairs, and Mr. Anschutz Is offering a reward of $5 for tho arrest of the guilty parties. Congressman Allen, of Mississippi, 13 not one of those who hold back a good story for relationship's sake. He has an Illustration of tho rural Mississippi esti mata of the free silver issue. In the campaign a Bryan spellbinder met a Mississippi farmer who was driv ing a goat which was drawing a barrel of water. "What's that goat worth?" asked the spellbinder. "Two dollars." said the owner. "Under free sliver that goat would bring $4," rejoined the spell binder. "Yes," drawled the farmer, "and I reckon that If I had this barrel of water in Sheol it would bring $1000 easy." British Museum Newton, the archae ologist, was a capital storyteller, and Mr. A. J. Hare, In the story of his life, haa preserved two or three of his tales. One Is a spiritualistic seance where an old cockney was informed that the spirit manifested was his deceased wife, where upon the following dialogue took place: "Is that you. 'Arrlet?"- "Yes, it Is me." "Are you 'appy, 'Arriet? "Yes, very 'appy." " 'Appier than you was with me. 'Ar riet?" "Yes, much 'appler." "Where are you, 'Arriet? "In 'ell." Personal Mention. C A. Cogswell, formerly delegate to the Republican convention in Multnomah County, left yesterday for a brief visit to Singapore. Charley Cogswell, alais "Colonel," who has been mixed up with several cattle deals In Lake County, departed yesterday for Darts unknown. Hon. Charles A. Cogswell, a prominent Portland attorney, sailed yesterday fon Shanghai. Our old friend Charley Corswell, left Portland yesterday for a flying trip to Alblna. Take keer o yourself, Charley. Colonel C. A. Cogswell, the well-known military man, has gone to Dawson City for his health. Attorney C. A Cogswell, the well known Lake County politician, started yesterday for a brief business trip ta Naples. Hon. C. Cogswell, the wit of the Cham ber of Commerce building, left yesterday for a pleasure trip to Fort Yuma, Ari zona. C. A Cogswell has gone to Washington, D. C, to ossify the spine of his friend Blnger Hermann, whose pedal extremi ties are also giving indications of having become refrigerated. PLEASANTRIES OK PAItAGRAPHERS Diner Isn't that a rather small steak? "Walt erYes. sir; but you'll find it will taka you sn good while to eat It. nt-Blts. Rapid Transit Returns. "I )rwouldn't bo guilty of doing a favor for a man and then. In a day or two. asking him to do mo one." "No, nor I; I'd ask him right straight off. be fore his gratitude gets a chance to cool." Indianapolis Journal. Regard for Health. Mistress This water has a aueer taste. Careful Servant (who haa heard much scientific conversation) It's all right, mum. There ain't a live germ In It, mum. I run it through tha sausage-cutter. New York Weekly. Practice Makes Perf est. Angela (to whom, Edgar ha3 been proposing) Tell me, Edgar! Did you ever say anything- llko this to any woman before? Edgar (In a burst of honesty) My dear girl, do you think that It could ba dona like that tha first tlmo7 Harper's Baaar. Ho Was. "Your husband seems to be mak ing a large and unique collection of books," remarked the caller, looking with interest at the costly array of rare volumes on the li brary shelves. "Yes," replied Mrs. Gaswell. with well-bred Indifference; "I believe he be comes more bibulous every day ho lives." Chicago Tribune. Mitigating Circumstances. "Why, you wicked boy! You were playing games with those naughty children on the Sabbath day! I must punish you severely." But, mamma, those were the children of that man on the avenue that you said made a million dollars last month," "Oh. well, don't let It happen again." Cleveland Plain Dealer. On Cnlais Sands. Andrew Lang. On Calais Sands the gray began, Then rosy red above the gray; The morn with many a scarlet van Leaped, and the world was glad with May! The little waves along the bay Broke white upon the shelving strands; Tho sea-mews flittered white as they On Calais Sanaa! On Calais Sands must man with man Wash honor clean In blood today; On spaces wet from waters wan How white the flashing rapiers play Parry, riposte! and lunge! The Fray Shifts for a while, then mournful stands The Victor; life ebbs fast away On Calais Sands! On Calais Sands a little space Of silence, then the plash and. spray. The sound of eager waves that ran. To kiss the rerfumed lcck3 astray. To touch these lips that ne'er said "Nay," To tally with the helpless hands, Till the deep sea In silence lay On Calais Sands! Betwen the lilac and the may She waits her love from alien lands; . Her lore la colder than tha clay. . - ' . On Calais Sands!