Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 21, 1900, Image 6

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Morning Oregonian., December 21, 1900, Page 6, Image 6

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Newspaper Page TextTOEMOTjyixn OUEOOXIA. FRrD.-iY. DEPEMBET 21, 1000. ite resomcm. Entered at tre Po;ofllco at Portland. Oregon, ts second class matter. TELEPHONES. Cdltorlal RooiCi IBS I Business Office... GG7 KEVXSEP SUDSCrtlPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance Daily, with Sunday, per month S5 Daily, Sunday excepted. pr year 7 50 Da.ly, with Sunday, per year 0 OO Sunday, per car 1! 00 The "Weekly, per year 1 SO The "Weekly. S months 0 To City Subscribers Dally, per T-erk. delivered. Sundays cscepted.l5c Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lnduded.20c POSTAGE RATES. United Stated. Canada and Mexico: JO to 16-p8se paper lc 1C to 32-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 lndlt Idual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or ts "any business matter should be addressed simply "The Oregonlan." The Oregonlan does not buy poems or stories from Individuals, nnd cannot undertake to re turn any manuscript sent to It without solici tation. No stamps should be Inclosed for this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captnln A. Thompson. cSlce at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 933, Tacoma Postofflce. Eastern Business Ofltee The Tribune build ing; New York City; "The Rookery," Chicago; the 8. C Bcckwlth special agency. New Torlc For' sale in San Prancieoo by J. K. Cooper, T40 Market street, near the Palace Hotel; Gold emlth Bros.. 23 Sutter street: P. W. Pitta. 1003 Market street; Foster &"Orear, Ferry JCews stand. For sale In Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner. SCO So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines. 100 So. Spring street. Tor sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co., 217 Dearborn street. For sale In Omaha by H. C Shears, 103 N. Sixteenth Ftreet. and Barkalow Bros.. 1012 rnrnam street. Tor tale in Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co., 77 W. Second South street For cala In New Orleans by Ernest & Co., 115 Royal street. On file in "Washington, D. C. with A- "W. Dunn, COO Hth N. TV. For sale In Denver. Colo., by Hamilton & Kendrick. 00G-D12 Seventh street. - TODAY'S "WEATHER. Rain; probably cool er by Friday night or Saturday; high squally 6outh to webt winds. rORTLAXD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21. An article on the codification of Ore gon statutes, printed yesterday, from the Bancroft-Whitney Company, while obviously in aid of private designs, Is Interesting a showing the Oregon prac tice relative to codes, as distinguished from the methods of those few states which have undertaken compilations under state -auspices. Montana and California have been maintaining for years very costly commissions with very little practical results. The Cali fornia Idea .seems to be that the state should do this work itself from fear that a publishing-house might make something at 1L Experience has shown, however, that when such undertakings are honestly pursued under contract, the public rights being safeguarded and a living profit assured the publishers, the results are more satisfactory in every way. The work Is well done, the state saves money, and the publish ers and printers, who are not such ene mies of the state as populism Is apt to regard them, receive the due reward of Industry and enterprise. The print ing of the Bancroft-Whitney code will be done in Portland. The compilation Is by Judge Bellinger, who will sustain the standard set by the Deady and Hill codes. This is the business-like way to do this work, and if the San Francisco publishers and the Portland printers make a profit on the undertaking, so much the better. It is a strange hallu cination some men cherish, that one end of popular government Is to pre vent business from being profitable. The Idea has an inordinate share In much criticism of school-book publish ers. Reporters of The Oregonlan have ob tained expressions of opinion, which ap pear elsewhere, on the subject of pres ent vice and crime conditions in Port land. There is no reason why this mat ter should not have earnest and thor ough public investigation, so long as it is conducted honestly and not in aid of political shysters, and to that end The Oregonlan is willing to co-operate. It is usually true that parties to the controversy desire not so much the ex act facts as justification for their own theories; but these contending efforts tend to offset and correct each other, so that the truth Is pretty sure to come to light In amplification or delimita tion of what was said on this subject yesterday, it should be further pointed out that while liquor-selling without a license and gambling are crimes in the statutory sense of the word, they are not crimes in the full sense of the word as it is used of crimes like those of the highwayman,. That Is. they are not felonies, but misdemeanors. They are punishable by fine, but not by im prisonment in the Penitentiary. As to the extent of both vice and crime In Portland, and the merits or administra tion measures now in vogue, as com pared with others, past or ideal, an in vestigation conducted by mass meeting or committee Is highly proper, and The Oregonlan will co-operate in it within the proper newspaper function. On the whole, considering the charges made by Dr. Hill, perhaps such an lnvestiga ticn should bje courted by the various officials interested. The call for the meeting, if one is made, or the pro gramme of the committee. If one Is ap pointed, should Include testimony from the interested officials, from representa tives of the gambling fraternity, and from heavy taxpayers. An Investiga tion that doesn't bring out all the facts would be a fraud and an Injustice. That ancient pitfall of logic confu sion of terms Is evidently at the bet torn of much of our trouble over the dependencies and the Constitution. By the United States we may mean either one of two separate things the states alone or the whole American empire, frcm Porto Rico to Manila, and from Alaska to the Guano Islands. We have no specific name for the original thir teen states, such as Great Britain has for England 'of Germany for Prussia. In one sense, Hawaii and Alaska and the District of Columbia are part of the United States, and In another yense they are not. Our sovereignty extends over them, but they are very far from cnjjlng the rights belonging to citizens of the states of the Union, such as participation In choice of President or votes in Congress. It would b unreasonable to ex pect that in all our written authori ties, including the Constitution, this distinction should always be kept in mind. Sometimes, as In the inhibition of slavery "within the United States or n.ny p'ace subject to their Jurisdiction." it is observed; sometimes, as In Mar shal's decision quoted by Justice Har lan en Wednesday, -it is Ignored. When the Constitution- says "all duties, imposts and excises shall be" uniform throughout the United States, we are in doubt whether the rule is for the Union proper or for all outlying unor ganized territory that may fall under our sovereignty; but wnen It says Con gress shall have power to dispose of and make rules for "the territory or other property belonging to the United States," we can readily understand that the "territory" alluded to Is differen tiated from tht Union proper. When it says "all persons born or naturalized In the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside," we may with assurance infer that no dictum is pronounced as to the status of persons in acquired ter ritory, neither born nor naturalized In any state, and not residing In any state; but when It says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establish ment of religion or prohibiting free ex ercise thereof," we feel that the man date Is for the territories as well as the (united) states. As to the decision of the Supreme Court in the present causes, a division of opinion Is to be expected, not only from the questions Justices have asked, but from the fact that the conflicting considerations In the case will Inevita bly appeal to different minds -with vary ing degrees of force. Otherwise, we should need only one man on the Su preme Bench. It would be very easy for Justice Harlan, for example, to dis miss the extensions of the Constitution to the territories by saying that the case of Oklahoma disproves their uni formity and conclusiveness, or for Jus tice Brewer to deny the function of Con gress to extend such laws because we cannot suppose the right of their with drawal. The Income-tax decisions show us the possibility of variant conclu sions from identical facts. In general, the consideration of the Government's necessity and the dependencies' welfare, which will weigh heavily with practical statesmanship, will count for little with that type of mind that loves to trample on public policy for the sake of tech nical precision. It takes a great mind, usually, to rise above the letter to the spirit of the law; and If the Supreme Court rises to this level It will rule that while the Constitution was framed for the states, and while Its mandates are Inconclusive when sought to be applied to Issues never contemplated by its framers, what Is needed in this perplex ity Is a resort to common sense and to the sustention of the Government In its necessary course of doing what is right and best for these new possessions of the Nation. We think the Supreme Court will render a majority opinion against the Porto Rico and Philippine plaintiffs; that It will hold Congress to have the power to make rules and reg ulations for the fiscal administration of the dependencies other than those In force In the states of the Union. This Is the preponderance of the argument, this is common sense. Then it is for Congress to do its duty by the depend encies, and treat them justly and fairly. Congress itself, and not the Supreme Court, is the proper source of Justice to the Philippines and of atonement for the Porto Rice iniquity. Football Is one of the healthiest of sports when guided by moderation. It develops the best in youth, energy, strength, quickness, self-control and self-confidence. Young men who have played It are better equipped for the world, both mentally and physically. It exercises the faculties of cool-headed-ness in emergency, and of knowing what to do on the instant Contrast those who are players with those who are not, and the former will appear to advantage as to self-reliance, resolution, aggressiveness and even-temper. As a character-builder, the sport has no su perior In athletics. The model football athlete does not shrink and cringe, but forces a place for himself and. makes others feel his presence. He Is never timid or painfully diffident, and In this is unlike many a young man, otherwise worthy, who does not have the reliance that belongs to an athlete. Some con demn the gime because of apparent waste of energy, others because it is rough. But modern conditions require a substitute for the luxuries of the ax and the buck-aw. Health calls for ex erplse, and none of us would prefer that the youth be so spiritless as to be sat isfied with dumb-bells and Indian clubs. If young men gain physically, their energy Is not lost. The game may be rough, but If It were gentle It would not be athletics, nor would the youth be satisfied with IL Football that Is a means and not an object In Itself Is admirable. As an object It Is to be con demned. Our colleges recognize this and make mental development the ob ject and athletics the means. With this purpose they hedge the Bport within certain hours and seasons. They allow the play of football for a month or two in the year In order to establish health for study. They have found that by this method students attain better re sults. The University .of Oregon has tried the experiment and demonstrated the efficacy cf the system. But recent ly, when the students wanted to pro long the seasrn of football Into De cember, the faculty very properly with held sanction. The action was wise, and advocated cf higher education ap prove It. "WITH COSiMEXDARLE PROMPTNESS. The people of Cowlitz County, Wash ington, -are to be congratulated on the prompt action of the civil authorities in the trial and conviction, at Kalama, of Martin Stickel, the cowardly murderer of William B. Shanklln and Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Knapp. The first mur der was commuted more than a year ago, but the murderer was not appre hended until after the killing of Mr. and Mrs. Knapp, on the 2Sth of Novem berless than a month ago.' His trial and conviction of the first crime repre sents Justice in its sternest and at the same time Its most merciful character. What the community desires Is to get rid of a villain of this type as promptly as is consistent with a fair hearing be fore the courts. Justice is very likely to be balked, and mercy is severely strained by unseemly delay In dealing with such a criminal. One can but sympathize. In a way, with the wretched mother in this case, who, obeying a maternal Instinct, at once strong and unreasoning, endeav ored to savo the life of her son from the operation of Just penalty, by trying to Implicate herself In the crime through having given birth to a child whom she had, wittingly or otherwise, endowed with criminal propensities. If (which is probable) Stickle was a de generate, or. as the poor mother puts It, was "born sick and always an un natural child," there is not the less rea- outi nuui "iia aiiumug luni sun liic should be prolonged, but rather the more that It should be brought to a close by due legal process. A statement like that of this mother. If it proves anything, proves altogetner too much. A man without moral sense, wholly without humanity; governed In the commission of murder by the most sor did of motives, and using the most cow ardly of methods, is an enemy to life and to society of too subtle, Implacable and dangerous a type to be allowed to live, even in prison, after he has once been taken, red-handed, and confronted" 1 by indubitable evidence of his power for evil. It will be In line with the good work already done by the court In this case if the date of this murderer's execution is not deferred beyond the minimum time prescribed by law thirty days from the passing of sentence. To pro inner his Hf t tho mn-T-lmttrn limit nt ! ninety days would be to inflict unneces sary torture upon his mother and shadow the final event with prolonged terrors for himself, both of which are to be deprecated as contrary to the purpose of the Jaw and the simple dic tates of Justlcf. Nothing can be gained by a continuation of the life of a crim inal in prison under such conditions, and the quicker, within reasonable lim its, that the drop falls and the final scei.e is ended, the better for all cqn cerned. Including the Immediate public whose attention has been called to the case. REFORM'S TJr-HILL ROAD. The changes made by the Senate com mittee on military affairs In the Army reorganization bill are not important, because none of them effect anything In respect of Army reform. The Senate bill leaves the door open to political pull In the matter of appointments. Under the House bill, staff vacancies can be filled up with volunteers and sons of politicians, and we do not see that the Senate bill makes this any less easy than the House bllL The President iwnuthorlzed to appoint vol unteers to each and every one of the staff departments, The House military committee erased Secretary Root's pro vision that volunteers should be ap pointed only to Second Lieutenancies In the regulars, and substituted authority for the President td appoint them to any grade he may choose. This change, if finally enacted, would do the regular officers very great Injustice who have given the best of their years to the service and naturally look forward to the promotion 'which is their due. If the Army bill passes in its present shape, without the provisions authoriz ing the Secretary of War to prescribe regulations as to the fitness of volun teers and civilians appointed to the service, Secretary Root will be unable to prevent the appointment of utterly unfit officers whom the President may select at the prompting of any Senator or Representative. So far as the Army bill stands today, It seems to be contrived by both the House and the Senate tnat the Army shall be a carcass henceforth around which the turkey buzzard spoilsmen shall gather. If the Army bill should pass In Its present shape, the son of the chairman of the House military committee, an assistant Judge-Advo cate-General since 189S, could be trans ferred to the regular Army staff with the same rank, taking place after two regular officers who served thirty-one years and eighteen years, respectively, before attaining this rank and position. In one respect, and one only, does the Senate's work see,m to have touched genuine reform, and that Is In the amendment relative to promotions. This seems to embody Secretary Root's plan for protection of the line. Promotions are to be made by seniority In the several grades of staff departments, and vacan cies are to be filled In that way when ever possible. Staff vacancies, except in Chief ot Corps department, must be filled from the line of the Army, and no more permanent appointments are to be made in those departments or corps. The effect of this regulation would be beneficial, not only in the staff Itself, but In its discouragement of spoilsmen generally. It Is doubtful, however, whether the amendment will be accepted by the Senate, for the Sen ate Is a far more despotic and exclu sive absorber and dispenser of political spoil than the House. The superior length of service of a Senator adds to his consequence and political pull at the departments, and with the Execu tive. It has. bsen the habit under the Administration to make the Senators the authoritative dispensers of patron age. At a recent dinner party in New Tork City, when General Francis V. Greene said that he presumed he owed his appointment to Senator Hanna, ex Secretary Alger, who was present, told General Greene that he owed his ap pointment to the Indorsement of Sena tors Piatt and Depew; that no appoint ments were made without their in dorsement. We shall, It is to be feared, get no reform of our Army staff until we be come Involved In a severe war with a fairly equal foe, and then, when we have suffered costly reverses in the field, due to the lack of a staff trained to its work in both line and staff, as in the German Army, we shall be forced by popular wrath and humilia tion to consent to enact Army reform. In England a privileged class protects the staff, under which the British Army broke down in field efficiency In South Africa. At Washington tne system of permanent staff appointments has cre ated an "Army staff ring" of long resi dence and wide Congressional acquaint ance. These ftaff officers are accom plished politicians; are men in the so cial swim; they pull together. They have been appointed by political influ ence, and this "Army staff ring," of course, "stand In" with Congressmen who dictate appointments today and desire to dictate them tomorrow. The truth Is that the fight over the Army bill has been from the beginning a fight between Secretary Root, who desires to reform the Army, and the "Army staff ring," at the head of which stands that very able uniformed politician. General Corbln. Secretary Root might beat General Corbln and the "Army staff ring," but he cannot beat the "Army staff ring" and the Congressional spoils men, too. Congress will give the Pres ident the 100,000 men needed. Its su perficial organization and efficiency may be something Improved, but of the needed reform in the matter of the present senile permanent staff system, nothing will be .enacted, because spoils men in Congress will refuse to part with their spoil under the name and sign of j-eform. The Senate military committee have In their substitute for the House Army bill amended the House canteen "provis ' 0v w 4.1 snwl..v 61.A Irat.. 11 . ion so as to permit the sale of beer. A Congress that insists that not even beer and light wines shall be sold to a sol. dler on United States territory, but Is fairly struck dumb at the proposition thatt no liquor be sold in the Federal Capitol, is not a Congress whose tem perance convictions are very deeply rooted. Dr. McLean questions that the fact of evolution is established. It probably is established as much as any hypothe sis can be, The theory of gravitation may not be true, but It Is established. "We hypothesize that the sun will rise tomorrow, but are we absolutely sure of It? We hypothesize that the earth Is round, but many dispute IL We hy pothesize that the sun Is greater than the moon, but we may be mistaken. We hypothesize that the earth and man are results of the cosmic process, yet we may err. Dr. McLean quotes Max Mueller: It you think all this rests on well-ascertained facts, I have nothing to say except to express ray surprise that some men of great Icarnlns and undoubted honesty are not so positive as to the facts as you are. The quotation Is not pertinent By "facts" are meant the proofs and evi dences of evolution. Men are divided on facts as evidences, but the majority are agreed on the fact of evolution. Logical minds try to separate the end of a demonstration from the means. So let us distinguish facts of evolution from the fac of evolution. If we want to know how a hypothesis or a theory can be a fact, that is a quibble which would be more entertaining in a more appropriate place. Speaking of and properly deploring the fact that George Wright Post, G. A R., has recently been called upon to bury three old soldiers who had died from dissipation in or near a saloon, Immediately after receiving the quar terly pension from the Government, Chaplain C. E. Cllne, of the Oregon de partment of the G. A. R., says: "Surely the men who marched under the flag and saved the Union In lS6b-S5 are de serving a more honorable ending." That they should have had a more honor able ending Is beyond question; that they might have had a more honorable one but for the possibilities of dissipa tion that lie in a quarterly pension Is probable. That they deserved better 13 not so clear, Mnce any man who will abuse the generosity of the Govern ment "by debauehing himself upon It can scarcely be bald to deserve any thing but that which follows as a nat ural result of his conduct. Such an ending of "human life Is deplorable, of course, but not specifically upon the basis that tr.e man thus perishing once served "his country in honorable ca pacity, but rather that, having served It, he failed to honor it to the end through upright citizenship and a prbper appreciation of Us bounty. A gratifying growth of the poultry Industry In the Willamette Valley is shown in the Corvallls poultry exhibit now being held. The advance of this Industry has been. It seemsbeyond the expectation ot those engaged In noting Its progress. We are told that the fifty-three coops originally set apart by the management of this exhibit for the poultry-growers of Benton County did not prove to be half enough. Evidently the days of the prehistoric "dunghill fowl" have been numbered In Oregon, and If the females of this blood stock prove tb be as devotea to henly accom plishments as the public Is assured that they are, our people may at some period in the not distant future be able to have fresh Oregon eggs for breakfast In the Winter time without drawing unduly upon the business capital or impairing their credit at the grocer's through indulgence In the luxury. When Judge Gray tries to show why vessels load lumber at Portland Instead of at Astoria, he alleges "common point" But has not Astoria timber al most unlimited, and mills, and cannot It create shipping facilities? If the trip up the rlve Is so dangerous and ex pensive, Astoria mlll3 have a great ad vantage over those of Portland, and lack of "common point" Is a benefit to Astoria lumbermen In ship cargoes. All things considered, the Senate's ratification of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty has proceeded with commenda ble promptness. The vote discloses a remarkable crumbling away of the op position. Legislation for the canal can now go forward as 6oon as Great Brit ain assents to the Davis amendment, which she is likely to do with good grace and without great delay. The University of Oregon honors Itself In honoring the memory of Henry Vlllardi Mr. Vlllard may well be char acterized as a friend who came to the rescue of the university In Its darkest hour, and as a "friend In need" he will live In the archives of that Institution after the men who had personal knowl edge of his generosity shall have passed away. Science and evolution do not hazard Christianity, only some men's conceits. If these men cannot understand how the world will get past their crotchets, let them return to earth after 100 years. The Manufacturers' Association has done good work In bringing a shoe fac tory to Portland. The field Is wide, and the new enterprise is entitled to hope for a full measure of success. Lane and Washington Counties are the latest to commit the heinous crime of assessment reduction. Surely Mult nomah Is not so wicked as alleged. Chairman Jones will resign. The sec ond step In reorganization. Defeat of Bryan was the first Xeir York's f 85,000,000 Cndersronnd Road. Widespread interest is manifested In the construction. Just begun, of the great underground transportation artery In New York City, which Is expected to be Completed In the course of three or four years, and which trill furnish a method for reaching suburban homes to the mill ions In the congested pirts of the great metropolis. The serious engineering ob stacles which stand In the way of this enterprise are clearly revealed by the first flash-light photographs taken sine the work of construction has begun, and which appear, in connection with a very lucid explanatory article by H. Irving Hancock, In the current Issue of Leslie's Weekly. Another Illustrated article of unusual Interest describes the breaking In of 5000 wild horses and mules for the German Army in China by cowboys In California. It Is said that Germany will expend over $L50Q,0( in the United Statei In the purchise of mules and horses for Its Army. The Rev. Peter MacQueen, Who has Just returned from South Africa, contributes the leading editorial, and por trays "the destiny- of South Africa" In an entertaining and Instructive fashion. The customary page ot illustrated personals, a pag? of Paris Exposition -pictures in the amateur photographic contest, the opening of Cuba's constitutional conven tion at Havana, and eight pages of sto ries for women and children, hints to money makers, reviews of foreign topics and other subjects of Interest make up an Issue of 24 pages, embracing as much matter as Is usually found in any of our best magazines. All newsdealers sell Leslie's Weekly and It should be found on the library table of every family. DECLIKE OF THE SYNAGOGUE. Conditions of Attendance Are Peca llnrly Hard. Kansis City Star. The complaint that formal religion, at least. Is loslnsr its hold on the communi ty Is not confined to Christian ministers of the gospel. The same tendency Is spoken of by the exponents of Judaism. Zanirwill recognizes It In the characters of Hannah and David Brandon in his "Children of the Ghetto." Neither of them believes In the need of observing the Moslac law. Hannah does so to please her father, the rabbi. David Is willing to follow It for her sake until it comes between him and his heart's de sire. Dr. Hirsch, of Chicago, discusses the question from the standpoint of the liberal Jewish school In a recent issue of the Reform Advocate under the title of "The Passing of the Synagogue." "Among the majority of the Jews of this day," says Dr. Hirsch, "Judaism has largely shrunk Into a memory and stands for nothing vital." The synagogue, he finds, has everywhere lost influence among Its own members. This is not outwardly manifest Handsome build ings have been erected without stint Indeed. Dr. Hirsch believes his people have been almost too ambitious to give Judaism a striking representation among the church edifices of the land. The synagogue may be well attended and Ks contributions may be large, but the ten dency seems to be for the members to give their support by 'proxy. A woman contributor to the Reform Advocate takes the same view. "Wheth er our rabbis like It or not." she says, "the outlook for anything but women in the" pews is not promising." Saturday Is no longer generally observed. The day when the provisions of the law of Moses were carried out to the letter has gone by. even among the orthodox Jews. The rule prohibiting the kindling of fire from sundown Friday to sundown Sat urdaythe Sabbath has become almost a dead letter. "The good, pious grand mother does the praying," continues the writer In the Reform Advocate, "and the boys who are faithful believers In Jildaism do not Emoko cigars on Friday night that expresses the Judaism of the family." Dr. Hirsch accounts In part for this decline of ancient faith by the necessi ties which have prevented so large a proportion of his people from observing Saturday as the Sabbath. "On Satur day." he says, "the majority cannot at tend," and on Sunday they are urged to stay away by the fanaticism which re sulted in the preposterous declaration "that he Is a more pious Jew who will not go to the synagogue on Sunday than he who will." The movement for Sun day services. In his opinion, would have been much more successful had It been started "while the yearning for relig ious culture was still deep and earnest." It was delayed, however, until the relig ious spirit had suffered the decline "en gendered by years of disregard." It is a significant commentary on the secularizing influences of the time that they should be having a marked effect on a race which has resisted them for thousands of years. No other people has been so long subjected to most bitter persecution and has come through al most unscathed. Under the oppression of heathen Rome and later of the Christian church, the Jew was steadfast to the faith of his fathers. The more subtle tendencies of the present age seem ,p bo accomplishing changes which flre and sword were powerless to effect MELODRAMATIC MUSIC. Gillette's Apology and Some Thing He Left Ont of It. Chicago Times-Herald. In a recent number of the Washington wim an or,al aPPeared complimenting William Gillette in the warmest terms on Ms skill as actor and dramatist Special reference was made to the simple methods which he makes use of in creating dra matic effects of a startling character, and the writer contrasted this new fash Ion In melodrama with the noisy and in artistic practices so long in vogue, great ly to the disadvantage of the latter. But there was one fly In the ointment for this editorial critic, and that the Incidental music which is employed at !Lmc,s..t0.helehten tbe effect and promotd tho illusion of Intensity or of impending catastrophe After expressing a vigor ous dissent from this practice of com bining musical and dramatic effects In melodrama, the very name of which Justi fies such a combination, the editor con tinues In this emphatic strain: " 'Incidental music' has Its uses. When the stricken father In 'Hazel Klrke screams Twenty years ago,' etc.. It helps to check Irreverent mirth. When Nat Goodwin,, playing the part of a society gent, endeavors to make himself at home In tho role, it serves a very useful pur poso in distracting attention from Mr. Goodwin. And so on. But Mr. Gillette has no place In this galerle. Either he Is the prophet of the real, the familiar, and the natural, or he Is nothing. 'Sher lock Holmes' Is not as strong a piy as 'Secret Service.' With Its subterranean refuges, lt3 dark-browed ruffians, its baf fled villains, and its general suggestion of Improbability, it will not stand com parison with 'Secret Service,' which Is backed by the still remembered realities of 1851-65, and which fits Into the details of that stupendous tragedy without a hitch. Nevertheless, ns interpreted bv Mr. Gillette, 'Sherlock Holmes' Is far too excellent a picture to be mangled by tne Idiotic caterwauling of an orchestra. "Why does Mr. Gillette lend himself to this wanton and undeserved aSront?" It Is not often, I believe, that Mr. Gil lette emerges from the Isolation of the stage to argue with those who dissent from his views as actor or dramatist A broad and tolerant man, he Is quite will ing to concede the right of opinion to all, but In the present Instance he evidently felt that rome explanation was in or der. Accordingly, on yesterday he mailed a letter to the Washington editor, a copjr of which I am permitted to publish for the benefit of such readers of the Times Herald as object to incidental music: "Editor Washington Post, Washington, D. C My Dear Sir: I am well aware that what Is "known as Incidental music, that Is to say, low music played during certain portions or scenes of a dramatic performance, needs some excuse, and I beg leave to offer one, which, while it may not In your Judgment excuse, will possibly palliate the offense. "That It Is an offense I quite agree with you. But I find myself In the world, surrounded and to some extent harassed by Its conditions. An audience, no matter how deeply interested or absorbed It may become, is unable to maintain absolute quiet The Individuals composing it must breathe; they must occasionally move or cough, or gasp, oj shuffle feet, or nmie prdgrammes, or make other Involuntary disturbances. In the performance of my own play I am In the habit of resorting largely to the effects of natural pauses, Intervals of silence nof moments where few words are spoken and much mental struggle Is supposed to take place. These methods I find especially effective at tho most critical junctures. It Is precisely at such moments that an Intensely absorbed audience will be utterly demoralized by the least Individual disturbance In its midst Now, a low, scarcely audible strain of music seems to prevent such a catas trophe. While it by no means drowns other sounds, it tends, If In harmony with the situation on the stage, to keep the attention from being diverted. I therefore resort to it "Tj7 speak la santxixt plsio.irjMt jx there Is to be a noise during Some ot my especially critical scenes I propose to make It mys.elf and have it somewhat if not entirely harmonize with the mat ter In hand. "Some people would call this a choice of two evils. I have an Idea you would go a step further and Intimate that It is choos ing the greater. That Is not my opin ion, however. Yours truly, "WILLIAM GILLETTE." I think perhaps Mr. Gillette might have taken even broader ground than he has In this Interesting letter. If Incidental music Is a crime or an unfortunate and para sitic growth only to be tolerated as the least of several other evils, then all man. ner of stage illusions are reprehensible and should be abolished. The sound or wheels back of tho scene, the clamor or mobs, stage thunder and lightning, the simulation of galloping horses and a dozen other absolutely artificial details are no more respectable and certainly not more useful than the creepy music which con veys a whole volume of sensations. It one of these things violates good taste and artistic purity all of them do, and it is only logical to sweep them away at one and the same time, leaving the actor to work out his own salvation without any other aid to his own utterance than a little scenery. When producing a classic or poetic play Mr. Irving, Mr. Daly and Mr. Mansfield among others have found that suitable music, keyed to the thought of the drama, was a powerful adjunct to the expression, and that which was made and Is true of high-cldss comedy and tragic poetry can not be denied with reference to the melo drama or sensational plays of any kind which depend for their effect upon switt alternation of feeling. The music dramas of Wagner are the highest example and proof of the theory that when married to expressive music the words and action become vastly more Impressive. Wherefore, instead of being tawdry and Inexcusable, as the Washington editor would have us believe, the Incidental music of "Sherlock Holmes" Is Justitted by the best models and answers a most useful purpose in addition to the one mentioned by Mr. Gillette. DIVISION TALK PRE3IATURE. Some Good SnRKentlona for Each Part of the State. Salem Statesman. The scheme suggested by Hon. John Mlnto, a few days ago, for the division of Oregon into two states. Is receiving considerable attention, as all of Mr. Mln to's productions receive, because there is always ability in them, even though their conclusions may not appeal convincingly to our reason. Perhaps the expression that will receive most universal assent comes from the Antelope Herald, which concludes an article on the subject In this war: "It Is orobably a little early for the serious discussion of such a plant, but sooner or later the question will come before the people of the state, and on this side of the mountain the fight will be made for a division." Yes. it 13 a little too early; much too early. Let us first unite together all parts of the state In securing 300,000 or 400,000 more people and proportionately more wealth Into the state: let us unite In securing such action by our own state Legislature as will secure that 1.000,000 acres of arid lands and make of It a rich, productive paradise: let us labor for the establishment and perfection of a dairying system throughout the state that will vastly increase Its wealth-producing powers; let us labor unitedly to encourage the Influx of capital to develop cur mines, to open our quarries of build ing stone, to manufacture our fine tim ber (not simaly cut and ship It as lumber, but put It into furniture, ma chinery, carriages, pianos, etc.) to estab lish factories of every character, and to make realities of what are now but latent possibilities. Let us unite for an open Upper Colum bia River as far as navigation can be made possible: for an open Willamette River for a like distance, and for a chan nel of 40 feet deep from Portland to the sea; for railroads across Oregon from east to west at three available points In the Cascado Mountains (and with half tho other things secured tho railroads will be easily obtained). Let every county, and town, and ham let and Inhabitant thereof, in Oregon, unite along these lines, never forgetting the fact that no one part of Oregon can greatly prosper without all the other parts feeling the effect. Eastern Oregon cannot grow In population and In wealth without the Willamette Valley partaking of similar fortune, and the reverse Is also true. Eastern Oregon can suggest no meanB for enhancing Its progress and prosperity that the Willamette Valley will not heartily assist In procuring, and when we have succeeded In accomplish ing the results enumerated which the Statesman believes easily possible within a few years then will be the time to talk of making two states out of Oregon; then there will be something worth while mak ing a division of; but then with those things accomplished; with all her Inter ests Interlocked by chains of extensive trade and commerce, why then you could not separate the peoples of Oregon by an act of Congress or an Invading army. Yes, indeed; It Is too early to talk of It, and with good sense it will be always too early. Oar Wonderful Fall Weather. Leslie's Weekly. About a year ago, it appears, the lead ing astronomer of France published an article from which translated extracts appeared In some of the papers of this country. He pointed out that an extraor dinary recrudescence of the sun, as he termed it, was In progress that Is to say, that the combustion of the gases In the sun had become much more active than the normal, with the result that its posi tive or specific heating power was largely Increased. Thl3 produced, during the months of January and February last In the Southern hemisphere, which Is the period of their Summer, temperatures hitherto unknown the thermometer act ually reaching a maximum of 120 degrees in the shade at Buenos Ayres, and 112 at Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, the same conditions prevailing over the en tire zone represented by those points. At Sydney the thermometer registered 10S degrees In the shade for days togther. This year we have had our turn. It Is Mr. Euell's belief that this recrudescence has continued, and has been the cause of the practically unbroken Summer which We have experienced since last March. It is the cause of the unparalleled humid ity which prevails, the reason being that the heating power of the sun Is great enough to burn up the moisture arising from evaporation, and at the same time to prevent the formation of the cold strata of air necessary for precipitation. These conditions cause the moisture" to be held In suspense In the atmosphere without precipitation, which Is. of course, the meaning of the term "humidity." and the result Is drought. In Mr. Buell's opinion, these conditions will continue as long as the abnormal heating power of the sun last?, and should it increase. Instead of diminish, we may be nearer much worse consequences than we imag ine. During the past Summer tempera tures In the sun. me.sured by the calori meter, have reached 1. degrees, which lacks only 01 degrees of ttiJ boiling point of water, and Is from 15 io 20 degrees higher than has hitherto been known. Seen in Connecticut. Hartford Times. The Morning Oregonlan, of Portland, Or., the leading newspaper of that state, was 50 years old on December A, and gave an interesting account of itself on that day. The Oregonlan is a Republican pa per, but more Independent than the aver age partisan Journal. Its editor, Harvey W. Scott, has been with The Oregonlan since 1S65, and has given It a well-written, able editorial pags. The nine-story build ing of The Oregonlan is one of the most conspicuous buildings ot Portland, which Is a solid and prosperous city, possessed of 'much, wealth and" fine commercial prospects. ' ' X0TE ASDC0aIMENTVl ' The raisin growers seem now to bo tn need of raisin' money. People whotara particular can skip this." Professor Frye, the Cuban Superinten dent of Schools, Is using language" which; indicates that his name ought to ba stew. - , If the Boers" keep on accumulating British prisoners, they will soon be abla to give value received In exchange Xorj Kruger. ' "I may be getting along In years," said Santa Claus, "but I am no older thaa that alleged joke about my Christmas presence." Count von Waldersee Is going to leavd China, and he Is not likely to be de talned by as many farewell receptlqns as delayed his arrival there. Sarah Bernhardt has confessed to hex! age. She Is playing a male part now and her divine genius enables her ta conceal every feminine trait In her char- acter. i Governor Brady, of Alaska, says thafi the Eskimos have not been treated fairly. It must be admitted that they have been on the cold outside for a num ber of years. If John G. Woolley succeeds In getting the anti-canteen bill through the Senate, and the liquor dealers do not send him a handsome check. It is because the llquos dealers do not appreciate a good turn. A bookkeeper who resides In the eastern suburbs has a dog on which he depends to keep burglars away from his house Having perfect confidence in the watch fulness of his canine, he retires early and sleeps the sleep of the just. The others night his wife, like many other women at this time, was sitting up late working on Christmas presents, when she was greatly alarmed by hearing some one try lng the fastenings on the doors and win dows. She called to her husband and awakened him, and he came rushing down stairs and out at the front door Just In time to see two men escaplng-over the fence. He was telling a friend about the matter, and the latter inquired what his dog was doing when the burglars wera trying to get into the house. "Oh, tho dashed dog was asleep," was the reply. "He is deaf and Is only good to watch in the day time." His friend remarked that these were times when people who had! deaf dogs should get rSd of them. A deaf dog Is not much better than a cast-Iron one would be. Dumb dogs would coma in good play some times, as, for exam ple, when their owners leave them shut up In their offices over night One was left In an office in the Hamilton building, the other night, which was not dumb, and he kept all the people In thf: building awake all night He would have been murdered long before daylight had it not been necessary to commit flat burglary, in order to get at him. When the streets are filled frith people chasing madly here and there. And the Joyous Christmas spirit has perraded all the air: "When we. see festoons of holly hanging every where we go. And perforce must give two-flfty for a twnca" of mistletoe. How it wakes the sad-eyed husband to brand-new view of life. To be hauled out for an 'hour's Christmas shopping with his wise. Bee the rows and rows at women, crowding each department store. Looking over bales of presents and dispatch ing clerks for more; Viewing silks and booKa and laces, watches, ribbons, knives" and toys. Talking till their voices mingle In one wilder ness of noise. Fighting wildly to a counter, hot and breath less In the strife: Football's tame beside an hour's Christinas shopping with your wife. See the patient clerks unrolling bolts of cloth for them to see, ' Hear them with one voice proclaim It "Just as sweet as it can be"; Then they pass along exclaiming' that, al though they'd like to ouy. All tho goods they've looked at are a little bit too high. Then they gain another counter that with pur chasers Is rife. And you struggle madly with them, going shopping with your wife. Still the crowds grow thick and thicker, stlU the clerks haul down thiir wares. For the customer, who views them, and upon her Journey fares. Back and forth the vast procession winds' through all the crowded aisles; ( Empty-handed every woman past the rcanj; counters files. "Will they purcase any presents, do you thlnk.2 Not on your life! For they none of them are buying, only "riiopw ping," like your wife. m ' PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAFHERS "What are you reading. Dorle?" "Pxpa'a poems." "Been naughty T" Punch. The Situation. "Yes; Roberts Is going Boms because the war Is over." "And Kitchener?" "Oh! he's going to stay because If Isn't!' Puck. She Ethel and Harrr aro engaged, but Ihey have decided to keep their engagement a se cret; Ethel told me eo. He Yes, I knsw; Henry told me. Tlt-Blts. Home-Grown Luster. "Then you don't binlc much on ancestral pride T" "No; It is more to a man's credit to start from nowhere and b somebody than to start from somewhere and be nobody." Indianapolis Journal. "What. Indeed? Mabel That near-sighted Mr. "Whetherno actually asked me on Chrlstmis night If the wreath of wintergreen In the parr lor waa mistletoe. Alice What did you tell him? Mabel Why, what could I? Brooklyn Life. What Uncle Said. "I am working a Christ, mas present for you," wrote the 'fair young girl to the rich uncle. "Huh." observed tha rich uncle, as he read her letter, "you mean, you are working me for a Christmas present." Baltimore American. Landlady Beg pardon, sir, but did I under stand as you were a doctor of music? Musi clan I am. ma'm; why? Landlady Well, sir, my Billy 'ave Just been and broke 'Is con certina, and I thought as 'ow I shud bo glad, to put a hodd Job In yer way. Fun. ' A. Yule-Tlde Ballad. Edw. O. Jackson. ("When Fate summons, monarchs must obey."). The King eat at the banquet board. His Barons all arow; The yule-log on the fireplace roared, The whole hall was aglow; The great hounds lay before the blase. Dreaming of stag and boar; The King's fool slept with grinning face. The whole ball heard him snore. The barons now were happy. They drank the great King's health; In bright ale. brown and nappy. They pledged their lives and wealth; And loud they sang to the god of war To break their foeman's stealth Their voices rose like a storm afar. To prove their loyal telth. The King fills for another round. His goblet In his hand Kow bushed is all the clamorous sound, As the King arose to stand: "My royal knights and true men" Thus far the monarch said. Then threw his hands Into the air. And pitched upon bis head. One startled outcry, loudand deep. The frighted nobles gave; Tho Jester started from his sleep. In silence like the grave; Then, standing up unsteadily. By the brightly burning yule, , He rubbed his heavy eyes and asked, "Has the King called for His Foolf.