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purpose.
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cSlce at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 933,
Tacoma Postofflce.
Eastern Business Ofltee The Tribune build
ing; New York City; "The Rookery," Chicago;
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Tor sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co.,
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For sale In Omaha by H. C Shears, 103 N.
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Tor tale in Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News
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For cala In New Orleans by Ernest & Co.,
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On file in "Washington, D. C. with A- "W.
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For sale In Denver. Colo., by Hamilton &
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-
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.