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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1901)
iipjji llujUiP wf! pjiuijijpipppp up RfWPHPP' THE MOKSING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1901, "t-psf---. ffess- - Jf J (pyTww J ff VW 'ytgHgS, .- "J f"Jw5S!?i!"l;'A' its. vs&mv&u Entered at the Poitefflcc at Portland, Oregon, as eeoend.elau matter. TELEPHONES. Editorial Rooms 163 Business Office. ..C67 REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance Bally, with Sunday, per month $ 85 Sally. Sunday excepted, per year 7 50 Dally with Sunday, per year .... 0 00 Sundar, per year 2 00 The Weekly, per jear 1 BO Thb Weekly, 3 month: CO To City Subscribers Dally, per week, delivered, Sundays excepted.l5c Dallj, per week, delivered, Sundays lncluded.20c POSTAGE RATES. United States. Canada and Mexico: 10 to 18-page paper lc 18 to 32-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion Intended for publication tn The Oregonian should be addressed invaria bly "Editor The Oregonian." net to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or to any business matter ehould be addressed simply 'The Oregonian." The Oregonian does not buy poems or stories from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to It without solici tation. No stamps should be Inclosed for this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson, office at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 055, Taroma Postfflee. Eastern Business Ofllee The Tribune build ing. New York City; "The Rookery," Chicago; liie S C Beckwith special agency. New York. For sale in San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. 740 Market street, near the Palace Hojel: Gold smith Bros., 26 Sutter street; F. W Pitts, 1008 Market street; Fester & jOrear, Terry News stand. For sale In Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner, 59 So Spring street, and Oliver & Haines, IOC Su Sprrng street. For eale in Chleacs by the P. O. News Co., 17 Dearborn street. For sale In Omaha by II. C. Shears, 105 N. Sixteenth street, and Barkalow Bros., 1012 Farnam street. Tor sale in Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co 77 W Second South street. For sale In New Orleans by Ernest & Co., 115 Royal street. On file In Washington D. C. with A. W. Dunn. BOO 14th N W. For sale In Denver, Colo., by Hamilton & KTidrIck, 906-012 Seventh street. , TODAY'S WEATHER. Fair, with westerly winds. PORTLAND, TUESDAY, JAXUARY 15. The fate of armed bands who assas sinate Mayors In Luzon and peace en vos In South Africa is not pleasant to contemplate or difficult to determine. Nobody In sympathy with the humane Ideals of British or American civiliza tion wants to see massacres of exter mination directed at Boers and Fili pinos, but as an alternative of this cuurse must be shown some other way of putting peace and order into opera tion. "We might just as well establish the Boxers, not only at Pekln, but at the treaty ports also, as to turn over Interior Luzon to men like Prado and Lachlca or Cape Colony to Dewet. Our authority must be enforced, simply as the only means to law and order. Oc currences of this kind would show our dnti-lmperiallsts, If they were amenable to reason, how empty are their plans for saving Luzon by turning it over to the Insurgents. The practical question is how long we shall be justified in such moderate measures as now pre vail. It is Important on all ac counts, including the welfare of the masses of the Philippine inhabitants, thai the warfare there should be brought to an end. And if the only way to stp it Is to shoot and hang a few hundr&d assassins and bandits, the sooner the disagreeable duty is off our hands the fetter. The first and most obvious comment on the mortgage-tax decision Is that all excuse for bonding the county for its outstanding indebtedness is brushed aside. Th financial result is to estab lish the county's claim on some hun dreds of thousands of dollars in dis puted taxes, the exact amount of which is estimated at curiously variant sums, and the effect in equity is to exact pay ment of nothing from anybody that has not already been promised. During the life of the mortgage-tax law, undertak ings were always made between bor rower and lender looking to this tax, and the tax in reality formed an actual part of the terms of the negotiation. If the tax has not been paid, somebody has the money, and If the present holder of the land affected has not re ceived its equivalent, it Is not the state's or county's fault. Opinion seems to be general that practically all of the taxes thus declared collectible as Hens upon real estate will be recovered. The community is to be congratulated upon the result, and if it did not border on discourtesy, the Supreme Court Itself ought to be congratulated on the verdict, which seems justice as well as law. Observe that Senator Lindsay, fol lowing in the footsteps of Cleveland and Carlisle, not to mention Jones and Vest, insists there are Issues onough on which all Democrats agree, but studi ously and painfully refrains from any specific enumeration of those issues. Remember that we are living in the twentieth century now, and that 1892 is a long time ago. and will be still more ancient in 1904. "What are the principles on which all Democrats can agree in 1904, especially the "regulars" of 1896 and ISM? Mr. Bryan has no hesitation In declaring what he regards the paramount things, and they are not those the party stood for In 1892 and previously. Lindsay says that free coinage of silver Is not a party question and that imperialism is settled. Obvi ously, it Is asking a great deal of Bryan to offer this for his indorsement. Reorganization on the Lindsay plan bears a close resemblance to the tradi tional achievement of the tail wagging the dog. The Lindsay men propose to return to the fold if the Bryan men will admit that they have been wrong. This Is a passible thing, but not a prob able. Meanwhile, it is his turn to speak, whoever can point out the fun damental principles of Democracy on which Bryan and Lindsay can agree. In presenting facts concerning the keeping of convicts of that state. Gov ernor Toole, of Montana, takes occa sion to reprobate the too-prevalent sen timent that a prison should be made as homelike as possible to its Inmates, and that the prime object In the manage ment of a penal institution is reached when convicts are "contented." Ex amination of the reports of the Peni tentiary, which is run on the contract system, convinces the Governor that the contractors have uniformly well cared for the inmates. "Indeed," he says, "there Is. every reason to believe that the prison furnishes all the com forts of a well-ordered home, with such addition as a band, equipped and uni formed at an expense of over $700, can supply" "While this, as the Governor declares, speaks volumes for the liber ality, generosity and enterprise of those In charge of the prison. It suggests also the question whether a prison designed and intended as a place of punishment for evil-doers may not be made so agreeable to the Inmates as to destroy the main object of conviction and lm prlsonmint. "William Talleck, secretary of the Howard Association, London, in an admirable work on penological and preventive principles, gives affirmative evidence on this question, by Inference at least, 'when, after citing a number of penal establishments said to be mod els, and where the prisoners were con fessedly "contented," he asks: "But ought it ever-to be the case that any criminal should be perfectly contented with prison life?" Governor Toole cer tainly holds the logical view In this matter. Prisons should be made a good place to keep out of, rather than homes wherein criminals dwell with plenty, well content. According to Ernest L. Harris, Con sular Agent at Elbenstock, Germany, the German Colonial Association is urg ing the government to take steps toward Introducing and protecting on a large scale the growth of Indian corn In some of the German colonies. Through the efforts of agents of our National Department of Agriculture, corn products have become popular to a considerable extent In Germany. That empire imports about J32.000.000 worfh of corn every year, the vmajor part of which Is taken from the United States. American corn producers have little to fear In the falling off of the demand for their product in Germany for many years, at least, even if the effort of the association above noted should be suc cessful. Freight charges will settle this matter In favor of American corn, at least until Germany has much bet ter shipping facilities with her colonies than now. In support of this statement it is only necessary to cite from this Consular report that freight charges between Toga and Hamburg are $9 50 per ton, while the average per ton from New York or Baltimore to Bremen is $2 75. Moreover, large quantities of corn are often carried from the United States to Bremen gratis, as ballast. As long us the freight from German colo nies amounts to as much as the orig inal price of corn per ton In America, the American producer will have prac tically a clear field In this Industry. The records of a great American life Insurance company show that within ten years "la grippe" has come into the first rank of the causes of mortal ity. The company had 22 deaths from the grip in 1890, In 1892 It had 133, and every year since that one from 20 to 40 policy-holders In this one insurance company have died because of it. The reporting physicians say: These figures show only approximately the true Importance of the disease as a source of mortality. While on the one hand the term has often been erroneously employed, on the other very many deaths due to Influenza have been recorded as from pneumonia, because of the evident local lesion. On the whole, the figures understate, rather than overstate, the true mortality. No accurate account Is made or can be made of deaths really due to the grip, which seems to open the way for fatal disorders of the nervous system. More than sixty years ago cerebro-splnal meningitis, commonly known as "spotted fever," swept over this coun try, carrying young and old Into the grave, few surviving more than forty eight hours. Those who recovered were never again what they had been; their subsequent lives were crippled by this dreadful disease. The grip is less ter rible In Its fatality and In Its perma nently Injurious effects than was "spot ted fever." Nevertheless, the grip Is a very serious disease, which demands prompt attention on the part of those attacked who would avoid its dangers. It does not often mean death at once, but it not seldom means the beginning of a decay that leads by sure and swift approaches to death. CHIXA XOT A BONANZA. Sir Robert Hart, for more than forty years Inspector-General of Chinese Im perial Customs, resident at Pekin, makes it clear in the current number of the North American Review that at present and for many years to come China will be no bonanza to the great trading powers of the world, since China needs neither import nor export and can do without foreign commerce. The Chinese do not need to buy food, for they have rice. They do not need to buy clothing, for they have cotton, silk and fur. The expectations of an enormous trade expansion entertained when the treaties of I860 were negotiated after the first occupation of Pekln have never been roallzed, and the present dreams are destined, bays Sir Robert Hart, to like disappointment. New tastes and wants and new purchasing power will have to be created before new merchan dise can be sold, and this Increase will for a long time be slight and slow, as It will depend on the development of China's great natural resources in shape of coal fields and precious met als. Sir Robert Hart warns the pow ers that If they Invent millions in China they will wait a long time before their investment will declare a dividend, and he .intimates that the present vindica tion of international law not only will not promote commerce with China, but for a time certainly Is likely to kill It. Concessions to build railroads, open mines and start various industries will prove worthless, unless native senti ment and prejudices are studied and treated. with proper consideration. The evil effects of this year's doings will work harmfully for years to come; and by as much as force Is employed to compel a market, by so much will China as a valuable market for "West ern products be Injured. The nature of the Chinese Government makes any treaty that may be signed little better than a rope of sand, for each of the eighteen provinces is a government by itself, with which the central govern ment interferes as little as possible. A treaty with the Pekin Government is liable to non-enforcement, sometimes because the Pekin Government cannot enforce it against the provinces, and sometimes because the Pekln Govern ment refuses to enforce It on the plau sible plea that China "signed It with a knife at her throat." One of the great Viceroys of the Tangtse Provinces, a very able statesman, has already an nounced his bitter hostility to the pro posed terms of settlement, and the practical autonomy of the separate provinces will make It very difficult to enforce guarantees agreed upon at Pe kln. It has been fairly pointed out more than once by Chinese statesmen that the United States found the same difficulty, that we cannot maintain the treaty rights of Chinese in our terri tory. "We pay indemnity when Chinese subjects are killed, and we do not have to go further than Tacoma to find out that In that city a Chinaman's treaty rights are practically null and void. It Is not easy to determine what the great powers of Europe wllf do finally under the circumstances. Russia's sep arate agreement with China practically puts Manchuria under a Russian pro tectorate. This arrangement Russia calls simply the execution of their con tract of 1896 for the construction of the Manchurlan Railroad, If Germany and Great Britain should conclude that peace with the Pekln Government would mean a worthless compact with a sullen foe, which either would not or could not fulfill Its terms, they might decide to occupy and administer some of the great provinces of China for fhelr own advantage, even as Great Britain does Egypt. The largest stake that the United States has in China lies in Manchuria, where our trade with New Chwang has been growing very rapidly In the last few years. Ten years ago our annual trade with this port was but $7,000,000, which had In creased last year to $37,233,169, an in crease of 49 per cent over the figures of the previous year. SECRETARY nOOT AND THE ARMY It was not the fault of Secretary Root that no substantial Improvements In the matter of the reorganization of the Army were made last year, and it will not be his fault If his present able ef forts In behalf of reform come to naught, as they probably will through the action of Congress on the Army bill. Secretary Root Is a man of unusual force of will; he Is an astute lawyer, and yet he finds himself blocked In all his efforts at substantial Army reor ganization, which means reform, be cause the Army is really controlled by the political "pull" of the military bu reaucrats at "Washington. These mili tary bureaucrats, whose able leader Is General Corbln, have for years practi cally dictated the administration of the Army, It was the influence of this or ganization of military bureaucrats at Washington that made a military cipher of General Miles In the Santiago campaign; It lc the influence of these bureaucrats that makes General Miles today Commanding General of the Army only In the sense that he has the titular shadow rather than the real substance of command. It Is this ring of military bureaucrats that today dominates Congress In the matter of, new legislation and does not hesitate to lobby openly against the proposals of reform which the Secretary of "War has so ably set forth and so earnestly urged upon the attention of Congress. Secretary Root's kren eye saw that this ring of military, bureaucrats had become an oligarchy through the per manent tenure of their appointments to the staff, and because he attacked the root of their power, the military "ring" have probably defeated the reforms he contemplated In his Army bill. The Secretary has not lacked courage to attempt overthrow of the usurpation of the control of the Army by Its staff Brigadiers, and he has even gone so far as to order them to attend to their offi cial business and stop lobbying with the legislation of Congress. "Why has Secretary Root failed In his. fight for necessary Army reorganization and re form? He has failed because the Army ring of military bureaucrats at "Wash ington are hand and glove with those members of the Senate who desire to keep plenty of Army portholes open In which they can plant their poor rela tions and other personal or political parasites. If the Army reorganization "bill passes In its present form, there will be a great Increase In officers In the higher grades the moment the bill becomes a law, with the result that the several thousand ensuing vacancies In the lower grades will be filled up by officers of the volunteer Army. Some of these volunteer officers, like Captain King, arrested last week for accepting brjbes, were appointed wfthout exam ination as to fitness or standing, and they are to be allowed to enter the regular Army without tests of any kind or even restriction as to age, although many of them are reported to be wholly unfit for even temporary Army service. The Secretary of "War has been a sincere, able and courageous worker for Army reorganization and reform, but he is powerless against the hostility of his subordinates of the Army staff, who are hand and glove with the political pap-suckers of the Senate. A VITAL QUESTION. One of the Items of state expense, and quite a considerable one, Is that of $30,000 for the payment of salaries of officials, teachers and employes, and the general maintenance, of the State Reform School for the year ending De cember 31, 1901. In addition to this, the deficit for "general expenses" of this Institution for the years 1899-1900 Is $13, 734 15. making a total of $43,734 15, which the thrift and Industry of tax payers who control, teach, train and maintain their own children will be compelled to contribute toward making good, In some degree, the balance be tween society and Irresponsible parent age that the Reform School represents. Through this contribution unruly, vi cious, untaught sons of fathers who have failed In the first duty of parent age, to the number of 100, more or less, are housed, fed, clothed, taught, dis ciplined and amused, under conditions of life (so far as riiodern Improvements and luxuries go) far superior to those that surround the honest, helpful, obe dient boys of farmers, laborers and tradespeople whose substance enters Into it. Yet a Reform School is consid ered an economic measure, since It ar rests criminals In embryo, so to speak, and by the smaller outlay checks crim inality and forestalls the greater ex pense attendant upon sending by due process of law these boys to the Peni tentiary later on, and keeping them there for a term of years. Utterly unable to prevent the irre sponsible and the vicious from propa gating their species, society is forced to protect Itself as best It may, and at such cost as political jobbers may Im pose, from the vicious brood. Unable to deal with the cause, the common wealth must struggle with the e'ffect, and this it seeks to do through the maintenance of a Reform School for neglected boys of vicious tendencies. But what of the girls of this same parentage, the sisters of these pilfering night prowlers, whom society as a self protective measure has lain hands upon for the purposes of restraint and educa tion? Is not the capacity of these for evil-doing, as great as that of those? Nay, by common consent. Is It not greater In Its capacity for poisoning life at Its very fountain-head? Is there any reason in support of the Idea of a Reform School for unruly boys that may not apply to the Institution of a like school for wayyard girls on the brink of ruin, but who have not yet overstepped the farther limits of de cency? These are questions that de serve the earnest consideration of our legislators. That the South has had its share of recent prosperity Is well Indicated by these statistics which the Chicago Tribune sets forth; In 1000 it raised 11,235,000 bales of cotton, as compared with 0.605,750 In 18S0; 501,022.000 pounds of sugar, as compared with 108.062,278; 400,323,070 bushels of corn, as compared with 307.882,141, and 55,351,240 bushels of wheat, as compared with 51,025,138. During these twenty years the number of factories has In creased from 180 to 603. and the amount of cotton consumed in these mills from 233,833 bales to 1,507,112. In the first six months of 1000 there were 104 cotton mills built in the United States, 175 of which are in the South. The production of iron has mora than doubled in twelve years, while the output of coal has increased from 6,037,102 tons in 1830 to over 50,000,000 tons in 1000. All this -Is astonishing, but not more so than the remark Interposed by the Louisville Courier-Journal, that to these items of Increase, so highly favor able to the South, should be added one of decrease "the decrease In the pro duction of politics." Upon which the Courier-Journal says the South Is to be congratulated as much as upon the other showing. McBrlde people do not want a caucus because they abhor any dictation In the election of a Senator, prefer to avail themselves of their prerogative as free, untrammeled representatives of the people, and desire to conserve Individ ual Initiative. Instead of these con-jured-up demerits, they have a scheme of their own, which, while It will not preserve the independence of those party to It, will greatly enhance that of those heading It. It Is nothing more nor less than an Iron-clad agreement, to which eighteen signatures are sought, whereby they hope to bind themselves up to carry forward a certain purpose through thick and thin. Here Is free dom with a vengeance! The list of line officers dismissed or allowed to resign for incompetency, or arrested charged with crime, includes a number of delinquents besides Captain King, of Iowa. Captain Peter C. King, lately a subsistence officer, is in prison for a similar offense, and the "War De partment Is vainly searching for other volunteer officers who are short in their accounts. Among the officers lately cashiered Is Captain H. B. Blunt, Forty ninth Volunteers, an officer without any military experience prior to 1898, who was found guilty of stealing a dead soldier's clothes. Europe, from St. Petersburg to Ven ice, Is shivering with cold. At Naples the weather Is the coldest known In ten years, and railroad trains are stalled In the snow in the southern parts of Russia and Austria. The temperature recorded In Vienna on Sunday, the Cth Inst., was 5 degrees, Fahrenheit, above zero, jvery frigid weather when we con sider that the average January temper ature in that city for 100 years has been about 29 degrees above zero. In Venice It registered only 14 degrees above when the January average is 36 above. The complaint against 1900 through out Western and Southern Oregon was of the unseasonable mildness of Janu ary, as it brought the buds forward only to be nipped by a harsh blast In February. Thus far no such charge can be lodged against January this year. The weather has been strictly seasonable snow, rain and wind alter nating without suggestion of untimely dalliance with Spring. Everybody should be happy, as in this seasonable weather lies the promise of an "early harvest and a plenteous year." The Lee;lslature has done well to or ganize with so little delay. No fault can fairly be found with the presiding officers chosen. "With the settlement of great questions that made divisions In the Republican ranks during many years the acrimony and personal con tention that so long prevailed has passed away. Political affairs In Ore gon are on a more rational basis than for many years past. "We hope to wit ness no renewal of personal and fac tional contention. The Clatsop County delegation In the Legislature will espouse a measure to prohibit, above tide-water, salmon fishing by all methods except by hook and line. The object Is to give fish a chance to propagate. It is now up to other fishermen, those of Wasco County for example, to have a law passed so that fish may not be kept from enter ing the river to propagate. Then we shall have no discrimination either against Wasco County or in favor of Clatsop. Republic or empire? Some people are stlli shouting. But there is no such al ternative. Nobody is in favor of chang ing the Republic to an empire, and the thing cannot be done unless some body wants It done. They are very poor Americans who assert that the. authority of the UnUed States in the new possessions represents "tyranny" and "despotism," while the half-savage native races represent "liberty." Several cripples who are gamblers want Vo know how they are to live if games shall be abolished. Are. reform ers to be the ones who will settle that long-mooted question whether the world owes every man 'a living? Cleveland and Bryan prattle about the future of the Democratic party, and meanwhile the party Is so cowed that It says never a word. We shall see whether Roberts, in the vantage-place of a War Office, will de generate Into an average functionary. Hon. Charles W. Fulton has been president of the Senate befoVe, and was an excellent presiding officer. Agulnaldo cannot be getting much out of life, since he Is dead most of "the time. Heaven forfend removal of the Chi nese negotiations from Pekln to Wash ington! In spite of the utmost diplomacy of the powers, China has signed. Bryan Is afraid somebody will kid nap his principles. NEW YORK'S QREAT GOVERNOR New York Letter, Philadelphia Ledger. One of the most remarkable eccentric!, ties of New YoTk politics is the criticism which Theodore Roosevelt, on his retire ment from the Governor's chair, Is re ceiving from the independents, and the praise accorded by them to Benjamin B, Odell, Jr., on his entrance upon the gu bernatorial duties. Roosevelt, long the darling of the mugwumps, their beau ideal of the independent, honest, fearless pub. Ho official, leaves office with open con demnation, or with that half praise which hurts mora than out-and-out censure; while Odell, -the type of the machine roan, the friend of Piatt, the idol of the "or ganization," enters office with a choruB of mugwump praise. The situation Is peculiar. What does It mean? It certain ly does not mean that Roosevelt was a failure for, while he has disappointed and grieved some of his former mugwump supporters, he has made other friends, and is politically and personally one of the most popular men In the country. Nor does It mean that Odell has forsaken the organization and Piatt and gone over to the mugwumps. Perhaps the explana tion lies In the character of Mr. Odell himself. It is being discovered that he is an abler and more Independent man than was supposed. His message was simple and direct In language; was written on a high key as to character and force of policy. It is creditable to the indepen dents that they are not so blinded with prejudice against Piatt and the "ma chine" as to be unable to appreciate Mr. Odell's strength and evident sincerity of purpose. Following Roosevelt he had no easy task to perform to maintain the standard of state administration, but by one stroke in his first message made his predecessor, to use the expression of an enthusiastic friends, "look like SO cents." Certainly he very cleverly seized an op portunity Governor Roosevelt missed, and has made the most of it. The fact Is, and this Is now becoming known to all, Gov ernor Odell, although no preacher, Is a doer. Quietly and without parade he Is a man of sound principle. Not only did ho dispose of all his holdings of stocks of corporations in entering office so as to be free from all business influences that might tempt him from a- strict lino of duty, but he has quietly made It known to his party friends that he intends to be Governor, and to do what he believes to be right, regardless of consequences. This Is the statement of frlenda who are inti mate with him, and it Is confirmed by his whole conduct since his election. BRYAN WAS THEIR HOPE. Nntive Prayer for HI Success and McKlnley Defeat. Here is a sort of corroboration of the fact that the hopes of the rebels In the Philippines were centered on Bryan and that they regarded the election as decid ing their fate. It is an almost literal translation qf a prayer published on elec tion day In a Filipino paper, Ang Kali wanagan (The Light.) Glory to Bryan and .grief to McKinley"" is the keynote throughout. The translation Is as fol lows: "We are short of nothing but a typhoon today, and there is no doubt it Is through the election In the United States. "This rain and thes dark clouds appear to portend sad tidings. I fear the result of the elections may bring us to grief, wherefore even the rain offers us our lot of grief. "But no, although the last news notices tell of the Republicans possessing over bearing hopes of triumph, so do the Dem ocrats, too. Finally, perchance, they may both triumph. "But that cannot be, however many candidates there may be, on only one can there fall the victory; this is natural, and so It will result. But who will be the one of God? Free us, Lord, from all 111. Amen. Jesus! "This day Is Indeed a day of strife In America; on this day will our fate be de cided. "We must, then, all kneel down and re cite the rosary of the fostering fatherland. "Kneel ye, and let me offer: "Open Lord, our lips to curse and criti cise the chosen President, who may not be satisfactory to us. "So be it, then, my God. "Glory to Bryan, glory to America, glory to our fostering fatherland, glory to the sons of the nation. "Grief to imperialism, grief to McKln ley, grief to his band. "Pardon, O God, the soul that loves our liberties. "Curse, also, Lord, those who compel us to take oath, "Holy liberty, be thou with U6. "Holy right, bo thou triumphant. "Holy victory, be thou with us. "Mother Philippines, be thou blessed. "Mr. Bryan may thou triumph. "Celebrated Democracy, be thou sut preme. Celebrated America be thou hon ored. Our independence may we win thee. Agulnaldo's life, may It be 1000 years. My place, may It be that of a General, Battalion Anti-Judas, stand thou firm. Our army, be thou great. By thy mercy, Lord, curse them that guard us. All this, Lord, be it so." CONGRATULATIONS FROM INDIANA. Letter From a Brother of Thomas J. Dryer. DAYTON, Ind., Jan. 9, 1901.-(To the Editor.) I read with great Interest The Oregonian of December 4, 1900, the "Pio neer Number," and I have since read the issue of January 1, 1901. During the time that The Oregonian was In the hands of my brother, Thomas J. Dryer, It come to me regularly, and of course was al ways a welcome visitor. It Is no less so now, as It serves to remind me of the past, in which many pleasant associa tions are held. Allow me to congratulate you on the splendid development made in The Oregonian in the 50 years of its life. Many changes have come to this country; Its development has outstripped any other half-century In the world's history, the newspaper has been a prime factor In the spread of American civilization, and I may safely say The Oregonian may be ranked as amongst the foremost, When The Oresonlarv was started the region from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean was a wilderness, to reach the Western Coast was a long and dangerous journey. Now It Is but a pleasure trip. Nor was American civilization stopped by the ocean. It has gone to the far East. These thoughts are not new to you. but come to me In taking a retrospective view. Not wishing to trespass further on your time. I beg to wish you success In your great work of making the way sure for the perpetuation of American liberty wherever the flag may go in the future. Very truly yours. LYMAN L. DRYER. First Step In Reorganization. New York Commercial Advertiser. Progress toward Democratic regenera tion continues to be slow and reluctant. So far as our observation goes the only common ground of agreement yet reached Is ducks. Mr. Cleveland's favorite form of diversion and recreation, after pro longed thought and profound utterance concerning the future of the party, Is duck shooting. Mr. Bryan has now adopt ed the same line of procedure. He thinks for as long a period as hla strength will permit, and then goes after ducks. Both statesmen usually succeed In getting the ducks. On that point, therefore, progress can surely be reported. On the others, not any is observable. Mr, Bryan's re marks at Omaha last evening, as well as those of Senator Tillman, are not encour aging. Mr. Bryan said he "would rather continue to lose than surrender any of the principles for which we have fought." Mr. Tillman spoke not only coldly but contemptuously of Mr. Cleveland's un selfish efforts to "come forward and save the party," and said that "Its destiny must be defined by the prlriclples which have guided it since its foundation." THE AUTOMATIC CONSTITUTION. New York Sun. The opponents ot expansion have been asserting freely of late that the Supreme Court is sure to decide that the Constitu tion, ex proprio vlgore, attaches to all territory acquired by the United States at the moment of acquisition. Perhaps they derive this agreeable certainty from the admonition addressed to the Judges by General Harrison, who appointed three of them. Possibly they draw their assur ance from the queer dictum of Mr. Wayne MacVeagh. that In peace the Constitution precedes the flag, which would Imply that the Constitution lies dormant over all the earth, waiting to be roused Into life by the advent of the Stars and Stripes. There may be other reasons for their confidence, but one fact Is certain; they do not get that confidence as to the de cision from any utterances of the court itself. Every one of sober mind knows that, in accordance with American tradi tion, it is to be assumed as a matter of course that the court approaches this question wholly uncommitted, and that no human being has any right to an nounce from anything said or done by the Judges what their decision will be. At the same time it Js not improper to consider what practical results would fol low if the confident predictions of the opponents of expansion should prove true &nd the contention of the Government should be overruled. If the court decides that we have an automatic Constitution which of its own force attaches itself at once to any territory acquired In any yiay by the United States, and without any reference to the terms of the treaty of acquisition, then the Inhabitants of the Philippines, of Porto Rico, Guam and Tu tulla, are all citizens of the United States, and the land they Inhabit Is Constitutional territory and as much an Integral part of the United States as the State of New York. The opponents of expansion, friends of Agulnaldo, and anti-lmperlallsts from Bryan to Bradford, desire this decision because they consider that thereby we shall be compelled to get rid of all these new acquisitions and especially the Phil ippines. Will that really be the result? The point is worthy of consideration. As soon as the court decides, if it should so decide, against the theory of the Administration, which Is that these Islands are not now under the Constitu tion, all the Inhabitants of the Philippines become at once citizens of the United States. How are we, then, to get rid of them? Are we to cede or sell them to some other power? Surely we should have a right so to do. As Judge Story says, in a letter to Edward Everett, at the time of the Ashburton treaty, every nation must have the right to cede territory, for in case of defeat in war that might be the only way to secure peace. He holds that, as the Constitution Is silent on this point, the United States has this sovereign power, and can cede even a part of a state without the state's consent. He adds that this was the opinion also of Chief Justice Marshall. But an abstract, theoretic right which might be necessary under duress Is one thing, and its practical, voluntary exer cise is another. In a time of peace are we going to cede or sell citizens of the United States, as the, Filipinos would then be, to another power? Are we going to do It without their consent, and If not, are we going to poll the Inhabitants of Mindanao and Sulu and ask them If they would like to be ceded to Russia or Ger many? We never yet have sold or ceded citizens of the United States, and no on would, as matter of fact, suggest it as a practical policy. Cession or sale being out of the question, what then? The Filipinos, If it turns out that we have an automatic Constitution, are citizens of the United States living In an unorganized territory. Some of them are levying war against the United States and would then be guilty of high treason and subject to Its pains and penalties, which would reach even Mr. Slxto Lopez, who Is gallantly conducting his hostilities In the jungles of Massachusetts. Are we to concede to this small minority of Fil ipinos In arms the right of secession and allow them to depart, taking the islands and the vast majority of peaceful inhab itants with them? We were at some lit tle pains to deny the right of secession to the people of certain states of the Union. Are we now to grant it under fire to the citizens of an unorganized terri tory? It would be a strange revolution to do so, and a dangerous precedent. Onco cltlzenB, the plan of treating tho Filipinos as we have treated the Cubans becomes Impossible, for the Cubans are not citizens. Are we simply to depart from the Philippines and leave citizens and territory of the United States to the mercy of chance, to anarchy and to seiz ure by other powers? It is doubtful If any President or Congress could do this without violating their oaths If they were thus In time of peace to throw away the National territory of which they are the guardians. Morally, it would be Indefen sible, and practically it would be unheard of. What then could be done? Only one course would be open to us'. We should be obliged to organize the Territory of the Philippines by act of Congress, as we or ganized Louisiana and the earlier acqui sitions. That does not differ materially from what we are doing and intend to do now, but the conditions under which we should then act would be Infinitely worse. We should have all these people within our tariff and subject to It In respect to foreign nations. The "open door" In tho East would have vanished, Filipino labor would be brought up to a level with our own, and we could not get rid of It or protect ourselves against It. To all the people of the Philippines, of Porto Rico, Guam and Tutulla, we should be obliged to extend the Interna! revenue laws. To the Porto Ricans wo know from Investiga tion this would be an Intolerable and un just burden, and this taxation, new, un accustomed, at variance with their habits and traditions, would drive the people of the Philippines into bitter resistance. While we hold the Islands, as we now do, In accordance with the uniform prac tice of the past, our hands are absolutely free. We can cede, sell or abandon them; we can recognize any native government we choose; wo can treat with them or give them any government which seems best to us; we can exercise as much, or as little, control ns we please, or we can content ourselves with a protectorate or a limited suzerainty. If we see fit. If the Constitution Is automatic and is now in the Philippines ex proprio vlgore, we. can do pone of these things, and we shall have the Islands .nailed to us beyond the hope of separation and under the most embarrassing conditions. Perhaps this Is what the anti-Imperialists desire, for this Is what a decision In their favor would bring. To sensible and patriotic Americans such a situation would seem an Incalculable misfortune. A Winter Even In or. Longfellow. Leafless are trees; their purple branches Spread themselves abrcad, like reefs of coral, Rising- silent In the Red Sea of the Winter sunset. From the hundred chimneys of the village. Like the Afriet tn the Arabian story, 8moky columns Tower aloft Into the air of amber. At the window winks the flickering firelight; Here and there the lamps of evening glimmer. Social watch fires , Answering one another through the darkness. On the hearth the lighted logs are glowing. And like Ariel in the cloven pine tree For its freedom Groans and sighs the air Imprisoned In them. Br the fireside there are peace and comfort. Wives and children, with fair, thoughtful faces. Waiting, watching For & well-known footstep In the passage. NOTE AND COMMENT. They have organized, anyway. J. P. Morgan has prudently waited for the annual clearance sale of railroads. The roan who Is easy to got along with is generally equally easy to get along without. The eleotoral college certainly deserves great credit. A hazing has never occurred since It was founded. Democratic loaders are rejoicing In Bry an's withdrawal. Bryan would probablyj like to know when he withdrew. Senator McBrlde's seat In the Senato is getting a good deal of valuable practice In the art of enduring his absence. A Christian Scientist tried to euro a woman of hor love of dress. There, is nothing that these people will not tackle. The British have vanquished some of the native tribes of Africa. They are for tunate in having some ono to take It out on. The Chicago Times-Herald Is printing fairy stories for grown folks, presumably from the pen of Its Shanghai correspon dent. Nicholas Nakadchlvez has been arrested on a charge of plotting to kill the Czar. Mike Robe, his more dangerous enemy, la still at large. Senator Towne has had very little to say since he got In the Senate. He will not begin to talk, however, until he has absolutely nothing to say. Senator Tillman announces that no ono knows where tho Democratic party will bo In 1904. The Senator appears to be sud denly gifted with prophecy. Talk about wind in Seattle on Christmas week! One feels almost ashamed after read ing of the wind storm in Nevada whleh blew a train off the track. Seattle Times. The Times Is too modest. Walt until some one attempts to run a train past Its office during a political fight. Uncle Sam is educating 100,000 Filipinos In the public schools. Here Is a chaneo for the auntis to quote Mark Twain, who suggested that the Government get rhl of the Indians by killing off, one-half with soap and the other with education. A yellow flush mantled the usually Im maculate first page of the Chicago Trib une on the morning of January 9. The unwonted hue was imparted by an inter view with tho Vice-President-elect, writ ten by George Slier, who, It appears. Is recreating from his arduous labors as prize-ring referee by filling a position on the staff of Chicago's leading daily. The interview, as may be guessed when one is aware of the calling of the writer, con cerns fistic affairs, into the discussion of. which Colonel Roosevent entered with such "tremendous personality and remark able force" that Mr. Slier was moved to wonder what he would do with himself in such a "dry bones place as the Vice Presidency." In the colloquy between the strenuous rough rider and the equally strenuous referee, as reported by the lat ter, the following occurs: "You love clean sport, and so do I," com mented the ex-Governor. "Now, on that basis and understanding. I will begin our ohat by asking what you think of Jeffries as a nghterT" "I think ho is great," I replied. "And so do I," he said. "Don't you know, Siler, that boxing might have been going on in New York right now if the men who had charge of the clubs had handled It with care? They made a mistake by not stopping contests when they became brutal or when it was manifest to all that ono of the contestant? had no possible chance of winning. You know that as well as I do, don't youT" Of course I answered In the affirmative. "Look at that McCoy - Choynskl, contest. Wasn't that enough to kill the sport?" I told him I thought it was. "I liked McCoy," he continued, "and thought he would best Corbett. He Is equally as clever as Corbett. and a harder hitter. He has the right idea of hitting, too, has he not!" I told him I was sure he had. "Well, then, if he is equally as scientific as Corbett and a harder hitter, he should have defeated Corbett. I guess he sold himself out,' so I've lost all respect for him." Now that settles McCoy's career for good and all. Tho next Vice-President announces publicly that ho has lost all respect for him. What hope has a prize fighter left when such an eminent author ity turns against him so cruelly? How wretched Indeed Is that poor man who hangs on tho favors of Vlve-Presldents-elect! The patron of the ring goes on to confide to the readers of the Tribune that when he was in charge of tho New York police he witnessed the Maher-Choynskl fight, which was a hard battle, but so evenly contested that he could not stop it. So he satisfied his conscience by put ting an end to a preliminary bout, "not because it became brutal, but because ono of the contestants was covered with blood, and It looked bad." Truly, the cause of Anthony Comstock had an able champion at the ringside that night! The distinguished author, soldier, statesman, and Bport says further along In the in terview that he Is getting too old to box, and adds that he knew more about wrest ling than the last trainer he employed, so he let the trainer go. He concludes his discussion of the ring by this bit of sympathetic consolation: "Oh, by the way. Slier, do you know why they did not want you In New York?" "Because they could not handle me, I suppose," "That's just It, Slier. They could not handle you and they could not handle me, and that Is why they did not want either of us." Only one suggestion offers Itself after reading this highly Interesting Inter view. Why did not the Tribune employ the Vice-President-elect to Interview , himself, and thus delete from Its expense account the services of so high-priced a writer as Slier? PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS Right in Line. Dodson Tapley hopes to bo a -social Hon. Fogson I don't see why ho shouldn't be; he Is already a cub. Harlem Life. Form. "Listen I" he whispered. Marjorlo pressed his hand softly. "Not nowl" she said. "It is bad form to listen while the piano is playing," Detroit Journal. The Soured Cynic. "Many a woman mar ries," said the Soured Cynic, "Just because it makes her mad to see a man enjeylng himself without a wife." Indianapolis Press. Net Proper. "Miss Binks hisn't a particle ot social instinct." "What do you mean?" "Why, when she Is Invited to lunch she talks mora than the girl who 13 to pay tho bill." Chicago Record. Fatal Candor. Suiter Yes, sir. I assure you, I would be clad to marry your daughter, even If she were poor as a church mouse. Mr. Moneybags That settles you! I don't want a fool In the family. Philadelphia Press. How It Was Done. Fresblelgh Pray, how did you become ossified? Ossified Man In my youth I was nice and soft like you; when I grew u and realized what a cruel world this Is, I became hardened Ohio State Journal. Requires Experience Walter I splk some Inglesh, monsieur. Customer Oh I very well; but mo3t of the waiters understand my French, Walter Pardon, monsieur but may be I hat not been long enough in ze countree to under stan ze customalres' French. Puck.