Morning Oregonian., February 13, 1901, Page 6, Image 6

THE MOHKINO OTJEGONIAS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1901.
he rgamcm
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TODAY'S WEATHER. Occasional rain;
southerly winds
PORTLAXD, WEDNESDAY, T"EB. IS
Mr. Charles Albert Long, of Pom
eroy, Wash., favors us with an elab
orate scheme of currency reform, whose
certain effects, in oase of adoption, he
modestly enumerates as follows:
1 A money and monetary system of a def
inite standard.
2. Will permit the people to provide them
selves with the greatest possible volume of
money.
3. Will provide for the free and unlimited
use of all of the silver that can ever be of
fered. 4. Will restore silver to an equitable ratio of
value.
u Will provide a ooin and currency of Iden
tical and of Inseparable parity (to the people),
without Involving liability to Government,
C Will rliv Government from the dangers
of an endless redemption.
7. Will relieve the necessity of an Idle re
demption fund.
8. Will relieve Government of the burden
and expense of circulating silver coin.
0. Will provide for the most economic and
the most efficient public use of money.
10. Will enable the liquidation and retire
ment of our Interest-bearing bonds.
It would obviously be. superfluous to
pursue Mr. Long's plan farther. It
possesses those elements of perfection
and universal application which we
have long apprehended in Dr. Work's
Pain Killer and Perry Baker's Medical
Discovery. A remedy that will do
so much will do nothing. It is a pan
acea. That is, it is too good.
Why should members of the Legis
lature consider it a mark of turpitude
to be addressed by officers of a rail
road company. In explanation of con
ditions upon which the Legislature is
about to enact laws? Is it because
to their minds a railroad man can
't eys no idea except that of a bag of
boodle to be levied on? Do they imag
ine that the only business a Legislator
can have with a railroad attorney Is
to be bribed? If It is not this, then it
must be because they do not want to
hear the facts, for fear they might
do justice to the railroads and be in
duced to modify a preconceived de
termination to "cinch" them. Repre
sentative Colyig was active in this
opposition, and Mr. Colvig's honesty
and fairness are matters of common
knowledge. But it seems to The
Oregonlan that In this action he be
trays a needlessly hostile attitude to
these important elements in modern
community life. Because a railroad is
a railroad. Is hardly sufficient reason,
without cumulative evidence, why it
shuuld be persecuted. Because a law
yer is good enough to be sought by
corporations with weighty interests to
look after, is not indisputable prima
facie evidence that he is corrupt in
motive and In his assertions uniformly
entitled 'to disbelief. Suppose you
deny railroads a hearing, as such, be-j
fore committees of the whole House?
Do you want to force thqm to elect
their attorneys to the Legislature In
order to get such a hearing? The Ore
g man will do the Oregon House the
credit of believing that Jn listening to
Mr. Cotton "and Mr. Fenton it was sin
cerely desirous of learning the truth,
which it Is not apt to get from railroad-haters
alone. And It hopes to see
the Legislature deal out to the rall
nads, not favors or persecution, but
Justice based on evidence.
If the present Legislature has any
Idea it can meet the desires of the
people of Oregon and go home to a
contented and admiring constituency
without electing an able, forceful man
fir Senator, and doing It pretty soon,
it will make a disastrous mistake. The
sentiment of the people of the state,
and by the people we do not mean a
handful of scheming politicians, is that
tho Legislature ought to hurry up and
elect a Senator, and get to work at
needed legislation. Almost commensur
ate -with this universal conviction is
the belief, that the man for the place
is Mr. Corbett. The Senator should
first be right on main questions, like
the gold standard, Pacific expansion
and fair play for the dependencies,
and next after that he should be an
experienced and efficient man of af
fairs. No man in Oregon fills this de
scription so well as Mr. Corbett. His
capacity and pertinacity are such that
he accomplishes what he goes after. If
he is put in the Senate, complaints now
heard of weak representation at Wash
ington will disappear, for Mr. Corbett
will do things. It is a critioal time for
this community, for much depends
upon the start we make now in the
opening years of Pacific development.
In no respect of Oregon's participation
in this development is strength and
acumen more gravely needed than at
Washington, to resist the strenuous ef
forts of rivals, to get justice at the
White House, at the "War Department,
at the Land Office, on appropriation
bills. The welfare of the whole com
munity Is bound up In this emergency,
and it is simply outrageous that a
few petty personal ambitions should
Interfere with it. If members of the
Legislature wilt consult the feelings of
their business constituency throughout
the state, and cease to be guided by
Mitchell politicians, they will soon dis
cover the serious nature of their ob
structive tactics. There has never been
a time when Oregon needed a strong
business man in the Senate as she does
today.
SPAIN'S OMINOUS CRISIS.
Gloom and agitation in Spain are
grave enough to remind its unhappy
populace of the promulgation of the
Republic February 11, 1873, even if
it were not for the recurrence of the
date. The immediate circumstance
under which Amadeo of Italy was de
posed from the Spanish throne has
no parallel now, for the cry then was,
"Spain for the Spaniards!" Tet that
cry was merely a rallying point for
just such discontent as seems to dis
turb the peninsula today. Then, as
now, the nation was bitterly counting
the cost of a disastrous foreign war,
Cuba had given fresh occasion for
bloodshed, expense and humiliation;
anarchy and violence, coupled with
Carllst and Republican outbreaks, were
menacing security and business. Ser
rano was regent for the interregnum
preceding the accession of Amadeo,
who was proclaimed January 2, 1871,
to reign but a few days more than two
years.
These present outbreaks and threats
of revolution are similar to those that
marked the close of Amadeo's reign
and the birth of the short-lived re
public. His life had been attempted;
the Queen was continually insulted by
the wives of the grandees, and the
best he and his constantly changing
cabinets could do only seemed the
more to inflame public hatred. A
curious coincidence also Is found in
the fact that the personnel of the
time is largely the same as now.
Castelar and Sagasta were leading fig
ures, and Pi y Margall, who talks of
a new republic now, served as Presi
dent for five turbulent weeks In the
Summer of 1873. After a coup d'etat
in January, 1874, Serrano was again
entrusted with power, and December
31 following Don Alfonso XII. was pro
claimed King at Madrid. He died in
November, 18S5, and his reign was
peacefully merged Into acceptance of
his posthumous son, the present Al
fonso XIII., under the regency of
Maria Christina.
Spain's loss of her colonies throws
her energies in upon herself, to con
gest and breed discontent and revolu
tion. The scene at Madrid is the
very antithesis of expansion with its
healthful Impetus of emigration and
colonial development. Instead of grow
ing faith in the nation's destiny, the
people can only look upon a discred
ited and narrowing sovereignty. In
stead of artisans setting out for new
worlds and docks busy with newly
opened trade, mobs of the unemployed
and discontented surge through the
streets by night and day, jostle tho
carriages of the rich, shout the slogans
of revolution, while within the palace
the aristocracy is dancing and ban
queting In splendor and gayety, as If
to cast Into deeper gloom the misery
without. Carlism and Republicanism
offer alike an Inadequate remedy for
the ills of Spain. Her statesmen are
doubtless doing the best they can with
the materials In hand. Her clvilizatldn
is on the downward path and perhaps
the most instructive lesson we can
learn from her extremity is the fatuity
of antl-Imperlallsm's prediction that
with the loss of "empire" she would
see the 'dawn of a brighter day.
DISCRIMINATION PROVED.
Extensive correspondence relating to
the Army transport business out of
Pacific Coast ports is printed in an
other column, but while it makes pub
lic a number of transactions in which
Portland was interested, it signally
falls to cover the point or explain
away the discrimination against which
Portland protested. It was a matter
of small concern to the merchants of
this city, whether a firm in Portland,
Seattle or San Francisco, secured the
business of chartering steamers, so
long as Portland was given an oppor
tunity to load them. This opportunity
has not been given Portland in the
past, and we have no assurance that
It will be given her in the future. The
quartermaster's department is con
victed of gross Ignorance, resulting in
an attempted reckless waste of the
people's money by their own testimony
In the telegrams elsewhere printed. An
offer of $650 per day is made for the
steamer Willamette, a vessel which in
a short coasting trip from Tacoma to
San Francisco can carry but 2500 tons
of coal, in addition to the small amount
of bunker coal needed for a trip of
four days. This steamer could not pos
sibly carry more than 1S00 tons of
freight in addition to the bunker coal
required to take her from Portland or
Puget Sound to Manila.
The steamship Norman Isles, for'
which the Government at that time re
fused to pay $600 per day, has a ca
pacity of 4500 tons, in addition to
bunker capacity sufficient to take her
across the Pacific. The American
steamship Argyll, which was refused
at the same time at $600 per day, car
ries 4500 tons of freight in addition to
her bunker coal. The Quartermaster's
Department accordingly offered 40
cents per ton per day for the Willam
ette, and refused two other steamers
tendered at 13 1-3 cents per ton. The
loss to the Government, had the own
ers of the Willamette accepted the of
fer made by the department, would
have been over $250 per day, as
compared with the rate at which the
two other steamers could be chartered.
The Norman Isles was subsequently
chartered to the Government by a
Portland firm at $400 per day, and was
the first cheap steamer that was of
fered either on Puget Sound or at Port
land. Then, of course, the Govern
ment, in its anxiety to do business
at Portland, stopped the steamer off
the mouth of the river, and ordered
her to Puget Sound. This was not
discrimination against Portland. It was
merely a continuation of the unbusi
nesslike policy which gave Puget Sound
nine-tenths of the transport business
from the Northwest The Inverness
was another steamer which the own
ers found It profitable to send to Port
land on commercial business. She
loaded a cargo of lumber at this port,
and was expected to return for an
other cargo, when she was taken up
by1 the Government and ordered' to
Puget Sound. She loaded a full cargo
of Eastern oats at Seattle and Ta
coma, and of course the railroads
would not haul these oats to Portland,
or at least the Government was ap
parently ignorant of the fact, if they
should.
No more plausible excuse could b"
offered than that set forth by the non
discriminating Quartermaster's Depart
ment. The darky's coon trap which
"caught 'em a-comln' and a-goin' "
was crude and clumsy alongside of
the excuse which was forthcoming
when Portland protested. Reduced to
plain language, it is as follows: "We
cannot ship forage and stores from
Portland, because you have no trans
ports at that point, and we cannot
send any transports there because we
have shipped your stores and forage
to Puget Sound, and you have none
to offer." Business men can charter
steamships to load at Seattle, Tacoma
or- Portland at exactly the Bame fig
ures for either port, and if the Gov
ernment followed a business-like pol
icy, it could do the same. The tele
grams set forth a lamentable ignor
ance regarding steamships on the part
of some one in power in the Quarter
master's Department. There is an at
tempt being made in Seattle at the
present time to secure a three years'
contract with the Government, by
which a Seattle firm will have all of
the transportation of supplies and
stores between the Pacific Coast and
Manila. Judging by the success
achieved in the past, it is not unreas
onable to suppose that the Seattle
Arm will get what they are after, and
the Government will still "very much
wish to handle the buslneB3 from
Portland." Oregon has no representa
tion at Washington. It is time she had.
UTERAItY GROWTH OF THE SOUTH
Maurice Thompson, who is on his
death-bed, is one of the brilliant addi
tions to the roll of American literature
that the South has given us since the
Civil War. Whether in prose or poetry,
the work of Mr. Thompson has been
excellent. A Confederate soldier, his
reminiscences of the war are vivid,
graphic and instinct with a generous
spirit. His studies of bird life are
written by a man who has at once
the trained eye of an ornithologist and
the Imagination of a poet, and his
lyrics, whether dealing with the hero
ism of the war or the tender sentiment
of peace, are always marked by a fine
touch and felicitous expression. Maur
ice Thompson needed to be only half
as good as he revealed himself in his
books to be a very charming man, and
we have no doubt that he was better
than his best book.
The growth of our notable Amer
ican literature had made but little
progress before 1825. American liter
ature may be said to have begun in
1809 with the publication of Irvlng's
first book, "Knickerbocker's History of
New York," his most original book.
By 1824 Irving had published "The
Sketch Book," "Bracebrldge Hall," and
"Tales of a Traveler." Cooper by 1825
had published "The Spy," "The Leath
er Stocking Tales" and "The Pilot."
Bryant had written "Thanatopsis,"
Halleck had published "Marco Bozzar
1s" and Drake "The Culprit Fay" and
his poem on the American, flag, George
Bancroft, John Howard Payne, James
K. Paulding and Longfellow had be
gun to write. Between the birth of
notable American literature in 1809 and
1830 it cannot be said that the South
contributed anything of consequence
save Marshall's "Life of Washington"
and Jefferson's "Notes on Virginia."
Between 1830 and I860 American litera
ture became splendidly enlarged by
the addition of such names as Chan
ning, Dewey, Emerson, Lowell, Holmes,
Whlttier, Parker, Hawthorne, Prescott,
Motley, Parkman.
The outbreak of the Civil War found
us with a literature highly creditable
to so young a nation, and yet to this
literature the South may be said to
have contributed nothing. The active
genius of the South before the Civil
War was exclusively devoted to law
and politics. No section of the country
produced so many men of brilliant for
ensic eloquence and of superior distinc
tion in legal debate. The atmosphere
of the South; its social habits, so much
favored the cultivation of natural tal
ents for public speech that a Northern
born and bred man, Sargent S. Pren
tiss, of Maine, seemed to rise to a level
of eloquence in Mississippi of which he
had not been suspected in his youth.
Able statesmen and lawyers were found
In every Southern State, but to the
American literature of poetry and fic
tion the South contributed nothing
worthy of note until after the Civil
War.
Since the Civil War the Southern
mind has been conspicuous as the most
gifted and versatile contributor to our
new body of prose and verse. The de
struction of slavery "took the nigger
off the valve" of the Southern native
genius for literature. The greatest liv
ing humorist of English literature,
Mark Twain, is a son of the South and
an ex-Confederate soldier. So are Ca
ble and Maurice Thompson. Paul
Hayne, Sidney Lanier, Henry Tlmrod
and "Father" Ryan were Southern
men who did not long survive the
war. Thomas Nelson Page, Madison
Cawein.F. Hopkinson Smith, Joel Chan
dler Harris, Frank Stanton and "Charles
Egbert Craddock" are notable writers
of Southern birth and breeding, who
have swelled our American product of
song and story since the close of the
Civil War. Furthermore, the ablest
writers on American history and polit
ical economy are men of Southern birth
and breeding. No better work of this
sort has been done of recent years than
that produced by Professor Houston, of
the University of Texas, on "Nullifica
tion," and that of Professor William R.
Trent, on "Southern Statesmen of the
Old Regime." The literature of the
North has not kept pace in productive
ness since the Civil War with that of
the South. Edward E. Hale, Donald G.
Mitchell, T. W. Higglnson, Richard H.
Stoddard and E. C. Stedman are all old
men whose fame was established before
the Civil War. Thomas Bailey Aldrlch
is 65, William D. Howells is 64, and they
are the youngest of our notable North
ern men of high literary quality, but
the new young blood that our literature
has received since the Civil War has
come from men like Maurice Thomp
son, who is in his 57th year; young fel
lows who, when the Confederate Army
was disbanded, were forced to win their
bread with their brains.
To this same brilliant class of South
ern men belonged Henry Watterson and
Henry W. Grady. If the Civil War has
done nothing else for the South, it has
released Its fine literary talent from the
bondage in which it slept during the
old days of slavery, and set Its light on
a hill where it cannot be hid. Before
the war the Southern men who were
distinguished for literary aptitude werej
of Northern birth and breeding, such
as George D. Prentice, S. S. Prentiss
and Albert Pike. The most accom
plished man among the Southern Sen
ators who seceded was Benjamin, who
was born and bred in the English West
Indies. The cause of this old-time
Southern literary barrenness was the
oppressive atmosphere created by the
social and political system inseparable
from slave civilization. ' The fine brains
of the South went Into law and poli
tics exclusively before the war; but
since the war the fine brains of the
South have been devoted, a goodly por
tion, to the production of excellent lit
erature, to the pursuit of business, as
well as that of law and politics.
Perhaps nine out of ten citizens of the
Willamette Valley will be surprised at
the showing, both as to extent and ac
cessibility, of the Nehalem country,
made by the maps recently published
showing the several railroad routes by
which it is proposed to enter this tract.
Though lying upon the verge of a well
settled district, this section of the state
has been through all the years a prac
tically undiscovered country. True, It
has been known in a general way as a
region abounding in game and trav
ersed by streams that offer fine sport
to the angler. Adventurous settlers
have penetrated it to some extent, and
timber cruisers have spied out the land
In the Interest of non-resident buyers.
It has long been known in a general
way that portions of the district were
rich In coal, and that it had fine possi
bilities as a stock and dairy country.
But between this knowledge and sys
tematic attempts to settle the country
and develop Its resources, the Coast
Mountains have loomed up as an Insur
mountable barrier. All communication
between its wonderfully resourceful
area and the outside world has been
restricted tq wagon roads Impassable
In Winter, and to water craft of light
tonnage and bar-bound in stormy
weather. It is thus that the railroad
enterprise recently enlisted In behalf of
this isolated region has developed the
energy and enthusiasm that waits upon
new discovery. That in the near future
the difficulties which the Coast Moun
tains present to railroad building will
be overcome, is certain. As viewed by
competent engineers, supported by a
real purpose to open railway connection
with the Nehalem Valley and later with
other long-neglected sections of Tilla
mook and ClatBop Counties, these diffi
culties are not specially formidable.
That is to say, much greater feats in
railroad building have been performed
than will be required to reach this rich
coast section. The question now seems
to be as to which of the several com
panies Interested will first wake the
echoes of these mountain solitudes with
the whistle of the locomotive and reach
tidewater with Us trains.
The death at Helena, Mont., of Rev.
Thomas Van Scoy will cause a shock
both of surprise and regret to his many
friends in educational and church work
in this city and in Salem. Dr. Van
Scoy was for many years a resident of
the latter city, and as president of
Willamette University and later of
Portland University was extensively
known In Methodist educational work.
He went to Montana, some five years
ago and was a recognized leader there
in the same lines of effort. Though
well advanced in life, he had still
reasonable prospect of a number of
years of active service In his chosen
vocation. His death Is therefore con
sidered untimely and his loss will be
keenly felt by his late associates.
The whole number of Republicans In
the Legislature, including such as
were elected as Independents, yet
profess to be Republicans, is sixty
three. Of these, thirty-two, or a ma
jority, are voting for Mr. Corbett.
Whatever weight there is in the de
mand for majority rule is, therefore,
on Mr. Corbett's side. It is not the
intention of the opposition to elect
Judge Williams or Mr. Hermann. As
the basis of this effort lies the desire
to elect Mr. Mitchell. The hope is that
the Democrats will furnish the number
of votes now lacking.
Hermann Is described as "vigorous
and active." He may be so for office,
but nobody ever heard of his being so
for principles. He is one of the men
who gave the silver delusion so much
Impetus. But it is to his credit that
when he saw he was wrong he scurried
back to the right, because there was
the only chance for office. In this sense
he is very active and vigorous, indeed.
Minister Wu did not know, when he
criticised Otis for exclusion of Chi
nese from the Philippines, that the
policy originated with the Government.
Even if he has apblogized, he hag had
his say, which should be no mean
comfort, since he has been waiting for
it so long a while.
John Bull will send no more peace
envoys to the Boers.. He needs all his
men for the Army. He should not be
in too great haste for peace, because
the Boers are in no hurry. Anyhow,
peace envoys would be more in place
after the war.
Minister Wu asserts he did not say
he favors miscegenation in the United
States. His other remarks show he
does not disfavor it. If he is not care
ful he will fall Into the American
habit of talking -too much.
Senators Frye and Hanna, will not
allow the river and harbor bill re
ported until the ship subsidy bill is out
of the way. With it out' of the way,
there will be no need of an extra ses
sion. Dewey got us into a peck of trouble
In the Philippines, but he is probably
having just as much trouble as Uncle
Sam. It's ten to one Mrs. Dewey Is
harder to manage than the Filipinos.
Mr. McBride, of course, is to be
"taken care of." It is necessary. He
can do nothing but hold office. But
any little clerkship will suffice for him.
One redeeming part of biennial char
ters Is that starving lawyers are en
abled thereby to live by bringing the
disputed provisions before the courts.
Mrs. Nation says she Is in the hands
of the Lord. She is rather possessed
of demons, which is incongruous with
h.er declaration.
It still remains that they who are
afraid of a caucus are more afraid of
electing a Senator.
CONTEST OVER THE WAR TAX BILL
WASHINGTON, D. C, Feb. 12. There
will be quite a contest over the war reve
nue reduction bill. Republican members
of the House declare that they will not
support the Senate bill, but the Senate
usually -wins in these fights. It so hap
pens that the entire Democratic vote can
be relied on for the Senate bill, as the
reductions on beer and tobacco are sat
isfactory to them and they believe the
retention of the tax on bank checks and
proprietary articles will cause the defeat
of many Republican representatives In
the next campaign.
The prospects at this time are that the
subsidy bill cannot pass and that the
river and harbor bill Is also likely to fail.
Senator Shoup today offered amend
ments to the sundry civil bill, authorizing
the inspection during the coming Summer
of the buildings and grounds of the old
Fort Sherman military reservation in
Idaho, with a view of converting the
same into a branch home for disabled
soldiers and calling for a report as to
what additional buildings should be
erected for such a home; also an appro
priation of $25,000 for a fish culture station
in Idaho.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
asked for authority to expend a bal
ance of $18,704 left after finishing the
light and fog signal station at Gray's
Harbor for erecting additional quarters
for light keepers at various points in the
13th district.
Delegate Wilcox's Defense.
Delegate Wilcox, of Hawaii, today filed
his brief in support of his right to hold
a seat in Congress and in defense to tho
legal objections raised in petitions filed
against him. The document is long, and
says In part:
"The Governor of Hawaii issued his
proclamation for the election in due form.
Before that time three separate parties
had held their nominating conventions
and placed their respective candidates in
the field to be voted on. After a cam
paign accompanied with the usual Amer
ican campaign speaking, torchlight pro
cessions and parading of bands, in which
the voting population very generally par
ticipated, and In which campaign George
D. Gear, who flle3 the petition herein,
stumped the islands urging tho people to
vote for a delegate to Congress to repre
sent the Hawaiian people, tho election
was held, resulting in a majority for Rob
ert W. Wilcox. All the election officers
of Hawaii acted In good faith, decided
the electors and they were generally reg
istered and voted at the election, and the
inspiration to question the matter of elec
tion came after the result had been an
nounced." The election committee now has all the
testimony and law on the case, and an
early decision is expected.
Hnxlns at West Point.
Representative Dick's bill concerning
hazing at West Point Military Academy
was adopted today by the conferees of the
two houses on the Military Academy bill
in lieu of the Senate provision on the
question of hazing. Some changes were
made, but the changes do not alter the
spirit of the measure. The amendments
render it mandatory on the Superintend
ent of tho Academy to suppress "chal
lenge fighting and every rorm of hazing
at the Academy." It also provides for
the dismissal of all cadets in any way
connected with fights or challenges to
fight, and also of any cadet who shall
participate in any form of hazing. It is
also specified that no cadet dismissed for
either of these causes shall be reinstated
or reappointed in the Academy, and also
that no such cadet shall ever be appoint
ed to any office in the Army, Navy or
Marine Corps.
Pneumatic Tnbe Service.
The Senate committee on postoffices to
day decided to recommend the adoption
of an amendment to the postofflce appro
priation bill providing for an appropria
tion of $500,000 for pneumatic tube service.
The committee concluded the considera
tion of the bill and did not decide to rec
ommend other Important amendments.
The total increase of appropriations rec
ommended by the committee amounted to
$525,000. making the grand total of the bill
$124,30S,0SS, or $7,675,016 in excess of the es
timated postal revenues for the year. In
addition to the appropriation for the
pneumatic tube system, there is a small
appropriation for free delivery of mail in
towns and small cities, and another small
appropriation for experimenting with re
turn postal cards and postal envelopes.
Spaninli War Claims.
The conferees of the Senate and House
today reached an agreement upon the
bill providing a means for settling the
claims of citizens of the United States
against Spain, as provided for by the
Paris Treaty of" Peace. The House con
ferees recede from their amendment re
quiring tho Court of Claims to pass upon
such claims, and accept the Senate pro
vision for a commission. The new mem
bership of the commission is, however, in
creased from three to five. A provision
was inserted making the decisions of the
commission final, but giving it authority
to grant a rehearing under certain cir
cumstances, and also to ask the opinion
of the United States Supreme Court on
points of law. The commissioners are to
be appointed by the President and con
firmed by the Senate, and the bill re
quires that they shall be learned in the
law. The headquarters of the commission
will be in Washington, but It is empow
ered to send a commissioner abroad to
take testimony.
Presidential Nominations.
The President today sent the following
nominations to the Sonate:
Army Regulars, medical department
Lieutenant-Colonel Peter J. Cleary, depu
ty Surgeon-General, to be assistant Surgeon-General,
with rank of Lieutenant
Colonel. Cavalry Second Lieutenant Charles T.
Bojd, Fourth, and Henry C. Whitehead,
Tenth, to be First Lieutenants.
Volunteers To be assistant Surgeon,
with rank of Captain, Justus M. Wheate,
of Indiana, (acting assistant Surgeon,
United States Army): Francis M. McCal
lum, of Kansas, acting assistant Surgeon,
United States Army; Harry A. Little
field, of Oregon, late acting assistant
Surgeon, United States Army; Frederick
W. Cox, of South Dakota, late Captain
and assistant Surgeon, First South Da
kota Volunteers: Gerry e. Driver, of the
District of Columbia, acting assistant
Surgeon, United States Army.
Revenue cutter service Michael N.
Uslna, of Georgia, to be second assistant
engineer.
Young Will Sncceed Slinfter.
General S. M. B, Young, who yesterday
was confirmed a Major-General, has been
chosen to succeed General Shatter in com
mand of the Department of California,
with headquarters at San Francisco. He
will relieve General Shatter about the
middle of March, and the latter, appoint
ed a Major-General in the Army, will be
retired. In accordance with the terms of
the Army reorganization law.
Orders were issued at the War Depart
ment today for the location of the new
light batteries of artillery provided for
In the reorganization law at tho following
points: One each at Fort Myer, Va.;
Fort Sam Houston, Tex.; Fort Leaven
worth. Kan.; Fort Meade, S. D.r Fort
Snelling. Minn.; Fort Hamilotn. N. Y.;
Fort Sheridan, 111.; Vancouver Barracks,
Wash.; Fort Logan, Colo.; and Fort
Ethan Allen, Vt, and two each at Fort
Riley, Kan., and at the Presidio of San
Francisco.
The retirement of Generals John M.
Wilson and Fitzhugh Lee will take ef
fect Immediately after the confirmation of
their nominations as Brigadier-Generals.
General Merriam, commanding the De
partment of Colorado, will take charge
of the Department of the Missouri, in
conjunction with his present duties.
Lieutenant-General Miles has completed
arrangements for the participation of
United States troops in the Inaugural pa
rade. All the availabfa regulars in this
vicinity, numbering about 1000, will be in
line. It Is proposed to have one battalion
of Porto Rlcan native troops take part
in the Darade. The cadets at West Point
I and Annapolis also will be here.
DOINGS OF OREGON LAWMAKERS
SALEM, Feb. 12. At noon today. Repre
sentative Story withdrew the bill creating
the office of public administrator. The
complete exposure of the purpose of the
measure in The Oregonlan this morning
appears to have apprised Mr. Story of its
contents, and he declined to urge it. It
had simply been assigned to him by mem
bers of the Multnomah delegation for In
troduction, and he was not personally re
sponsible for it.
The Sweek bill to empower the Port
land City Council to assign, a park block
to the uses of the Historical Society and
the Native Sons has been laid on the ta
ble by the Multnomah delegation. It is
therefore dead.
Inman's Senate bill 131, which was
passed by the Senate today, amends the
present law so as to require that at all
general elections the polls shall be kept
open until 7 o'clock in the evening. This
change is made for the benefit of men
who work until 6 o'clock in the evening
and cannot leave their work without los
ing time. This bill also provides that tha
polls may be closed a half hour at noon,
but that the judges must keep charge of
the ballot,-box. and that when the count
ing of the ballots has begun it shall con
tinue until the count is complete. The
bill passed without opposition.
The principal object of Hunt's Senate
bill No. 129, to amend the registration law,
is to have the registration books opened
after the June election and prior to the
Presidential election. It also contains a
clause which provides for a change In reg
istration when a voter changes his resi
dence after having been entered on the
registry books. The bill passed the Sen
ate today.
The judiciary committee in the Senate
has repotted favorably on Senate bill No.
4, by Brownell, providing for the election
of district assessors.
Senate bill 163, by Mulkey, to authorize
the Superintendent of the penitentiary to
appoint a matron for that institution, un
derwent some important amendments be
fore it passed the Senate today. Kuyken
dall objected to that feature of the' bill
which put the appointing power into the
hands of the Superintendent of the peni
tentiary, nd asked that this be changed
so that the Governor be the official to de
cide when a matron Is necessary and to
make the appointment. This amendment
was agreed to. Joseph! objected to the
emergency clause, saying that the bill
leaves the appointment to be made whtn
deemed necessary, but that the emergency
clause declares an emergency now exists.
This feature of the bill would seom to be
a declaration by tho Legislature that a
matron should be appointed now, and thus
taking the time of the appointment out
of the discretion of the Governor. The
emeigency clause was stricken out, and
with these amendments the bill passed.
The Daly school bill (Senate bill No. U)
has been in t'ac House for a number of
days. Stewart of Jackson this afternoon
asked that the bill be made a special
order for tomorrow. There was some op
position to this. Stewart remarked that
he had no personal Interest in the bill, but
It was a measure In the Interest of Ore
gon and the children of 'Oregon attending
school. Montague stated he had a bill be
fore the House on third reading, which
he had been waiting patiently for. His
was a bill In the interest of the men of
Oregon who made it possible that their
children had the opportunity to going to
school. He referred to his bill for relief
of veterans of the Indian wars In Oregon.
The motion to make the bill a special or
der was carried, and It will be considered
Wednesday evening.
House bill 44, introduced by McCraken,
appropriating $5000 for aid of the Oregon
Historical Society, came up for consider
ation this morning under a special order.
The House went Into committee of the
whole to consider the bill. Story In the
chair. The bill was read, section by sec
tion, and adopted, there being little or
no opposition. McCraken explained that
the money desired was to be used exclu
sively in the collection of data. He read
a letter from L. B. Cox, treasurer of the
society, setting forth reasons why nn or
ganization of such Importance to Oregon
should bo entitled to assistance from the
state at large. The bill also provides for
the necessary printing by the State Print
er, not exceeding $G00 annually. The bill
was reported back to the House and
passed. The vote was: Ayes, 43; noes, 2;
absent, 15. Colvlg and Rice were the only
members voting against the bill.
Senate bill 155, by Wehrung, to repeal
the law requiring Justices to keep Jury
lists, met a strong opposition when It
came up this afternoon. It was explained
that under the present statutes there are
two modes of drawing a Justice's Jury to
draw It from the regular panel, or to have
the Constable summon a jury of his own
selection. Brownell took the floor and
made a b-lef, but earnest, argument
against the bill. He contended that the
two methods should he allowed to stand,
because if the panel be abolished, It will
be possible for a corrupt Constable to
pack a jury in favor of one side or the
other of every case that comes into the
court. He said that Constables are pre
sumed to be honest, but since United
States Senators may be bribed to vote
against the Nicaragua Canal, It Is possi
ble that a Constable may sometimes be
Induced, for considerations of friendship,
favor or money, to select a jury satis
factory to the attorney on one side of a
case. He thought this measure would
place too much power In the hands of
one man. Kelly spoke In favor of the re
peal of the panel system, saying that it
Is an out-of date system, which has noth
ing in reason to support It. Under that
system a man has no right to challenge a
Juryman for cause. The new system he
thought far more satisfactory and cheaper
to the county. The bill passed by a vote
of 18 to 10.
"I vote 'no'! I think the passage of
this bill is very poor policy Indeed." such
was the declaration made by President
Fulton this morning when his name was
called In the final passage Of Senate bill
130, to prescribe the costs to be allowed
to prevailing parties In suits, actions and
other court proceedings. This bill, as in
troduced by Senator Sweek, made provis
ion for costs in only such cases as have
been provided heretofore. The judiciary
committee amended the bill by providing
for the payment of costs to a defendant
when he shall be acquitted of the charge
against him. This measure. If it should
become a law, will prove very expansive
to the counties, and will open the way to
almost unlimited abuses. The bill allows
the defendant $20 If he be acquitted of a
felony, and $10 If acquitted of a misde
meanor. President Fulton said after adjournment
that he could not understand what the
Senate meant by passing such a bill.
As a matter of fact, the Senate did not
know what it wa3 doing. With but very
few exceptions, the Senators were busily
reading The Morning Oregonlan, which
had Just been laid upon their desks, and
each answered "aye" in a mechanical
sort of way, without having any Idea of
the salient features of the measure upon
which he was voting. Marsters and the
President were the only ones who voted
"no." Chairman Kelly, of the Judiciary
committee, explained the new features of
the bill, before it was put on final pass
age, but he did not succeed In attracting
the attention of the Senators from their
papers.
True Temperance Reform.
Savannah News.
The way to secure prohibition is by per
suading people to give up the drinking of
intoxicaants. When the desire for drink
is conquered, there will be no need of
smashing saloons, because there will be
none. The cause for the saloon will have
Lbeen removed.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Today's Senatorial forecast Hazy.
The race horse will soon be the only
survivor of his kind, and he Is going fast.
Mr. Bryan has one consolation. Tho
Rev. Mr. Sheldon got out a worso pa
per. J. Pierpont Morgan Is keeping so quiet
that it seems likely he Is harmonizing tho
powers In China.
If Aguinaldo had not been interviewed
in regular newspaper fashion, we might
hopefully despair of his life.
Whatever may be said against the
Count de Castellane, It cannot be denied
that he is a good spender.
"After me the deluge," observed Mrs.
Nation, as she smote the barrel and a
foaming stream gushed forth.
Chicago, Feb. 12. (Special.) Mrs. Na
tion is expected hare tomorrow and tho
approaches to all the saloons have been
mined.
General Hohenzollern has returned to
Germany, and Is following his regular oc
cupation of causing tha arrest of peoplo
for lese majeste.
It was real mean of Wllhelmlna to bull
the Duke market by offering a crown as
an additional attraction to the fortune
which has always been the prevailing
price.
Twenty-five election repeaters wero ar
rested In St. Louis Monday, and con
demned themselves to a severe punish
ment by admitting that they came from
Chicago.
It has been proven that a Chicago man
has two wives, but the state locks a
law to convict him. He will reap the
reward of his misdeeds, however, if he
ever tries to get into Congress.
Alfred Harmsworth says Edward VII
would have made a good newspaper man
if he had devoted himself to that call
ing. However, there Is almost as much,
money In his present Job, and the work
is lighter.
Representative Alien, of Mississippi, la
especially olever in negro dialect stories,
one of which he told In Washington the
Other night when he had assembled his
friends for the hog and hominy feast. It
was a conversation between two darkles
on his plantation.
"Moso," said one of the negroes to tho
other, "do you know them niggers down
on Catfish P'lnt?"
Catfish Point, Mr. Allen explains. Is a
bend in the river.
"Sure." says Mose.
"Do you 'member the gal I was paying
my civilities to?"
"Sut'nly."
"Dey has been tellln' dat gal that I
am tho Bneakingest, onerarlest nigger that
ever came down to the P'int."
"U'm," says Mose.
"And dey tells her, too, that I am tho
laziest, trlfllngest nigger dat ever was."
"Did dey tell dat gal that you was
dat kind of a nigger?" asked Mose.
"Dey sut'nly did."
"Well." said Mose, "dey has got you
located sho' enuff."
Mr. J. W. Redington, the editor-poet,
whose mission at present Is giving to the
world the Heppner Gazette, has brought
forth a special holiday number (the holi
day being, presumably, St. Valentine's
day), which is a model of typographical
elegance, as well as an encyclopedia of
useful information and a repository of
wit and humor. The serious portion is de
voted to descriptions of the manifold re
sources of the county which "raises wool
to warm the world," while the humor
ous supplement contains much Invaluable
matter received too late for publication in
the more pretentious sheet, and is hand
somely illustrated with portraits of emi
nent newspaper men by the talented
brush of the editor. A striking feature Is
a life-like etching of a famous Umatilla
brave, which is bo awe-inspiring as to
make the beholder shudder at sight of it.
Mr. Redington has fed his flocks on tho
Heppner hills for many years, and thero
Is no one better fitted to write of their
beauty and fertility. Tho Heppner Ga
zette Is always bright and Interesting, but
this latest issue eclipses all its predeces
sors and deserves the fame it will with
out doubt achieve.
PLEASANTRIES OF rARAGRAPHERS
"That's right, my boy; I am glad you havo
thrashed the miller's son. But what had ho
done to you?" "He said I looked like you.
father." Tlt-Blts.
"I shall make a fortune out of my new mu
sical box. Tou put a penny In the slot and"
"And the thins plays a. popular air?" "No,
It stops playing one." Tlt-Blts.
Suicidal. "I hear a lot of the rich younj
men In town have organized a suicide olub."
"Yes. They're killing themselves with lata
hours and high living." Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin.
Late Realization. "I now realise," said tho
pig, as they loaded him In the wagon bound
for the butcher's, "I now realize that over
eating tends to shorten life." Indianapolis
Press.
"What are you crying for?" asked the kind
oM lady. "I Jes' lost a nickel," DiUDDerea xno
boy. "Never mind; here's another for you.
How dW you lose It?" "Shootln craps."
Philadelphia Record.
Prosperity. The farmers of New England
hav e ,become bo prosperous In the last few
years. It Is said, that they actually buy their
growing boys clothing that fits when It is new.
Petrolt Journal.
Affairs. "Is It a. fact that Mrs. Van XJpan
up's ball was a larger affair than Mrs. Da
Paster-Stone's?" "Oh, decidedly! Mrs. Van
Upanup had fully 3000 detectives at her ball,
whereas Mrs. De Paster-Stone had
scant 2300." Detroit Free Press.
A Ray of Hope.
Baltimore American.
What can tile drudging rhymester do,
Who dally grinds his grist.
Who every morn must Hit his lay.
Or payday he'll be missed?
He smuggles close unto the mu3e,
And begs her for a smile.
And then some reader says that he
"Has some one else's style."
Ef he puts down a homely thought
In homely word and dress.
An' aualntly turns his homely phrase.
With homely earnes'ness.
Some feller In th rearmos' seats .
U rise an say 'at It
"Is very much like somepln else
at Whltcomb Riley writ."
Or If he droons It tenderly.
With graee and gentle swing.
And sings a song of happiness.
Wherein the Joybells ring.
Somebody sniffs at every line,
Aad at the verses smites
With, "He has tried to do the sort
That Frank I Stanton writes."
And if he write with words that fight.
In cadence grand and grum.
Where cannons crash and sabers flash.
Where roars tha rolling drum.
Then, to a man, the critic clan j
Will growl. In tones accursed,
"That style is very good, you know.
But Kipling bad it first."
And so it goes whate'er we think.
Some other man has thought.
There is no meter, rhyme nor style
Some other man has not.
Some day some glorious day perhaps.
Ere he goes on the shelf.
Eaeh drudging rhymester may be charged,
"He imitates himself."