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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1901)
B TFIE MORXIXO OTJEOONIAX, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1U01. fcte rjegorocm Entered at the Postofllce at Portland. Oregon, as second-class matter. TELK PHONES. Editorial Rooms 100 1 Business Otnce...CC7 REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance . Dally, with Sunday, per month $ W Dally, Sunday excepted, per year 7 50 Dally, with Sunday, per year...., 0 W Sunday, per year - 00 The Weekly, per year 1 So The "Weekly, 3 months SO To City Subscribers Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays excepted.ISc Dally, per week, delivered, Sunday: lncluded.tWc POSTAGE RATES. United States, Canada and Mexico: 10 to 10-page paper lc 10 to 32-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion Intended for publication In The Oregonlan should be addressed invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name or any individual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addressed simply 'The Oregonlan." The Oregonlan does not buy poems or otorles from individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts bent to it without solici tation. No stamps thould be inclosed Tor this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson, offlce at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box D"3, Tacoma Postomce. Eastern Business Office 47. 48. 49 and 50 Tribune building. New York City: 409 "The Rookery," Chicago; the S. C. Beckwlth special agency. Eastern representative. For sale in San Francisco by J. IC Cooper. 740 Market street. nar the Palace Hotel; Gold smith Bros.. 236 Sutter street; F. W. Pitts. 100S Market etreet. roster &. Orear. Ferry news stand. For sale in Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner. 209 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines. 100 So Spring street. For sale in Chicago by the P. O. News Co.. 217 Dearborn street For sale In Omaha by II. C Shears, 105 N. Sixteenth street, and Barkalow Bros.. 1C12 Fa mam street. For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake New Co . 77 W. Second South street. For ale in New Orleans by Ernest & Co.. 115 Royal etreet. On file in Washington. D. C, with A. TV. Dunn. 500 14th N. "W. For sale In Denver. Colo., by Hamilton & K-ndrick. 000-912 Seventh street. TODAY'S "WEATHER. Occasional showers; orjer. southerly winds. PORTLAXD, THUKSDAY, FEH. 2S. The seclusion of a private dining stall, especially In a restaurant where liquors are served with meals, Is an effective promoter of immorality, and therefore the hope of the Law Enforce ment League to keep girls out of such places when accompanied by men is in the right direction. Amid all the blackness of a great city, nothing Is so unmitigatedly devilish as the seduction of young girls, which, unless restrained, becomes a great system whose con spirators number hackdrlvers, bartend ers, waiters, messenger boys, lodging-house-keepers and sometimes, alas, un worthy members of the police force. Our numerous letters from "mothers" have served to bring out the fact, often overlooked, that "while the average run of young persons are what they are made in the home, there are unex plained incorriglbles for whom every resource of affection and discipline is exerted In vain. To surround such with all preventive devices possible Is so ciety's duty in self-defense, though it must ruefully be confessed the chances are on the side of failure'. Every ex perienced criminal officer knows how Impossible It often seems to bring any efficient Influence or force to bear upon "n the young scapegrace of either sex who is btnt upon self-destruction. Yet there r numbers in whose cases the differe nce between vice and virtue lies alto gether in that momentous circumstance called opportunity. The door through rhlch numberless girls pass to perdi- ion is the one that leads to the wine oom or the restaurant's private stall, t is well worth while to try to close it. A psychological explanation of the Uniontown woman's awful murder of her six children to save them from "the evil to come" appears to be that in a slightly deranged mind the logic or religious teaching temnorarilv over whelmed the promptings of natural af- lection. The woman is well-educated and religious It is a part of her creed tfcat in the other world those who left this one in a sinless state are supremely nappy, but if they are spared to walk this vale of tears they are certain to suffer and almost certain to sin. If . this is true, why is it not the part of parental love to Insure them the bet ter part before their tender souls have known the touch of earthly misery and remorse? There is no flaw in this logic. Grant the premise and there is no es cape from the conclusion. With the well-ordered mind the theory is often cherished, but without the moral cour age to apply its corollary. The believer in a blessed state for the sinless dead does not shield and nourish his off spring because he thinks they are bet ter off here, but because he Is too self ish to undergo the pang of deprivation. If death comes In natural or at least unavertable ways, we give thanks that they are better off, but we should not think of grieving at their misfortune if they rise from the sickbed to resume their struggles and failures. The truth is, that the life beyond the grave is not a demonstration, but a hope. The pro fession of knowledge concerning it is a power in the world, but it is false. The mind that pushes it to its logical application we call Insane. It is to be regretted that the Legis lature could not see its way clear to appoint a committee to report at the next session a plan for taxing corpora tions. The most impressive phenom enon of our fiscal situation is that wealth is no longer reached by the old methods of assessments. We tax visi ble property, but our Industrial civili zation has brought into existence an Immense number of money-making con cerns that have little or no visible property. The old method simply breaks down. The tax on real estate In all our large cities is a heavy burden. Railroad companies holding visible property in real estate and franchises are heavily taxed, so are small manu- I facturlng corporations. Banks are ifi.ily taxed, but express companies escape the taxation of railroad compa nies, and so do telephone companies. Telegraph companies avoid local taxa tion and yet evade Federal supervision. Electric light companies are equally fortunate. Great manufacturing com panies, "trusts," are incorporated in one state, manufacture in another, sell in a third, and escape fair taxation. The large profits and dividends of these corporations imply their ability to bear an equitable share in the bur dens of taxation. The great papers of the East recite these facts, and clamor for tax reform that will reach these corporations and make them contribute reasonably to the public revenue. In some states, notably Iowa and New Jer- sey, ways have been found to reach these sources of money-making through taxes on franchises, earnings, etc. This should be done in Oregon. Our ex penses are Increasing in every way, and In many ways that are natural and proper; but our revenues are increased only by clapping heavier burdens on stocks of goods and real estate. This Is disastrous, and in the end it will injure irreparably the very beneficiaries of the injustice. Portland's street rail ways, for example, would profit in the long run if pressure on real estate should be lightened so as to duplicate the suburban boom we had here a few years ago. Their receipts would be doubled, because thousands would ride who are now huddled in the metropol itan district. Unequal burdens upon one class eventually press down upon all. Who has got the money that ought to go to Indian War Veterans? "Well, the .people who have it and who are enjoying their ill-gotten gains, at the expense of these old heroes are no other than the fraudulent pensioners who al ready encumber the rolls by thousands. The only defense in Congress agalns the Indian War bill is that it -will open the door to other bills and swamp an already overloaded pension budget. Some of these bills that are feared arc doubtless meritorious, but It is well un derstood that if they are passed, our liheral rulings will let In a horde of unworthy claimants. If the pensloas paid survivors of the Civil War had been kept within just and honest limits, we should not now be obliged to turn away from the Treasury these white haired veterans of a long-gone strug gle. Here we have a practical demon stration of the dangers that have long been foreseen in the pension theory ex pressed by Tanner and echoed all over the country "God help the surplus 1" Pigheaded and not over-scrupulous per sons have maintained that It made no difference -whatever how loosely pen sion rulings were made or how reck lessly private bills were railroaded through Congress and forced through the White House by threats, no harm would result. There would never come a reckoning, the money would hold out In unfailing stream. Every man of sense can see upon reflection, and our Indian War Veterans should be able to see now without reflection, that the Im mense volume of fraudulent pensions deprives them of their rightful pen sions. There would be money enough to do justice by them and by every other deserving claimant on the Gov ernment's bounty, if none but the de serving had been recognized. The In dian War Veterans' pensions have been collected and spent by deserters and widows born after the war. I1WCII LA1V. Indiana Is the scene of the latest il lustration of mob murder. Justice Brewer, of the United States Supreme Court, in his recent public address be fore Yale College, called attention to the growing frequency of lynchings, which, he said, have almost "become a habit of the American people." He pointed out that we must rise to a higher plane of civilization, or peace and order and the country's good name will suffer. Justice Brewer is confi dent that "when public sentiment is aroused so as to feel that the safety of the community demands the prosecu tion" of the offenders, lynch law will gadually disappear. It is a mistaken view. So long as there is no energetic, successful prosecution of lynchers as murderers, the practice not only will not be broken up, but will increase, for impunity will be sure to be followed by public Indifference. Lynch law has steadily Increased at the South, and from the border states of the South has spread to the border states of the North, and Is gradually invading the oldest and most law-abiding sections of the country. But the lynching of negroes is not the only ex pression of inexcusable lawlessness throughout the country. In Arlington, N. J., recently, the Rev. John Keller, an Episcopal clergyman of the highest character, was waylaid and shot down by Thomas Barker, and so badly wounded that if he recovers he will oe totally blind in one eye, with every prospect of losing the sight of the other. Barker had no evidence of the truth of the charge except the word of his wife, who is a notorious victim to fits of hysteria. The clergyman was given no opportunity to affirm or deny the accu sation. Barker was judge, jury and ex ecutioner, and shot down his victim without warning or giving him a chance to prove his innocence. This Barker had the courts open to him. If he could have proved his charge, the clergyman would have been fearfully punished; his whole career would have been blasted, and he would have become a conspicuous social out cast. No more terrible punishment could have been Inflicted than would have followed judicial proof that the clergyman had made an Indecent as sault. But this man Barker decided to be a cowardly assassin upon no other proof than the assertion of his wife, who has been regarded by more than one physician as the victim of erotic hysteria. Of course, if every man is to avenge his own wrongs, there Is an end ef civ ilization; for this theory of the govern ment of society Justifies the ferocious brutes who roast negroes In Colorado and Kansas, justifies the "temperance" monomaniacs who smash saloons in Kansas, justifies the shooting of the Rev. Mr. Keller by Barker. The un fortunate clergyman asserts his abso lute innocence in the most solemn terms; his record has been absolutely without reproach; his fellow-clergymen, from his bishop down, stand by him, and are determined that he shall have a full chance to be heard in his own de fense against the atrocious charge made against him. SAMPSON'S LATEST IHtEAIv. The objection made by Admiral Sampson to the promotion of Chief Gunner Morgan to the rank of Ensign that he bad not enjoyed the social advantages which Admiral Sampson held a commissioned officer of the Navy should have enjoyed so that he might represent properly his country in for eign countries particularly, is not well taken. The technical and professional ability of Gunner Morgan was con ceded; there was intimation that he was deficient in moral character,, and beyond that Admiral Sampson had no business to go. The qualification de manded by Admiral Sampson would naturally be possessed by a warrant officer of high ability and reputation in a sufficient degree to fit him decent ly to represent his country in foreign countries. The illustrious Commander Paul Jones was not a man of scientific naval training nor large scholastic knowledge, but he was an able navi gator and a gallant sailor, who repre sented his country with distinction at the court of France and at the court of Russia. Our great naval heroes of the Civil War, Farragut and David D. Porter, were graduates of no naval academy, but both graduated as "midshipmltes" from the fighting decks of the famous Commodore Porter, of the United States frigate Essex. Farragut was not a man of social advantages in his youth; neither was D. D. Porter. Both of these great commanders wore mere boys when they first joined the Navy. When Farragut went abroad in the Franklin, after the Civil War, he had no social accomplishments to commend him; he was not a scholar; he was nothing but a great naval commander. What is true of Farragut was true of Lord Nelson and his great naval con temporaries. A warrant officer who is professionally competent and Is of good personal character Is fit for promotion In a profession where courage and abil ity in battle rather than elegance In the drawing-room Is the test of merit. The famous English Admiral Rodney, who destroyed the French fleet of De Grasse In the West Indies, and Sir John Jervis, who won St. Vincent, were both rough and ready sailors, who, on the score of social talents, could hardly have passed muster with Admiral Sampson. A XOTAIIM3 CEXTKXXIATi. Next to the world's fair, the celebra tion of the centennial of the Louisiana purchase will signalize an event of the greatest importance to the United States. This purchase stands definitely for expansion the means by which the Nation has extended Its borders from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and out beyond to the Islands of the sea; for the growth that has added to the thirteen original colonies which fought back the encroachments of George III, a wide domain an empire the vastness of which a hundred years ago was unguessed. To celebrate the centennial of this acquisition a $10,000,000 exhibi tion will be held in 1903 in St. Louis as the representative and largest city within the boundaries of the Louisiana purchase. To insure the funds neces sary for the success of the exhibit. Congress at first pledged $5,000,000 if St. Louis would raise a similar sum. Upon the assurance of the Secretary of the Treasury that this stipulation was met and that the money was already available in the coin of the realm, the additional $5,000,000 was voted from the Federal Treasury without conditions or restrictions. It is thus that the Louis iana Purchase centennial fund is on hand two years before the celebration, in Its completeness, will be due. It has been cited in this connection that no single official act of Thomas Jefferson, except perhaps drafting the Declaration of Independence, Is more significant or of greater or more far reaching importance, literally as well as in a more subtle sense, than his negotiation of the Louisiana purchase. At that time the Mississippi River was the western boundary of the United States. Population was sparse and be set by the perils of savage warfare in the Eastern valley of the great river; in the western valley it was confined to a few adventurous explorers, hunters and trappers. A century and the Lou isiana purchase have transferred the center of the country's population to within a few miles of what was then its extreme frontier. A century and three quarters of occupancy had been neces sary to plant 5,000,000 people in the New World; another century has suf ficed to add 70,000,000. Without the Louisiana purchase this wide expansion and vast increase in population would have been impossible. It is befitting, therefore, that the centennial of this tremendous advance step should be cel ebrated and that the entire country should participate in the festivities as by act of Congress It will In the cost of the celebration. With the money already in hand and two years in which to work out the details of this vast un dertaking, this centennial should be made a notable and surpassingly suc cessful celebration. Even Chicago, with the grand record of the world's fair behind her, can afford to congratulate SL Louis, if a centennial that stands for so much in our history eclipses her efforts, though held In St. Louis. DOXE D1FFEHEXTLY IX RUSSIA. History will probably never offer a more impressive demonstration in the remedial power of a sound currency superseding a debased one than the past three years have witnessed in Rus sia. The steps Included a variety of vigorous measures which had to be taken in flat opposition to determined public sentiment. The masses clung to their depreciated silver and old shin plasters with desperation born of Imme morial habit and ignorant prejudice, and other Interests, such as brokers and landowners, preferred the old basis for reasons of their own. Decision was made to substitute gold coins and bank paper based on gold for the existing fluctuating circulation; the gold rubles were made universal legal tender; gold contracts were enforced by law; silver was denied legal tender in amounts larger than 25 rubles, or $1S; the cir culating notes, tantamount to bank notes, were made redeemable in gold on demand; the mint was opened to 'the free coinage of gold, and the old paper currency was started upon a process of withdrawal and destruction. This Is a comprehensive and sum mary programme- which could only be carried out by an autocratic govern ment, "and would be Impossible with us or with any government responsive to the desires of the masses, until im mense mischief had been wrought by delay -incident to education of or Indi rect pressure upon the people. In Rus sia what was right and necessary to be done was no sooner apprehended than it was put into effect; but how far we are from that fortunate state is re vealed in the strenuous opposition that still effectually resists perfection of our currency system. Newspapers and magazines have to popularize questions that can at best be only dimly com prehended by the general mind, reform committees, currency conventions and commercial organizations have to be enlisted In the cause, and National campaigns have to be fiercely fough with every weapon that hands can "be laid on, before we can even get the country committed theoretically to the gold standard, to say nothing of put ting into effect the necessary machin ery to maintain it. The Russian achievement Is most im- pressive in its results,, as we have said. Paper currency has declined from 1121 million rubles In 1897 to 560 million rubles at the close of 1900, while no less sum. than 500 million rubles In gold had been forced Into the general circu lation, not counting 1500 million rubles of gold remaining in the Imperial Bank. Savings banks, few In number before, now aggregate 4S35 establishments, with nearly 700 million rubles of de posits.: The governmental debt to the bank has been reduced from 700 million rubles in 1S90 to 100 million rubles in 1S99, and since then has entirely disap peared from the balance sheets. Meanwhile the. Russian financial world has notably improved Its status. Discounts at the Imperial Bank were 161 million rubles In 1S99 and 221& mil lion rubles in 1900; Russian securities have been floated freely everywhere; uncounted millions of foreign capital have floated freely Into the empire for development work; large credits have been opened for Russian banks in Euro pean and American banks; Importers' balances, once promptly collected, are suffered to remain on deposit in St. Pe tersburg for long periods at prevailing rates of interest, and foreign exchange, once fluctuating from rumors and local conditions, now holds strictly to gold values, and is expressed in rubles In stead of marks, francs or "sterling." Nothing in all this interesting story 1s so startllngly suggestive of the power and resources behind this reform as the gold backing for notes and the meas ures recently taken for warding off trouble. The aggregate of all notes that can be Issued Is fixed at 600 mil lion rubles, against which sum 300 mil lion rubles In gold must be held by the Imperial Bank; while every issue in ex cess of the 600 million must be covered by gold, ruble for ruble. This basis is excessive and costly, but It shows de termination to maintain the parity at all hazard; and doubtless the loss through unemployed gold will not In the end compare with that sustained in the United States through the green back and silver crazes. Last Fall there was In Russia the menace of a finan cial crisis, and the inflationist party were for hurrying out the Treasury's holdings into circulation. Instead of that the government empowered the Imperial Bank to lend money on bonds and shares of private corporations, up to 60 and 75 per cent, respectively, of their marketable value; discounts were accepted for six months Instead of three; Interest on deposits was stopped, so as to force money into circulation. The trouble was averted, the treasury's holdings remained Intnct, and the cur rency secure. Operations of this Arm and beneficent character would be im possible In the United States. Nothing In this world is free. Popular govern ment has its price. It is a matter of regret that the bill looking to the completion of the fund for the erection of a monument to the dead of the Second Oregon failed to pass. A rider, in the shape of an amendment including the dead of the Civil, Mexican and Indian Wars within the state in the memorial, was placed upon the Senate bill by the House, which proved too heavy for the meas ure. It was held by the Senate, when called to consider the amendment, that, since the appropriation was merely supplementary to the popular subscrip tion fund already on hand for the erec tion of the monument to the soldiers of the Second Oregon, It would not be proper to divert this from Its original purpose by making the monument a joint memorial to the dead of other wars. It is probable that with more time to devote to the legislative busi ness of the session and less given to wrangling on the Senatorial question, an adjustment of the matter would have been reached by a conference be tween the two bodies, and the bill carry ing the appropriation asked would have been passed. The Indiana lynching and its attend ant atrocities is but another proof of the contagion of lawlessness. While the crime for which the negro, George Ward, suffered death at the hands of the Terre Haute mob was most atro cious, the ravlsher and murderer was In jail awaiting trial and sure convic tion and execution Indiana not being one of the states that refuses to inflict capital punishment. Experience has shown that- lawless and barbarous exe cutions do not act as a deterrent to crime. On the contrary, there Is con clusive evidence on every hand that brutality begets brutality and In creases lawlessness. The life of Ward was justly forfeit to society, and the exaction of the extreme penalty by dig nified and stern process of law was de manded. Falling to Insist upon and se cure the orderly condemnation and ex ecution of this criminal, the common wealth of Indiana has suffered disgrace and its civilization reproach. The wreck of the steamship Rio de Janeiro was located without difficulty. The bodies of those who went down with the vessel In the darkness and the fog are still imprisoned in her cabins and steerage. The owners of the vessel will use every endeavor to release the dead and raise the ship, though there Is little promise that this purpose will be accomplished. Kindly, even af fectionately, remembered on the Pacific Coast as the "friend of the volunteers," Captain Ward's fate Is mourned as that of a brave and generous man. In whose just estimation a sick man was a sick man, whether an officer in the Army or a private in the ranks, and was treated accordingly. The Oregonlan would call a hide bound Democrat one who would vote for the mischief and folly of free silver just because and only because Mr. Bryan put it Into the platform. It would call a hidebound Republican one who would vote for the ship subsidy bill and extreme "protection" meas ures merely because Boss Hanna or dered It. London military experts have figure! that the end of the Boer War will take place July 1. They figure it that close ly In order that England may be pre pared to celebrate the Fourth of July. Where now Is poor BIngor, with the revised Republican push? A strange dummy was poor Binger, to be made a puppet in such fashion. The Lenten season of penance comes opportunely after a Legislative session of 40 days and 40 nights. Oregon, is a lucky state, after all. The Legislatures of Washington and Idaho arc still in session. VIEWS OF MITCHELL'S ELECTION Senator John H. Mitchell has been elect ed United States Senator for Oregon. He is a man of long experience In National legislation, an able man and a friend to the state he represents. He will dis tinguish himself In the future, as he has done in the past, by attending closely to great National questions and matters per taining to the best Interests of Oregon. Baker City will no doubt find Senator Mitchell working for and securing a United States assay office, as well as a school of mines, which Is provided for in each arid land state in the contemplated Irrigation law. Baker City Republican. The party has saved the state's repre sentation In the Senate, has given to the state her full representation there, has sent to the Senate the man who Is acknowledged to be the best and most successful worker for Oregon ever In the Senate. The state Is on the eve of a won derful development. She needs a full and able representation at Washington. The union forces have been the means of thus putting the state In the way of progress. This much has been achieved, and It is to be hoped, at least by the union forces, that the party has been strengthened. Lebanon Express-Advance (Dem.). Senator Mitchell Is a man of recog nized ability and will immediately take high rank in the councils of the McKln ley Administration, outclassing any other man from the Pacific Coast States. Hav ing long been an attorney for large rail way corporations the Administration will have an able co-worker in Its sys tematic opposition to the construction of the Nicaragua Canal. The opposition on the part of either is not likely to be made openly, but with diplomatic tangles and other devices the work will be postponed from time to time through an Indefinite period. Along Its other lines, Mr. Mitchell readily coincides with the policy of the present Administration. Roseburg Re view. Partisanship ought to be subordinated, to patriotism and the Democrats who voted for John H. Mitchell for United States Senator deserve to be complimented upon their appreciation of that fact. The Interests of the state demanded that it should be fully represented In Congress. When It became unmistakably evident that no one but ex-Senator Mitchell could be elected, the man of whatever party who refused to cast his ballot for him was recreant to his trust and deserves the condemnation of his constituents. Whatever their personal or partisan preju dices may have been, there was nothing which could have been said against the popular candidate, and there Is little rea son to expect that any man who cast his vote for him will have cause to re gret that unselfish step. Astoria Astorlan. By this selection this Legislature has somewhat redeemed its unenviable record and Is to be congratulated upon making such a wise and generally satisfactory se lection of a United States Senator. Mr. Mitchell's long and able service in the interests of his stato renders an Intro duction through our columns altogether unnecessary. Suffice us to gay, however, no man on Oregon's fair roll of honor stands higher In the estimation of the people generally and Is better equipped and qualified to serve the Interest of our growing state In the United States Sen ate than Hon. John H. Mitchell. His former long service In a like capacity will enable him immediately upon taking his chair In the Senate to exert his old-time influence and take up the work in the interest of his state and the Pacific North west without any delay or confusion. Roseburg Plalndealer. The election of John II. Mitchell by the Oregon Legislature as United States Senator will give general satisfaction to the people of the state. Oregon never had an abler representative at the Na tional capital. He is everywhere recog nized as a broad-minded statesman, a strong, vigorous man of ripe Intellect, who ranks with the truly great men of the Nation. He is a man who has always stood high in the counsels of the Repub lican party, who has never failed In his duty to his party or to the interests of the people, and Is in thorough accord with the National Administration on all pub lic questions affecting the welfare of the country. His election will give Oregon a powerful friend In dealing with the questions arising out of the changed con ditions in the Philippines and the Orient. Oregon Is to be congratulated In the elec tion of Mr. Mltcholl as United States Senator. Albany Herald. John H. Mitchell, United States Senator-elect from Oregon, occupies a posi tion In American politics not reached by any other man. Mr. Mitchell, always a Republican, has twice been elected by aid of votes of the opposite party. Twice has he snatched victory from his opponents, not In the eleventh hour, but even after the twelfth hour had elapsed, and twice has he wrested from Henry W. Corbett, at periods 2S years apart, the legislative plum that seems to be coveted by nearly all Americans of wealth and Influence. It will compel Oregon voters to devise some method whereby the domi nant party will have chosen Its candi date before the Legislature meets; when the dominant party will have chosen Its man In such emphatic manner that no legislator of Its political faith will dare to go back on the mandates of his con vention. Apparently there is no hope that the Senate of the United States will allow the people of the several states to select Senators by direct vote. Spokane Spokesman-Review. When Senator-elect Mitchell takes his sent In the Senate some curiosity will be manifested as to which party he will sup port. Mitchell was at one time a Repub lican In good standing, but since his term in the Senate expired he has been uncer tain in his party relations. The fight be tween Corbett and Mitchell has been fac tional and personal to a degree which pre vents an exact estimate as to the Influ ence pending political Issues have had up on the result. About the only thing certain Is that both wanted to go to the Senate. Corbett has been the stronger man in his party, but Mitchell seems to have been the stronger man out of it. Mitchell openly bolted the Republican ticket In the last election, and wa strong enough, through an alliance with Democrats and Populists, to carry Mult nomah County, which ordinarily gives a Republican majority. It Is probable that the advancing age of Mr. Corbett has had some effect upon the result. Senators have been elected who were older than Mr. Corbett, but in mdst cases they were in possession of the office and had con trol of the machine. Corbett has been out for some years and has not for some time been in favor at Washington. San Francisco Bulletin. Senator Mitchell has always been a pop ular man. In the Senate In years past he performed excellent work for the state, and doubtless he will do so again. He Is a very able politician and one who is close to the McKInley Administration, which most likely rendered him some consider able assistance In attaining his latest vic tory. Pendleton East Oregonlan. The Legislature did as well as it could have done under the circumstances In the election of John H. Mitchell to succeed Senator McBride. It Is much better for the State of Oregon to have Its full rep resentation In the Senate than to have a vacancy. Whether agreeing with Senator Mitchell's past or present views on the leading political questions, there can be no dissent from the fact that he is a man of great standing and ability and at the same time a courageous worker for the general Interests of the state. His pre vious record in the United States Senate Is one which brought distinction and credit to the State of Oregon, and when he drops back Into his old place he will be In a position to take up the work prac tically where he left off In 1S97, when his defeat wns accomplished by a discred itable and revolutionary method In hold ing up the Legislature. La Grande Chronicle. AN EXTRA SESSION UNNECESSARY New York Times. A person vaguely described as a Senator gives to our neighbor, the Sun, a concise summary of the situation in the legisla tive department of the Government at Washington: If the legislation now mapped out tor pass age by the majority party In Congress that Is, the appropriation bills and the Spooner amend ment to the Army appropriation bill giving the President power to establish civil govern ment in the Philippines Is enacted, and the Cuban Question settled In a way entirely sat isfactory to the United States, the extra ses sion will not be called. If the Cuban question Is not so arranged and the new constitution is completed at an early day, an extra ses sion will be called for the consideration of the Cuban question alone, and if the proposed Philippine legislation should fall it will be called for the double purpose of disposing of both questions. Why not say frankly that If an extra session Is summoned It will be for the purpose of passing Mr. Hanna's ship sub sidy bill? There la only a very remote probability that any other public business will demand the presence In Washington of both houses of Congress after March 4. The adoption of the Spooner amend ment Ib almost a foregone conclusion. The President will then have no occasion dur ing the year to ask Congress for further powers of control in the Philippines. The Cuban constitution is finished, and an offi cial copy will be received by the Pres ident within a few days. It may already have come to his hand. But what has Congress to do with that? The President cannot submit the constitution of a for- elgn country to the Congress of this coun try. In General Wood's speech to the constitutional convention, however, he in structed the delegates that it would be their duty "first to frame and adopt a consitution for Cuba, and when that has been done to formulate what, In your opinion ought to be the relations between Cuba and the United States." Congress will have something to say about that. But there will be months of executive negotiation and pondering of the question before it will be In form to submit to the Senate or House: and cer tainly the Interval from March to Decern ber would be none too great for a due preparation of the Congressional mind. A discussion of Cuban relations In Con gress at the present time would be worse than futile. It would reveal only ignor ance and yield nothing but ranting and partisan declamation. From the opponents of the Administration there would come speeches that might do as much harm In Cuba as 'the speeches of Mr. Hoar have done In the Philippines. From Its sup porters we should -werj likely hear ex cited protests against hauling down the flag where it has once been hoisted, with here and there a plea for annexation out right The President and his advisers are in a position to know whether that sort of thing would help them In Cuba. In fact. It would vastly muddle the situation and engender Ill-feeling and distrust among the Cubans. Patience and time will fur nish a. solution of the problem of our rela tlons with Cuba. Congressional discus sion now would almost certainly postpone a settlement that the Executive unaided might easily prepare for submission at the regular session next December. It would be a very wise act for Congress to confer upon the Executive specific author ity for that purpose. Sound Advice to Mr. Morgan. Chicago Tribune. Mr. J. P. Morgan and the other pro moters of the United States Steel Com pany, which is being organized with a stock and bond capitalization of $1,100,000, 000, may as well be warnpd that Its sta bility will depend upon the policy they shall adopt. The public must derive bene fits from the great corporation, or not all the efforts of the multl-mllllonalres who are behind It can insure It a lasting life. To live It must produce cheaply and must use Its advantage to extend the mar ket for its products In foreign countries and to maintain low prices to domestic consumers. The adoption of this course will be. In part, a new departure. Hitherto, It has been the Indefensible policy of the great steel manufacturers to sell more cheaply to foreigners than to Americans, though the latter are their best customers. These manufacturers have felt that they could do this with safety because a tariff wall shelters them from the possibility of com petition In the home market. Having the power to discriminate against their own countrymen, they have exercised It with out the slightest hesitation. There has been much complaint of this practice. It has become more vehement as the size of the corporations which have been the chief offenders has Increased. It Is proposed now to call Into being a steel and Iron colossus which shall be the master of these Industries in this country. Men who have seen dangers in the estab lishment of n corporation with a capital ization of $100,000,000 or J200.O00.000, will be lieve that a corporation with a capitaliza tion of more than $1,000,000,000, having un checked control of a great Industry, must not be put up with, especially If it shall make use of that control to sell cheap to foreigners and dear to Americans. The only Justification for the existence of such a corporation will be a lowering of the price of its products, in which Americans as well as foreigners shall participate. Whatever may be the policy of the United States Steel Company, It Is certain that It will not need the protective duties of the Iron and steel schedule of the Ding ley law. It Is admitted that the Amer ican manufacturers of these products can undersell the world now and can do so in definitely. Yet there are tariff-mongers who say these duties should not be touched. They pretend to be disturbed about the so called "small producers." This solicitude for the welfare of three "small producers" would be wasted if genuine. It is not genuine or sincere. Duties or no duties, the smaller manufacturers will have little chance in competition with this colossus which Is soon to bestride the country. The United States Steel Company, with Its capitalization of $1,100,000,000. will make short work of domestic competitors when It pleases, and will be able to take care of itself In contests with foreign rivals If Iron and steel and their" products are put on the free list. Consequently, the first thing Congress should do Is to make almost a clean sweep of the duties set forth in the Iron and steel schedule. The duties on a few articles may be permitted to remain for the pres ent, but the bulk of them should go. They are no longer needed. They have ceased to be beneficial and have become harmful. .MDt Give It Up. Philadelphia Record. Within the country as well as without people have grown weary of a jealous system of tariff exclusion. The pretence that American export trade In manufac tures owes Its expansion to this system Is refuted by the evidence that this trade took new wings during the brief existence of the much slandered Wilson tariff. Nothing is more clear than that the Re publican party can remain no longer united as the champion of a policy which not only fosters Industrial monopoly at home, but Invites warfare upon American commerce abroad. Quite the Ununl Wny. Washington Times. It seems to be settled that Mr. Hanna is to occupy with Mr. McKInley the state carriage In the inaugural procession. Why such an obviously proper and even neces sary arrangement should occasion sur prise in any quarter is something that we cannot understand. Has It not always been the rule for the retiring and incoming Presidents to J ride together? NOTE AND COMMENT. - Spain has no more colonies to oppress, so she is fighting with herself. The mountain lions will not miss Teddy, and he missed very few of them. We can't play in Cuba's yard unless some big boy is fighting with Cuba. The frost which causes the annual de struction of the peach crop is about due in Delaware. A London nobleman has recently mar ried a chorus girl, thus founding a very ancient family. "Give me Democracy," says Croker. Why should he ask for what Is already his, body and soul. It Is too bad to abolish the pneumatic tuoe service, when the senate nas ex pended enough wind on it to run it for 10 years. When two Chinese officials lose their heads In one day, It is very evident that the Oriental nature Is exceedingly excitable. Bryan needs hard times to furnish him, with campaign material, and. judging br his paper, he Is tolerably sure of hav ing a few before very long. The Iowa editor who interviewed Pat Crowe will learn something to his advan tage by communicating with W. R Hearst. Creelman's imagination is likely to wear out some day. Thomas B. Reed is quoted as saying that a great deal of eloquence Is wasted In Congress. He might add that such was the fate of all of that article expended on him while he was speaker. A student in the Maryland Medical Col lege was the other day deprived of his mustache because he was guilty of being a freshman; the fact that he was 32 years old and the father of a family not having any weight In his favor. He promptly had warrants sworn out against the hazers, and the court as promptly fined ?23 the one who had removed the offending mus tache. In pronouncing the fine the Jus tice remarked that the hazer had missed his vocation and ought to have been a barber. The student body is now chucK full of resentment against the hazed man for taking legal action and against the Justice for making impolite remarks. The former is to be ostracized by, not only the upper class, but his own class as well, and as for the justice, condemnatory resolutions are to be drawn up against him. Here is a story they are telling in Europe about the German Emperor: The Kaiser, at a recent review in Berlin, rep rimanded old General von Mecrscbcidt for losing his mind at a critical moment. "IC Your Majesty thinks that I am getting too old, I beg of you to allow me to resign." "No, no," replied the Kaiser, "you are too young to resign. Indeed, if your blood didn't course through your veins quite so fast you would be a more useful army leader." On the evening of that day the Kaiser and the General met at a court ball. The General was talking to some young ladies. "Ah, Meerscheidt." cried William, "that is right; get ready to marry. Take a young wife, then that excltablo temperament of yours will soon vanish." The General bowed low as he retorted: "I beg to be excused, Your Majesty! A young Emperor and a young wife- would be more than I could possibly stand." Who thought he had a splendid show For Concress. but. somehow. ou know. Could never quite contrive to go? Who lay In wait a year or two To bag the game he had In view. For luck must turn, that well he knew? "Who made a fight for Governor, And waxed forsooth exceeding .ore, Tc meet the same fate as before? Who knocked off trying for a spell. And said next tim. whate'er be'fell. He'd land himself in something swell? Who watched the Senatorial race With deeply sympathetic face And hoped himself to get the place? Who found he couldn't stem the tide. And saw that he must still abide Upon the very cold outside? Who's high ambition, to be plain. Within his breast is raising Cain, And raising it. alas! in vain? Who's been In many a hard-fought fight. And alwajs after hnd to write, "I almost won It but not quite"? Inquire at Astoria. PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGHAPHEItS Her Experience. Married Friend Servanta should be kept In their place. The Bride Well. I'm sure I'm willing to offer any rea sonable inducement, but they won't stay! Puck. Dooley What's the matter wld ye. anyhow. Mick all tattered an torrun an' bitten an rcratched all over? Mick Ay. an' me own dog done It! I want hom sober last night, an tho bastf' didn't know me! Puneh. Brlggs Eertler is an ass, that's what ho Is. He is always on the wrong side of every ques tion. Ilarlelgh But he say the rame thing of you. Brlggs Well, and doesn't that prove what I say of him? Boston Transcript. Her Best Friend Oh. it was Just beautiful In you! Singer What? Her Best Filend Why. your refuelnc to sing when you knew how much the zuests did not want you to jIng. and how much you wanted to sing. Tit Bits. Only an Inference. "I see that a grand opera slnzer has refused an offer of $2000 a. week to go Into vaudeville." "What was the matter? Did she receive another offer of $40 or $SO a week that she wan reasonably sure of getting?" Chicago Times-Herald. The Poor Suitor. "Say." said her little brother, "gimme a nickel?" "Why, Tommy," exclaimed her suitor, "are you In the habit of asking people for nickels?" "Xo. I gen er'ly ask for a penny, but I heard ma telling sis this afternoon that you didn't have a. penny to your name." Philadelphia Press A Candid Poet. Bliss Carman. I'm sick of all this puling trash And namby-pamby rot A Pegasus you have to thrash To make him even trot. I'm sick of all this poppycock In bilious green and blue; I'm tired to death of taking stock Of everything that's "new." I want to find a warm beechwood. And lie down and keep still; And swear a little, and feel good; Then loaf up on the hill. And let the Spring houseclean my brain. Where all this stuff 4s crammed. And let my heart grow 3wcet again; And let the age be damned. The Ilenvy l'nst. ' Sidney Lanier. My soul Is palling through the sea. But the Past Is heavy and hlndereth me. The Past hath crusted cumbrous shells That hold the flesh out of cold sea-mells About my soul. The huge waves wash, the high waves roH Each barnacle cllngeth and worketh dole And hlndereth me from sailing! Old Past, let go and drop i the sea Till fathomless waters cover thee! For I am living, but thou art dead; Thou drawest back. I strive ahead The Day to find. Thy shells unbind! Night comes behind, I needs must hurry with the wind And trim me best for sailing.