Morning Oregonian., April 12, 1901, Page 6, Image 6

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PORTLAND, FRIDAY, APRIL 12.
A DECLINE AJfD FALL.
The Baltimore News, an Independent
journal with an Inclination toward the
Democratic party, has an article on the
gradual obscuration and eclipse of Mr.
Bryan, which it entitles "The Waning
of a Leader." Another journal treats
the same topic, under "The Eemains
of a Personage' It has not escaped
any attentive observer that Mr. Bryan's
political prestige shows signs of serious
decline. What is the cause of it?
No doubt in part the utter failure of
all his gloomy predictions as to the dis
asters to be expected from the gold
standard and from rejection of the
monetary and economic theories for
which he stood as chief sponsor in his
party. But, as it seems to us, his Com
moner is the chief agent of his diminu
tion as a political figure. It is a very
ordinary and commonplace thing. In
thought it Is meager, in expression tri
fling and .dull. In Oregon we have had
for years -a number of Populist week
lies, any one of which has more bright
ness and ability and greater range than
Mr. Bryan's. This paper Is a revela
tion of the shallowness and exiguity of
the man's thinking powers. It is let
ting him down; indeed, .has let him
down far already.
And yet .his paper has had a great
deal of aid -from the journalism of the
country. There has been no conspiracy
of silence against It. On the contrary,
its utterances have been llberaliy tele
graphed or clipped, and reprinted. But
those persons who have been looking to
the Commoner for political wisdom and
"keynotes" have been disappointed.
There may be deception in oratory, but
it is not easy to impose on anybody
through printed matter. Cold type is a
hard test of jejuneness and superfi
ciality. The simple fact is, Mr. Bryan
has written himself out of his com
manding position In his party. He has
subjected himself to a test of criti
cism which a man iOf his quality is not
able to meet or withstand. He is on a
level now with the editors of the Popu
list weeklies of the villages of Missouri,
Nebraska and Oregon.
UAXGERS OF OVERCAPITALIZATION
An element of" grave danger is intro
duced into these new and stupendous
industrial combinations by their exces
sive capitalization. We do not look for
scares from Wall-street brokers, but
the danger we speak of Is pointed out m
the current circular of Mr. Henry
Clews, who says:
Some $2,500,000,000 of sound and honest In
dustrial ImestmenW which have rarely seen
the open market have been suddenly converted
Into ?5 000,000,000 of Issues, the larger part of
which is common stock, liable at anj time to
be thrown upon the market. The result of
these conversions Is to put our Industrial sjs
tem largely upon a speculative foundation.
The possibilities of distress through
forced liquidation of these shares in
time of panic are apparent to the most
casual. observer. An incidental reflec
tion is supplied by the San Francisco
Bulletin, which points out that the men
who have buiit up these Industries have
a faculty of getting out safely from
under the reorganization with a com
petence in hard cash or Irreducible se
curities. Mr. Carnegie, for example,
takes some $200,000,000, Mr. Gates of
Chicago proposes to retire. Mr.
Schwab's presidency, heannounces, is
only temporary. Meanwhfiethese vast
issues of stocks are left in other hands.
Mr. Morgan, let us say, controls them;
but he does .not own them. They are
largely owned, especially the common
stock, by the masses in the indirect
form of Investment associations, life
and fire insurance companies, bank bal
ances, trust funds, etc. Once they are
thrown on the market, the -utcome
would be perilous.
In Mr. John Brisben Walker's own
contribution to his magazine, the Cos
mopolitan, for this month, this subject
is discussed in his peculiar socialistic
vein, but with unexpected optimism.
He thinks the Industrial world, held in
Mr. Morgan's hand, will be impregnable
to panic, because Mr. Morgan controls
"the world's money-' supply." But Mr.
Morgan does not control the world's
money supply, and if he did, that Is
not enough. The -one thing Mr. Mor
gan does not control, and here, is the
weak link In his chain, is human na
ture. The man who makes and pre
vents panics must have his hand on
hope and fear, doubt and confidence of
the millions. Get our bank depositors,
who now are legion, into the notion
that speculation has run Its course, and
liquidation is near, and in that subtle
process of mind panic is created before
a single bank has had warning to
strengthen its holdings. Get them into
the notion that-hard times have run
their course, and things are on the 1
mend, and purchases and investments
thus determined on spell prosperity be
fore the bank clearings begin to swell
or jobbers enlarge their credits.
The values resident In industrial
plants are ephemeral. Machinery wears
out, and 6ven before it wears out it is
consigned to the. scrap heap by newer
inventions and cheaper processes and
more acute competitors Of all these
vast capitalizations, how much could
be realised Ave years hence, "when com
petition at home or abroad tries them
to their utmost? There will be wind
and water for the rank and file of in
vestors, but the Carnegles and fateses
are getting out safely before the storm.
LET IT STAND.
The Oregonlan sincerely hopes it has
done the Multnomah delegation In the
Legislature an Injustice In its assertion
that the primary laws enacted are a
bad mess, put through as a fraudulent
concession to the universal popular de
mand for direct primary nominations,
and inspired by one sincere desire, and
that only, viz., the -ascendency of the
Mitchell faction in the Republican
party over the Simon faction. If an in
justice has been done by these asser
tions, time will demonstrate it and The,
Oregonlan will duly express regret for
Its error; but until the primaries are
actually in operation under affirmation
of three conflicting statutes, operative
within two days of each other, or under
affirmation of the most vital of tha
three, even to the overthrow of the
other two, then we shall hold to the
reasonable inference that these jumbles
and Inconsistencies are intentional.
The State of Oregon had an opportu
nity to lead the van of primary reform.
Mr. Bingham's law would have done
the business, but when he went to Sa
lem he was politely, and not over-po-
Jltely either, shown the door. His law,
sincere and. constitutional direct nomi
nation, wasn't wanted. Mr. Morgan
succeeded better, for what reason we
know not, ftnless it was that the Legis
lature was willing to pass a bill which
it believed would be set aside on the
same grounds taken by the California
Supreme Court. The honor of first ac
tion appears, therefore, to belong to
Minnesota, and the St. Paul Pioneer
Press lays claim to It In the following
paragraph, which might have appeared,
or something like it, in The Oregonlan:
Minnesota's example and leadership In the
adoption of a direct primary law applicable to
the whole state will be of untold -value to
other states, whose people are as eager as
our own for a reform In the method of choos
ing candidates. The experiment In Minneapo
lis alone set in motion a current of eager dis
cussion which reached from Maine to Oregon,
and the extension of the experiment, upon
which Minnesota now enters, will carry with
It. as it is told abroad, a most stimulating ef
fect. Had. our Legislature failed to pass the
law, a similar law, now under discussion,
would probably have failed In Wisconsin also.
low the chances are that Wisconsin will add
Its Influence for the reform. It is a high
honor thus to be permitted to pilot the machine-ridden
-voters of forty-five states along a
course which shall reinvest everv freeman
with his former potency in the choice of, pub
lic servants.
Tet all is not lost That Is to say, it
Is possible that the Oregon effort to
sidetrack a reform demanded by the
people, indorsed by the press and by all
parties, recommended by the Governor
to a Legislature nearly all jf whose
members were pledged to it it is pos
sible that this effort may yet be -frustrated
and the reform established.
There Is a way, and that way lies
through acceptance of the Morgan act.
Talk was heard two years ago -about
contesting the registration law. The
somewhat similar act of 18S5 had been
declared unconstitutional, and there
was ground for contesting this one.
Tet no one moved in the matter why?
Because to have done so would have
been to fly In the face of an aroused
public sentiment and a deep-seated
public conviction. By unanimous con
sent the registry system went Into ef
fect, and with all Its imperfections it
has not been repealed or threatened
with repeal, and amended only In a few
particulars, not even Including the
proper proviso that the books should
be opened again between June and No
vember. Why may. not this direct primary
law, imperfect and dishonest though its
form and purpose may have been, be
suffered to stand in the same way?
Who Is going to assume the odium that
must attach to an effort to nullify this
reform? No one need imagine that Its
enemies, If enemies It has, can mas
querade under innocent titles. The real
instigators of a contesting suit will, be
ascertained and published, and unpopu
larity will be their certain reward. It
is not necessary to suppose that the
direct primary law will be assailed In
the courts. Its author, Mr. Morgan, has
been painstaking and sincere In Its
draft He and his advisers think It will
stand and will do the work. We be
speak for It a fair trial.
And even If this law should be at
tacked, it need not lack for friends and
a defense. May we not hope that in
the Supreme Court itself the purifica
tion of our politics will be an object to
receive friendly recognition? There Is
a letter that kllleth and there Is a spirit
that maketh alive. We are not bound
by the adverse California decision any
more than by the favorable Colorado
decision. In Minnesota the efforts to
delay this reform have failed. Why
may they not fall also In Oregon?
SERIOUS GOVERNMENT ERRORS.
The Bureau of Statistics and the Ag
ricultural Department of the Govern
ment have been guilty of some very
costly blunders within the past year.'ij
and the ignorance and stupidity dis
played regarding the wheat crop in Ore
gon and Washington has resulted in
heavy loss to the farmers of those
states. About a "year ago Secretary
Wilson Issued his iamous prediction
that wheat would advance to $1 per
bushel. The American farmers had so
much faith in this agreeable statement
that they overlooked -the unpleasant
fact that all the rest of the world was
selling out from under them at "going
prices." They held so firmly that the
carry-over stock from last season was
the largest on record, and none of it
has commanded as good figures as it
would have brought at the time Secre
tary Wilson aired his views.
The latest exploit of the department
regarding the Oregon and Washington
wheat crop is much more serious, how
ever, than the Ill-advised prediction of
Secretary Wilson regarding prices. The
January summary of commerce and
finance, which appeared a short time
ago, printed an unqualified statement
that the wheat crop of Oregon and
Washington for 1900 amounted to 41,000,
000 bushels. Basing their estimates on
these -figures, the department . last
month issued a report showing a total
of 15.000.000 bushels of wheat .;in arm-
ers' hands" in the two states. This re
port was Incorporated with that from
other states, and the result showed over.
130,000,000 bushels In the United Spates
still "In farmers' hands." Naturally,
the European wheatbuyer placed some
dependence on these statistics, and,
with such a large amount of "wheat to
draw on, could see no reason for ad
vancing prices. Oregon and Washing
ton suffered worse from this misrepre
sentation than other localities, for the
reason that shipowners used these fig
ures as an argument for holding
freights up to a higher figure than was
warranted.
The fact In the case is that the wheat
crop 'of the two states, with that of
Idaho Included, for 1900, did not exceed
35,000,000 bushels. The wheat in farm
ers' hands and in warehouses and mills
In the two states on March 1 was less
than 10,000,000 bushels. The foreign
shipowner, by taking the Government
figures, is accordingly led to believe
that we need fifty ships more than we
actually have the wheat for, and he
bases his rates accordingly. All of this
wild misrepresentation is unnecessary,
uncalled-for and expensive for the
farmer. As early as August 17, 1900,
The Oregonlan printed a summary
made up of reports from special corre
spondents In various points In the three
states. These reports were based on
threshing returns already In, acreage
and condition of the late Spring grain
that had not been cut at that time. The
estimate deducted from these reports
was 33,000,000 to 35,000,000 bushels, sub
ject to change only by damage to the
Spring grain that was not harvested.
The accuracy of this estimate was ad
mitted by the exporters and the rail
road companies long before the January
summary of commerce and. finance was
Issued by the department, and the final
returns on July 1 will sustain Its accu
racy. The same sources from which
The Oregonlan received Its information
were open to the Government, and
there Is accordingly no excuse for such
a flagrant misrepresentation of the size
of the crop. As the matter now stands,
the Government has played into the
hands of men interested in keeping
freights high and making wheat corre
spondingly low.
THE SHOT AT SUMTER.
Today is the anniversary of the firing
on Sumter, the birthday of our great
Civil War. The surrender of Sumter
was no fault of Lincoln's the fort was
doomed before Lincoln was m power
through the miserable weakness of
President Buchanan. Had Buchanan
permitted Anderson to use his guns,
the batteries which drove off the Star
of the West in January, 1861, could not
have been erected, Sumter would have
been saved, and the port of Charleston
held, even as Fort Pickens was relieved
by Commander Porter and the reoccu
patlon of Pensacola assured.. By March
4 Anderson was beyond rescue. Beaure
gard could have compelled his surren
der as early as the middle of February,
1S61, but the able leaders of the seces
sion conspiracy shrewdly bided their
time. When they had'stolen all the de
lay possible from the Government; when
Lincoln's eloquent and touching appeal
to the South of March 4 was still ring
ing in the ears-of Virginia, and seces
sion was trembling In the balance in
that state, the astute leaders of the
great conspiracy bid Beaurogard fire
the fateful shotf andawuen Sumter re
plied there, was a'n eKd of compromlge,
an end"? of' negotiation; sectional pride
and feeling carried the day with thou
sands Qf men who had no sympathy
with secession; no ,love for.lts leaders;
men who loved the flag and hated to
leave jL Lee, Bragg, Longstreet, Jqe
Johnston never stimulated but discour
aged secession as a causeless and fool
ish act, but they all of course ultimate
ly went with their corn fields, stood
up wilh the states of their birthplace,
where their dead were burled.
To break down the resistance of such
men, to sweep them off their feet under
a wave of popular sectional fury and
madness, the original conspirators flreo"
on Sumtei. It was a master political
rather than military stroke. The
speech made by Alexander H. Stephens
before the Georgia convention against
the ordinance of secession, declaiing
that the South had no grievance that
justified secession and war as a Quix
otic cure, had caused a dangerous halt
In the secession movement, In the great
States of North Carolina and Virginia
the opposition to secession was fo
strong that It was necessary to close
the debate by a cannon .shot that would
fire the Southern heart. The shot was
fired and secession rose from the condi
tion of a doubtful plot Into that of a
tremendous open war against the
Union. A great people wild with the
fine enthusiasm that marked the great
uprising after Sumter was something
never before seen In this country, and
It is likely may not be seen again for
centuries. It was a thrilling, exalting,
Inspiring sight then; It is a thrilling
memory to not a few of us on both sides
today. All the really responsible orig
inal conspirators that forced all the
needless woe and Waste of war upon
the Nation are dead; all the great Con
federate Captains are dead save Long
street; all' the great statesmen of the
Union of 18S1 are dead; all tlje eminent
soldiers of the Union are dead save
S,chofield. Of Jeff Davis' Cabinet, only
Reagan of Texas survives. Under
these circumstances we are ablet? take
a more rational and dispassionate view
of the outbreak of our Civil War Mian
was possible twenty years ago. Today
Lee and Longstreet and others of the
best men, the best blood of the South,
who sincerely shrunk from secession
andr shuddered at war, and yet were
drawn Into its whirlpool, are not'.-iore
difficult to understand and Ju3ticy than
Dickinson Butler, Stanton, Caleb dish
ing, Dlx, Logan, McClernand and Isaac
I, Stevens, who, after long years of
persistent devotion to the South and
the pro-slavery cause, were, converted
Into most radical supporters of Lin
coln's policy by the same shot that sunt
the Southern Unionists among "her rol
dlers and statesmen over to the Con
federacy. The further we recede from the Civil
War the easier it Is to understand how
natural and excusable was the feehng
that made Union men fight with their
states. There was no searching logic In
the decision of the masses on either
side. It was the impulse of the N-irth
to fight for the flag that had been shot
at; It was the Impulse of the South to
fight for her soil that was doomed to
be Invaded. Constitutions have never'
counted for much against that narrow
but natural Impulse of human nature to
go with Its town, Its state, its section, its
country right or wrong. Humanly speak
ing, the. war of IS61 ought not to have
occurred at thatrtime. The unexpected
thing was the egregious folly which led
the leaders of, the secession conspiracy
to choose war rather than the blank
sheet of paper which the radical Re
publicans were 'willing to offer them
upon which to write any terms of com
promise they wished. The acceptance
of the compromise offered by the North
would have-left the South the domi
nant power in the country, with slavery
intaot for many years to come; but they
threw away their vast opportunity,
forced war, achieved defeat whose only
consolation was that they had proved
"what every Intelligent man. knew when
the battle began, that the South, right
"or wrong, would fight bitterly and "un
flinchingly until It had burned its last
cartridge and was driven to Its last
ditch.
The story of Sumter is worth retelling
occasionally to Illustrate how the reck
less, selfish ambition and violence of a
few unprlnolpled politicians, like Yan
cey, Toombs, 3311dell and others can pre
cipitate a gre'at war between two great
peoples when the vast mass of neither
section had. the slightest 'wish to slay
each other. If Buchanan had promptly
reinforced Fort Sumter amply when he
might have done so. In December, 1860,
the rebellion would have proved a still
born Infant under Lincoln. The engi
neers of the great conspiracy never lost
a drop of blood In battle; but the men
who were not given a chance to vote
secession up or down, who did not own
a slave, filled up their armies and fell
by thousands, and the survivors re
turned to impoverished homes In an
eviscerated country when the battle
was lost. It Is probably true that the
vast majority of the soldiers of th,e
Confederacy did not go to war to fight
for slavery or destroy the Union, for
the majority of them owned no slaves
and loved the Union. But, as an elo
quent ex-Confederate soldier said, in
explanation of the Southern rush to
arms, "Virginia was their country.
Their state Is In danger of invasion,
and she calls her sons to her defense.
Waiting not to decide disputed ques
tions of constitutional law, those sons
answer the mother's call and offer their
lives for that state so dear to them by
all the assbclations of the past and the
present.'' General Schofleld confesses
in his "Memoirs" that our awful Civil
War Was an Indictment of our civiliza
tion and our statesmanship; that our
Incapacity or unwillingness on both
sides to-seek some more rational solu
tion than civil war for the settlement
of slavery Is not complimentary to our
National public Intelligence and spirit
of self-restraint.
There Is no one who knew Lewis B.
Cox who will not sorrow to hear that he
Is dead. He was a man of gentle yet
earnest nature, .of large and varied cul
ture, courteous and of high spirit, pene
trated both In his private life and pub
lic, actions with" a sense of duty to the
community in which he lived, and with
a constant desire to serve It. He was
a type of best citizenship, unselfish, full
of public spirit, never obtrusive, yet
ready always. with his fine talents for
any service to which good citizenship
called him. He was a man. In all the
relations of life, of a type that the state
can least afford to lose. He was still
young, full of promise for usefulness
bn his own part, arid of earnest desire
to promote. the welfare of his fellow-
men. During the years of his residence
Jn Oregon he ih'atl grown continually
In public esteem ,(Death riever seems so
absurd a thing as' when it takes such
a man away.
The Londpn Dally Chronicle, in com
menting upon the report that General
Botha has again opened negotiations
with Lord Kitchener for the purpose of
bringing the war to a close,- says: "The.
Boers rnay reckon on fair treatment at
the hands of the British." Why, in
deed, should they not? They have cer
tainly made a gallant fight, and in
yielding to the Inevitable they display
a fortitude that Is sublime. Having
fully paid the price of unwisdom in
going to war with a superior force upon
strained pretexts and .with Insolent de
mands. It remains to the leaders who
are still In a position to demand parley
to secure such consideration as they
may for their people,- lay down their
arms and return to peaceful pursuits.
The surprlslngthlng to the Boers will
no doubt be In the fact that will be
made manifest in due time that in be
coming law-abiding subjects of Great
Britain they have not lost, but found,
liberty.
Discussion as to the morality of Gen-,
eral Funston's action In deceiving and
capturing Agulnaldo continues. It Is
silly and fatuous, to a surprising de
gree, that anybody should question the
right of either party In, a war to deceive
the other.. No doubt' If Funston had
been captured while trying to get into
Agulnaldo's camp he might have been
treated as a spy; and what that means
requires no explanation, ' But Funston
took the risk and was rewarded with
success. So Nathan Hale would have
been rewarded had he not fallen Into
the enemy's hands. As It was, his fate
was the gibbet, and a century later his
reward was a sjalendld monument, with
proud recital of his patriotic sacrifice.
Funston gets recognition and reward
while he lives.
Mr. Hermann's "desire to break Into
the Bull Run reserve is not justified
by the alleged necessity for paths for
fire-fighters. What the reserve needs Is
to be let alone. With all due respect
to Mr. Ormsby and his vigilance, his
men will do more harm In the reserve
than good. The last thing wanted In
there is a procession of pleasure-seekers
passing through.
The New York law forbidding rlgeon
shooting, If It can be enacted, will be a
great triumph for the press of New
York City, which has been denouncing
this unnecessary barbarism in unspar
ing terms. But it Is very like reforms
of this sort to get started just when
Legislative adjournment Is so near at
hand as to make their success almost
Impossible.
Now the story comes from Filipinos
in Luzon that General MacArthur com
pelled Agulnaldo to take the oath of al
legiance by threatening him with tor
ture. Evidently they expect somebody
to believe this. It was In London that
the famous saying was written, "Lord,
how thla world Is given to lylngl"
It is of the highest wisdom that the
Cuban committee should haYe audi
ence with President 4McKinly. The
"glad hand" will accomplish more in
this business than anything else could
do,,and nowhere else can It be so cap
tivatingiy extended.
REMARKS BY NEIGHBORS.
Something About Starting News
papers Here and There.
Tacoma Ledger.
For several days there has been a ru
mor that Portland is to have a new
morning paper. The amount of money
behind the enterprise Is seated to be
thousands of actual dollars and an equal
number prospective.
To give advice is a thankless task, and
yet the duty of warning the gentlemen
with the thousands that they could have
more fun by Investing them In fireworks
Is too palpable to be avoided. So far
as .any return Is concerned, the cash
might as well be thrown Into the Colum
bia. If they think the fun of piloting
a hopeless cause for a few weeks would
be worth the price, there Is nothing more
to be said. Perhaps to -use it In promo
tion of a dally would be as well as to
drop It Into a slot machine; the result
would be the same.
Business men In any city are better off,
their Interests more protected by a strong
paper than by a battalion of weak ones.
The material welfare of a community Is
better conserved by a paper of recog
nized merit than by struggling sheets
that strive and die. Merchants and other
advertisers must have returns for the
money they invest, or they will cease to
Invest. They are not satisfied with prom
ises, and hope declares no dividends.
Advertising Is a branch of business, to
be measured by the profits. The purpose
of advertising is not to sustain the pre
carious life of the concern printing the
advertisement.
The Ledger has an occasional difference
with The Oregonlan. It takes the privi
lege of expressing this freely, and yet,
as freely, It acknowledges that The Or
egonlan Is one of the best papers in the
entire West. There Is no city In the
United States of the size of Portland
that has a better paper. There i3 no
paper anywhere possessing an editorial
page more virile and scholarly. Thus
The Oregonlan has a standing that no
fleeting rival can in any measure Im
pair. The so-called rival" would waste
its effort and Its capital. There Is In
Portland neither room nor demand for
another morning paper. Many times has
the essay been made, and as many Jour
nalistic graves represent the net outcome.
There may be another attempt, but it
will be foolish and futile, and there will
be nothing achieved but one more grave.
Spokane Spokesman-Review.
Reports come from Denver that a
former assistant business manager of the
New York Herald and the former city
editor of the Denver Republican are
planning another morning paper for
Portland, Or. Portland has nearly 100,000
population and but one morning news
paper. Possibly It may be an Inviting
field for an opposition paper, though
that remains to be determined. The pre
vailing tendency is towards fewer and
better papers, and It applies with special
force in this Western country, where
the public demands and gets dally papers
in cities of 40.000 to 100,000 population
that are bigger and better than the news
papers printed In Eastern cities of 200,000
to 300,000 population. ,
The announced assets of the new ven
ture are not overwhelming. It Is said the
promoters have $65,000 and are promised
as much more from Portland Interests
wanting another paper. Local interests
also "guarantee" , a paid-up subscription
list for one year of 10,000 subscribers.
The prediction Is ventured that a- sur
prise Is In store for the founders of the
proposed paper. The $65,000 of local
money will dwindle when matters come
to the point, and not mucn can be real
ized on "guarantees" of 10,000 paid-up
subscribers. The reading public has a
fashion of choosing Its own papers and
of taking1 a new paper on severe trial
by the week or the month.
Talk is cheap and will not pay bills.
If the promoters have $65,000, they can
.count on that, and little more. That sum
Is poor backing for a paper that must
win Its way, if at all, by printing a
better paper than the old concern can
print. It will do little more than install
a modern 'plant, to say nothing of the
modern building required for the suc
cessful publication of an up-to-date
morning newspaper.
The truth Is, no well-informed news
paper man, no matter whether he halls
from New York or Chicago, or Denver,
or any other place, would undertake the
Invasion of The Oregonlan's field with
less than $250,000; and the odds are $500,
000 would be found nearer the mark.
L S. J. Hunt, who Is reputed to be
planning an opposition morning paper
for Seattle, a city of 80,000 or 90,000 popu
lation, has been through the mill and
understands better these affairs. Mr.
Hunt knows that he will need a specially
constructed building In order to print a
better paper than the Post-Intelligencer,
and plans accordingly. It is also re
ported that he Informs his friends that
he expects to sink several hundred thou
sand dollars before his paper will stand
on a paying basis.
In 20 years repeated efforts have been
made by Eastern newspaper men to es
tablish new papers in Northwestern
cities. Failure has attended every effort.
Thlsv was not because our people were
clannish, but because the promoters
brought to the effort an Insufficient
equipment, both of means and knowl
edge. They mistook for public senti
ment the buzzing of a few disappointed
politicians and the complainings of a
small number of other citizens who had
real or fancied grievances and imagined
the owners of the new paper would take
an enthusiastic Interest in helping to re
dress them.
The result Invariably has been mutual
disappointment. In most Instances, the
qwners of the new paper discovered that
It was not politic to dress old wounds
every morning, even If they had the
time to squander on Individual com
plainings. In a great majority of cases
the complaining citizens forgot their old
grievances In the cultivation of new
ones against the new paper, and In
stead of going out to hunt up subscrib
ers, went on the warpath against the
new venture.
Primaries Not a Panacea.
j St. Paul Pioneer Press.
No sober-minded Individual regards di
rect primaries as a panacea of all politi
cal Ills. Those who have made their
living at politics or those who have con.
sldered politics a game In which to ex
ercise their skill will not be any the less
active. They will be found busy pulling
wires, attempting to organize for this,
that or the other tool of their own, and
resorting to all their arts. But If they
dominate the primaries it will be be
cause the public Is not awake to its own
power. It can, If It desires, name candi
dates for both parties who will give It
the best kind of service," and who will not
be subservient to rings or cliques,- which
will be powerless against a popular de
mand for an official who has proven him
self useful. There Is a score or more of
fallacious notions fostered by the careful
hand of the machine politician which have
to be uprooted before the direct primary
will produce Its best results. There are
habits ot action that have grown up un
der the convention system which the un
thinking believe aro fundamental truths,
but which make American government,
especially In the cities, corrupt, extrava
gant and unprogresslve. All these 'things
It was Impossible to reach under the con
vention system. They can be reached un.
der the direct primary system, and ulti
mately will be reached unless the ma
jority of the citizens of this state and city
are much less Intelligent and much less
desirous of decent and efficient govern
ment than they have ever shown them
selves to be.
He Ih Behind the Times.
Omaha World-Herald.
Perry Heath says he does not know
whether he will accept the position of
Chief of the Bureau ot Publicity and Pro
motion for the St. Louis exposition at a
salary of 520,000 a year. Perry Is behind
the times. Everybody else knows that he
will accept Just as soon as It Is definitely
offered to him.
AMUSEMENTS.
"Said Pasha" at the Metropolitan.
One of the largest houses of the week
heard the Josephine Stanton Opera
Company sing "Said Pasha" at the Met
ropolitan last night, and judging from the
manner In which the opera was received
It made the hit of the week. As often
as this old-timer has been heard In Port
land, as many times as the jokes have
been repeated and as frequently as the
"business" has been seen, It seems to
have the perennial charm of a minstrel
show, and to draw better than other
operas if only "for auld acquaintance's
sake."
The part of Serena has always been
one of Miss Stanton's best, and she has
not forgotten how t6 please In It. She
gives a dash and spirit to the part that
few women can, and she Is fully equal
to all Its vocal requirements. George
Kunkel, as Hadad. was chief entertainer
in the line of comedy, but he seemed to
have an off night, as most of his acting
was lacking In life and energy, and he
seemed to be wishing devoutly all the
time for the end of the performance.
Kunkel can be a good comedian when
he chooses to,, and thus allowing his
Interest to flag Is hardly fair to those
who come to a theater chiefly to see
him. J. Clarence Harvey, as Nockey,
did the best work he has done this
week, and there was usually something
to laugh at while he was on the stage.
Miss Bertha Neilson was a fair Altl,
but might have been a little more cer
tain of her lines, and. Miss Clara Wis
dom made a good Ball.
The selection from the choru3 of Carl
Formes, Jr., as the Rajah, and Charles
Van Dyne for the name part were not
especially happy ones, as neither is
gifted with much voice, and both have
much to learn In the art of acting.
George Lydlng sang the role of Hassan,
and sang it well, and Henry Hallam
was up to his average as Lerand.
Tonight by special request the bill will
be "Mascotte."
Anecdote of Barry-more.
Maurice Barrymore's Illness has been
noticeable to his friends for the last five
years, but until recently all expected that
his naturally stronjr constitution wOUld
pull him through. N oother actor in this J
country nas naa more aammng uieuua,
and no other actor has thrown away more
chances for success. Barrymore had the
advantage of a much better education
than most actors, and added to this had a
naturally keen wit that made him popu
lar. He seemed to care more for his tri
umphs of wit off the stage than for the
lines of the, play In which he happened
to be cast. Several years ago a member
of the Lambs Club presented to that or
ganization a painting of a Summer land
scape. When the new picture was hung
a group of club members were looking at
It, and one of them asked Barrymore for
his opinion of the painting. Barrymore
looked at It critically, and then said, Im
pressively: "No, no, my boy. I can as
sure you that Summer Is not as bad as It
Is painted."
Notes of the Stage.
Arthur Collins, manager of the Theater
Royal, Drury Lane, .London, has become
engaged to marry Jeannette Thorn, of Los
Angeles.
Jerome Harrington has successfully
replaced Donald Brine as the Warden,
with Walter E. Perkins, in "The Man
From Mexico."
Ada Gray, who for some time has been
seriously 111 In the Home for Incurables
at Fordham, la almost well again, and
will soon leave the hospital.
Comedian Kingsley, who played the
name part In "El Capltan," which the
Grau Company produced In Portland last
fall, died of consumption In New York
last week.
"Cold Molasses," the clever equine
Thespian of the Neil Burgess company,
eats the -marriage license In the last act
because the document has been previously
soaked In syrup.
While playing In "The Rounders," at
Ann Arbor. Mich , Will C. Mandeville.
whose song, "Nothing New.'1 Is so well
remembered In Portland, was stricken
with heart failure. The curtain was rung
down and the audience dismissed.
Dora Goldthwalte has been engaged to
originate the role of Adeline Vernon In
the new colonial play, "Betsy Ross,"
which Is to be produced at the Chestnut
Street Theater, Philadelphia, on April 15,
with Phoebe Davis as tht star.
Too Much Khaki.
Lieutenant-Colonel Mamie In National Review.
It is Just as well to recall some of -the
extreme absurdities to which even the
leading newspapers have committed them
selves." Men were gravely told that the
two-Inch square distinguishing badges on
their helmets were dangerously conspicu
ous, that the Sergeants' red cloth stripes
on their khaki serges would draw the
enemy's fire, and other and similar ab
surdities were foisted on them without
number. Then, having been duly wept
over by their sweethearts and wives, and
thoughtfully provided with great stocks
of this nerve-dejstroylng trash to digest
on their voyage, they stepped on board
the transports and In due course arrived
at the scene of action, where they found
men busily engaged in painting their
horses khaki and were themselves duly
drilled In the new formation for "taking
advantage of ant heaps," as General Hil
yard wittily christened it.
Is It any wonder that the whole army
got a fit of "nerves" which ultimately
developed to such portentous dimensions
that on one occasion a whole British bri
gadesay 3000 bayonets was held up by
a oBer Commando of 300 men?
It must be clearly understood that this
condition of "nerves" does not Imply
"cowardice"; the two things are entirely
different psychological phenomena. There
has been very little cowardice In our re
cent operations; on the contrary, the men
are seemingly entirely under the Impres
sion that they are facing M. Bloch's "un-
precented and appalling fire" with aston
ishing heroism and showing wonderful
skill in so rapidly changing themselves to
the "changed conditions of modern war
fare." Yet a very few. minutes' consideration
should suffice to prove that though rifles
can be fired faster and kill further nowa
days than they did 20 years ago, the es
sential features of warfare remain much
as they have been for the last two cen
turies. The ground remains the same; the varia
tions of climate do not alter, and It Is
immaterial to a dead man whether he Is
dropped at 200 or 3000 yards, whether he
dies alone or in company, or whether the
bullet which killed him was put In at
one end of the barrel or the other, while
as for the name of the firm which made
the weapon or the country of its origin,
that remains a matter of complete Indif
ference to him.
Ichauod.
New York Tribune.
Ervlng WInslow declares that the taking
of the oath ot allegiance by Agrutnaldo
does not affect the work of the Ant-Im
periallst League. Of course not. That
league was not organized to help Agulnal
do, but Agulnaldo came Into being for
the league's sake. The league has lost
a once-esteemed ally. But It will merely
quote a few lines of "Ichabod!" and go on,
grumbling and to grumble.
Coming Rain.
Joseph Russell Tajlor In Scrlbner's.
Hung In the shining north, light showers 4
As over a breast of silks and flowers
Like dusky unbound hair
Trail weeping; but the west Is dark.
And the rain-crow's tripping voice, O hark!
Treads down the echoing air!
Hark, how the bobolinks ripple and bubble!
Out of the orchard what rapture of robins!
And look, the brown thrush up and facing the
storm
With a shaken Jubilant splendor and storm of
song
And more than tho heart can. bear!
O look and listen! tha last lights glisten.
Save for the moment's glare,
O look and harken! the valleys darkep
Fade, for the rain is there!
NOTE AND COMMENT.
The census of Samoa shows that there
are samoh people over there. No offense
Intended.
The Sultan has begun to pay his debts.
Now Is the time to scan the horizon for
the v topsails of the mlllenlum.
Denmark will have to show some
islands of a 1901 model If she expects to
do any business with Uncle Sam.
The lulling of pigeons is to be stopped
In Now York. The slaughter of lambs,
however,, will continue as heretofore.
Minister Wu refuses to talk about
Chicago. Hs Is not the first man who
could not find words to express his feel
ings on that subject.
Hereafter the gentlemanly cadets at
West Point will And out whether or not
a "plebe" Is from Kansas before they
undertake to haze him.
Now that a New York jury has de
cided that gambling debts aro legal, it
will not be safe for a man to bet hl3i
life as readily as he used to.
How many books -would never be
If authors realized
"What awful things they may become
When they are dramatized I
Investigation discloses the fact that
the health of Captain Oberlin M. Carter
is so good that he Is making money for
his country every day he remains out
of her service.
Last week the Denver papers contained
editorials calling attention to that city
as a Spring resort. Today news comes
that Pike's Peak Is buried out of sight,
and Denver Is shoveling her way out
Into the world. Such Is Spring In the far
West.
"After all Agulnaldo Is not a bad fal
low," said an Ohio man -who has been,
representing a New York firm In China
for two years, the other day. "I think
I can tell of a side of his life the public
has heard little about. I often., met
Agulnaldo while he was In Hong Kong.
His favorite diversion was an afternoon
spin awheel, and I must confess he wai
one of the nattiest figures on Governors'
road. He wore regulation cycle costume,
and was Invariably accompanied by his
secretary, Slxto Lopez, now In Boston.
He rode a high-geared American wheel,
and, like most athletes of Bmall build,
was a graceful and strong rider. He
took his bicycle with him to Manila,
and I doubt very much if Funston could
have captured him had It been a chase
of 'best man' on wheels. Funston Is a.
great fighter, but if Senor Aguinaldo's
tires had been In good condition he
would not be In a Manila guardhouse.
I know, for I have watched him throw
dust in many a pair of eyes on the
'Rotten Row of Hong Kong. Ju3t before
Dewey set sail for Cavite."
We're a. mighty dlsaplnted lot of folks in
Backwoodvllle..
An we'll tell this man McKlnley how wo feel!
that's what we will.
Fur, when he was out for office an' was needla'
votes, why. we
Stood right by him an' the party with a bis
majority.
We was clad to see him set there, an we
felt that wo had done
Bather somethln of a favor to "the Nation's-
gifted son;
But of late we've had good reason, to be feolln
awful sore.
An you bet your bottom dollar wa won't vota
fur him no more.
("When .we heard that he expected fur to, take a- -'
trip our way. ' '
"We invited him to BackwoodvlIIe to makef a
little stay.
"We told hlro we'd &x quarters fur him up to
Tuttle's Hall,
An added that his visit wouldn't eost himi
nothln' 'tall.
An then we made arrangements fur to show
him all the sights.
An' kind o' dusted up the streets an put the
town to rights.
The decorations we put up fur him Is standing
yet.
An' If he'd see them he'd feel bad 'bout what
he done you bet.
"Well, two or three Ions weeks passed by, an
then we got a. note
From some chap named Cortelyou. "The Pres
ident," he wrote,
"Directs me to Inform you that he'd like to
shake the hands
Of the citizens of Backwood. but be don't.
play one-night stands"
"Wo didn't know Just what that meant, butt
still It seemed to say
That Bill McKlnley was too proud to visit up
our way.
An now can people blame us folks fur feelln'
kind of sore
An vowln that the President won't git our
votes no more?
PJLEASANTRIES OF PABAGRAPHERS
Tit for Tat He Such toga! Now a mam
never makes himself ridiculous. She He
doesn't need to. Nature did that. Philadel
phia Evonlng Bulletin.
"Wife Did you know the cook was in the
next room when you were awearlng and com- .
plaining" over the breakfast? Husband Good
heavens, no! I thought it, was y9ufTPLife.
Hacked. "Not anothert words slcfrf'Remcm
ber, I was cut out for a Tsentleman." "We!!t
all I have to say, whoever did the cutting
must have used an awfully dull pair of
ahears." Chicago News.
"Where People Stay Alive. Jerseyman Mon
mouth County has several voters over a hun
dred years old. Stranger Well! Well! Not
many railroad crossings at grade there, I pre
sume! New York Weekly.
"Is every hair In your head numbered,
grandpa?" "Yes. my child." "Well, grandpa,'
said the little fellow, as he contemplated the
great bald spot, "you haven't got much of a
head for figures." Tonkers Statesman.
Bickers Aren't you extravagant buying
strawberries at this time of year? Tetlowr
Not at all; It's a saving. When my wlfo
tastes of these berries, she wIJI say.. "Far
heaven's sake. John, don't bring another box .
ot berries Into the house this year." Boston
Transcript.
The Rose of Life.
Charles G. D. Roberts In tho Century.
The Rose spoke in the garden:
"Why am I sad?
The vast ot sky above me
Is blue and glad; ,
The hushed deep of my heart . J
Hath the sun's gold;
The dew slumbere till noon
In my petals' hold.
Beauty I have, and wisdom.
And Io& I know.
Yet cannot release my spirit
Of lt3 strange woe." jt
Then a Wind, older than Time,
Wiser than Sleep,
Answered: "The whole world a sorrow
Is yours to keep;
Its dark descends upon you
At day's high noon;
Its pallor Is whitening about you
From, every -moon; '
The cries of a thousand lovers.
A thousand slain.
The tears of all the forgotten
Who kissed In vain.
And the Journeying years that have vanished
Have left on you
The witness, each of lis pain, ..
Anclpnt, jet new.
So many lives you have lived;
So many a star
Hath veered 'in the Signs to make you
The wonder you are!
And thl Is the price of your beauty;
Your wild soul la thronged
With the phantoms of Joy unfulfilled ,
That beauty hath wronged.
With the pangs of all secret betrayals, t
The ghosts of desire
The. bite of old flame, and tho chill
Of the ashes of'flre."
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