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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1901)
4 THE AIOKNIXO OUEGOXIAX, MONDAY, Al'KIL 22, 1U01. ;to esjuo Entered at the Postofflce at Portland, Oregon. &s second-class matter. ffELEPHOKES. editorial Rooms. ....168 I Business Office.. .607 REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance Daily, with Sunday. pr month $ 85 Dally. Sunday excepted, per year......... 7 M Dally, with Sunday, per year. .... 00 Sunday per year 2 00 The "Weekly, per year ................... I 50 The "Weekly, 5 months M To City Subscribers iJally, per -week, delivered. Sundays exeepted.l5e Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lnduded.20c POSTAGE RATES. TTnlted States, Canada and Mexico: 10 to 18-pace paper.. ............. ...........IB 16 to 32-page paper... .............. .........2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion intended for publication Sn The Oregonlan should be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan," not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addresscM simply "The Oregonlan." The Oregonlan does not buy poems or stories from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to It without uollcl tatlon. No stamps should be Inclosed for this Uurpose. Puget Sound Bureau -Captain A. Thompson. office at 1111 Pacific avenue. Tacoma. Box 053, Tacoma Postoffice. Eastern Business Office VI, 48, 49 and 59 Tilbune building. New York City; 409 "The Rookery," Chicago; the S. C. Beckwltb. special agency. Eastern representative. For sale In San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. 742 Market street, near the Palace Hotel; Gold smith Bros.. 530 Sutter street; F.t W. ..Pitts, 3008 Market street; Foster & Orear, Ferry Etews stand. For sale In Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner. 259 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines, 100 Bo. Spring street. For sale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co., C17 Dearborn street. For sala In Omaha by H. C. Shears. 105 N. Sixteenth 'street, and Barkalew Bros., 1612 Farnam street. For salejln Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co.. 77 W.' Second South street. On file la "Washington, D. C "With. A. W. Dunn, 60014th N. W. For eale In -Denver, -Colo., by 'Hamilton & Kendrick. 4800-512 Seventh street. TODAY'S WEATHER Partly cloudy, with Occasional light showers; southerly winds. PORTLAND, MONDAY, APRIL 22. A WORD TO A CRITIC. The Dulles Chronicle quotes the fol lowing statement from The Oregonlan: Take- out df Christianity today the atone ment, the meaning of Christmas and Easter, the sure reward of heaven, the certain pen alties of fyll, and what would jou have left? How effective a religion would the world wake up to. on the next morning after these doc trines were stricken, from 4health of -the -mil- Innfi? frtfVilnr- e vm.i Mn.ml. v.M .l.4j today, however It will 1e In the future, thet5 oeaeis are. absgiujely necessary io the preser vation of the moral order. 4 And the Dalles paper makes the fol lowing comment: Truer words than these were never penned, and yet for many long jears The Oregonlan has neverMoeasod to cast- the full force of Its tinQ.uesaon.ed ability on he side df those who have assailed these beliefs, as the credu lous superstitions of an effete "age; "beliefs which It now. -with most refreshing inconslsr tency, afltans to. be absolutely necessary to the preservation, of the moral Order! There is no inconsistency whatever. The trouble'is that critics like this one . do not understand. The Christian church Ib the greatest moral force in the world. It Is suited to the nature of millions, or It would not exist. The masses dt mankind can be ruled only' through their fears of punishment or their hopes of reward, beyond this life. On this basis, the Christian church Is doing a work of immense benefit to the world. But this cannot estop Inquiry Into the claims of Its dogmatic theol ogy. It estops such Inquiry nowhere in the thinking world. It estops it not even in the churches, and the mass of literature coming these many years even from theological Institutes has been based on iistorical and rational istic inquiry. Not to know this litera ture, not to be' affected by it, is to nave no participation in the trend of modern thought, in its most important phases. The limitation of the orthodox partic nlarist is tha,t he. holds every person who hasrsoncentlons ion 'these matters, different from his own to be "Infidel" or "irreligious." But in the history of all times the like has appeared, and often the intolerance has been extreme. Jesus himself was a victim of it, as Socrates and many more were before Mm, and as Wycllffe, Hubs, Servltus and hosts of martyrs have been since. But the world now has learned Its les son of toleration, though not perfectly, even yet. It is, however, now fully es tablished as a principle that no opinion, doctrine, dogma, creed or system can exempt itself from human inquiry. Only through such methods can truth make progress. Of many errors Chris tianity Itself has been cleared by doubt ersdevout doubters. Hence it is not today whatr-,t was centuries ago; and what it is today it-will not 'be centuries hence. If doubt, as a great thinker has said, is a- "'wound of peace" to many, it is also, as he says, a "beacon to the wise." ABUSE OF- THE FREE SYSTEM. It would be some satisfaction if in cases like that of James G. Clarke, of Douglas County, the "guardian" who devoured him were compelled to pay for the support of the victim in the asy lum. But like all other state institu tions, the asyjuni is "fr.ee," and the ample provision for making It so has filled it to overflowing. There have been, and doubtless are now, there, opium fiends, "victims of the liquor hab it delirium tremens sufferers, indigents with families not caring to support them, or finding their absence more agreeable than their presence, and so on and so forth. In 'one Instance in former years it was averred that an unfortunate found himself there through fears of relatives that a possi ble marriage might give wrong direc tion to his considerable property. It is doubtful if there is another state asj lum so 'wholly' free. In some none but state paupers Tare supported "by the state. Counties and towns In which the patients have "settlement" are required to repay the state for their keeping. If that was the case in Oregon, it is safe to say not three-fourths of the number now in the asylum would be there. The counties wquld see that persons were not unnecessarily or wrongfully sent there, and that they were not charged with the keeping of such as had resi dence elsewhere, or "had property or J relatives within prescribed degree to pay the expense of keeping. Douglas County would see to It that the party who had -received Clarke's farm and home on condition of caring for him was made to pay his cost In the asy lum. At least our laws should be so amended as to require payment of such as have property to pay. or relatives liable for their support Not long since a patient f rom one of the countries of Europe died at the Oregon, asylum, who had when lie went there a quite considerable sum of money which was taken charge of and lent by a lawfully appointed guardian. When he died, his money, with the ac cumulated interest, belonged to his European heirs. The State of Oregon had maintained him without compensa tion for a long term of years. THE WORST OX RECORD. As to the contribution made by our "reform" delegation to the Legislature, complete returns are not yet in, though every day adds Its new discovery of something hitherto unrevealed; but enough is known to establish the fact that this pretentious body of reformers have given us the most disreputable body of legislation we have had In 30 years. Great pretensions and promises were made as to the Bingham direct primary law, which was not enacted, but on the contrary was unceremoniously repu diated. The new charter, which was to be the summing up of all things good and true, proved so bad as to earn the unusual, if not unprecedented, -fate of a veto from a fair-minded Governor. "We are Just beginning to learn how shamelessly the county's interests were sacrificed by conflicting private greed In the matter of taxation laws, and If we add to these the political tricks with incumbents of county offices, the record appears to be closed. "Where is the achievement that can be pointed to with credit on the positive side? "What reform was1 inaugurated, extravagance cut off, abuse corrected? Through the efforts of men who had pledged themselves to Mr. Corbett, there was compassed the election of Mr. Mitchell, and to this end and to the schemes of various astute self-seekers, every public Interest was sacri ficed. "What The Oregonlan said In the cam paign before the June election has been amply verified, that is, that the object of these professed reformers was not the amelioration of city and county affairs they pretended to desire, but the over throw of the Simon machine and in Its place the Installation of a machine of their own. They have succeeded, and, judged by its fruits, their machine is the worse of the two. They have ex ceeded the abuses they inveighed against They have betrayed thew trust they were elected to execute. , x A PUBLIC REPROACH. An awful revelation in youthful de pravity is that afforded in the case of the East Side youth who assailed an aged woman alone in her house at night in the endeavor to force from her a dollar or two with which to buy beer. Their offense is one that merits severe punishment, and a Justice of the Peace makes a grave error when he dis misses them with a t mere reprimand, nowever severe. Boys with such cal lous sensibilities cannot be deterred from new .crimes by remonstrance. They will repeat their offense, and oth ers will be encouraged to similar out breaks. Worse offenders than these young rowdies, however, are the parents that brought them up. "What has become of those ancient -and honored teachings under which boys were trained tovbe respectful and helpful to the old and defenseless? "Where is the chivalry that prompts one fo shelter and protect from violence and insult those who, through age and weakness, are unable to pro tect themselves? It is evident .that there has been an awful vacuum where parental discipline and love should have instilled correct principles and en forced correct conduct -What are the mothers 'of these boys thinking of that their boys are permitted to wander at their will about the streets at mid night? "What are their fathers doing that citizens are compelled to seek the peace officers to regulate the conduct of youths of less than 16 years? If parents will not employ the au thority that has been entrusted to them for maintenance of decency and order among their children, that authority Is forfeited, and must be taken from them. Some way should be found, indeed, to punish these parents, who are the real offenders. If pride and self-respect will not make them do their duty, then force should be brought in, either to punish the parent or else to discipline their offending children. The man and wom an who cannot and will not control their 15-year-old boy should have no rights over that child which the public is bound to respect The sufferings of this poor old woman, brutally mal treated without cause, or offense on her part, stand unredressed before this community, a reproach upon its good name, a reflection upon Its power and will to enforce order and justice. CLAMOROUS WITH LAXD HUXGER. The eagerness, for land, which in Americans under our very generous land laws amounts seemingly to an in satiable greed, is well and again illus trated in the assault that Is being made upon the Interior Department for .in formation in regard to the Kiowa, Co manche and Apache Indian reserva tions, soon to be opened to settlement. By the middle of April no less than 20,000 letters from intending settlers had been received by the department, and later advices state that these con tinue to come at the rate of 200 a day. At least 40 per cent of these are ad dressed to Secretary Hitchcock, and are marked "Personal," the idea, of course, being to escape the official routine of departmental correspondence, and, per chance, to gain some favor, and equal ly, of course, failing in its object Many of these letters are from ex-soldiers, who want especially to know to what extent they belong to a preferred class In the matter of land-getting, and what steps are necessary to make their priv ileges available in getting first and best choice of these lands. The department has not been able to answer personally even a small per centage of these letters, but gives, through official channels Information Impartially to all Intending settlers. First It Is stated that the reservations named will be thrown open to settlers not later than August 6 of the present year. Several methods whereby the painful, bootless and frantic rush of former land openings may be avoided are under consideration, but definite conclusions have not yet been reached. Neither has It yet been decided that ex soldlers will be given preference over other men in 'the choice of location or time of filing. The law as It stands givesthe veteran the distinct advan tage of making his entry by an agent, "he not being required to report upon it in person for six months, a distinction, it would seem, sufficient to satisfy the demand for preference of this most privileged class. . The land to be made available for settlement within the next four months comprises about 14,000 quarter sections, one of which will be the allotment of each settler. From present Indications, there will be at least 75,000 applicants. The country is said to be a veritable ""garden spot" and such it doubtless is, and will be for the next three months at least Rioting in the beauty of the wilderness, the loveliness of Spring, and later in the glories of Summer, one can well imagine the inviting picture that the landscape will present to a land hungry host The "Winters there, how ever, are quite severe from the Pacific Coast standard, very severe and no doubt the sufferings and disappoint ment of many people who now bide in impatience the time of their probation before the first "Winter of their occu pancy is over will be intense. It is no disparagement to the country or its climate to say this. It is simply to state what Is known to all observant people, that men who rush feverishly, and in many instances unpreparedly to a new locality buoyed up by the prom ise of land for the taking and the eager ness for change usually find that things present are not the things of which they dreamed at a distance. The con tented immigrant is he who moves in response to distinct, deliberate purpose; who is practical enough to know in ad vance that there is no promise in home building and its contingent prosperity except that which is made to industry, intelligence and forethought Disagree able conditions are by and through these agencies 'overcome, and by and through them the wilderness is In a few years dotted with homes and people, with a thrifty, contented multitude. "Without them, contentment does not dwell in any land, even though It were the "garden spot" where flows the Oregon. BUILDIXG UP A COMMUNITY. ,In many quarters the impression pre vails that Portland Is a "knocking" town. No matter what enterprise is proposed for the public good, some one gets out a "hammer" for it If an in vestor comes here with capital to put out he will find people to advise him that Oregon is already flooded with money, and encourage him to go to Seattle, where thjere are better oppor tunities for investment For a manu facturer who looked over the field for a starch factory, a mathematical com putation was made that such a plant could, in two months, produce all the starch used on the Pacific Coast in a year, and that it would be idle the re maining ten months. The woolen mill was "hammered" on the theory that a small plant would not be successful, and probably it would have failed if practical men of financial standing had not taken it up. The smelter has been pounded to the thinness of a sheet of gold foil, but It shows life now and then, as some one bobs up to revive it and drops back after a futile effort. It took a long time to work up enthusiasm for the fair of 1905, but the enterprise appears how to be well past the zone -of danger. No community of like aspirations with Portland presents situations which are characteristic here. In addition to the discouragers' of everything new, we '"have a class which 'Is greedy for an in definite lease of life 'on its business. It does not want any one else to engage in the same line, and share in the profits, or lend a helping hand to the development of the country. It does a good trade with the people already here, but doesn't want any more set tlers. It doesn't want competition in its line. "Give us five years more of such times as we are now having," runs its motto, "and we shall be satisfied to retire from the field." This class does not advertise. It does not want people to know it is here. It prefers to have the East believe that the class of busi ness which it does would not succeed in Oregon. With one class railing at new enter prises and another discouraging the en larging of old ones, we have for a mid dle ground the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trade and the Manufac turers' Association. Each is to a cer tain degree a representative body. Each is composed of good men. Each has a policy of its own upon which it proceeds. All are pulling for Portland. but in different directions. There is no concentration of effort, and appar ently no harmony nor identity of in terests. There is no long and strong pull together for. the general good. What way is this to build up a city, to attract capital," to encourage Immigra tion? This is a propitious time to organize to get results. The Lewis and Clark Centennial, in which every section of the Northwest has equal interest with Portland, seems assured. It furnishes a rallying ground to draw out our lat ent energies, since we seem to be in different to natural resources and su perior geographical position. When opened, it will represent something. The making of it will call for some effort and sacrifice from all of us. It will put-spirit Into our endeavors. This great fair will be expected to show not only what we produce, but to demon strate our advantages for competition in the world's markets, especially those of our natural fieicT in Asia. The ele ments of successful competition are here In abundance. "But it must be borne in mind," as Irving M. Scott, of San Francisco, says in a letter printed elsewhere, "that successful competition is not self-propelling. It requires as its motor the earnest and unremitting ef fort of brain and muscle." Let us en ter the field that is ours, arid not wait for some obliging person to kick us into it. So favorable an opportunity to 'do the things that count has never before been presented to Portland. Let us take ad vantage of it by "getting together." The Oregonlan agrees fully with the executive committee of the Taxpayers' League, in their protest against turn ing over the kindergarten school money to the association of that name. This association is a voluntary .organization unknown to, our school laws, and the Board of Directors of the district have no rght to turn public money over to it, or to abdicate their own functions. The public schools should be kept un der control of the Directors. There Is no other legal or proper way. It is sur prising to witness the position of Di rector Beach, who doesn't want to turn the money over to the association, thinks it ought not to be done, yet wants to be enjoined from doing it, and will do It if not enjoined. Suppose now some association shall offer to take charge of instruction in French, Ger man or Latin, or in music, now taught in the public schools, on the claim that it can be better done out side. Will the Board of Directors yield on this point also? They have no right whatever to "farm out" any part of the school system. What if the religious de nominations should want, presently, to participate In this kindergarten system, and the Jews should insist that their infant sphools be- supported out of the public funds, and the Catholics should want theirs, and the Presbyterians, Methodists and other Protestant de nominations should want theirs? Mr. Beach and the other Directors would better do their duty now. All participants in the controversy which Mr. Mills has started seem to be conscious, even If they are not, that the only enduring basis of Christianity as a religion is a basis which Is veri fiable. Hence the eagerness of ortho dox ministers to silence skepticism through demonstration of the long-established ' and never-shaken authority of their belief. The psychological lapse whereof they are not aware, is that faith is a peculiar condition of mind, which Is neither availed nor saved by logic, for when it must resort to the solace of proof it Is cankered TVith skep ticism. "Liberal thinkers," with the same motive as that of their orthodox brethren, are trying to evolve the ra tional side of Christianity, as a rule of conduct removed from religion. Be cause these two sects are so diametric ally apart, although starting from the same center, the present controversy Is waged. Each is working for a basis that is not an assumption and is veri fiable. The law of survival of the fittest may be trusted to choose the fittest in morality as in all else. It may be only a coincidence that several preachers and laymen who are casting invectives at B. Fay Mills did not hear him speak, ,but such coinci dences sometimes are very happy for conventional theology. Religion offers all sorts of pretexts for persecuting skeptics and infidels. And, perhaps, some of our good people are following the example of their Sublime Teacher in his denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees. However, they fall some short of that example, because Jesus did not preach religion, but piety, and it may be that Mr. Mills is a sound exponent of piety, if he is not of religion. Be sides1, invectives are a most un-Chrls-tion method of treatment of a benight ed brother, because they make him more blind insteadof dropping the scales from his eyes. Since Jesus was divine, he" used invective against the Scribes and Pharisees, for he knew they could not be saved. But since no critic has divine assurance that Mr. Mills Is beyond redemption, it is decidedly un christian to confirm him in his ob liquity. A statement of the business of the Postoffice Department for the last quar ter of the year 1900 Indicates that the department is now making a profit on Its operations, perhaps for the first time in its history. For the three months ended December 31, 1900 its dis bursements were $28,771,489, and Its re ceipts $29,405,035, giving a surplus of $633,546. If the quarter that ended on the last day pf March makes as good a showing it will be fair to assume that there is a prospect that the de partment will be practically, if not wholly, self-sustaining for the fiscal year, in spite of the fact that last year's deficit was in excess of $5,000,000. It is apparent that the chief cause of the great increase of postal receipts is the general business activity that prevails, causing much larger use of the post office than in other times. Our "antis" tell us that It is none of our business what kind of government may be established in Cuba; that the Cubans have right to make such gov ernment as they choose and conduct it in their own way. Then if the kind of government that may exist in Cuba is no concern of ours, we had no right to interfere In the affairs of Cuba three years ago. We interfered then for abo lition of bad government in Cuba. Sen ator Piatt puts the statement tersely when he says that our right now to intervene for establishment and main tenance of good government In Cuba is just as good as the former right on which we acted, and rests on the same foundations. Only we are embarrassed very much by the foolish and unnec essary Teller resolution. Among recent deaths is that of Gen eral John P. Hatch, of the retired list of the Army, who expired a week ago, aged 79. He was a graduate of West Point in the class of 1845. He fought at Palo Alto, Churubusco and Chapultepec In the war with Mexico. He wore a medal of honor for distinguished gal- lnntrv at rllfh lUV.ur. to n t,,V,q,. V,o .m...j ... wi. ...... ..u.nu..., x.v.k- . was severely woundea leading his hri gade in a charge upon the enemy. Among his surviving classmates are Generals William F. Smith, FItz John Porter and Thomas J. Wood. General David A. Russell, killed at Opequao, and the Confederate General Barnard E. Bee, killed at the first Bull Run battle, were also among his classmates. The country of the Upper Ohio River is covered with snow and slush, or sub merged with floods of rain. Pennsyl vania. West Virginia, Ohio and Ken tucky are now the principal sufferers, but the Lower Mississippi country will get it next. A flood of 40 to 60 feet in the Ohio means trouble always for the Lower Mississippi. Since the forests of the Alleghany Mountains were cut away all the upper tributaries of the Ohio pour out their waters at once. 'TIs nearly the first of May, and yet a snow fall of 10 to 15 inches all over the Up per Ohio region, followed by excessive rains. Crop reports, so far as they can be gathered thus early in the season, give assurance of a big grain and fruit yield throughout the country. Oregon is fa vored with the rest, though the freaks of April weather, especially that of yes terday, which pelted the full-blossoming fruit trees In some sections with hail, were regarded ominously. It is seldom that men who wreck banks dishonestly have grace enough to shoot themselves. And yet suicide, even in such circumstances, is but a selfish and cowardly act Unfortunately, the admissions of the president and cash ier of the ' Vancouver bank leave no doubt as to their wrong-doing with It. THE WEALTH OP POVERTY. With All Its DiHadvantasres it Makes Great Lives. Edgar Cary Markham. The poor boy standing upon the thresh old of life gazes out upon his future with a sinking heart The struggle of individ ual destiny, the battle with the world for success, is his to make. He is doubtful whether to try his strength single-handed apd alone, or to shrink from the toll, the mighty task before him. He realizes that what he accomplishes in life must come from his own efforts. He has no influential friends to ferry him across the streams of life. He understands full well that the, road to success is a rugged road, and doubly hard the journey to him who is weighed down by the bur dens of poverty and obscurity. The out look is gloomy, and many are the hearts' that have shrunk from the undertakings and turned back from the perilous jour ney; yet the history of human achieve ment bears witness that the burden bear ers, the obscure and poor, are the ones who reach the goal. There is a strength comes from burden bearing. Many are the disadvantages of poverty to the ambitious youth. More are the advantages. To the poor boy, the frugal ity of his home has taught many essen tial lessons of life. Those weary days of following the plow have measured out to him the blessings of health. The fields and forests about his humble farm home, those high hills, loftier than painter's canvas, have taught him, as no human teacher, as nothing In art can teach, and inspired him with pure thoughts and lofty motives. Amid the toll and privations of the farm, in the busy shop, or over the smok ing forge, some of the greatest battles of life have been fought and won some of the mightest problems of the universe have been worked out. It was amid the rugid phases of life on an old New Hampshire farm that the soul of Daniel Webster was fired with that eloquence that in later years poured forth with irresistible force and fervor in his country's defense. At the printer's case Benjamin Franklin learned the principles of statesmanship that, put in force by him, controlled vastly the destiny of a nation. Over the smoking forge Elihu Burritt, the "learned blacksmith," mas tered manj languages and handed his name down to posterity as that of one of the world's greatest scholars. Necessity is a great teacher In life's school. Limited means give one les sons that cannot be taught in any other way the value of time and money. Every successful life has been built up with this lesson for a foundation. The young man who has earned h!s all by hard toil, accumulating his means of getting an education or his start in life dollar by dollar, understands full well the value of every dime, and the value of the moments he spent In getting 'them. And that knowledge is better for him in later years than much gold easily obtained. If he be a student, his school life brings him a two-fold education that which his instructors impart, and that better training of self-reliance and cour age. His experiences developed a man liness that is self-respecting. At the end of his college course he has learned a lesson that every successful man has learned to be self-dependent In all things. Noble examples of this kind have come up, working and saving and struggling through the various courses of life's ap prenticeship, whose tolls and privations have imbued them with a love for hu manity, a zeal to help others to obtain useful places In the world. Stephen GIrard was such a one, who, In his strug gles with poverty as a cabin boy, first planned the founding of GIrard College now enjoyed In all its privileges by GOO American orphan boys. Feeling keenly the loss of being unable to get an education in his early life. Peter Cooper's ambition was to found a night school for the apprentice boys of New York City, and as a result the Cooper Institute, one of the finest schools of practical science and art In this country, stands today a monument of that resolve. , There Js a wealth In poverty. That life that has an abundance of thought and feelings of sympathy, broad possessions of love for Its fellows, zeal to uplift and strengthen and cheer, an expanse of lofty motives to ennoble and inspire others, becomes wealth In itself and wealth to the world. Poverty and not riches en gender such lives. As from the rugged rock comes the precious diamond, to be cut and polished only by the hardness of its own dust, so, polished by their own difficulties, those lives that shine most brightly in the world come from conditions of poverty. Prosperous Portland. Salem Statesman. The visitor to Portland Is 6truck with the air of busy Industry which prevails along the river fronts on each side, clear from the lower end, by the Northern Pa cific Lumber Mills, to Ross Island on the south. And the belt fringing the river on either side Is the surest Index to the gen eral business conditions of the city. When the lumber mills are all humming, and the docks are lined with sea-going craft and smaller boats, and when the factories and the workshops of all kinds are full or bucy men, and the railroad yards are crowded with engines and freight cars, and the docks are piled up with goods and wares of all descriptions, then It Is pretty certain that there Is life and activ ity throughout the balance of the city. And so it Is. At no time in its history has the metropolis been in better business shape than it is now. There is a great deal of building going on, property Is ad vancing in price, public and semi-public improvements are making In every direc tion, and the future looks bright. Every citizen of Oregon takes a just pride In noting such a state of things and encour aging It. Klng-s Conic High. Boston Globe. -""" """" i-"."""-.uc yt mu XiUUOC Ui. commons recommends that the British Nation appropriate for King Edward's personal and household expenses for the coming fiscal year $2,350,000. This, by the way, Is for the King's exclusive use. His relatives swell the sum to $4 280,000 a year It will thus be seen that Kings come high. It Is bad enough in England, but when we take less resourceful countries like Italy and Austria, where the luxury of monarchy costs double what it does in Great Britain, while a good part of the people are kept in rags to support it, It seems shocking. Let Us Shnn Cant. New York World. Let us beware always of cant. And par ticularly of International and racial cant, which is the parent of those wholesale prejudices and enmities that threaten to make wars perpetual and divide all man kind broadly Into three classes soldiers, pensioners and taxpayers. The duel Is no doubt a survival of the brutal ages of so-called "chivalry." But there are other survivals of those ages, and well, let us shun International cant! Hot the Right Car. Chicago Letter in Baltimore Sun. Because the name "Imperial" stood out In bright gold letters on the side of a magnificent private car offered by the Pullman Company for the use of Presi dent McKinley, to be attached to the splendid special train to be furnished for the Presidential party on its trip to the Pacific Coast, the committee has dip lomatically sidetracked it, and has de cided to select a car with a name of different significance. The New York Tribune Sixty Years. On Wednesday, April 10, the New York Tribune published a "sixtieth anniversary supplement," summarizing the history of the paper during the CO eventful years of its life and contrasting the past with the present. The Tribune is one of the newspaper landmarks of the country, and Its course Is marked by progress and enterprise. AMUSEMENTS. After a long season, made up chiefly of melodramas and farce comedy, the bright specialty bill presented by "The Strol lers" at Cordray's last night proved an agreeable change, and was greatly en joyed by the usual crowded Sunday night house. There Is no fragmentary play to serve as a connecting link between the vaudeville numbers of the programme; they are separate and distinct, and re quire no introducing. The people in the company are good in their several acts, the "turns" are new and bright, and everything goes with a snap and ginger that holds the Interest to the end. The prettiest number on the programme was a clever little vaudeville sketch, "A Duplicate Husband," in which Miss Inez Forman and J. F. Crosby, Jr., played the leading and only roles. The skit, while only about 15 minutes long, tells a pretty story with a little humor and touch of pathos, and gives the two prin cipals an excellent opportunity to prove that they are really good players. Besides appearing In the sketch, Mr. Crosby sings a number of ballads in a highly pleasing fashion. He has an ad mirable voice, and knows how to use it with fine effect. Sid Baxter, the best slack wire juggler ever seen In Portland, performed a num ber of breath-taking feats easily and gracefully, concluding by balancing a lad der on his thread-like perch, mounting It and juggling three knives while standing on the rounds. The Alcedos gave a very pretty comedy sketch with some good music and grace ful baton-twirling. Ouhama, the posturer, delighted the house with her number. Pearl Hickman, a graceful dancer, earned a couple of recalls; the Leondor brothers concluded the programme with a fine acrobatic act, many of their feats be ing surprisingly near the Impossible. Altogether the evening's entertainment was thoroughly enjoyable and the attrac tion will probably prove a strong draw ing card during Its engagement, which lasts the rest of the week. "The Widow Bedott." "The Widow Bedott," compassed around with a number of specialties which make her all the mqre fascinating, opened a week's engagement at the Metropolitan last night and proved to be the best at traction seen there for several weeks. While the play Itself has been sacrifled to a specialty bill, the company are better as vaudeville artists than as actors, and In consequence the comedy has gained by the alterations and cuts in it In the singing numbers the company Is es pecially coed, the songs by Miss Olive Vail being unusually well given. Miss Vail is possessed of a clear, high so prano volco of great range, and she uses it very effectively. Guy Tully sang a couple of song3 which were appreciated, and nearly all the oth er members of the company contributed to the vocal part of the programme, eith er as soloists or In the excellent concerted numbers. As the Widow Bedott, Horace Ewing creates considerable amusement, although he Is not quite so natural as he might be. Edward Cllsbee does a good bit of character acting as Elder Sniffles, David Swim Is a good Benjamin Harriman. Clar ence Lyndon Is acceptable as, Fred Har riman, and Guy Tully 13 a ' good Tom Follet. Miss Madge Tucker Is an enthu siastic Melissa Bedott, Miss Olive Vail is pretty and charming as Daisy Har riman, and Miss Alice Wrenn answers the requirements of the part of Dotty Sniffles. "The Widow Bedott" will be the attraction all the week, with the usual Saturday matinee. LA LOIE FULLER TONIGHT. Great Dancer Will Be Seen at the Marquam. La Loie Fuller, the world's most mar velous dancer, In conjunction with her own company, will open her engagement tonight at the Marquam Grand, continu ing tomorrow, Tuesday night La Loie will present two new dances tonight, the "Tempest" and the "Archangel." In the latter she Is said to wear a dreas con taining over 10,000 yards of tine Chinese silk. Miss Fuller Is supported by an excellent specialty company, headed by Ada Lewis, the original "tough girl" of the stage. Blanche Walsh. Miss Blanche Walsh, supported by an exceptionally strong company, will pre sent "More Than Queen" at the Marquam, April 2J, 26 and 27. The play Is a gorgeous spectacle, founded on the tragic love of the beautiful Empress Josephine, r whose charms so easily captivated the greatest map of history, Napoleon. The action is laid amid scenes of brilliant splendor. The stage pictures are of the garden of the Palais Royal, the Chante Relne residence of the Bonapartes, the Garden of the Malmalson, the palaces of the Tullerles, the Church of Notre Dame and the palaces of St. Cloud and Fontaln bleau, consequently it Is easy to conceive of the splendor of the production. Miss Walsh, as the Creole Empress, has mastered an exacting part In a manner that leaves no doubt of her wonderful dramatic ability. In her supporting com pany are: William Humphrey, Robert Lowe. Frank Sheridan. Ogden Stevens. Ellis Ryse, Katherlne Clinton, Helen Singer, Elizabeth Mayhew, Kate Power and Emily Baker. The sale of seats will open tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 10 o'clock. Olney and Cuban Annexation. New York Commercial Advertiser. Ex-Secretary Richard Olney wrote of the Teller resolution, which his fellow McKinley haters regard so sacred now adays: It may be thought at first blush that to speak of "the acquisition of Cuba by the United States" as a fact accomplished Is In accurate. But the objection U technical and the expression cones the substantial truth, notwithstanding a resolution of Congress, which, 111-advlped and futile at the time of its passage. If now Influential at all. Is simply prejudicing the interests of Cuba and the United States alike. No such resolution can refute the lozlc of the undisputed facts or should be allowed to Impede the natural march of events. Mr. Olney was In favor of annexation at the time of writing that article. His ver dict on the Teller resolution Is on record and cannot be recalled. It Is, we may add, the verdict also of common sense, and as such has been ratified by an over whelming majority of the American peo ple. That Hnrd Question Again. PORTLAND, April 21. (To the Editor.) In an editorial note In your paper of yes terday, referring to Federal Judjre Bel linger's "Gulch" decision, you say, "Of course, however, the decisions of the highest courts make the law"; and in thl3 morning's Issue Hon. H. W. Corbett, refer ring to the same matter, regrets "the de cision of Judere Bellinger, which would overthrow an economical system that has been In force for 50 years." Will you please quote for the benefit of your read ers any provision of either the state or Federal Constitution that empowers an Inferior Federal Judge to "make law" or to overturn an "economical system" es tablished by law? X. Where the Blame Lies. Philadelphia Ledger. The oppressive trusts, the conspiracies against the commonweal, owe their be ing to sins of commission and omission by the Legislatures, National and state. The unreasoning spirit of partisanship and the neglect of the franchise are re sponsible for all of the evils of govern ment. The Woods Are Full of 'Em. Pittsburg Dispatch. Those who think that W. J. Bryan Is the only hope of the Democratic party In 1904 can obtain information to the con trary by consulting David B. Hill, Arthur P. Gorman, Carter Harrison, Tom John son and several others. X0TE AND COMMENT. The dogs have had their day. One would naturally expect to find a draw In bridge whist The matrimonial lottery Is the oldest " form of society gambling Agulnaldo will probably give a house warming to celebrate Dewey day. ' This Is the time of year when the Spring chickens attend coming-out parties. The powers are demanding of China al most as much money as J. P. Morgan gets for organizing a new trust Admiral Dewey Is talking of writing a history. The chapters on American poli tics certainly ought to be interesting. The City of Fulton. Mo., ha3 purchased a cemetery. Most cities are afraid to make 3uch a frank admission that they are dead. The newly elected Mayor of Lake For est, 111., declines to serve. Perhaps the citizens expected him to make speeches at all .the church fairs. Suffolk. Va., has an ordinance against flirting. It will be readily seen that Suf folk never expects to become prominent as a Summer resort Somebody has been sending the Czar copies of the New York yellow Journals, probably to show him that there are forms of torture more horrible than the fear of dynamite bombs. It Is said that a Harvard student itf. living on 50 cents a week. He probably does not attend the theater often., beta very little on horse races, plays poksr but seldom, and does not have cham pagne with his dinner oftener than Wednesdays and Sundays. An unsophisticated young minister In rural Pennsylvania, recently ordained, not long ago wrote to a theological profwwor In Philadelphia as follows: "I am a poor speaker, and find it hard to utter my thoughts clearly and forcibly- I have de cided, therefore, to take a course of In struction In speaking, and, learning from the papers that there are a great many speak-easles In your city, I would bo obliged If you would recommend me to one." The professor broke the news to him as euphemistically as possible that a "speak-easy" Is merely an unlicensed drlnking-place. The Government's most monumental!, publication Is practically completed. It Isf the official record of the Union and Con federate Armies, and consists of 127 thlsk volumes, an Index about to- be printed and an atlas of 178 plates, showing maps of battle-fields, routes of marches, plans of forts, etc. Volumes 112 and 113 are left open for any additional matter It may be decided to print. If there la any such, as the plan for the work originally Contem plated 120 volumes. The books fill five big mail sacks. The Government sella singia volumes or the complete sets at the cost to manufacture. Under the last act of distribution each Senator, Representative and delegate receives one official set and two additional sets for disposal as he may see fit Exceedingly interesting figures regard ing the money represented In New York Stock Exchange memberships came to light the other day. It was announoadi that the plan to sell 140 additional mem berships for $50,000 each, In order to raise J7.000.0CQ for the completion of the naw Stock Exchange building, had been aban TJ doned. It was the abandonment of this plan which accounted for last week' a sharp advance in the market value of memberships from J53.000 to JG0.C00 bid. The Stock Exchange at present has a membership of 1100. Several years ago it was Increased to that number from 1000. According to the present market value, each seat has a value of $60,000 cash. The total memberships, therefore, represents in money a sum equal to $66,000,000. In addition to the market value of member ships, there should be added the sum contained in what Is known aa the gra tuity fund, also the other assets of the exchange, which together aggregate about $10,000,000. The actual market value, there fore, of all the memberships in the Stock Exchange is equal to about $7o,000,6Q0. This represents an Increase at the ratu of about $1,000,000, a year since a few brokers assembled together under a but tonwood tree, near the Battery, for the purpose of swapping stories and stocks. PLEASANTRIES OP PARAGRAPHERS A Sure Sign. Laura I think that Mary la going to be married this Spring. Florenae Why? Laura She hasn't had any new clothsn since last Fall. Brooklyn Life. Miss Hoamley No. I won't lake those pho tos. They make me look like a perfect fright. Photographer Well, madam, you should have told me that you wanted me to paka them flatter you. Philadelphia Kecbrd!"" " No Evidence. The caller looked around her upon a condition of general untidiness. "I'm doing my own housework now," apologized the hostess. "Oh, are you?" said the caller, "I hadn't noticed that It was done." De troit Free Press. Too Realistic. "The trouble with your so ciety novel, my dear young woman." the pub--Usher said, handing the manuscript back to her. "is that the conversations are too stupid. They are evidently taken from real life." Chicago Tribune. The Gentle Beggar. "I'm hungry, sir," said the beggar. "Won't you give mo enough to get a. meal?" "Here, my good man," said Mr. Pompus, "here's a penny for you." Oh. thank you, ilr. By the way. have you got a pepsin tablet about you? 1 always get dys pepsia when I overeat myself." Philadelphia Times. Bangs Yes. WHIets Is well enoush In his way; but then he is such a moody chap. You never can tell how to take him." DIgby Think so? Bangs I know so. He had a header over his wheel today and he looked glum enough about It; and only the day ba fore I did the same thing, and he laughed aa though he'd die. Boston Transcript. A school inspector, having a few minutes to spare after examining the school, put a few questions to the lower-form boys on the com mon objects in the schoolroom. "What is the use of that map?" he asked, pointing to one stretched across the corner of the room; and half a dozen shrill voices answered, in measured articulation: "Please, sir. It's to hide the master's bicycle'." Tlt-BUs. 4 The Sonjc of Steam. " Edwin L. Sabln, in Puck. When the garments of Night are waxing thin And the air Is chill and gray. Out of the depths there swells a Jinn, Chanting his roundelay. He hurls me back with a ruthless fist From the door of my fairest dream. And, lol from my humble cot I list To the strenuous voice of Steam. Far down In the basement I hear It start With "bubble" and "bang" and crack' Shouting apace from a Joyous heart, It follows Its winding track. "Rattle-rattle," and "clanklty-cllnck." "Gurgle" and "bump" and "Snap" Farewell to the bliss of the early wink; Farewell to the morning nap! It sing"? of the Janitor, Jeans betogged. Poking the slothful Are; It sings of the pipes all water-logged. Of valves In torment dire. It sings of beings with wrath beset. And of eyes that close In vain; It sines of the dreams I almost set But never, no, never, attain.