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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1901)
i. mm ' -VSfiyripma t.-arf'wg ' TS rz&'v&kZ2 -"' ?" - swqf vw "zaotgyrt " ',ri'"?sKT'ypjpfir'9,'5f), r :1?"3R' "S52Jpi7iw,s5rg,!ask'' y5jii! yi THE MAf?ytVft Q"ErtOXTVv 'TrffrtiSDAY, 7 - -- 'to rsgomasu Entered at the, Postoffice at Portland. Oregon, is second-class -mattes. TELEPHONES. Editorial Booms... 106 1 Business Office. ..667 REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. Br lia.il (postage prepaid), in Advance Dally, with Sunday; jper -month .....$ S3 Daily. Sunday excepted, per year.-.-..-. T BO Daily, with Sunday, er year............. 0 00 Sunday, pet yearT....... ....... ....... 2 00 The Weekly, per year ................... 1 50 The Weekly, S months',.-..-... .... . To City Subscribers Daily, per week, delivered. Sundays excepted.l5s Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lncludedOc POSTAGE RATES. United States. Canada and Mexico: 10 to 26-page paper.. ................... ....lc 10 to 32-page paper... .................... 2c Foreign rates double. JCews or discussion Intended ior publication In The Oregonian should be addressed invaria bly "Editor The Oregonian," not to the name of any individual. Letters relating to advertis ing, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addressed simply "The Oregonian." The Oregonian does not buy poems or stories from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to It without solici tation. No stamps ssoifld be Inclosed for this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson, office at 1111 Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 953, Tacoma Postofflce. Eastern Business -Office 7. 48. 49 andSS Tribune building. New Tork City; 469 "The Rookery." Chicago; the S. C Beckwlth special agency. Eastern representative. For sale la San Francisco by J. K. Cooper, 746 Market street, near the Palace Hotelj-CoW-Bm'.th Bros., 230 Sutter street; F. TV.' Pitts, 1008 Market street; Foster &Orear, Ferry sews stand. For sale In Dos Angeles by B. F. Gardner. 59 So. Spring street, and Oliver & .Haines. 100 Bo. Spring street. For sale in Chicago by the "P. O. News Co., S17 Dearborn street. . - . . For sale -in Omaha -by Barfealow Bros., 1612. Farnam street. ,. ' For sale in Salt Lake'by the-Salt Dake News Co . 77 "W. Second South street For sale in Ogden by W. C. Kind, 504 Twenty-fifth street. On file In "Washington. D. C., with .A. TV. Dunn. S00 14th U. W. On file at Buffalo. N. T-, -in .the Oregon ex hibit at the exposilfon. " ' For sale In Denvr. Colo., by Hamilton & Kcndrick. 006-012 .Seventh street. TODAY'S :WBATHBR. Bhowers- and warm er, southwesterly winds. " PORTLAKXJ, THURSDAY, MAT 23. LABOR. AIYD TARIFF. The rhetorical skill and abounding literary resources -enjoyed by Mr. Ed ward Atkinson served him "well in the testimony be last week submitted to the Industrial Commission on the relation cf high wages to Industrial ascendency. Sir. Atkinson has been, right -on some things, like the gold standard; he has been visionary on others, like the econ omy of diet, and he has been mischiev ously perverse on others, like, the ques tion of abandoning the Philippines. Sis View of the earning power of highly paid mechanics has been abundantly established by practical operators and acute students. Knowing, therefore, that his position is soun'd, we may enjoy to the full his admirable array of Its strength. It was one of the clever sayings of Daniel Webster, that ''we can't afford to do ourselves what foreign paupers can do so well for us referring to the im portation of goods that are landed here more cheaply than we can make them. This characterization of wares we can import with profit has narrowed its ap plication with the passing years, for the Introduction of labor-saving ma chinery has gradually deprived Euro pean and Asiatic cheap labor of its ad vantage In industrial competition. Mr. Atkinson reminds us that the earnings of the fellaheen of Egypt and the ryots of India are not one-fourth the earn ings of the laborers In our cotton fields, hardly one-tenth, including Russia, those of the laborers in our wheat fields; yet our cotton and our wheat constitute the chief supply of the -world. "We are now exporting cotton 'and cotton fab rics, corn, .cordage, wheat and flour, provisions, machinery and metallic products of everykind; clocks, watches and miscellaneous articles. If the rate of wages goverrfed" the cost of labor In j the product, not one dollar's worth of these goods could leave our shores. Why Is it"? In simple phrase, it is because our hlghiy-paid labor turns out so many more wares than the foreign pauper labor that the actual wages cost per piece ,1s less with us than with them. Or. in Mr. Atkinson's effective and oracular way of putting It, "if one desires today to .find the place where the labor cost 4s lowest in any given unit of product to which modern inven tion and mechanism have been applied, he may find it hy tracing the rate of wages to that country, section or place where the earnings of the workman during any consecutive perlpd of five or ten years have been the steadiest and at the highest rates earned in that spe cific art, because at s"uch point the best mechanism and the most skillful work men will have been assembled." Mr. Atkinson's testimony is further cf value in Its dlsoussion of remedies for the exceptions to our Industrial eminence. tn.sc,me articles, we are out classed, and he gives the reascras. Silk manufacture seems, to stand In a class by itself asiinvolvlng too much hand work for our taa'chlne competition to become available. "We fair short in bal ing cotton and packing wool, because we do these things In a slovenly and dishonest manner, and his remedy for this suggests itself. More momentous Is his argument.fpr Iree rawT materials. He sets up the broad principle that we are at a disadvantage only lJn .those few arts which canri'bt, be cejiaucted successfully jpigut-an jwtaxed supply 4 of materialsoJJXorelgn -origin wmch are necessary inOiB process of our domes tic industry." The trouble with us, where we have trouble, is, he says, that the rawv-materlals we need to im port "are now so -heavily taxed by du ties upon Imports that they are at this time In an adverse and unprofitable condition.' -Mr. Atkinson's rule is doubtless sound in theory, but we shall probably be safe In construing It with the same practical limitations that are necessary to be observed in every de partment of tariff discussion. It is to be hoped, that Mr. Atkinson's argument will do useful service In arousing the Republican party to the need of tariff reform. about the 11.000-tan Glenroy, of the Tacoma Oriental line. "Figures never lie," but the users of them do enough of it to make up the deficiency. It will probably strike the visiting Ohioans, who are searching for Infor mation regarding the Columbia River, as strange that a Columbia River paper would be obliged to print Tacoma fig ures regarding Columbia River steam ships. The Tacoma News printed the above figures with the deliberate in tention of misrepresenting the compar ative tonnage of the Glenroy and In drapura. The Astorian reprinted the figures through Ignorance and stupidity, aided and abetted by a feverish desire to get In a whack at Portland and the Columbia River at a time when we were entertaining guests who would never suspect the motive for the publication of such a piece of misrepresentation. When The Oregonian is in search of facts regarding the size of steamships frequenting the waters of ,the North west. It does not refer to the Tacoma papers, but instead to Lloyd's Register, an authority known and recognized wnerever steamsnips run. The As torian has access to the same author ity, and had it referred to Lloyd's be fore printing the nasty little fling at Portland's new line to the Orient, it would have found the dimensions of the largest steamers of the two lines as fol lows: Gross Under deck Net tons. tons. tons. Indrapura 4S90 4521 3152 Glenroy 4900 4476 3141 The Oregonian has this "to say about the 11,000-ton Glenroy, of the Tacoma Orlental line": She Is smaller in net tonnage .and under-deck capacity than the 8000-ton steamers of the Portland Asiatic line. These steamers can carry In weight and measurement over 10,000 tons, but are usually called 8000-ton steamers on account of their dead weight capacity. It may be a matter of news to the Tacoma News and the As toria Knocker that some of the steam ships which the Tacoma papers are classing as regular Oriental liners were yesterday offering for wheat-loading In Portland. The Astorian stands con victed of either gross Ignorance or of willful misrepresentation, and "It will be interesting to note" which one of the charges it will admit. AX ASTORIA GEM. The Astprlan, desiring -to present the Columbia River and its commerce in the best posible light, prints the follow ing in its editorial columns: According to the Tacoma Evening News, that city has within. "one as many ships regularly engaged in the Oriental trade as all other ports on the Pacific Coast combined. If the comparison be based upon tonnage, the show ing of Tacoma is still more remarkable. The News' estimate of the tonnage of Its vessels is 123,400, and of tne essels sailing between all other Pacific CfcaSt pint -md nS Orient DS.774. In tn8ilng'nnsrESSn1ate'tt'5Sgarertlie- tannage of the IndrapurA .and Indravelll at 3152 tons each, while the Glen boats.' which -call from Tacoma. arejejven asiiaali:g a capacity of from 5000 d fiJC0 tons, As The Oregonian Elves the turj&s. or the' former as SO00 tons; It will be interesting to note what it has to say THAT LOST $31,000. It has now been three months since a Legislative Investigating committee re ported a defalcation of $31,000 in the management of the school funds under the administration of George W. Davis as clerk, and not a step has been taken toward the recovery of any part of this large sum. Why this Inaction and how long it will continue, are questions that are uppermost in the minds of the people. The Oregonian, entertain ing as it does the highest regard for the integrity and ability of the state officials whose duty It is to care for the state's Interests, has waited long and patiently for the commencement of pro ceedings for the recovery of the money which was stolen from the school funds In 1891 So far as concerns the prose cution of those who are involved per sonally or financially In the defalca tion, The Oregonian has no Interest other than that which Is , shared by every citizen, taxpayer, parent and public school pupil In the State of Ore gon. What It has had or may have to say on the subject is offered solely with a desire to promote fidelity to public trusts and protection to public funds; and to this end It proposes to state plainly the situation as it now seems to exist George W. Davis was elected Clerk of the School Land Board when that board was composed of Governor Pen noyer, Secretary of State McBride and State Treasurer Metschan. That board Is charged by the constitution with the management of the school funds, and it is as much the duty of these officials to perform this work as It Is their duty to perform any other work connected with their offices. They were author ized to employ a clerk who was subject to their orders, and who could be dis charged by them at any time. They were empowered to fix the amount of his bond at any sum not less than $5000. They fixed his bond at the minimum amount, and failed to require him to obey that portion of the law which di rects him to make immediate payment to the State Treasurer of all moneys collected by him. The result was a defalcation of $31,000, for which the state has only $5000 security, so far as the clerk is concerned. Whether the state has recourse updn the members of the board Is a question that is not settled, but ought to be. The official terms of Pennoyer, McBride and Metschan expired at the close of 1894, and Davis held office six months there after under the board composed of Gov ernor lxrd, faecretary ivincald and Treasurer Metschan. The defalcation was not discovered until February 20, when the Legislative committee report ed a full statement of the facts to the Legislature. On the following day the Legislature adopted Senate concurrent resolution No. 23, directing Attorney General Blackburn to continue the in vestigation, and authorizing him' to employ clerical aid for that purpose. An appropriation of $1000 was made to cover the expenses of the Attorney General's investigation. The resolution also contained the following instruc tion to Judge Blackburn: That the said Attorney-General Is Instructed, In case any mismanagement or misappropria tion 'of the state funds be discovered to exist, to prosecute the wrong-doer or wrong-doers to the full extent of the law, and In all ways use his best efforts In the protection of the inter ests of the State of Oregon as aforesaid. Instead of Immediately beginning the work of completing the examination of the books of George W. Davis, where a defalcation had been discovered, the clerks were put at work on the books of Napoleon Davis, whose term of office began so long ago that any malfeas ance in office would be outlawed, both civilly and criminally. After the ex piration of three months and the ex penditure of nearly $1000, nothing new was developed concerning the defalca tion, and nothing has been done to re cover the money. Had some safe- blower broken into the State Land Of fice and robbed its vault of $31,000, it Is safe to say that no three months would have elapsed after the discovery of the crime without some steps being taken for the arrest and conviction of the criminal. Is one kind of robbery less culpable than another? Can friendship or political associations shield a man from prosecution for crimes the com mission of which is tacitly admitted? But Attorney-General Blackburn is not alone charged with the duty of re covering the money due the school funds. The present board, composed of Governor Geer, Secretary of State Dunbar and Treasurer Moore, is the custodian of the state's interests in this behalf, and If there Is any money due the school tunds from any source it Is the plain duty of those officials to order the com mencement of proceedings- to recover the same. It Is not enough to say that the Legislature placed this duty upon the Attorney-General. The constitution placed the duty of managing the school funds upon the State Land Board, and it Is now patent, to every one that" there are $31,000 of school funds which the board is not managing, but should be. The last Legislature passed an act making it the duty of the Attorney General, "when requested by any state board," to appear, prosecute or defend any action, suit or proceeding in any court in which the state Is a party or Is Interested. The State Land Board has the power to require the Attorney General to begin a suit against the old board and against Davis and his bonds men. If the Attorney-General refuses to comply with the instructions given him in the Legislative resolution, let the board direct the commencement of a suit, and thus perform its duty. The Attorney-General and the present State Land Board may be of the opin ion that Pennoyer, Metschan and Mc Bride are not liable for the default of their clerk. Then let them say so. But the people of this state believe these gentlemen are liable, and that the state can recover -from them. The questions Involved are few. and can be readily decided, with but little expense. Let the board begin a suit, whatever its own opinion may be, and let the Su preme Court say whether state officials can escape responsibility Imposed upon them by the constitution. The money used in examining the books of Napo leon Davis would have paid the ex penses of a suit against Pennoyer, Metschan and McBride. So far as moral obligation is concerned, the duty of the old board to make good the shortage is beyond question. The board allowed Davis to retain large sums of money for periods extending during his own pleasure. His books were not ex perted by the board, and no one in quired whether all the funds had been accounted for. More than that, State Treasurer Metschan. the only member of the board who served during the sub sequent administration, used every ef fort to have Davis retained as clerk under the new board, and stood out for him from January until July, voting for him when Lord and Kincald united in voting for General Odell. Since Metschan occupied a position as State Treasurer which gave him a good op portunity to learn of -any shortage, and by reason of his holding over until Davis went out of office had every chance to learn of the false entries In the books, he, at least, can have no ex cuse for falling to see that Davis did his duty. But whatever the liability of the old board, let some action be taken toward the enforcement of Davis' bond. The state's chances of recovery are not Increased by delay. If no ac tion is to be taken, if official bonds mean nothing, let the board say so, in order that the people may know where their Interests stand. Though the Legislature directed the Attorney-General to prosecute Davis to the full extent of the law, that official, announces that he will leave criminal proceedings to District Attorney Hart, of the third judicial district. The Dis trict Attorney has no evidence regard ing the commission of the crime. Attorney-General Blackburn has spent nearly $1000 collecting evidence, and should be in possession of all the facts necessary to prove a charge if a wrong exists. The Oregonian believes that the duty of bringing offenders to justice and of recovering money due the state should not be shifted from one official to another, for what is everybody's business is nobody's business. Let this unexplained delay cease, and let state officials perform their duties or resign their offices. AN UNDESERVED STIGMA. The death 6f General Fitz John Por ter recalls the fact that in December, 18S2, General Grant, in a long article contributed to the North American Re view, declared that General Porter in. his judgment was bearing the burden of "an undeserved stigma" in his being cashiered from the Army in January, 1863. having been convicted of diso bedience of orders August 29, 1862, the day of the battle of Groveton. Up to the date of his expulsion from the Army, Fitz John Porter was the ablest all-around soldier in the Army of the Potomac that accompanied McClellan to the Peninsula in the campaign of 1862. General Porter was born In New Hamp shire, and came of the famous Porter family, so distinguished in the annals of American naval warfare. He was graduated from West Point In 1845 number eight in a class of forty-one members, which Included Generals William F. Smith, Thomas J. Wood, Charles P. Stone, John P. Hatch, Gor don Granger and David A Russell, of the Union Army. The Confederate General Whiting, who commanded one of Jackson's divisions against Porter at Gaines' Mill, and was mortally wounded at Fort Fisher, and General Barnard E. Bee. who fell at the head of a Georgia brigade at first Bull Run, were also among Porter's classmates. In the Mexican War Porter was bre vetted for distinguished gallantry at Molino del Rey. Chapultepec and at the Belen gate, where he was wounded. At the outset of the war he stood so high that he was at once made Colonel of the Fifteenth Infantry, one of the new regular regiments, and was appointed Brigadier-General of "Volunteers in May, 1861. On the organization of the Fifth Army Corps, during the Penin sular campaign, Porter, who had hith erto been commander of the so-called "regular" division, was placed at the head of It, and on the arrival of Mc Call's division, known as the "Pennsyl vania Reserves," it was added to Por ter's command, which included all the. troops on the left bank of the Chlcka homlny, the Federal right wing. The Pennsylvania Reserves, under Gen eral George B. McCall, held the extreme Federal right at Mechanicsville, along the east bank of Beaver Dam Creek, but five miles from Richmond. This position was assaulted June 26, 1862, by A P. Hill's division of Lee's army, and disastrously repulsed, with the loss of 2000 men out of a force of lO.OOp. By order of General McClellan General Porter withdrew, McCall's di vision the next morning 16 the position of Gaines' Mill, about four miles east of Beaver Dam Creek, where the Fifth Corps would be within supporting dis tance of the main army across the river, while it would act as a rearguard of the movement to the James, the avowed purpose of McClellan being to stand off "Stonewall ' Jackson, ap- proaching with his corps from the Shen andoah Valley to co-operate with Lee's f assault from his lines before Richmond, with Porter's Fifth Corps, until he had safely retired his heavy guns and made th$ line of his. retreat secure. Jackson did nbt'reach Beaver Dam'Creek In turn on the 26th to save Hill from re-; pulse, but on the morning of the 27th of June crossed the creek and moved for ward to Join Lee. Relying on the ar rival of Jackson, Hill early in the after noon assaulted Porter's left and center, but was hadly repulsed. Longstreet came to Hill's assistance at 4 P. M, and about the same hour Jackson, with his four divisions, attacked Porter's right." Lee's 60,000 troops were thus en-1 gaged in a determined effort to drive Porter's 35,000 from their position. While Porter, with 35,000 men, stood off the assault of 60,000, General McCIel lan's left wing, 50,000 strong, on the right bank' of the Chlckahominy, did nothing to .relieve Porter until 4 P. M., when only two brigades of Slocum's di vision of Franklin's Sixth Corps ar rived. Two brigades of ttie Second Corps came up too -late to affect the fortunes of the day. The lines of Por ter were not forced until 7 P. M., when he had lost nearly 7000 men killed and wounded, and made so stiff a resist ance that "Stonewall'' Jackson refused to believe that only Porter's corps was engaged on the Union side, and In his report refers to the superior numbers of the Federals. To General Porter was due the disas trous, repulse suffered- by General Lee July 1. 1862, at Malvern Hill. Porter selected the position, posted the artil lery which commanded Its slope, placed the Union Infantry- ln position, was .In supreme command during the whole day, and personally led a charge upon the enemy. In Pope's campaign Porter did not obey an order to attack the enemy August 29, 1862, because by the time the order reached him he found his further advanqe opposed by Long street's whole corps of 30,000 men, which had already joined '"Stonewall" Jackson. In the battle of August 30 it was due to the skill and gallantry of General Porter and his corps that the defeat did not become a total rout, for it was Porter that reinforced the Penn sylvania Reserves and enabled them to hold the Henry House hill and ridge against the victorious Confederates. At Antletam Porter commanded the center of the Army, 30,000 strong, ' He was placed on trial before, a court-martial November 27, 1862, charged with disobe dience of orders August 29, 1862. He made an able and eloquent defense, but was convicted January 21, 1863, and cashiered fromt the Army. General Porter in vain appealed for a reversal of the decision until President Hayes granted a court of inquiry composed of Generals Schofield, Getty and Terry, who, on the testimony of General Long street, who commanded the forces op posed to Porter's corps on the day that f he did not executehe order to attack, completely exonerated General Porter from all blame and recommended his restoration to his rank of Colonel in the regular Army. This board of inquiry held that when an Important order for attack requires from 9 A. M. to 4 P. M. for transmis sion, the corps commander who is pres ent on tne distant field must act in accordance with the changed circum stances before him. The order was given him by Pope on the theory that an attack by Porter would strike Jack son before Longstreet could join him, but by the time the order reached Por ter Longstreet's whole corps had al-. ready joined Jackson, and Porter's at tack without support would have been madness. A bill for the relief of Gen eral Porter frpm his military and civil disabilities ws .introduced in Congress, but was refus'ed passage in the Senate chiefly through the bitter opposition of General John A. Logan; who delivered a speech against it in June, 1880. Even with the powerful Influence of General Grant In his favqr. Porter was not able to secure the passage of a relief bill in 1882. Finally, in Cleveland's first term, a bill was passed restoring Porter to his old rank of Colonel and placing him on the retired list of the Army in 1886, and twenty-three years after Its inflic tion this great wrong to a very able and gallant soldier was imperfectly righted by Congress. growth cannot climb treesHhe half-dollars that inean sudcess to the' new league will- jingle merrily over the plank shelf at the entrance to the grounds. Every American who admires a true sportsman, who would rather lose fairly than win by a "fluke," and, who places gritty determination at its proper value, will Join in a feeling of deepest sympathy for Sir Thomas Lipton, the only man who ever lost the America's cup without grumbling, and the only man who could have lifted It without also lifting a deal of hard feeling on this side of the water. Llpton's square, open race for the cup two years ago won for him thousands of friends in America, and not one of them but has felt keenly disappointed to know that his second cup challenger has fallen short of the hopes of her game builder. The calamity of yesterday seems to put an end to the prospect of this Sum mer's race, but, after all, the carrying away of a mainmast, with Its wilder ness of gear, is not an accident which is beyond repair, and those who have seen Lipton rise superior to other ob stacles are inclined to believe that he will not find this one insurmountable. And it is possible that the Installation of a new mast, with perhaps a change of the sail plan, may make the second Shamrock yet more speedy and trans form her Into an opponent well worthy of the smart successor to the Columbia. The "Ayres mystery," so-called, in Washington, D. C, has been solved. It does not seem to be much of a mys tery, after all. The principals were the young man Ayres, a clerk in the Census Bureau, 20 years old, and his "friend," a married woman of 32. Incidents were a quarrel between the two. a reconcili ation, her visit to his room at an un seemly hour of the night on pretense that he was sick and called her: her descent to her own room by means of the fire escape, and the finding of his. body pierced with pistol shots in his room a short time after. No mystery at all in all of this. It Is simply the rehearsal of an old chapter in human wickedness, passion and folly, with new names to catch the attention of the public. An illustration so old that It is new, of the lesson of unfaithfulness and wantonness, the sequel of which is death and dishonor, the latter un fortunately involving more than the principal figures In the presentment. THE MANILA COMMISSARY FRAUDS MANILA, May 22. The correspondent of the Associated Press learns that the fol lowing approved sentences will be soon promulgated: Captain Frederick J. Bar rows, Thirtieth Volunteer Infantry, ex Depot Quartermaster of the Department of Southern Luzon, who was charged with embezzlement and selling Government property," to be dishonorably discharged and to undergo five years' Imprisonment; Lieutenant Frederick Boyer. Thirty-ninth Infantry, ex-Depot Commissary at Ca tamba, on Bay Lake, on similar charges, to he dishonorably discharged and to un dergo a year's Imprisonment. Both Bar rows and Boyer will eventually .be re moved to Leavenworth prison, Kan. The Philippine Commission has passed the weather bureau act, and has also voted a loan of $2500 for each province to help pay the expenses until the land taxes are available. The commission has Im posed a registration tax of one peso an nually on all males over 18 years, except ing soldiers. Non-payment of the tax disqualifies from voting and involves a penally of 100 pesos, which can be en forced by the sale of the delinquent's goods and chattels. Assigned to ToTvnles's Place. WASHINGTON, May 22. Lieutenant John J. Klapp has been detached from the Wompatuck and assigned to the Nau tical School at Manila, taking the place of Lieutenant Richard H. Townley, or dered to appear before the court-martial for alleged complicity in commissary frauds. - General Corbln'a Trip. WASHINGTON, May 22. Major-General Henry C. Corbln, Adjutant-General or the Army, will sail for the Philippines on the transport Hancock, which will leave San Francisco June 25. He intends to make a general Inspection of the mili tary conditions in the Islands. It seems that President Andrew John son, while "swinging around the circle," crossed over to Canadian soil while at Niagara. This was early In September, 1866. when Mr. Johnson, accompanied by Secretary Seward, General Grant and others, was journeying westward by way of Albany and, Buffalo. The party while at Niagara was met by Canadian offldlals and invited to visit them on the other sjde. This was re fused, but later President Johnson and the others, the newspaper accounts of the day have it, crossed over to Table Rock by way of the suspension bridge, and that placed them under British Jurisdiction for the time being. .It is said also that General Grant while President was again driven across' to the Canada side while on a visit to the falls, but immediately turned back. No constitutional provision and no law or written regulation were .violated by either Johnson or Grant. General Grant had occasion to look carefully Into the matter when the House in 1876 adopted a resolution questioning the President's right to transact public business while away from Washington during consid erable periods of time. In his reply President Grant said, among other things: His (the President's) civil powers are no more limited or capable of limitation, as to the" place where they shall be exercised, than are those which he might, be required to dis charge In his capacity of Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, which latter powers. It is evident, he might be called upon to exercise possibly even without 'the limits of the United States. The "Servian situation," so-called, Is a combination of the absurd and the pathetic. Since the world Is not able to enter into the feelings of a King and Queen distracted in their desire for an heir, but unable to compass it, it were better if it were shut out from a knowl edge of their disappointment. One of the most ludicrous and at the same time most sympathetic of the side chap ters in history is that which discloses the vain longings, pretenses and sham expectations of Queen Mary of England for motherhood. Shuddering at the possibilities in human cruelty that the fulfillment of this desire might have produced, a certain measure of sym pathy yet goes out for this unhappy Queen, defrauded of her dearest wish and held In contempt by her husband and the nobles of her realm because it was not fulfilled. The "Servian situa tion" recalls this and similar incidents In history at which the "poor' man's blessing" mocks while it pities. "WANT NO INTERFERENCE. Alabama Democrats Propoie to Deal With Necrro Qnestfon Themselves. MONTGOMERY. Ala.. May 22. The ; constitutional convention today elected John B. Knox, of Calhoun, president. In accepting the gavel. Mr. Knox said the white men of the North would not sub mit to negro rule any more than would those of the South. "This Is our problem," he said,, "and we should be left to deal with It with our own sense of responsibility and rec ognized relations In the conduct of rov ernment. We do not hear of any threat ened outside Interference with any North ern states in efforts to provide for purity of government and there should be none with us. It has not been so much the elevation of the black man as It has been the humiliation of the white men that has characterized the conduct of the past, but much of it has been mollified by the statesmanlike and wise conserva tive course of the present Chief Execu tive or the United States, who Is President of the whole country and not merely of one section. We may differ with him po litically, but we must confess that by the policy he has pursued he ha3 been en abled to bring about a united country." .VOTE AND COMMENT- & What might not that scorn have, been if it hadn't rained? Portland has a team" that can. play ball if it has to swim to do It She's hoodooed. Sir Thomas; better build another If you need' the cup. The divinity that doth hedge- a' King got in some very pretty work yesterday after noon. . Perhaps Lipton better build a thlfd Shamrock. It is said that there'si luck In odd numbers. The Duke of Cornwall had better, be around home if papa insists on taking such long chances. Never mind. Eddy, you are not half as much of a Jonah as your little nephew,! Willie Hohenzollern. Every time a Northern Pacific train.' gets into St. Paul, It finds it has; changed, owners a. few dozen times during tha run. , The Czar will be able to see nothing thrilling in the experience of hls cousin of England. He has narrower escapes at home every day of his life. Judging from the way the vas (Jeep treated King Edward, the seaat havo transferred their allegiance from Brit annia to Hon. J. P. Morgan, of the-Unlted States. Tlie report that Jules Verne has been engaged in writing a book for a year seems to indicate that It was soma other man who sent out the news from Shanghai. & The correspondents who were on the Shamrock when the mainmast was carriel away will soon be as numerous as the. honorable company who stood on the) bridge with Dewey. . I? Bryan really wants to make Tho Commoner interesting, he ought to, lay , by his pen a while and allow Pro Bono- ., Publicum and Constant Reader a chanc? to get their copy in. v 9 Which I wish to observe, And I'm willing to bet. , l That for four-storied nervo . In the dodging of debt The heathen Chinee Is the smoothest, ,. Not to say quite the hottest, thins yet. King Edward is to be an admlra.1 in the f British navy. As he is not an applicant- . for a similar position in the American, n navy. Admiral Sampson will not be able f to question his lack of social grace. Perhaps the most Interesting newspa per enterprise in America today is the transformation of the Philadelphia Times from a typographical freak into a newspaper. Mr. Ochs has brought to the Quaker City some old-fashioned no tions about what a newspaper should be, and Is putting them into execution with promptness and skill. Some of them have been approved of experience with the New York Times, which the new Philadelphia Times is adapting closely to its environment No pictures are run, the news is condensed, ex purgated and neatly printed In compact rather than displayed shape, and the general tone of the paper is high and clean. Along these lines the New York Times has made a noteworthy success, and this abundantly "justifies Mr. Ochs In his Philadelphia undertaking. All of which shows that legitimate newspa pers are coming" in and yellow journal ism is going out. Iowa Prohlbltlonlnts. DES MOINES, la.. May 22. When the Prohibition state convention convened to day Rev. W. L. Farrls, of Cherokee, was chosen permanent chairman. Resolutions commending Congress for passing the anlt-canteen law, demanding the over throw of the liquor traffic, favoring equal suffrage, denouncing the mulct law and demanding the observance of Sunday law, were passed. A. U. Coa,tes, of Perry, was nominated on the first ballot for Gover nor: A. W. Ray, of Acton, for Lieutenant-Governor. A warm contest occurred over the In troduction of -a resolution Indorsing Mr?. Carrie Nation, but it was finally adopted. Denver Democrats Unseated. , DENVER, May 22. The Board of Alder men tonight unseated Theodore McGuIre and Adolph Selbold. .Democrats, and seated John D. Ross and Andrew Horan. Republicans, after a Jong trial. Fraud on the part of the Democrats was alleged. The board now stands 12 Republicans and four Democrats, with one contest, yet to be heard. Ask for a Recount. TOPEKA, Kan.. May 22. The attorneys for Albert Parker, contestor for Mayor of Topeka, today filed quo warranto pro ceedings in the Supreme Court, asking that a commission be appointed to recount the votes. Again the baseball "fan" has lifted his head In Portland, -and this time his "rooting" promises to awaken an in terest in the National game that will bring about the same revival here that has been" aroused In other cities of the Northwest The size, -the enthusiasm and the good nature of the crowd that attended yesterday's game 'rvere rem iniscent of the days when the old Salem used to steam up to Clinton & McCoy's grounds, her decks black with eager lovers of the game; and, although the rains descended and the floods came to such an extent that the ball was soggy and lop-sided, and the base-runners had to dive when they slid to first base, the crowd sat patiently waiting for the clouds to roll by, and left at the end of 4 innings without a single protest. The games thus far played have shown that the league is a most creditable organization, and that Port land has every reason to be proud of L the -players who represent her. There is no doubt that if the weather is only moderately open, tlie games of the sea son will become events of much import ance, and the spirit that causes the small boy to sit three hours tied in a knot around the lower limbs of a tree will awaken in the bosoms of his elders where, after all, it has only lain dor mantand as the children of .larger Certain students at West Point Mili tary Academy have long needed disci pline. They appear at last to have gotten It. It may now be hoped that undeserved sympathy and persistent favoritism will ndt Interfere to keep these young bullies out of the academy, the first principles of the code of which they haVe violated first by their un manly and unmilitary conduct, and. sec ond by their insubordination. It is un wise to temporize with lawlessness wherever It Is found, and particularly hazardous to do so In an institution which, above all others, is supposed to exact cheerful obedience to orders and foster a spirit of justice and manly self-control in those who partake of its benefits. Superintendent Mills, perhaps, as well as some of the cadets, has learned a salutary lesson. There Will be 'a corner-stone in the new Federal building at Salem sev eral, in fact but not the specially cut and carve,d piece of masonry that ivas' to have been placed with imposing cere monies had President McKlnley's visit materialized. It is gratifying to reflect that the structure will not lose any thing, either In beauty or durability, by "this omlsdlon, and, since the disap pointment of the multitude that ex pected to witness the ceremonies of lay ing this stone has already abated, the matter may be regarded as a closed in cident that leaves in Its passing nothing to be desired. NEW ORDNANCE SYNDICATE. Co'hipnny to Compete "Wltlx tlie Anglo-American Combination. NEW YORK, May 22. The Herald will say tomorrbw: , , "An American ordnance and navy arma ment syndicate is forming, which will consist of the Driggs-Seabury Gun & Am munition Company, of Derby, Conn., and the American Ordnance Company, con trolled by Charles Flint, of this city. This proposed new company, It is stated, will not be identified with the Cramp-Vlckers-Bethlehem Company, and It Is the inten tion of Its management to operate the company in direct competition with the long-projected Anglo-American gun and shipbuilding combination. "It was learned yesterday, In connec tion with the consolidation of the Cramps and the VickersMaxim Companies, and the purchase of the controlling interest In the Bethlehem Steel Company, that the gun and ordnance department of the Eng lish concern, and not the complete plant would be bought. The University of Oregon vanquished the University of Washington in de bate and athletics. The young men from swift-moving Seattle were really "nice" fellows, but not speedy enough for steady old Oregon. The press and many rash enthusiasts of the Queenly City boasted of the prowess of the northern collegians. Since they en joyed "the pleasure of winning before hand and the Oregon students enjoy it now, things are evidently evened up. Arapanoes Determined to Dance. WASHINGTON, May 22. The Interior Department today received by mall a com munication from Indian Agent NIckerson, of the Shoshone" agency, Wyoming, re porting that a faction of the Arapahoes in the agency are Idle, restless and de fiant; that the agent Is powerless to pre vent them holding a sun dance In defiance of his orders, and asking the War Depart ment for the assistance of the troops at Fort Washakie, Wyo., to sustain the agent. Acting Secretary Ryan later sent a request to the War Department to have the troops at Fort Washakie, Wyo., as sist the agent at the Shoshone reservation In meeting any emergency in connection with the threat of the Arapahoes. The canteen has been abolished at Port Ethan Allen, Vermont, which Is nominally a copper-bottomed prohibi tion state. Nevertheless the soldiers, at this Army post, without a canteen in a state without a licensed saloon, manage to get very drunk on payday. A Utah trackwalker lay down to sleep on his beat Sunday, and was promptly run over by a train and killed. A more clever adaptation of means to end Tvould be hard to devise. Snb-Prefcctnre at Tla J&ann. LOS ANGELES, Cat, May 22. The re port that the seat of government of Lower California is to be removed from Ensen ada to Tia Juana is officially denied by the Mexican Consul at this place. "Consul Andrade says there Is no intention to transfer the capital to Tia Juana, but the Mexican authorities have decided to establish a sub-prefecture there, and T3enor Andrade has Just completed nego tiations for a large tract of land on which public buildings are to be erected. The action of the state authorities will add greatly to the Importance of Tia Juana, and is of Interest to Americans, as the town is just across the international boundary. Police Justice John J. Mahoney, xf Chi- ' cago, gave good reproduction of tho judgment of Solomon not long ago. Two Germans had each other arrested on the charge of stealing a fine dachshund, which v they both claimed. "That dog is miner said one. "I wouldn't take $100 for him." "He's mine," "said the other. "I think more of that dog than I do of one of my children." "One of you Is mistaken," said, the I Judge. "I cannot decide this matter. ,l will settle by letting a policeman take the dog out and shoot him." "All right," said one of the claimants, ' waving his fist In the face of the other man. "Just so you don't get him." "No, don't kill the dog." shouted the other man. "He's too nice a dog to "ba ruthlessly shot. Let the other man,havq him: only I hoDe. your honor, thrit -you will make a stipulation that he'-treats'tilm. fight." , ;, "The dog is youra" said the judge to the second man. "Take him home with you." After Rudyard Kipling had spent a day or two in Buffalo in the '803, he thus de scribed it: "Buffalo is a large village 'qC 2S0.CC0 Inhabitants, situated on the sea shore which is falsely called Lake Erie. . . . Once clear of the main business streets, you launch upon miles and miles of asphalted roads running between cot tages and cut-stone residences of those who have money and peace. ... When you have seen the outside of a. few hun dred thousand of these homes and the in side of a few score, you begin to under stand why the American does not. take a deep jnterest In what they call 'politics, and why he is so vaguely and generally proud of the country that enables him to be so comfortable. How can the owner of a dainty chalet,, with smoked oak furni ture, imitation Venetian tapestry curtains,, hot and cold water laid on. a bed of gera niums and hollyhocks, a baby crawljng down the veranda and a self-acting, twlr lywhlrly hose gently hissing over tha graro, in the balmy dusk of an August evening how can such a man despair of the Republic?" t PLEASANTRIES OF PABAGHAPHERS Molly My little sister cot measles. Jlm mle Oh! So has mine. Molly Well. I'lL bet you my little sister's sot more measles tha yours has. Tlt-Blts. Procress. "How is you perBressln' in yoh.' Shakspere Club?' asked Mr. Erastus Plnkley. "Beautiful," ans'wercd Miss Miami Brown. "C shoty Is settin dls white folks' dialect down fine." Washington Star. v Keen Obsenwtlon. Pearl I don't believe tha Van de Courtneys keep any servants. Ruby , Why do you think so? Pearl Because you," never see any broken bric-a-brac in their ash box. Chicago News. Mean. Tess When I met May today I had my new gown on. Natumlly, I expected her to say something about it. but she pretended not to notice It. Jess Yes. she's an awfully tender-hearted girl. Philadelphia Preas. Killed in Train Yards. MANKATO, Minn.. May 22 James M. Shoemaker, one of Mankato's prominent citizens, was killed by the cars in the Omaha yards today. He was Mayor of Mankato when the 3S Indians were hanged here under General Sibley. Richest Negrro in the Sontb. HOPKINSVTLLE, Ky., May 22. Peter Postell, probably the richest negro In the South, died suddenly of heart disease to day. After the war Postell opened a gro cery, in which he accumulated a fortune estimated at ?S00,CCQ. The Boy "Who Keeps the Bats. Bide Dudley In St- Joseph News. Just see him stride from bench to plata The boy who keeps the bats. With truly a majestic gait. The boy who keeps the bats. His clothes are old, his feet are hare. His face unwashed, unkempt his hair. He's still In pride a millionaire The boy who keeps the bats. A most Important man Is he. The boy who keeps the bats. Possessed of great activity. The boy who keeps the bats. t He knows each player by his name. His age. his weight, from whence he came," And Just how long, he's played the game ' The boy who kefeps the bats. He'll lug ten sticks and laugh with gle The boy who keeps the bats. "De gang" regards with. Jealousy The boy who keeps the bats. Although he's not employed for pay. He "gets inside to zee 'em Flay." Which beats his former knot-hole way , The boy who keeps the bats. He knows each player's stick, you bet. The boy who keeps the bats. 'Twould break his heart should he forget,i The boy who keeps the batsl . Whene'er a ball is knocked tway. He throws them one with which to play. He's there for business ev'ry day , The boy who keeps the bats. He yells when worthy work Is done. The boy who keefs the bats, He "hollers" after ev'ry run. The boy who keeps the .bats. He's overjoyed at victory. And tells the other kids how "we" Won out as easy as could be - 1118 boy who keeps tho bats. m