THE MORNING OKEGONIAN, FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1901.
)5ntercd at the Post&nce at- Portland. Oregon,
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TODAY'S WEATHER. Fair and warmer;
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YESTERDAY'S WEATHER.-Maxlmum tem
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rORTLAXD. FRIDAY. JUXE 2S, 1001.
BY THEIR. FRUITS.
Elsewhere on this page we reproduce
n defense of the trusts with which, in
the main, we do not agree, but which
contains a few just and pertinent ob
servations. It Is true that there are
mitigating circumstances in the trust
Situation, and that those favorable
things -are very rarely considered In
anUfusl'.fulnpriatiocis. But it is also
tru&-j3jajjjthe,good-,done by the-rusts
In nofcyHfustlfles or palliates the bad
things they do. There are Iniquities
and infamies of trust performance.
They axe not atoned for by the trust's
beneficial effects, and it Is futile to
plead them In its extenuation. The
only 'satisfaction Is td be derived from
eradication of the abuses.
To be specific, the Standard Oil trust
has improved the quality of kerosene
and lessened its cost to the producer;
but this does not mitigate the wrongs
it has perpetrated upon independent
'competitors, who have been crushed,
not by legitimate competition, but by
fraud and outrage. The sugar trust
has improved' the quality of sugar and
lessened its cost to the consumer; but
this does not atone for its infamous
dealings with members of Congress in
connection with both, the Wilson and
the- Dlngley tariffs.
Who has reduced the price of oil and
sugar in the United States? Well, who
has reduced the price of every product
that chemistry and machinery turn
out? NOT THE TRUST, BUT THE
INVENTOR. Newspapers that used to
sell In New York for 5 cents sell now
for lor 2 cents why? Not because of
any printing trust, but because invent
ive genius has cheapened processes.
Better razors can be bought today for
31 50 than used to sell for $5. No trust
has done this, but the Improvement In
processes. Every article of common
use pins, matches, china, buttons, dry
poods, potions and toilet articles of all
ljlnds, are infinitely cheaper today than
formerly, not because of trusts, but
because increasing population has kept
pace with Improved machinery to lower
the cost of manufacture per piece.
Another thing. Why is it that the
Standard OH earns 40 per cent per an
num in dividends on its investment?
Why is it that men like Carnegie,
Hockefeller and Morgan have piled up
fortunes so large that they don't know
what'to "do with them? The answer Is
that they have withdrawn too much
money from the masses of the commu
nity; and they have done this in two
ways by cheating labor at one end
and the consumer at the other. No
man can look at these fabulous for
tunes and maintain that the conditions
"under which they have been built up
are preferable to conditions under
which the undue portions of these co
lossal sums would have been left with
the laborer in higher wages and the
consumer in lower prices.
What has happened of benefit to
mankind through American inventive
genius and American skilled labor has
happened not because of trusts, but In
spite of them. Their chief promotive
cause is the so-called protective tariff,
linden whose operation pur trusts sell
at high prices at home and at sacri
fices on bargain counters abroad. Un
til this ,inliulty is abolished, no plea
in abatement can be successfully plead
ed in behalf of our trusts, especially
pleas of benefits of which they are not
the originators.
STILL UNSOLVED.
A committee of fourteen experts,
after patiently Investigating the ques
tion in London for a year and a half,
has declared that drunkenness is not a
hereditary disease; or, in other words,
that drunkenness in the father does not
transmit a tendency to drunkenness In
the son. Thus is a theory that has
jjlvgn. comfort to bpth sides in the tem
perance 'contention overturned so far
As expert testimony can accomplish
this feat. The temperance reformers
have grown hoarse In voicing the warn
ing to men to abstain from drink lest
their children should become drunk
ards, while myriads of poor inebriates
have found excuse for their dissipation
in the belief that they are irresponsible
victims of an Inherited appetite.
The conclusions of the London com
mittee are not new. Dr. Keeley, of gold
cure fame, took the same stand In a
book publlshe'd 'a few years ago, while
common-sense. people everywhere have
found In the sober, responsible lives of
drunkards' daughters generally, and
of- many of the sons of drunkards, con
clusive refutation, of the theory. All of
these, authorities, however, acknowl
edge (fKotCihe offspring of drunkards
are liable to, be degenerates, but hold
that they are no more liable to alco
holism than to Other forms of degener
acy. l
The argument in; favor of temper
nnce assumes? in this View much wider
Significance. It is interesting to cote
how, when theories of this kind are
pushed aldng seemingly logical lines,
the tendency Is to come back to the
starting point, leaving the question
where It was at the beginning. Thus
Dr. Keeley, x following the line of his
argument, asserted that the strength
of will acquired in resisting the appe
tite to drink is transmitted to the next
generation, and that self-imposed absti
nence would In a few generations abol
ish Inebriety. This, It will be seen, dis
credits his original theory. For If
strength to resist the temptation to
drink is transmitted from father to
son, then the failure to develop such
strength must transmit weakness In
that direction, giving the inherited lack
of resisting power that constitutes the
Inherited tendency to drink. Dr. Kee
ley thus "comes back by that same door
wherein he went." leaving the ques
tion, as the London experts have left
it, still unsettled.
THE WILDEST OF DREAMS.
Sir Robert Ball, in a recent contribu
tion to an American magazine, has
shown In a brief and sensible way that
signaling to Mars is beyond the power
of human resources. The authority of
this eminent astronomer affords satis
faction to those of us who suspect cer
tain scientists of pandering to sensa
tionalism and notoriety. It is also very
improbable, even If there are intelli
gent beings "on Mars, that they could
send a signal to us which we could
detect.
That there is life on the surface of
our neighbor planet Sir Robert does
not dispute, noi Is he prepared to con
trovert the theory that the lines, called
canals, are the work of an artificial
agency. But by several practical illus
trations he shows the absolute absurd
ity of receiving signals with our present
instruments of observation, or of cre
ating a disturbance on this planet such
as could be seen by the Martians, un
less they have telescopes far beyond
the power of ours. The atmosphere
which densely envelopes the earth Is in
Itself enough to baffle their efforts to
study our planet, or to receive a signal
from us. Our difficulty In penetrating
the gaseous vapors of Jupiter and
Venus satisfy the best of our astrono
mers on that point. We get a fairly
good view of. Mars because of the ex
tremely attenuated atmosphere on that
body.
Moreover, the best of our telescopes
reduce the apparent distance of an ob
ject hardly to a thousandth part.
When Mars Is nearest the earth. Its
distance from us Is about 35,000,000
miles. Our greatest telescopes can re
duce this distance to an apparent 35,000
miles. Signals from Mars must there
fore be sufficiently great to be visible
to the naked eye 33,000 miles away.
This is about one and one-half times
the circumference of the earth, or
about 1400 times the apparent distance
of the moon through a great telescope.
Every one will admit that an object to
be seen by the naked eye 35,000 miles
away must be tremendously large. Of
such prodigious proportions, therefore,
must be any signal received by us from
Mars. Even If the people of Mars have
means of observation as efficient as
ours, and even If they can penetrate
our atmosphere, an accomplishment
which in our experience Is Impossible
for them, they cannot see the largest
of our cities. If we could wave at them
a flag as big as the whole State of Ore
gon, they might notice It, but In all
probability the gases and vapors of the
earth would shut off their view. If the
entire surface of Lake Superior could
be covered with petroleum and set on
fire, the occurrence might reach their
vision. If an equal phenomenon should
take place on Mars, it would just barely
be discernible to us, as a tiny point
of light. All the vast power of Niagara
Falls could not produce light enough
for a signal. If this greatest source
of power which man has Is Insufficient,
the futility of signaling may be accept
ed, at least until human kind has
gained more control of natural forces
than at present.
FALSE TO
THE SPIRIT
OF THE
LAW.
William J. Gibson, of New York City,
for six years counsel of the Treasury
Department before the Board of Gen
eral Appraisers, at a salary of $3500 a
year, has been removed from that of
fice, and A. H. Washburn, of Boston,
formerly private secretary to United
States Senator Henry Cabot Lodge,
has been appointed In his place. The
only reason for the removal of Mr. Gib
son was that Mr. Washburn, now As
sistant District Attorney at Boston,
wants to practice law in New York,
and desired to obtain a good-paying
position there while building up gen
eral law practice, so he told Senator
Lodge that he would like Gibson's
place. Senator Lodge some months ago
told the President; the President told
Lodge that the Indorsement of the sen
ior Senator from New York was essen
tial to a New York appointment. Sen
ator Lodge easily obtained from Sena
tor Thomas C. Piatt, of New York, a
letter to the Secretary of the Treasury
In support of his demand. Senator Al
drlch. of Rhode Island, and Senator
Piatt, of Connecticut, joined In recom
mending the appointment, and Senator
Hoar, of Massachusetts, supported his
colleague In this raid upen the civil
service. Secretary Gage had repeated
ly said that Mr. Gibson had performed
the duties of his office to the entire
satisfaction of the Treasury Depart
ment; nevertheless he caused Intima
tions to be made to Mr. Gibson that his
resignation would be acceptable. The
Board of Appraisers tried to prevent
the remoyal of Mr. Gibson, and testi
fied that Mr. Gibson's removal would
be a great loss to the public service.
The Secretary replied that the pressure
for the place was too strong to be re
sisted, and on June 19 Attorney-General
Knox wrote Mr. Gibson that at the
request of the Secretary of the Treas
ury his appointment as counsel of the
department before the Board of Gen
eral Appraisers was "revoked." The
word "revoked" was disingenuously
used because it was deemed Inadvis
able to use the word "removed" In the
case of a man who was appointed In
1895 and had served six years to the
entire satisfaction of his official su
periors. The removal of Mr. Gibson,
who was appointed under Cleveland's
Administration, was a violation of rule
2, article III, of the civil service rules,
which declares:
No person In the executive civil service shall
dismiss or cause to be dismissed or make any
attempt to procure the dismissal of or in any
manner change the official rank or compen
sation of any other person therein because of
his political or religious opinions or affilia
tions. There was no charge of Inefficiency,
or pernicious political activity or of
personal or professional unworthlness.
The sole reason for the removal of Gib
son was that United States Senator
Lodge, one of the original evangelist
of civil service reform, In his green and
salad days, when he piped the loudest
among all the mugwump birds, wanted
the place for his protege In order to
cancel a private political debt with a
gift of public patronage. Lodge began
his political career as a civil service
reformer, and so did Secretary Gage,
and yet we have them both joining
hands today to force a removal con
trary to law by freezing out of office
a confessedly efficient public servant
to make room for a man whose only
certificate of fitness Is that he wants
the office and Senator Lodge wants
him to have It. The whole proceeding
Is discreditable to Senator Lodge and
Secretary Gage, and absolutely dis
graceful to the President, who does not
hesitate to surrender his appointive
power to the party bosses In the United
States Senate.
The President's career, so far as the
civil service act Is concerned, Is a rec
ord of broken pledges; of chronic neg
lect to enforce the law; of wrenching
the rules at the demand of spoilsmen;
of refusal to punish notorious cases of
official violation of the law which have
been persistently brought to his atten
tion by the National Civil Service Re
form League. Of course, there is a rea
son for the complicity of the President
in these gross violations of both the
letter and spirit of the civil service
rules, and for that reason we do not
need to go far to find. Any man who
can see through a ladder can see that
the President farms out the patronage
on shares to the political bosses of the
United States Senate, because It has
always .been his habit to buy and sell
political "futures." He never knows
when he may need the support of these
political bosses In support of his "pol
icy" or that of his nearest and dearest
friends. He has needed them in the
past, and he knows It Is a pretty safe
bet that he will need them In the" fu
ture. He honors the demand of the
party "bosses" for appointments either
In payment of political debts past due
or In Implied purchase of political sup
port in the near future. He Is satur
ated with the same "feather and bar
ter" spirit which persuades Senator
Piatt to indorse Lodge's request for a
New York appointment. Piatt knows
that Lodge will reciprocate whert Piatt
needs help, and the New York Times
is not a whit too severe when It says
of the President: ""It Is pitiful to see
him backsliding In this fashion Into the
black ooze of the spoils system, where
Lodge and Piatt and Aldrlch content
edly wallow."
HINTS ON HARMONY.
Simultaneous appearance of two In
terviews from Democratic statesmen,
one of National fame Hon. James D.
Richardson and the other our own
Representative Watson, of Multnomah
County, on the subject of Democratic
success, leaves us In little doubt that
their Idea of the proper thing is cor
rect. This is, in short, Democratic
harmonv and Republican dissension.
What the Democrats need, say Rich
ardson and Watson, Is to banish all
causes of difference and adopt a plat
form on which all can unite.
This is a most important and timely
suggestldn. If all the old Democrats
can be brought back to the party and
no new Democrats lost, the outlook for
victory will be bright Indeed. What Is
needed, therefore, is a series of planks
that everybody can get in on, such, for
example, aB these:
The Democratic party, In National conven
tion assembled, recognises that new issues
are born of time and progress, and that old
Issues perish. At the same time we de6lre
to emphasize our adherence to the funda
mental principles of Democracy, which can
never perish or suffer change.
We point with pride to the ancient and hon
orable record of the Democratic party on hard
and honest money. At the same time we de
mand the free and unlimited coinage of sil
ver at 16 to 1.
Protection to American Industries has been
one of the proroundest blessings of our peer
less civilization. At the same time we de
mand free trade as art escape from the In
famies of the tariff.
We point with pride to tho record of Orover
Cleveland for honest money and suppression
of riot. At the same time wc approve the
efforts of our matchless leader, W. J. Bryan.
In behalf of free sliver and free riot.
We felicitate our British fellow citizens upon
the extension of British free Institutions over
South Africa. At the same time we recognize
In the noble stand made by the Boer states
the expression of a people unconquerably de
voted to liberty.
Wo point with pride to the Democratic
achievements In National expansion. At tho
same time we view with alarm nil efforts to
extend American sovereignty beyond our pres
ent borders.
Such a platform, we take It, can com
mand the enthusiastic support of all
Democrats, and especially of the large
number who are for the offlceB first and
then for any declaration that will get
votes. We offer the planks as a nu
cleus that may be expanded Indefi
nitely. No true Democrat can object to
an utterance of doctrine that will make
It easy for any human being to vote
the ticket.
The Peary Arctic Club will start Its
expedition of 1901 to Northern waters
as soon as Its vescel, the Eric, can be
provisioned and otherwise made ready.
This will not be later than the middle
of July. This Is the fourth expedition
In the Peary series since Lieutenant
Peary departed In search of the north
pole three years ago. The Eric, should
she open communication with him, will
carry news of the death of his mother,
which occurred last November, and of
the mystery In which the fate of his
wife and daughter Is Involved. It will
be remembered that Mrs. Peary and
her child satled from Godhaven, Green
land, on the 20th of last August on the
steamer Windward, since which time
nothing has been heard of the vessel.
While the Peary Club Is confident that
Lieutenant Peary Is safe, all will
breathe more freely when this fact Is
definitely settled. His return will add
valuable data to the history of Arctic
exploration, while the failure to find
any trace of him will but complete a
waiting chapter In its sad record.
It Is recorded of Secretary Long that
he Is "wearied and disgusted" with the
petty personalities and bickerings that
have so long characterized official naval
circles in Washington. Beginning with
the Sampson-Schley controversy and
coming on down to the latest little
squabble between Admiral Crownln
shield and Assistant Secretary Hackett
over the question of '"precedence" In
handing out the diplomas to the late
graduates at Annapolis, the experience
of the Secretary of the Navy In this
line has been sufficient to arouse in him
wrath and disgust. As proof of the.
estimate that "men are only boys
grown tall," these controversies are
conclusive. A crowd of schoolboys
wrangling over a game of marbles could
not display more Irascibility of temper
and bitter determination to be first In
the game than do these grizzled old
sea dogs of the Navy. "No wonder,"
says the Pittsburg Commercial; -"that
Secretary Long Is disgusted at the
show. He should demand In his depart
ment a decent regard for the common
amenities of official life." These quar
rels in Naval circles are certainly most
undignified. They result from jealousy
and an Inordinate estimate of their own
worth on the part of some of the offi
cials and attaches of the Naval service,
who are Invested by profound peace
with more leisure than they know how
to employ properly. A sharp repri
mand from their disgusted chief might
possibly prove salutary.
General Max Weber, who died re
cently at Brooklyn, at the age of 77,
was a revolutionist In Germany In 1848,
he and his whole regiment joining the
Insurgents; he was elected Colonel, and
had a fighting time. He fled to Amer
ica on the suppression of revolt, and
In New York City kept the Hotel Kon
stanz, which was a center for German
refugees. At the outbreak of the Civil
War he organized the Turner Regi
ment, became its Colonel and went to
the front. This regiment was about as
worthless an organization as ever dis
graced the uniform of the Union Army.
It ran away like a flock of sheep at
White Oak Swamp, and could not be
brought Into action at Savage Station,
In the Peninsular campaign of McClel
lan, in the SuWmer of 1862. This waB
not the fault of General Weber, a good
soldier and . a brave man, who was
wounded at A'ntietam, but was due to
the utterly worthless foreign adventur
ers who composed the line officers of
hl3 command. The regiment was fairly
drlveh Into action at Crampton's Gap,
and It afterwards mutinied shortly be
fore the expiration of Its term of serv
ice. In 1863. Weber was promoted to
Brigadier-General In April, 1862, before
his regiment joined McClellan's army,
so that he was "hot personally respon
sible for Its behavior.
The country home for consumptives,
In connection with the Montpeller
Home for Chronic Invalids at Bedford
Station, N. Y., was recently dedicated,
the address of the occasion being made
by Vice-President Roosevelt. Refer
ence was made to the fact that While
only American citizens of Hebrew faith
have contributed to the cost of these
buildings, they are open and free to
people of ail race's and all religious
beliefs. This good and grand lesson In
tolerahce and humanity was specially
commended by Mr. Roosevelt, who
said: "The meanest form of that hos
tility which la based on difference of
religions Is race prejudice. There Is
room enough in this country for the
best followers of bishop or rabbi, but
we have no room for pessimists and
not much for optimists. It is simply
Incumbent upon us all to do what we
can." The spirit upon which this
thought is based Is the broad spirit
not only of tolerance for that Is char
ity In a restricted sense but of broad
enlightenment Affliction is the great
leveler, making all who suffer near of
kin. This Is true In a pathetic sense
of all who, victims of Incurable disease,
bide as patiently as they may the com
ing of the sadly foreshadowed end of
life.
One passage in Judge Taft's report
on civil service In the Philippines Js
very significant. He says;
We hae not been obliged to make a single
appointment at the request of the Secretary
or the President. They have assisted us" when
we called on them for advice, but that Is all,
and they have E?jl us understand that thoy
were In sympathy with our purpose In making
tho law effective.
This Is an effective answer to the
asseverations of antl-lmperlalism that
we Could get no civil service examples
from our administration of the depend
encies. It was felt by most persons
that the absolute necessity for honesty
and fitness in the conduct of insular
affairs would set up a good example for
our home politics, and Incidentally pro
vide an object-lesson that might bring
about beneficent results. But the antls
were perfectly certain the opposite re
sult Would flow. Our spoils system at
home would corrupt the insular ser
vice. Judge Taft's report Is a specific
denial of this contention. The neces
sity for efficient servants has been ap
parent in the islands. Isn't It a nat
ural deduction for our domestic poli
tics that what 13 not good enough for
the Philippines is not good enough
for us?
A correspondent calls our attention to
the Tact that the present city charter
gives large powers to the Council In
the matter of taxing corporations. Sec
tion 32, subdivision 33, authorizes the
Council "to license, tax and regulate
for the purpose of city revenue all such
business, callings, trades and employ
ments as the Common Council may re
quire to be licensed, and as are not pro
hibited by the laws of the state." This
Is certainly a broad grant of power,
and under such power the courts have
upheld heavy taxes. The Common
Council has power to raise as much
money from the business, callings,
trades and employments of the city as
It desires to do This includes all cor
porations whose business is derived
from the use of franchises. The new
charter should not fall behind the pres
ent one In these authorizations. Mean
while the Council will probably not feel
disposed to take any radical action
while the new charter Is pending.
The New York Journal of Commerce
has a column leader on trans-Pacific
trade. In which It discourses learnedly
on Bteamshlp lines from Puget Sound
ports and San Francisco, and even the
mythical one from Manzanlllo, but
omits all reference to the Important
Union Pacific's line of Immense steam
ships from Portland. The Journal of
Commerce Is In almost every respect a
great and worthy newspaper, but Its
constant Ignoring of Portland gives an
Impression of studied unfairness. This
was especially noticeable In a recent
series of letters describing the grain
and flour trade of the Pacific Coast as
centering at Seattle a port whose par
ticipation in that trade Is utterly lnslg- J
nlficant. So accurate and reputable a
paper as the Journal of Commerce
should be above ministering to the
"hot-air" methods of Puget Sound
boomers.
It is a persistent belief of the "com-mon-polnt"-ers
that Portland's river
channel to the sea really stands In the
way of the city's development. Per
haps thlB Is a logical result of their
antagonism to use of the river and de
termination to force use of the rail
haul. If so, It does not commend the
'common-point" cause, for to the city's
growth no single element has contrlb
nted more than the river has.
Unless photography lies, the wrong
man waa killed at Seattle the other
day. Since we are told that the sur
vivor Is a "favorite" of the Post-Intelll-gencer,
we get a new and somewhat
Impressive Idea of that paper's charac
ter and associations.
"COMMON POINT" TECHNICALLY
For years Astoria has been a common
point with San Francisco, Portland, etc.,
for all through business wheat is a local
proposition the western common points
being the western terminal of the North
ern Pacific and O. R. & N. Co. If either
of these roads had tracks to Astoria, that
city would also be a common point for
wheat. Until one of these roads builds to
Astoria, whoever carries the wheat from
Portland to Astoria must be paid for tho
work. There Is as much reason for the
Astoria & Columbia River Railroad car
rying it for love, as there is for the North
ern Pacific or the O. R. & N. Co. ab
sorbing the charge. If the railroads were
getting $13 a ton for wheat from the
Walla Walla country, as they did orig
inally, they might not object to absorb
the rate from Portland to Astoria. At the
price received now they can hardly afford
It. At the present rate of freight neither
the Northern Pacific nor the O. R. & N.
Co. were able to keep out of the hands
of receivers.
Portland at present being the only ter
minal point on the Columbia River enjoy
ing a common point rate on wheat, Its
merchants are endeavoring to improve the
present harbor facilities and improving
the channel to the sea. It is hardly con
sistent with common sense for the said
merchants to decline to receive and ship
wheat at Portland, let the channnel fill
up because some person or resident of
Astoria, or the New York Commercial
says that it Is unnatural to ship wheat
from Portland, but for tho benefit of
Portland the wheat should be shlppped
from Astoria and the Portland merchants
and citizens should use their Influence
with the railroads to make Astoria a
common wheat point.
This unnatural port of Portland has
been asalled for the past 40 years. The
first discoverer of Its unfitness to do
business was the Pacific Mall Steamship
Company, and it decided to make a port
for itself. The company's steamers were
ordered and did do their business from St.
Helens.
Then some SO years ago the Northern
Pacific Railroad made the same discov
ery and with a flourish of trumpets and
a great bluff, did establish its Western
Pacific terminus at Kalama and notified
the world that Kalama was to be the city
of the Pacific Coast.
. Twenty years ago 15 or 20 cities on Puget
Sound, Gray's Harbor, Shoal Water Bay,
etc., were proclaimed the great cities.
Poor old Portland has been Ignored for
40 years. One by one the roses have
fallen, together with the projectors of
the several annihilators, and Portland has
gone on In the even tenor of Its way, at
tending to Its own business and taking
advantage of its natural geographic loca
tion, prospered, and become a city that
Its citizens are proud of and not composed
entirely of hot air.
If Astoria desires to become a common
wheat point, it must get the Northern
Pacific or the O. R. & N. to extend its
road to that c!ty, and this is the only
way. It It annihilates Portland, closes
the Columbia River and turns the country
back to farming land, without an ex
tension of one of these roads. It will never
become a common point, unless the As
toria & Columbia Railroad should extend
Its line to the wheat country, or carry
the wheat from Portland to Astoria for
nothing. RAILROADER.
Portland, June 27.
The Great RanMnn Fair.
New Llpplncott.
Most celebrated of Russian fairs Is that
held each Summer at Nljnl Novgorod (lit
erally "the new lower city"), which at
tracts buyers and sellers from Occident
and' Orient and 13 a favorite resort for
the globe-trotting slght-seer.
A low island at the confluence of the
Oka and Volga Is reserved for the site
of this annual gathering, which has an
enormous effect upon Russian trade. In
Winter the frozen waters quite overflow
the fair grounds, and every Spring ex
tensive repairs are necessary in order to
make the buildings fit for use. As for the
bridge that connects the Island with the
mainland. It Is laid on boats and removed
before the Ice has a chance to damage it.
Nljnl Novgorod is distinctively a whole
sale fair, and at it are determined the
prices for many commodities, including
cotton and woolen goods, the entire iron
product of the Ural district, tea, furs,
leather and leather goods, hides, drug3,
chemicals, linens, silks, etc.
Here, too, are credits established. Every
participant Is known by his neighbor,
and the financial standing of a newcomer
Is readily determinable by questioning his
fellow-townsmen. During the progress of
the fair the state of the Russian harvest
becomes known, a fact In Itself of su
preme national Importance.
Xo Succcs!) Cornea by Accident.
Thomas Wentworth Hlgglnson In Success.
All the luck In the world will not save
a man from failure, if he has no talent
for business. If you ask how he Is to
find out whether he has this talent or
not, the only possible answer Is that he
must learn by stern experience, and. If
he fails, must take the consequences. It
used to be said In the days of Stew
art's great New York store that his floor
walkers and even salesmen were men who
had failed In business themselves and had
gone back to him for permanent places.
A great silk manufacturer once told me
that it was much the same with him.
"What I want," said one employer to
me, when he was trying to select a can
didate for a certain place, "Is a broken
hearted man." Hard as these facts may
be. they serve to establish the first prin
ciple that great success rarely comes by
accident. Here lies the drawback upon
all schemes of socialism or community
property, that they can never equalize
human conditions or make the inefficient
successful.
Xo Hope Anyway.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Perry Belmont, who la something of a
Democrat himself, voices the views of the
best men In that party when he declares
there Is no hope for Democratic success
until Bryan and Croker are expelled from
the leadership. He asserts that "there Is
a radical difference between the vast ma
jority of those voting the Democratic
ticket and those who have captured the
Democratic organization and perverted It
to Improper and selfish uses." This points
directly to Bryan and Croker. Belmont Is
right. There Is no hope of the Democra
cy winning with Bryan and Croker In con
troland he might add that there Is no
hopo of tho Democracy winning under any
leadership or circumstances.
The Sooner the Better.
Chicago Tribune.
As it is known that free trade is to be
established between Porto Rico and the
United States, the sooner It Is put In
force the better. The owners of the sugar
and other Porto RIcan products which are
dutiable now will not ship them until the
duties are removed. No American prod
ucts which pay duties now will Te sent to
the Island except in limited quantities
while such duties are collectible. There
will be a decided shrinkage In trade for
several weeks to come.
Donbta Xot All Removed.
- Atlanta Journal.
'Somehow we would feel safer If some
body would underwrite President McKln
ley's declaration that Ye wouldn't accept
a third term. He has such a way of re
versing himself, you know; especially
when "plain duty" 'conflicts with "mani
fest destiny."
KI ND WORDS FOR THE TRUSTS.
Philadelphia Times.'
The campaign of abuse against the
Trusts goes on, but so does the Trust.
Tho old cry of wolf no longer frightens
the people. The wolf Is announced, but
there Is no wolf, and the appeal to super
stition and ignorance now stirs nobody.
What is the reason of this? The orig
inal trust was a legally constituted or
ganization of a special form. Several
firms or companies went together and
put their various properties Into the
hands of a trustee or trustees. The result
Was a so-called trust. Today there Is not
a trust In existence, in the legal sense.
The old trusts have been regularly Incor
porated as companies, and the new trusts
of which so much Is heard never were
trusts. While the thing Itself has disap
peared, the name sticks in our political
vocabularly, and to most men when they
hear it it conveys an idea of some hydra-
headed octopus such as is often seen
on the first page of the comic weeklies.
The Populist or the Socialist may con
tinue to rant against "trusts," which is
simply another name for capital, but
sane men ought to leave him a monopoly
of the privilege. The trust today is
nothing at all but a great company
which manages its business more or less
like great companies In other countries.
It Is a tremendous business, or often
times several smaller businesses which
have been consolidated. It employs thou
sands of hands, and It Issues capital
stock to the value of millions and hun
dreds of millions of dollars. The more
extensive our industrial Interests the
larger these companies are likely to be
come. No one but a Socialist or an An
archist will abuse a man (or a company)
simply because he Is rich and success
ful. It is time that this waa generally
understood. Men need to clean out their
brains and separate what is sound ana
healthy from what Is merely the stock In
trade of dangerous agitators.
Where are these trusts that are such
a menace to the liberties of the people?
The most powerful Is the Standard Oil
Company. How has It robbed the peo
ple? They paid 30 cents a gallon for re
fined petroleum In 1870. It Is now worth
about 5 cents (wholesale.) We used to
read every morning In the newspapers of
explosions of lamps which destroyed life
and property: now- such accidents sel
dom occur. The tracks of the railroads
used to be standing full of tank cars,
which caught Are. Illuminating the heav
ens at night and burning other classes
of freight In the neighborhood. Now oil
flows to the seaboard silently and In
safety through underground pipes. What
has brought about this change? A great
company with capital enough to manage
the business economically and well, to
build costly pipe lines, to hire chemists
and experts to test the product and to
take out of the practically crude oil
which families used to burn a hundred
different by-products or great value to
the hiiman race.
Another Iniquitous trust Is the Sugar
Tru3t, a great company for Importing
raw sugars and refining them. What Is
Its crime? In 1S70 the people of the
United States were paying from 12 to 15
cents a pound for white sugar. It Is
now quoted In the market at a trifle
over five. The poor of America within
the memory of men who are still young
used brown sugar that was sogcy with
molasses. The modern processes which
were introduced by a large company In
command of ample capital have taken
about two-thirds off the price and im
proved the quality many times over.
Sweets have largely superceded alcoholic
drinks In the diet of the poor. Americans
show a greater per capita consumption of
sugar today than any other people ex
cept Englishmen.
Steel is cheaper than Iron and" we have
to thank capital for that blessing also.
Great companies opened new ore bodies
and found the means of transporting
the new materials economically, and
working them up by improved processes
Into all kinds of products at a price
which now enables us to compete with
the rest of the world.
Ignorant and silly abuse of the trust
should stop. The large company must
obey and respect the laws like the small
company and every Individual, but a
business that disposes of a great capital
is as legitimate an undertaking as any
other. Of course some little oil re
finers and sugar refiners are crowded out
if they cannot meet competition. The man
who cannot compete In any branch of
trade goes to the wall. When labor sav
ing machinery Is introduced it Is inevita
ble that some persons must change their
pursuits. Few men are now needed to
mow grass with a scythe or thresh grain
with a flail. The fittest survive under
the economic as well as the natural law
and the unfit are shaken out because
they cannot produce as cheaply as other
men.
The American people are at the high
tide of their prosperity. Wages are
higher and living is better and cheaper
man ever Derore. capital, wisely di
rected, has been one of the leading fact
ors to bring us into better times. Let
us take pride in our achievements and
successes. The man who hurls indis
criminate abuse at large companies Is a
firebrand. He must be shown to the
rear. There is no place for croakers and
cranks In this triumphant country whose
Industrial superiority is now the theme
of the civilized world and whose ex
ports, thanks to Improved methods and
increased skill, will reach, this year,
about $1,500,000,000 against 1694,133,804 In
1899.
From Qnnylnm to Soolnllnm.
New York Evening Post.
The action of Mayor Ashbrldge, of Phil
adelphia, in giving away to the Quay ring
street railway franchises for which $2,500,
000 had been offered to the city, has, of
course, excited condemnation from one
end of the country to the other. An as
pect of the matter which has received
leas attention than its Importance de
serves Is tho recruiting of the ranks of
those who believe In the municipal owner
ship of street railways. Unquestionably
this first step In socialism is regarded with
favor by many more Americans today
than 10 years ago, In spite of the fact
that the best and most conservative think
ers still oppose the movement. The
growth of the sentiment for municipaliza
tion is not hard to understand: for the
feeling is less a convicflon of the advan
tages of municipal ownership than a dis
satisfaction with present evil conditions
and a readiness to seize any method of
escape which offers. No sober and un
prejudiced man can regard municipal own
ership of street railways, and the munici
pal operation which would next be pro
posed, under the present conditions in
most American cities, without appre
hension; yet that is the goal toward which
the political methods of Quay and his
kind are driving us.
Tariff Isaac to Be Prominent.
Pittsburg Post.
The tariff question is likely to assume
such prominence once more on the prin
ciple embodied In the BabcoCk bill that
trust protection shall be eliminated from
our tariff system. That will take away a
big slice of the tariff. In fact, a good
many Republicans are commencing to
speak much more respectfully of a tariff
for revenue than they did In Cleveland
times. Such a tariff will afford all the
protection the manufacturing Interests of
tho country require at this time. Russia
has set an example, and Germany and
France will follow. Even Great Britain
may discover some measure of redress.
Hannn and Bryan.
Kansas City Star.
Mr. Bryan grows facetious when he pro
claims that his choice for the Republican
nomination for President Is Mark Hanna.
But to take the remark seriously, worse
things might happen than the promotion
of Mr. Hanna. Of course his nomination
would be a disgrace to the Republican
party and an affront to the country, but
he could be elected by running Mr. Bryan
once more on the Democratic ticket and
I on a free silver, antl-expanslon platform.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Never mind, It will clear up after the
Fourth.
Today's weather Get out your over
coats and turn off the water.
Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson Is.
doing his best to live it down.
Even Senator Hanna Is vulnerable to the
soft touch of the college president.
Of course we shall have the usual bril.
Hant Illumination of Mt. Hood this year.
And the million dollar bills are begin
ning to burn holes In the pockets of our
friend J. P. Morgan.
The need of an emergency hospital be
comes more and more apparent as the
Fourth of July approaches.
The report that Adellna Patti Is going
to sing the role of Ko-Ko this summer
seems to be exaggerated.
Hon. P. Kruger, who when last heard
of was on his way to Heaven, has stopped
off en route at Rotterdam.
The difficulty with an organdie com
mencement gown Is that It cannot be
made over Into a bathing suit.
A commercial man sends In the follow
ing modern definition of assignee: The
brother-in-law of the man who falls.
Naturally, the objections to great wealth
are not very apparent to the young men
who are attending tho modern colleges.
Messrs. Morgan, Rockefeller, Carnegie,
Harrlman and others may now prepare tc
step down and out. The graduates have
been turned loose.
It Is reported that Joaquin Miller has
struck oil. There are other poets who
would be glad to give the wolf the laugh
In the same way.
A treason trial in Paris Is as essential
to the happiness of her population as a
murder sensation Is to that of the Inhabi
tants of San Francisco.
There are politicians In Philadelphia
who can give Piatt and Croker post-graduate
courses and have a little knowledge
left over to Impart to Carter Harrison.
A Chicago broker recently found a pos
tal card In his morning mall reading as
follows: "Dear Sir Please buy me 500U
shares of People's Gas at 93 cents and
sell the same at Jl 15. After deducting
your commission you may remit the bal
ance In a registered letter. Yours very
respectfully, Mrs. Blank. P. S. My fu
ture patronage depends upon the prompt
ness with which you act In executing
the abovo order."
A young negro recently applied for a
place In the Treasury Department.
"What can you do?" asked one of the
secretaries.
"Anything, sah, anything."
"What state are you from?"
He drew himself up proudly. "I'm from
the first state In the Union, sah."
"New York?"
"No, sah; Alabama, sah."
"But Alabama isn't the first state 'In
the Union."
"Alphabetically speaking, sah; alpha
betically speaking."
Dr. Guthrie, an authority on military
surgery fifty years ago, was a kindly man,
although somewhat brusque In his man
ner. Sir Joseph Fayrer says:
"I was his house surgeon and we got
on very well together. One day, when wt
were going through the wards with a
large following of distinguished visitors,
foreign surgeons and others, we stopped
by the bedside of an Interesting case,
when Guthrie found fault with the dres
ser for something he had done or left
undone. The student ventured to reply,
and Guthrie said: 'I dare say you think
you're a remarkably clever fellow, don't
you?' 'No, sir,' said the youth, earnestly.
'I don't.' 'But you are, though,' said
Guthrie, and passed on."
PLEASAXTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS
"Yes. I am a confirmed bachelor." "How
many times havo you been confirmed ?" Brook
lyn Life.
H- Wanted to Know. LUtlo Boy Tapa?
His Fnthcr Well, my son? LUtlo Boy rapa,
whit would you do If some bad man was to
catnip me? Puck.
Artificial. First Menagerie Keeper What's
wrong? Second Menagerie Keeper Keep that
curtain down until I get the sacred cow's
hump on straight. Ohio State Journal.
Author I am troubled with Insomnia. I lie
awake at night, hour after hour, thinking
about my literary work. Friend Why don't
you get up and read portions of It? Town and
Country.
"The number of people who speak English."
said the amateur statistician, "Is now 110,
000.000." "It Is a wonder," said the cynic,
"some of them do not find their way on to
the stage." Tlt-Blts.
Mistaken. "After they had the negro fairly
lynched they discovered It was a case of mis
taken identity!" "Horrible!" "Yes; It turned
out that the dog he kicked was not a whltn
man's dog, after all!" Puck.
Quito Another Thing "Flossie, If you and
Harry can't stop quarreling. I shall not let
you play tea-party any more." 'But this l.n t
a tea-party, mamma. We're playing married,
and Harry Is finding fault with my cooking."
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.
Poor Child. "You've got a little brother,"
said the nurse at breakfast. "He was born
last night." "Iteally?" exclaimed Tommy.
"And last night was Sunday. Poor kid!"
"Why do you say that? Cause his birth
days won't do him any good. Sunday's a hol
iday, anyhow." Philadelphia Press.
Tho New Styles. "Henry Is a brute." laid
Mrs. Justwed to her mother, to whom she had
gone for sympathy. "Why, what has he done,
my poor child?" "Why, he he says that my
new bonnet the one that Is trimmed with
those lovuyl cherries and things boo-hoo he
say he says It looks, like a boiled dinner."
Baltimore American.
"Vnllnnt Men In Their Generation."
Once again, with footsteps slow,
Down the city streets they go.
See. tho long, slant beams of red
Rest on many a whitened had.'
Fast the twilight of their years
Falls upon the pioneers.
See how Time has left hla trac
Deeper on each earnest face.
Aimless days and nights of easa
Never left such lines as these.
See. they come with brow elate.
They, the founders of a state!
They were chosen men and best.
They who set their faces west
Long ago. with scorn of pain.
Daring death on sea and plain.
Lo, the Fathers' hearts were theirs.
They the Pilgrim's worthy heirs!
They were simple folk and kind.
Tender-hearted, clean of mfnd.
"Where the cabin firelight's glow
Flickered through the rain and snow
Came the welcomed stranrer guest.
Sat, unquestioned, with the rest.
Look, my child, there are but few
Of these valiant men and true.
Those, with hearts still strong and bold.
Hopeful, as In days of old.
Joined the nllent brotherhood.
Trusting that the land was good.
Little one, a noble a;e
Left you this fair heritage.
You will tell In after years
Proudly of these pioneers.
Mark them! They are passing on.
They who founded Oregon.
WINIFRED WATSON GANTENBEXN.
Portland, June 15.