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PORTLA2VD, SATURDAY, DEC. 21,
KEYS TO CHARACTER.
The sage motioned his visitor to a
Chair, and scrutinized him closely. His
stainless blue eyes bespoke the frank
and manly soul, but In the meeting eye
brows he detected the mark of insin
cerity. The unusually well-developed
organ of firmness Vas strangely offset
by & weak mouth. The prominent nose
iwould have demonstrated the visitor's
iforce of character had it not been for
the weakness revealed in the small,
receding chia. The eyes, set close to
gether, betrayed the artist tempera
ment, but they were given the lie by
the broad, flat fingers indicating the
bent for mechanics. Cranial develop
ment pointed plainly to generosity, but
the diminutive ears showed how the
heart was closed to every appeal for
lelp. His stolid glance bespoke the list
less mind, but in the beetling brows
were plain evidences of shrewd powers
of observation. As he had come up to
the door the sage had noted that the
visitor set his heels down hard, like all
men of Napoleonic purpose, but when
he shook hands he did so with that
passive movement that stamps the
vacillating and easily swayed. His
straight, black hair indicated resolu
tion and method, but slovenly arranged
attire discovered laziness and disorder.
So the sage requested his visitor to call
again and bring specimens of his pen-
manship and wash his hands so his
palms could be read. , "
This fable teaches us that the busi
ness of foretelling the future, for pleas
ure or profit, is attended with grave
obstacles. Those who have consulted
in turn the phrenologist, astrologer,
medium, palmist, gypsies, tea-grounds
and playing cards have learned by ex
perience and some expense how difficult
it is for these various schools to agree
on details, and while the patient's
name, age and various other things al
ready known to him or her seem often
miraculously revealed, the events of to
morrow are ascertained with the great
est difficulty and even doubt. Even
where science is on firm footing, the
most trustworthy indications are often
at fault. Children of the same father
and mother, even twins, exhibit the
most marked antagonisms In disposition
and capacity. Some, born with high
tempers, control them. Others, born
with sweet dispositions, are spoiled by
overindulgence. "Whether the big
headed infant Is a genius or an Idiot
time only can reveal. Almost every
family flock has Its black sheep the
sister in exile, the brother that went to
the gallows or the penitentiary and
some of them are all black sheep but
one or two. Children bom in the days
of poverty may be homely -and forceful
tnose m later affluence be handsome
but useless. From a man's inheritance
or early training It Is impossible to say
what his end will be. From the New
man home went out two boys similarly
bred and educated, but while one be
came the great Catholic preacher, poet
and cardinal, the other went to the ex
treme of unbelief. To them has been
applied a beautiful stanza in one of Dr.
Holmes poems:
From the same cradle's side.
From the same mother's knee, .
One to long darkness and the frozen tide
One to tho peaceful sea.
No man has the future in his knowl
edge; but better than this, every man
has his future largely In his keeping;
and he has it altogether in his keeping,
so far as the most important part of
it is concerned. One last dread day that
comes to all it will make little differ
ence where the lost bracelet Is, or
whether grandfather made another will,
or how near the dark lady comes to us
by water with money or without; but
it will make all the difference in the
world how we have lived. Every man,
that is to say, Is not hl9 own fortune
teller, but his own fortune-maker. He
gathers in at harvest time the fruits of
his own sowing whether of wild oats
or golden grain.
"BIRDS OP THE COMING STORX."
Chicago anarchists who were arrested
at the time of the murder of Presi
dent McKinley have of late grown ex
ceedingly bold In their utterances
against the official life of the Nation
and those who represent it Open let
ters and manifestoes have been ad
dressed to President Roosevelt, breath
ing defiance, disrespect and rebellion
in response to his sharp arraignment of
anarchy and anarchists in his late mes
sage. A conference of anarchistip lead
ers of different cities in Illinois has
lately been held in Chicago the hotbed
and breeding nest of anarchy, and the
manifestoes referred to have been' sect
out in accordance with the plans then
and there formed. A general mani
festo is yet to appear. This will be for
warded to every member of the legis
lative portion of the Federal Govern
ment, and also printed and sown broadr
cast by the organs of the "reds"
throughout the country.
Bold, audacious, impudent Abraham
I-Isaak and his coworkers emphasize by
their attitude the fact that the time
has come to deal sternly with the dis
turbing, menacing element that they
represent. An open letter covering a
page of the anarchistic sheet. Free So
ciety, signed by Abraham Isaak and ad
dressed to President Roosevelt, voices
the views of the Chicago horde. Though
carefully worded, the letter from first
to last is full of menace and a defi
ance. It concludes with the statement
that "the Paris Commune was drowned
In the blood of 30,000 human beings,
but even today the intelligent people
look back to that grand uprising with
inspiration and hope." Reference Is
made in like laudatory strain to other
European movements looking to the
overthrow of government, while the
hanging of the Chicago anarchists is
treated with the usual updertone of
vengeance delayed but sure to come.
The document closes: "In the words of
August Spies, 'We are the birds of the
coming storm.' "
i If there Is any merit in this mani
festo, it is in its boldness. The Gov
ernment now knows, if it did not know
before, exactly where to find these peo
ple. Keeping within the pale of the
existing law, they shout defiance at all
law; claiming and enjoying the protec
tion of liberty, they would turn its op
portunities against its very life; glory
ing In murder, they make outcry
against the decree of the law by which
the lives of their comrades taken red
handed were required of them. Self
proclaimed "birds of the coming storm,"
it is for Congress to arrest them in their
flight, and with a determination exceed
ing their own, first confine the storm
to their furious ravings and then stop
its rumblings. Made bold by the mur
der of the President and arrogant
through the failure of detectives to fix
the crime, where it justly belonged
upon anarchists who make dupes and
tools of weaklings like Czolgosz, these
self-proclaimed "birds of the coming
storm" have clearly forgotten prudence
In their last mad flight.
TJXJUST, UNWISE AND OPPRESSIVE.
It is one of the humiliating phenom
ena of human nature that a man fre
quently knows less about his own needs
than the most casual observer could tell
him. As to performance, the case is
plain. The poet gathers his worthless
pieces into the authorized volume and
sets the gems aside to await the more
discriminating publisher. Many a wife
has dug her husband's cleverest work
out of the waste basket Yet one would
suppose that tea merchants, for exam
ple, would know whether a 10-cent Im
port tax was good or bad for their
trade. Unfortunately, they don't, for
their eager advocacy of the tariff has
succeeded to frantic demands for its re
peal. They have apparently been as
wise In their generation as the trans
continental railroads which have been
retarding the development of their tcr.
ritory by delaying the Nicaragua Canal,
Inasmuch as the tax on tea was en
acted three years and a half ago, it Is
about time' for the true source of its
origin to be made public. It takes about
that long for the true inwardness of our
"protective" schemes of various kinds
to get to the surface. We place entire
confidence in this acsertlon made by the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Journal of Commerce:
The history ot the imposition of the duty on
tea shows that it was in response to tho de
mand ot Senator Tillman, ot South Carolina,
who had the protection of the Infant tea In
dustry at the Pinehum plantation, nenr Sura
merville. In his state. In view. It was In direct
compllanco with his motion that the Senate
put on tho duty, -which was accepted In con
ference. There was no particular opposition
to It, as It seemed to meet tho views and
wishes of the tea merchants who had been
contending for years that something: should be
done that would kill the trade In spurious teas.
To take the last end of this explana
tion first, it is a trifle disconcerting to
find that the duty has not operated to
keep out- the objectionable teas. No
body but a shrewd business man, know
ing everything about his books and bal
ances, and nothing about the world,
would have held implicitly to the faith
that an act of Congress is omnipotent
over the food habits of the people. Of
course, it is nothing of the sort. We
are all drinking the Identical tea we
drank in 1897, and woe betide the grocer
that eends something else to the house
by mistake. Such little effect as the
tax had was to encourage consumption
of cheaper tea. There was a natural
effort on the grocer's part to give his
customers something that cost 30 cents
and 10 cents tax in place of the article
that had been costing. 40 cents. At a
conference in New York the other day
a grocer objected to the tariff because
his 8-cent tea was thereby made to
cost 18 cents. He was promptly and
appropriately rebuked by another mem
ber of the conference, who informed
him that the tariff on tea was designed
to keep out such cheap teas.- The inci
dent's bearing on the efficacy of the law
is obvious.
Logically, considered, however, if we
grant the protection theory, the abolish
ment of the tax Is indefensible. Tea is
grown in the United States. The tariff
protects it Therefore the tariff should
be retained. From this conclusion
there is, in protection logic, no anreal.
It makes no difference how small the
tea industry is, or how burdensome the
tax, or how many the consutners and
few the growers. The "principle" is un
disturbed by any such considerations.
We must not withdraw protection to
any American industry.
.To this reductio ad absurdum do the
protectionists In Congress hold, and any
effort to destroy this iniquitous tariff
will be resisted on behalf of Tillman's
South Carolina plantation. The simple
fact as to the tax on tea is, of course,
that it is needed neither for revenue nor
for projection, and that its three-fold
effect Is to wring money unjustly from
the people, to hamper trans-Pacific
trade, both ways, and to vitiate the
quality 'of tea consumed by the Ameri
can public
CABINET CHANGES.
The replacement of Postmaster-General
Smith by Henry C. Payne Is likely
to be followed within a few months by
the retirement of perhaps all the Sec
retaries appointed by President McKin
ley save Secretary Root and Secretary
Wilson. These retirements will not be
due to any desire on the part of Presi
dent Roosevelt to seek new Cabinet
advisers, but to the natural desire of
the officers of McKInley's Cabinet to
retire at the first decent opportunity
after the business machine of the Ad
ministration had become familiar to the
new President and the various depart
ments put in the best possible order for
the advent of new Cabinet officers.
Before the murder of President McKin
ley it was well known that Secretaries
Hay, Gage and Long would be glad to
return to private, life. Secretary Hay
has suffered by sickness and severe do
THE MORNING OBEGONIAN, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1901,
mestic bereavement during the past
year; Secretary Gage is weary of offi
cial life at Washington, which is labor
ious and 111 paid; Secretary Long is an
'able lawyer, who needs to return to his
practice, for he Is not a rich man, and
in event of the death or retirement of
Senator Hoar he would naturally be
among the candidates for the succes
sion. The Secretary of the Interior has
not made his administration of his de
partment altogether satisfactory to the
people of the West
The present Secretary of War, Mr.
Root, Is not only the ablest man in the
Cabinet, but he is an old-time warm
personal friend of President Roosevelt.
If Secretary Root were to consult his
own desires, probably he would be glad
to return to private life, for he has
suffered considerably from ill health
since he went to Washington, and he
sacrifices tho income of a very large
and valuable legal practice by his ser
vice as Cabinet Minister. It is natural
that the Secretaries appointed by Pres
ident McKinley should wish to retire,
and it Is natural that a new President
should wish to have his Cabinet com
posed of men who are not only polit
ical supporters, but personal friends,
like Secretaries Root and Payne; but
there is no ground for the apprehension
that Presidenr Roosevelt has a Jack
sonian temper that is Intolerant of all
men save those who have always be
longed to the Inner circle of his clans
men. The changes which have taken
place and are likely to take place In his
Cabinet are not more sweeping than fol
lowed the accession of Tyler, Fillmore,
Johnson and Arthur. Tyler accepted
the resignation of all the Cabinet offi
cers of HarriHon, saving Daniel Web
ster, within six months after Harri
son's death, and Webster resigned in
1843. Fillmore retained none of Presi
dent Taylor's Cabinet Andrew Johnson
retained none of Lincoln's Cabinet from
personal choice, save Secretary Seward
and Secretary Welles. President Arthur
kept none of Garfield's Cabinet save
Robert T. Lincoln, who was retained
doubtless for the same reason that he
was originally appointed by President
Garfield; he was the Upright, inoffen
sive, entirely respectable son of Abra
ham Lincoln; he was the shadow of a
very great name.
The successor of Mr. Hay has already
been designated as Mr. Choate, our
present Ambassador to England, but it
Is doubtful whether Mr. Choate's profes
sional Interests would permit of further
devotion of his time to the public serv
ice. In that event Senator Lodge, of
Ma&sachusetts, might be invited to be
come Secretary of State, for, like Sec
retary Root, he Is a lifelong personal
and political friend of the President,
and he is particularly well fitted for the
office of Secretary of State by his at
tainments as a scholar and a writer,
and his thorough knowledge of the po
litical history of the United States in
its relation to that of modern Europe.
There is no reason for apprehending
that President Roosevelt will make any
changes in his Cabinet beyond those
which are made necessary by events or
prompted by the desire to Increase the
working efficiency of his Administra
tion. He is not of the temper of Jack
son, who made passionate personal
friendship for General Jackson rather
than public efficiency the qualification
for his Cabinet
GREAT ORATORS SELDOM
GREAT
STATESMEN.
The great popularity of Lord Rose
bery as a most accomplished orator has
been accentuated by his recent speech,
but his own party, that listens to him
with delight is divided In opinion as
to whether Rosebery would prove a
success If he accepts the Liberal leader
ship. His record as the successor of
Gladstone was in no sense a brilliant
one, and his power and popularity with
the English, public at present rest
mainly on his 'oratory. A keen English
critic once said that "England was
made drunk by speeches and kept
drunk by newspapers." Gladstone's
gift of eloquence enabled him to main
tain his Influence, or at least his follow
ing, long after his defects as a states
man had become clearly visible to in
telligent observers. The same thing
can be said with equal justice of Kos
suth In Hungary and Castelar in Spain;
their public eloquence was captivating,
but their executive and administrative
talents were small. This fact illustrates
the limitations of the oratorical tem
perament as distinguished from the
mental constitution of a great states
man. Kossuth by his eloquence and
his pen stimulated the Hungarian revo
lution, but when that revolution had
bqen crushed by the intervention of
Russia, Kossuth, at 49 years of age,
went Into retirement and stayed In re
tirement, dreaming over a barren ideal
ity, for the next forty-five years.
Cromwell, MIrabeau or Cavour could
not possibly have played as great part
as Kossuth and been content as Kos
suth was to accept defeat and retire
henceforth from the political battle
field of his country. As well might you
expect that jMapoleon Bonaparte would
have hesitated to escape from Elba and
organize the tremendous assault on the
powers of Europe that fought, bled and
grimly died at Waterloo. Kossuth was
an orator, an enthusiast, an eloquent
dreamer, a declalmer of poetic prose,
not an organizing, constructive states
man of the quality of MIrabeau, Ca
vour, Bismarck. He was a poetic mind
whom circumstances forced to essay the
part of a statesman, but the sequel
proved that he was a great agitator,
not a great statesman, who knows when
to- win by compromise, and not only
when to blow the horn, but when to
draw the sword. Kossuth was the
greatest orator perhaps of this century,
a most Inspiring, destructive agitator,
but not a great constructive statesman.
Kossuth was of the quality of political
agitator and critic that was voiced in
this country by the wonderful eloquence
of Wendell Phillips and the greatly in
ferior oratory of Charles Sumner. After
Lincoln consented to emancipation, the
work of Garrison, Phillips and Sumner
as useful moral agitators was over.
Garrison knew it and was. content, but
Sumner livedto discredit his reputation
for statesmanship by his utterly im
practicable attitude on the question of
the Alabama claims, while Phillips
showed the infirmity of his very noble
mind by adopting and voicing Ben But
ler's absurd rubbish concerning green
backism. The oratorical genius has its limita
tions. Its work Is criticlshi, agitation.
Inspiration, rather than organization
and constructive statesmanship. When
the twenty-two Girondist deputies were
guillotined, it was truthfully said that,
while a large majority of them could
make an eloquent speech, there was not
one of them that was endowed with the
administrative ability and dauntless
executive courage of Danton, who de
plored their fate and vainly tried to
save them by pointing out that In &
time of revolution and war bold action
is wanted rather than flowery words
or political Idealism. The supreme gift
which distinguishes the great orator
from his fellows is his abnormal devel
opment of the power of Imagination.
This rare gift Is the source of the pe
culiar effectiveness of a great orator's
speech; his Imaginative power makes
his logic glow, makes his wit and hu
mor shine with new and fresh illus
trations, makes visible new occasions
and opportunities for criticism.
So long as the work of the orator is
that of an agitator, an lnspirer and a
critic, his gift of the imagination su
perbly arms him for battle. But when
the battle Is won and men of calm,
austere minds are confronted with the
cold facts of a new and very trying
military and civic situation, the orator
of abounding imagination is generally
a poor counsellor and almost Invariably
an eccentric and vacillating executive.
The true orator is seldom more than
a great and useful artist, and his pe
culiar power has been as notable in the
history of the race as that of actor,
poet, singer or preacher. Sometimes a
great orator has been a great warrior,
a great statesman, too. The Instances
are few, because when the imagina
tion is developed out of all proportion
to the understanding, its appenls
however useful to start a revolution,
are not Instinct with the quality that
wins the victories of peace. To Caesar
and Napoleon alone in history is at
tributed the ability to play the part of
orator, warrior and statesman. The
number of great orators are few, and of
those the greatest Demosthenes and
Cicero, had small claim to capacity for
statesmanship. When the Imagination
Is the predominant gift, the man is not
likely to be a good administrator, a
wise and vigorous executive, or a saga
clous statesman.
Citizens of Multnomah County have
a proper pride in their schools. In the
fifty-eight districts of the county out
side of Portland 104 teachera are em
ployed. The schoolhouses are for the
most part comfortable and well suited
to thepurpose, and a total of 2591 pu
pils are in attendance out of an enroll
ment of 2936. From a languid, hum
drum existence, these schools have ad
vanced within the past few years to a
competitive stage that promises excel
lent results. There Is-nothing else so
dull as a country school, plodding along
on a dead level, and nothing else so
lively as a country school instinct with
the desire to be In the front rank. Su
perintendent Robinson Is to be congrat
ulated upon having infused the latter
spirit Into the schools of the county.
Not the least of the unfortunate cir
cumstances connected with the turmoil
In Naval circles, of which Admiral
Schley Is the storm center, Is the pitia
ble condition of Admiral Sampson. A
mental and physical wreck, largely as
the result of the bitter disappointment
caused by his absence from the great
est naval battle In the history of the
world, the Admiral Is no longer able to
contend for the henors lost to him by
unfortuitous circumstance. His friends
await In pity the end because of the
probability that it will be long delayed,
while his critics it should not be said
that he has enemies hold their peace
In the presence of the misfortune that
has overtaken a man who served his
country long and well.
The ceremonies of breaking ground
for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
were observed at St Louis yesterday,
though, on account of the severe
weather, the imposing programme was
greatly shortened. The day was chosen
because it marks the anniversary of the
signing of the treaty of New Orleans,
December 20, 1803. A hundred years of
expansionl And yet the expansion idea
Is opposed by some as a new and dan
gerous departure from the traditions
of the Republic!
Lapse in attention, responsibility, care
call It what we may on the part of
an old and thoroughly tried engineer
has caused another wreck on thp South
ern Pacific Railroad. Three lives were
lost, and a number of persohs injured.
The engiheer in this case did not mis
understand orders. He simply forgot
them. Reviewing the wreck and Its
cause, the only verdict possible was:
"There 1b no possible excuse for Engi
neer Coffey."
The appointment of a member of the
School Board to take the place of the
late D. P. Thompson Is a matter which
cannot be too carefully considered. The
educational and financial Interests of
the district are large and growing, and
the services of a broad-minded, ener
getic man or woman are needed to fill
acceptably a place vacated by the death
of Mr. Thompson.
Senator Gibson, of Montana, stated
recently in an Interview in Washing
ton mat tne "differences In the Demo
cratic party in his state are all healed."
To this the Fergus County Argus sig
nificantly responds: "That may be
true, as a good many of the members
of the party are said to have taken the
'gold cure. "
Richard Croker, accompanied by Sen
ator Murphy, has gone to Frenchllck
Springs, in Indiana, for "treatment."
Invitations have been sent to William
J. Bryan and Carter Harrison to Join
the disgruntled patient at the springs.
The trio will "take a course," the na
ture of which it is not difficult to sur
mise. The Sampson-Schley controversy has
got oack to first principles; and is once
more represented by the plain question:
"Who fought the Rattle of Santiago?"
It bids fair to take rank in history
with that persiBtent question, "Who
killed Cock Robin?"
Sir Thomas Lipton is going to build
still another Shamrock. Sir Thomas'
mother must have thoroughly fastened
the If-at-flrst-you-dcn't-succeed maxim
in her son's memory.
The Filipino women are now In favor
of peace. Arrangements to withdraw
the Army will no doubt be made speed
ily. Marconi's nerve has been unshaken
by his trouble with the cable company.
His engagement is announced.
Now that watermelons are to be made
into whisky, will it be unlawful to sell
,them to Indians?
Sampson ought to go down to history
as William the Tactless.
FORCIBLE RETIREMENTS.
The Oregonlan of December 1. comment
ing upon the fact that Colonel Henry E.
Noyes, Second United States Cavalry, had
been placed upon the retired list by order
of jhe President, said:
Authority for the retirement of an ofllcer
against his will after reaching: the age of 62
Is expressly vested In the President by act of
Corgress, but It has only been resorted to a
few times -within the last few years. Colonel
Crofton was retired by President Cleveland;
General E. A Carr was retired by order or
President Harrison; Colonel E. C. Balnbrldge
and Colonel Charles E. Compton were retired
by President McKinley, and so was General
Charles P. Eagan.
In the case Of Colonel Novm th TraMrnr
has made no mistake.
The Oregonlan simply quoted here the
official record as found in the Army
Register, and beyond the case of Colonel
Noyes expressed no opinion as to whether
former Presidents had been Justified in
forcibly retiring the officers named above.
Colonel William H. Jordan, U. B. A,
writes us a letter regarding tho forcible
retirement of General E. A. Carr, an,
officer distinguished during the Civil War
for gallantry at Pea Ridge, Wilson's
Creek and Big Black Bridge, and further
distinguished in tho Indian wars for his
Important victory over Tall Bull, a noted
warrior. The following explanation of
the forcible retirement of General Cart
shows a discreditable excess of his legal
powers by President Harrison:
General Carr was retired two years before he
should have been, solely to make a vacancy
for a certain Colonel. He protested against it
in a letter written to the President stating that
no one had 'any authority from him (as alleged
as an excuso for the premature retirement) to
presume that he would ask to be retired, pro
vided he was promoted from Colbnel to Briga-dlcr-Gencral.
not wishing to hand as a legacy
to his .son Clark that he could enter Into such
a bargain.
The Oregonlan did not pretend to tne
knowledge possessed by Colonel Jordan,
and did not go back of tho record, except
in the case of Colonel Noyes. The Ore
gonlan Is not Justly open to censure from
Colonel Jordan. Tho wrong done General
Carr was the work of President Harrison.
The record Quoted bv The Oresrnninn wns
written by President Harrison in tho Army
Register, and for that record The Oregon
lan is not responsible. The Oregonlan had
no knowledge of the matter beyond the
record, and did not construe it, as It did
in the caso of Colonel Noyes, to be a
just exercise of legal authority. It did
not speak ot what it did not and could
not know.
REGULATION AND CONSOLIDATION
New York Commercial.
The letters from Northwestern Govern
ors received by Governor Van Sant ot
Minnesota, in response to his invitation
to them to co-operate with him in hl3 ef
forts to annul the organization and the
operation of the Northern Securities
Company are Interesting chiefly in the
rather astonishing conflict of law that
they disclose in the matter of control of
corporations.
Of three states, Montana, North
Dakota and Oregon, only the former ap
pears to have any law at all similar In
this respect to those of Minnesota. Tho
Dakota constitution is very plain, but
the statutory prohibition is rather gen
eral and vague. Montana's law prohib
its tho consolidation of parallel and com
peting lines of transportation and has
other general prohibitive provisions. By
far the most interesting reply received
by Governor Van Eant Is that from
Governor Geer, of Oregon, who says:
Oregon has ho laws regulating combinations
ot capital, and non regulating freight rates.
Passenger fares are limited to 4 cents.per mile
as a maximum; but two lines, the Northern
Pacinc and the Oregon Railroad & Navigation
Company, have voluntarily reduced tho rate to
3cents. The Oregon Rallroad& Navigation
Company and tho Northern PaclflVCompany
are making commendable efforts toward the
development of their respective territories, and
have become a great help to the people. Un
less consolidation of railway companies should
be followed by Increased freight and passenger
rates, It would be difficult to see where objec
tion to It would He. If this result should fol
low. It Is a matter within the power of the
Legislatures to control. It may prove an easier
matter to regulate rates than to prevent con
solidation. These vlew3 of Oregon's chief executive
are worthy of careful consideration. Tho
principal objection to consolidation of
railroads seems to Ho in the fact that
such consolidation tends to prevent that
healthy competition between rival lines
which undoubtedly Inures to the benefit
of the public in the way of giving it
cheaper freight and passenger rates and
better service. But, if these rates were
regulated by tho Legislature of each
state, as they are In Oregon, where
would the objection to consolidation He?
It nppears very reasonable, as Governor
Geer remarks, that "it may prove an
easier matter to regulate rates than to
prevent consolidation."
Thoughts on Subsidies.
New York Journal of Commerce.
Senator Hanna told the Boston mer
chants tho other evening that "if some
thing was not done to protect the Ameri
can merchant marine soon, every channel
for trade, every hole would be plugged,
by merchants of England, Germany and
Prance until tho Americans would have to
fight to get Into it." What does he mean
by "plugged"? While the American mer
chant marine Is said to hive been decay
ing, American exports have been increas
ing wonderfully. Certainly our export
business Is not "plugged." Not only are
vessels hunting diligently for American
cargoes, but the Commissioner ot Navi
gation has shown that a great part of
them which do not carry our flag are
owned by our capitalists and land their
profits on this side of the ocean. Mr.
Hanna is said to hive proved that Euro
pean nations are paying subsidies
amounting to $2S,O0O,O0O a year. And
what good is it doing them? France is In
a states of chronic complaint over the
small growth of her merchant marine,
which is more liberally subsidized than
that of any other nation. Italy and
Austria have hardly as much to show for
the subsidies as France has. Tho mer
chant marines that are growing fast are
those of Norway, Germany and England.
The first is not subsidized. Of the others,
only a few lines receive either subsidies
or heavy mail payments. Ninety-six or
07 per cent of English and German ship
ping gets nothing from its government
Smnshlng- Darwin.
Letters of John Richard Green.
On Saturday morning I met Jenkins
going to the museum. We Joined com
pany, ana ne proposed going to "Sec
tion D. the Zoology," etc., "to hear tho
Bishop of Oxford smash Darwin."
"Smash Darwin! Smash the pyramids!"
said I. in great wrath, and, muttering
about "Impertinence," which caused Jen
kins to explain that "the Bishop was a
first-class in mathematics, von Vmntv nrt
bo has a right to treat on scientific mat
ters," which, of course, silenced my cav
ils. Well, when Professor Draper had
ceased his hour and a half of nasal Tan
kceism. up rose "Samivel," and proceed-,
ed to act the smasher; the white chokers,
who were abundant, cheered lustily, a
sort of "Pitch It Into him" cheer, and the
smasher got so uproarious as to pitch
into Darwin's friends, Darwin being
smashed, and especially Professor Hux
ley. SU11 the white chokere cheered,
and the smasher rattled on. "He had
been told that Professor Huxley had said
that he didn't see that it mattered much
to a man whether his grandfather was
an ape or not Let tho learned professor
speck for himself," and the like. Which
being ended and let me say that such
rot never fell from episcopal lips before
arose Huxley, young, cool, quiet, sar
castic, scientific In fact and In treatment
he gave his Lordship such a smashing
a3 he may meditate on with profit over
bis port at Cuddcsdon.
AMUSEMENT&
The Grau Opera Company sang "Doro
thy" at the Marquam last night, and, al
though the limitations ot the piece are
great they succeeded in pleasing a good
sized house. Miss Mary Carrington was
again tho star, her song3 being admirably
sung and -accorded the reception they de
served. It has been some time since so
gifted a comic-opera prima donna has
been heard In Portland. Stanley Felch as
Lurcher, a Sheriff, showed that he has by
no means lost his old-time power of amus
ing. He contributed a couple of songs in
the last act which made a hit, and Mamie
Scott got a rousing volley of applause for
her clever singing of "The Honeysuckle
and the Bee' song. The remainder of the
principals had but little chance to do
anything. The opera was well costumed.
This afternoon "Wang," and tonight "Rip
Van Winkle."
"CAIUIEX."
Bizet's Opera. Subjt by Wilbnr-Klr-vrln
Company nt the Baker.
"Carmen" was given by the Wllbur
Klrwin Opera Company at the Baker
Theater last night in a manner that was
satisfying to a fairly good house. Miss
Kirwin, Mr. Huff and Mr.. Abbot sang
the chief roles acceptably, and the chorus
displayed considerable familiarity with
the music The specialties were a strong
feature, and called forth much applause.
"Merry War" this afternoon and tonight.
MATINEES TODAY.
Attractive Bills at All the Locnl The
aters. A special women's and children's mat
inee performance of "'Wang" will be given
by tho Grau Opera Company at the Mar
quam this afternoon. The bright music,
funnft comedy and the elephant will make
this opera a strong attraction.
At Cordray'a Richard Gulden's fine
rural drama. "Old Jed Prouty." will be
the attraction. The play is among the
best that has ever appeared at the the
ater, and the fact that, there are to be
but two more performances tonight and
this nfternoon will be a strong factor in
drawing crowded houses.
"Merry War,' a lively comic opera, will
be given by the Wllbur-Kirwln Opera
Company at the Baker Theater, and will
close their engagement there tonight
The company Whs made many friends dur
ing its stay in Portland, nnd will no doubt
be given a rousing farewell.
COMING ATTRACTIONS.
Minstrels at the Marquam.
Primrose & West's Minstrels will come
to the Marquam Tuesday night and give
a matinee and evening performance
Christmas. Both George Primrose and
Lew Dockstadcr have long enjoyed repu
tations as tho leaders in mln3trclsy in
America, and are always counted upon
to bring an elaborate entertainment with
them. Their show this year is said to be
the best they have yet had, and num
bers some of the best-known entertainers
on the stage.
"Ole Olson" nt the Baker.
The attraction at the Baker Theater
next week, beginning with a special mati
nee Sunday afternoon, will be the famous
Swedish comedy, "Ole Olson." with Ben
Hendricks In the leading character. Both
Hendricks and the play are well known in
Portland, having played here to crowded
houses in times past, and there is every
Indication that their old-time success will
be repeated during the coming engage
ment "At the Old Cross Roads."
"At the Old Cross Roads," the drama
which will entertain the patrons of Cor
dray's Theater next week, opening Sunday
night, is coming to Portland for the first
time, but is heralded by a successful se
ries of engagements in the East nnd
through California. Arthur C. Alston,
under whose direction the tour Is con
ducted, enjoys a reputation of being a
manager who understands the needs of
the Western theater-goers, and he prom
ises a better attraction this year than
ever.
Cannot Hurt America.
Spectator.
The policy which dictates tho "Milan
decrees" never succeeds, and Napoleon
when ho tried It was not hampered by
the question of food, and had almost ab
solute power In his own land. Four or
flvo courts, and four or five parliaments,
not to mention four or five peoples, will
not hold together long enough to work
America serious mischief. The "aggres
sive economics" of which the Austrians
complain will die away gradually, from
internal causes, and "commercial suprem
acy" will cease to be sought the moment
It Is found not to be protltnble. Wo do
not suppose, therefore, that the Conti
nent will be foolish enough to attack
America directly, or to run the risk of
any battle of Armageddon with the
Anglo-Saxon race. Cataclysmal events
very rarely happen In politics. It Is well,
however, for our countrymen to perceive
that & nation may be detested though It
Is not seeking to conquer South Africa,
and to recognize that the causes which
drive the Union and Great Britain to
gether are not entirely sentimental. We
have, It is true, a common origin, a com
mon literature, and in many ways com
mon aspirations, but we have also com
mon Interests of a very binding kind.
America, though itl thinks itself protec
tionist, is not protectionist about food,
and the kind of awestruck horror of free
competition which great parties on the
Continent are now betraying tends to
drive all who speak English and sell and
buy food freely into a single defensive
group. That 13 a fact which 1? worth
remembering when we grow frightened
by the American commercial "Invasion"
or hear that America Is rinuliHnp- iii- nut
or read speeches in the Senate affirming
that Great Britain must be allowed no
Influence over the Nicaragua Canal. If
we may not say as. yet that tho two
states have common enemies, at least
they have common rivals, who seem at
this moment Just a little Implacable.
The Matabelelnnd Piano.
Good Words.
The piano In a very primitive form is
found In Matabeleland, where, primitive
as it is. it Is as much appreciated as the
finest "grand" in our own country, even
though It consist merely of a number of
pieces of Iron strung on a wooden board.
A picture of one of these shws 23 pieces
of Iron of varying lengths and breadths,
no two alike, arranged in an ascending
scale along the board. Thus a scale of 3
notes Is produced, auitn Kufnonf
elaborate tunes. To .add to It3 sonorous
ness, the instrument Is usually put inside
a hollow gourd, round the opening ot
which bits of bone are placed with the
same end In view. The performer sits,
places the gourd on his knee's, the open
ing toward him, and plays his "piano"
with both hands through the opening.
Tho late Mr. Bent the great South Af
rican traveler, describes the sound as
"decidedly melodious," and recalling a
spinet
Vanity, Saltn the Preacher.
Josephine Preston Peabody. In the Drawer,
Harper's, for December.
I lovo my little gowns;
I Iwa my little shoes.
All otandlng still below them.
Set quietly by twos.
All day I wear them, carelessly.
But when I put them by.
They look so dear and different.
And yet I don't know why.
Of all, the white, with ribbons
9 Gray reen. If I could choose:
The fichu that helps everything
Be gny; and then my shoes
My shoes that skip and saunter.
And one that will untie.
They look so funny and so young.
I bate to put them by.
X0TE AND COMMENT.
Look out for the tlnfolled cigars!
Is a railway collision microbe abroad in
the land?
Once more the Irish become known to
fame as a rising race.
Don't pay moro for hers than you think
she will for yours.
At last reports only 'about two dozen
wars were raging in South Africa.
Why not make tho American soldier a
Christmas present of another canteen?
Schley's seamanship i3 of a type that
requires no subsidy in the way of prize
money.
The Britishers are calling Kitchener an
organiser of victory. The victory will bo
exhibited when It Is duly organized.
The ground has been broken for the St
Louis Exposition. The whole City of
Buffalo was broken as a result of the
Pan-American Fair.
Let rains descend and mists arlso.
And moist chlnook winds blow!
Remember that throughout the East
It's 03 below.
The minimum wages ot women In the
employ of the Government is to be fixed
at ?2 a day. Was the bill Introduced at
tho instance of the milliners or the dress
makers? Kyrie Bellcw. the,Engilsh actor, charac
terizes as nonsense the assertion made by
the St.Jamcs6 Gazette that American tours
vulgarize English actresses. A statement
of his to a Montreal paper Indicates some
of the different conditions prevailing In
England and America: "The actor who Is
educated In the conventionalities of tho
London stage requires a tour of such a
country as America to broaden his mind
and give him an experience that Is not to
be found in the bandbox theaters of Lon
don. It Is true that there are a few thea
ters there that are now a credit to the
city, but the land is too valuable to allow
of space, hence wc have to act on a stage
Httlo bigger than this room and when wo
get Into the magnificent buildings of the
United Stntes and Canada, we wonder at
our own shortcomings."
Every Representative from Indiana and
one of the Senators are said to have been
opposed to the .appointment of Francis B.
Baker to the vacant Indiana Judgeship in
the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, but
tho President made the appointment just
the same. The Indiana men were talking
it over the next day, says a Washington
correspondent "Don't sneer at Goshen
any more," said Representative Landis.
"For years that town has been a butt,
like Oshkosh. but now it has the laugh on
every lawyer in Indiana. Years ago there
was a law firm there known as Wood &
Baker. Wood was put on the Federal
bench in the Circuit Court of Appeals.
Later Baker, his partner, was made Fed
eral District Judge. Last Summer Wood
died and now Baker's son Is given Wroods
place. So the son will hear the appeals in
the father's cases and Goshen has taken
all the Federal Judgeships in sight for a
generation."
Rev. Edward Everett Halo has observed
a curious feature in "Robinson Crusoe,"
which ho mentions In a preface to a new
edition "of that book, and which apparent
ly had not been noticed, or, at least, had
not had public mention before. In thl3
preface he says: "Readers who are curi
ous In English history must not fail to
observe that Robinson Crusoe was ship
wrecked on his island the 20th of Septem
ber. 165'J. It was In that month that the
English commonwealth ended and Rich
ard Cromwell left the palace at Whitehall.
Robinson lived In this island home for 'JS
years. These 2S years covered the exact
period of the second Stuart reign In Eng
land. Robinson Crusoe returned to "Eng
land in June, 16ST; the convention Parlia
ment which established William III met
In London at the same time. AH this
could not bo an accidental coincidence.
Dcfoo must have meant that the "true
born Englishman" could not live In Eng
land during the years while the Stuart3
reigned. Robinson Crusoe was a ruler
himself on his own Island and was never
tho subject of Charles II or James II."
The Irony of a MIehty Effort.
Chicago Tribune.
The man dashed down the street after
the retreating StAte-3treet car.
Every muscle was strained, his breath
came in quick gasps, the beads of mois
ture stood out upon his forehead. His
feet were working like the pedals on a
bicycle. He only touched the ground in
tho more altltudinous . places.
"I'll catch that street-car," he gasped,
"er die!"
Faster went the street-car. Faster went
the man.
He overturned fruit stands and aged
blind men In his wild career. He knocked
down children and trampled upon them.
But onward he rushed. He collided with
a baby buggy. The baby was knocked into
the street. The mother of the child piclcod
It up. She pointed a finger at the disap
pearing form of the man. "Murderer!"
she hissed through her clenched teeth.
Ho draws nearer to the car. Nearer yet
He reaches out his hand. .
He touches the rail on the rear platform.
He gives one last convulsive effort.
He is on tho car.
He sinks breathless into ft seat and mop3
his brow. The conductor touches him on
the shoulder.
"Git often here." speaks the conductor.
"We're a-go!n to ther barn. No moro
cars tonight"
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGUAPIIERS
On Good Authority. "So you're going to
leave this studio?" "Leave? No: who told you
that?" "Your landlord." Judy.
Sufficient Cause. "Tho extra's about soma so
ciety dud bos." "What did he do?" "I
dunno: but he did something! That's why they
got out the estra!" Puck.
Xcne Too Liberal. "Mr. Linger spends a
great deal ot time with you. Molly." said Miss
KUtlsh to Miss Frocks. "Yes. but that's all ha
does spend." Detroit Free Press.
"Is your new rector an agreeable man?" "In
deed, ho Is real nice; plays golf and squash,
owns a naphtha launch and autommy. and.
besides, he Hn't a bit religious." Glasgow
Evening Times.
Hostess riease don't leave off. Miss Jessop.
Miss J. But sha'n't I boro you? It Is possible
to have too much of a good things, you know.
Hostess Yes; but that doesn't apply to your
playing ! Punch.
Sho (gazing upwards) Row bright the Btars
are tonight. Mr. Sampson! He (promptly)
They arc not bright. Miss Clara, than than
Sho (softly) Than what. Mr. Sampson? He
Than they were last night. Tit-Bits.
Involved Logic "It Isn't long now until
Christmas," commented tho Optimistic Person.
"If it was as long until Christmas as I'll ba
short after Christmas. It would be 10 years
away," remarked the Pessimistic Individual.
Baltimore American.
A Terrible Threat. Hired Girl Now, you go
away right this minute. Tramp Flease, mum
Hired Girl Go away, I tell you. Clear out.
now, or I'll I'll give .you a piece of mine pie
that the young missus made herself. New
York Weekly.
His Way of Putting It. "It Is true." said
the person of high Ideals, "that you have at
tained prosperity by your writings. But yoa
have produced nothing that will live." "Well."
answered the comfortable litterateur, "when
It comes to a question of which shall live,
myself or my writings. I didn't hesitate to
sacrifice my writings." Washington Star.