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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 1901)
THE MORNING OEEGONIAN, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1901. hs Crgg0usm Sntercfl at the Fostofflce et Portland. Oregon, &s second-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance Daily, with Sunday, per month $ ST. Dally. Sunday excepted, per year 7 CO Dally, ivltii Sunday, per jcar.... 8 00 Sunday, per year " 00 The Weekly per year.. 1 CO The Weekly. 3 months CO To City Subscribers . Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays exceptfrd.lSc Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lncludcd.20a POSTAGE RATES. United States Canada and Mexico-: 10 to 14-page paper .lo 34 to 2S-page papor ....2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion Intended for publication In The Oregonlan should be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan," not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to adver tising, subscription or to any business matter should bo addressed simply "The Oregonlan." Tho Oregonlan doea not buy poems or stories from individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscript sent to It without tollcl tatlon. No stamps should be Inclosed for this rurposc. Eastern Business Offlce. 43. 44. 43. 47. 43. 40 Tribune building. New York City: 4C0 "Tho Rookery." Chicago; the S. C. BecUwlth special agency. Eastern representative. For sale In San Francisco by I. E. Lee. Pal ace Hotel news stand: Goldsmith Bros., 233 Futter street; F. W. Pitts. 1098 Market street; J. K. Cooper Co.. 740 Market street, neur the Palace Hotel; Fester & Orcar. Ferry news eland. For sale In Lo Angeles by B. F. Cardncr. 253 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines. 100 Eo. Sprint: street. For sale in Chicago by the P. O. News Co.. 217 Dearborn street. Tor sale In Omaha by Barkalow Bros., 1C1 Farnam street. For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co.. 77 W. Second South street. For rale in Ogden by W. C Kind. 204 Twenty-fifth street, and by C H. Mycn. On file In the Oregon exhibit at the exposi tion. Charleston, S. C For rale In Washington. D. C, by the Ebbett House news stand. For sale in Denver. Colo, by Hamilton & Kendrfck. 000-012 Seventeenth street. TODAY'S WEATHEU Fartly cloudy, with triable winds. YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum tem prrature. -5ft: minimum temperature, 30; pre cipitation, none. X'0:tTLA?tD, SATURDAY, I3KC. 28. A FIUEXDL.Y SUGGESTION. The Democratic party, as all the world knows, is consumed with venera tion for the Constitution. Rather than that a punctuation point of that Im mortal document should be harmed, every Democrat In the land vould suffer his tongue to be cut out and his body buried in the sand of the seashore, etc. We take it that the Democrats would wish to be Judged by nothing so much as by their fidelity to the Constitution, for they have been harping upon the theme for some years. It Is not inap propriate, therefore, to invite their at tention to a passage in the aforesaid undertaking: Article XIV . . . Section 2. . . . When the right to otc at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United State. Representative!: In Congress, the executive and judicial oflicers of a state, or the momters of tho legislature thereof. Is de nied to any of tho male Inhabitants of such ttate. bring 21 years of age. and citizens of the United Stotee. or In any way abridged, ex cept for participation In rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall he reduced In the proportion which the number of s-uch male citizens ahall bear to tho wholo number of male citizens 21 years of age. It is a matter of common knowledge that large numbers of negroes have been disfranchised In Southern States. A similar charge has bfnm brought against Massachusetts, but that does not greatly signify, as Massachusetts voted for McKInley and thus openly repudiated the Constitution. The bur den of avenging this affront to citizens of the United States and enforcing the fourteenth amendment lies at the door of the especial, self-constituted, oath bound and prayer-devoted guardians of the immortal document. We urge this matter of Constitutional enforcement upca the Democratic party, not only because of its natural affinity to the task, but also because of the ease with which it can discharge it. Out of 153 electoral votes received by Bryan, all but 10 came from the South. Out of 30 Democrats In the Sen ate, only 6 are from the North. Out of 152 Democrats in the House, only 45 are from the North. The Democracy and the South, therefore, become Inter changeable terms, and the enforcement of the fourteenth amendment resolves itself directly into a family affair. The truth that the fit should rule, the fact that the strong will govern, is gen erally recognized among enlightened men as a condition of society that ex plains and condones, if It does not wholly justify, the disfranchisement of Ignorance and lmpecunioslty every where but in the Democracy that is to say, in the South. There this view is excluded by the intense and religious devotion to the letter of the Constitu tion. There, it is lecognized, Its every mandate must be sacredly observed. There, we take It, the fourteenth amend ment will be no eooner recognized than hurried Into enforcement. No Demo crat, that Is, Southerner, could sleep while a syllable of the Constitution is menaced with neglect. WHAT IS DISCIPLINE? The peremptory dismissal of Maclay, the historian, a civil service employe In the classified list, by order of the Pres ident, suggests some reflections upon a situation that is interesting without any reference to Maclay himself, who commands no sympathy. Insignificant persons, however, are sometimes the subject of questionable procedures. If it was a breach of discipline for a civil service employe to write a history which severely reflected upon an. emi nent officer of the Navy, the offender should have been removed at once. He Is no more guilty today than he was several months ago. Is It a breach of discipline for a civil service employe to write a book that Impeaches the professional merjt of a Naval officer? An enlisted man of the Army or Navy, of course. Is specifically forbidden to publish any criticism of an officer of the Army or Navy; but is a civilian employe required to surrender his right of literary freedom of speech to the extent that he cannot publish a book that contained an uncompliment ary estimate of an officer of the Army or Navy, of tvhom he was not an offi cial subordinate? If so, why so? And if so, why cannot the President remove any officer of the civil service at his caprice on the vague, indefinite general charge that he has offended against the "discipline" of the civil ser vice? Does a civilian employe con structively agree that he will not pub lish a history which criticises the pro fessional cenduct of a Navy officer? To Illustrate the awkwatdness cf the situation, let us suppose that Maclay had not dispraised Commodore Schley, f but had denounced Major-General Shatter as an Incompetent commander, whose attack on Santiago would have ended in an inglorious retreat had it not been for the desperate courage and energy with which his subordinates, in cluding Colonel Roosevelt, charged and captured the enemy's position. It Is historically true that General Shafter, owlnjr to his age and his obesity, was as far distant from his Army when it captured San Juan Hill as Sampson was from his fleet when the Spanish squadron was destroyed. It is historic ally true that even after the capture of San Juan Hill Shafter was disposed to take counsel of his discretion rather than his valor, and would have retreat ed had not General Wheeler and others of his subordinates prevailed upon him by their remonstrances to hold his ground. It is historically true that the question as to whether the credit of the victory of Santiago belongs chiefly to General Shafter or to others Is today still a subject of sharp dispute among Army officers. Suppose Maclay had not dispraised Schley, but had depreciated Shafter; vould Maclay have been promptly dismissed from the civil perv ice on the ground that it was an offense against "discipline" for a civil service employe to publish an uncomplimentary estimate of an Army officer's military leadership before Santiago? If it is a breach of "discipline," then the civil service Implies no more personal free dom of action or speech than belongs to a soldier or a marine. We are not saying that the military and civil service ought not to be gov erned by the same rules, but we do say that if the "discipline" Is to be the same It ought to be so stated In the law and the regulations of the civil ser vice. Finally, the offense committed by Maclay was really not his offense, but that of naval officers who prompted him, yet who keep under cover. They ought to be disciplined. PERILS OF aESIOCRACT. The grievous waste of time and ex perience attendant upon the departure of a Postmaster-General Impresses it self strongly upen Mr. Charles Emory Smith, late occupant of that office. Mr. Smith himself Is glad to be rid of It and to be back In his sanctum at Phil adelphia; but his remark Is made the basis' of a good deal of complaint in Eastern papers about the mischief of getting rid of an official just as he has become efficient in the duties of his po'st A complaint of a different kind, but requiring the same answer, comes from cities that have recently made Mayors of rccu unfamiliar with municipal af fairs. This was done. It will be remem bered. In the election of an orchestra leader, Schmidt, Mayor of San Fran cisco, while In Ansonla, Conn., the trades-unionists elected their candidates to every office except that of City Clerk. Jt develops, also, that not only are all the offices In the hands of un trained men, but the administration has a new charter to Interpret and ap ply for the first time. The Mayor has already made several humiliating mis takes, and has exposed several of his official acts to the charge of illegality. Worst of all, the new Treasurer is Ig norant of finance, and will soon be out of money with which to meet city ex penses. Moreover, the labor officials seem to regard themselves as agents of the trades-unions rather than of the taxpayers, and guide themselves by the decisions of labor caucuses. The seriousness of these two situa tions It Is Idle to disparage. It Is not too much to say that experience con stitutes the most Important qualifica tion for successful work In Congress or the departments. The skill and wisdom we throw away when we change Post-master-Geenrals are not greater than what we sacrifice in other Cabinet posi tions or in leading places In Congress. Probably the State and Treasury De partments are more in peril from inex perience than the Postofflce Depart ment. Yet no sooner does a man get the run of his duties and become fully equipped to discharge them with credit than he is superseded by somebody who all his life has followed law, per haps, or newspaper work, or manufac turing. So in cities we are continually electing Mayors who can't run business for themselves. Auditors who can't fig ure, and Treasurers who never made any money of their own. The apparent remedy for these awk ward and costly proceedings Is to keep trained servants in office, just as trade and industry do. But this is no remedy at all, for such a system is denied by the very terms of representative gov ernment In a democracy, fitness Is not the criterion of eminence, but popular ity. Under self-perpetuating rule, con tinuity in office, with all ltsadvantages, can be secured. But under our system we reserve the right to turn everybody out at the close of fixed terms. The theory Is that once in so often the of fices revert to the people. In this way we make mistakes, but we prevent the erection of tyrannous and encroaching hereditary rulers. We lose in skill and wisdom, but we gain In alertness to pub lic desires. The people will have their way. If they err, that Is their preroga tive. There 19 no higher court. BLOOD AXD IRO.V. Theories of government are severely tested bj experience. In neither Great Britain nor the United States Is there so much "humanltarlanlsm" in prac tice as there was In theory forty yeaiy ago. The recent death of the once no torious Governor Eyre, of Jamaica, re calls a bitter controversy which con vulsed England in 1S65-G7. It was a controversy that sharply divided men of equal eminence for culture, ability, humanity and learning. Eyre was Gov ernor of Jamaica when a negro riot broke out at Morant Bay on October 11, 1SC5, which resulted In the killing of twecty-flve persons and the burning and looting of several stores. The leader of the popular political and in dustrial agitation which had preceded the riot was a negro named Gordon, a man of education and ability, and mem ber of the Legislative Assembly. Gov ernor Eyre at once proclaimed martial law In the eastern part of the island. Within a few days all signs of revolt had disappeared, but Governor Eyre, In order to make an "example," arrested Gordon at Kingston, which was not un der martial law, and sent him for trial Into the district that was under mar tial law. Gordon was tried by military court and executed, and hundreds5f innocent persons were executed, or were barbar ously flogged. The royal commission which subsequently Investigated the af fair reported "that the punishments In flicted were excessive; that the punish ment of death was unnecessarily frequent;- that the floggings were reckless, and at Br th positively barbarous; that the burning: of 1000 houses was wanton and cruel." When the news reached England, John Stuart Mill led the as- sault in Parliament upon Governor Eyre, and large sums of money were subscribed to have him prosecuted for high crimes. The champions of Eyre Included Carlyle, Tennyson and Pro fessor John Tyndall, the famous scien tist. Huxley, who was a lifelong friend of Tyndall, stood up with Mill against Eyre, and -his eloquent letter to Tyn dall explaining his attitude Is included In "Huxley's Life and Letters." The position taken by Carlyle was that while Eyre's action was Irregular and, possibly a violation of the constitutional rights of a British subject, nevertheless he was a strong man, whose course had saved Jamaica from the horrors of a race war. Eyre and his military and naval associates were recalled to Eng land and brought to trial, but the pro ceedings proved abortive through the action of the grand juries In throwing out the bills, so that the merits of the question escaped authoritative judicial settlement. The Springfield Republican recites these facts, and thinks that a contro versy of equal intensity could not arise In England nowadays over a similar case, because men of the, intense hu manitarian passion and antl-milltarist spirit that possessed Mill have com paratively small political following or social Influence In England. This Is probably true of England, and In no less degree of America. Reckless and brutal contempt for the constitutional rights of a British subject was what Burke, supported by Fox and Sheridan, eloquently charged against Warren Hastings. There was truth in the charge, even as there had been In the charges made against Clive, but the conclusion of the British Parliament was that there were extenuating cir cumstances and that Hastings had ren dered services of inestimable value to his country. Had Hastings hanged an Englishman, born and bred, as he did the Brahmin, Nuncomar, he would have been severely dealt with, but the fact that he was dealleg with an Asiatic made a deal of difference. The race prejudice, or contempt, of the English man for the Asiatic, the African or the Indian, has always in times of real or fancied emergencies wrenched the ac tion of Englishmen In both Great Brit ain and America from the rendering of strict constitutional justice. Sometimes the emergency Is real, as it was In the awful Indian Mutiny of 1857; sometimes the plea for despotic proceedings has no real foundation in the situation and Is prompted only by the stupid fears and utter lack of head on part of those resorting to measures of Illegal sererlty, as in the case of Governor Eyr?, who behaved like a tyrant because he was easily frightened. Nevertheless, It Is true In both England and America that there are many men of humane culture and enlightenment who are easily disposed to treat the so called "constitutional rights" of any man save a white man as a subject for small solicitude. In theory, in our statutes we con cede equal "constitutional rights" to men of all colors, but in practice there Is less "humacltarlanlsm" In politics, whether In England or America, than there was when Eyre hanged Gordon, in 18C6. We are disposed to be "color blind" on occasions and so-called emer gencies to "constitutional rights." SHAWS CURRENCY VIEWS. Welcome the coming, speed the part ing! And now what the country wants to know of Mr. Shaw Is how he Is likely to regard the various financial proposals before the country. Fortunately he has recently given his Ideas, In a speech at Norfolk, Neb., before a bankers' as sociation. The principal topic of his address was the much-mooted question of "asset" currency, but upon other topics he touched Incidentally. Governor Shaw believes In the banker as a useful, patriotic citizen, and also as an intelligent force In affairs. He thinks the bankers did not talk enough In 1896, and do not talk enough now. He says they ought to resolve them selves into an educational agency for the Inculcation of correct knowledge and "the death of financial error. He says the banker has the confidence of the community, and "when there is no fear present in the land, his customer will take his word as a verity." Gov ernor Shaw Is strong now as always for the gold standard, and believes that all forms of our currency should be spe cifically' redeemable, perhaps Indirectly, but anyhow redeemable, in gold. "Safe guard It as you may, under conditions easily conceivable, the silver certificate or the silver coin may be at a discount, and so long as there is the element of danger, however remote, so long there will exist an ever-present cause of panic' Thre Is no more Important branch of financial legislation than the various projects for providing an "elastic" cur rency. Elasticity Is the real basis of most of the currency reform plans now under consideration. The conservation of the -gold standard is a mere matter of detail, but some different arrange ment la needed to provide for greater facility in the issue and especially In the retirement of notes, whether by banks or Federal Treasury. All compe tent thought turns, of course, toward bank notes. In the hope that the Gov ernment will pay Its non-lnterest-bear-Ing debt, and that we may get a cur rency based on the business credit of the country, rather than on the Treas ury, and ultimately on the taxing power. Increased facility of bank note issues, therefore, is what we are all aiming at It Is a comfort to find that Governor Shaw's attitude toward the vexed ques tion of "currency based on assets" is precisely that which has long been maintained In these columns. He doea not favor the proposal, but he bases his opposition, not upon any Inherent weak ness or vice In It, but upon the fact that the people are not ready for It. Governor Shaw seems to think, as The Oregonlan has always maintained, that the conditions of a banking system's success rest quite as much in the habits, temper and even prejudices of the peo ple as in the correctness of the theory upon which the system Is devised. "I recognize," he says, "a public prejudice, akin to fear, against a currency based on assets, and prejudice, so long as it exists, constitutes an element of dan ger, even when the thing itself, against which the prejudice lies, contains no element of danger." So, although Mr. Shaw believes that assets currency Is safe: that It Involves no new element of danger either to noteholder or de positor. Inasmuch as banks now raise cash on their commercial paper when they need It he opposes an assets cur rency, co the srounds specified, and he offers In Ita stead a greater latitude for bond-secured circulation than at pres- cnt, governed in volume, automatically, by a graduated tax on Issues. The country need expect, therefore, no radical proposals as to bank currency from the new Secretary of the Treas ury. The moderation of his views in this regard will Inspire general confi dence Nothing Is more dangerous in practical statecraft than the idealist. Impatient of considerations of expedi ency. Abandonment of banking by the Government and a scientific currency are the ends to which we all aspire. But a summary retirement of the Treasury notes with simultaneous adop tion of the Canadian or Scotch bank ing system would produce more harm than good. A banking system, like every other human institution. Is a growth. Its roots are In the solid rocks of truth, but Its leaves and branches" can only thrive In an atmosphere of friendly public opinion. Money is not the only realm where reformers are fain to do business without regard to human nature, which Is an Indispensable factor in the solution of all soclologic and governmental problems. The organized work of the Salvation Army gave substantial Christmas cheer to thousands of the poor of New York City. The same Is true only In,a lesser dogree, because the need was less, In many other cities of the country, our own included. Focd for 20.000 people, the needs of whom had been Investi gated by the tireless workers of the Army, was distributed In baskets at 3400 homes, while S00C of the homeless class sat dovrn to a public table spread with the season's abundance. Of the latter class of beneficiaries, no doubt many were Impostors, but of the former, all, or nearly all, were worthy poor that do net ask charity, but receive Christ mas bounty with gratitude. "We are spoiling and vulgarizing Christmas," says Bishop Doane In an article In the last number of the Independent, "with costliness and display." In his opinion the "in-between thing that knits the human and divine together" at this sea son "is the outgoing of the divine In the human to make Christmas cheer for those to whom only the gaunt skele ton of Its abstract fact on the calendar makes it Christmas at all." Accepting this view, we must concede that the Salvation Army's share in promoting this "in-between thing" last Wednesday was a large one. C. Osborne Ward, of the United States Department of Labor, In his recently published book on the "Origins of So cialism," contends that Jesus was a member of the organized working class whose aim was to spread socialism over the world. He holds that this was the scheme originally embodied In the mem orable order to "go forth," and that the Apo3tles and early Christian lead ers. Including Luke, were many of them leaders in these unions. The Jewish workmen were especially ready to join the new movement started by Jesus, for their unions had been the objects of bloody attack by the ruling classes, and standing- armies from the ranks of labor Itself had filled the world with heart broken slaves. These slaves, mostly prisoners of war, had supplanted the free worklngmen. Mr. Ward thinks that there Is evidence In the history of the Jews of progressive movements In behalf of the working class, from the great strike led by Moses against the Egyptian master down to the work of Jesus In the open advocacy of the peo ple's cause. It was the desire of the people of Multnomah County that a primary elec tion law be enacted, so that fairness might be made the rule, under the sanctions and penalties of law. In the nomination of candidates for elective offices. Such law was enacted by the Legislature during its latest session, and the Supreme Court of the state has declared It valid. It now devolves on the County Court the Judge and the Commissioners to carry out the provis ions necessary for making the act op erative. In the City of Portland the judges of the general election and of the primary election will be the same; that Is to say, the judges appointed for the general election will officiate also at the primary which is to precede it Appointment of these judges, who now are to exercise this double func tion. Is under consideration. It Is an important matter, requiring administra tion at the hands of representative and responsible men. The new schooner Minnie A. Calne and the American ships B. F. Packard and Santa Clara are reported ashore on Pu get Sound, and the French bark Henrl ette is sunk in Astoria harbor. Similar disasters have happened before, and will happen again, so long as winds blow and waters rage. The cases now imme diately before us, however, forcibly present one of the many reasons why Portland does not care to transfer her shipping Interests to either Astoria or Puget Sound. We must and will Im prove the mouth of the Columbia so that ships will not be obliged to He so long In Jeopardy of such gales as the one just experienced. At the same time we cannot place such big fleets as lie snug and safe in Portland harbor at the mercy of the gales In the harbor at Astoria. Colonel Tully McCrea, Artillery Corps, has been assigned to command of the artillery district of Puget Sound, with a station at Fort Flagler. Colonel Mc Crea is a graduate of West Point of the class of 1S62; was brevetted for gal lantry at Antletam, Gettysburg and Olustee during the Civil War, and has recently rendered excellent service In the Philippines. He was made Colonel of the Sixth Artillery in 1900. If we mistake not. Colonel McCrea was for a time stationed at Vancouver Barracks, when he was Major of the Fifth Artil lery and General John Gibbon com manded the Department of the Colum bia. The shotgun In careless hands. In al most as much In evidence In the role of disaster at Christmas time as Is the toy pistol on the Fourth of July In the hands of the patriotic small boy. A number of fatal accidents have, been recorded In the past ten days as the result of the flrst-named weapen In the hands of lads who thought they knew all about guns and awoke somewhere to find that they were mistaken. There is no remedy for a thing of this kind. Boys must learn to handle guns, and in learning take their chances of receiving a charge intended to bring down other game. General Miles accepts the reprimand of the Secretary of War with the be seeming dignity of silence. There Is much he would like to say, no doubt, but he wisely says nothing. STILL HARPING FOR SILVER. San Francisco Call. Congressman Little, of Arkansas, has Introduced Into the House of Representa tives a bill providing for the free coin age of silver at the ratio of 15 to 1. He Is reported to have declared that he has no idea that the bill will bo passed, but he hopes to be able to force a debate upon it, "to keep the .party record straight," and determine how many members of the House calling themselves Democrats are really true to the Chicago platform. While Mr. Little Is making that play at Washington, Mr. Bryan Is doing some thing of the same kind in Nebraska. In the current numher of the Commoner he publishes a long editorial on "Bimetal Ism." and in another column of the same Issue he comments favorably upon the statement of a correspondent that Sena tor Jones, of Nevada, Is wrong In hold ing that "the Increased output of gold has accomplished what blmetalism would have accomplished." Thus the former silver leader refuses to admit that silver Is dead. Like the Arkansas Congressman, he wishes to keep the party record straight, and so far as the Commoner can do It tho thing will be done. Meantime there Is trouble over the ques tion elsewhere. The other day Boss Cro kcr. of Tammany, was interviewed in New York concerning the political outlook of the party, and when asked about free silver he answered: "The silver question ought to be dealt with by the National committee Let those who framed It take care of It. Wc have nothing to do with It." In view jot the fact that Bryan closed his campaign in 1S00 with the famous ut terance, "Great 1 Tammany, and Croker Is Its prophet," the contemptuous refer ence to those who framed the silver ques tion for the Democracy is rather unkind. It was perhaps a shrewd move, however, to "pass the buck" to the National com mittee. It Is now up to those gentlemen to soothe Bryan Into keeping still and seeing to it that Mr. Little doesn't get a hearing for his silver bill on the floor cf the House. OXE PAPER'S VIEW. Having- Had Ita Appropriation, Chi cago Would See Xo More Hade. Chicago Tribune. It is a question whether it is not about time for Congress to draw the line in mak ing appropriations for state expositions and centennial commemorations. As to the Virginia celebration of the James River Colony, recommended by the Gov ernor of that state In his annual mes. sage, there is as yet no hint that Con gress will be called upon to aid It finan cially, but there is little doubt that in time the appropriation will ba called for. Two other commemorations will shortly engage the consideration of Congress. One of these Is an Exposition to be held in Portland, Or., in 1505. in celebration of the centenary of the expedition of Lewis and Clark across the continent to the Pa cific Ocean. The commissioners of this Exposition have already requested the Senators and Representatives of all the states along the route followed by Lewis and Clark viz., Oregon. Washington, Idaho and Montana to use "all honest means to secure a generous appropriation" from Congress. The thriving City of Raleigh, X. C, all of a sudden has conceived such a violent admiration for Sir Walter Raleigh that It Is not only collecting a fund for the erec tion of .a statue as a memorial of him, but the North Carolina delegation has asked Congress to appropriate $CO.O0O for a cele bration next Summer commemorating the landing of the colony en Roanoke Island. It is not fo much the amount of money Involved, for tho appropriations for North Carolina and Oregon would be compara tively small, but the principle, which should be considered. If Congress makes appropriations for these purely local cele brations, it cannot consistently refuse other similar applications. Unquestion ably there will be many of them, for every state and territory in the Union can find some centennial events of inter est to celebrate, and the older states can find many of them. The danger is that centenaries, bicentenaries and tercentenar ies will grow more and more numerous when It Is known that Congress can be relied upon to furnish money for them. States and cities should be willing to pay the expenses of commemorations of pure ly local events. Democratic Stnplillty In the Hon.ie. Kansas City Star. With five Republicans against it and three Democrats for It the Philippines tariff bill passed the House yesterday, af ter a two days' debate. In which the Dem ocratic leaders displayed incredible stu pidity. With the Republican majority in the House it was not to have been ex pected that this, one of the first Import ant measures to be discussed at this ses sion, would be defeated; but that there was so slight a break la Republican lines was due solely to the bad management of the opposition. By consenting to limit the debate to two days the Democrats deliberately circum scribed themselves and failed to recognize an exceptional opportunity, and yet the time was long enough for a merciless ex posure of the utter Inconsistency and in justice of the bill. All that was needed was Democratic concentration on the tar iff issue pure and simple. Even two days' continuous hammering on this point would have demolished the flimsy position of the Republicans. But Instead of such con centration the firing was so scattered that It did little or no damage. The Supreme Court has decided that un der existing conditions no tariffs can be collected. Tills gives the islands free trade. That is what the Democratic party wants, and that is what the islands, in all Justice, should have. There was no occa sion for any legislation. The only consist ent alternative of the proposed tariff measure was absolutely no legislation at all. But this did not occur to "Papa" Richardson and the other "leaders." No wonder that there was merriment on the Republican side. One of the finest oportunitles the Democrats will have this session was used merely to put the party on record as favoring "tariff for revenue only" and as against "imperialism." Doesn't Seem to "Down." New York Times. It Is in vain that congratulations are offered to tho Senate and Houso on their having packed tho naval committee against Schley. It Is evident that the Schley case will not "down." It ought not to "down" until the eternal laws of Justice have been successfully invoked for the defense of a bravo and capable officer against the most infamous and malignant assaults ever made upon any warrior on sea or land by his comrades in arms. It Is too late now to talk about further discrediting the Navy by keep ing tho controversy open. Tho public knows too well tho source of the discred it to make any mistake in placing tho re sponsibility. It does not rest upon Schley nor upon the friends of Schley. But the discredit will remain and harm be done until an end be put to tho detest able business by an arbitrament that will deserve the approval of a Just nation. Argument for Panama. Chicago Record-Herald. If tho Panama shareholders have finally reached the point where they realize that their Investment Is a total loss unless they can sell to the United Statesxthcrc Is lit tle doubt that an offer will be made that cannot fall to receive the serious con sideration of Congress. From a purely engineering point of view It seems like a piece of consummate folly to dig a canal 150 miles long, utilizing a lake whose sand bottom, is shifting and un certain, when another route only 45 miles long. In which 40 per cent of the exca vation has been done. Is offered upon terms that will insure this Government absolute ownership and control of the water way and at a price which will keep the total cost within the estimated ost of the- longer route. AMUSEMENTS. "Fogg's Ferry," which has been going the rounds of theaters East and West since Joe Jefferson was a mewling in fant, arrived at the Marquam last night with MI.s Iola Pomeroy In the part made famous by Minnie Maddern. Lizzie Evans, and other actresses, and pleased an aver age audience. Miss Pomcroy is more than usually spirited and energetic, and adds the ability to sing and dance pass ably to the inclination to be bright and lively. She made of Chip a really in teresting young person, and Incidentally sang a song or two that provoked con siderable applause. The support la not especially noteworthy, but the principal parts are In fairly capable hands, and the play docs not suffer severely In this respect. The Carolina quartet. Miss Alberta, and William Ashcr threw in a few specialties that might have been newer, but still were tolerably executed and seemed to make a favorable Impression. The play Is mounted as usua', and the steamboat explosion is as much of a feature as ever. It will be repeated this afternoon and tonight. MATIXEES TODAY. Attractions nt All the Local Theaters "Fogg's Ferry" will be the matinee at traction at the Marquam thU afternoon. Reservations will be made as usual. At the Baker, "Ole Olson." with Ben Hendricks in the name part, will be given at the matinee, and promises to do the big business that has been the rule all the week. Two more performances of Arthur Als ton's pretty Southern drama, "At the Old Cross Roads" will be given at Cor dray's, a matinee this afternoon, and this evening. There hos been an unusual ad vance demand for matinee seats, and in dications point to one of the biggest houses of tho week. - C03IIXG ATTRACTIOXS. Harry Bereaford in 'The WroiiK Mr. Wright." Roland Reed's greatest success. "The Wrong Mr. Wright," will be given nt Cordray's Theater next week, beginning Sunday night, with a company said to bo far better than the ordinary road com pany, and with Harry Beresford, a rising young comedian, in the star part. The play is by George H. Broadhurst and is perhaps his best It is full of fun and wit. tho action is rapid, and It has al ways proved a great merry-maker. "The Irish Pawnbrokers." Mazic Trumbull, last seen here with "A Brass Monkey." Is the comedienne who Is starred in Joe W. Spears' farce. "The Irish Pawnbrokers." which will be the attraction at the Baker Theater next week, beginning with the matinee Sun day afternoon. The play has been writ ten especially for Miss Trumbull and the two Macs, and Is said to be full of life and ginger. The music is all new and the best things In the way of specialties are promised. The engagement will be for one week. Sale of Seats for De Anselis. There is a big sale of seats for Jeffer son De Angells and his company In "A Royal Rogue." which will come to the Marquam Grand Theater next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday matinee and night, and the indications are that he will be welcomed by a large audience. There Is no form of entertainment more popular than comic opera and there is no one who presents it more sumptuously or adequately than Jeff de Angells. His new success, "A Royal Rogue," Is the best vehicle he has ever had. It will be well produced, with handsome scenery. Henry Norman, Miss Helen Byron and Miss Gertrude Mackenzie are in the cast. "Llternrj- Fellers" nt White Honse. New York Evening Post. The old resident of Washington has been remarking a certain change in the char acter of what may be called the irregu lar guests at the White House. Poli ticians are always there, of course, to waylay the President; but the chance caller, the wayfarer at luncheon, the extra plate at dinner, .is very apt, un der the present regime, to be a man known for some sort of attainment in art or science, or, particularly, literature. The master of the house Is himself author of 15 volumes some of them, his admirers say. and we can well believe it, fairly "hurled" at a stenographer by a kind of Gatllng-gun dictation, in the intervals of more pressing occupations. At all events, he has the one touch of literary nature' to make him feel his kin with writers, and to render him less likely to shy at the mention of a book, less fright ened at a quotation or allusion, than some of his predecessors. He has even been observed In the unprecedented act of reading In the White House library, and It was suspected that the work In his hand was neither a Government re port on the seal fisheries nor a volume of orations by Senator Lodge. As the most bookish President since Jefferson, Mr. Roosevelt has naturally given an especial ly hearty welcome to wandering bookmen. r Reviser, Spare That Hymn! The Watchman. The revisers of the Methodist Hymnal are reported to have left out of their collection so many stanaara nymns, en deared to Christian hearts because of genuine merit and precious association, that we doubt whether their work will commend Itself to Methodist Churches. For example, it la reported that "Sweet Hour of Prayer," "He Leadeth Me" and "Lead, Kindly Light" will be excluded. It Is said that tho objection to "Sweet Hour of Prayer" Is based on the last stanza, which suggests that there Is no prayer In Heaven. As to that, the testi mony of Scripture Is ambiguous. Cer tainly no Scriptural principle is violated in the lines of the hymn. The other two Christian lyrics are to be excluded, It Is said, because they do not specifi cally recognize Christ If that Is so. then the truths that Christianity assumes or that it involves cannot be rightly made the theme of a Christian hymn. Profes sor Gllmore has often said that he wrote "He Leadeth Me" to put Into verse tho thought and Inspiration of Psalm xxlil. We wonder whether the Methodist revis ers propose to cut Psalm xxiii out of the Blbl. It Is must to be hoped that these reports about tho hymnal are entirely misleading. He Got It, and He's a. Soldier. Chicago Record-Herald. No fault can be found with the spirit and Justice of thl3 reprimand. It should be a lesson and a warning, not only to General Miles butto every officer and subaltern In the Army, that It Is not con ducive to discipline or the good of the service that they should publicly air their views on matters concerning that service or a co-ordinate branch of the Govern ment There Is this much to be said of General Mile5, he accepted the reprimnnd, both as administered personally by the President and as communicated by Sec retary Root, with the silent dignity of a tried soldier who, whatever may be his faults and errors as evidenced In this case has never failed in the deference due to his superiors in rank. t A Catholic on Saloons. Archbishop Corrlgan. This country wants no "Continental Sunday." It Is a matter beyond dispute that the decay of religion in Europe has coincided with and has been furthered by lax observance of the Sunday. The Catholic Church is far from being op posed to legitimate recreation on Sunday. But In the eyes of the Church Sunday ls primarily tho home day, the day of rest from the material ends of life, and of Introspection and consideration of man's spiritual side. The great enemy of home Is the saloon, and the greatest obstacle to spiritual contemplation Is In dulgence In Intoxicating drink. N0TE AND COMMENT. Most of us have now about recovered. The year seems to be fairly lively for Its age. The dsjs get longer after Christum-. Also the pockeibooks. Ben Franklin was the original wireless telegrapher. He used a kite string. The only way for Maclay to get eve a is to put Roosevelt into a historical nov. I. The Schley controversy promises to b; closed speedily like the war in the Trans vaal. Wo haven't scon a poem on the Oregon grape for a long time. Can't someborty send one in? I?n't It about time for some wild-eye 1 Po'pulist to point to copper as just the metal for standard money? The passing of Maclay demonstrates tho fallacy of the maxim, "Be sure you aro wrong, and then ga ahead." The framer of the bill to increase tho number of legal holidays seems to think that football players never get tired. Andrew Carnegie has given away ?S2, CC0.CCO, which is almost enough money to capitalize one of J. P. Mor-jun's trusts. A seat on the New York Stock Exchange has just sold for $75.X. The buyer could have dropped the money jus-t as quickly through a broker. They send out feud casualties from ' Kentucky in bunches. Only legul hang ings are considered worthy of special mention by the correspondents in that state. Depew will be married three times be foro ho considers his long bachelorhood at an end. Tho question now arises. Will it require three divorces to unhitch him, should he find marriage a failure? The lady who sends us the poem begin ning, "This is the forest primeval, tho murmuring pines and the hemlocks" will have to try it again. It is too long, and It sounds like something we have heard before. The boy stood on the burning deck. Whence al! but him had fled. And yet ho never singed a hair Of all his curly head. You may bollcve this boy a dub And o'er hU folly gloat. But he was standing on a sub Marine torpedo-boat. And being a Ions-headed boy. He calmly turned about. Pressed on a button, sank the ship. And put the Are out. Having got a rise out of Thomas C. Piatt In tho shape of a threatened eult for libel. William Allen White is now going to say things about Tillman. "N e suppose he has purchased a suit of pitchfork-proof mail. Good-bye, Maclay, Just hie Away Back to Some placo Where you Will brace The reai- Mot chair. Get clear Back ther. We're glad To say You've had Your day. Your hist ory Not missed Will be No moro Will you. Therefore, Adieu. Lay by Your pen t Don't 11- Bel men. You might Try to Break rock Or do pome good. Hard work You could Not shirk. You're strong. They say. So Ions. Maclay. The Philippine Precedent. New York Herald. What chance Is thero that tho high protectionist In Congress will heed the appeal for a reduction of the duty on Cuban sugar and tobacco, when It Im poses a practically prohibitive duty upon similar products from the Philippines".' Governor Wood urged that the Cubans bo permitted to freely exchange their sugar and tobacco for tho necessaries of lite which we produce urged it not only on grounds of humanity, but as necessary to the preservation of peace in the island; nnri President Roosevelt Indorsed this with the statement that "we arc bound by every consideration of honor and ex pediency" to do this. Yet, in the closing argument which preceded the passage or. tho Philippine tariff bill In the House. Mr. Dalzcll, who Is a member of the com mittee on rules, declared that so long as his party remained In power there would not be, either by provision or reciprocity, any modification of the DIngley tariff that would work Injury to any American Industry. Tbe applause with which this suggestlvo statement wa3 greeted by tho Republicans Indicates that the majorlty ls opposed to any relaxation of the "pro tection" enjoyed by favored Interests through the measures proposed by Repre sentative Babcock or through the reci procity treaties so strongly advocated by Presldent McKInley. and that. In face or Impending starvation and Insurrection in Cuba, there will be no cessation which could offend the domestic sugar and to bacco Interests. PLEASANTRIES OF PAItAGRAPHERS Something Tho Millionaire After all. my money hasm' brought us happiness. His "Wife But It has made us objects of envy- Life. Misplaced Solace. Optimist Oh. cheer up: cheer up. Spring will com" again. Pesslmtet That's Just what I am snd about: I haven't got a new Winter overcoat yet Detroit Frco Press. How It Happened. Jtrold Did you ever se such a confirmed pessimist a3 Van Dauber? Harrold Oh! It's not his fault, you know He married the first time for love and the seconJ time for money. Puck. Easy Berths Preferred. Alderman (with In fluence) I'll do th best I can for ycu. L.-rry. What do you think you want? Constituent I'd Ilka to be a fireman durln" the Summtr months and a bridge-tender in Winter Chi cago Tribune. Foregone Conclusion. Dick Sloboy (Joyfully) Great news! Guess! Cousin May I gUe up. Dick Sloboy Nellie has promised to marry met Cousin May Pshaw! That's no new3 Sho asked me a month ago If I would be her bridesmaid. Philadelphia Press. Helen I'm surprised to hear you talk so I supposed you thought everything of Matilda. Kate Oh. I used to like her well enough, but since she experienced religion and was tiken Into the church, there Is no getting along with her. she's co stuck up aboat it Eoston Tran script. Faet and Furious. Backstop I'm clnd to sec that you are making a name for yourself 13 an author, old man. Seriblet (modestly) Yes. Honors are being htaped on me. Why. 1 wa3 only yesterday that I learned that my latest book had been thrown out of the Boston Li brary. Harper's Bazar. The Heartbroken Heroine. "Were there ary pretty dresses In the play?" "Oh. jc3. Tho poor deserted Trlfe, who hnd to take In sowing for a living, suffered agonies In a lovely whlt silk gown, with chirfon ruffles, and a dream o a rcarl-oIored plush opera cloak lined with white fur." Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.