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POROaXd, 3IO.VDAY, DEC. 30, 1001.
THE PANAMA PROJECT AGAIN.
Evidently the gentlemen of the Pan
ama Canal Co.-r.pany are sorry they
didn't manage their affairs better.
'They now virtually make an offer to
"take $40,000,000 for what they asked no
less than $109,141,500 to part with only
n short time" ago. They believed that
Einee the United States was so deeply
In earnest about an isthmian canal', they
could sell their undertaking at Panama
for a sum that would largely recoup
their own losses. But since our isth
mian Canal Commission has reported
fco decisively in favor of Nicaragua, the
Panama company has reconsidered;
and now they offer their ditch for $40.-
000,000, which is virtually the estimate
made by the commission of the value
of the property.
In the report of the commission the
whole cost of a canal at Panama was
estimated at S253.000.-000, including the
$109,000,000 asked by the existing com
pany. The cost of completion, then,
would be $144,000,000. The cost at Nica
ragua wag estimated' at $190,000,000. If,
however, the price to be paid to the
Panama concern were reduced to $40,
000,000, then the whole cost of the canal
at Panama would be $184,000,000, or
36,000,000 less than the estimated cost
at Nicaragua. This would be too small
a sum to turn the decision in favor of
Panama, since the Nicaragua route is
much the shorter for the greater part
of our commerce, and sailing vessels
are much less liable to' detention by
calms than in seas further south.
Whether th negotiation with the
Panama company is to be reopened, on
this offer for $40,000,000, cannot now be
told, for the matter is -in the hands of
Congress! The danger is that this new
offer will be made the basis of a dis
cussion that will defeat or indefinitely
postpone the whole' project. The great'
railroad influence of the country will not
be slow to take advantage of any op
portunity that -may be presented for
"hc.Qtng up" the undertaking. Mem
bers of Congtess. under this Influence,
will begin to tiim again, to find ob
stacles, and to play off one plan against
the other. For this sort of statesman
ship there !? ample room and verge
-enough in the situation presented In
this new proposal.
FACTS ABOUT BEET SUGAR.
When Messrs. Canard and Cuttingare
discussing tariff reform, they do not
contend that the beet-sugar Industry
qan stand without protection. But when
They are urging farmers to plant beets,
as thty urged in a letter we printed
yesterday from the New York Evening
Post, their-voice Is keyed to a differen'
tune. That letter endeavored to estabt
lish the proposition that the beet in
dustry Is superior to tariff changes.
Messrs. Oxnard and1 Cutting-pointed "cm
that farmers could clear $65 pen acre toy
cultivating beets, and might even m-z e
$100. But in order to assure the culti
vator that he would not be exposed to
reverses by possible changes in the ax
iff, they rrxiceeded to -show that the' in
dustry .stood' in no need of protection.
They went on then to demonszrate
that the beet-sugar industry "staoxl's on
as firm a basis as any business in. the
country." They point out the fat that
their product comes out as a f Jp.ished
article, refined and granulated,- it is
not, like cane sugar grown in tljw West
India Mands, a black and offensive
paste, which must be car.-led I a. wagons
to the seaboard, and thence -"by ships
16 the tlnited States, where after an
other handling it is put throiig-h a cost
ly relnery arid then shipped, "by rail to
theconsumer, who may porsibly be in
Nebraska, alongside a beeto-'sugar fac
tory which turns out the -refined and
granulated article at one fell swoop.
Indeed, the advantages of the producer
of beet sugar for supplying the domes
tic consumption are very jgreat.
It has often been pointful out in these
columns that the sugar-beet industry
continued to thrive apree through the
period of the "Wilson lew. Messrs. Ox
nard and Cutting show this from the
record. They adduce the fact that un
der the McKInley tarbff of 1890, when
sugar -was free of dufy, the price of the
article wa 4 cents per pound. Yet a
net profit of.$Jper ton was made by the
beet-sugar factories under those condi
tions, not counting any bounty on the
home production op sugar. They boast
that they made trs profit while work
ing under absolute free trade. There
are factories in tlSe United States, these
gentlemen tell usln their letter, capable
of using 250,000 tons of beets per annum,
at a profit of $3, per ten, and this .would
maktt-a profit of $1,050,000 as the Income
10 be earned under absolute free trade.
It is not often that the BpeclRl plead
ers for any Industry get Upon such
broad grounds as Messrs. Oxnard and
Cutting occupy when they offer the
generalization that "the sugar industry
la, after all, merely an agricultural
one." We can undersell Europe In all
other crops, and sugar is no exception.
This assertion In In feUpport of the the
ory that has many times been enunci
ated by The tregonian. The Oregon
farmer competes with the cheapest labor
on the earth. He 'markets his wheat
in Liverpool in competition -with the
peons of the Argentine, the peasants of
Ruin and the ryots dT India. He doeu
this by virtue of his superior Intelli
gence and enterprise, applied to labor
saving process of growth, marketing
and transportation.
Sugar-growing in the United States
has these same advantages, and we
have no doubt they- are adequate. We
would not ask. &r free trade In sugar,
though It Is reasonable to believe that
one sugar-producers can stand freeJ
trade with the Philippines ns well as
with Hawaii and a reasonable conces- I
slon to Cuba. Beet sugar should be put
on a revenue basis, which would con
serve the Treasury's income, relieve the
consumer, stimulate numberlcHB mnttut
factures based on sugar, utid thus
widen the demand for gugar of all
kinds. f
THE TrtUST I.V GOVERXMEXT.
The waste o disastroun competition Is
a familiar' buKbour In industrial life
The trust oa one hand nod thp labor
union on the other have become the
universally accepted harbor of refuge.
A parallpj development has been going
on in our politics. Each of the two
great parties is resolving itself
kilo an all-powerful cceitral mtujhlne,
which clfmiraten friction, but Is death
to Inaependcr-cfc of aotion. The various
separate plants of political thought that
were wont to thrive in statesmen's
heads have bGen amalgamated Into
great party trusts, mnry of thenl have
been clcsedt un rfiul iferta intn Inw nr
buslr cm. while the trut is doing all
wc wuoj.n.tss ;u nasiungion, limiting
the output, casting. &l maclllres in the
sarre'mold. ami irrnTiillv iirinrin th
j-Babcotlls and Bevsrldges inlb link
mis peril to independence of action
has always existed; and w xhoultl. not
too hastily conclude that our3 are de
gor.ernio dajrf. Poccriry read and"" re
joices in Burke'ft- celebrated speech to
the electors of Brieto!, 'but had, un
fortunately, no vote in the 'district's
eleclic .., So great a mam as Daniel
Webster found how hard it is to main
tain independence against the party
stream. Yet It is doubtless true that
party discipline is more rigidly enforced
today than formerly, and punishment
meted out with a firmer hand. The
reason for this is to be found in the
spirit of the time, which has rjassed
from passionate devotion to Ideas, suchr
as uiose of liberty and equality, and
occupied itself with economic and ma
terial progress.
History has nract!cal!v elnsod !fn
chapter devoted tb the achievement of
the rights of man. The struggle of the
people to wrest representative govern
ment from the unwilling grasp of he
reditary rulers has been won, and the
aim of government today is not the de
livery of the Individual from social op
pression, but tb secure for the Individ
ual and for the nation free play to
reach and enjoy their highest capacity
of economic development and material
progress. A man is not given political
preferment for the purpose of eloquent
ly championing liberty and equality,
but in order that he may secure certain
definite objects of material value to the
community or nation he is to serve.
What we' want of our President is
"good tilnes:" What we want of our
Secretaries is aids to business, at home
and abinad. What we want of our
Senators? and Representatives is ap
propria1ons. There is only one way to
get app ropriatiorts, and that Is to "stand
in." A i man must do what his party
commr.-nds. not only in the way of posi
tive legislation, but even to the point
of dispipiiRins those who show signs
of independence. '
Thi r tendency accomplishes something
la material good, though its failures and
inju- nices on this score could be arrayed
imp resslvely, but it has lamentable ef
fect k in two ways. It drives men of In-dcr-endem
spirit out of public life, and
it iads young men of Independent spirit
in other callings. In the Democratic
p-uty the machine that gathered about
J ;ryan has driven men like Cleveland,
Carlisle, Vilas and great numbers wno
could bo named out cf politics Into
jinvaie lire, in the RenubHnan Tiariv
Thomas B. Reed is an excellent type
he man who, with a natural Went
of
ffv
joublic life, is driven out of politics be-
'-aure no can't or won't train with the
nachine. President Roosevelt is whol
ly unlike President McKmley in his at
titude toward machine politics, but ii
Is plain to all that this party Integra
tion Is- too strong even for- him; The
machine bears down all opposition to
the Philippine tariff bill, and whips'
Congressmen into line to accept the
Schley verdict without a protest.
It would be of no avail to turn the
Republicans out and put the Demo
crats in, for the party of Jefferson and
Jackson (Lincoln, too, since 1900) never
had such autocratic domination as In
the last campaign, and in Congress
nbw. Thi3 concentration of power and
destruction of independent political ac
tion is ominous for the future- of- our
Government. Its Inevitable result Is lo
attract unscrupulous cleverness into
public life and keep brave conscientious
ness out. Power theri will pass from
the nominal lawmakers to the brainy
men of our great corporations; and a
first installment of this condition iskone
of the things that alls us today.
A REMARKABLE EXHIBIT.
At the Southern Exposition at Charles
ton there is' an exhibit designed to show
the progress which the negro raoe is
making in the great Southland. There
is no more Interesting feature -of the
exposition. It is in Charleston, which
only forty years ago was" the center of
the effort to hold this race in repres
sion, subordination and servitude. This
display is a revelation of the progress
which the negro race has male since
the abolition of slavery. Ie is said
there Is nothing on the grounds which
attracts visitors more.
According to the Boston Transcript's
report, the exhibit covers the indus
trial, mercantile, professional, educa
tional, social, moral anfl religious de
velopment which the race has made
since the Civil War. Tfcere are nine
bureaus. The entire display is under
the direction of Booker Washington and
his corps of negro assistants. A com
plete exhibit la made In agricultural
and dairy oroducts with their lltpm-
J ture aoa statistics; la horticulture, in-
eluding pomaceoUs, storte citrus, trop
ical ftud subtropical fruits; Ih floriculture-,
of roses, bulbous plants, animals.
Autumn and greenhouse flowering
plants and decorative plants The va
rieties IH manufacture! range from
chemicals ahd drugs, to steam engines
and vessels. Here" the visitor seeB
printing, engineering, bookbinding and
photography finely done by negro ex
perts; Ther.6 ate displays of work In
forestry, architecture, or scientific ap
paratus, of dental operations and ap
pliances, of medical, hygiene and sani
tary work and kistrumentSj It Is pleas
ant to note that a congress of colored
physicians lfi tb meet fit the exposition.
Wum&h'ti Work has been classified and
shows remarkable results ih domestic,
hospital, educational, sewing- and manu
facturing lines. Very interesting feat
ures are the charts showing1 educational,
moral, .charitable and religious move
ments and social and domestic life.
An exhibit of this kind, bringing the
Southern white man into visible and
tangible COhtact With benefits of negro
education and progress, cannot but be
a damper upon politicians of the Till
man type.
WttOai ttBClfrtOClDY iKtfEMT.
A Ver common misconception lb this
ond of the Rochester Union And Adver
tiser, taking The Ortjgonirn to task be
cause It advocates' tariff reform in one
breath fthtV in the next' Hesitates to ac
cept thp Kason reciprocity treaties.
The Uhlttl and Advertiser sayst
ffib fftct Uiht sfecJl totrerful corporation in
thfr etcfl trust Are riling up enormous profits
Uhdcr the tiwtcction of & tsrlff that huts out
Aoinr-etition 1 making an lmprelon on th
1 ublic mind. When lt ectnes to be generally
understood that thiM gieat monopolies are
niak'.nfc an organised ArM a?alnt even the
6llclite5t modification cf t'.ie tahff.dnd that it
Is due td their lliai!J(?e that the United States
SofUe ttlll not ratify the Kaaon treaties of
tciprcclt.r. there wljl be such an outers- for
tariff revWon that Consr will no longer
da" to refuse to obey, no matter what the
Prr?dent may rfcommendr cr wSat the nosfees
of 1 lar party may advise. The fflarlnft !njut!cc
nf the system If, fortunately. Illustrated In a
wiiteplrunus way in the case of the tcel trust.
That corporation h protected by a hlftfr tariff,
iet It elln it products- In Europe because it
enn rr.akfr them more cheaply than" Kurope ctcn,
and at th same time i"!Is them to foreljrreTa
at lower price than It demar.ds at home. Such
aa outragrouft atftiFC aa this cannot last very
much longer. Popular lndlfmallori will be
arouse against It. and It will bewiped out.
But If the Rochester critic will read
the treaty with France, for example, he
will find that the stee'l trust's products
are not attacked by it, but that, on the
contrary, its products are among- the
chief bt-neflclarles of the treaty. The
only American industry" receiving great
er concesslohs than the lrori and steel
interests is that of agricultural imple
ments. We have concessions from
France upen goods produced by the
great exporting trusts, but no reduc
tions' on duties- on Imports coming" into
competition with those trusts.
It Is an astonishing anad significant
fact that in general the Kasson treaties
secure concessions for protected trusts
that are now heavy exporters, and give
concession? upon' good) that are now
forced to compete with heavy Importa
tions from foreign countries. This is
not the way to reform the tariff. It
will be' time enough to reduce duties
In lines where we nbw import heav
ily when we have destroyed the mo
nopoly of the home market under which
steel goods. Implements, locomotives-,
etc, are sold abroad more cheaply than
rtt home.
Another thing. It Is always objected
that you can't take up these things
because of the long agitation that will
ensue. You can't put our manufactures
In peril of long suspense and uncer
tainty. It Is a vain and Insincere ob
jection. Representative Babcock's bill
abolishing duties en steel goods can be
passed in two days if the Republican
leaders desire it. See how swiftly they
drew up and rushed through the House
the bill taxing Philippine Imports! A
tariff-reform bill withdrawing protec
tion to a few leading trusts that every
body knows are capable of standing
alone can be pass;d almost unanimous
ly through both houses and' signed by
the President in two days, if the Re
publican leaders desire it. The trouble
Is they are beholden to these great cor
porations, and will do nothing to dis
please' them.
MUXICIPAIi EXPENSES.
The rapid Increase In municipal ex
penses Is a matter of just concern to
municipal taxpayers all over the land.
Within reasonable limits, this increase
Is natural and Inevitable It is a fact
generally accepted that household and
living expenses generally hpve greatly
increased within recent years, and the
tendency istill upward. The cause of
this Is rof far to seek. From year to
year thinrs that were wont to be
classed with and regarded as luxuries
have moved forward in the scale andl
become necessities. Those who have
the management of corporations are
w?'l awjare of this' expansive tendency.
Which Is called progress in the larger
affairs of life but which readily be
comes extravagance,, and in the natural
scale of progression wastefulness that
trumpeted forerunner of want, which
our careful forefathers warned1 their de
seendsnts to avoid if they would retain
their peace of mind and avoid the sharp
pinch of poverty at a time of life
wherein they were least able to bear
its pressure.
In municipal affairs for obvious rea
sons the tendency to increase expenses
is more marked than in family life or
In the management of private corpora
tions. Part of this increase Is the legit
imate attendant of the growth of cities,
and, since every method whereby this
growth may be accelsrated receives
popular indorsement and encourage
ment, it is unreasonable and churlish
to protest against the necessary outlay.
The field of municipal activity Is con
stantly widening, and it Is only by. the
efforts of practical, conservative men
In control "of afTairs that this tendency
Is kept within the bounds of prudence.
The advocates of municipal control or
every convenience of urban life, as well
as its necessities, are abroad with per
suasive tongue. They have In every
city a large following whose financial
Ideas are distorted by the theory that
eevrythlng that is provided by taxation
Is "free" and therefore to be desired.
Opposed to them Is the level-headed
man of business, who knows too well
that nothing Is "free," but that pay to
the uttermost farthing is relentlessly
exacted for everything that comes un
der that head.
Among the great items In municipal
expenses that are the result of growth
In Intelligence Is the provision for a
pure water supply, the vigilance of
health boards, the enforcement of sani
tary measures, the construction and
maintenance of bridges, the acquisition
and Improvement of public parks and
squares, the institution and mainte
nance of public libraries, the extensive
use of electricity In lighting streets,
comprehen&lve" sewer systems', costly
machines for fighting: fire, etc., many of
which were unknown a few years ago.
The people Want all of these things, and
In many Instances clamorously demand
them. It is only when pay-day comes-,
as come It will and must, that they
make outcry, and even then they are
not willing to retrench In the only way
possible, by moderating their deBlres
and doing without. The cost, of light
ing a city with electricity is enormous,
but no one is willing tb go back to the
coal oil lamp" on alternate street corners
twd blocks apart, or beyond that to the
tin lantern supplied with a bit of candle,
by the flickering light of which the man
abroad after dark was- barely able to
find his way home;
These are facts'to be recognized; and,
since they must inevitably lay heavy
tribute upon the revenues of the city,
the need for careful scrutiny of ac
counts is urgent. Increased expenses
are Justified by Increasedi efficiency not
otherwise. The question that appeals
to the intelligent mind Is, "Do taxpay
ers get the Worth of their money?" If
the cost increases without improving
the service, tfiere is- just ground for
complaint. The citizens of a growing,
prosperous municipality can afford to
pay for what they need, and even to
make incursion Into the domain of their
wants: There should be no complaint
If, following theft Hoes, the service de
manded and given Is efficient. It Is only
when men are paid for doing what they
shirk and- slighti and gloss: over that
fault is just'y found.
The total number of Immigrants ar
riving at the port of New Tork--for the
third quarter of 1901 was S3,2C5,.a very
slight Increase over the figures for the
corresponding period of 1900. This is
gratifying to the large class of Ameri
cans who view with apprehension any
decided Increase in immigration. The
figures show- that" la point of numbers
Southern Italian continue to lead all
other racea These people formed more
than one-fifth of the total for the-quarter
covered by the late report, which,
however, showed a decrease of 2.9 per
cent, ao compared with the figures last
year. Next In numbers- were the Jews,
the total showing a decrease of 36.3 per
cent from last year's figures. The
Polish contingent was third in the list,
and" though the total was only 7802, the
Increase was-41 per cent over last year.
While it is not possible to declare with
accuracy just who aro and who are not
desirable as immigrants, these three
leading classes are looked upon with
disfavor through their supposed In
adaptability as" citizens: Experience
bears out this estimate to some extent
at least. Taken with the fact that 61.7
per cent of the whole are males, thus
minimizing the family element, which
is- always a desirable ono In immigra
tion, the showing is not particularly
gratifying.
In the opinion of C. Ii. Smith, of
Minnesota, an expert on dairying, there
Is a better opportunity for the develop
ment of the dairy industry upon the
Pacific Slope than in any other part of
the country. This opinion is valuable
as: that of a man who has" made dairy
ing a study and traveled extensively for
the promotion of that Industry. Dairy
ing has- been sl&w In development in
the Pacific -Northwest for the same
reasons that have retarded the growth
of other industries, but the impetus
given to it during the past few years
by widening market, special Instruc
tions and Increasing population hfis
been great, and the tendency Is still on
ward. Farmers of the Pacific North
west have learned many practical and
valuable lessons in recent years, one
of which is that It does not pay to keep
scrub cows and make butter In the old
way. The- farmhouse churn has prac
tically had its day. It did excellent-
service in its time; so also did the hand
loom, the sickle and the flail. It has
survived for many years the extinction
of its early contemporaries In farm de
vices, but the long day of Its useful
ness has ended, and that of the cream
ery has well begun.
Bicycle raclcs, low awnings, muddy
crosswalks- and littered streets are
nuisances In Portland, sure enough; but
there are others. One of those others
is the habit of putting off the laying of
sidewaika and the clearing away of rub
bish In front of newly constructed
.buildings. At Sixth and Couch, Twelfth
and Alder and Fourth and Yamhill
streets are buildings which have been
going up since last Summer, and the
sidewalks In front of them have been
torn up for four months. The police
department, or street department, or
some other department of the city gov
ernment, should be given the power
or the Incentive to prevent and remove
these abuses. We need to cure our
selves of the village habit of papering,
frescoing and furnishing a new house
before laying sidewalks before the prem
ises and removing cast-off building ma
terials. The first of the year & almost
with us. Perhaps It would profit us
to make a resolution and carry it out.
It is hoped that the Montgomery Ad
vertiser will not again make an error
like the one it makes In saying that
The Oregonian "has apparently just
gotten its eyes open to the strong op
position, both in and out of Its party, to
the present tariff laws." The Orego-
nlan's eyes have been open on tariff
matters these thirty years, and the Ad
vertiser's assumption Is unwarranted.
Nobody should jump at a conclusion of
this kind without evidence.
Although It would seeing from the
Schley controversy, that talking, and
fighting are much akin, SRocsevelt has
made a distinction. Members of the
Army and Navy may fight for the coun
try, but not talk for It. There are
enough people now to do ther talking,
without assistance from the Army and
Navy.
It is said, that many dentists now
practicing could not pass the exam
ination made up by the Dental Board.
This, however, is not the point. Maybe
the point Is ithat we have dentists
enough.
Depew has married a" woman young
enough to be his granddaughter.
Whether it's a case of old fool or young
fool Is a conundrum.
Although there Is no war between Ar
gentina and Chile, peace seems as far
,of& as If the situation were "really seri
ous.
The British have had another disas
ter in South Africa. As usual, It was
on a kopje.
Maclay still has the magazine to fall
back upon for a living. '
IT GOJIESiWITH POOR' GRACE.
Spokane Spokesman-Review.
As an exhibition- of-rank- insincerity the
professions of the Seattle Post-Intel-Hgencer
for an open river to the sea are
entitled to first award.
The Seattle paper professes deep con
cern over the trifling appropriations
made by Congress for the Upper Colum
bia and- the Snake; It quotes'- from the
Portland Oregonian toshaw that "there
has been expended at the mouth of the
Columbia, in the Improvement of the Co
lumbia and Willamette below Portland,
and on the Columbia River above th
mouth of the Willamette, but withttr 40
miles of Portland, the vas total of ?7,
272,027; while the total amount" expended
upon the hundreds of miles of the Colum
bia and its navigable tributaries has. been
but $361,630."
The Post-Intelligencer truthfully says
"this- condition husr grown intolerable,"
but that remark comes with bad grace
from the P. I-, which Is directed and
edited by former- Senator John L. Wil
son. For, 10 years Wilson served the
state In Congressfor three terms as
nttmb'er of- the House, and' for four years
as Senator. He is responsible for these
intolerable conditions. Either he con
nived atUhe long-continued neglect of the
upper river, or else he had no influence
In Congress.
It is preposterous to say that the Seat
tle paper sincerely desires the opening of
the Coluiribia River to the sea. The rail
roads are against water competition, and
it Is notorious that Great Northern in
terests control that paper. For other
reasons Seattle will never aid the opening
of these rivers: First, because it wants
the bulk of appropriations for Pugct
Sound, just as Portland wants It for
the" tower Columbia; and second, It fears
that If the rivers were made navigable
fiom the wheat fields to the sea, com
merce would be diverted from Puget
Sound to the Columbia.
The Mfery'iuia Doy and Gen
Miles.
Philadelphia Record.
The reprimand administered to General
Miles by the Secretary of War for his
alleged comments on the Schley inquiry
verdict was the subject of some discussion
yesterday. One man. who knew the
General at Tampa during the mobilization
of troops for the Cuban expedition, told
the following story to illustrate his opinion
that General Miles, though imperious in
air, is very democratic at heart: "It was
the night before the Shatter expedition
left." he said, "and men of all ranks and
regiments were around Army headquarters
at the Tampa Bay Hotel. Miles had just
arrived? from Washington, and was not
yet In uniform. Apparently In deep
thought he was walking to and fro on a
strip of carpet which crossed the tiled
floor of the great lobby. He wore no
mark of his rank. A young private, a
recruit of the Fifth Maryland, was wan
dering around aimlessly in the crowd,
gaping at officers In gold lace, fbr that
evening a military reception was to take
place. He held in his hand th $tUmp
of a cheap cigar, and puffed at it, but it
would not light. He almost jostled Gen
eral Miles, and then, looking him square
In the face, said: 'Got a light on ye?'
'Certainly,' replied the General, with nn
amused look, handing his cigar to the
private. 'Do you know who that was you
got a light from? asked a war corre
spondent. 'Nope, replied the private, 'an'
I don't give a d !' 'Oh, yes, you do;
that's General Miles.' The recruit gasped.
Well,' he said, after he had recovered
from the shock. Til make up for that.
Walt till you see the salute I'll give him.'
He buttoned up his tunic, adjusted, his
campaign hat, walked back to where the
General was, and, as the Army chief1 ap
proached, the Maryland boy gave him
sUch a dramatic salute that every one
laughed. Miles among the number."
Admlrnl Sampson.
Detroit News.
No doubt tho disappointment of Sampson
was bitter. He could not be blamed for
expressing disappointment under such cir
cumstances. The Nation stood ready to
accord him all honor that was due; but
a propaganda In tho Navy antagonized
public sentiment by trying to rob Schlcy
of the honors he had earned, instead of
admitting that "there was glory enough
for all." It Is no wonder that 8ampson
has fallen into a decline under the strala
of the miserable controversy, but his
would-be ffionds.hove been much to blame
for his troubles. A naval officer in our
peaceful service has few opportunities
for attaining distinction. All his train
ing, all His energies and ambitions aro
centered upon ono subject to reach the
head of the line of promotion. Sampson
did al' that a man might do to deserve the
highest honors. Fate was unkind. Con
troversy arose which turned public opinion
against him, and a brave. Intelligent and
altogether admirable officer has broken
down under harassments and disappoint
ments which he ha3 not deserved, nis
tory will do justice to Sampson, as public
opinion would do today, if a miserable
faction had not tried to undo what destiny
had apparently ordained.
Odd tlnl-lt or Gnmblern.
Philadelphia Record.
Habitual gamblers are perhaps the most
superstitious persons in the world'. They
Invariably carry little portablo mascots
In their pockets, and It would bo Impos
sible to persuade them to enter Into a
game of chancp If, by some Inadvertence,
their mascots were not with them. Lumps
of lead, coins, snake rattles, locks of hair,
cauls, bits of bone, hairpins a pile ot
these things would be shown if the play
ers in any stiff poker game wore required
to reveal their mnscots. And each amu
let has a story connocted with it A bul
let, for Instance, which one man carries,
was extracted from the brain of a woman
who killed herself on his account. A gold
hairpin that Is the mascot of a broker
fell from a lady s hair in a theater aisle.
He picked it up and returned it, and the
acquaintance begun thus informally cul
minated in a marriage. A lawyer ol Wis-
sahlckon has for a mascot a coin that
was given him by a murderer on the day
the man was banged. The mascot cata
logue could' be continued thus indefinitely.
A Xnmlsniallc Curiosity.
London News.
A coin of considerable Interest to nu
mismatists has just been sold in Germany.
It Is one of tho few coins In the history
of the world which can bo accused of
having a humorous side to it. In 1670
the Danes descended on tho Port of Ham
burg, but their attack on the famou.-
Hanse town proved unsuccessful. The in
habitants of tho town struck a medal, to
commemorate the occasion. The legend
on the coin was as follows: "The King of
Denmark has been to Hamburg. If thou
wouldst know what he achieved look on
the other side." It is needless to add that
"tne other side" is a blank.
The Old Burlnl Lot.
The marble slabs are slanted down.
Or lylns la the rank tall gross;
The moss creeps o'er them thick, and brown,
To hide the names from thosi that pass.
Fbrgotten are tho Joyi and pain.
With all the thanklesw strife of years.
And blighted hopes that beat In vain,
A life forgotten, smiles and tears.
Yet sheds the cven-tlma her dew.
And sunlight gilds ths lonely spot.
T6 feed the rosemary and the rue.
And tufts of wild forget-me-not.
High: In the maple overhead.
Her cradle nest the hang-bird awlngs;
And o'er the long-forgotten dead
A crooning lullaby she sings.
Cora A. Matson Dolson, la Country Life In
Anieric
AMUSEMENTS.'
The first genuine comedy- seen at Car
dray's this-season was "The, Wrong Mrt
Wright." which was played" there last
night by Harry Bcrrsfcrd and a-good com
pany, and made a hit with an audlcncr
that filled the house. The p'ay ws last
given in Portland by Rbland' Reed, -but
that was so many, years agp that it Is
practically as good as new, and' few of
those in the house were troubled by a
previous knowledge of the dci'gatfuliy
complicated plot. Every line and situation
was- fully appreciated; and both by fre
quent applause and enthusiastic curtain
calls the audience demonstrated its1 satis
faction. As1 presented. last night the comedy is.
not, as- many have been led to believe, a
one-man play. Although Beresford plays
the part of Seymour Sites, the San Fran
cisco man whose assumption of the name
of Wright gets him into all kinds of trou
ble, there are others In the company, and
not the least of them Is Rose Hubbard,
whose clever acting in the part of the lady
detective was such as to entitle her to as
many honors as the star. Miss-Hubbard
has that rarest of possessions, a beautiful
voice, and she knows how to use it to art
vantage in her reading. Eere3ford is a
comedian of the quiet kind, and makes a:
very funny Sites without straining for
effects or shouting his speeches at the
audience. His work last night was ar
tistic In 'every' respect, and he fully
earned all the applause ha received. Other
members oft the company who helped to
make an excellent performance were: W.
J. Townsend, as Lord Brazenface; Leslie
Morosco, as Frederick Bonds; Harry
Mack, as Wayland Clingstone, and Miss
Gauticr Potter, as Julia Bonds. Tho re
mainder of the cast are all compexent,
although their parts are but smalL The
play is well costumedt the vomen dress
sty.-lshly, and It is put on'wlth a snap
that bespeaks excellent stage manage
ment. It will be repeated all the week,
with an extra New Year's matinee
Wednesday.
RECORD DAY AT THE BAKER.
"The IrJslj Pawnbrokers" Play-r to
Tivo Pnclccri Houkcs.
"The Irish Pawnbrokers" opened, a
week's engagement at the Raker jester
day, playing to the biggest matinee and
evening audience the house has ever held.
Judging from its reception it was entitled
to the record business, as the series ot
specialties, of which it is chiefly composed.
were applauded uproariously as they ap
peared, ono after another. There is plenty
of action in the show, enough, in fact, to
make up "for Its lack of pretention to plot.
Songs, dances, ensembles, monologues, in
fact, almost every form of amusement
known to the vaudeville stage, come in
one, two, three order. Everything is new
and amusing, and the people are the best'
entertainers in their respective lines that
have been seon at the theater since it nas
built.
Mazle Trumbull, who Is billed as the
star, is as bright and clever as ever, and
her songs with chorus made no less of a
hit than her dancing with her harp and
to her own music on the piano. The two
American Macs comprise a funny Irish
team, and do a specialty which Is one of
the hits of the piece, beside keeping the
fun going all through the play. Dick
Ferguson and Grace Passmore contribute
a lively song and dance "turn" that has
the merit of being new and interesting.
Harry L. Talley, who has a tenor voice of
unusual sweetness, sings some coon and
other songs, which are well worth hear
ing. C. A. Morgan and the company sing
"When Mr. Shakespeare Comes to Town"
with much efTect, and Mazle Trumbull,
Harry Talley and the company put on
"The Jack o Lantern Coon" In a style
that is deserving of plentiful praise.
The farce, considered as such, does very
well. In view of the frequent Interruptions
by the specialty people. It doesn't take
much thought for consistency, but it Is
full of situations which call for rapid
action, and It divided honors evenly with
the specialty bill last night In popular
favor. The play Is well mounted, prettily
costumed, and It moves like a whirlwind.
It will run all the week, with a special
holiday matinee Wednesday.
"A ROYAL ROGUE" TONIGHT.
Dc Anfrclls Blf? Comic Opcrxv Produc
tion at tlxc MnrrjuniR.
Tonight at the Marquam Grand Theater
Jefferson Da Angelis will open his en
gagement of three nights, with a special
matinee New Year's day, presenting "A
Royal Rogue." his new operatic comedy.
Tho company supporting Mr. De Angelis
is said to be the-best this favorite come
dian has, ever had. It includes several
artists who are quite well known. MIs3
Helen Byron, the principal comedienne,
was. last season W. II. Crane's, leading
soubrette. Henry Norman, who has an
important role, was for five years the prin
cipal basso-comedian of Henderson's
American Extravaganza Company. Charles
Dungan, Adine Bouvier and Maude Poole,
are also singers pleasantly remembered.
Among the new faces aro Edwin Law
rence, Adclia Barker, Gertrude MacKen
zle, John Dudley, Frank Kelly and Emily
Francis. The De Angelis company num
bers nearly SO people.
"The Girl Prom Mnilm'."
The sale of scats will open tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock for "Tho Girl From
Maxim's," which comes to the Marquam
Grand Theater next Thursday, Friday
and Saturday nights, with a special matl
,nee Saturday. This Is a French farce,
which is said to be among the best ever
written and produced in Paris. It was
lirst seen In this country at the Criterion
Theater, New York, where It played a.
long engagement. After the .New York
run it was seen -in Chicago, Boston Phila
delphia, and other large cities, and it met
with the 2ame success that greeted it in
New York.
3Tme. LnnvpH'ii Concert Tour.
NEW YORK, Dec. 20. Madame Lillian
B. Lauvell, the concert singer, arrived
today from Europe on the St. Paul. She
will open her American tour at Carnegie
Hall, January 9, and then for two months
wllL sing In the principal cities of the
country, going west a3 far as Denver.
We're All a Set of Knaves.
Colfax Gazette.
The United States condemned Spain
for ill-treating Cuba, Germany condemns
the United States for grabbing the
Philippines, France condemns Germany
for oppressing the Poles, Great Britain
condemns France for Invading Tonquin,
while Spain pops up to Join in the con
demnation of Great Britain for the war
in South Africa; and thus do the people
of each of the great powers prove them
selves champions of liberty and friends
of the oppressed.
Xelly "Was a Lady.
Stephen Foster.
Down on de Mississippi floating;
Long tlmo I trabblc on de way.
All night de cotton, ood a-totlng.
Sing for my truc-lub till de day.
Choru3.
Kelly was a lady. Icat night she died.
Toll de bell for lubly Nell,
My dark Vlrglnny bride.
Now. I'm unhappy, and I'm weeping.
Can't tote do cottonwood no more;
Last night, while Xelly was a-sleeplng.
Death came a-knockin at de door.
When I saw my Xelly In de morning.
Smile till 3he cren'd up her eyes,
Seem'd like dc light ob day c-dawr.Ing,
Jlst 'fore de tun begin to rice. ,
Close by de margin ob de water,
VVhar de lone weeplns willow grows,
Dar llb'd Vlnrinny's lubly daughter;
Dar hc In death may find repose.
Down In de nwadow. 'mong de lober.
Walk wld my Kelly by roy olde;
Kow all dem happy days am ober.
Farewell, my dark Virgimiy bride.
, WE AND COMMENT.
If you must swear at all, swear off.'
Santa Claus will now take a much
.veeded rest.
No one will have to show the battle
ship Missouri how- to flsht:
There can- be no doubt that' the year
Is dyin&r It 1st already cold.
"Historian" "Maclay Is widely quoted.
His title is never printed without the ex
pressive " ". .
General Otis has made an annual report.
The situation, la and about Chicago seem&
to be well in hand.
Get your resolutions- ready; bub don't
think they will keep any better by being
preserved in alcohol.
The decline of populism was apparent
Saturday when there was.-a marked short
age In the gas supply.
The days aro getting Iongerc It Is now
possible to read the paper by sunlight
as- early as 10:30 A. M.
The writer who ismost widely read! just
now- Is he who is composing the clear
ance sale advertisements.
In Paris a 10-year-old girl is writing
historical plays. The tender maideiw or
this country write historical works.
The can again yawns for the cayuse,
and the European epicure will soon prove
himself to be an excellent judge of horse
flesh. The Kaiser has now blossomed out as
an art critic. This will assure favorable:
notices of the canvases from the royal
brush.
It Is hardly likely that the possession
of two cabinet officers will prevent Iowa,
from filing her quadrennial, claim on tho
Presidency.
It appears from, the testimony of a sur
vivor of the Kano expedition that even
the weather inside the Arctic circle didn't,
give Schley cold feet.
The Panama Canal people offer to sell
their property for 'fiO.OOO.COO. If they will
move It up to Nicaragua theirx offer may?
possibly be considered.
President Eliot, of Harvard University,
is booked to deliver the charter-day ad
dress of the University of California.
March 22. President and Mrg. Eliot are to
start from Boston Mach 1. and that
Harvard men of Chicago, St. Louis, Seat
tle, San Francisco and other cities pro
pose to capture them.
J. Pierpont Morgan gladdened the hearts ,
of 10 clerks in his office Christmas day.
Each received from the banker a Christ
mas present of a ?5000 gold certificate.
These bills are received -at the Sub-Treasury
fresh from the Bureau of Engraving
at this time of year, to be exchanged
with those who desire them for Christmas
presents. They are seldom used in busi
ness transactions. A sum approximating
510,500 was distributed by members of the
Stock Exchange as Cnristmas gifts for
the 330 employes. The Consolidated Ex
change raised $2400 for Its employes, the 60
employes of the Cotton Exchange got J2000
and the 50 of the Coffee Exchange 51000.
Senator Hanna personally sees from 30
to 300 people a day when he Is In his of
fice ih Cleveland! and he is said to- havo
the faculty of seeming interested In the
little affairs of the caller even when bis
great political and business interests are
demanding his attention. He almost al
ways has a cigar between his teeth, and
ope who knows him well says: "If the
Senator lets his cigar go out while you are
presenting your case you can make
up your mind that he Is Interested. If
he pulls away at It in short, quick puffs,
you are wasting your eloquence and
breath, and If he turns to his desk, to
relight It or light another, you may con
clude the Interview Is terminated."
Bandmaster Sousa, It fc: said, paid a dear
price for the use of the Herald Square
Theater Christmas eve. His agent tried
In vain to get the Metropolitan Opera
House, and had to turn to the Herald
Square. Richard Mansfield, who has ab
solute control of the house during his run,
was shocked at the idea of a brass band
playing In his theater. In despair Mr.
Sousa's asentr gently Insinuated that it
Mr. Mansfield would allow Sousa to play
at tho Herald Square Mr. Sousa would bo
only too highly honored to play one ot
Mr. .Mansfield's waltzes. Mr. Mansfield
Instantly began to view the proceedings
in a more favorable light. Not only did
Mr. Mansfield give the desired permission,
but he immediately ordered a special tele
phone wire run from the theater to his
residence so that he and his guests m'ght
hear the inspiring strains Qf Mr. Mans
field's "Hail to the Flag," while they were
at dinner. The concert came off, and
"Hall to the Flag" was rendered accord
ing to contract. Of its success there can
be no question, for immediately after the
concert Mr. Sousa, in the course of a
heart-to-heart talk, is said to have re
marked to a friend: "Well, we played It.
We had to, because we wanted the thea
ter. But before I would put my artists
through such an ordeal again I'll give my
next New York concert In a tent."
A Taler ot- Twla Cities.
Albany Democrat.
A deer trotted through Corvallis this,
week. He had a right to. It Is against
the law to kill deer at this time of the
year and the animal escaped without
much effort. In fact, it Is said he hardly
found out that he was In a city at all.
PLEASANTRIES OF PABAGRAPHERS
He She always calls things by their right
names. She What horrible name did obe calL
jou7 Tonkera Statesman.
Ev en So. Little Elmer Papa, what Is it that
makes a statesman great? Professor Broad
head Death, my son. Harper's Bazar.
The Genuine Article. He Darling, I love
joul Sne And hae you never told other girls
the samcT He Well er es; but not so near
Christmas. Puck.
Ancient History. Visitor Well. Joy, I am
glad to .see that jou are not at all ahy. Joy
Oh. no; I am not shy now, thank you. But I
was ery when I was born! Punch.
Reason Enough.
"Why do you talk so much?" ma cried.
Reproving little May.
"I s'pose it's- cause" the child replied.
"I'se sot so much to-say."
Philadelphia Press.
Running" No Risk. Wife Don't you want to
go shopping with mc? Husband No, thanks.
Wife You don't love me. Husband Yes. I do.
I love you so much that. I don't want to run.
the risk of a. permanent separation. Judge.
A musician, brought to despair by the poor
playing of a lady In a room above, his- own,
mceu her one day In tho hall with her 3-j ear
old child, and says. In a most friendly manner:
"Your little one slays quite well for nee age.
I hear her practise every day." TlUBIt3.
Hi First Proof- The Visitor Horroral The
lightning express, wrecked, and totally destroyed
by fire! Young Artist Hurrah! Good! "Are
you. crazy?" "No. but I expressed a drawing
on that train, and. I valued It at $50. Now the
express company will have to pay for it."
LIfa.