Morning Oregonian., January 28, 1902, Page 6, Image 6

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THE MORNING DREGONIAN; TUESDAY, JANUARY 2S, 1902.
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TODAY'S WEATHER Probably fair; not so
icold; easterly winds.
YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum tem
perature, 26; minimum temperature, 16; pre
cipitation, 0.10 inch.
PORTXAJTO, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28.
WB CAN SAVE OURSELVES.
Oregon should fly more with her own
wings, and not cry so much for others
to come and save her. "We should not
spend bo much time and effort in at
tempts to gain the favor of Mr. Har
riman or Mr. Hill, meanwhile neglect
ing the very force that will compel the
homage of the vast Interests those men
represent, Oregon, and Portland as Its
chief seat of commerce the chief seat
of commerce for the whole mlghtywal
ley of the Columbia should cease
yearning and sighing and reaching so
tremendously after the Ineffable, the
grand and distant and impractical
things of commercial and community
life, and settle down to digging In the
home Held, to use of the blessings that
Nature has bestowed upon us so boun
teously. Large transportation combinations
will not for the asking pour their power
into Portland and make it great with
out an effort of its own. "We may argue
the natural advantages of this route,
we may cajole, we may threaten, we
may preach, we may pray to the powers
that control artificial commercial lines,
all to no purpose. Selfish interests turn
them elsewhere. They come here only
to get what we will give them. They
take no part in the development of our
home field. They spend freely for im
provements a small part of the money
we pay them. They are here because
the strength of our position will not
permit them to ignore us. They give
as little as possible and take as much
as possible.
This Is the law of the business world,
and we must recognize it. But we hold
in our hands the power to dompel rec
ognition from the largest business in
terests. That power is home develop
ment If we permit a few cliques of
railroad manipulators and financial
managers to control our heritage, to
hold us in servile bondage, they will
do it. They are not beneficent institu
tions, and all is fish that comes to their
net They may apportion railroad ter
ritory, giving Southern and Southeast
ern Oregon to San Francisco; North
eastern Oregon, the Clearwater region
of Idaho, and even the Nehalem Valley,
lying at Portland's door, to Puget
Sound. They may think their Interests
better served by tapping Eastern Ore
gon from the east than by giving it
easy connection with Portland. They
may oppose letting Portland into the
Big Bend country of "Washington. But
will Portland, will Oregon, will the vast
and rich Columbia Valley, lie supinely
and see themselves tricked and bandied
and made a fool's bauble?
Portland is rich enough fo help her
self. She has the resources, geograph
ical position and commercial prestige.
Moreover, If we do not misread recent
events, she has the spirit, the will, the
energy to do so. In other words, Port
land not only is rich enough to help
herself, but she will do so; and do it In
the interest not only of Oregon, but of
the entire Columbia Valley. "We shall
do it by tapping the native richness of
the country, giving regions now isolat
ed convenient access to markets. "We
shall have such a railroad as the Co
lumbia Southern to penetrate the heart
of Eastern Oregon, with an extension
on the northern end to free navigation
on the Columbia if need be. "We shall
have such a line as that now projected
from the Columbia River through the
core of the Klickitat Valley, with im
mense possibilities beyond. "We shall
have such a rpad as that of the Port
land, Vancouver & Yakima to the St
Helens mining district and beyond. "We
shall get access to the varied resources
of the Nehalem Valley and the Tilla
mook country. We shall get out into
the foothills of Clackamas County.
These things we shall do, not dream
over them and resolve impressively
upon their eminent respectability or
we shall decay.
Then, when we do these things our
selves, we shall not lack for powerful
friends. They will all be eager to as
sist us. The instruments to accomplish
this lie at our hand, the field Is wait
ing at our feet The world has the
right to expect us to use our opportuni
ties before we send out the call for rec
ognition. Our salvation lies In the cul
tivation of the home field. All else will
be added.
The cotton manufacturers of the Caro
lines, Georgia and Alabama, as well as
the Eastern manufacturers, have ap
peared before the Senate committee on
immigration in opposition to the Mitch
ell Chinese exclusion bill. They ask
that no law be passed beyond the re
enactment of the Geary law until the
expiration of the present treaty, so that
the whole matter may come up In 1904.
These Southern manufacturers say that
prior to the Boxer outbreak In China
several Southern cotton mills shipped
almost their entire product to the Ori
ent; that since the restoration of order
these shipments have been resumed,
with a promise of a large Increase,
which might be checked by adverse 1
Chinese legislation. This check would
affect both the mills of the South and
those of the North, because of the in
tensified home competition.
INDEPENDENCE TALK IS PREMA
TURE. There is no lack of evidence, there
has never been any lack of evidence,
that the activity of anti-imperialism in
the United States has held up the hands
of the Philippine Insurrectos. Bryan's
campaigns, Atkinson's pamphlets and
the grave protests of men like Senator
Hoar have helped to keep the resist
ance alive, just as the copperheads of
the North .encouraged the South in the
idea that no government could justly
secure the consent of the governed by
force, and prolonged the Inevitable end
of the struggle.
On the other hand. It is undeniable
that some favorable effect It is uncer
tain how much would be exerted in
favor of peace if the United States
were to promise the Filipinos their in
dependence. If it is said on one hand
that there is no use negotiating with
the insurrectos until our authority has
been universally recognized, so it may
be answered on the other hand that if
the Filipinos were assured of their in
dependence, their opposition to our tem
porary rule would measurably, perhaps
almost wholly, give way. Here Is a
dilemma that is not to be settled with
out reflection. Is it our duty, then, to
promise them independence, and bring
the rebellion to an end?
Now, It so happens that speedy end
of the rebellion is not the only thing
required to be taken into consideration.
The question what is best for the islands
is not, as Senator Hoar and his allies
seem to think, precisely equivalent to
the question how to end the rebellion.
To end the rebellion Is an end to be de
sired. It Is true; but It is not necessarily
the only end to be desired. The real
goal we must aim at is the welfare of
the islands and justice to ourselves.
The question whether the welfare of
the islands will best be promoted by
Independence or by annexation Is a
question of fact, not a question of Im
pulse, or even of precedent It is to be
determined, as other questions of Na
tional policy are determined, by expe
diency derived from evidence and rea
son. Nothing Is easier than to say offhand.
as Senator Beveridge says, that the
Philippines are to be the brightest
jewel In our crown, and must by all
means be retained. Nothing is easier
than to say, as Senator, Hoar 6ays, that
they are entitled to their independence
and must be promised it But neither
of these propositions can be proven.
The evidence is not at hand. It must
be had before a decision can be made,
and the only-thing that can furnish it
is time. Time will show whether
the islands should be held or alienated.
Nobody knows now. Opinions differ.
"We must wait and see.
Is It not clear, then, that talk of
granting the Philippines their Independ
ence Is premature? "We can't promise it
unless we know it Is wise to grant it,
and we can't grant it until we know
that In their sober minds, with peace
restored, business and Industrial con
ditions normal, they desire It, and that
the desire can be safely acceded to.
Therefore there is nothing for us to do
but wait
It is not incumbent on a transferred
territory to revolt as soon as the treaty
of negotiation is made out It is Its
right, as the American colonies did, to
revolt from misgovernment; but until
misgovemment has been demonstrated,
rebellion is not in order. No one pro
posed to offer the Confederacy inde
pendence for the purpose of bringing
the Civil "War to an end. No one pro
posed amnesty to the leaders "or full
restoration to forfeited state preroga
tives. Acceptance of the National sov
ereignty must come first, and conces
sions later. So in the Philippines.
Hawaii had her Independence and
asked for annexation. So did Texas.
Cuba is to have her Independence, but
she may elect to prefer annexation. It
may be just so with the Philippines.
Time will tell. Talk of Independence Is
premature. That is the objection to
such utterances as President Schurman
has felt called upon to qualify. The
United States Is not going to begin
granting Independence to the Philip
pines by abdicating In favor of men In
arms against our rightful sovereignty!
Peace first, and concessions afterward.
DRIFT TO GOVERNMENT OWNER
SHIP. The recent report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission is a frank con
fession on the part of its members that
the great railroad managers of the
country treat the interstate commerce
law with contempt; that they disobey
the law; that the great railroad man
agers and their favored shippers are ut
terly without business honor and good
faith in their attitude to the laws of
the United States which attempt to deal
with their traffic. The commission
makes no suggestion of legislative re
form which would be likely to prove ef
fective; it seems to speak In the accents
of despair rather than of hope of the
future, and the keynote of the last two
reports of the Interstate Commerce
Commission has been a tale of discrimi
nations and outlier Injustice on the part
of the railroads which it Is powerless
to prevent The commission annually
finds that the railways gouge the peo
ple at non-competitive points and defy
the orders of the commission to dis
continue their unjust squeezing of the
shipper. The commission points out
that whenever it is necessary to resort
to the trick to thwart the exercise of its
authority or intercession, the railway
companies raise rates without changing
them by changing the classification of
the commodities to be affected.
Both in England and In this country
the method of public control under pri
vate ownership has been fairly tried and
found wanting. After fifty years of at
tempted government control in Eng
land, and fourteen years under the
commission system in this country, the
railways really control the Government.
In both England and America the rail
way companies have been able to main
tain exorbitant rates, both freight and
passenger, and freight rates are so ad
justed in favor of the long haul for im
ported goods as to discriminate injuri
ously against local producers. And in
both England and the United States the
political power -of the railways is able
to defeat genuine reform or relief. This
situation cannot forever continue wlth-
lout a. revolutionary solution, which is
likely to come at no distant day In
England and the United States In the
form of the generar-publlc ownership of
railways. "Whether this solution comes
soon or late, It will depend on the fu
ture administration of the great rail
way managers of the country. If they
continue to give cause for such severe
Indictment as they have recently ob
tained from the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the general public owner
ship of railways will come before the
end. of the century.
The time has been when the leading
men of both parties dreaded the as
sumption of so enormous an enterprise
as the ownership and operation of the
railways, but It Is become a choice of
evils at least and successful public
ownership In Belgium, Prussia, Aus
tralia and Austria has convinced us
that the financial burden is not difficult
to sustain. The political objection of a
vast increase of Government employes
is worthy of very serious consideration,
but these employes would not be the
people's masters' but the people's serv
ants, who could be got rid of when In
competent or corrupt while the present
railway oligarchy are the people's mas
ters, since they are non-removable by
the people. General public ownership of
railways is not without very serious ob
jections, but the ablest thinkers on this
subject believe that these objections are
fully offset by the unjust discrimina
tions and other impositions Incident to
private ownership. The railway mag
nates have abused their power and op
portunity at the expense of the masses
of the people too long and too wantonly
much longer to escape revolutionary leg
islation. HOW THE BRITISH PAY TAXES.
The South African War is a burden
on Great Britain, but It lies on a na
tion that is in the habit of bearing
whatever burdens need to be borne,
whether in shouldering arms or paying
taxes. About a year ago The Orego
nlan remarked that while the war would
cost a pretty penny, the British people
would provide the necessary funds and
pay the price without grudging,
whatever It should be. An elaborate
analysis of the British imperial reve
nues, printed In the London Statist, af
fords abundant evidence that this Brit
ish spirit of determination has been
steadily shown.
It appears, then, so freely have taxes
flowed Into the imperial treasury, that
there is today a surplus of come $40,
009,000 in the treasury, already left over
from estimated expenditures, and if the
government chooses to spend to the
limit In the fiscal year which ends
March 31 next, it will have $1,000,000,000
at its disposal a vast sum, and one
which the Statist believes largely in ex
cess of current needs. In other words,
Great Britain is still the richest coun
try in the world, and in spite of the
enormous expenditures of the South Af
rican War, is able and willing to shoul
der still heavier charges if they should
be required.
The detailed showing is one of re
markable strength. The estimated reve
nues for 1901-1902 are 142,455,000, but
3,000,000 "in ways and means ad
vances" were brought forward from
1900-1901, reducing the deficit to 51,-
876,000. The loans raised have amount
ed to 59,929,381, which leaves a surplus
for meeting war expenses of S,053,381.
The ordinary expenditures for the cur
rent year, exclusive of the war outlays
and Inclusive of the sinking-fund appro
priation, now suspended, amount to
131,653,000, while the revenues esti
mated to be realized are 142,455,000.
Further, an additional sum, 3,300,000,
will be received for the fiscal year of
1902-1903 from the new taxes imposed in
the last budget. This makes, even al
lowing for shrinkage In taxes due to
trade depression, a revenue for 1902-1903
which will exceed the ordinary expendi
tures by 14,102,000, and excluding the
sinking fund would amount to 18,700,
000. Leaving out extra expenditures for
war material to the amount of 2,322,
000, the revenues would exceed the ex
penditures by 21,000,000. The Statist
thinks that if It Is expedient to Increase
taxation the Chancellor may elect to
raise the sugar duty from & penny to
1 penny a pound, which would give him
5,000,000 more. Any Increase in taxa
tion, it adds, is improbable.
The cost of the South African War
has, indeed, been enormous, and the end
Is not yet The Statist puts it at 163,
500,000, including estimates for appropri
ations at the present session of Parlia
ment, or $817,500,000. Should the re
mainder of the war expenditure after
March 31 reach 60,000,000, the total cost
would be 233,000,000, or In our money
about $1,115,000,000. The actual borrow
ings to meet the expenses up to March
31 have been nominally 127,000,000, but
the actual cash received has been 122,
771,000, to which the sinking fund has
added 9,971,000, making the total debt
about 136,000,000. The surplus of reve
nue over ordinary expenditures has been
2S,999,000 for the past three years, and
the balance of 2,762,000 has been pro
vided out of the free cash in the treas-,
ury on April 1, 1899. The war outlays
for eighteen months to March 31, 1901,
were '90,736,000, and the estimate for
the fiscal year of 1901-1902 is 72,783,000,
a total cost of 163,519,000, as already
stated. Should another loan of 60,000,
000 have to be raised, the total debt In
curred would reach 187,000,000, and
with the additions from the sinking
fund for three years would make the
total borrowings 200,000,000.
Despite the remarkable exhibit in
financial strength, it is impossible to
view this war debt of $1,000,000,000 with
out solicitude for the reception the leg
acy may have at the hands of future
generations, If the pessimistic predic
tions of Great Britain's industrial de
cline should be fulfilled. The present
generation, and doubtless the next,, will
take care of the obligations cheerfully.
No one will ever complain. In fact, so
long as the empire Is prosperous. Large
private and governmental returns are
certain to arise from British Africa.
But if business reverses and industrial
gloom should settle down over the
Island kingdom Itself, some very lugu
brious plaints may vex the ears of Brit
ish Ministers of the twenty-first cen
tury. The report of the Railroad Commis
sion of Massachusetts shows that the
street railways are a rapidly growing
factor In the transportation business of
the state, while the steam roads are
barely (holding their ground. There has
been no Increase in the mileage of the
steam roads for ten years, while the
street railways show continuous and
large Increase of mileage. The law does
not allow the street railways to carry
freight so that the steam roads show
an Increasing traffic for their freight
service, but the passenger business of
the steam roads has dropped from a
total of 119,799,947 in 1893 to a total of
108,758,528 in 1901. In 1893 the average
Journey per passenger was 14 miles,
and it Is now a little over 17 miles. This
shows that the steam roads are being
steadily driven from suburban to long
distance traffic, despite their more fre
quent train service and radical reduc
tion of suburban fares. The street rail
ways have become a seriously threaten
ing factor to the passenger business of
the steam railways, and if the street
railways should succeed in persuading
the Legislature to open the door to
freight transportation the steam rail
ways would greatly suffer. The ele
ment of time gives the steam railways
the advantage over the street railways
In the matter of passenger traffic, but
In freight transportation time Is of com
paratively small Importance. The pres
sure of the great capital Interests be
hind the street railways will sooner or
later prevail upon the Legislature to
give them the privilege of freight traffic
"Why should they not have it? The
concession would be In the Interest of
the people, for It would force the steam
railways to be conservative In their
charges on localfrelght traffic It
would be a vast convenience to the
people of suburban towns In the mat
ter of light freights like milk, fruit,
garden produce, packages and parcels
for country families, merchants and
traders. In the Interest of the public
welfare and convenience, the street
railways should be allowed to carry
freight
The Tacoma Ledger is still whining
because The Oregonlan does not print
Tacoma wheat quotations. The Orego
nlan's reasons for not doing so were
fully explained a few days ago. but
the Ledger refuses to be comforted. It
insists that Portland exporters, who
handle nearly nine-tenths of the wheat
which Is shipped from Tacoma, are not
In a position to give an accurate quota
tion on the wheat which they buy for
shipment at the Puget Sound port The
Ledger endeavors to give out the Im
pression that the branch offices main
tained by the big Portland exporters In
Tacoma have as much to say about
making prices In the Interior as the
head offices in this- city. It virtually
acknowledges Its error, however, by the
following statement:
Many ships originally chartered for Portland
something more than a score up to date this
season have had their orders changed to Ta
coma. 1? it to be assumed that Portland Is to
have credit for the shipments she did not get?
All that Is necessary to be said re
garding this is that the exporters who
changed the orders of those ships are
the one3 who make the quotation en
wheat -at both Portland and Tacoma.
These quotations, to be accurate and
from first hands, must be secured from
headquarters. The Ledger Is departing
from the original question when It "as
sumes that Portland Is to have credit,"
etc The Oregonlan prints more wheat
news than Is printed by any paper in
the State of Washington. It prints the
news and also the quotations for the In
formation of the wheatgrowers of Ore
gon, Washington and Idaho, and not for
the purpose of flattering any particular
port, nor for the purpose of giving Port
land or Tacoma credit to which they
are not entitled.
Mrs. Addle B. Richardson, on trial
at Plattsburg, Mo., for the murder of
her husband, with Stewart Fife, of
North Yakima, as accomplice, was
quickly acquitted of the charge.
From the testimony adduced, It ap
pears that Frank Richardson, deceased,
was by no means an exemplary hus
band; that the wife had striven hard
to save him from Immoral practices,
and that on the evening In which he
entered his home suddenly and was
shot for his jealous pains, she was en
gaged In trimming, a Christmas tree for
her children; that the shot which ended
his life was fired in the darkness by a
person unseen by and unknown to her.
This story, told with tears, car
ried conviction of her innocence to
the jury. Whether her story is true or
not, there is no doubt of the humilia
tion and indignities that Mrs. Richard
son had long suffered at her husband's
hands, which will greatly, and not un
naturally, abate her grief because of
his death.
A finely educated prisoner has re
cently been pardoned by Governor
Nash, of Ohio, when he had almost
completed a three years' sentence for
grand larceny. He is a Syrian, speaks
twelve languages fluently, and Is a
scholar of many attainments. Scholas
tic culture does not endow a man with
moral sense cr sensitive conscience, else
Bacon would never have been corrupt,
or Lorenzo dl Medici cruel. The late
George P. Marsh, once our Minister to
Italy, was a very famous linguist, but
in reviewing his testimony as a witness
the attorney against whose case Marsh
testified said: "The only difference be
tween the Hon. George P. Marsh and
his fellow-witnesses is that while they
can He In one language, he can He In
fifteen."
A woman, widowed and aged, who
has brought up a large family of sons
and daughters, la less an object of pity
when she dies alone than she has been
through weary months In which she
has lived alone. Yet, when the former
event occurs, the tender sympathies of
the community, that had become ac
customed to the latter condition and
ceased to regard it seriously, are
shocked; the children, who had permit
ted the old mother to "look out for her
self," flock home to the funeral with
manifestations of grief and surprise,
and the occasion is treated as one of
regret. The contradictions of human
nature are manifest in such cases, and
its shortcomings are painfully apparent
The cant of Dalton Is scarcely less
wearisome than the bravado of Wade.
Cowards both, the one seeks to veil his
true feelings under bungllngly assumed
piety, the other under grewsome gaiety.
Equally guilty In Intent when they set
out together In quest of unearned
money, equally guilty now as they face
the gallows, they are one in cowardice,
which Is rendered by the one as repent
ance, oy the otner as mocK courage.
The public. In facing this double execu
tion, Is under a grievous strain. It will
be well when the drop falls and the
painful scene ends.
The Internal Revenue Collector at
Philadelphia was recently removed upon
the ground that he had taken part In
the campaign, appearing on the stump
In defiance of a warning he had received
from Washington that such "pernicious
activity" was incompatible with the Ad
ministration's policy as to the civil serv
ice. i
Highwayman Thompson may as well
own up without reservation. Like Jack
Wade, he has reached the place where
confession cannot work him additional
1 penalty.
Some remarks on Oregon roads
An agent of the Agricultural Depart
ment at Washington is now In Oregon
seeking to Interest the people and espe
cially the people of the Willamette Valley
in the general subject of good roads. He
has looked over the field and professes to
see no reason why we should continue
to flounder through muddy roads In Win
ter and suffer the discomfort of dust In
Summer. Oregon, he thinks, ought to
have good roads as well as California and
the Eastern States; and he goes at length
Into the advantages which might be ex
pected to follow the construction, of model
thoroughfares. All this Is Interesting
enough, and, of course, precisely what is
to be expected from one whose business
it Is, upon the basis of a suitable salary
arrangement, to travel about the country
and Jolly up the people In the Interest
of the Agricultural Department
This Is not the first time the good roads
agitation has struck Oregon. Indeed, we
have had it many times and in various
forms. And invariably it comes from
somebody who Is making a trade of It
In the Legislature before the last It took
the highly "practical" form of a proposi
tion for a state commission on a high
salaried basis to explain to the people
what they need and to point out the
ways In which roads ought to be built.
And something like this Is suggested
nearly every session, not by the people
who use the roads, but by somebody who
would Uke'the job of maintaining an of
fice at Salem, for the instruction of road
makers. Now, the people of Oregon know as well
as anybody the condition of their roads
and the Inconvenience under which they
suffer for the want of better. It is a thing
quite beyond the power of any scientific
gentleman to explain anything about the
roads of Polk County for example to one
who has ever seen them in Winter
much less attempted to take a heavily
loaded wagon over them. There is no
trouble on the score of failure to ap
preciate the conditions. We-are dead to
rights as to the facts. We know, too, that
good roads would be a tremendous ad
vantage In attracting new populatlonand
In facilitating the business of the coun
try. And we know another thing, namely,
that under the general conditions of the
country at this time we have no more
chance of getting anything approaching
model roads throughout Western Oregon
than we have of getting the moon -for a
football. Let us consider the matter seri
ously for a moment: The soils of West
ern Oregon are generally alluvial upon a
clay basis. For eight months of the year
there are frequent and for much of the
time excessive rains. Water falling upon
the surface Is largely taken up and re
tained by the soft top soil, for the clay
sub-soil, being measurably impervious,
does not facilitate drainage., Now, It Is
not essential that" one should be much
of an engineer or to have had much ob
servation of roads to see how these facts
affect the road systems of this country.
It makes bad roads, of course, and what
is more it makes good roads a very seri
ous problem, even If there were money
in plenty to spend on road construction
and maintenance. To make anything like
a good road anywhere In the Willamette
Valley it Is necessary to make both" a
foundation and a top treatment calling
for rock and for "surface metal" In large
quantities. And even the best roads un
der the test of our persistent rains, which
keep their surface wet nearly half of each
year, need constant and costly redress
ing. In brief, it is difficult and costly
to build roads here, and difficult and cost
ly to take care of them after they are
built.
Furthermore, the population of this
country from the roadmaking standpoint
Is very small and the industry of. the
country is on a limited and almost as
yet a pioneer basis. Good roads, unde
niably, would be a great convenience to
the people, and would go far to promote
business, and If there were some avail
able good fairy to provide them it would
be well and good. But there 13 but one
way for this or any community to get
good roads, and that is to make them;
and in the present conditions of Ore
gon the thing Is Impossible. At the lowest
possible estimate it would cost SCC00 per
mile to create even a fair road system
In Western Oregon, and anything ap
proaching a model system would cost two
or three times as much. Of course, the
thing Is practically Impossible. It would
bankrupt the country to attempt it The
time will come when the country will be
able to provide itself with good roads,
when It will be economy to do It. But
that time is not yet Before it can be
done there will have to be more people
to share In the cost and a larger basis of
taxable property.
After all there Is nobody so well in
formed as to what the public wants and
what It can pay for as the people them
selves. Engineering skill Is all right in
Its way, and It will be of great value
when the country has reached a point
In Its development when It can make use
of It But nothing could be more ridicu
lous at this time than those profound
counsels which, with the Ideals of a model
road si-stem in mind, gravely assures us
that there Is no reason why Oregon should
not have perfect roads. It Is ridiculous
because every practical man knows that
the people have not got the money to pay
the bills and that the present traffic of
the country would not warrant Its ex
penditure if they had.
In Eastern Oregon and in Southern Ore
gon there are generally different condi
tions and what is said above is not ap
plicable to these sections. In the East
ern country there is much less rain, the
country roads being even in Winter most
ly dry as compared with the conditions of
mostly wet in the Willamette Valley. The
soil, too, is commonly better from a road
making standpoint In many parts of
Eastern Oregon all that Is necessary for
the making of a fairly good road Is to
grade and drain It, and this Is every
where being done. In Southern Oregon
the conditions are largely the same. Grad
ing, drainage and usage alone will make
a good road In some districts, and in
others it is only necessary to overlay the
roads with the decomposed granite which
Is everywhere abundant to make them all
that the Interest or the convenience of
the public requires. In either of these last
named sections there Is as yet little need
for the scientific roadmaker, who has
everywhere and under all circumstances
the disposition to make road work as
costly as possible.
IJnrlcn.
A. D. 1513 A. D. 1001.
The American Senate has ratified the Isth
mus treaty. Washington Telegram.
"Silent, upon a peak In Darlen"
The Spanish steel red in his conquering hand.
"While golden, green and gracious the vast
land
Of the new world comes sudden Into ken
Stands Nunez da Balboa. North and South
He sees at last the full Pacific roll
In blue and slh'er on each .shelf and shoal.
And the white bar at the broad river's mouth.
And long, ranked palm trees. "Queen of
Heaven." he crlei.
"Today thou glv'st me this for all my pain,
And I tho glorious guerdon give to Spain,
A new earth and new sea to be her pride,
War ground, and treasure house." And while
he spoke
The world's heart knew a mighty dawn was
broke.
"Silent, upon a peak In Darlen."
Four hundred years being fled, a Greater
stood
On that same height; and did behold the flood
Of blue waves leaping; Mother of all men!
"Wise Nature! And she spake. "The gift I gave
To Nunez da Balboa could not keep
Spain from her sins; now must the ages
sweep
To larger legend, though her own was brave,
Here on this rldjo I do foresee fresh birth.
That which disparted shall bring side by side.
The sea shall sever what hills divide;
Shall link In love." And there was Joy on
earth;
Whilst England and Columbia, quitting fear.
Kissed and let in the eager waters there.
Sir Edwin Arnold In the London Telegraph.
RED APPLES, OR YELLOW?
On cne hand we hear It gravely assert
ed that the Newtown Pippin Is the "top
notcher" of Oregon apples, on another
that the 6pitzenburg is the "king of our
fruits," and on various other hands that
various other varieties of apples stand
at the head. All this discussion, we beg
leave to say. proceeds from a partial
knowledge of what the conditions are
which go to establish the supremacy
of any particular variety of apple. Pri
marily, it Is true that the apple which
comes to the highest degree of Intrinsic
perfection is the best; but it Is true only
in a sense, for the "supremacy" or the
value of any variety is directly 'and
largely dependent upon the favor which
it finds In the markets. What matters it
in a commercial sense that the Oregon
peach when we can manage to get one
is the best peach on earth. In view of
the fact that the crop Is uncertain and
that the fruit will not stand transporta
tion to the general markets, where alone
profit in a large way is to be found? It
Is. all must admit, the fellow at the
other end of the line the fellow who
buys and pays who Is to determine what
is our best fruit, or at least what Is
more profitable to grow, which comes
practically to the same thing.
Now. there Is a curious difference In
the American and foreign taste for ap
ples. The market of which New York is
the center calls for a red apple and will
have none other that is, it will not pay
the highest prices for any other. Whether
It be habit, tradition, fashion or what
not, the red apple Is the thing for
the American market: and it is this fact
which gives the red Spitzenburg lt3
vogue. In all likelihood, it Is the fine
appearance of the fruit which establishes
the favor in which it stands, for, be it
known, one of the largest uses of the
apple In the East Is for purposes of
decoration, and any showy fruit which
looks well on a sideboard or as an aid
to the grandeur of a banquet spread, will
find ready sale, and this, too. almost
without respect to its intrinsic quality.
It is this demand for decorative fruit
which sells carloads upon carloads of
California oranges every Fall after they
have acquired their fine yellow color,
but prior to the time of fuller maturity,
when they are really fit to eat But. be
this as It may, the Eastern market calls
for red apples In preference to any other
and will take them In much larger quan
tities and at a range of from 20 to 40
per cent higher prices, as compared- with
fruit of jflmilar quality but of another
color. The red beauty of the Spitzenburg
is only skin deep, to be sure, but it ap
pears to be enough to determine the
choice of the man we are all trying to
please, namely, the man who buys and
pays.
On the other hand, the European buyer
wants a yellow apple and he. Is as Insist
ent upon his whim on the point of color
as Is the Eastern buyer. Shipments of
red apples and yellow apples made to the
European markets Invariably show re
turns largely In favor of the former.
And so by chance good fortune we have
two sets of buyers, each with a whim
which we are able to satisfy.
Now, which Is the better apple for us
depends manifestly upon which Is the
better market, the domestic or the for
eign. At this time it Is unquestionably
the former, and In all likelihood it will
always be so. There is a growing mar
ket for our fruit on the other side of the
ocean, but in the nature of things the
larger market will be where we can put
in our fruit at the relatively lower range
of prices. But there is bound to be a
very great and. we think, a steady mar
ket for all the apples we can grow on
both sides cf the ocean, and as yet the
red applo and the green apple are run
ning a fairly even commercial race. As
to which may be -grown most profitably
vill probably depend for all time upon
conditions which each orchardist must
study for himself. Some districts will for
reasons only partly understood make a
better Spitzenburg and others will make
a better Pippin. As matters now stand
there is profit enough in either.
WHERE, THEX, IS THE FAULT?
PORTLAND, Jan. 27.-(To the Editor.)
In the Oregonlan of the 25th there ap
pears an editorial commencing:
"We have bad streets in Portland be
cause we have bad laws governing the
construction and repair of streets." "The
editorial further states: "What we need is
legal machinery by which the public will
may get itself enforced." The public of
Portland can get whatever It wants In the
matter of streets. The charter of Port
land gives ample legal power. It only
needs to be put Into operation. If the
public will insist that the officers of the
city empowered to enforce the charter on
streets enforce it, and build streets ac
cording to the charter methods this city
has. the streets and sidewalks will be the
pride of our public. Instead of Us thame. H
The officers of the city ought to oe alert
to obey the public will, and will be. Let
the public and The Oregonlan urge a
vigorous use of the legal power now in
the charter. The charter has stood and
will stand the test in the courts m the
matter of street assessments. Now let
the city officials assert their power for
better streets. Let the public uphold
them. If we wait for better streets until
we get "better" (?) charter powers, then
we will have to wait for better streets
until the courts copstrue the new charter
powers; then we will have to wait for
better streets until the city officials who
enforce the new charter use it vigorous
ly; then by that time there will be an
other agitation for a "better charter"
to Improve streets with; and so the agita
tion for better charter will go on in the
future as In the past, and the streets will
remain as in the past. The trouble
In the past, the present, and the
future is simply lack of courage and
carefulness In city officials and the public
in street matters. Use the charter the
city has, and it will make good streets
and lots of them. No self-acting and
efficient charter can be made. It Is the
pubic and the men who use the charter
that are responsible- for the results. Let
the public Insist on the use of the charter
powers we have. If we ever get a "bet
ter charter" the public will have to In
sist that it b used or It will not build
streets, and it will not be used unless
the public insists on Its use. Nothing In
Portland can withstand aroused public
will. CITIZEN.
The whole motive and aim of The Ore
gonlan in Its discussion of. the street law
has been to get better streets. We care not
whether it bo done under one law or
another or no law at all, provided It be
done. Presumptively, the law Is ineffi
cient since little or nothing is done under
It; but If, as the writer of the above let
ter declares, the fault is not with the
law, then where is it? There -is. so far as
we can find out, but one disposition In the
public mind with respect to streets, and
that Is to get better streets no matter
at what cost; and It would seem that
such a sentiment generally entertained
would find a way to get something done.
To repeat, public sentiment is all for
good streets: the law. so this writer tells
us, provides all the machinery that is
needed; now, if all this Is so. what is the
matter where is the dereliction upon
which responsibility for our wretched
streets rests? Is It the fault of thoie
who Interpret the laws or of those whose
duty it is to execute them? It would be
interesting to know what efforts .have
been made In this Important matter by
those officially In charge of our affairs.
HI Usnnl Order.
Philadelphia Press.
Towne You were saying you met Cas
sldy in Casey's saloon last night, and
you heard him giving the Ancient Order
of Hibernians j
Brovnc Yes, so I did.
Towne Why don't you finish It What
did he give them?
Browne Oh! you misunderstood me. He
merely gave the Ancient order of Hiber
nians. He called for whisks':
NOTE AND COMMENT.
It's a mean man who sprinkles ashes
on a side hill walk.
China Is preparing for war.
also preparing for China.
War 13
Congress might begin the work of aid
ing irrigation by re-enacting the can
teen law.
If Southern negroes expect to get their
death notices in the papers they must
be lynched in pairs.
Events aro continually demonstrating
that under certain conditions dynamltu
can bo made to explode.
A curious phenomenon
We notice 'round the town
Is that whllo this cold snap keeps up
Tho mercury keeps down.
Schley says he "doesn't want to be Presi
dent. He seems to know how-to keep his
hold on his reputation as a hero.
Jack Wade mourns because he cannot
enjoy the skating. Maybe he thinks there
won't be any where he is going.
The sled went speeding down the hill
At a tremendous pace.
And those who saw It knew It took
The shortest way to grace.
The Indians are to be made to cut
their hair. Why thus discriminate in
favor of poets and football players?
Charles M. Schwab will probably be
more successful at breaking steel con
sumers than he was with the bank at
Monte Carlo.
It Is said that Prince Henry speaks Eng
lish. He will have use for the language
In all the American cities he visits ex
cept Milwaukee.
Miss Stone will be released today. Tf
you wonder where you've seen that be
fore, look through the file3 for three or
four months back.
If. as Is now' asserted, mosquito bits
cures rheumatism, the average Summer
resort ought to settle an ordinary caso
In about one night
J. Pierpont Morgan may not be able to
get everything with his money, but if he
were here now he could afford to hire a
cutter for an hour or two.
Another survivor of the battle of Wat
erloo has been found, and his name will
kbe written on the proud roll which bears
those of the 793 survivors of the charge
of the Light Brigade.
A Sunday school superintendent of San
Francisco was making a fervid prayer a
few Sundays ago, and asked the dlvlno
blessing, upon each and every enterprise
in which the school was Interested. He
closed his petition to the throne of grace
in the following words:
"And now, O Lord, bless the lambs of
this fold and make them 'meet for the
kingdom of heaven.' Amen."
The stewards of the English Jockey
Club announce that at no meeting in
Great Britain held under their rules will
an average of more than two selling
races daily be permitted, and they de
clare, futhermore, that no trainer will be
allowed to register himself under an as
sumed name. These regulations are evi
dently sound and wholesome, and ought
to be adopted promptly upon the Ameri
can turf.
Charles W. Pearson, professor of En
glish literature In Northwestern Universi
ty, whose paper declaring that the Bible
is not Infallible aroused Indignation
among Chicago Methodists, has long been
an advocate of the revision of the creed
of the Methodist Church. Two years
ago, in a paper read before the General
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, he stated that the story of Eve
was a myth, and that the Christian
churches should abandon all creed.
M. De Witte Is perhaps the greatest
Finance Minister Russia has ever had,
and in his last report has painted a3
gloomy a view of the Industrial and
economic situation of tho empire as any
of his predecessors have done in lt3
darkest days of war, bankruptcy and
famine. The metal Industries, he says,
are on the verge of ruin; the textile near
ly as bad; In 20 years the productivity
of the land has diminished over one
quarter; an acre produces less than one
fifth of the same area in America; the
number of houses has,, diminished nearly
one-half in CO years; nearly half the pop
ulation are hopelessly in arrears with
their taxes, and the only parts of tho
empire which show any signs of pros
perity arj those Inhabited by non-Russian
populations Finland, Poland and
the Caucasus. It Is not a favorable show
ing for Russia's aggressive purposes,
though she is little accustomed to abate
them on account of hard times or the
penury and sufferings of her people.
Hoiv to Stop Ilercny.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
Tho fact that Professor Pearton, of the
Northwestern University, an institution
conducted under church auspices, has
questioned some of the miracles of the
Bible has naturally created a commo
tion In certain orthodox circles. "If," says
the Rev. F. A. Hardin at a meeting of
ministers In Chicago, "I had the "power
and ability I would skin that man, salt
hib hide and tack it up on the barn door
before the ordinary preacher could
sharpen his jack-knife." What a pity
that Brother Hardin has not this power.
Perhaps, if "he had, this whole question
of the miracles might be conclusively and
permanently settled to everybody's satis
faction. PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHBIIS
The Tragedian My parents tried hard to
keep me from becoming an actor. The Vil
lain I congratulate them on their success.
Tlt-Blts.
No Doubt About It. "Bridget, what did you
say to Miss Smith when she called?" "I tould
her you were out this tolme for sure, ma'am."
Harper's Bazar.
Encouraging. He Yes, I won $40 last night
at poker, but you know the saying. "Lucky at
cards, unlucky at love." She Oh, b but.
surely, you aren't superstitious, are you 7
Brooklyn Life.
After the Proposal. He Do you think your
mother will be surprised? She Yes, Indeed.
She was saying only this afternoon that she
didn't believe you'd ever get up the courage
to propose. Judge.
The Two-Legged Kind. First Politician
They want to Introduce voting machines down
In my ward. Second Politician We've had
them walking around In our ward for years.
Baltimore American.
Genuine Game. "So, despite all your efforts,
your client didn't escape the death penalty,
eh?" "No: he had to go at last, poor fel
low." "Did he die game?" "Literally so; the
papers said that a sight of the gallows mado
him quail." Richmond Dispatch.
Young Husband Don't you think, darling,
that It would spoil the curtains If I should
smoke? Young wife You are the best and
most considerate husband that ever lived, dear,
of course it would. Young Husband Well,
then, you'd better take them down. Tlt-Blts.
Emll Twycffort. president of the Merchant
Tailors National Exchange of the United
States of America, says: "We. have not followed
the example ot the trusts, because we are art
ists, and not tradesmen. Can you imagine
Michael Angelo and the old masters in
trust?" Boston Evening Traaacrlpt.