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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1902)
THE MOEXING OREGOXIAN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1902. ite xzgoixiaix. Entered at the Postofllce at Portland, Oregon, as second-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mail (postage prepaid). In Advance Dally, with Sunday, per month t S3 Dally, Sunday excepted, per year 1 50 Dally, with Sunday, per jear 0 00 Sunday, per jcar - 00 The Weekly, per year 1 50 The Weekly. 3 months &u To City Subscribers Daily, per week, delivered. Sundays exce?ed.l5c Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lncluded.20c POSTAGE KATES. United States Canada and Mexico: 30 to 14-page paper lc 14 to S-page paper 2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion intended for publication In The Oregonlan ehould be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Orjgonlan." not to the name of any Individual. Loiters relating to adver tising, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addroHsHl simply "The Orcgonian." The Oregonlan does not buy poems or etorles Jrom Individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to It without solici tation. No stamps ihould be Inclosed for this purpose. Eastern Busings Office. 43. 44. AT,, 47, S. 49 Tribune building. Now York City: 4C0 "Tho Rookory." Chicago; the S. C. Beckwiih special agency. Eastern representative. For sale In San Francisco by L. E. le. Pal ace Hotel news stand: Goldsmith Bros.. 230 Butter 6treet. 1 W. Pitta. 100S Market street; 3. K. Cooper Co.. 740 Market fclrcet. near the Pa'aco Hotel; Footer & Orear. Ferry news stand. For rale in Los Angeles by B. F. Gardner. 2-V) So. Spring ssret, and Oliver & Haines. SOS Eo Spring street. For sale In Sacramento by Sacramento News Co., 42t K street, Sacramento. Cal. For sale in Chicago by the P. O. News Co.. 217 Dearborn Btreet. For sale In Omaha by Barkalow Bros.. IG12 Farnara Etreet. For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Lake News Co.. 77 W. Second South street. For sale In Ogden by W. C. Kind. 201 Twcn-ty-nrth street, and C. II. Myers. On fllo nt Charleston. S. C, In the Oregon ex hibit at the exposition. For tale In Washington. D. C, by the Ebbett House news stand. For sale In Denver. Colo., by Hamilton & Kendrlck. 900-012 Seventeenth etreet: Louthsn A Jackson Book & Stationery Co., I5th and I-awrence streets. TODAY'S WEATHER-Partly cloudy, with Occasional rains, winds becoming southerly. YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum Wm rierature. Mi; minimum temperature, :t8: pre cipitation, 0-(Kl. rOKTLAM), FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 1-J. IV Till: PEOPLE'S IIAXDS. Proceedings of the past two days in the County Court carry weighty en couragement to every honest supporter of good government. The surrender of the Simon machine in the prentice of determined efforts on behalf of political justice and fair pluy is a welcome and timely reminder that the boasted power of bosses is, after all, a weak thing which will crumble away as at a breath in the hour of aroused public opinion. First dcliant, then sullen, then precipi tately retreating, has been the course of Commissioners Mack and Showers In the matter of the election boards. They had their orders from headquar ters, but they were afraid to live up to them in the face of public sentiment. The first battle has been won, but oth ers remain to be waged with resolution and alertness. Circumstances have conspired to spread throughout this city and coun! a revolt against machine methods whose expression in June, 1900, was but a foretaste of the final overthrow of those methods that is to come this year. Evils that have been endured before can no longer be borne. Favoritism and ille gality In purchases of county supplies, corrupt use of election machinery, per version of salaries and fees, and in gen eral the conduct of public business for private rather than public ends, have been borne for long, but can be borne Jio more. It is Senator Simon's fortune to be the head of the machine in powe at a time when these abuses and their realization coincide with a universal and poignant disgust at the pitiable figure the state has cut In the Senate of the X'nited States since the defeat of Sen ator Dolph In 1895 a humiliation which is doubly galling because the material welfare of the state and the whole Pa cific Coast require now as they never required before respectable and efficient representation at Washington. Simon must go and his machine must go. This pidimmary victory in the elec tion boards Is gratifying, but it is In itself powerless. If any benefit results, more must be done. The most honest 'and capable election officials in the world cannot count votes in favor of the people unless the people cast them. "What Is needed now and on to primary day In March is incessant activity on the part of good citizens in registering their names on the poll-books. The pri mary election is virtually the election. It will name the delegates who are to nominate the Republican candidates. Good men will be available as delegates, and they can be elected if the voters will register and turn out to the polls on primary day. It would be a fine commentary on Portland's public spirit if, having beeji provided with fair elec tion boards, its citizens abandoned the polls to the cohorts of the machine. If this is done, let us never speak the name of boss-ridden Philadelphia in reproach. If we decline to shake off Simon, let us say nothing of Quay. PERSONAL LIRERTY AD ABSURDOI. In Great Britain and the United States, and indeed in English-speaking countries more than elsewhere, the prei aler.ee of smallpox is noted.' Not for a long time has the spread of this disease been so marked as it is today. The reason why it Is so difficult to deal iith It in English-speaking countries, more than others, is the notion of "per sonal liberty" that so strongly asserts itself against compulsory vaccination. The London Saturday Review of Janu ary 25 devotes a leading editorial to "The Smallpox Crisis in England." and especially In London and its neighbor hood. So serious has the situation be come that "even the anti-vacclnators are taking alarm," says the Saturday Review, and are calling attentioir-to the need ot extreme measures- of sanitary Inspection and the like measures which, however, in the nature of things, cannot be carried out with sufficient vigor to prevent the spread of the dis ease. Of course, these persons are not as yet If they ever will be prepared to welcome vaccination, the enly effi cient agency for fighting smallpox. "We regard as calamitous," Fays the Saturday Review, "the legalized laxity In vaccination and revaccination." It is believed that experience will now force the conviction on the people of England that an error was committed when exemption from vaccination was granted to those who declared that sub mission to this hygienic operation would be in violation of their personal lib erty. There had long been in England a body of fanatical anti-vacclnationists, and the exemption from smallpox which the country had so long enjoyed through the general enforcement of vac cination dulled the perception of the mischief which such a movement as they represented was capable of bring ing about. In the name of personal lib erty, and the rights of conscience, and what not. they appealed against what they were pleased to call the tyranny of compulsory vaccination, and, by dint of persistent clamor, they succeeded in getting what thej- asked for. Now the country and in a considerable meas ure other countries also, and especially our own Is paying the price of a soft headed view of a theoretical question. Smallpox is thriving wherever these notions prevail, and is spreading from these centers to other districts and even to distant places. Most of our Eastern cities are af flicted at this time with smallpox, to an unusual extent; and we know that the disease is gaining ground through out the country. No "Western town of any size or note is free from It. Yet the cry cf the anti-vaccinator, plead ing personal liberty and rights of con science, is continually lifted up against the one prophylactic whose efficacy is as sure as anything in human experi ence. The Baltimore News, published In a large city, where the disease is unusually prevalent and annoying, urges In hot terms that the state of a citizen's conscience has no more to de with the justifiability of a compulsory vaccination law than it has with that of a law requiring him to pay taxes or to wear clothes, or not to burn down his own house. There are doubtless some persons, continues the News, who sincerely believe that all taxation is wrong, but anybody would be pro nounced an idiot who should propose that such persons be exempted from taxation. A sect might easily be start ed, in one of the waves of religious enthusiasm that arise every now and then, which believed that it was sinful to cover one's nakedness; but no one outside the sect would imagine that the enforcement of the usual regulations on this subject was a violation of the rights of conscience. Compulsory vac cination is a measure Instituted simply for the satisfaction of a public need; it is not in any way based upon an assumed right to regulate the conduct of private life. The law has no more concern with the state of a person's conscience when -he is being vaccinated than it has with the condition of his mind when he is paying his share of the public taxes. That vacciration does put a check upon smallpox is as certain as any fact in medical science; and when people are compelled to vaccinate for the public safety and that is just the motive there is no more infringement of private liberty than when they are forced to other sanitary measures, as burning or carting off their garbage, or putting suitable plumbing into their houses and connecting them with the sewer. It is for the safety of the whole that sani tary conditions are forced on individu als and families; and protest against the right to force them is a form of extremely fanatical eleutheromania that is entitled to small consideration or none. SUPPOSE. Suppose that Dewey held out hopes of independence to the Filipino chief tains. Suppose that Anderson did. Sup pose that Aguinaldo. instead of being the renegade and fugitive of an aban doned cause nt Kong Kong, was in the field at the head of about-to-be-victorious armies in Luzon when Dewey arrived at Manila. Suppose that Chaf fee. MacArthur and Bell are inhuman despots, every American soldier an abandoned wretch and every American teacher a nincompoop. Suppose the re conccntrado camps and the water cure are unspeakably infamous. Suppose that Chaffee and Taft, while pretending to be peaceful are really fighting each other like cats and dogs. Suppose that pronunciamentos like those just issued by the Federals of Luzon are encour aged by the American authorities, while declarations against American rule are discouraged and even punished. Then what? Why, then, none of these things has any bearing upen the real question at issue or upon the basic contention of the antis. All the mistakes our diplo mats have made, and they are of hu man fallibility ; all the lapses of our military and naval men, and they are of human passions; all the injustice the Taft Commissioners may have permit ted, and they are of human imperfection are separately or unitedly of no force to show that we should not have taken the Philippine Islands from Spain by war and purchase, are not now In right ful sovereignty over them, are not charged with the duty and responsibil ity of enforcing our authority there and restoring peace at whatever necessary cost of blood and treasure. Mistakes can be corrected, and should be. Offenses against morality, honesty and justice can be punished, and should be. Needless cruelty must be rebuked and war's horrors mitigated to every extent consistent with enforcement of obedience to our rightful sovereignty and the demands of civilized order. These things can be contended for in Congress and should be conceded by the Administration. But to ask the United States to withdraw from the Philippines under fire, to seek to impugn the title we hold to them or the right we have to enforce our authority and stamp out insurrection to its last faintest breath is to ask and seek the impossible and unthinkable. An appeal to the American people to give their sympathies and support to armed opponents of the American flag or to allies of those opponents In this country is an appeal than which none could be more hopeless. Senator Patterson (anti) avers that: If the Renubllcan leaders should say that It was not their intention to give tho Filipinos statehood, tho Filipinos who are now advocat ing American control would derert them as rats leave a sinking ship. As he understood the matter. It Is the purpose of tho majorlty leaders to hold the Philippines as colonies. Let that be announced as a fact, said hf. "and It would bo equivalent to handing the islands. over to anarchy and chaos." Whereupon Senator Carmack pro poses: Resolved. That the United States regards with extreme disfavor any movement having for its object the early or ultimate admlfion of the Philippines as a state or states of tho Union; and any action on the part or tho per sons holdins office under the authority of the United States that gives sanction or encour agement to such a movement is hereby con demned. That Is to say, let us tell the Filipinos they have no chance of statehood, in order to "hand the islands over to an archy and chaos." They are true and wise patriots, these antis. They wish to throw the Islands Into anarchy and chaos so they can point with pride to the results of the Republican Adminis tration. Their affectionate solicitude for the poor Filipino is touching beyond words: THE AXGLO-JAPAXESE AGREEMENT The Daily London News (Liberal) is the only leading English newspaper to express the belief that "the advantages of the new treaty are almost wholly on the side of Japan and China." This Is a very superficial view, for Great Brit ain, backed by both Japan and China, is easily able to defy any power of Europe that is likely to violate the ter ritorial integrity of Corea or China. The united fleets of Great Britain and JJa pan in the Chinese waters could at any time overpower the Russian squadron. The transport system of Jnpan is so large and well organized that she can at any moment throw 75,000 men into Manchuria. She can raise at any time an army of 200.000 men. and in a fortnight could send 150,000 men to the theater of war. With the naval assistance of England, Japan is mere than a match for Russia on the Pacific Coast of Asia, since the combined fleets could bombard all the Russian ports from Port Arthur to Yladlvostock. The Pekin Government will be quick to see that it is for the interest of China to support this alliance between Great Britain and Japan in every possible way. It is a most important treaty, and Is absolutely essential to the future peace and preservation of the terri torial integrity of China and Corea. Japan cannot afford to allow Russia to annex Corea, any more than France or Germany could afford to allow the territorial integrity of Switzerland to be destroyed. The flank of Japan's defen sive position would be practically turned by Russia if she were allowed to occupy Corea. Great Brlta'n is, of course, im pelled to make this alliance with Janan for the sake of her Immense Chinese trade, -which cannot hope to revive rap idly without strong assurance of peace for the future. The action and policy of Great Brit ain In this treaty will meet with the approval of every great country In the world, save Russia, for no other country save Russia has any interest In the vio lation of the territorial integrity of Corea or the absorption of Manchuria and ultimately the whole of Nprthern China. Great Britain has made a wise move and fastened a clog to the feet of the Russian bear that will effectually check its advance on Corea and North ern China for many years to come. The Boxer War completely paralyzed the growing trade of the United States with Manchuria and Northern China, and prostrated the vast trade of Great Britain with the great provinces of Middle and Southern China. So long as there is any near prospect that Russia will absorb Manchuria and bottle up its trade for Its own advantage; so long as there is danger that Corea will be occupied by Russia, there can be no real peace for China, for war between Russia and Japnn could not fail direct ly or indirectly to affect China. Great Britain has acted wisely in not waiting for Russia to play its hand; it has wen the game by promptly playing its own cards. Great Britain has not waited for an outbreak of war between Russia and Japan to support Japan, but announces herself at once as the ally of Japan for the preservation of peace in Corea and China. Russia has notice distinctly served upon her that war with Japan means wnr with Great Britain, too. Russia will be obliged to submit to this effective check to her policy of encroach ment upon Corea and Northern China. The British policy will, of course, have the moral support of the United States, whose growing trade In Manchuria would not long survive Russia's domi nation of" that province, and further more, the United States is sincerely anxious to maintain the territorial in tegrity of China. The powers of Europe learned in their Pekin campaign that the partition and occupation of China would be Imprac ticable; that the wisest policy is to help China keep the peace and preserve its territorial integrity. Trade with China cannot be nurtured by foreign wars, which only serve to prostrate and para lyze existing trade. This is the British view and the view of the United States. Great Britain's agreement with Japan is to keep the peace of Corea and China inviolate against the insidious advances of Russia. Japan consents to this be cause she cannot afford to allow Russia to occupy Corea, and Great Britain con sents to it because she cannot afford to have her vast present and prospect ive trade with China Impaired for the future by a Russo-Japanese war that would be sure to menace the peace of China. In event of war. Great Britain has no large body of troops nearer than India, and she could not afford to weaken her Indian Army with Russia at the gates of Herat, but with Japan for an ally Great Britain commands sol diers enough with her ships to force Russia to keep the peace. YOUTHFUL. CKIMI.YAL3. Mr. W. T. Gardner, in a communica tion under the above head, nublishod in The Oregonian of yesterday, speaks from thorough knowledge of the subject gained through the contact of years with wayward children and their more than wayward parents. Indeed, much less personal experience than he has had, as superintendent for many years of the Boys' and Girls' Aid Soicety, suffices to show that his conclusions in regard to the parentage of youthful criminals are absolutely correct. Of the three classes into which he divides criminal children, viz., those who have been cast adrift at a tender age and have been compelled to buffet the world uncarcd for; those who are born of vi cious parents and are bred amid crim inal surroundings, and those born of the better class of parents who can see no fault in their own children but re sent the least intimation, even in the face of the fact that their boys belong to and train with a gang of neighbor hood mischief-makers, he correctly es timates the last as the hardest class to deal with. Reinforced jit home by the defenses that their parents promptly set up be tween them and their evil deeds, it is no wonder that boys of reputable par entage are the hardest to reach with penalty or even with reproof, when de tected In the act of disturbing a school, under the sham plea of "having a good time coasting"; of leveling wood piles, unhinging gates, daubing dwellings and windows with paint, etc., under the name of "fun," on halloween; of stopping flues In Winter, destroying shrubbery and robbing cherry trees in Summer, or hurling stones upon roofs or into back yards at any and all sea sons. It is not uncommon for a perse cuted neighbor, when calling in a friendly spirit upon the parents of such hoys, to be met with indignant pro test by the mother and followed up with angry vituperation by the father, the culprit perhaps listening around the corner, or, it may be, under the pater nal protection, joining in the vocal as sault. Unruly boys thus fortified soon develop vicious tendencies. It Is Impos sible to reach them. Their fathers are perhaps prominent in political life, or are men of business integrity and of good standing In the church; their mothers, perhaps members of the W. C. T. U., or teachers in the Sunday school, or zealous workers in charitable associations or culture clubs. Their boys in their eyes are perfect. Full of boyish pranks, it is true, and overflow ing with animal spirits, but strictly of the innocent order. As truly said by Mr. Gardner, it is such parents as these who are to be blamed that our correctional Institu tions are filled to overflowing, as the example set by their sons is followed by many boys of more humble parent age. And when he adds, "If this class were not defended by their parents, but properly corrected, their influence would be of benefit instead of detriment to the community," he states a fact well known to every conscientious principal of every public school in the city, as well as to every earnest man or woman who has attempted to expostulate with vicious boys caught In evil-doing, or to inform the parents of such boys of act3 of their sons that are so distinctly mis chievous as to trench boldly upon crim inality. Such parents as these men. and women of the "better class," so called sow the-- wind; the community reaps the whirlwind, and pays roundly and most unwillingly for the threshing and housing of the untoward harvest. Fortunately, it may be said, the ma jority of parents in the community rec ognize the simple, natural fact that their children are but human beings, subject to temptation and liable to be corrupted by evil associatlops. and hence that they must be subject to re straint, or. In common terms, "looked after." Otherwise, thrift would become impoverished in maintaining public in stitutions of correction, and homes would be practically depopulated of boys and girls between the ages of 12 and IS years. As It is. the dally press teems with records of gentlemen's sons gone wrong, while the punitive Institu tions of the land are full of boys and girls of tender years and youth with the down of manhood scarcely visible upon cheek or Up who are atoning In ruined lives, not only for their own sins of commission, but for their par ents' sins of omission. The results of the Pan-American Con ference are worthy of note. Every gov ernment represented agreed to become a signatory of The Hague arbitration treaties. The effect of this action is that a South or Central American Gov ernment will be able to Invoke the ac tion of The Hague tribunal whenever it is In controversy with a great power over private claims. In such cases as those of Germany and France against Venezuela, an appeal to arbitration is open to the contending countries before a resort Is had to force. Ten of the governments represented at the confer ence signed an agreement providing for compulsory international arbitration, which is in advance of the principle adopted by the great powers at The Hague, but the United States delegation at Mexico declined in any way to in dorse or acquiesce In the theory of com pulsory arbitration. Mexico, through the reputation of President Diaz, exer cised more influence In the conference than any other American country, ex cept the United States. The Dominion of Canada Is preparing to go into the valley of the Upper Yu kon, and to the Klondike, by rail. Among railway acts proposed to the Parliament of the Dominion, three are for roads leading towards the Klondike. The Coast Yukon Railway asks for a charter for a railway running from Kit maat, on the Douglas Channel, to a point en the Yukon River, and thence to Dawson City. The British Colum bia & Dawson Railway asks for a road from a point on the northern boundary line to Dawson by way of Selkirk. An other application is for a line from a point near the Dyea River, on the in ternational boundary line, between Brit ish Columbia and Alaska and a point at or near Lake Bennett, to a point on the Yukon River near Selkirk. Besides these there is the White Pass &. Yukon Railway application for a road from a point on the White Pass line, between Cariboo and White Horse, to Rainy Hollow and Porcupine Creek, in British Columbia. With the butchers in "merger" and grocers at war with their source oi supplies, threatening boycott, retalia tion and all sorts of commercial re venge, the trembling consumer may well be thankful for the lorty days' res pite from feasting afforded by Lent. At the end of that period let us hope that the conservators and disbursers of our food supplies will have reached a basis of settlement that will allow people of ordinary means to eat at least frugally and have something left with which to pay taxes, not to mention street improvements and neces sary Spring clothing. Nobody will attempt to answer Sena tor Mitchell's demand that the Philip pines be treated at least as liberally as Porto Rico was treated, because there is no answer to It but admission. It is unfortunately true, however, that he stands alone in the Senate in giving consideration to the merits of the case. The Republicans are thinking only of the sacred doctrine of protection, and the Democrats of their idea of scuttle. What is Just to the Philippines gets scarcely a thought. There is great uproar in the Senate because appeals to the American people to espouse the insurgent cause in Luzon and in Congress fail, and Senators blame the press reports. It is an old mistake. The trouble Is not with the newspapers, but with the confounded unreasoning public, which Is prejudiced in favor of its flag and its Army. Senator Hoar gives us the impression that it is morally selfish and aesthetic ally in bad taste to want vnnr min rtry's flag sustained. Maybe so, but he will find the country Incorrigible. Deca dent we may be to some extent, but patriotism Is not yet civilized out of the masses. Teller proposes to withdraw from the Philippines, let the Inhabitants fight it out, and then give them statehood. This Is sufficiently ludicrous, but it has just as much sense as any other pro posals of the antis. You can't vote at the primary unless you register: and the primary, under the present law, Is in fact the election. j EULOGY HABIT IX CONGRESS. Kansas City Star. The Congressional Record Is a periodical of such a unique character that there should be no surprise at the statement that It is at Its happiest when most dole ful. Members of Congress can become eloquent over a bill for a Federal build ing at Takahaset, they can rise to heights of imaginative oratory on the Declaration of Independence, but they never really sound the depths of pathos or soar to the summits of sublimity until they set out to eulogize the character of some deceased colleague. When the House gives Itself up to memorial services there Is an onion in every eye. On moat occasions Congressmen abstain from versification, but at memorial serv ices all rules are waived and a "Diction ary of Quotations" Is at every member's elbow. Among the most effective eulo gies of the last session was one over a member from Indiana. "Mr. Speaker," be gan his grief-stricken colleague impres sively, "can storied urn or animated bust, back to Its mansion call the fleeting breath?" The Speaker's answer was not inserted In the Record. A recent service was prolific in verso. A member from Pennsylvania began by lugging in: Theirs not to make reply, ThHrs not to reason why. Theirs but to do or die. This familiar bit was followed by the stanza of a hymn: Ono by ono our days aro weaning. From things earthly go toward Gorgeous harvest days of gleaning. In the full track of tho Lord. Another speaker took up the strain. "There Is one thing. Mr. Speaker, that is certain, and that is death, while there Is nothing more uncertain than life." A flash of lightning, a break of the wave. Man passes from life to his rest In the grave. Nobody denied this and another col league declared that death "brought ter ror and dismay," and asked. "Who can take his place?" Somebody else then es sayed this flight: "While green grass will cover his grave, blue skies bend o'er It and sweet birds sing near It, yet greener than the grass, fairer than tho skies, sweeter than the birds, will be his fragrant mem ory." This, It seems, Is a stock piece of oratory on such occasions. Another mem ber, coming In later,, offered the same thing as "a flower plucked from the gar den of eloquence." . Two members could not forbear repeating: His life was gentle and tho elements So mlx'd In him that Mature might stand up And say to all the world. "This was a man." At the last session two ardent eulogists Inserted their speeches under "leave to print." When their pathos appeared in the Record they were distressed to find the addresses Identical. The Washington eulogy vender had unfortunately sold the same speech to both Congressmen, under the impression that it was to be used on two separate occasions. a XEXT CLASH OF "WORLD POWERS. Military Expert Say It Will He In the Persian Gnlf. Army and Navy Journal. In the opinion of more than one foreign military expert, the control of the Per sian Gulf Is destined to bo the question at issue in the next great clash of world powers, and in that region the crucial trial of strength will be made between the Teutonic and the Slavic races. A correspondent of the London Standard, writing from St. Petersburg, remarks that Russia is disquieted by the steady advance of British Influence in the region of the Persian Gulf, and that It Is sus pected In Russian official circles that England's policy is secretly supported by Germany. This statement is in line with the views of the Russian press, which fears that Russia has been left behind in the maneuvering for the vantago point in the coming struggle in that quarter of the world. The Novosti, of St. Peters burg, one of the most powerful of Russian Journals, expresses the opinion that she is only waiting for the conclusion of the Boer war to show her hand In the Per sian Gulf, and, meanwhile, she is being assisted by Germany, to whose influence is due the yielding attitude of the Porte. The Novosti regrets that the interests of England and Russia In this matter should diverge, but fears that it is Impossible to reconcile them. Xesrroes In the CItlei. rrofejsor Kelly Miller, In the Forum. The growth of the urban population is ono of the most marked sociological phe nomena of modern times. The negro has joined the procession from sheer force of Imitation. Although he has no fixed status in the industrial regime of city life, he is attracted by its allurements as a moth by the glare of a candle. He is compelled to loiter around the ragged edge of Industry, and can obtain only such kind of employment as white men are unwilling to accept. He inevitably sinks to the bottom of the social medium, and forms the dregs of municipal life. The individual of exceptional endowment will rise to a commanding place; but this ele vation, so far, has had little Influence upon the Industrial lot of the mass below. The aimless drifting into the alleys and crime dens of tho large cities constitutes the most lamentable feature of the negro problem. The Dignity of the Senate. Hartford Courant, Rep. General Leonard Wood need not worry one minute about this War Department "rebuke" with which some Washington dispatches are menacing him for hl3 te merity In breaking through all red-tape obstructions to tell the Senators the plain, urgent truth about Cuba. If it comes. It won't hurt him a bit. The people will like him and honor him more than ever. But it isn't going to come. Theodore Roosevelt had no better justification if as good a one for signing that shock ingly Irregular and insubordinate round robin at Santiago. If the dignity of the Senators and their sympathetic friends on the ways and means committee has suf fered from General Wood's unconvention al plain-spokenncss. let them make the needed repairs at their leisure. But Cuba cannot wait much longer. As the General told them, every day of delay now is dan gerous. He Will "Hear Something; Drop." Salt Lake Tribune. Senator Turner, of Washington, in his hostile position toward the retention of the Philippines and his Indecent assaults upon the Government there, shows him self to be an enemy of his own state. There is to be a trade built up on the Pacific that will exceed the Atlantic trade, and our west coast must control that trade. Yet here Is a Senator from one or the three states that comprise that coast who raves against the commercial advan tages that the extension of free Institu tions and the favored position we occupy will surely force upon us. The proper place for such a man Is In a hermit's cabin high up in the hills, and not in the halls of Congress. What Klnllnpr Forgot. Westminster Gazette. (The list of British sports to which Mr. Kip ling has recently made such graceful allusion Is unfortunatclly Incomplete. The following lines will (possibly) be Inserted In future edi tions:) The rubber-shod rough with a racquet; theaas on the asphalted path; The half-witted hurler of hammers, the lubber that leaps at a lath; Tho ruffian riding in red, and the gaby In gaiters that shoots; The fatuous flapper of flies, and the scoundrel with skates on his boots; The lout that loaf3 on the links, with his lingo of "lies" and "tha like"; The blundering, bent-backed bounder that buckets along on a bike; The bare-legged boobies In boats, each bent on becoming a "blue"; The crass-headed crocks playing croquet; the crapulous cad with a cue: The maniacs mounted on motors that murder a man every mile (And I think you will freely admit that I've bettered my earlier style). AMUSEMENTS. A woman of more radiant personality or more heroic vocal endowment than Nordlca has certainly never visited Port land, and the most brilliant audience that has ever crowded the Marquam was at the Marquam last night to give her wel come. If there was a square inch of standing room left it was certainly not because of lack of effort on the part of somebody to obtain It at the box office. The magnetism and splendid dramaticfer vor of one woman swayed the vast mass of humanity at will a woman of regnl stage presence, to whom homage is as much a matter of course as the air she breathes. Encores and curtain calls fol lowed one another In swift succession. Every song brought a thunder-burst of applause, and Nordica, with the most win ning smile In the world, responded with half a dozen extras. It was a heroic pro gramme, such as only a singer of superb physique and tremendous reserve force could give. With the exception of one number by the pianist, Nordlca gave the entire programme herself, and who else, pray, would dare begin such an evening of song with Wagner? "Elsa's Dream." "Einsam In Truben Tagen." breathing a simple, ardent faith in the coming of a heaven-ordained de liverer (Lohengrin), was succeeded by a group of French chansons, ami these. In turn, by the tender little plantation song thrown la as an encore, "Mighty Lak' a Rose" (Nevins), and with it went a bright smile to the gallery. This Is the song that has been driving audiences half distracted with delight all along Nordica's tour from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Contrnst with these, if you will, the se rene, classic grace of Mozart's "Vol che Sapete," or Grieg's "Ich Liebe DIch." overflowing with the passion of love, or the Impressive dignity and largeness of style of Handel's "Angels Ever Bright and Fair," or the Franz lied, "Stille Slcher helt," with Its more elusive and subtle emotional quality, or the Strauss "Sere nade." filled with the glamour of moon light and the breath of the dew-damp rote, or that saucy little English song. "When Love Is Kind" (another encore), and one will have some Idea of the extra ordinary range and variety of Nordica's art. The Brunehilde war cry ("Die Walkure") which no singer except Gadski has ever dared to give-a place on a Portland pro gramme, carried a challenge In every note, and furnished a fitting climax to the evening. At the close of tho concert Miss Lois Steers was the recipient of many congrat ulations, for it was due entirely to her pluck and enterprise that Portland music lovers enjoyed the rare privilege of hear ing the great singer. It was a daring and brilliant exploit on the part ot a totally inexperienced young Portland woman, for the tremendous financial re sponsibility Incurred was sufficient to daunt the boldest and most optimistic man-spirit. The outcome was successful beyond the wildest hope. Nordlca left last night for Tacoma. Miss Steers accompanying her. and will pass through Portland on her way to San Fran cisco Saturday. She will probably return northward still again en route for the East. Poor Saint Ynlentlne. Chicago Tribune. Saint Valentine Is another of those an cient and honorable gentlemen in whose name many follies and absurdities are committed. He was a bishop of rare vir tues, one who stood for salntllness rather than for sentiment, and it is a little hard on hfcn that he should be held responsible for so much modern sentimentality and tpltefulness. For any one who has a grudge against an overzealous golf-player, or who wishes to show scorn for some self-elected spinster, may express his feel ings In memory of tho beheaded bishop, and every smitten swain Invokes his name when he pours out his lovelornness on lace paper. The edict has gone forth against the comic valentine, but the sentimental one is here to stay. Yet the modern valentine frequently has substance as well as sen timent; it may take the form of a volume of love poetry, and if it bears tho some what hackneyed assurance that violets are blue and sugar Is sweet, it may empha size these statements by accompanying bunches of the reai flowers and boxes of genuine confectionery. It is perhaps just as well that there bo set aside a day when bottled up sentiment may have a legitimate outlet, and If ,thls sentiment should be expressed In real poetry instead of the execrable twaddle which is usually to be found beneath the gilded paper good literature might thus be disseminated and a belated justice done to the poor beheaded bishop whose mar tyrdom ought not to extend beyond his death. Maritime Expressions. United Service. Maritime expressions, used metaphori cally, are. In fact, very common. Wo say a couple aro "spliced," a young man Is the "mainstay" of his family, an In truder "puts his oar in." the member from Wayback "steers through," a man Is "hard up," sometimes "taken aback," or has " the wind taken out of his sails," a toper is "slewed." a loafer "spins a yarn," sometimes "tries the other tack," and a ruler "steers the ship of state" through troublesome times. This last metaphor 13 extremely ancient, by the way. Horace refers to Rome as a ship at sea, and Plutarch says the Del phic oracle referred to Athens in the same way. A Tamil saying embodies a like metaphor. "The soul Is the ship, reason is the helm, the oars are the soul's thoughts, and truth is the port." An old collection of English proverbs con tains this one: "The tongue is the rud der of our ship." A Malay maxim says, "The boat which is swamped at sea may be bailed out, but the shipwreck of the affections is final." Aristophanes, Plau tus antl others use an expression which comes down to us as an English saw, "To row one way and look another." An old English proverb (1614) was, "It is not good to have an oar in every one's boat." m Dennrtmentn While You Wqlt. New York Journal of Commerce. There is no end to the cabinet offices that will have to be created If every In terest which seems to a good many peo ple of great importance is to have the services of an executive department. Al though the Government does not carry on commerce a department of commerce Is now well under way. There is a pend ing bill for a department of mines and mining, a proposition for a department of education has been repeatedly urged by educational conventions and meetings of teachers, and now we have a demand from the medical profession for a depart ment of health, to be presided over by a member of the cabinet, and to have con trol of the quarantines, the Marine Hospit al Service, and we presume that the de partment would have the execution of Senator Mason's pure-food laws when he gets them enacted. A Life on the Ocean "Wave. Epes Sargent. A Ufa on the ocean wave, A home on the rolling deep; Where the scattered waters rave. And the winds their revels keep! Like an eagle, caged. I pine On this dull, unchanging shore: O! give me the flashing brine. The spray and the tempest's roar! Once more on the deck I stand Of my own swift-gliding craft. Set sail! farewell to tho land! The gnlo follows fair abaft. We shoot through the sparkling foam. Like an ocean-bird set free Like the ocean-bird, our homo We'll find far out on the sea. The land Is no longer In view. The clouds have begun to frown; But with a stout vessel and crcw AVe'll say, let the storm come down! And the song of our hearts shall bo. While the winds and the waters rave, A home on Ihc rolling sea! A life on the ocean wave! NOTE AND COMMENT. Register. Long live the new charter! The smallpox germ never sleeps, even when visiting In Philadelphia. The postman will have only the usual loads today. Poor old St. Valentine! Chicago has just bought a heifer worth JC3.O00. Lincoln Commoner, please copy. Dealers In troy weight scales ought to do a good buslnes with the butchers. The popular air in the North End just now is: "Is My Name Written There?" Mr. Routh did not register his lady friends, but then they couldn't have voted anyway. Let the Sound cities blow about their commerce. Portland has ships and car goes to burn. Register now. The books close March 22, and there is no telling what may hap pen to you on the 17th. When our stockyards are completed, there will be no necessity for making pilgrimages to Chicago. A man who absolutely controls 550 votes certainly ought to be allowed to run a dance-hall If he wants to. The President and his son have taken two roads, one leading to Washington and the other to recovery. Death loves a shining mark, but Judg ing from the people we meet, he has a strong aversion for an easy one. Of course the new charter's prohibition of the sale of goods to the city by Its employes Includes linoleum In the list of goods. The street-car lines ought to put on a few special cars between the corner of Third and Davis streets and tho Court house. Lieutenant Peary is going to make an other try for the pole. Why doesn't ho save trouble by discovering it by wireless telegraphy? Some people were able to eat roast beef for dinner and hear Nordlca In the even ing. Can any one deny that these aro prosperous times? Herr Meyer Lutz tells tho following lit tle story in "Mainly About People": "Conducting once in Bradford, I noticed that the clarinet player, a young but clever and steady lad, jumped up a good deal during the progress of the opera. I found that his father, who played the trombone, sat just behind him. and every now and then he gave his son a kick, with the remark: 'Look out, Sammy! there be a flat a-cummin'.' " The Chinese Minister at Washington, Wu Ting Fang, has given It out that hl3 countrymen In the United States have been celebrating their New Year a day ahead of time. He says they are a big oted and ignorant class and ho is ashamed of them. Ho says the Chinese pioneers in the United States were cool ies who knew nothing of philosophy or geography and who came here to work as laborers. They counted the days oa their voyage here, and paid no attention to the fact that at the ISO-degree merid ian they lost one day, and so got start ed wrong on their arrival here and have kept on going wrong In regard to their New Year's day ever since. Mr. Wu need not make such a fuss about a trifle. The Chinese New Year celebration lasts a week and the right day Is included somewhere In the week. As for the Chi nese being Ignorant, probably It would be no difficult matter to find a shipload of poorly educated Americans who might sail across the ISO-degree meridian with out knowing that they gained a day there If going east or lost one If coming west. Tho great German jurist, Dr. Kekule von Stradonitz, tells the following story: "In my school days I had the misfortune to look like an Englishman. My father, subsequently professor of chemistry at Bonn, had lived many years abroad, and for some time in England. My maternal grandfather was an Englishman. My clothing and appearanco may have been somewhat foreign. At any rate, my ap pearance earned for me a bitter experi ence. 'Beefsteak' and 'English grampus' were the mildest terms of abuse; many a stone and other missile were thrown at me. Once, Indeed, an especially hot-tempered German boy banged my head against the wall 'because he could not bear an Englishman. He did this with such force as to Inflict a serious wound, the marks of which I carry with me to thl3 day. These experiences are taken from the years between 1S71 and 1SS0. Only when I became a soldier did this style of hostility altogether cease. And all this happened on -the Rhine, where the people are certainly not specially hostile to the British. I must therefore main tain that In the widest circle of the Ger man population a feeling of aversion for- that is what it is has for a long time existed for the kindred nation of the British. Whence comes this feeling, and wherein does It rest? I do not know. Something of the aversion from 'the other side of the ditch out of the time of Frederick William I has certainly de scended to us. Certainly this aversion Is not justified. Twice have Great Brit ain's great Generals at the head of their army assisted to rescue us from tho French danger Marlborough in 1704 at Blenheim, and Wellington about a century later at Waterloo." PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS AVnlty. He I trust, my dear, we ar not completely estranged? "Oh. no! I would Htlll rather quarrel with sou than with anybody else." Life. Cravings. "Goldslathers lsgolng to put up a cottage for his wife In Southern California." "What for?" "Well, she wants another place that she will get tired of living In." Puck. Croker's sailed away and left us. And he's spoke his valediction; But the public wink an optic. Simply saying nixey Xlxon. Yonkers Statesman. Teacher If you face the north, djrectly be hind you will bo south, on your right hand will be east, and on your left hand west." Seeing a lack of attention on the part of Bobby, and wishing to catch him: "What is on your left hand, Bobby?" Bobby (in deep confusion) I'lea&e. It's some tar, an it won't come off. Tit-Bits. His Obstinacy. "The way It sorter looks to me." said Farmer Buckover, a bit acridly, "President Roosevelt Is goln' to be considera ble obstinate and bull-headed. I may be prej udiced, but it strikes me there are already'signs that he won't do all that William Jennln's Bryan advises In the matter ot runnio? the country." Puck. Would Only Spoil the Play. "Have you had time to read that popular novel that you're goinjr to dramatize?" "Why In the world should I read It?" demanded the dramatist. "All that's needed to make it go Is the title and the names of the principal characters, ard If I read It I might Inadvertently get In somo of the Incidents and thus spoil a sood play." Chicago Evening Post, V