THE MORNING OREG'GNIAN, . THURSDAY. JULY . 3, 1902.
entered' at the Postofflce at Portland. Oregon,
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TODAY'S WEATHER Clearing, with rising
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YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum tem
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cipitation, 1.01 inches.
PORTLAND, THURSDAY, JULY 3.
DEFINITE .EXPECTATIONS.
The personnel of police and Are com
missions Is a minor affair, except so far
a9 it bears upon the results that are
desired in those as in all other aspects
of municipal life. Honest and effective
administration must be had at all haz
ards, and a Mayor always has at his
disposal a large number of men who
can be made effective agents to that end.
The people are not greatly concerned
to know or be consulted about this class
of appointments; but they are greatly
concerned to know that fires are intelli
gently fought and that the laws con
cerning liquor-selling, gambling and
prostitution are enforced.
The members of the Police Commis
sion that will last until the new char
ter becomes effective, probably ten or
eleven months hence, owe their appoint
ment to various political agencies; but
their official duty is to none of those
agencies, and their oaths of office put
upon them fealty not to parties or
cliques or persons, but to the public wel
fare. As they have families to bring
up, reputations to maintain, and prop
erty Interests as taxpayers to conserve,
they should realize that no political con
sideration whatever absolves them from
the duty of giving to Portland the most
orderly and creditable police adminis
tration possible.
Mayor "Williams has done the commu
nity a great public' service in the ap
pointment of Mr. W. M. Ladd to the
Police Commission. Mr. Ladd Is a man
of such honest purposes anU loyalty to
law as insure his hostility to wrong
doing. At the same time he is a man
of the world, with such broad acquaint
ance with business and affairs as insure
In him justice and fairness. But there
is nothing in all this that the city has
not an equal right to expect from
George W. Bates. A. L. Maxwell and
Chief of Police McLauchlan. As a tax
payer, as a citizen, an honest man, each
one of this commission owes It to the
community and to himself to give Port
land a decent and honest police admin
istration. They are sure of every en
couragement and assistance from
Mayor "Williams.
Certain very definite things are ex
pected of the new commission; and the
principal one is the cessation of black
mall upon saloons, brothels and gam
bling devices of every sort. Every In
telligent man knows that the practice
of gambling and the pursuit of Illicit
sexual Indulgence cannot be eradicated
by a police force.. But every Intelli
gent man also knows that indecent,
outward manifestation of these offenses
against statutes and morality can be
prevented, and especially that the busi
ness of collecting blood, money from
the criminal and vicious classes, for
the enjoyment of officials elected and
sworn to enforce the law, can be stopped
altogether. Offenders can be located. If
they cannot be convicted and impris
oned, they can at least be discharged.
The Police Commission can. enforce
the laws if It will. The community will
recognize a9 satisfactory no arrange
ment but absolute reform of the pres
ent liiscreditable and immoral regime.
No pretense of enforcing the law has
been made for a long time, and the be
lief lri a wholesale system of blackmail
Is universal. The commission will be
expected to do at once what Is right
and necessary. If it can accomplish
this through the present Chief of Police,
well and good. If not, he should be
replaced by some one else. The city's
good name and the character of its fu
ture citizens are paramount to any con
siderations whatever of personal or fac
tional politics.
THE SENATORIAL SINLESSNESS.
"What the Senate should have done
with Mr. Bailey, of Texas, was to pass
a resolution censuring him for conduct
unbecoming a Senator and a gentleman,
and requiring him to appear before the
bar of the Senate for a reprimand from
the presiding officer. Instead of this, a
number of the most potent, grave and
reverend made a point of friendly con
versation with him after he had en
tered the Senate chamber, and while
business was in course of transaction.
The Tillman-McLaurln episode, how
ever, leaches us that no such action
can be expected Xrom the Senate, It
would, in order to discipline its mem
bers, cheerfully do anything that can't
vbe done. That is, it would expel Till
man but for the fact that South Caro
lina as a sovereign state would send
him back. It could require Bailey to
apologize, but for the fapt that he
wouldn't do It. and thus the Senate It
self would be humiliated. If it could
find out what Bailey would like, It
might be. Induced to do that, tjust as It
sternly called- upon Tillman and Mc
Laurin to deliver the self-exculpatory
harangues they had already prepared.
The trouble with the Senate Is easy
of diagnosis. It Is too enamored of
courtesy to rebuke ungentlemanly con
duct It deeply resents aotions discred
itable to Its decorum, but it is too polite
to offend the sensibilities of a ruffian
like Tillman or a bully like Bailey. The
dignity of the Senate would be asserted
In unmistakable terms were it not that
the assertion Is headed off at the very
threshold, as It were, by the dignity of
the individual Senator. The infallibility
of the pope Is a geometrical axiom, com
pared with the full dimensions of this
Senatorial dignity, which lo so tran
scendant, so potent, so pervasive that
it renders each constituent element in
the Senatorial entity incapable of an-un-Senatorlal
or ungentlemanly act.
Bailey is a Senator therefore, what
ever he seems to have done, or how
ever objectionable the act might appear
per se or In a mere Individual not a
Senator, has no quality or attainder of
lapse or error.
To fly In a passion at another man's
throat because he has spoken certain
parliamentary and unpalatable truths
may be Indecorous in the ordinary mor
tal, but a Senator Is absolved from
blame by the very law of his being.
If he were not a Senator, he" would be
fallible. Being a Senator, whatever he
does only entitles him to be shaker
hands with, and bowed politely to, and
treated in all respects with more spe
cial affability and attention than if
nothing had happened. It is a pity Ma
caulay died before this beautiful and
uplifting Senatorial doctrine furnished
him the basis of an essay that only he
could write.
WHAT IS POPULAR STRENGTH t
Some of the leading journals of the
North Atlantic States are disposed to
laugh gently at the "boyish" enthusi
asm and zeal with which President
Roosevelt quoted the careers of his po
litical friends, Secretary Root, Gover
nor "Wood and Judge Taft, as lllustra-
tlons of the best public men who had
been children of colleges. The Presi
dent also had a loyal word to offer of
praise for Long, Moody, Hay and Lodge.
Of course, this speech of an Impulsive
man of spontaneous nature like Presi
dent Roosevelt forms an easy text for
criticism. It is easy to say that "Wash
ington. John Marshall, Calhoun, John
Quincy Adams, Grover Cleveland, Ben
jamin Harrison, or even "William Mc
Klnley, would not have indulged in ef
fusive public praise of political friends,
but, nevertheless, 'this impulsive, spon
taneous quality in President Roosevelt
Is probably his greatest source of pop
ular strength. President Roosevelt Is
not popular with the professional poli
ticians of his party, and largely because
of his effusive speech, his propensity
to blurt out frankly his honest thoughts.
Nevertheless, It Is this intensely human
side that has been the greatest strength
of many of our public men with the
people. "Washington's military services
named him for President, and Washing
ton's influence named Adams for his
successor, but it was Jefferson's per
sonal urbanity and address, contrasted
with the gross vanity and petulant, crit
ical temper of Adams, that carried the
day for Jefferson: Jefferson was able
to name Madison for successor, and
Madison was able to nominate Monroe.
But with this passing away of can
didates who dated back to the "War of
Independence for their first certificate
of patriotic service the personal quality
of candidates began to assert itself. In
the popular contest of 1S24 Jackson ob
tained a plurality of votes over John
Quincy Adams, Crawford and Clay, not
because of his reputation for pure ln
" tellectual strength, for he was nothing
but a brilliantly successful Indian
fighter, who had beaten the British more
through their own supreme military
recklessness than his own military skill.
Jackson was the popular candidate from
the start. In 1824, first because he was
a brave soldier, and secondly because
he was a man of effusive, outspoken,
spontaneous speech. The people of the
South and "West of that day felt that
Jackson, whatever his faults of man
ner, temper and culture might be, was
one of themselves; he was "a man and
a brother." They knew he had been
always a brave, honorable man, and
they believed that he would be as hon
est and courageous and upright In the
"White House as he had been outside or
it. This popular enthusiasm gave Jack
son the plurality In 1824, elected him In
1828, and re-elected him In 1832. Tested
by a severely rational and Intellectual
standard, Jackson was not seldom
guilty of acts of maladministration and
of Impolitic behavior, but he was suc
cessful from first to last because his
seeming weakness with astute politi
cians was really his positive strength
with the people.
It was to no purpose that Jackson
was denounced by the opposition as a
profane, passionate, arbitrary old sol
dier, who endeavored to enact his own
civic ignorance when he could, and
strove to trample the law under foot
when It defeated the execution of his
will. The people were for Jackson,
right or wrong, and they justified their
decision upon their conviction that so
brave and honest a man, In spite of his
occasional errors of judgment and pol
icy, was a far eaer and more trust
worthy President than a man of infinite
ly more civic and legal learning, who
was always ambitious for his own cor
rupt political advantage. Jackson Is
not the last American statesman who
has owed his elevation to eminence to
his superficial traits and endowments
rather than his peculiar personal Intel
lectual strength. Henry Clay was Ideal
ized by the people for more than twenty
years as "The Mill Boy of the Slashes."
Lincoln's strongest card when he was
the rival of Douglas lor the United
States Senate in 1858 was the fact that
he had split rails in his youth. And
this was urged at a time when Lincoln
had already served a term In Congress,
in 1847-48, and proved his capacity as
a great debater, both in logic and liter
ary art, in a speech against the Mexican
"War policy of President Polk.
Nevertheless, the fact that Lincoln
had split rails In his youth won him
more votes than the far more Important
and convincing fact that he did not
split rails an hour longer than he could
find any more important work for his
brains and hands to do. The people
supported Jackson, supported Lincoln,
for superficial reasons of sentimental
quality that commanded little or no
respect from the Intellectual class of
party politicians, and the people will
support Roosevelt because they believe
In him as a man and love him as a
brother. The people have not forgot
ten that Roosevelt charged like a reck
less trooper at San Juan Hill; they have
not forgotten that he was a man among
men in his "Western life, and it Is be
cause they recognize in him a gallant
American soldier and conscientious
statesman, that the President must look
to the people, and not to the professional
politicians, for both nomination and
election In 1904.
COMPETITION FOR IMMIGRATION.
The trouble over the routing of "West
ern Immigrant business from New York
pertains to the relations of the various
railroads with each other rather than
to any particular sectlon'of the country;
that Is, the Pacific Northwest will prob
ably receive Its full share of the Immi
gration, regardless of whether there
shall or shall not be a contest over the
routing from New York. But If, for
example, the Harriman lines should not
see fit to operate through or In con
nection with the Immigrant Bureau,
they might be obliged to establish In
dependent agencies In Europe and do
a lot of Independent advertising. This
would probably Inure to the advantage
of the Pacific Northwest because the
Harriman lines are just now bending
their energies particularly to the settle
ment of this part of the country, and
whatever they should do would be In ad
dition to the work of the regular Immi
grant Bureau. And the competition
between the two forces would attract
more attention to this country than
either would by acting alone.
The Immigrant Bureau Is composed
of a number of railroads Interested In
the development of the "West, and It was
organized to supersede a condition of
affairs that had grown to be intolera
ble. Under that system Immigration
from Europe was consigned to what
were known as first ward agents In
New York, who practically put the
business up at auction and sold It to the
highest railroad bidder. "When compe
tition was brisk, commissions as high,
as $25 per passenger were paid for
transcontinental business. That was
fat picking for the first ward agents,
who thus made more money than the
regular up-town railroad agents. Their
arrogant methods drove the railroads
to organize the Immigrant Bureau,
which operated In connection with the
Atlantic steamship lines and ticketed
Immigrants through to destinations and
thus cut the first ward agents out of
any participation In the profits of the
immigrant business. This drove all
those agents out except Peter McDon
nell. He managed to retain enough of
the business to stay in the field, and the
railroads In the bureau suspected that
the steamships secretly kept him In the
trade as a means of forcing the bureau
to continue the contract for these trans
Atlantic passengers.
Under the operation of the bureau the
traffic was apportioned among the
members by a central agent. No line
could command Its own business. This
frequently led to dissatisfaction. The
Southern Pacific was never a member of
the bureau, believing that its Interests
would be better served by Independent
action. Late reports Indicate that this
belief is now shared by all the Harri
man lines. Thus it may turn out that
the Harriman lines, in connection with
the first ward agent who has been so
carefully nourished In opposition to the
bureau, may lead the bureau a very
merry chase. And the element of com
petition Introduced in this manner will
prevent many of the abuses that ob
tained under the regime of ante-bureau
times.
Lines outside the bureau will make
their own arrangements for immigrant
business. 'They will solicit In Europe
and ticket through to destination oVer
their own roads, and will In all respects
command their own traffic They will
then be able to concentrate efforts on
any given field, and In all ways to man
age the traffic so that It will yield the
greatest results." Extensive systems
like the Harriman lines can do this to
advantage because they can afford to
organize and maintain Independent
work. The smaller lines must stick to
the bureau, and some of the larger ones
may do so. The contest that is prom
ised, though it pertains chiefly to Inter
railroad relations, will be beneficial to
the extent that competition will be In
troduced In a field where there has been
practically none. The self Interest of
the railroads may be relied upon for a
guaranty of the good character of the
Immigration. The present railroad pol
icy Is not merely to grab for the Immi
grant fares, but rather to settle unoc
cupied country with people who will
make it productive and thus add to the
permanent prosperity of railroad prop
erty. IMPORTANT AND OPPORTUNE.
The discovery of Noah's ark In petri
fied form upon a mountain of Alaska
Is vouched for by no less an authority
than the secretary of the Skagway Y.
M. C. A., and, however this revolu-'
tionary geographical proposal appears,
it must be acepted as a fixed point
from which to correct certain popular
misconceptions of primeval annals.
Fortunately, this discovery does not
stand alone, for the "Valley of the Co
lumbia has been recognized as the site
of the Garden of Eden, and the propin
quity of the Noachlan craft. need occa
sion no surprise. The author of that
noteworthy work, "History of America
Before Columbus" (J. B. LIpplncott &
Co.: Philadelphia and London, 1900),
Rev. P. De Roo, long a student in the
Vatican archives and now a Portland
clergyman, mentions the location of the
Garden of Eden in the Columbia Val
ley by "Morgan," whom we suppose to
be none other than the American anti
quary and philologist, whose general
accuracy excited the admiration of Pro
fessor John Flske, the historian. .Mor
gan was not apt to be wrong, and if he
said that Eden was here,, his judgment
is not likely to be set aside. It will only
be necessary, therefore, until Secretary
Reld ratifies the details of his Porcu
pine River find, to identify certain other
geographical data set out in Genesis,
and find among them such confirma
tion of the discovery as offers Itself to
the open mind.
Geology has long been aware of the
priority of North America, In point of
time, to the Old "World, falsely so
called. Why our country lagged behind
In Its subsequent development Is vari
ously accounted for, in some respects
confilctlngly so; but of Its great ago
there is no doubt. Some point between
Hudson's Bay and the present State of
New York was probably the first por
tion of the globe's Archaean founda
tion to lift its red-brown crest above
the dismal waters of the primeval ocean.
Additions to It, north, south and west,
went on apace, geologically speaking,
and where the Columbia broke through
the Cascades was a familiar landmark
in terrestrial annals long before West
ern Oregon was dreamed of. Here in
North America, accordingly, we may
logically look for the cradle of the race.
Here, we may assume, roamed the ele
phants, lions and other tropic creatures
whose remains are found today embed
ded in the Arctic solitudes. Here, In
the classic shades of Klickitat or aloijg
the ever green banks of Hood River,
roamed our first parents, and from
Wind Mountain, or Castle Rock, per
haps, the Noachlan aggregation em
barked, upon the first maritime adven
ture of the ages.
Once leave these comparatively safe
confines of attested fact, however, and
venture upon the swampy grounds of
speculation, and all is uncertain. A sig
nificant bit of evidence Is afforded In
.the undeniable fact that In Klamath
County is the most highly civilized and'
populous snake colony in the world.
The myriads of reptiles that bask In
thick profusion In the .dry Klamath
lakes the Summer through possibly
trace their ancestry back to the original
serpent of the Garden, who must have
been driven southward at the time of
the general exodus from Eden. Ob
serve, also, that when Cain married, he
took hl3 wife from the Land of Nod, a
very thinly disguised reference to the
traditional sleepiness of the Willam
ette Valley. The four rivers Into which
the water supply of Eden divided Itself
are readily recognizable as the Colum
bia Itself, with the Willamette. Snake
and Cowlitz. These sanguinary feuds
of Eastern Oregon ranchers are clearly
prefigured In the lamented tragic en
counter between Cain and Abel, and the
clothing material supposed by the sa
cred writer to have been the fig leaves
of Asia may be safely set down as the
Incomparable Berberls Aqulfollum, or
Oregon grape, whose foliage, if it falls
short of the fig's In size and mobility,
leaves little to be desired as a penal
vestment for erring gardeners.
The Porcupine River discovery Is
most timely. We call upon Secretary
Reed, of the Lewis and Clark Centen
nial, to apply at once for such portions
of the ark as will lend themselves most
effectively to display and can be moved
readily, for exhibit at the Exposition of
1905. Few attractions could surpass it
In interest and merit, and every de
scendant of Shem, Ham and Japhet, In
cluding even the anti-imperialists,
should be Invited and Urged to attend
In honor of the heirloom. The seven
teenth day of the month NIsan, that Is
April 27, our reckoning, being the anni
versary of the ark's resting on Ararat
that lo to say, upon Porcupine Creek
should be set apart by the exposition
management for a reunion and informal
banquet of the entire family. The prior
ity of this claim for recognition in the
programme will be recognized, we
should say, by even the Native Sons
and the Colonial Dames.
If any one should think It strange
that a man of Mr. William Ladd's cul
tivation, great wealth and exacting
business cares should accept the onerous
artd thankless duties of Police Commis
sioner, he would be very wide of the
mark. There Is no post the man of
wealth can render the community In
which he lives a greater service than
In execution of Its laws against evil
doers. No costly structures he can
raise, charitable, artistic or educational
Institutions he can endow, or lofty mon
uments erect, can equal the good he
can do if thrpugh firm and conscien
tious direction of the city's police pow
ers he leaves the Impress of decency
and righteousness upon the present and
the growing generation. Miles of pave
ments and prosperous assessment rolls
make a sorry covering for a community
that Is morally cancerous and festering
at the heart with the poison of lawless
ness and licentiousness. The corrup
tion of our great cities lies largely a
the door of men of great ability, great
wisdom and great wealth, who leave
these posts of responsibility and labor to
be filled by the unworthy who seek
them eagerly for their opportunities of
dishonest gain. Mr. La'dd's acceptance
of the Police Commlsslonershlp is of a
piece with Judge Williams' acceptance
of the Mayoralty. The need of every
clty and every state and every country
where humanity Is found Is of men In
high places and low who despise' the
strife and self-seeking of local politics
and practice as well as preach the doc
trine that "public office Is a public
trust."
Since the discovery of gold In Mon
tana, less than forty years ago, that
state has produced precious metals to
the value of over $1,000,000,000. Copper
leads In this valuation, the output In
value of this. metal since 1882 being
$361,110,718; sliver follows with $350,796,
364; gold Is third, the output since 1862,
the date of Its first discovers, being
$277,139,739. Lead makes up the balance
of the grand total with an output since
1883 aggregating in value $12,735,356.
To Improved methods of milling ores a're
due the constantly increasing value of
the gold output of this wonderful Rocky
Mountain section. No new or great dis
covery of gold has been made there in
relatively recent years, yet. through
these methods, gold-bearing rock that It
did not pay in former years to work is
now made to yield up its treasure and
the supply of low-grade ores seems to
be practically exhaustless. Montana Is
no longer a silver state; neither Is It a
copper or a gold state, but a mining
state, the mineral wealth of which, not
withstanding Its billion-dollar contribu
tion to the wealth of the world. In the
past forty years. Is yet scarcely en
croached upon.
The trouble In the case of King Ed
ward that called for the service of the
surgeon would probably not, In a
younger man, have caused any special
apprehension of fatal results; perhaps,
Indeed, In a less prominent man, little
would have been made of the operation,
which seems to have resulted In evacu
ating a pus cavity In the usual way
and establishing drainage of the wound.
If the King's rapid progress toward
recovery Is maintained, -the tendency
will be to minimize the danger to his
life and, with the unthinking, Increase
the disappointment that resulted from
the postponement or abrogation of the
coronation. There Is, however, a gen
erous undercurrent of thankfulness that,
the case was no worse, and that the
King, though uncrowned. Is spared to
the nation.
Sir Joseph Lister, who performed the
operation upon King Edward last week,
has given inestimable service to the
world through his system of antiseptic
surgery. He has attained a place In
medical science beyond which he can
not be exalted though monarchs are his
patients and valuable lives may con
tinue to be saved by his skill. Diligent",
resourceful, strong In his calling, his
name Inspires confidence as his skill In
spires admiration the world over.
It Is to be feared that the Alaska In
dians are not quite abreast of modern
exegesis and hermeneutlca Their zeal,
however, lo entitled to all praise. They
listened to the story of Noah's ark and
J went straightway jout -and found it.
LOCAL WATER INTERESTS.
To many citizens cf Portland there was
matter of surprise in figures printed yes
terday showing that the average dally
consumption of water In this city almost
equals the maximum capacity of the Bull
Run conduit, and thet at special times It
exceeds It. The common notion has been
that the ability of the system to bring
In water Is practically unlimited; and this
notion no doubt has had a good deal to
do In fostering the wasteful habit un
der which our per capita consumption
has run up to the unreasonable standard
of SCO gallons per day. We say this is
unreasonable because it is far in excess
of tha per capita average of any other
city in the world. In London, which Is
more liberally supplied with water than
any other city In Europe, the per capita
average Is 35 gallons. In most Conti
nental cities the per capita average falls
below 20 gallons, and In some places
in Italy It falls as low as five gallons. In
American cities, where the bathtub Is
universal, and wheTe water Is more freely
used for every purpose, the average runs
much higher, but it rarely exceeds 100
gallons. Economists have fixed upon "S
gallons as a maximum where under mod
ern conditions every convenient and
wholesome purpose may be provided for.
Of course It Is the merest prodigality
that runs the consumption in Portland
up to such enormous figures. There was
no such waste of water in the old days,
when the supply was in private hands,
and there would not be now but for the
universal Idea that the supply 'Is with
out limit and the further fact that there
is no relationship between the monthly
charge and the quantity of water con
sumed or allowed to run to waste. There
being no way under the present arrange
ment by which penalties may be enforced
for extravagant and useless draughts up
on the water system, the water depart
ment is helpless; and there Is serious dan
ger that it may be forced into large and
costly additions to tne system on this
account.
One of two things Is Imperative, namely,
the consumption of water must be brought
within reasonable limits or a new conduit
must soon be laid between the source of
supply In Bull Run River and the re
ceiving reservoirs In the city. It Is cer
tain that the former can be accomplished
by means of meters, for It has been found
universally that waste of water ceases
to" a large extent when water wasted has
to be paid for. But the meter system is
not free from objections. It would, it Is
estimated, cost a quarter of a million dol
lars to equip the whole city with meters,
and something, of course, would be added
to the fixed charge for administration
for the work of inspection, repairs, etc.
Furthermore, the meter system Is never
a popular one, and its introduction could
not fall to limit to some extent the satis
faction and pride universally felt by the
people of Portland In their Incomparable
water system. But the alternative Is
even more serious, since upon the most
reasonable estimates it would cost no
less than $1,250,000 to make another pipe
line between Bull Run River and the City,
with of course an annual addition to the
fixed charges of the system for mainte
nance. It Is, of course, greatly to be desired
that creation of a second pipe line be
postponed as long as possible, and there
Is, in fact, no real need for It for ten years
to come if consumers would voluntarily
limit themselves to reasonable uses of
water. But experience Is discouraging,
for no appeal which the water depart
ment has made thus far has had the
slightest effect to limit the draughts upon
the system. The probable outcome due
wholly to a foolish and reckless
WaSte-Hlc
fulness Is a second pipe line and an In
definite postponement of further reduc
tion In water rates.
There Is another abuse In connection
with the water system of Portland whose
correction rests wholly with public senti
ment, due to the fact that the municipal
ity .does not pay its water bill of some
thing like $35,000 or $40,000 per year. The
theory upon which this charge Is made, or
sought to be made, against the city. Is
that It should pay for the water facility
which protects the business district
against fire. The business district of
Portland, as of every city, contributes
next to nothing to maintenance of the
water system In the ordinary way that
is, its consumption of water Is small. A
great wholesale building worth $250,000,
and enjoying through the water system a
protection against fire worth many thou
sands of dollars per year, usually pays
to the water department only a few dol
lars per month. It pays simply consum
ers' rates for the little water It uses, and
nothing at all for fire protection. Tho
water system from which It enjoys such
advantages Is maintained from rates
charged general consumers.
In other words, the cost of maintaining
a great and valuable fire protection for
the business district falls chiefly upon the
general body of water-rate payers. There
Is no easy and precise way of equalizing
this charge of making the business dis
trict pay its due share but It may be done
approximately by exacting a considerable
annual charge for water service from the
municipality to which the business dis
trict is of course the largest contributor
In the form of taxes. This plan is very
generally employed In American cities and
while It Is not exempt from criticism. It
works, on the whole, fairly well. The lato
Mr. Henry Falling made this matter the
subject of special study, and the practice
of charging up to the municipality a spe
cific proportion of the annual cost of the
water system a practice which continues
In spite of the fact that the money is
never paid was Inaugurated by him.
There can be no doubt about the gen
eral justice of this charge against the
municipality; and the principle Is not
altered by the fact that the municipality
chooses to ignore Its responsibility.
It is unjust and discreditable to the last
degree that the solid and wealthy busi
ness district of Portland evades its legiti
mate obligation in the matter of fire pro
tection just because It has the brute
power to do It and leaves a burden which
belongs to Itself and which It could easily
bear, upon the water-rate payers who for
the most part are people In very moderate
circumstances. The surprise Is that the
water-rate payers continue to carry this
burden from year to year almost without
protest.
The Poem Can Wait.
Indianapolis News.
It Is a pity that so much excellent coro
nation poetry goes to waste at least for
tho time being on account of the King's
illness. Bliss Carmen's ode contains a
striking verse:
Stand up. sir. In your honor! they come from
near and far, '
Rajah and Chief and Councillor and Prince and
Rascldar.
From Canada and Ind
And the lands behind the wind.
Whose purpose none may Question nor their
decree rescind.
To name you Kins of England for the gentle
man you are.
Unfortunately, the King cannot comply
with the "Stand up, sir;"' Just now, but
perhaps the poem can wait.
WARM INTERVIEW WITH OXNARD
New York Times.
"Mr. Oxnard denies that he had a bad
quarter of an hour with the President
Tuesday- morning. The story ran that
President Roosevelt told Oxnird with
much plainness of speech that he In
tended to negotiate a commercial treaty
with Cuba, and 'that the treaty would
certainly be ratified at the next session
of Congress, with the aid of Democratic
votes, if, need be.
Mr. Oxnard's deniil as to Tuesday may
be accepted. There is a theory that the
story now current is a belated account of
an Interview that did take place while
the Spooner bill was on Its way to death
and defeat at the hands of Oxnard. The
powerful beet-sugar lobbyist Is said to
have been deeply humiliated by the plain
language of the President to him In the
presence of other persons.
No guarantee goes 'with the story. But
we do not see how It would be possible
for President Roosevelt to let Oxnard get
away from the White House, If he ever
came there, without giving him a piece
of the Executive mlr.d. The President
J Is vigorous in speech. Oxnird Is offen
sive a cunuuci. j.ne .rresiaent ia ex
ceedingly straightforward In his dealings
with men, quite incapable of a pretence
of liking when he feels dislike, and by
no means so meek and long suffering as.
say, Franklin Pierce or James Monroe.
On the whole, vec think it probable that
the President did give Oxnard a. sound
wigging, and. If so, he made the punish
ment fit the crime.
We doubt If the President swore. He
Is not given to that form of emphasis,
and profanity would be unseemly In a
President of the United States. He
may have pounded his big desk, but that
is a stout piece of furniture. which, as It
withstood the fist of Grover Cleveland,
would be little likely to collapse under
the declamatory efforts of Theodore
Roosevelt. The language was the main
thing, however, and It Is a grievous mis
fortune that the stenographer's art was
not permitted to preserve it for the pub
lic delight. Oxnard is a perfectly sel
fish lobbyist, and perfectly shameless. He
has bad the hardihood to put himself
and his protected sugar factories right
across the path of the President and the
leaders of the Republican party. He
has defeated a public measure that pecu
liarly commended Itself to the approval
of the American people, a measure In
tended as a fulfillment of our duty, and
for tho protection of the Cubans against
suffering, loss and ruin. Oxnard has
thus shown himself to be a heartless man,
and a very mem man. In a popular vote
for the meanest man In America his ma
jority would, of course, be overwhelm
ing. If President Roosevelt, equipped for
the encounter by a vocabulary inherited
om his many near and remote Dutcn
uncles, did talk to Oxnard as Oxnard
deserves to be talked to, the Incident will
win for hlra nothing but public approval
and fresh popularity.
Maybe Dewey Is Wrong;.
New York Times.
Admiral Dewey, by repeating before the
Senate committee on the Philippines his
declaration that "the native Filipinos are
more capable of self-government than the
Cubans," gave at last a means of recon
ciling that remarkable statement with the
general belief In his sanity. Hitherto,
while the words were supposed to mean
that the Filipinos could rule themselves,
and the Cubans could not. It was very
hard to do this, and a good many of us,
giving up the task as impossible, found
consolation in the hope that the Admiral
had been misquoted. Considering as a
whole, however, the testimony he gave
before the committee, one can see that
all he intended was to express his utter
disbelief In the capacity of the Cubans
for self-government, and that in calling
the Filipinos better fitted for It than they,
he simply Intended to utilize his knowl
edge, then and now shared by all who
have any Information at all pn the sub
ject, that self-government as we under
stand it Is Impracticable In the Phlllp-
I TiinS. rFrm 1ntrnrti1 Hft ftftmnnrlenn
ft Tnnfpoi n Vtnl9 MMfMi1liHAn
It Is only an emphatic way of expressing
an opinion about the Cubans. Concern
ing the latter, of course. Admiral Dewey
Is mistaken, but it Is a natural and com
prehensive error, shared by many, who,
like the Admiral, have seen only the worst
side of Cuban character, and who expect
too much and the wrong things from a
race with which by blood, and especially
by training, they are unsympathetic. At
least three-fourths of the sailors and sol
diers who went to Cuba during the war
with Spain would agree with the Admi
ral's estimate of the Islanders, but Gen
eral Wood would not, and his verdict Is
worth that of all the others put together.
Free or subjugated, the Cuban Is a Cuban,
with his own instincts and ideals, but he
Is a white man, and, so far as the rule of
the Island Is concerned, he is a white man
who can read. When Admiral Dewey
holds the Cuban inferior to the brown or
black man, he does not quite realize what
he says, and certainly he does not mean It.
Has No Supporters.
Roseburg Plaindealer.
Anybody but Geer himself can see that
he has not the ghost of a show of being
elected to succeed Simon. Geer has no
supporters In the coming Legislature. The
Republicans say he was not the nominee
of their party, but got on the ticket by
petition; therefore they are In no way
obligated to support him. while a Demo,
crat who would vote for Geer would com.
mlt political suicide. There Is, candidly,
so far as we can see, not a single rea
son why Geer should be elected United
States Senator, except that he Is unwill
ing to let go of the public teat. His
skulking out of Salem on the occasion of
the grand Republican rally held In that
city Just prior to the election, on which
occasion he had previously agreed to pre
side, and his disloyalty and disinterest
manifested In his party and Its success
during the late campaign have placed him
in general disfavor with the Republicans
throughout the state and have relinquished
any claim he may have had for further
recognition, favors or honors at the hands
of his party.
The North at Fault, Too.
Boston Tranecript.
The fact that nobody grows hysterical
over the Jefferson Davis monument pro
ject seems to Indicate that the time is not
far distant when It will be recognized at
the North that the Southerners were not
alone to blame for the great Civil War.
It was the condition of things which
mado the war Inevitable. The "Irrepressible
conflict had become acute. Of course,
the North was In the right In Its antl
clavery attitude, but was It not equally
blamable with the South In the introduc
tion of slav.ery to this country? And
Is the North doing anything remarkably
different from the South to prevent a prac
tical serfdom for blacks succeeding the
older form of slavery? How much, for
instance, is being done to remove the
color line in work and trade among us?
1
The British. Empire,
William "Watson.
Time, and the ocean, and some fostering star.
In high cabal have made us what ve are.
Who stretch one hand to Huron's bearded
pines.
And one os Kashmir's snowy shoulder lay.
And round the streaming of whose raiment
shines
The iris of the Australasian spray.
For waters have connived at our designs.
And winds have plotted with" us and behold.
j Kingdom in kingdom, sway in oversway,
Dominion fold in fold:
ox
O doom of overlordshlps! to decay
First at the heart, the eye scarce dimmed at
all:
Or perish of much cumber and array.
The burdening robe of empire, and its pall;
Or, voluptuous hours the wanton prey;
Die of the poisons that mostly sweetly slay;
Or, from Insensate height.
With prodigies, with light
Of trailing ansers on the monstrous night,
Magnificently falL.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
V
Are your skates ready to use?
Oh, Winter, wilt thou never go?
Play ball, gentlemen, and play it to win.
There Is still time to get your house' in
sured. Does the weather clerk take us for
Filipinos?
The Minnesota Republicans seem to
have ideas of their own about trusts.
Speaking of tho weather but let us
change it, together with the subject.
A billion-dollar Congress doesn't sound
so big in these days of J. P. Morgan.
King Edward has always been a good
King, and he Is getting better very rap
idly. Judging by the returns from Washing
ton, the convicts flee only where no man
pursueth.
Everyman who gees fishing this weath
er Is sure to bring back at least a sucker.
If he gets back.
We shall have an opportunity today of
Judging the sufficiency of those explan
ations of Manager Vlgneux's.
A man that will go fishing these day3
can hope for no salvation. He should go
ducking, for there is some chance of his
getting It.
We are credibly informed that some
people went fishing early In the storm.
The fool-killer must be very busy with
other clients.
This kind of weather will dampen .pa
triotic ardor, but, as it will also dampen
Incipient Arcs, perhaps it Is not such a
bad thing, after all.
Cannot the fact that Tracy and Merrill
washed up at their last stopping placo
be taken as an indication that they may
be next looked for in church? Cleanliness
Is next to godliness.
We nate that some of tho local sports
men who have been fishing during tho
week caught but few of the speckled
beauties. ' They should have stayed at
home and gone fishing In the streets dur
ing the heavy showers of the last two
days.
In the morning call me early.
Call me early, mother dear.
For tomorrow will be the gladdest day
Of all the glad Kew Tear.
You'd better have some arnica
And morphine handy by.
For tomorrow's the Fourth of July, mother
For tomorrow's the Fourth of July.
From appearances, we should think that
there might be some very good angling
in the Portland gutters, as their blocked
condition makes them resemble the moun
tain torrents that the foolish local fisher
men go far to seek. Why not patronize
home Industry? Results will be just as
good.
Colonel Harry Hall, of New York, has
just returned from a Western trip. He
says that on a journey across the prairies
he stopped with a farmer for the night.
He asked If he could have a bath, for he
was dusty and travel-stained.
"Certain," replied the farmer. Then he
shouted to his on: "Jim, get the fixin'a
for a bath for this yer gent."
Jim came back with a towel, a chunk of
soap and a. pickax.
What s the pickax for?" asked Hall.
"Oh," said Jim, "you'll have to dam up
the crick I"
Recently the Governor of Idaho visited
the office of the Surveyor-General. This
letter, whlcho Is now in the files of the
Civil Service Commission, was sent to tho
Governor by the staff In the office: "Dear
Governor When your earthly course Is
done, and you reach the borders of Styx,
still bearing aloft the love torch and the
friendly and beneficent banner, the an
cient ferryman will, we know, receive you
with love and reverence and give you a
safe transit with Joy and thanksgiving.
Rhadamanthus will hail you with a glad
'Well done, and escort you to the rose
embowered gateway of the Fields Elyslan.
On golden wings turning, the pearly gates
will swing wide open and 'blessed spirits
uttering Joy' will bid you thrice welcome.
Your countless friends cannot go all the
way, dear Governor, with you, as we are
not alPso worthy as thou, knight of na
ture's nobility, but we will try to Imitate
your example, except In what is inimit
able, and shall hope to Join you when we
shall have had our fill of earth and Its
transitory blessings."
On rising to speak, Joseph Chamberlain,
the Colonial Secretary, places his neatly
written notes on the brass-bound box be
fore him, and having put the edges
straight, fires away. Mr. Chamberlain,
speaks slowly, and uses scarcely any ges
ture. Most dangerous when most polite,
his face becomes like a piece of parch
ment when roused to anger. In the art of
crushing an adversary by an Inconvenient
quotation or by some personal thrust, Mr.
Chamberlain is unequaled. It Is this gift
which make3 him as formidable on the
platform as he Is In the House of Com
mons. At public meetings he always
seems to expect a few of his old Radical
friends among the audience. But woe be
to the Interrupter! Led on by the orator
with a seductive question, his opponent
gives Just the reply expected. Back like
lightning comes a crushing retort, and
henceforth all Is smooth sailing. His
perorations are invariably written out in
full In his study, and frequently commit
ted to memory- His voice is firm and
clear, but not very musical; his enuncia
tion perfect.
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS
"The new chief of detectives is a funny
man. He calls his staff 'Variety. That
so? Why?" "I suppose because they're the
spies of life." Philadelphia Record.
Qualified. "Are yoU a union man?" asked
the foreman of an applicant for employment.
"Yes, sir," was the prompt reply; "married
week before last." Pittsburg Chronicle.
Church What do you think of having smok
ing cars on the eleated road? Gotham All
right; what I'm kicking about is those smoking
engines. Yonkers Statesman.
Long-Wlnded. Tcss Mr. Gay ley's stories are
rather broad, don't you think? Jess Perhaps,
but fortunately they are not as broad as they
are long. Philadelphia Pres3.
Not Needed. "What makes the baby cry?"
asked the little visitor. "Oh," explained Ethel,
"our baby doesn't have to have anything- to
make It cry." Chicago Evening Post.
Making Hay. Fond Mother Our Dolly seems
to be improving her time at the seashore. Fa
therIs, eh? Fond Mother Yes; she's been
there only a week and has been engaged twice.
Ohio State Journal.
Always a Signal for Trouble. "What started
the awful row in that group of politclans?"
"I don't know. But I should surmise that one
of them had gotten up and suggested a scheme
for harmony." Washington Star.
They Ought to Be. "A couple were married
In St. Louis the other day who couldn't under
stand each other's language." said Mrs. Gilley.
"And I suppose that they are unspeakably hap
py." commented Mr. Gilley. Detroit Freft
Press.