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ROOSEVELT IN DANGER.
. It is not .at all reassuring that Presi
dent Roosevelt's New England speeches,
while comprehensive to the point of dis
cursiveness, so far contain not the
slightest reference to tariff revision.
This cannot, of course, be inadvertent.
.Its deliberation is clearly shown in the
:rlgor with which his references to reci
procity are confined to the topic of
Cuba. For him to persist in Ignoring
the principal question in the popular
mind will be unsatisfactory and may
be dangerous. Tariff revision is the one
positive undertaking which enlightened
;public opinion requires of the Republi
can party today. It is, moreover, the
one achievement which in Its default
will tempt the independent voter who
'elected Cleveland in 1884 and 1892 and
"McKinley in 1896 and 1900 to vote for a
Democrat in 1904.
It Is not to be supposed that President
.Roosevelt either understands or enjoys
the tariff question. Its dry and techni
cal details, its very prosaic obscurity,
'do not appeal to his imagination or stir
axis blood. Such, utterances as he has
rmade on the subject are perfunctory
and discover muddy thinking. They
tare chiefly embodied in his first message
to Congress. At that time he enunci
ated as the cardinal principle of protec
tion that "duties must never be reduced
"below the point that will cover the dif
ference between the labor cost here and
abroad," and added: "Subject to this
proviso of the proper protection neces-
eary to our well-being at home, the prin
ciple of reciprocity must command our
hearty support The phenomenal growth
of our export trade emphasizes the ur
gency of the need, for wider markets
and for a liberal policy in dealing with
foreign natlona ... To secure these
markets we must utilize existing duties
in any case where they are no longer
needed for the purpose of protection,"
etc.
, It is perfectly obvious that these sen
tences contain no original contribution
to the subject, unless it be the irrele
vant theory about "labor cost," and also
that the propositions laid down are
valueless if not positively indefensible.
G-rowth of export trade does not show
reason for a change in order to get for
eign markets, for if it showed anything
at would show that we were doing quite
well as it was. And the idea that tariff
concessions abroad are to be secured by
concessions th"at involve no sacrifice on
'our part is absolutely insupportable.
;Products that do not compete with our
!home industries are already on the free
Hist or a purely revenue basis, for the
simple reason that no suppliant has
ver appeared before our tariff-makers
with a plea for protection on something
'.he does not produce. Nor are foreign
natIons to be bargained with on the
'basis of concessions that cost us nothing
to give. Nothing that involves no sacr
ifice for us Is of any value to them. The
reciprocity treaties have been defeated
:by the opposition of those industries
'that were menaced by the proposed re
eductions on competitive products. Yet
to this fundamental fallacy of reci
procity has the President been commit
ted. He embraced it specifically In his
flrst message to Congress, in which, he
said:
Our experience In the past has shown that
sweeping revisions of the tariff are apt to pro-'
dues conditions approaching panic In the busi
ness world. Yet It Is not only possible, but
eminently desirable, to combine with the Eta
blllty of our economic system a supplementary
eystem of reciprocal benefit and obligation
vlth other nations. Such reciprocity Is an in
cldent and result of the Arm establishment and
preservation of our present economic policy. It
was especially provided for In our present tariff
laws. Reciprocity must be treated as the
handmaiden of protection. Our first duty Is to
see that protection granted by the tariff in
every case where It Is needed Is maintained and
that reciprocity be sought so far as it can
eafely be done without injury to our home
Industries.
It will be necessary for the President
and his advisers to dismiss at once and
for all the idea that tariff revision is
to be accomplished through the medium
of reciprocity treaties. It is dishonest,
unscientific, false in theory, pernicious
In practice. Even if it were not all
this, experience should have taught us
by this time that it is Impossible of
realization. The pending treaties can't
be ratified. It Is five years since the
Dlngley law authorized them. It is
three years since they were signed by
Kasson and pressed upon Congress by
President McKinley. Their theory is the
relief of certain selected exporters of
surpluses at the expense of certain se
lected producers of competitive arti
cles. They are excluded even by the
limitation on "things we do not pro
duce?" The only way to reform the
.tariff is to reform it squarely as between
all nations selling to us, and not to
Invite confusion and retaliation by dls
criminating treaties. The object of at
tention is not properly exporting cor-
porations or rapacious producers, but
the relief of the consumer and the
Treasury's need of revenue.
The demand for tariff revision Is the
most pressing demand upon the united
States Government. It cannot he Jug
gled by Congress or evaded by the Pres
ident without invitation to disaster.
These things will be better understood
by the time Congress meets in De
cember. Then, it is reasonably certain.
the discussion of the Congressional cam
paign will have demonstrated the tem
per of the people in terms too plain to
be misunderstood.
OREGON IS GOING FORWARD.
There can be no doubt that the in
dustrial awakening of Oregon, so long
hoped for and so long delayed, Js at
last coming about It is manifest in a
thousand circumstances whose meaning
cannot be misinterpreted. In the flrst
place, the country is extremely prosper
ous. very local Industry, new and old,
is on a proflt-yJeldlng basis, and for the
flrst time in the history of the country
there is a definite and more or less
active market for "Western Oregon farm
property. This Is due In part to the de
velopment of new industries like dairy
ing and hopgrowing, and in very large
measure to the fact that there are no
longer wide areas of Government
land which may be had by the new
comer for the taking. Settlers, who are
coming in larger numbers than ever be
fore, no longer expect to find free lands,
and "Western Oregon, eo long passed by.
as a settled country, is not now neg
lected for the newer districts. There is
cot a county from Portland south to the
stXte line which is not feeling the im
pulse of new blood and new capital, and
where land values long reckoned on a
nominal basis are not becoming active
and available.
New Industries In ways both large and
small are rapidly changing both the
Industrial and social character of the
country, wheat for export, which until
Just now has been the mainstay of the
country. Is becoming a "back number,"
for the land can now be put to
more profitable uses; and It is found
under the, stock-keeping practice that
wheat in7 the bin can be used more
profitably as a stock feed than sold to
the exporter. This change alone is cal
culated to work a revolution in the "Wil
lamette Valley; and, in fact, it is al
ready doing It. It Is tending to break
up the great grain farms and to give
new value to the foothill and other pas
ture lands. "While making room for
newcomers on the old and too-large
farms, it is at the same time making
the original occupiers of the country
more prosperous cn smaller tracts.
in tne , rorest district there is an
activity such as the country never saw
before. Export mills have been put In
wherever there is a supply of timber in
the Lower Columbia and Coast re
gions, and they are rapidly penetrating
Into the long-Isolated regions of the
Cascade Mountains. Mining, too. is
contributing largely to the activities of
UJe uuniry. in ooumera uregon, par-
ucumriy m josepnme Tmniy, u is tear-
mg aown mountain smes ana tunneling
into the earth, employing a weight of
capital five times greater than ever be
fore, and yielding returns which appear
to be satisfactory to the operators. In
Eastern Oregon mining has grown into
an industry, .of enormous proportions,
bringing in a steady stream of new pop
ulation and serving to stimulate every
other Interest At Medford and Grant's
Pass, at many points in the "Willamette
Valley, at Hood River and In the whole
region of Northeastern Oregon, fruit
growing, with especial emphasis upon
the apple, is taking on a volume and
an Importance hardly to be appreciated
by those who hav given no heed tQ its
development, xnese are the newer
rorms or activity In the country, and
their development goes to supplement
and increase rather than supersede the
older types of our domestic industry
With the exception of wheatgrowing in
the "Willamette Valley, which is being
replaced by more profitable uses of the
land, no old form of production has de
clined; in fact, every old Indus
try is made more profitable by the
larger and more active market which
the newer operations have created. And
the loss in wheat production in the
"Willamette is more than compensated
directly by the broadening of the wheat
area In Sherman and Umatilla Coun
ties and other districts east of the moun
tains.
This development of the east-of-the-
mountalns country is worth special no.
tlce, for it is no small factor In the gen
erally advancing condition of Oregon at
mis time, in tanerman county, a re
gion which only a little while back was
a sheep pasture, there has grown up a
great farming Industry, this county
alone yielding about one-sixth of the
whole wheat product of the state. And
on to the south as far as Prinevllle. and
even beyond, settlers are coming in to
occupy the old ranges and to add their
industry to the productive and vital
force of the state. And in the remote
Harney country, far away from any
railroad and beyond the line where it
has ever been supposed immigration
would go for a century, the settler's
cabin is dotting over the productive
spaces and encroaching upon the wastes
hitherto given over to the wide-reach'
ing range stock Industry.
Large capital is quick to heed move
ments like these and to give its aid
where returns may be had. Already it
is busy with colossal schemes of lrri
gation throughout Eastern Oregon; and
it is only a matter of a little time when
the sage plains of Baker, Malheur and
Crook Counties will cease to be deserts,
to share wlth the naturally more-fa
vored districts thevadvantages of pop
ulation and the profits of production.
Eastern Oregon, a land of incalculable
potentialities, has long been retarded
by isolation and the problems of irri
gation, but its day is coming on rapidly,
and the time is soon to come when it
will be the most productive district of
the state.
Capital in the hands of the railroad
builder is active as never before. The
line of the Columbia Southern, which
has so promoted the development of
Sherman County, is about to be extend
ed into Crook and the region of the
Upper Deschutes, and another branch is
planned to connect its southern termi
nus with The Dalles below the obstruc
tlons to navigation. A little line of
road is being actively pushed Into the
Nehalem country, from Columbia City,
a point on the Columbia River some
thirty miles below Portland. Another
line Is planned to connect Portland with
the Lower Nehalem and the long-neg
lected Tillamook country. Coos Bay Is
the objective point of a railroad move
ment which proposes to connect the
Coast with the general rail systems of
the country. Another movement hav
ing Its initiative In Portland is prepar
ing to push a railroad Into the Klicki
tat country north of tb Columbia
River; and local movements In active
progress look to extending electric lines
into "Washington County on the west
and the remoter parts of Clackamas
County at the east.
And what is scarcely less gratifying
than these developments is the fact that
they rest very largely upon Portland
enterprise, Portland capital and Port
land's faith in the country. "We have
reached, it appears, a point where we do
not have to -look for everything from
without, where we are able to borrow
a fine phrase to fly with our own
wings. Foreign capital comes to us
naturally, but It is chiefly upon our own
Initiative' that the movements above
noted are being put In motion. The
general awakening to which we have al
luded happily Includes home capital
and home energy as well as other mani
festations of progressive spirit.
LA FOLLETTE AND SPOONER.
It Is easy to make too much of the
differences between Senator Spooner
and Governor La Follette in "Wisconsin.
A large section of the press of that
state was engaged for many months in
an attempt to discredit the Governor, in
the hope of preventing his renomlnatlon
and getting rid of the primary election
agitation, of which he was the chief
apostle. The machine that controlled
the politics of the state for more than a
generation, save for a short term of
Democratic ascendency, organized Its
forces after the plan of Tammany,
bought Important newspapers and put
agitators in the field against the Gov
ernor and his hateful election reform.
A bitter fight was waged, and every
possible advantage was taken of cir
cumstances that might weaken La Fol-
lette's support It was found possible,
among other things, to create a wide
impression that La Follette was hostile
to Spooner. Both men have been so sit
uated that they could not, without some
sacrifice of dignity, deny the relations
that unscrupulous politicians had Im
puted to them, because there was a
little truth in the allegations. Now that
the success of both men seems inevita
ble and the meddlesome politicians can
make nothing from magnifying further
the slight inharmony. between them, the
news is sent abroad that peace has been
established, but at the expense of the
Governor. The truth doubtless is that
it was at the expense of nobody but the
scheming breeders of political trouble.
The soul of th6 opposition to Governor
La Follette is in the old machine man
agers, who wish to perpetuate the con
trol that was established by the late
Senator Sawyer many years ago. Re-,
form In the method of nominating men
for public office they do not want, and
they will go to any extremity to pre
vent it Mr. La Follette started the agi
tation for reform, carried the movement
twice Into the very Jaws of state Re
publican conventions and was defeated,
but the third time he was successful.
He was nominated for Governor, and
the state platform declared unequlvo-
cally for primary' nomination of candi-
dates for public office. A Republican
legislature elected on that platform
was so manipulated, by the old bosses
that It failed miserably to perform its
pledgea After haggling over the ques
tion through the session. It passed a
bill eo artfully designed to bring real
primary 'reform into disrepute and so
palpably out of sympathy with the
platform pledge that the Governor ve
toed it in a message that gave the old
guard of politicians much discomfort.
Then they set about confusing issues so
that the reform movement and the
courageous Governor could both be laid
on the shelf. In this they failed. The
Governor was renominated overwhelm
ingly and primary election reform is
again a tenet or tne party.
People of Wisconsin are for both
Spooner and La Follette. It is the self-
seeking machine politicians who create
the appearance of discord between
them, In the hope that the Governor
may be robbed of the strength to carry
into effect his plan for primary reform.
That means the death of the machine.
and it is making a desperate fight for
Its poor life. Senator Spooner is not a
politician. He was elected at a time
when primary reform was not an issue
before the people, and he has not gone
out of his way either to Indorse or to
condemn the Issue in specific terms. In
general terms he has expressed sympa
thy with It The Federal influence was
exerted to prevent passage of the bill
that would have carried out the pledge
of the Wisconsin Republican platform,
but It is not believed that Senator
Spooner was responsible for that. Pres
ident McKinley was not much Inclined
to lend aid to political reforms, partic
ularly where they savored of innova
tion, and then the other Senator from
Wisconsin, Quarles, is entirely in the
control of the machine. The fact of the
matter Is that the differences between
Senator Spooner and Governor La Fol
lette are insignificant, but that the poll
ticians nave sougnt in every manner
possible to Introduce discord and aggra
vate and magnify trifling friction in or
der that they might retain their nefari
ous occupation of thwarting the will of
the people. It Is pretty clear that the
people will not be thus thwarted, and
the success of both Governor La Fol
Istte and Senator Spooner In Wisconsin
will greatly advance the cause of de
cent government
CUBA'S TARIFF BILL.
Receipt of the new Cuban tariff bill
at Washington serves to emphasize the
Impression of the lamentable character
of this contemplated move on the part
of the Island government The duties
are even higher than was originally
feared. Accompanying the copy of the
bill transmitted by him. Minister Squl
ers sends a report explaining that the
Increases in the duties now prevailing
will run all the way from 25 per cent
to 333 per cent For Instance, the duty
on coal goes up 2o cents per 1000 pounds
pine lumber must pay 40 per cent more
than formerly; poultry, 100 per cent
fresh beef, 50 per cent; lard, cheese and
condensed milk, 100 per cent; fresh mut
ton and pork. 50 per cent; salt pork, 100
per cent; bacon and ham, CO per cent
butter, 70 per cent; codfish, 100 per cent
soap, 1D0 per cent note the legislatlv
discouragement of cleanliness; corn, 333
per cent; hats, 100 per cent and other
articles in varying proportion.
High tariffs are not an unmixed
blessing to the levying country, as we
are finding out in the bitter school of
experience. Cuba must herself suffer in
the end for such drastic penalties on
her foreign trade. Yet there is no deny
ing that these duties will tend to inter
fere with American export sales, espe
clally stuff grown, by our farmers.
Eighty per cent of all Cuban imports
come from the United States. During
the last ten months Cuba imported
11,915,457 worth of wheat flour, ot which
nearly all came from this country. Now
'Cuba doubles the duty on wheat flour.
In the ten months ending In April last
Cuba bought from us $770,000 worth of
corn. Cuba raises the tax on com 333
per cent And eo it goes all along the
line. It Is true, however, that if Cuba
does not take our wheat and corn, some
body else will a solace which is of ob
viously limited bearing. What is cer
tain Is that dear food will not be a more
popular achievement In Cuba than In
Germany today, or In England years
ago.
One of the most depressing of the new
developments In the new Cuban tariff
situation is the announcement that
these high rates are enacted for the ex
press purpose of providing a foundation
for a reciprocity treaty. They are to
be put high so as to form the basis of
a sharp bargain with the United States.
It is a pitiful piece of charlatanry,
though a similar course for this coun
try was advocated only a few months
ago by no less pretentious a statesman
than Senator Allison. How such de
vices work out In practice Is seen In the
history of the Dlngley law. The rates
were put high, to afford a basis for the
reciprocity sections' provisions for free
trade and lower duties through Presi
dential proclamation and through
treaty. But , there they are, high as
ever. The Infant Industries got the high
rates and cow as giants they, defeat
laws to carry out the contemplated re
ductions. Congress will have to enact
lower duties. The reciprocity apparatus
Is Ineffective as It Is roundabout Indi
rect methods are as bungling in prac
tice as they are discreditable In theory.
A peculiar feature of the new Issue
of $31,000,000 Oregon Short LIna' bonds
is that they will carry a possible equity
In the earnings of the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern Railroads. They
are secured by $31,000,000 of North
ern Securities stock, which Is now
paying 4 per cent dividends. The bonds
also bear 4 per cent Interest Any de
fault on the bonds would turn the stock
to the Short Line bondholders, and that
stock Is based on assets represented by
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
shares. And If those properties should
strike a streak of adversity and fall to
pay Northern Securities dividends, there
would be immediate trouble for the
Short Line. The prosperity of the Bur
llngton also bears upon the earning
power of Northern Securities stock, for
if the two Northern lines should have
to go Into their pockets to make good
the guaranty on 5220,000,000 of Burling
ton bonds. It would reduce their ability
to make Northern Securities profitable.
This Interlacing of railroad Interests Is
growing extensive and confusing, and
what fat picking it will make for the
lawyers when the time shall come for
combing them all out again!
China and Mexico are not alone In
exhibits of the evil of fluctuating cur
rency, for Manila itself offers a strik
ing refutation of the Senate's theory of
perpetuating the sliver basis there. An
American business man who has just
returned from that city gives an Illus
tration of the way the thing works.
American dollars are worth at present
In trade 52 40, but If one wishes to buy
American currency with Mexican, he
must pay the bank $2 45 or $2 50. Be
sides this the commission which repre
sents the United States has determined
that the price of American money should
be $2 27 in Mexican. The commission
changes Its valuation from time to
time, but it cannot change as often as
the price of silver changes. An Amer
ican merchant in Manila sells a bill of
goods for $1000 American. When the
goods are delivered the buyer pays
52270. because that Is the official valua
tion of $1000 in gold. But when the mer
chant tries to turn his $2270 back Into
United States money the banks charge
him $2 40 Mexican per American dollar.
or more, and the merchants lose $130 or
over on this transaction in exchange.
Not discouraged by the lamentablo
failures of prune trusts, hop trusts, etc,
some farmers have recently, organized a
co-operative company, with $50,000,000
capital, in South Dakota; whereupon
the Minor Optic is moved to call atten
tion to the time In 1882 "when the
farmers living along the Northern Pa
cific, from Fargo to Bismarck, organ
ized an elevator company, and the out
come. After a few months of trial the
farmers were glad to turn over their
flat houses and elevators to a company
which knew how to handle the grain.
Whenever a farmer thinks he can run
an elevator business against millions
of capital the best course for him to
pursue Is to start an elevator company.
It may cost him something, but he will
learn the difference between raising
wheat and handling It" Doubtless
some such abortive result awaits the
recently formed trust of apple-growers.
Very successful, evidently. Is the plan
for disfranchisement of colored voters'
in Alabama. The registration under the
new constitution of the state, Just com
pleted, shows that out of a total of
about 180,000 registered voters not more
than 2500 were negroes. In some coun
ties no negroes whatever were regis
tered, while In Montgomery County,
the largest negro county in the state.
only rorty-seven colored voters were
registered. As there were over 180,000
negroes of voting age In Alabama In
1900, It can readily be seen how effect
ive the new disfranchisement scheme is
Now, since the fear of negro domination
is completely removed, let us see if the
whites will cheat each other in elections,
then fall out over the results and dj
vide into parties against each other.
One is fain to sympathize with the
saloon-keeper who seeks upon the witness-stand
to dispel what odium at
taches to his place for having been the
scene of poor Peter Beauchene's Intoxi
cation preceding his tragic death. These
awkward things must be taken Into
account by every man, however honest
and respectable, before choosing as i
vocation to "put the bottle to his neigh
bor's llpa" Llquor-selllng Is not i
crime, but verily it's a mighty mean
buslnesa
Now very soon the real test of the
strike in the anthracite coal mines will
come. The miners believe that exhaus
tion of the coal supply will force the
masters to yield. It Is for this crisis
that they have been holding out
Typhoid fever Is so prevalent In Chi
cago that the Post newspaper of that
city urges that the public schools be
closed till preparation can be made for
supplying the children with boiled
water.
Philadelphia is constructing a filtra
tion plant at a cost of $34,000,000. Think
of our Bull Run, of which Nature'
filtration U perfect
SWINBURNE ON DICKENS.
Chicago Evening Post
In the Summer number of the Quarterly
Review Algernon Charles Swinburne en
ters the lists to charge in honor o"
Charles Dickens. No hot-headed knight of
medieval prowess rushed to the on
slaught with greater vigor. Rash thrusts
are made to right and to left friends arc
downed, foes bite the dust while Swin
burne sings the praises of one whom he
calls the greatest creative spirit of his
time. No need for the Quarterly to let
it be known that this was the first time
In its long history that a signed article
bad appeared In Its pages. The eccen
tricities of Swinburne appear In every
lino and had the screed been without sig
nature any one at all familiar with the
poet would have recognized his peculiari
ties. Here are the same torrents of ad
jectives, avalanches of phrases and laby
rinthine sentences we have seen before.
It Is only when such names as Shakespeare
or Hugo rise and remain as the supreme wit
nesses of what was highest In any particular
country at any particular time that there can
be no question among any but Irrational and
Impudent men as to the supremacy of their
greatest. England under the reign of Dlcfcens
had other great names to boast of, which may
well be allowed to challenge tho sovereignty of
his genius. But as there certainly was no
Shakespeare and no Hugo to. rival and eclipse
his glory, ha will probably and naturally be
accepted and acclaimed as tho greatest Eng
Ushman of his generation. No one could have
foreseen what all may now foresee In the
"Sketches by Box," a great creative genius.
Xor could any one have foreseen it In the early
chapters of "Pickwick Papers," which at their
best do hetter the sort of thing which had
been done fairly well before. Sam Weller and
Charles Dickens came to life together. Immor
tal and twin bom.
In "Oliver Twist" Swinburne discovers
that the quality of a great tragic and
comic noet or dramatist In prose fiction
was for the flrst time combined with al
ready famous qualities of a great humor
ist and a born master in the arts of
narration and dialogue. "Nicholas
NIckleby" is aa admirable as it is full
of lite, sap and savor.
Proof of Vital Qualities.
The vital quality of the novelist's work
Is proved -by the fact that a "reader or
that age, who had earned honor and re
spect In public life affection ana venera
tion in private" reveled with "lneuppres
slble dellKht In a flrst reading of the
chapters which enroll all worthy read
era in the company of Vincent Crum
mies." Sidney Smith, who had held out
against Samuel Weller, was conquered ty
Miss Squeers. Her letter, perhaps the
most "obviously Imitative and suggestive
of Its model, converted bo great an elder
humorist to appreciation of a greater
than himself." "No mortal man or
woman, no human boy or girl, can resist
the fascination of Mr. and Mrs. Qullp,
of Mr. and Mrs. Brass, of Mr. Swlveller
and his marchioness." He is not en
thusiastic about "the child" "she has
never a touch of childhood about her."
Outsldo the class which excludes all but the
highest masterpieces of poetry. It Is difficult to
find or Imagine a faultiest work of creation In
other words, a faultless work of fiction: but
the story of "Barnaby Rudge" can hardly In
common Justice be said to fall short of -this
crowning praise. And in this book an appre
ciative reader must recognlzo a quality of, hu
mor which will remind him of Shakespeare,
and perhaps Aristophanes. To have made
malignity as delightful for an Instant as sim
plicity and Miss Mlggs as enchanting as Mrs.
Quickly or Mrs. Gamp, Is an unsurpassable
triumph of dramatic humor.
Swinburne agrees with Dickens that
David Copperfleld" was his greatest
masterpiece. Contrasting merits of "Mar
tin Chuzzlewit" and "David Copperflela"
he says: "But no reader above the level
of Intelligence which prefers to Shakes
peare the Parisian Ibsen and the Norwe
gian Sardou can dispute tho fact that
Mrs. Gamp has once and again risen
even to that unimaginable supremacy or
triumph" nothing in later comedy car.
rival her unspeakable perfection. "We
think of all this. 'and of more than all
this, and acknowledge with infinite
thanksgivings of Inexhaustible laughter
and of rapturous admiration the very
greatest comic poet or creation that ever
lived to make the life of other men more
bright and more glad and more perfect
than ever without his beneficent Influence
it possibly or Imaginably could have
been."
In terms of praise he continues to ana
lyze characters and situations. In "Chuz
zlewit" is noted an advance in power or
tragio invention, an Increased strength
in grasp of character and grip of situa
tion. From first to last "Davla Copper-
field" is "unmistakably by any eye above
tho level and beyond the insight of a
beetle's as one of the masterpieces to
which time can only add. a new charm and
an unimaginable value. The narrative is
as coherent and harmonious as 'Tom
Jones' and to say this is to try it by the
very highest and apparently most unat
tainable standard."
A Fllncr at Old Enemies.
In the midst of his exalted laudations
Swinburne digresses to take a fling at
old-time enemies. "A single passage
from the last scene of the fourth act of
'Love's Labor Lost Is more than suffi
cient to outweigh, outshine, to ecllpsa
and -efface forever the dramatic lucubra
tions of prescriptions of Dr. Ibsen-Fra-
castoro of the drama and als voiuoiy
jrrateful patients." "Love's Labor's
Loaf is one of the least significant of
Shakespeare's plays, and among the least
satisfactory of Thackeray's ana Dickens"
are "The Virginians" and "Little Domt."
yet no one above the Intellectual level
of an Ibenslte or a Zolalst will doubt or
will deny that there is enough merit in
either of these books for the stable foun
datlon of enduring fame." Referring
again to "Little Dorrit"
The day after the death of Mr. Merdle Is one
of the most memorable In all the record of
creative history or, to uso one word In place
of two In all the record of fiction. The
fusion of humor and horror In tho marvelous
chapter which describes It Is comparablo only
with tbo kindred work ot such creators as tho
authors ot "Les Mlscrables" and "King Lear,'
and nothing In the work of Balxac Is newer
and truer and more terrible than the relent
less ret not unmerciful evolution of the central
flKure In the story. Once more he waxes elo-
auent on the resurrection of Rogue Rlderhood
In "Our Mutual Friend." The terrible humor
of It holds the reader entranced alike at the
first and the hundredth reading. And the
blatant boobies who deny truthfulness and
realism to tho Imagination or genius of Dick
ens because it never condescended to aspire or
wallow in metaphysics or filth, may be fear
lessly challenged to match this scene for tragi
comic and everlasting truth in tho works of
Sardou or Ibien. ot the bl-sexual George Eliot
or the Masculine Miss Maevle Mannish. M.
Zola, had he Imagined It, as undoubtedly his
potent and Indisputable genius might havo
don, must have added a flavor ot blood or
ordure which would hardly havo gratified or
tickled the nostrils or palate of Dickens, but It
Is possible that his Insular delicacy or prudery
of relish may not be a pitiable Infirmity or a
desirable defect.
In other asides he cuts at Andrew Lang
and Matthew Arnold, then having done
ho concludes, "and how much more
might be said would the gods annihilate
but time and space for a worthier pur-
nose than that of making lovers happy,
of tho snlendld successes to be noted in
the least successful book or books of this
great and inexhaustible writer.
Shaw's Inadequate Presentation.
Kansas City Star.
Mr. Shaw is vague and general where
It was hoped that he might be positive
and specific. He has missed the senti
ment of the time. He has not struck the
"keynote" that was struck by Arthur,
Blaine, McKinley and Roosevelt, all of
whom have been ardent earnest and
conscientious advocates of reciprocity. It
la inconceivable that Mr. Shaw's policy
is satisfactory to the President It is
capable of broad construction, but why
always leave room for widely diverging
Interpretations? It may be expected that
when the same policies are taken up by
the President there will be something
definite The Republican position is not
yet defined.
THIS IS SOMEWrUT DIFFERENT.
Springfield Republican.
That the American farmer during the
past half dozen yara has enjoyed a period
of unusual prosperity for him admits of
no question. Whether he has obtained tne
lion's share in the general prosperity of
the country, or has profited from it to
anything like the degree which some other J
Industrial classes have, is another aues
tion more open to douDt. It Is not open
to doubt, however, on the part of the Se
attle (Wash.) roat-Intelllgencer, and what
that Journal has to say on the subject is
being given circulation by Eastern metro
politan papers which ought to know bet
ter. This is what they go to the Pacific
Coast to learn
While unable to dispute th fact that the
United States has been enjoying roost remark
able prosperity, tho opponents of the Repub
lican party insist that such prosperity Is con
fined to a considerable extent. If not entirely,
to tho manufacturing classed This Is another
of the little fictions- which the census com
pletely explodes. According to census figures
the farmers ot the country have reaped the
largest returns of any Industrial class, and
have consequently ehared more generally In
the prosperity than have even thepianufac-
turers. Here are some figures. There are
$20, 000. 000. 000 of capital Invested In farms and
farm equipment, and during the census year
that Invested capital earned on an average 18.3
per cent. The S1.000.OCO.000 steel trust during
the past year earned 10 per cent on Its invested
capital, and that fact has been made the text
ot Innumerable Democratic editorials on the
extortionate profits which It has wrung out
of the people. Yet the steel trust earned on
Its Inverted capital but little over one-half aa
much proportionate Interest as did tha average
American farmer.
If the farmers can be made to believe
fcuch a story a3 this, it will be very com
forting to the trust organizers and epecu
lators who are making millions out of the
boom, where the average man is figuring
whether any Increase in Income is not
more than offset by the Increase In prices
and cost of existence. Witness the $50.:
000.000 or more which a few men compos
ing the steel trust underwriting syndicate
are clearing up as profit out of a brief in
vestment ot 125,000.000. Take all ot the
great fortunes made out of these trust
dotations and manipulations during the
past half-dozen years; the aggregato would
eat deeply into the sum representing the
entire net Increase in the wealth of the
country for that time.
But the farmer he has been doing even
better. Tho trouble with the above etory
is that it Is founded upon an utterly false
comparison so false that It could not pos
sibly have escaped the notice of even a
hasty reading of the census bulletin In
question. The 10 per cent which the steel
trust Is said to be earning Just now Is net
pront on a highly Inflated capital Income
above all expenses of operation and al
lowances for depreciation; and It amounts
to more than double that rate on tho
actual investment On the other hand
the 18.3 per cent of return on tho total
value of farm property In the census year
Is gross Income. It Is expressly stated In
the tulletlu that "as no reports of ex
penditures for taxes. Interest, insurance,
feed for stock and similar items have been
obtained by any census, no statement of
net farm Income can be given." Never
theless this Western editor proceeds to
compare the 1S.3 per cent as net Income.
Tha census in like manner shows that
on an investment of $9,874,664,087 in man
ufacturing throughout the United States
In 1900, a gross product of $13.(H0.013,63S
was turned out This is over 130 per cent
on the invested capital, as compared with
18.3 per cent on the Invested capital in
farms. The Western paper Invites a com
parison, and here it Is. stripped of soma
of Its falsities. Nothing, of course.
hereby proved as to the relative net profit
of the two Industries. Heavy deductions
must be made for wages and cost of ma
terlal In manufacturing, and compara
tlvely small deductions on the same ac
count In farming. But while nothing can 1
be certainly affirmed, from the census
figures as given, respecting the average
net profit of manufacturing, something
can be guessed respecting net farm profits.
If gross income Is only 18.3 per cent or
total farm property, what must have been
the rate of income after deducting wage
payments, cost of feed and seed and other
material, taxes, insurance. Interest and
so on? Wbat Is left for capital after the
farmer has been allowed a fair wage or
salary for his work of superintendence?
It must obviously be a vory small sum.
constituting a percentage of the total In
vestment almost too small to be visible.
It is extremely doubtful if the average
farmer makes more from his investment
ana labor combined than what would be
called a moderate wage In other industries.
The fact Is not to be dedged tnat agri
culture pays poorly as compared with
most other Industries and occupations.
You could not drag this Western editor
on to a farm with a yoke ot oxen. But
the whole population of Seattle would be
moving out on to the soil In short order
if. as the editor would have them believe.
the average farm was paying lb.3 per cent
net profits. The great fortunes ot the
time do not come from fanning and hardly
any ot the small ones directly. The drift
of population from the farm to tne cuj
tells the true story about the situation,
and it is not going to be improved In the
linjr run by the rise of monopollttlc com
binations to control what the farm must
buy, while the farm must work on under
the rule of sharp competition.
There is in all this a question to plague
society in a frte government as time goes
on. We arc not to suppose that the
granger has been permanently eliminated
from politics as a revolutionary factor by
three or four years ot comparative pros
perity on the farm
PERSONS WOnTU KNOWING ABOUT.
Erolle Zola did not learn to read till he was
8 yeara old. and la a self-educated man, his
mother being Indifferent as to whether or not
he attended school.
Prlnco Henry of Prussia carries a $000,000
policy of Insurance against assassination. His
heirs will get nothing, however. It he dies from
natural cauaes.
John R. Drexel. the New Tork banker, made
his wife a present or S200.000 as a birthday
remembrance last week. The family Is so
journing for the Summer at Newport.
Sx-Governor Hogg, of Texan, refuses to be
considered as a candidate for the executive
offlce again. He ears he baa made S2.000.000
since his last term expired, and would not pass
through the ordeal again for doubla that
amotmt.
The Duko of Argyll, in the hope of locating
minerals. Is having the Inverary estates sur
veyed by a mining expert, who has unearthed
numerous specimens ot an ore composed of
nickel, copper and lead. The late Duka ot
Argyll once "wrought" nickel silver mines
without being out of pocket.
One of the youngest of the British officials
in South Africa Is Major Herbert Darling.
Commissioner of Polloo at Bloerafonteln, who
Is only 23 years old. At 13 he managed a
mine In Western Australia. At 20 he was
Captain of a West Australian conUngent In
South Africa. He looks younger than he really
Is, and In the early days of the war. before
bis coolness and bravery were recognized, he
was known amonc hla associates as "Baby
Darling."
At the reunion of the descendants of John
and Prlacllla Alden. held at Rosa Park, near
Blnghamton, Jf. Y., last week, there was pres
ent a representaUve of the sixth generation
from John Alden. who was born In the town
of Windsor. Broome County, on March 23.
1S15. The oldest living descendant Is Timothy
P. Alden, of Blnghamton. and the youngest
Florence Alden, 20 months old. Members ot
tho family attended the reunion from all parts
of the coantry.
The Bishop ot Exeter, who Is a pronounced
low churchman, aald, when consecrating the
church at Ehaldon, the other day, that, "al
though he should continue to be the faithful
friend and brother of the clergy so long as they
were faithful to the law, be had been obliged
to decline to consecrate the church until a
written agreement bad been signed by the cler
gy and wardens that certain illegal things, in
cluding the stone altars, should be removed
without delay. The crucifix, and other figures
In the church bad also been objected to. but
they were not Illegal, and merely stood u
works of art"
NOTE AND COMMENT.
"Tec Indeed, we have known it to rain
in Oregon.
The Portland team is unlucky It wins
only by hard work.
It takes as long for the oil tanks to go
as for the nreboat to come.
Another automobile record has been
smashed not the automobile.
East Burnslde Is the only street In Port
land that has ever been Improved too
soon.
A theater trust Is forming. J. P. Morgan
Is not In it although all the world's a
stage.
This is the time when the vacation wo
have Just finished begins to look like a
vain show.
No, the Boer Generals would not have
received more honor If they had stopped
slaying Britishers sooner.
Explorer Baldwin says.
"Baffled, but
Bryan says.
not beaten. Candidate
Beaten, but not baffled."
You could now have a new board side
walk If you hadn't been so cussed stub
born about building It before.
No man who secures money by false
pretenses is liable to the law If he se
cures a wife along with tho money.
No American officers In the Philippines
has been court-martialed for some time
and the Moros feel encouraged to try
barbarism all over again.
The German Crown Prince Is said to
think more of an American girl than the
Imperial throne. He Is right for being
young, but foolish for the same reason.
A young woman at Merlden, Conn., has
caused the arrest of the young man to
whom she was engaged for kissing her.
Perhaps after he shall have been married
to her a while he will not repeat the of
fense. Reports from Central America are to
tho effect that the navy officers down
there are much chagrined because their
methods have been acquired by the Unit
ed States Navy for the maneuvers off
New England.
A Democrat, to bo loyal to his citizen
ship and his party honor, does not have
to be loyal to the plitforms of 1S3S and
1900. Neither does his wife have to be
loyal to hoop-aklrts nor the birds to last
year's nests.
Already It has taken nearly 100. years to
choose a fair site. But this is but as
a hindbreadth. By the infinitude of
things Just as many years are ahead of
us as behind us; therefore let us rejoice
and be exceedingly glad that only 100
years are behind us.
The Salem Sentinel denies that it has
been an advocate of a special session of
tho Legislature, "except jokingly. In the
Interest of boarding-house keepers of
Salem." But Isn't the Interest of the
boarding-house keepers a reason of state
at Salem? What else Is the capital there
for?
The remains of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Fair will be examined further to ascer
tain the cause of death. Mr. and' Mrs.
Fair were speeding 60 miles an hour. They
were dashed Into a tree. Their heads
were crushed in. It Is very Important
to learn whether It was the speed, the
tree or the dashing out of their brains
that caused their death. This point set
tled, we shall know whether they died
for want of breath.
Newport R. I.. Aug. 23. Great con
sternation relgn3 among the elite. Mrs.
Vanderllp's butler eloped with Mrs.
Gotrox's waiting maid, but not a word
of It got Into the newspapers. Each lady
charges the other with trying to keep the
matter quite until she herself could an
nounce It first The ladles had indeed
sent for the reporters, but President
Roosevelt and the big tennis tournament
were here and not a single reporter could
be found. To make bad matters worse,
Mrs. Astbrbllt gave a pink tea to her
favorite chimpanzee, and even this func
tion failed to get into print although the
chimpanzee behaved just too nice for
anything and all the elite were present
Some of tho ladles are In hysterics to
day over the outrageous treatment re
ceived from the President, the tennis
players and the newspapers.
Professor F. G. Young, of the Univers
ity of Oregon, last week sounded a
warning against permitting commercial
ism to overshadow the historical signifi
cance of the Lewis and Clark Fair. It is
quite easy in the discussion of fair fund
and fair site, fair this and fair that to
lose from view the flrst object of the
celebration, namely, the commemoration
of Lewis and Clark'B achievement. Pro
fessor Young perhaps from his home In
Eugene can perceive the drift away from
the main purpose better that can Port
land people. It is well for us In building
our structure to keep In sight our foun
dations. The fair is for Lewis and
Clark, not Lewis and Clark for the fair.
Perhaps Professor Young's counsel is
much like that which would come from
other outside places when the celebration
Js looked upon, not as that of Portland,
but as that of the entire Pacific North
west PLEASANTRIES OF PAKAGRAFHERS
"Really, Louise, this bill Is outrageous. You
mustn't try to dress like these millionaires'
wives!" "My dear Ned. control yourself. I'm
only trying to appear aa well dressed aa the
shop girls." Life.
It was at a fashionable boardlne-house, and
they had calves' brains for lunch. She spoke
to the gentleman next to her "And do you
like calves' brains. Mr. Domo?" "I always try
to feel content with what I have, madam."
Ttt-Blts.
Genius. "I understand that he ha written a
sonnet on a katydid." "Yes. so I hear. It's
almost aa great a piece of work as that ot a
man I heard of once who wrote the Declara
tion of Independence on the back ot a postage
stamp." Chicago Record-Herald.
In Disguise. Mrs. Stubb This Is strange.
John. I thought the people on this block were
Immensely wealthy, and now I find them sit
ting around In patched clothing. Mr. Stubb
That's nothing. Maria; they are expected the
Tax Assessor. Chicago Dally News.
Dead Broke. Fred Whj don't you send her
some roses? Ned Gee. whiz, man! Didn't I
tell you I'm Just back from my vacation?
Fred Can't raise the wind, eh? Ned Well. If
roses were 10 cents a hundred I couldn't raise
enough wind to stir one petal." Philadelphia
Press.
Her Unintended Satire. "Charley, dear!" ex
claimed young Mrs. Torklns. "the paper has a
sketch of you as a rising young reformer."
"Yes. I thought that would surprise and
please you. What did you think of the biog
raphy?' "Oh. Charley, dear, it Is too good to
be true!" Washington Star.
His Point ot View. "The tendency In modern
Journalism." asserts the man with the haunted
look, "Is to concentration. It will not be long
before the most successful newspapers will be
but one column wide." Here the listening
flat'dwellers broke into & chorus of approval.
For they were a-weary of being compelled to
sit on the fire-escape In ordsr to see what was
cn the next page. Baltimore American.