Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, February 17, 1904, Page 6, Image 6

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    THE MORNIKG- OKE&OSTlAls, WEDNESDAT, FEBRUAKY 17, 1904.
Entered at th Postofflce at Portland. Ore
gon, a second-class matter.
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Foreign rates double.
The Oregonlan does Txot buy poems or
stories from individuals, and cannot under
take to return any manuscripts sent to It
without solicitation. No stamps should be
Inclosed for this purpose.
EASTERN" BUSINESS OFFICES.
(Tho S. C. Beclewlth Special Agency)
Jfew Tork: Booms 43-48, Tribune Building.
ChicaEo: Booms 510-512. Tribune Building.
jept on sat.k.
Chicago Charles MacDonald. 53 Washing
ton St.. and Auditorium' Annex; Postofflce
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rlck, 900-012 Seventeenth St; Loutban &
Jackson, Fifteenth and Lawrence.
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end Walnut.
Los Angeles B. F. Gardner, 239 South
Epring; OUver & Haines, 205 South Spring,
and Harry Drapkln.
Minneapolis 1L J. Kavsnaugh. 50 South
Third; J Begelsbuger, 317 First Avenue
South.
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H. Myers.
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Stationery Co., 130S Farnam.
Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co.. 77 West
Second South St.
6t Louis World's Fair News Co.
San Francisco -J. K. Cooper Co., 7 to Mar
ket, near Palace Hotel; Foster & Orear. Ferry
News Stand: Goldsmith Bros., 23C Sutter; L.
E. Lee, Palace Hotel News Stand: F. W.
Pitts. 1008 Market; Frank Scott. 80 Ellis; N.
TVheatley. S3 Stevenson.
Washington, D. C. Ed Brlntanan, Fourth
end Pacific Ave,, N. W.; Ebbltt House News
titand.
TODAY'S WEATHER Showers; southwest
crly winds.
YESTERDAY'S" WEATHER Maximum tem
perature. 46 cleg.; minimum, 30. Precipita
tion, 0.17 Inch.
IOKTLAND, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17
NOT ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS.
Christian sects that undertake to cure
bodily ailments by laying on of hands,
prayer, fasting, etc, are measurably
amenable to the law of the land for the
results of malpractice, Just as the more
accepted schools of healing are so
amenable. Their therapeutic activity is
not to be arraigned, either on medical
or theological grounds; for the stand
ards set up by church or medicine can
not be recognized by government.
Selfishness and humbug survive in each
realm; but the civil authorities will un
dertake to protect the weak and help
less against murder under any guise.
There is the same authority tor treat
ing smallpox by laying on of hands
that there is for keeping the Sabbath
day holy or for the rites of baptism,
the Eucharist, or any Christian institu
tion, large or small. It says in the
Sermon on the Mount that if a man
take away thy coat, let him have thy
cloak also; and in the same, chapter of
Exodus that contains the ten com
mandments we are forbidden to use
rteps in the house of worship or stones;
that have been hewn by tools.
Both Old and New Testaments are
full of commands and prohibitions
which are observed or not by the vari
ous sects according as they elect to
honor some In the breach and others in
fhe observanc. Isolated texts are
sometimes taken as the foundation for
a denominational system. The antag
onistic theories and practices of the
apostolic age find innumerable expres
sions in the gospels and epistles which
may be and are availed of to the Infi
nite confusion of the evangelical world.
The selection of some utterances for ap
proval and others for condemnation is
purely arbitrary and without defense.
"The prayer of faith shall save the
sick," enunciated by the chief dictator
of the apostolic church, is as authori
tative as anything uttered by the par
tially independent Peter and the. openly
heretical Paul. It is nothing against a
religious sect that it bases its theory
and practice upon a Scriptural tenet
which is disowned by one or twenty
other sects. Miracles of Christian Sci
ence in the twentieth century are as
credible and logical as miracles of St.
Paul in the first century.
Neither can government discriminate
between the pet theories of antagonistic
schools of healing. The sick woman has
an equal right to call upon allopath,
hydropath, medium or divine healer.
The heterodox lose patients, but so do
the orthodox. It is only that certain
physical means of treatment for certain
ailments have been so far approved by
experience as to be properly enjoined
by the state upon penalty of interven
tion by force. One of these means is
vaccination and isolation In smallpox.
This treatment is advisedly and justly
enjoined upon all alike, -regardless of
medical or theological belief. Interfer
ence would be justified In a case where
it was proposed to pray for a ruptured
artery Instead of binding it up. and this
without regard to the religious or med
ical faith of the person responsible.
The plea "It is God's will," offered in
abatement of a death from smallpox, Is
quite as pertinent In this case as in
countless others where the miscarriage
of human plans and the results of hu
man crime or carelessness are sought
to be shuffled off on the Almighty.
I'ERIL OF "PRACTICAL" EDUCATION.
The president of Columbia "University
said the other day: "The college course
Is In serious danger, by reason of the
fact that the secondary' school is reach
ing up Into its domain on the one hand
and the professional school Is 'reaching
down to it on the other." This is the
oldconflict between the literaryand his
torical and the practical and scientific
systems of education. At bottom of it
lies the question whether there should
be a college course constructed for It
self alone, and for the Intellectual needs
of the youth of the time, without refer
ence to specific careers; or whether the
so-called utilitarian view of education
Is to be all In all. In fact, no single
rule can suffice for all classes of minds.
But it may be accepted as certain that
the cojlege course, so-called, w'll be
useless to many upon whom there Is
attempt to force it. For all such, "prac
tical education" is perhaps the utmost
need; for one never needs what he can
not understand or use.
The true education is that course of
training which will, raise a human be
ing from the bondage of "nature" up
towards a typical man one who shall
be a man by better right than he Is a
machine. In education, as In politics
and affairs, the purely materialistic
idea is a low one. Life has or should
have in it something richer than that.
It ought to bring out the best of a
man's own independent powers. Edu
cation is not fate, but is a process of
growth, modified, controlled and per
fected by human art. Man is not the
passive victim of his environment, but
has such power over it of modification
and control, as either to transcend that
environment or virtually to recreate it.
So the main purpose of education Is to
enable the individual to participate
with advantage in the conscious life of
the race. "
It Jsa low and false assumption that
Instruction serves" "only for the practi
cal use. that can- be made of it. It
should be - disciplinary rather than
merely "practical." . .Then a true cul
ture Is likely to be the result of the
effort.
riTFAIXS FOR DEMOCRACY.
The -general "favor extended to the
Japanese cause by republican govern
ments and their citizens throughout the
world may go far toward explaining the
leaning shown toward Russia by official
Germany. The irrepressible conflict! between-
monarchy and democracy is ap
prehended more keenly by none than
by Emperor "William himself- Hence
Germany could not be Induced to sup
port the cause of the Boer republics
against British imperialism. Hejnce
Germany viewed with alarm the im
petus given democracy by our activity
and successes in the war with Spain.
The excuses put forth from Berlin as
to the German sympathy with Russia
have the insincere ring of afterthought,
Germany, It is said, welcomes Russian
assertion in Turkey as a check to Ger
many's great rival, England; Germany
will be prepared to wltr something- for
herself in China should Russia be vic
torious In Manchuria; as between the
Mongolian and Caucasian In this strug
gle, Germany will choose the white.
All of which theorems are doubtless
meant to cover up the ominous dread
felt by official Germany lest another
great autocratic power shall follow
Spain In being bumbled by another
great democratic power, Japan, follow
ing the precedent set by the United
States in 1898.
Next to Russia, the great military
despotism of the globe Is Germany; and
Jt bodes no good to the divine right of
Kings and the perpetuity of thrones if
the wars of the twentieth century are
to be won by representative govern
ments like Great Britain, Japan and the
United States, over autocracies" like
Germany, Spain and Russia. Emperor
"William is looking ahead; and it must
be said there Is reason for his alarm;
for at present there is every Indication
that Japan will administer such a shock
to "Russia as will set every throne in
Europe" on' a tremble. And not only
that; but If Japan reaps, as now seems
likely, a tremendous victory and as
cendency over Manchuria andCorea,
she- will be in no. mood to: listen pa
tiently to representations rom Ger
many and Great Britain, or from Sec
retary Hay himself, that some consid
erable portion of her advantages gained
shall be turned over as a. mark of es
'teem to her European rivals.
"We are prone. In the Unted States,
to take the demonstration of .democ
racy's finality for granted. Probably
we are right; and .yet there have not
ibeen lacking sonic very acute thinkers
who doubt, whether .th$ benefits' of pop
ular government are equal to Its losses,,
and dangers.; That Is to say, there are
philosophers who woulct take Emperor.
"William's side in this,, controversy,
viewing it as an affair of intellectual
interest and moment. They feel that
power Is safer in the hands of a trained
and permanent ruling class than In the
hands of the masses; that when we
throw away the accumulated mo
mentum of aristocratic courts, estab
lished churches and hereditary nobil
ity, we deliberately sacrifice some of
the most powerful aids to good manners
and correct morals.
The drift of Protestantism toward
rationalism compels many men to' turn
to the Catholic Church as the only1 safe
refuge In religion; and the drift of de
mocracy toward socialism Invites to
monarchy or oligarchy as the means of
escape from anarchy. The rigors of ab
solutism cause us to sigh for democ
racy; and the excesses of democracy
make us long for the concentration of
power In a wise and firm autocrat, to'
whom the blandishments of wealth or
the mad discontent of the masses would
be alike negligible. It-is hardly con-,
ceivable that the pendulum which has
come so far toward democracy should
again swing back toward monarchy;
yet the future Is wholly unknown, and
this very thing has happened to every
great republican era of history Greece,
Rome, Venice, Italy, Holland. In case
of any general revolt from democracy,
to absolutism, in religion, society and''
government, Russia might very easily
become the rallylng-polnt of the con
servative forces.
BRAKE MUST MAKE GOOD.
The consolidation of two large Irriga
tion enterprises in the Deschutes coun
try indicates that the energy heretofore
expended in contests over water rights
Is to be turned to more satisfactory use.
One large corporation with capital be
hind it has purchased the conflicting in
terests and by applying for 80,000 acres
additional has control of over 200,000
acres of arid land. The new company
announces that It will begin work at
once and have water flowing upon the
thirsty soil in less than sixty days. All
the circumstances seem to Indicate that
the company is proceeding in good faith
and will reclaim tfie land as fast as It
is needed for settlement. If It should
fall In this respect, the State Land
Board stands ready to enforce fulfill
ment of Its obligations In accordance
with the spirit and letter of the arid
land law.
"When the state arid-land law was
passed, accepting the gift of Govern
ment land under the Carey act, the fear
was expressed that under this act spec
ulators could secure and keep control
of vast areas of grazing land without
reclaiming It. This would defeat the
purpose of the act, hinder development
and create a monopoly. At a recent
meeting of the State Land Board, when
representatives of the new irrigation
company were present, the members of
the board expressed in the plainest
terms their Intention to see that the
provisions of the law are carried out.
As stated by one gentleman, the board
does not propose that the state shall
be held up by a company holding an
arid-land contract That is stralght-from-the-shoulder
talk, and the board
will act up to lts promises. This is a
purely business transaction of great im
portance to the Industrial welfare of
the state- If the Irrigation company
proves to be here for the purpose of re
claiming land and putting settlers upon
it, the state will give It ever' reason-
able encouragement. If it has any
other purpose, the sooner It Is gotten
rid of the better, 'for the Government
would vers likely undertake the con
struction of a great irrigation system In
the Deschutes country if the private
concerns were not already there. To
construct the works as planned will J
cost 52,500,000. If foreign capita comes
here and spends that amount of money
in making arid land productive, the
people of Oregon will- not begrudge
them a good profit on their Investment.
XOSS TO THE STANDPATTERS.
"With the passing of 'Senator HannaJ
there has gone out from our political
life the strongest individual force in the
company of public men whose chief
concern Is the shelter of the protected
corporations, not only from right and
necessary tariff reductions, but even
from public inquiry into the privileges
and tributes which they are enjoying
at public expense under cover of the
law.
There is the highest Republican, au
thority for the doctrine that tariffs
need revision from. time to time in the
interests of consumers and of justice.
The later speeches of President McKin
ley were full of this thought. He ar
gued strongly for tariff reform as a
means to increased prosperity,, espe
cially in the direction of better foreign
markets. It is not possible 'for us, he
said, always to buy and never' to selL
"Wherever we find tariffs that are no
longer needed, they should be removed
in order to stimulate our trade and thus
iudirectly our sales abroad.
Across the path of every step in this
reformatory direction Senator Hanna.
stood like a stone waif.. He said that
the tariff should never be changed so
long as he had power to prevent It
Such ..was his force of .character, .such 1
his facility in accomplishing things,
that to him the protected interests
turned .as to a friend in need. ' He in
sisted on justice to the coal' miners; he
went to the front for labor on many
occasions. But the unorganized body
of consumers and the abstract Justice
pf honest tariffs had no claim upon him
because he knew they had no votes to
be delivered in a. body for or against
him or his party on election day.
It .has been the fortune of President
Roosevelt to be circumscribed in his
efforts for tariff reform by the ruling
coterie In the Senate. All his rec
ommendations on the subject have been
Ignored. But no one who -knows him
can doubt Nfor a moment that when the
exigencies of this campaign are over
and when the acute stages of Panama
and Asiatic matters, have been passed
he :vcljl a'd dress himself io tariff reform,
with the same vigor and honesTy he has
shown in so many other directions.
It will be the duty and privilege of.
President Roosevelt to assist the pro
tective tariff system of the United
States, which will be perpetuated
whether under honest DIngley or dis
honest "Wilson bills, up to a plane of
fairness and moderation Which will ren
der it Impervious to the attacks of
Democratic ,or free trade visionaries.
In the main the tariff is approximately
fair enough. But Its Inequalities and
absurdities are a standing Indictment
of Congressional honesty and discern
ment The special favors It grants to
corporations like the" steel trust and
paper trust are. contrary to sound pol
icy and common honesty. Tariff re
formers In tfte Republican, party, like'
Senator Foraker, G,oyernor Cummins
ana eDresenat'yje, JBabcotk, will feel
more free speak' their minds now
than .heretqfor.,. -Tbe President is Just
the man. to be interested In their cause.
THE HISTORY FOR THE SCHOOLS.
The Lewis and Clark Centennial occa
sion, now Just at hand, furnishes teach
ers o'f the schools of the great North-"
west a rare opportunity to Impart to
and Impress upon children the facts and
incidents pertaining to the history of
the Louisiana Purchase and the explor
ation and early settlement of the Ore
gon Country. There Is not In all his
tory a more fascinating theme than
this, or dne more replete with the ro
mance of exploration and adventure.
The facts in the premises are readily
accessible, andjnay be succinctly and
entertainingly set forth In language
that will appeal to the understanding of
the child, and at the same time arouse
his interest and stimulate his patriot
ism. This story is not a difficult one to tell,
nor are the facts which compose It
Sard to obtain. A simple plan,- sys
tematically and carefully carried out,
will suffice to put before the school
children of the Pacific Northwest facts
of local history now a century old that
every teacher In our public schools
should be capable of presenting and
every -Intelligent pupil 10 years old and
upward would hear with interest The
storyhas been simply told in an "enter
taining way for younger children by
Nellie F. Kingsley and published by
the "Werner School Book Company, of
New York, in a book of 128 pages. It
is told somewhat more, elaborately fo?
older readers In a book written by "W.
R. Llghton and published by Houghton,
Mifflin & Co., of Boston. It would be
well if the more juvenile book were in
the hands of every child In our public
schools, while teachers might not only
read both with profit, but they could
find therein material for a story 'to
which pupils would listen attentively
and eagerly.
The State Superintendent of Public
Instruction might very properly take
the initiative in getting this historical
matter before the pupils of the schools
of Oregon. It -Is probable that -the mass
of teachers are themselves not well In
formed upon the simple data that
make up this attractive chapter in our
National and State history. It would
be well to require them to study it, in
the concise form given in the books to
which reference Js above made, and
later, but still very so.on, to compile
the story and tell it to their classes in
their own words, on days or dates des
ignated for that purpose.
It would not be possible in any other
way to arouse an Interest so universal
in a matter that, more than any other.
claims the attention of loyal citizens of
Oregon and of the Northwest at this
time. The plan is a simple one, and Its
execution Is entirely feasible. It will
involve but little expense and time, and
if carried out conscientiously will sow
broadcast, so' to., speak, information
lacking which our children will be Ig
norant of the history of the acquire
ment and early exploration of the "West
ern half of the .North American Conti
nent ,
Specifically, the history thus dissemi
nated will awaken an interest in the
Lewis and Clark Exposition that it
would not be possible or practicable io
arouse in any other way. The Orego
nlan believes this to be a. practical as it
certainly Is a timely suggestion, and
would most respectfully and earnestly
"ask the educational authorities" of the
state to consider It and if they- deem X
it . practicable, to give It their official
indorsement.
The Outlook a week or two ago called
attention to the fact that while there
are now 50,000 Porto Rlcan children In
school where there was not a school-
house on the' island when we took
charge of It there are still some 310,000
children unprovided for and no means
to provide for 'theim Tlie poverty of
the Islanders, it Justly remarks, will
keep them ignorant and their ignorance
will, keep them poor. - It urges that
Congress helpthe island out of this vi
cious circle by providing money for the
necessary schools' and teachers. The
suggestion is a wise as' well as a hu
mane one. Once the schools were pro
vided, J10.000.000 a year would keep
them goings and it would not be many
years before the island itself could as
sume the burden. But, even if it were
to be a permanent charge, it would be
cheaper than to foster Ignorance -and
backwardness by neglect. Leaving out
of account all possible political compli
cations from a population reared In Ig
norance and exercising the rights of
citizenship with, which we have -clothed
the Porto Ricans, the. economic advan
tages of a high average of intelligence
are obvious. "We do a large business
with Porto Rico now, but -we should do
more if their standard of Hying were
raised", as It' can only be raised, by 'the
development of intelligence.
The Government, or rather that por
tion of, the Government which has
charge of the transport service, having
discovered the location of Portland on
the map and incidentally learned that it
Is admirably equipped for economical
dispatching of , transports, will try
.again. The Buford, a 9000-ton vessel.
will follow the Dix in loading at this
port for Manila, and it is even hinted
that others may come here. This will
be sad news for the "knockers" at Se
attle and San Francisco,. - who have
heretofore exerted- a pul" sufficient to
drag the- business Into more expensive
ports, bub It Is a -demonstration of the
fact that right sometimes prevails; even
In the Government service. Now that
the Ice Is broken, we might go a little
farther and ask the Government to in
quire Into the matter and learn whether
or not ship -stores, coal, etc, are not as
cheap at Portland as they are. in San
Francisco. Inquiry of this nature might
lead to a still greater saving being ef
fected, and Portland tradesmen would
appreciate the favor equally as much as
their. San Francisco brethren, who have
for so long shared X'ith Seattle a mo
nopoly of the business to the exclusion
of Portland.
The Chicago' wheat market slumped
off about 2 cnts per. b.ushel. yesterday,
not because the wheat' which Is used in
the manufacture of flour and breakfast
foods was any more plentiful, or be
cause the cold wave had frozen the
Jaws of the chlnchbug, Hessian fly and
other accessories of a bull market In
stead it was following the laws of .grav
itation. When Sir Isaac Newton made
his famous discovery of .this law he
permitted the pippin to fall to the
ground. Mr. ' Armour, who is experi
menting with' the law of gravitation as
applied to the wheat market, ddes not
go. so far with his experiment Before
the marked, gets half-way , down to
where the -commercial -lavs.-.of i.ravlta
tloit would 'send it, this, latest friend of
the farmer catches It and givesr-itan,-.
other upward boost Other wheat kings
have pursued the same 'tactics In the
past but' the violent exercise necessary
has generally "knocked their crowns off
before the experiment was . concluded
and in the end wheat landed where the
pippin did that is, where the support
was natural, and not artificial.
The prospective opening of the Crow
reservation; In Eastern Montana, is a
source of gratification to the people of
that section of the-Rocky Mountain re
gion: The bill providing for this has
passed the lower house of Congress and
the Senate Is on record as being friend
ly to the measure. The land that is to
be thrown open to settlement. When the
necessary preliminaries are arranged, i3
well adapted to purposes of agriculture,
and stockralslng. The land laws. In a
case of this kind, are strictly enforced,
thus Insuring their occupancy by set
tlers of the Homebuilding or permanent
class. All Eastern Montana expects to'
profit by the addition of this large body
"of arable and Irrigable land to the pub
lic domain. "While It may be noted as.
another step toward the gradual extinc
tlon of the Indians, .through. Indulgence1
in the vices of civilization which large
sums of money in hand make possible
to them", it Is still lh, accordance with
the law of progress, the "wisdom of
which cannot be questioned.
Mr. Moso, the Japanese Consul at
Montreal, has arrived - at : Ottawa to
make a protest against the- Japanese
exclusion act recently passed by the
British .Columbia Legislature. "Japan
ese cheap labor has played the same
part In the development of the "West
ern provinces of Canada as was played
by Chinese labor In the early develop
ment of Oregon and "Washington. As
"hewers of wood and drawers of water"
they were of valued assistance lh pav
ing the way for the higher-priced white
labor which came later. However,- the
Japs are not wanted in Canada, and the
Chinese are not wanted Jn the United
States, and Mr. Moso might as well go
back to Montreal and wait patiently
until he can bring his countrymen Into
Canada on the same terms that they
have been going . into Corea, and may
later go -Into- Manchuria, Siberia and
any other old place where their fancy
leads and their gunboats follow.
In 1804, when Napoleon threatened to
Invade England, the English Ministry
sanctioned a project for destroying the
enemy's flotilla collected at Boulogne
by means of copper vessels of an oblong
form filled with combustibles and so
constructed as to explode by clockwork
In a given time. These vessels were to
be towed and fastened under the bot
toms of the enemy's gunboats by a man
In a small raft who might possibly
elude detection in a dark night This
primitive torpedo-boat proved a com
plete failure, and the marine torpedo
does not seem to have been very effect
ive in warfare before our Civil "War of
1861-63. .
Cost of. Siberian Railroad.
United States Consular Reports.
The construction of the great Trans-Si
bcrlan Railway, comprising a length of
5042 versts (593a miles), has cost $40,259,401
rubles (hm.554.41o), or an average of 103,
9S7 rubles ($33,553) per verst (JS1.326.S4 per
mile). The loss endured through the dls
orders in China is estimated at 10.000.000
rubles (J5.150.000). The Ministry of "Ways
and' Means of Communication has found
Isi necessary to enlarge the rolling stock
of the fourth-class service to TOGO cars, to
be used for transportation of laborers,
emigrants and recruits. fc '
BENEFITS RAILROAD COMPETITION'
Chicago Record-Herald.
In the struggle which is now Kolnsr on
among "Western railroads for the grain
tramc tne country is receiving, an In
structive lesson on the results' of the
operation of competition in the transpor
tation world. The value of the lesson is
not diminished by the fact that traffic
officials disguise the situation by calling
it a "war or rates instead of a com
petition in rates. That the immense
grain tonnage of the territory west of
tho Missouri River and east of the
Rockies is being competed for Instead of
being carried on rates which are the re
sult of general agreement Is due largely
to President A. B. Stlckney. of the Great
"Western Railroad. Recently Mr. Stlck
ney completed a line Into Omaha, through
which the grain rates had been so adjust
ed that the grain was rarely If ever
stopped In that city, but was carried
through by roads having lines both east
and west of the Missouri River.
In order to enjoy some of this business
Mr. Stlckney put In proportional rates
through Omaha, which enabled grain to
be warehoused there and dealt In. In other
words, his rates threw all the grain Into
Omaha, there to be competed for by the
roads east-bound. Competition was there
by created, and the next move in the
game was a reduction of 2 cents from
Nebraska nolnts to Chlcaro made by the
Northwestern to prevent the stoppage of
grain in Omaha and thereby continue in
the enjoyment of the through haul from
the territory beyond the Missouri River.
The law of competition again forced
.rresiaeni aucxney to luriner reauce nis
proportional rates, which he did 5 cents
per 100 pounds, in order to protect his In
terests and maintain the grain market
which he had made it possible to establish
at Omaha.
This reduction has been met by reduc
tions on grain through Kansas City,
caused by the competition between locali
ties and cities, which In turn has affected
the roads frcm the Missouri River terri
tory to the Gulf. Forced by the compe
tltion of the lines extending east from the
river, and unwilling to haul grain Into
Kansas City, there to be competed for at
low rates, the Santa Fe has reduced the
rates on grain from interior (Kansas
points direct to the Gulf 5 cents per 100
pounds in order to enjoy a long haul of
over 900 miles.
The Irony of the situation Is further
disclosed by the fact that very recently
the railroads successfully defended before
the Interstate Commerce Commission the
reasonableness of a 2S-cerit rate on grain
from the "Wichita territory to the Gulf
and then raised the rate to 30 cents. Hav
Ing done so they now voluntarily, but
owing to competition, reduce the rate 3
cents below the figure held by tne com
mission to be a reasonable one. Traffic
men declare that competition such as now
exists with respect " to Western grain Is
ruinous war, as it results in rates which
leave no profit To this the Railroad
Commission has always replied that when
.the rate on .a commodity approaches the
margin between profit and loss competi
tion Is bound to cease at about the point
of equitable and just rates.
Russian Force in Manchuria.
Now York Sun.
On January 22 the London Times pub
lished a dispatch from its .renin corre
spondent giving the total Russian force
east of Lake Baikal at 3115 officers, 147,479
men and 266 guns. Nothing, however, was
said of the authority on Which this state
ment was based. Now, apart from any
reinforcements that have been sent out
from European Russia and the military
districts of "Western Siberia during, the
past five months, the aggregate strength
of the army In Eastern- Siberia and Man
churia, now that it Is placed on a war
footing, should, according to a .French
statement drawn from official sources, be
at least 50.000 greater than that given out
from Pekln as above.
In addition to the reinforcements that
have been dispatched from Russia since
the beginning of September, when the, sit
uation. ,had become decidedly acute, tne
Russians have lately been recruiting a
large body of .Mongpl horsemen under
Russian officers, who are being trained
to fight Beer fashion.
These are separate from the plastonnl,
that Is, local and native levies of com
panies and battalions destined to cover
the advance or retreat and flanks of an
army In the field. Associated with these
are -the okhotnlkl, groups of 64 men, se
lected for their marksmanship and daring.
In each battalion of Infantry, for special
ly, arduous and risky duties.
Cfiances of Dark Horses. .
Kansas City Journal.
The dark horse has great advantages
as a candidate over an aspirant who has
long been an active and prominent par
tlcipant lh public affairs. Such men as
Henry Clay and James G. Blaine have
hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic
supporters who are willing to go to any
lengths to secure their success. Unfortu
nately, however, they are also sure, dur
ing their long careers, to have excited
violent animosities against themselves In
their own party as well as among the op
position. An unknown candidate may not
arouse great enthusiasm in his own be
half, but. on the other hand, he has not
the disadvantage of exciting strong an
tagonisms among the opposition. He is
expected to poll -his entire party vote and
to draw some strength from other parties,
and several times In the past dark-horse
candidates for the Presidency have fully
met these expectations.
Two Dogs That Had No Show.
New York Sun.
Cerberus was guarding the entrance to
the Infernal regions.
"You Just tell the Mayor," barked the
three-headed bowwow, "that I sympa
thize with him in the job of keeping the
lid on.
As Dante, however, failed to make a
note of it publication was long delayed.
Jd Mother Hubbard had gone to the
cupooara to get ner poor doggie a bone.
"That's just where she made her mis
take," growled the knowing canine. "If
she had gone to the bench with 'me, the
dear girls would give me all I could eat"
Living before the days of dog shows.
the poor dog lived too early.
Our Pension System Discounted.
John Ambrose Gould, a Sergeant-Major
of the Royal v arwlckshlre Regiment.
was tried recently at Dublin for forgery
(he was acquitted), and it appeared that
he was in receipt of a pension from the
crown conferred upon an ancestor who
owned Boscobel House, and concealed
Charles II there and in the royal oak of
Boscobel, In the chase after him which
ensued on the defeat of "Worcester field.
Wars of Ten Years.
There have been five important wars be
tween nations in ten years, viz:
1SS4 War between Japan and China.
1S97 War between Turkey and Greece.
1S9S War between the United States and
Spain.
1S99-1902 War between Great Britain and
South African Republics.
1S04 War between Russia and Japan.
Russian Loans.
According to French authority, Russia's
four loans total the colossal sum of 51.40O, -
000,000, most of which came from France.
Russia has now practically used up these
loans on building the Trans-Siberian Rail
road, the new fleet and internal Improve
ments In the waterways. The Trans-Sibe
rian line alone has proved a terrible drain,
the deficit last year reaching ?20,OQO,000.
The Last Hope of the Immortals.
New York Sun.
Hebe bad just been succeeded by Gany
mede as cup-bearer.
"If he doesn't do." groaned the gods.
"we shall prooaDiy have to get a China
man."
Thus we see that the servant question
was rife even In Olympus.
PRESIDEXT AND WALL STREET
Kansas City Star.
A reader of the Star desires to know
what President Roosevelt has done to op
pose Wall street or hamper the trusts;
what has become of the Northern Securi
ties case, and whether the Secretary ot
the Treasury "has not rushed to Wall
street every time a monetary stringency
threatened 1t" As a reason for seeking'
this Information the writer says: "I be
lieve that I am not alone In my doubts as
to the sincerity of Wall street s opposi
tion to Mr. Roosevelt"
It Is necessary, of course, to distinguish
between legitimate Wall street the nat
ural center of American finance and spec
ulative Wall street, which Inflates stock
ana promotes monopolistic enterprises.
The President is not hostile to organized
capital so long as Its purposes are honest
and its methods -lawful. Secretary Shaw
has -been less disposed than most of his
predecessors to come to the aid of the
banks. When he has drawn on the Treas
ury to relieve a stringency he has sent re
lief through the Subtraasuries, and even
Western banks look largely to the ,New
York Subtreasury for relief. There is
nothing questionable in any relief that
he has thus far given.
President Roosevelt has consistently op
posed special Immunities and favors for
great corporations. A3 Governor of New
York he securecL the passage of a law tax
ing franchises. That was one of his first
offenses to Wall street. As President he
has recognized two great evils growing
out of present conditions the organization
of trusts, through which the masses are
imposed upon and competition strangled,
and the inflation of stocks, through which
Innocent purchasers are deceived and
fleeced. For the first he demanded more
far-reaching laws and the enforcement of
existing statutes against extortion and the
restraint of trade. For the second he de
manded publicity, believing that the im
position of watered stocks would be re
duced to the minimum it published state
merits of actual conditions were exacted
To these ends he asked and secured the
creation of the new Department of Com
merce, with special powers and faclll
ties' for regulating practices and exposing
conditions. This department has made
substantial progress under Secretary Cor-
telyou, although much time necessarily
has been given to organization.
Under the President's instruction At
torney-General Knox proceeded against
the Northern Securities Company and se
cured a verdict In the lower courts. The
case Is- now awaiting the action of the Su
preme Court of the United States. This
case has been especially offensive to Wall
street because the President did not give
warning to the railway magnates that he
intended to bring action. In .order that
they mlgljt prepare for the slump In
watered stock that followed. They rea
soned that inasmuch as they had contrib
uted liberally to Republican campaign
funds they deserved this special consid
eration. The President malntalped that
they must be treated merely as offenders
against the law. ,
The beef trust was proceeded against
and the case was won In the lower courts.
The Supreme Court of the United States
remanded the case, and it will be tried
again, jlnjunctlon suits are proceeding
against 14 different railroads, to break up
unlawful combinations to fix rates. The
action against the Salt trust resulted in
a plea of guilty, a fine and the breaking
up of the organization. A case Is pending
against the Jacksonville Wholesale Groc
era Association. The suit against the coal
carrying roads of the East will be heard
by the Supreme Court of the United States
March 17. and the same tribunal also has
the action against the Louisville & Nash
ville Railroad for arbitrary overcharges to
dispose of. There Is a case against the
cotton trust for discrimination In "rout
ing." Tho Standard Oil trust has been
asked for a statement of its business and
has refused to comply, and action to test
the publicity law will be brought against
this creat corooratlon.
President. Roosevelt has done all that, he
has een able to. do to check the abuses of
the trust and railway, comblnatjpns, ana
everything possible to promotethe legltl-'
mate, Interests of' the colintry. There. As
not the least doubt that 'speculative Wall
street is against him.
Yarn of Washington Correspondents..
Chicago Chronicle.
Lese majeste has become an actuality
In connection with the Roosevelt admin
istration. The last victim of the Presi
dent's displeasure is Miss" Margaret Wade,
a very charming, talented and painstak
ing little woman who writes on soclar"
matters for the Washington Post She
Is a level-headed, unobtrusive, but never
theless thoroughly capable newspaper
worker. For years she has enjoyed en
tree to all. the homes In Washington.
Every woman conspicuous in the social
forces of tlie capital Is her personal and
cordial friend. The other night Mtss Wade
went to the annual Congressional re
ception at the White House. Following
her usual practice on such occasions, she
began to mingle with the guests, and
was amazed to be Informed by ah usher
that she would have to take a' place In
a corner and remain there. She explained
that she was present by the president's
Invitation, that she had work to do and
that it was necessary for her to move
with freedom through the rooms of the
executive mansion, but the usher was In
exorable. He told her that he was obey
ing orders.
Nevertheless, Miss Wade followed her
own inclinations. The next day Secretary
Loeb called up the editor of the Post
and practically demanded Miss Wade's
dismissal from tho paper.
The editor asked Loeb to explain his
reason for making the demand, where
upon Loeb replied: "Come up here and
I will tell you all about it"
"My office is. in the Post building."
, said the editor tartly. . "If you want to
see me you can come down here."
That ended the matter, and in the mean
time Miss Wade Is not a visitor at the
White House.
On a previous occasion the President
demanded the dismissal of John H.
O'Brien, then a political writer for the
New York Sun and now private secretary
to Mayor McClellan. There Is a record
of still a third case. Miss Wade has
the sympathy as well as the moral sup
port of the entire corps ot correspond
ents. Advice to a Lover.
Anon.
The sea. hath many thousand sands,
The sun hath motes as many;
The sky Is full of stars, and Love
As full of. woes as any":
Believe me, that do know the' elf.
And make no trial by thyself!
It Is in truth a pretty toy
For babes to play withal:
But O the honeys of our youth
Are oft our ace's gall!
Self-proof in time will make -thee know
He was a pronhet told thee so;
A prophet that. Cassandra-llke,
Tells truth without belief;
For headstrong Youth will ran his race.
Although his goal be grief:
Love's Martyr, when his heat la past.
Proves Care's Confessor at the last.
Petaluma's Half-Million Hens.
From Track News.
The town of Petaluma, Cal., Is one of
the greatest egg-producing centers of the
world. There are In this town 500,000
hens, and last year their owners shipped
2,600,000 dozen eggs and sold 30.000 dozen
poultry. As many as 14,000 dozen eggs
have been shipped la one day. Wouldn't
it be a good idea to "plant" more of
our Eastern farms to poultry?
Fading Inducements.
Denver Republican.
The English aristocracy has tabooed the
use of "my lady" In addressing women
of title. Pretty soon there will not be
"anything to Induce an American, heiress
to marry a nobleman.
NOTE AND COMMENT,
Octosyllabic Epics.
. "tt'AR AND THE SCHOOEBOY
Huss; "4
Jap;
Fuss;
'.Scrap.
Cuss '
Maps!
There is a youns fello-cr named Dunne, "
Who thinks making debts la great run;
tsxit collectors declare -In
a tone ot despair:
'We will never be done dunning Dunne."
A new Roosevelt club: Michael Davltt
has presented the President with a black
thorn.
The surprising thing about Representa
tive Shafroth's action is the surprise it
created.
By announcing a "great battle" every
day the news should be made to fit the
fact on at least one day.
The Russian General Plug might be a
useful man to stick into a shot hole; In
other ways he appears to be a. failure.
Even the torpedo-boats of Russia are
heavily armored, bearing such names as
Bezposhtchodnl, Bezupretchnl and Blesty
aschtchl. Under the caption "Socal Events," in
the New York Mall and Express, the first
item is headed, "Kettledrum for the
Aged." Wouldn't this be more appropri
ate for the young?"
Some years ago, says the El Paso News,
one man bet another that he could not
move an ordinary brick tied to the end oi
a cord two or three miles long. A straight
and level road just outside Chichester, N.
Y., was selected for the trial. The brick
was not moved, and the jnan lost his bet
for a large amount It was stated by some
one present that the brick, although
weighing only seven pounds, would from
a distance of two or three miles repre
sent a dead weight of nearly a ton.
The sorrows of Winter are many. Here
Is an unusual one. described by the De
troit Tribune:
At best "Winter Is .a dreary season, but It has
Its diversions along with Its cool -streaks and
its Icy perils- Arriving at the gate from a
dance late at night, a Benton Harbor maiden
uttered a Uttle shriek and exclaimed. "O Sly!
see how the snow has drifted! I never can
wade through It to the door." George took the
hint. His' heart was great within his bosom,
and his muscles swelled as he responded. "I'll
carry you." That was Just what she wanted,
and he took hold and was doing very well till
his unrubbered feet struck the Ice beneath the
drift. There was a brief, manly struggle, but
it did not count for much, and the hero was
soon buried beneath the snow, frills, furbelows
and delicate edgery. They got out somehow,
and he tried his hand at explaining that as
a "common carrier." he was not responsible
for safe delivery under conditions where fail
ure was due to the Almighty, but It was as.
much as ever he could do to fli it up with
her.
Many moons have passed since the name
of Professor Trlggs hummed along tho
wlrus, but the worthy educator has not
been Idle. He has been engaged In prose
cuting a libel action, which, fortunately
for all but Triggs, was decided against
him. Professor Triggs had given the
world a poem. Indecently looking a gift
horse In the mouth, a critic became dis
satisfied and scored, scathed, scorched,
and excoriated the Trlggslan verses. An
action for libel was the result and the
court, whlchiundoubtedly had more of an
ear tor law than for poetry, decided' that
the critic was justified In his scorinjr.
scathing, scorching and excoriating scorn.
Poor Triggs, how painful it must be to
live In a coarse and material world, where
even poetry from Chicago University Is
criticised. We may be sure that President
Harper In his recent declaration that the
professors might say what they liked
about Mr. Rockefeller had no Idea of en
couraging mere outsiders to criticise the
faculty.
W. E. Vlgus. who Is now an Alderman
at Salt Lake 'City, was formerly chief op
erator of the Associated Press in tho
same place. He had an office room of his
own, with a "cut-In" on the wire, which
he was very prone to use, frequently but
ting In on some operator. Each telegra
pher has his own form of signature, usu
ally chosen for its brevity, and Vlgus used
"VI" as his. When an operator "breaks"
In receiving a message, he goes back to
the last word he took correctly and re
peats it, so that the message may be re
sent from that point It happened on one
occasion that Sam Small, In taking a mes
sage In Seattle, a city that he still Il
lumines with hl3 presence, broke on the
word "vividly," and Vlgus, who was busy
In his office, was Instantly aroused by
hearing "vi-vl" hi3 call, clicked out on his
receiver.
".This Is VI." he hammered out "what
is it?"
"Vl-vi," went Small.
"This Is VI what do you want?"
"Vl-vi "
"This is VI," and the wire falrl
smoked.
"Vl-vl" came from Small, still trying to
pick up his story.
"This Is V" but at this point the op
erator from the next room rushed In and
dragged Vlgus from his chair.
WEX. J.
OUT OF THE GINGER J-AR.
"Hang this' old boat I can't sleep with all
that clanking!" "Well, what do you expect on
a Sound steamer?" Harvard Lampoon.
"You have seen this book, I suppose. What
do you think about it?" "Well, there's ono
good thing about It." "Indeed?" "Yes; It's
simply Impossible to dramatize it." Philadel
phia .Ledger.
"That's Mr. Pompus, the hokeypokey mag
nate. He belongs to our church." "Ah. In
deed! How interesting! I had inferred from
his attitude that the church belonged to him."
Brooklyn Life.
"Have you no pride?" "Jfaw," replied the
street beggar. "But I'm goln ter lay in er
supply when it gits er trifle cheaper." "Gets
cheaper! "Yep. .Pride, dey say. is bound ter
have er fall." Chicago Daily News.
Visitor What a racket the steam makes,
clanking through the pipes! Flat Dweller
(shiveringlyYes. It reminds me of one of
Shakespeare's plays. Visitor Which "The
Tempest?" Flat Dweller No. "Much Ado
About Nothing." Town, and Country.
"How did you like the intermezzo at the
opera last night?" asked Mrs. Oldcastle.
"Not very well," replied her hostess. "Joslah
thought he was great but It always turns mo
against a person when they have their whiskers
running down to a-point that way." Chicago
Record-Herald.
Mountaineer Child (In Tennessee) Are you a
literary person, sir? Astonished Tourist Yes;
why do you want to know? Mountaineer
Well, papa is out of work just now. and he
said that If you were a literary person, per
haps you would pay us SO cents -a day for
talking dialect for your book. Baltimore
American:
"Do you believe that worry ever killed a
cat?" asked the man who enjoys propounding
foolish cuestlons. "I should say nott" ex
claimed the chap who is willing to answer.
"I've been worrying how to get rid of our
neighbor's caterwauling beast for a month
past, but it seems healthier "than everl" Cin
cinnati TlmesTStar,