THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1904. ii &f j t fiawiiYmtmt WVi-wr Entered at the Postofflce at Portland, Or., as eecond-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By mall (postage prepaid In advance) Dally, with Sunday, per month SO. 85 Dally, with Sunday excepted, per year.. 7.50 l Daily, -with Sunday, per year ........ 9.00 Sunday, per year 2.00 The Weekly, per year 1.50 The Weekly, 3 months 50 Daily, per week, delivered, Sunday excepted-15c Daily, per week, delivered, Sunday included.20c POSTAGE RATES. United States, Canada and Mexico 10 to 14-page paper lc 10 to 30-page paper c 22 io 44-page paper .......3c Foreign rates double. The Oregonlan does not buy poems or atories from individuate, and cannot undertake to return any manuscript cent to it without solicitation. No stamps should be inclosed for this purpose. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICES. (The S. C. Beckwlth Special Agei.cy) New York: Rooms 43-40. Tribune Building. Chicago: Rooms 510-512 Tribune Building. KEPT ON SALE. Chicago Auditorium annex; Postofflce News Co.. 217 Dearborn etrect. Pemer Julius Black, Hamilton & Hend rlck, 06C-012 Seventeenth et.; Loutban & Jack son. Fifteenth and Lawrence. Kansao City Ricksecker Cigar Co., Ninth end Walnut. Los Angeles B. F. Gardner, 259 South Spring; Oliver & Haines, 205 South Spring, and Harry Drapkln. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh, 50 South Third. L. RegelEbuger, 317 First Avenue South. New York Cltj L. Jones & Co., Astor Blouse. Ogden W. C. Alden. Postofflce Cigar Store; T. R. Godard: W. G. Kind. 114 25th St. Omaha Bar kalow Bros., 1C12 Farnam; McLaughlin Bros. 210 South 14th; Megeath Statlonerj Co.. 1308 Farnam. Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co., 41 west Second South Street. bt. Louis World's Fair News Co. San Francisco J. K. Cooper Co.. 740 Mar ket, near Palace Hotel; Foster & Orear. Ferry News Stand; Goldsmith Bros., 230 Sutter; L. 12. Lee, Palace Hotel News Stand; F. W. Pitts. 1008 Market; Frank Scott. 80 Ellis; N. W heat Jey. 83 Stevenson; Hotel Francis News Stand. Wellington, D. C Ed Brinkman. Fourth and Pacific Ave., N. W.; Ebbltt House News Stand. YESTERDAY'S WEATHER Maximum tem perature. 53 deg.; minimum, 30. Precipita tion, 0.01 inch. TODAY'S WEATHER-Falr and warmer; northerly winds. 1'ORTLAND, TiroRSDAY,APRIL 7, 19M GOVEHXOR M'BRIDE'S COQUETRY. The overwhelming victory of the antl-McBride forces in the primaries of Thurston and Klickitat Counties on Tuesday, together with the defeat of the Republican Mayor in Tacoma be cause he was avowedly a McBride man, will come as a surprise to many of the Governor's friends. Tremendous ef forts have been put forth in Thurston County for the past two years to frame up a McBride machine, and the poor showing made at the primaries there will have a depressing effect in other parts of the state. But It is not alone west of the mountains that the anti MoBrlde sentiment seems on the in crease, but in Whitman, the stronghold of McBrldeism in Eastern Washington, the antis on the County Central Com mittee have turned down the McBride programme for two conventions and nave more than a fighting chance to win out at the primaries. Chelan County Republicans, while not unap preciatlve of the fish hatchery which the Governor gave them at the expense of localities that actually needed it, refused to fight the railroads until they, had one to fight, and defeated the McBride ticket These results show a decided change in sentiment in various parts of the state, and it is altogether probable that the act of the Governor in "flirting" with the railroad representatives whom he has in the past so bitterly de nounced is largely responsible for the defection from his ranks?- All sorts of wild rumors have been in circulation regarding the meeting of the Governor with George Stevenson, the chief repre sentative of the "railroad interests in the state. Mr. Stevenson denies that there has been any deal between him and the Governor. In this denial the Governor acquiesces, but his denial Is not explicit enough fully to cover the situation. He says: "I have made no deal with the Northern Pacific or the O. R. & N. Co." He is strangely si lent regarding the Great Northern. For days we have been Informed by the McBride papers on Puget Sound and east of the mountains that there has been a split in the railroad forces and that Mr. Stevenson has declined to work with the Great Northern. It is an open secret that Stevenson's warm personal and political friend, Dr. J. J. Smith, was forced out of the race for Governor by Great Northern-Piles influence; There is but little more se crecy In the reported declaration of Mr. Piles that he wished to go down to the state convention with a solid delega tion unpledged for any other purpose but to be traded to the limit with, for the purpose of securing Senatorial prestige for Piles. The "limit" men tioned, in view of recent developments and declarations, would seem to be the swapping of a railroad county's delegates to be used in nominating a presumably anti-railroad man for Gov ernor. Stevenson denies that he has made a deal with the Governor, and his denfal is corroborated by the solid antl McBrlde delegations that are coming out of the counties where he has the most influence.' Governor McBride, the other party to the alleged deal. Is less fortunate In allaying suspicion. So long as Dr. Smith was so prominent a candidate in King County, the Governor made a hot fight against him. and had planned to carry the war right into Smith's own district. This crusade could be inter preted on fthe surface to mean that he regarded Smith as a formidable antag onist who must be got out of the way. King County is overwhelmingly a rail road county, and Smith was always a railroad man. Every one knows that the railroads working together could have kept Smith or any other candidate they chose to name on the ticket. They could also have prevented McBride from having the clear field which he now has In King Counts'. It is thus evident that railroad influence was en listed by McBride to kill off Smith. The Governor says that he has made no deal with the Northern Pacific or the O. R. & N. Co. These roads are thus eliminated from the fight, but how about the Great Northern? There is no secret that this road has been ald ' ing Piles in his campaign wherever possible, and In no possible way could they aid him so much as by sidetrack ing Smith and. giving Sam Piles a solid delegation to be traded off for the pur pose of furthering the mutual interests of McBride and Piles. The eagerness of McBride to secure any kind of support, railroad or other wise, would be thoroughly consistent with his record on the railway commis sion bill, the identical .bill he now de sires being a bad bill when Rogers had JV .rr the appointing power, but an -extraor- dlnary good measure when the- ap pointing power was vested In " Henrjr McBride. His anxiety to rush into the camp of his former enemies cannot do otherwise than cause suspicion, and this suspicion has already reached a stage where rumors are afloat that the Great Northern might be asked to rec ommend two of the three members of the commission. This will not be very cheerful news for the farmers east of the mountains, and It is not altogether probable, in view of the present strained relations between the Hlll Harrlman systems, that It will be sat isfactory to the roads which will have no part in recommending the commis sioners. If one-half of the apparently well-founded rumors now in circulation can be believed, It appears that the Great Northern has been placed in a bad light with the other railroads, and at the same time has placed Governor McBride in an equally bad light with his constituents. Neither of the par ties seem to have played fair with their constituents, and the results of such political double-crossing are not diffi cult to forecast. 1 RUSSIA'S ACTION AT NIU CHWANG. Russia's reported action at NIu Chwang In seizing the dispatch-boat Fawan and arresting the Japanese ser vants of the American news corre spondents has a harsh look at this dis tance, but it must not be forgotten that only within a few weeks a Japanese servant suffered to remain In Port Ar thur because she was a favorite with the Russian officers xstole a set of very valuable war maps from the army en gineers and escaped with them to Pe kln, from where she was forwarded to Tokio, where she delivered her booty to the Japanese War Office. In war time the Russians are naturally in a frame of mind to suspect every Japan ese coming Into Russian territory, which Niu Chwang is today by virtue of warlike occupation, of being a spy in disguise. It was a most indiscreet act for the American news dispatch boat to venture into this port of Rus sian Manchuria with any Japanese on board, for these correspondents knew that' practically, If not technically, Russian martial law would be en forced. The dispatch-boat found martial law already proclaimed, as they had a right to expect to find It The indiscreet action of this American dispatch-boat has naturally been followed by the military arrest of the Japanese, for the vessel dn Its arrival found that martial law had already been proclaimed by Viceroy Alexieff. After this proclama tion, which appropriated territory in which Consuls representing treaty powers have been residing under exe quaturs issued by the Pekln govern ment, these foreign Consuls possessed no other powers than would be theirs in a Russian town placed temporarily under martial law. Russia's action in this matter is not open to criticism, for when both Russia and Japan agreed to respect China's neutrality and ad ministrative entity they expressly ex cepted from the operation of the agree ment Manchuria as being likely to be come a theater of war. This American news dispatch-boat took great chances of trouble when It landed at a port which might at any moment be placed under Russian martial law, and It has no reason to' be surprised at the un "pleasant situation It found on Its ar rival. No wonder that Russia is anxious about the safety of Niu Chwang, for if the Japanese should once possess that port the Russian right flank in Man churia would be pierced and Port Ar thur substantially isolated. Not only would the railroad which skirts the gulf coast around to Niu Chwang be cut, but the Japanese at Niu Chwang would only be about 100 miles from Wiju, on the Corean side of the Talu estuary, on which the main Japanese army Is now advancing to capture. Russia, of course, could not afford to lose Niu Chwang, for In that event she could not hope to dispute the passage of the Talu River, but would have to retreat on Mukden. The strategic value of NIu Chwang is so great that the proclamation of martial law by the Russian military authorities was an Indispensable preliminary to an effect ive defense. It was an act of military necessity on part of the Russian mili tary authorities that was likely to be enforced at any moment, and the American correspondents knew this, or at least ought to have known it, and have really no reason to com plain that they were arrested and roughly treated. The presence of Japanese servants, the Russian prejudice against all Eng lishmen and Americans, as presumably sympathetic with Japan, explains the whole affair. In war time rude jus tice and sometimes very rude injustice is sure to be wrought Murat Halstead In his famous letter describing the bat tle of Gravelotte in the Franco-German campaign of 1S70 tells how he barely escaped being shot for a French spy by a party of Gorman soldiers. Nothing but the arrival of a German subaltern officer who could read some thing of his papers saved his life. During our own Civil War similar acts of rude military justice or injustice were wrought on both sides. Abso lutely Innocent men were arrested by telegraph order from Secretary Seward or Secretary Stanton and confined for months in Fort Lafayette or in Federal jails In the various states. A poor, harmless country doctor of good char acter was arrested In a small New England village and confined for months in jail because he was a polit ical crank who openly declared his sympathy with Calhoun's rather than Webster's construction of the Consti tution and defended the "right" of the South to secede. Ex-TJnited States Senator Edmunds made an earnest ap peal to the Government for this man's release, and finally obtained It The arbitrary arrest and confinement of General Charles P. Stone, to the utter ruin of an able and loyal soldier's career, is another case in point The order from General Halleck to put Jefferson Davis in Irons is another il lustration of the stupid and barbarous acts that are wrought under martial law in times of exceptional civil emer gency and deep commotion. Such in stances of passionate or Ignorant acts of injustice were not Infrequent in our Civil War on both sides; they are sure to happen In all wars, and in the case of the American news dispatch-boat the indiscretion of its authorities can fairly be said to have invited trouble. The port was likely to be found under martial law, and if it were found In this situation, what happened was in evitable, as things generally go In war time. Inasmuch as Secretary Hay by his silence had already accept ed the qualification made by Russia and Japan of the principle that Chl- nese neutralltyshall be respected when jyihey excepted from China's adminis trative entity any part 01 .-uancminu. occupied by one of the belligerents or likely to become a theater of war, the correspondents are very lucky that Consul Miller's Importunity availed as much for them as it did. REAL RACIAL PEELINGS. While the very name of the possibility that is referred to by the crossroads strategists as the "yellow peril" gives it an exaggerated aspect, it seems im possible to deny that the yellow races of mankind are animated by something of the spirit that animates the white races. Let an American abroad find a quarrel between a Russian and a Japanese and he will side with the white man. There is an instinctive distrust of the colored races, or at least an Instinctive incli nation to hold them a less than kin and not much more than kind, In all white races. It Is but reasonable to suppose that the same feelings, however care fully repressed, abide in the hearts of the colored races, although these feel ings may never flower Into action. The feeling is one that Is to a large extent lost In national Issues. With the evidences of sympathy with Japan In her present conflict ,before one, it Is obvious that two, at least, of the great "white" nations are gladdened by news of an Asiatic nation's victories. Simi larly the Japanese may cheerfor Great Britain, a pledged ally, and the United States, which they are Inclined to class as a potential ally, but in the individual Japanese heart it is likely that there would be small sorrow were an Asiatic race to defeat either of these powers. Confirmation of this Idea is found In several significant incidents reported by the Kobe Chronicle, which recalls, at the same time, the predictions made by several authorities that should Japan suffer a serious reverse the populace would revenge itself upon the aliens in the country. As it is, the victories re ported have caused a change in the de meanor of the working classes. An English lady, walking In the street with her child, after the news of the victory at Port Arthur had been pub lished, was greeted with insulting lan guage by a coolie, who slapped the child In the face. Ladies and children In a carriage have been made the target for orange pefcl. Foreigners have been stoned. "But it is not In Isolated inci dents that the change is so noticeable as in the general demeanor of the un educated classes," says the Chronicle. The general demeanor f the unedu cated classes In any cov ry is apt to be offensive toward mercers of a hos tile nation or members of a nation In open sympathy with an enemy, but were Ltaly, say, at war with Spain, one would not expect to find Italian crowds hooting stray Swedes or Russians. The Chronicle considers the explanation of the present feeling in Japan to be that "when a nation goes to war, the tribal Instincts naturally reassert themselves, with the result that among the less educated every one who Is outside the tribal pale is for the time being looked upon with repugnance or disdain as a possible enemy." The Chronicle? should have gone further. The educated classes usually have the same feelings in national matters as have the unedu cated, but they conceal them better when policy requires. The nations are one In these matters. The Chronicle should have said that among all classes every one who Is outside the racial pale Is looked upon witL repugnance. 3IILT MILLER'S LATEST. In his address at the Jefferson Ian banquet at Salem on Monday evening Senator M. A. Miller, of L-Inn County, told his fellow-Democrats how he pro poses to nail Republican candidates for the Legislature to the, cross. It was kind of the Senator to give fair warn ing, for forewarned Is forearmed. The Republican aspirants for seats In the halls of legislation will "be ready to an swer his demands for a statement of their position. It Is Governor Cham berlain's veto of the amendment to the Australian ballot law that will be called to the attention of candidates. That measure proposed to .amend the law so that, by making one mark on the ballot, a man can vote a straight party ticket. The bill was passed In the Interest of the dominant party, for with such a ballot In use there would be fewer "scratches" and consequent ly less probability of the loss of one or two candidates. In other words, the encouragement of "straight" voting makes it easier for a fairly strong ticket to carry one or two weak men through the fight safely. Under such a law George E. Cham berlain would never have been elected Governor of a state so strongly Repub lican as this. The hope of the minor ity party is in the chance of electing a few candidates where the members of the majority party are not entirely satisfied and will scratch their ticket The bill passed both houses of the leg islature, but was vetoed by the Gov ernor. The veto measure will come up at the regular session, and the ques tion will be, "Shall the bill pass, not withstanding the veto of the Gover nor?" The Sage of Lebanon proposes to get In his deadly work by asking candidates for the Legislature how they will vote when this question is placed before them. He thinks, evi dently, that any answer a Republican can make will cost him votes, and that a Democrat may thereby win. Time will tell. The question Is one that is sure to be presented before the Legis lature, and Senator Miller, along with all other citizens, has a right to ask candidates how they will vote on the question if they are sent to Salem to make laws. THE GREATEST BATTLE MONTH. The greatest battle month of the Civil War, measured by the Importance of its anniversaries, is April. On April 12, 1SG1. the Confederates opened fire on Fort Sumter? on April 6 and 7, 1862, was fought the great and fateful battle of Shlloh; on April 24, 1862, Parragut ran the fire of Forts Jackson and St Philip, which forced the surrender of New Or leans. On April 16, 1863, Commodore Porter with his Ironclad fleet and trans ports ran the fire of the Vlcksburg batteries and assured the success of Grant's famous campaign. The month of April, 1865, was crowded with great events. . Sheridan, with 10,000 cavalry and 12,000 infantry, struck at Lee's right and rear, and on April 1, 1865, bit off his right flank under Pickett at Five Forks. His lines had been stretched so thin that they had broken at last The next morning at daylight, April 2, a general assault was made all along the lines before Petersburg. The Sixth Corps, 14,000 strong, and but 700 yards distant from the enemy, carried the works In Its front for half a mile. This success decided the fate of the day, and that night Dee abandoned his lines. The rest of the campaign was the mere hunt of the gallant quarry that, crippled and bleeding at every pore, resolutely faced its pursuers, when overtaken, like a wounded stag standing bravely at bay. On April 6 the Confederate rearguard was crushed and captured after a most heroic re slstance at Sailor's Creek. April 8 Sheridan's cavalry blocked the path of Lee's retreat at Appomattox Station. A rapid night march brought up the Infantry of the Fifth and Twenty fourth Corps to Sheridan's support, and at daylight April 9 Lee found himself with the road barred to Lynchburg by Sherjdan with 10,000 cavalry and 20,000 Infantry, while Meade with 20,000 Infan try of the Second and Sixth Corp3 was pressing his rear. Without food, with out artillery, without hope of rescue, Lee was obliged to surrender. On April 26 came the surrender, of Joe Johnston's army, which had been preceded by the victorious raid of Gen eral Wilson, who, with 15,000 cavalry, had captured Selma, Ala., April 2; West Point, Ga., and Columbus, Ga., April 16. The forts defending Mobile fell April 9. Surely April, 1865, was a memorable month of battle crowded with disaster for the Confederates, who, as they manfully said, "lost everything, out honor." All the eminent leaders In the last great campaign are dead save Generals Schofield, Howard, Mer rltt, Miles and Wilson, of the Union Army, and Generals Bate, Fltz Hugh Lee and Wheeler, of the Confederates All these tremendous events of our Civil War were closed only thirty-nine years ago, and yet today United States Senator Foraker, of Ohio, who was a Lieutenant In Sherman's army In Sher man's last battle at Bentonville, N. C, March 20, 1865, Is trying hard to have Congress pass a law providing for the marking of the graves of 20,000 Con federate soldiers who died In the hands of the United States Government as prisoners of war, thus carrying out a project which was Indorsed by the ex Confederate soldiers at their gathering at Memphis on Memorial day of 190L Surely the hopes of Grant, the hopes of Lee, the prayers of Johnston and the benedictions of Wade Hampton have been justified when we find an ex Union soldier pleading from his seat in the United States Senate to have Con fess order the marking of the graves of Confederate prisoners of war. Why not? It was a terrible war; there were many men fell In that war; there was much heroism on both sides, and the memory of it is a title and heritage of respect to the children of the. generation that fought this great conflict to its fateful conclusion. Sena tor Foraker as a gallant soldier knows that the Confederates were most gal lant men In battle, and he would not leave a single Confederate grave un marked within our lines. It is only doffing cap to gallant foes. Of the various differences between Great Britain and France that have now been settled, the most Important, from the French point of view at least, is that of Morocco. From the cabled terms of agreement It appears that France will now be enabled to pro ceed with her long-cherished designs of extending to the Atlantic Coast her al ready great possessions on the Medi terranean littoral, and in Central North Africa. That is to say, she may carry out these designs without interference from Great Britain; how she will pro gress with the tribes of Morocco Is quite another matter. Great Britain has her mind relieved, of be nightmare of an African Gibraltar frowning across the straits at her own, and It Is not -to be doubted that she has ob tained pledges of an open door for her commerce. The settlement of the "French shore" question In Newfound land has removed an Irritating thorn from the side of the British Empire. The French were given fishing rights by treaty and also right to maintain flsh-curjng establishments on the shore. Gradually these rights were extended until they became practically territor ial and the cause of constant friction. Three or four British men-of-war were employed on patrol duties during each fishing season, and their commanders acted as magistrates In settling the many disputes that arose. As many decisions were against the Newfound land people, the spectacle was present ed of British ships upholding French against colonial fishermen In demands that the people of Newfoundland, and those of Great Britain that had con sidered the matter, deemed unjust, in that the intention of the treaty had been abandoned for the letter. One million dollars' worth of real es tate sold, building permits Issued for nearly $500,000 worth of new structures, and nearly two miles of cement side walk laid, are some of the interesting Portland statistics for the month of March. All this was accomplished un der decidedly unfavorable weather con ditions, and building on all sides is un der full swing nearly six weeks earlier than usual. As a matter of fact, there has been no let-up In the activity In building throughout the Winter. De spite the large number of new dwell ings, rooming-houses and business structures that are continually being finished, a steady stream of tenants ap pear, and the supply has not yet caught up with the demand. With s,uch an ex cellent showlnjr made under such ad verse circumstances, we may expect a much greater proportionate increase as soon as the weather settles and the mills can turn out dry lumber. Port landers will wake up some morning In the not very distant future and find a big city here. Every now and then there is a dis cussion concerning the American Na tional anthem. The Navy Department recently made the "Star-Spangled Ban ner" the official air, but it is popular custom that In the long run makes a song the Nation's own. It Is Idle, there fore, for writers to point out that this or that Is the "logical" National song. There Is no logic In such matters, any more than In love. The Baltimore American In a recent editorial pre sents the claims of the "Star-Spangled Banner' with considerable force, re marking with justice that the words are "singularly illustrative of the pa triotism of the people and the Institu tions of the country." The American concludes by saying that, In addition to this, "to those whose ears are at tuned to music, there is in the air a re flection of the American character and spirit" If this be the case, it must be admitted that the composer, who gave the air to a drinking song, must have been a person of great foresight Our editorial suggestion yesterday that all members of the House who were friendly to the Lewis and Clark bill were on hand at Monday's vote Is set as"lde by the telegraphic statement from Washington to the contrary ef fect This forms an added reason for confidence In the bill's ultimate success. SPIRIT OF THE NORTHWEST PRESS Soap and a Towel, Please. Salem Statesman. Speaking about clean journalism, what an ideal paper would be the prod uct of a partnership between Mr. Bath, of the Hillsboro Independent, and Mr. Wash, of the Polk County Itemlzer? Moody Not Yet Buried. Boise Statesman. It Is said that ex-Representative Mal colm Moody Is giving Williamson a lively race in the Second District of Oregon for the Congressional nomination. It was sup posed that the Mitchell Influence in the Portland delegation would be sufficient to Insure Williamson's renominatlon, but Moody Is still a lively competitor. No Need to Advertise. Gold Hill News. Raphael Chartraw Messnos, better known as "Roxy," made Medford a busi ness visit Saturday. A false report has been circulated about town, "regarding Roxy advertising for a wife in the Far East, and that the lady came Sunday and went to get married. Just as If we haven't plenty of good and pretty girls right here In Oregon. If gossip mongers would mind their own business and leave others alone, they would reap the good seeds rhey sow. Educated Them Too Yell. Prlnevllle Review. . Mr. Williamson Is to be congratulated upon having so distinguished an enemy a The Oregonlan. It would pay him to re imburse that paper to boost for Mr. Moody right along, for It is a fact well known that Its editor has defeated more men for office by fighting for them than any machine or political combination In the state. The Oregonlan works for or ainst a candidate as Its chiefs per sons! Interests dictate, and while the paper Is read everywhere as a superior production in typography, its readers in sist upon the prerogative of thinking for themselves. It has educated the masses in Oregon up to a point where its assist ance Is superfluous and Its political opin ions are so much waste paper, except as a means of whillng away a tedious hour. The Best Ever. Toledo Leader. Our Eastern friends are kindly asked to bear in mind the fact that the greatest attractions at the Lewis and Clark Fair to be held at Portland in 1905 will be climate and scenery. While the exhibit will be great so great that many visitors will not be able to see It the glorious climato and scenery will afford the real enjoyment Steamboat rides up and down the beautiful Willamette and Columbia Rivers, trips through the famous Willam ette Valley, down to Yaquina Bay and the grand old Pacific Ocean these are side shows which will eclipse the Fair Itself and cost the visitor so little extra that he will feel that he is being treated as an old friend. It is not extravagance or buncombe to assert that these features alone are destined to stamp the Lewis and Clark Fair as the mest enjoyable, if not the greatest in area and size of ex hibit, ever held in America. Of course you are coming, but we give you fair warning that the visit Is apt to affect you like a dose of the fabled lotus. Spring Poem In Prose. Oregon City Courier. It is a glorious thing to see the sun once more. These beautiful days are but the promise of that which is to come. We have had the Winter of our discontent and we are now to have the Summer of the full fruition of all our hopes. There Is no more beautiful land on all this earth than this Oregon of ours when the sun shines and the Summer comes. It Is a paradise from which many of the ills and troubles of life are barred. As we look around us today, the first pf April, and see our snow capped mountains pushing their white faces into the sky, we can hut rejoice that we live In a land where the good Lord has sown the prodigies of nature with such a lavish hand. All Winter long the fields of the Willamette Valley have been car peted with green and while It has rained some It has come in gentle showers which have done much good and no harm. There Is before us possibly the most fruit ful season the Valley has known and let us be thankful for the promise and live up to the best there is in us. Boys In Ball and Chain. Walla Walla Statesman. In order to maintain the disgrace of be ing the only city In the United States that marches boys under 16 years of age In clanking chains through the main streets to be worked on the public roads, this county now hires a team and driver at W a day and a guard at $ a day to get 50 cents worth of work a day out of two motherless boys who robbed some sheep herder's camp of a little bacon and hard tack. Aside from the moral aspects of the case and the manifest tendency of such punishment to make hardened criminals of these wayward youths, the county is losing money on the deal. It Is reported that much of the tlmo of the boys has been occupied In cutting down trees along the public roads to be hauled to the house of the guard who acts as their overseer. Talk of the cruelties depicted In "Uncle Tom's Cabin!" They are only fiction that proved highly profitable to the author-, Harriet Beecher Stowe, but in the case of those two boys paraded through Main street every morning and back again at night with ball and chain attachments wa have the real article. Keep Fruit Clean. Watsonvllle, Cal., Pajaronlan. In the editorial printed recently In the Portland Oregonlan, and subsequently cop ied In the Pajaronlan, wherein the former paper sharpls criticised the action of the orchardlsts of Pajaro Valley In favoring a continuance of the practice of marketing wormy apples, the Orchardlsts Associa tion was blamed for such action. The Oregonian's stand as to the danger of such a practice was well taken and should be upheld by every paper which Is sincerely striving to foster one of this Coast's great est Industries, but It was mistaken as to who voted against the resolution to peti tion the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco to stop the oale of wormy and scaly apples In the markets of that city. The Orchardlsts Association passed tho resolution by a decisive vote, but finally consented to reconsider the matter and allow every orchard owner and manager in the Valley to vote on tho question, each acre to constitute one vote. The re sult was that tho resolution wa3 defeated by apple-growers who are not members of the association. Tho association has stood and still stands for progressive methods. Cattle Losses by Storm. Klamath Falls Express. Klamath County has passed through seven weeks of continuous storm, and at a time when some sunshine and warmth should have prevailed. Usually grass Is up and cattle on the range by the middle of March or earlier. At this time there 13 no grass, and because of hay shortage among a large number of stockmen, stock Is perishing a 25 per cent loss Is antici pated. Outside cattlemen were early last Fall in the buying of hay for the feeding of their beef cattle, which worked to the disadvantage of home stockmen. -The num ber of outside cattle fed In the county during the Fall and Winter was probably in the neighborhood of 5000 head. But Klamath County Is not alone in the mat ter of losses by storm. Elsewhere from many quarters of the globe come reports of storms and damaging floods. In Eu rope Inundations have entailed great loss. In tho United States the property loss by storm, flood and prairie fire will run Into the millions of dollars. Klamath County Is the least unfortunate of the many sec tions that have suffered in consequence o the. unusual storms that In scope .have been world-wide. RUSSIA ATNI0 CHWANG. New Tork Times. We have no grievance whatever against Russia on this ground. It Is doubtless true that the commerce of the port has been brought to a standstill, and that subjects of neutral nations remain there at their own risk. But that is a risk that they necessarily assume by remaining upon the scene of military operations, actual or potential. It is incredibly re ported that the German government is anxious to know the Intentions of our own at this juncture. Our Consul at Niu Chwang. if he had a primer of interna tional law In his possession, could have said that we would follow the precedents. These are clear and unbroken. Our doc trine and the doctrine of international law, as stated by Mr. Seward, is that "the subjects of foreign powers domiciled in a country in a state of war are not entitled to' greater privileges or immunities than the other Inhabitants of the district" So loag as the subjects of one neutral nation are treated like those of any other, they have no cause for complaint. This state ment of perfectly elementary facts ex plains the official announcement from London that the British government has no Intention of protesting against the ac tion of the Russian commander. It equal ly disposes of the twaddle which some of our esteemed contemporaries have shown a disposition' to talk about the "insult to the American flag" involved in the remov al of it by the order of the Russian com mander at Niu Chwang from the prem ises for which the occupants, being either actual or pretended American citizens, had thought to secure special protection by hoisting It The Incident Is simply an incident of war, concerning which there is no occasion whatever for the citizens of neutral nations to give way to emo tion. Bryan and the People. Chicago Chronicle. The other day when the court at New Haven ruled emphatically that the sealed letter method of disposing of estates for the benefit of philanthropic lecturers was not In harmony with the laws of the state, Mr. Bryan, taking leave of the $50,000 which he expected to secure with out anybody knowing about It, and yet mindful that honor still remained, ad dressed the court and received replies as follows: "Your Honor," eald Mr. Bryan, "I would like to say something:." "There is no question to be answered." curt ly answered Judge Gagor. "But, Your Honor, may I be permitted to ask you a question?" insisted Mr. Bryan. Judge Gager hesitated a moment, and then eald: "Well, yea; what is it?" "You may excuse the jury. Your Honor, while I ask the question, if you wish." "Well, if it involves the removal of the jury I reconsider and decline to hear the question." eald the Judge. "But, Your Honor " insisted Mr. Bryan. "I decline to hear you," snapped the Irri tated Judge. "This Is a court of law, Mr. Bryan, and I am not here to be interrogated." "We would like, in view of the position the court takes." said Mr. Brian's attorney, "to know whether the decision excluding these sev eral parts was arrived at without any refer ence to the question of alleged fraud or undue Influence." "I don't want to hear from you on the sub pect," shouted Judge Gager. Mr. Bryan was on his feet eager to put in a word, when his counsel leaned over and shoved him unceremoniously into hla seat. "The ruling made by this court," went on the Judge, "was explicit and after careful delib eration, following closely the law. The de cision excludes any further discussion of these letters." It will be noted that Mr. Bryan feared that the judgment of the court had been reached with some reference to the ques tion of "alleged fraud or undue influ ence." He had been kicked out of court, but he wanted a certificate of good char acter to carry with him. The reply of the Judge was legal, but inconsiderate. Ho would not discuss the matter. He would not be interrogated. He pro nounced the case closed and nothing was left to Mr. Bryan but the uncertainties of an appeal. Can it be possible that anybody on earth who knows Mr. Bryan will believe for an instant that there was any "al leged fraud or undue influence" In this matter? Certainly not Free-Trade View of Beet Sugar. Louisville Courier-Journal. Wlllet & Gray's Sugar Trade Journal gives statistics of beet-sugar production for the year 1903. There were in opera tion 53 factories, an Increase of 11 over the preceding year. The total production was 20S.135 tons, an Increase of 12,672. The production is confined to 12 states. This is a good deal of sugar, but when we consider that the annual consumption In round numbers is about 2,500,000 tons, wo see that It falls very far short of sup plying the needs of the country, being, in fact, about 8 per cent of the total con sumption. It has been figured out that the total product Is not much over 25 per cent of the consumption of the states in which It is produced and that tho whole product would be insufficient to supply the demand of the single state of New Tork. Our people consume about 71 pounds of sugar per head of population. The tariff on it Is somewhat less than 2 cents a pound, and It yields to the Treasury somo 547.000,000, but It adds nearly twice that 3Um to the amount paid by the consumer. In other words, the protective feature of the tariff adds $40, 000.000 to tho profits of the producers. Of this, ' however, the beet-sugar men get only a fraction, as the cane sugar produced at home. Including Hawaii, forms a large part of tho supply. How ever, sugar Is a good revenue article, and it is not easy to dispense with It In a tariff for revenue, though the differential to the trust In refined sugar could well be spared and would save tho consumers a good deal of money. The Two-Thirds Rule. Philadelphia Record. In view of the extensive and unusually active effort to make outright purchase of delegates to the next Democratic Na tional Convention, with a view to the mis chievous utilization of the standing two thirds rule. It Is now conceded to be im portant that instructions shall be voted for candidates whom the party might hope to elect if they should be nominated. If, however, there should arise objection to Instructions for candidates every State Convention should nevertheless Instruct Its delegates to vote solidly against the further application of the two-thirds rule. It Is not Democratic. It is dangerous. It has not worked to advantage. Let the majority rule. A Strong Man. Columbia (S. C.) State. "Is Judge Parker a strong man?" In quires an exchange. Undoubtedly. Not one of the tasks of Hercules can compare with his recent accomplishment; he has withstood the rush of a thousand journal ists for an "expression," and has foiled the enterprise of the most enterprising press. The Men of Gotham. Thomas Love Peacoek. Seamen threci What men be ye? Gotham's three wise men wo be. Whither In your bowl so free? To rake the moon from out the sea. The bowl goes trim. The moon doth shine. And our ballast is old wine And your ballast Is old wine. Who art thou, so fast adrift? I am he they call Old Care. Here on board we will thee lift. No: I may not enter there. Wherefore ao? 'Ti9 Jove'a decree. In a bowl Care may not be In a bowl Care may not be. Fear ye not the wavea that roll? ' No: in charmed bowl we swim. What the charm that floats the bowl? Water may not pass- the brim. The bowl goes trim. The moon doth shine. And our ballast is old wine i And your ballast la old wine. NOTE AND COMMENT. If Country Editors Told the Truth A lot of fool young people calling them selves the Bugtown Dramatic Society gave a performance of "Ten Days in a Dope Joint" last night in the barn sometimes known as the Bugtown Opera-House Some of the girls would better be heHlo their mothers wash the dishes and m.r.l the baby than be lallygagging arounJ with fool fellows and long-tailed drest3. The boys taking part in -the alleged re formance look like a flock of sissies, azl we wouldn't give one of them a job ft- d lng press. Quite a crowd paid tv I'lts a head In the hopes of seeing the "actors" make fools of themselves, and looked at that way the show was sure worth th money. Ttllle Topnot was the Duchess .. f St Germans, and if reel dookesses are anything like she looked last night w? don't wonder the foreign dooks come here to marry American heiresses. Bowleggvl Bill Stumps acted the villain, and he was a comic sight in tights. He forgot all his words and tried to get off the gags h had been using In the drugstore for the last three years. They were tizzies. Folly Grabbit looked all right the first act when she wore a mask, but she was a fright la the second, and her sallow complexion showed through the red paint which was put on like she was painting her pop's barn. Our advice to the Bugtown Dra matic Society is to quit actlns and go to work. LATEST OX THE WAR. Important Coble Message From the J1JI Skamoknwura's Special Correspondent at 1YUu. At the Front. April 1. I have dated thla Wiju. but I am not there. I cannot say that I am anywhere, lest the enemy should learn my plans. Since Joining the forces. I have been Investigating the theory thai hu'tertnlli Is good for the complexion. I have coma to the conclusion that it is. but eas And zh thins to indicate whether it should be used internal ly or externally. LATER. I have Just learned Important sews from General Shampooshlmpo. He dees net be lieve that bee stings aro good for rheumatism. but he declares his unalterable conviction that the moon is made of yellow Journals. TOMORROW. Tokk) will be thrown let a spasms of Joy when the JIJ1 Skamokawura an nounces on the authority of a high army officer that the canary has 43 different notes. I an sending this In cipher. lest the information should leak out in transmission. The Browns' Loss. Tony Wachtel. the manager of the Davenport Elevator, of this place, and the eagle-eyei pitcher for the Melvln Red Btrdo. had come to the conclusion that Iowa is good enough. fr him, and has given up the notion of gtlas West. Melvln (Iowa) Argus. Hearst seems to be a good bet cop pered. Half a loaf Is better than an out-and-out strike. One swallow doesn't make a Spring, but it tells you Summer's coming when it's bock. Placke did bettor than was expected. He got into the second round with K!I McCoy. Life In Chicago has resumed Its normal course: Another murderous strike is la progress. The Tillamook Independent prints a chapter from the Bible, under the heading, NEWS, TO SOME PEOPLE. Railroad employes in Panama are oa strike. That Caesarean section seems to have brought forth a precocious Infant The spectacle of union labor dragged at txa chariot wheels of Hearst's political ma-v'- can delight only those who desire the dvwnti.; of union labor. Wall Street Jouracl. How grievously the Journal must ta weeping. "Why nominate an interrogation polnt,, said Bryan of Parker. This moves te New York Press to ask why the other candidates should not be described In t- same succinct way, and to give these ex amples: Judge Parker? Grover Cleveland! W. J. Bryan 1 1 I 1 Willy Hearst $ John Davidson Indulges In this quaiit reflection: If you look at a map, you feel certain tiiat England will hold together aa long as its cour ties are so securely dovetailed; bt. on. tvs other hand, when you look at the rectangu ar divisions of Australia and the United States you wonder bow long it is to last U; jug gling trick whereby these eubett are held to gether in tho air. Take a look at a colore 1 map. and see how well mortised iato each other the English counties are. The New York Globe notices that tha Japanese papers print practically no war news, owing to the strict government reg ulations (which were recently described In The Oregonlan). Such topics as "Mrs. Maybrlck In Prison." "The Dutch In For mosa" and "Tho Strange Properties of Radium" are dealt with at length, but not a word Is sold concerning the move ments of the army or the navy. It la certainly pretty hard luck on a citizen ti pick up his morning paper and read some thing like this: WEX. J. OUT OF THE GINGER JAR. Mr. Hopkin Hunt up Japan or the mar Louisa. Mrs. Hopkins Xo; wait Ull JlmTr gets home that's what we pay hU sel ; bills for. Indianapolis Journal. "Mamma." asked small Fteraiaay. "Jes a. lawyer know everything?" "No. dear, plied her mother, "hut he thinks you thinv he does." Cincinnati Enquirer. Polly rinktlghts That aew prima donna, z the scrappiest thing I ever saw. Fnny F lights Naturally. She used to siap ia a. church choir. Philadelphia Record. The Senator's wife The life of a dlpHfri must be a hard one. Just teak at the r-rss under your friend's eye. The Senator Te. those are diplomatic circles, dear. Yoakers Statesman. Mrs. Newllwed I want to get some sa a Dealer Yes. ma'am. Hew maay heads' it Newllwed Oh. goodness: 1 thought you t the head off. 1 Just want plain eMckea sj.'i, Philadelphia Public Ledger. "Fortune, you know, knocks at every ma- 3 door once." "That expiates It." "ExpU.- what?" "How we came to miss her. Ah -thunder doesn't ah rlag the hell? We ne -pay any attention to knocks. " Pntshurg rst Judge You admit you sandaKjt the mas Have you any exeuee? Prti oner Yes. j -a honor. De sandbag vctsz me own prope- . and J. P. Morgan says a man has de rssvl ter do wot he pleases wit' his own pror'rtr Puck. "He's had a fortune left to him sudl-n'r. He has actually got more moaey now than I - knows what to do with." "Never mind tVre are certain people who will he anxious to tcz. him now, and after that he'll know more Kennebec Journal. "Women always look for a cbanc t spn money," he observed. Irritably. hene -they open a newspaper they htn t s' the advertisements." "Well, Chrley." dexr answered young Mrs. Torktn. "that la rc safer than etudytng the horserace entrta Washlnston Star. "Why Is the counel! summoned?" anked t e Emperor of Corea. "In order that we may b prepared for any emergency." answered tb Prime Minister. "We are getting rendy change the name of our cowntry from TSj Land of the Morning Calm' to The Land cf the Cold Gray Dawn of the Morulas After I Washington Star,