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- 1
jPORTXAND, TUESDAY, SEPT. 27, 1904.
THE DIRECT PRIMARY MUDDLE.
It Is necessary to discriminate
sharply between the natural and rea
sonable reading: given the direct- pri
mary law by Judge McBride or Attorney-General
Crawford, and the Inter
pretation put upon it by persons who
have ends to serve. It will not escape
the average citizen's attention that at
the first sign of difficulty under the new
law they who opened not their mouths
against it while it was pending now
muster up courage to belittle or attack
it. Thus we have the assertion from
Senator Fulton that the law is uncon
stitutional and assurances from ex
Senator Simon that the bosses will be
just as powerful with it as without it.
Mr. Fulton is too sagacious a politician
sot to fear for the power of the polit
ical "organization," and he speaks out
with characteristic bluntness and vigor
while Mr. Simon, with the same purpose
In mind, pursues the more diplomatic
course of discouraging popular regard
for the law by promoting the Idea that
it is of no serious Inconvenience to the
bosses anyhow.
"We have a good deal of respect for
both these gentlemen's opinion In any
question of practical politics. Neither of
them won his notable triumphs In the
political arena by talking through his
hat; yet In this case we attach little
Importance to their utterances because
they are obviously made for a purpose.
It Is not Mr. Fulton's concern for the
constitution or for the outraged rights
of the Independent voter that moves
him half so much as it 1b the problem of
a direct primary vote for Senator; and
the opposition of every machine politi
cian to the primary law is Irreconcila
ble with Mr. Simon's contention that
the machine can rule things as effect
ively now as heretofore.
It is possible that the courts might
set aside the law on Mr. Fulton's con
tention that the voter's prescribed dec
laration of his party is an unconstitu
tional restriction on the suffrage; but
the courts will not do this, in face of
the popular demand and ratification of
the law unless the point is absolutely
clear, which it does not yet seem to be
to many persons outside of Clatsop
County. In practice, moreover, It has
been the contention of the politicians,
wherever party declarations have not
been required, that it is unjust to per
mit Democrats to vote on Republican
nominations and perhaps control them.
If the law should be amended at the
coming Legislature so that voters could
mark a blanket ballot indiscriminately,
they who now complain of the party
declaration would be the first to com
plain of the other arrangement Noth
ing can satisfy you if you are deter
mined not to be satisfied.
We have little doubt that courts and
people alike would approve and justify
an arrangement for conducting munici
pal elections under the old law or even
for conducting them under the new
law with party declarations waived.
But it is necessary to reckon also with
a powerful element In the community
not so much concerned about getting at
the popular will as about foisting its
own will on the people. " It Is very like
ly, therefore, that this element can
"bring such resources of legal acumen
into requisition as to compel an
amendment of the law at the coming
legislative session. Once amendment
begins, there Is no telling where It may
stop. A provision should be made for
the Portland municipal election next,
year, and possibly the decent thing to
do would be to eliminate all reference
to a ballot for United States Senator,
which is rendered inoperative anyhow
by the Constitution of the United
States.
It is impossible for any one to say
with posltiveness at this time whether
the direct primary will succeed in Ore
gon. Many political devices succeed in
some places and fail in others. Of all
sorts of difficulties and embarrassments
predicted for the law's operations, some
may come true. But it Is certain that
no attempt to repeal or nullify the law
should be countenanced until it has had
a fair trial. The heavy majority In Its
favor gives it authority which should
be respected. There is uncertainty
enough .about 4ts application to our city
election to justify an amendment giv
ing it that application in definite terms;
but any change made should only be
to strengthen and perfect the law. It
is very doubtful if an amendment to
meet Senator Fulton's objections would
serve any good purpose, least of all to
pacify the opponents of the law.
THEY HAVE HIS MEASURE.
Judge Parker Is for tariff reform, but
it must be done "prudently," without
harm to established business interests.
He is for Philippine independence, but
not till it is "prudent." He is for do
ing things honestly on the isthmus of
Panama, but he does not point out a
single thing done there that he would
proceed to do differently. He Is for
avoiding entangling alliances with for
eign nations, but he does not specify
what nation if any we have allied our
selves with improperly. He says he
believes in the gold standard, but he
does not say whether his present views
are consistent or Inconsistent with his
views in 1896 and 1900 when he voted
for Bryan.
It is perfectly clear that If Judge Par
ker has any definite knowledge or firm
convictions on any subject except the
general .proposition, on which he In
vites all to unite, that "a change of
men and measures at this time would
be wise," he keeps them strictly to him
self. He talks-as a Judge talks on a
case that he may be called upon some
time to try. He doesn't want to say
anything that will embarrass him sub
sequently or disquiet the litigant on
either side. Perhaps he thinks that the
people will prefer a man of no convic
tions to a a man of positive and avowed
convictions; and if he thinks that, he
is likely to find out that he has made
a mistake. But perhaps the true so
lution of the enigma was offered by
Mr. Littleton, who nominated Parker
at Bt. Louis;
If you auk me why be has been silent. 1
will tell you It le because he does not claim
to be .the master, but Is content to be Ita
servant. If ypu ask me why he has not
outlined a policy for this convention, I will
tell you that he does not believe that policies
should be dictated, but that the sovereignty
of the party Is In the un trammeled Judgment
and wisdom of Its members. If you ask ma
what his policy will be, If elected, I tell
you that it will be that policy which find
expression In the platform of his party.
We are all familiar with the type
of public man thus described by Mr.
Littleton. Such men naver have an
opinion on any subject until their party
has declared on that subject. They put
party loyalty abcve personal convic
tions. They do not care anything about
gold or silver, protection or free trade,
except as they are Issues thought de
sirable by th.e party as votegetters;
then they are ready to get up and fight
for what the party declares. It Is the
limitation of these men that they never
rise to great heights of statesmanship
because they are not leaders but fol
lowers. The man who is big enough to
be President has become identified with
certain principles which he puts forth
and adds to his party'B equipment and
attitude. The servile follower Is a use
ful man; but he will never be a Blaine
or a Cleveland or a McKinley or a
Roosevelt.
Nothing could stamp Judge Parker
more indelibly with this limitation than
tne frenzied appeals made daily to him
by his advisers. They are constantly
engaged In pulling and hauling him
about. He must go on the stump and
then he must not govon the stump. He
must go to New York or he must stay
away. Hhe must come out strongly for
gold, or for free trade, or for anti-imperialism,
or against the trusts. He
must rebuke Hill, or send Taggart
away. He must speak out so and so on
this and that and In general he must
do differently from what he is doing.
The obvious reflection this discordant
advice carries upon the conduct of the
campaign It is needless to point out
nor is It requiiste to remark again
upon the hopeless confusion of the gen
erals In the Democratic camp. The
subtler and more1 momentous fact we
wish to emphasize here is that Parker's
advisers have taken the measure of
their man. They show it by their
shrieking at him to do this or not to do
that They estimate him, and no doubt
correctly, as one who is to be guided
by a double-leaded editorial in the
morning paper. They got the gold
brick telegram in this way, they got the
Milburn letter on the Philippines, and
they feel assured that they can move
him easily enough by merely pulling
the string. You can see very clearly
how seriously the Parker camp regards
its leader. Could you imagine these
complaining Parker organs bellowing
and scolding in this way at Samuel J
Tllden or Grover Cleveland?
IRRESPONSIBILITY YOKED WITH BRU-
XAJJTl,
The recent arrival at the receiving
home of the Boys' and Girls' Aid Soci
ety in this city of a family of five chil
dren from Coos County and the recital
of their sad story revealed a tale of
parental cruelty and neglect that is
shocking to the dullest sensibilities
Motherless by reason of the father's
systematic brutality, .beaten and
bruised because of their utfef helpless
ness, four little girls and one boy, the
latter and one of the former dulled In
intelligence through their father's cru
elty, and all of them In utter ignorance
of what is taught in schools, these chil
dren constitute an Indictment against
their father so serious that one could
almost wish he had taken a short step
further In violence to the end that he
might have been visited as he deserves,
with the extreme penalty. Unfortul
nately, the law does not take cogni
zance of murder inflicted by the alow
tortures that the mother of these chil
dren endured until death cants to her
relief, and as a result a criminal of the
most merciless type escapes just retri
bution and indeed penalty of any kind,
having even to be relieved for mercy's
sake of the custody and support of his
children. This case further brings be
fore the community in a striking man
ner the broad, humane and beneficent
place that the Boys' and Girls' Aid So
ciety holds in the humanities and the
wise economies of the state.
Parental irresponsibility of the pas
sive, do-nothing type is exasperating
enough, and bad enough. But when to
the neglect that follows this type, pro
moting Ignorance, abetting criminality
and burdening thrift, is added an active
brutality that would disgrace a savage,
and of which savages are not guilty
against their own, tho sin of omission
becomes a crime of commission that
calls for the infliction of severe penalty
upon tho human brute who, in becom
ing a father, has inflicted a curse upon
his offspring and placed a tax upon the
community, as unjust as it is exasperat
ing. The man is not the enemy of the race,
but its friend, who would restrict par
entage to men and women of sound
bodily arid mental health, and to men
capable of making a living for their
children. It would be well indeed were
race suicide pushed to the limit by
means known to intelligent surgery In
extreme cases, of which this Coos
County rancher is a representative. The
time will come when society will pro
tent ItRPlf fmni IfrotmnnclVila ngnntnir&
both of the passive and the active type,
and in so doing will contribute to the
welfare of the race and specifically to
that of the community that must levy
a tax upon itself tc ;ay the piper that
these- creatures, besotted in sensuality,
dominated by brutality or steeped In
ignorance and indolence, may dance.
The doctrine of the survival of the fit
test shoulo. and eventually must ba
pushed against creatures of this mold
by means that can be depended upon
not oply to correct but to eliminate the
maniiold evils that, in their case, follow
reproduction.
SQUEEZING OUT THE WATER,
The extrication of the Union Iron
Works, of San Francisco, from the
wreckage of the Shipbuilding Trust is
another Important move toward the re
organization of the plants on a business
basis. Mr. Schwab, who was to a large
extent responsible for the swamping of
these concerns,, in the vast amount of
water with which he loaded down
their stocks, i3 taking an active in
terest in the reorganization. Beginning
with the Bethlehem Steel Company
about a month ago, he has since added
the Crescent yards, the Moore & Sons
yards and the Canda manufacturing
plant at Elizabethport, N. J.; the East
ern Shipbuilding Company, at New
London, Conn., and the Hyde Windlass
Company and Bath Iron Works, 4at
Bath, Me., and the Union Iron Works,
of San Francisco, which were bought
in yesterday. The only remaining big
plant to be disposed of is the Harlan &
Hollingsworth works, at Wilmington,
Del. The latter plant will be sold on
the first week in October, and the work
of reorganization will then begin In
earnest.
All of the plants that have- been sold
have passed under the hammer at
prices far below the figures at which
they were put into the United States
Shipbuilding Company. This fact indi
cates that the reorganization commit
tee Is determined to squeeze enough
water out to a.t least give the plants
an opportunity to earn fixed charges on
their actual worth. The -shipbuilding
combine made an effort to sell stock In
these plants on a widely inflated valua
tion. The failure of the public to nibble
at the bait was responsible for the re
ceiverships which followed as soon as
it was demonstrated that there would
be no dividends nor even fixed charges
on such an extravagant valuation as
had been placed on the property ab
sorbed by the combine: The prices at
which these plants some of them be
ing the best In the United States are
now going under the hammer seem' to
be very reasonable, and if they are op
erated economically and kept free from
the malign Influence of stock jobbery
they will undoubtedly resume the pay
ment of dividends, which was inter
rupted when they were overwhelmed
with water.
The greatest asset of the reorganized
company, which will be known as the
Bethlehem Steel & Shlnbulldinir nnm.
Kpany, Is the Bethlehem Steel Company
men aione or. all the properties put in
the trust two years ago was able to
stand the Inflation of values and still
show a profit. It Is Mr. Schwab's In
tention to make a strong effort to se
cure Government contracts for war
vessels and armor-plate. This has been
costing the Government about $400 per
ton, and It Is stated that It can be pro
duced for about one-half that sum.
The business at the present time Is
largely in the hands of the United
States Steel Company, from which
Schwab was recently ousted and for
which he has no great feeling of love
or admiration. Mr. Schwab and his
representatives, in buying in these
plants at their true value, are simply
taking back some goods which the
stockbuylng public refused to handle at
the prices demanded.
The reorganization of the Puget
Sound salmon combine is a similar case,
and the effect in both industries wlli
be beneficial. It has taught the finan
cial thimble-riggers that any enterprise
that is entitled to the confidence of the
business community must be conducted
on business principles, and with some
regard to intrinsic values. Mr. Morgan,
with his salmon combine organized on
a safe basis of actual values, will prob
ably make money. Mr. Schwab, oper
ating his fine shipyards on the same
strictly business lines that wee fol
lowed by the Cramps, the Union Iron
Works and others engaged In the busi
ness prior to the Morganlzlng era, will
also make money. The field Is wide and
growing wider, but it will never again
stretch to a point where the plants can
pay dividends on stock that holds 75
per cent of water.
STATUS OF THE CAMPAIGN.
Delay, delay and again delay, has
been the feature of the Russian cam
paign up to the present time, and will
apparently continue to be so for an In
definite time to come. As Captain
Mahan points out In his review of the
war in the current number of the Na
tional Review, It Is the sparring of the
strongerbut unorganized power against
the weaker but ready. This is the only
point Captain Mahan makes in twenty
pages of his peculiarly redundant writ
ing, and he holds that the retention of
Port Arthur by the Russians was good
strategy, although frequently con
demned as a mere piece of gallery play
and a weak concession to sentiment.
Port Arthur has held a large number of
Japanese from aiding Oyama, to whom
they would be immensely useful. It
has kept Togo's fleet employed, al
though the only gain accruing there
from has been the release of the Vladi
vostok squadron, of which the raids
can have no effect beyond irritating
the enemy. Kuropatkin has followed
out the policy of delay. Klulienchen
was fought to gain time. The Incessant
skirmishes and minor engagements
that culminated around Liao Yang
were fought with the same end
in view. The .Russian commander
might have sung, in the words of the
old windjammer chantey, "Oh, give us
time to blow the man down."
At this stage of the campaign the
general situation becomes of Interest,
as showing the results of the two op
posing policies. Port Arthur is still
in Russian hands and still shelters the
undestroyed vessels of the Russian
fleet, although the fall of the fortress
must be regarded as inevitable. The
latest advices Indicate that the Japan
ese are slowly t advancing, taking fort
by fort, and that they are now in a
position to cut off the garrison's supply
of water. The importance of this power
is evident, when reports regarding a
shortage of coal are borne in mind.
With a diminution in the output of the
condensers, upon which Port Arthur is
said to rely mainly, the garrison may
be brought face to face with the Irre
sistible enemy of thirst. Even should
Port Arthur fall In the immediate fu
ture, It. will have materially aided the
general cause by having tied up so
large a body of Japanese troops for so
long a time. As to its effect upon the
Japanese navy, not so much can be
said. Admiral Togo, thanks to wireless
telegraphy, has been able to blockade
in a fashion never before possible. In
stead of lying in the offing of the port,
exposed to harassing attacks from tor
pedo craft, the Japanese commander
has kept his battleships in a sheltered
harbor In the Elliott Islands, sixty
miles from the port he was blockading.
George C. Kennan has described the
harbor in an interesting article In the
Outlook. Fifteen miles of a boom of
heavy UmberB, reinforced with a wire
cable, effectually protect the harbor
from torpedo attack, so that the wear
and tear upon the ships and men of
the blockading squadron has been
trifling. The time gained by" Port Ar
thur's defense has been of no avail to
the Russians, so far as sea power Is
concerned. The Baltic fleet should have
been dispatched at any cost long ago.
Now it is hardly a menace.
In the north the Russian position is
not bo strong as might reasonably be
expected after nearly eight months of
war. Kuropatkin has extricated his
army from the enveloping movements
of the Japanese, and has conducted his
retreat northward skillfully enough to
foil their most carefully planned and
most daringly executed attacks. He Is
now within measurable distance of
Harbin, the limit Russia has evidently
set upon her "advance backwards "
The retreat, however, must be but thei
preliminary to an offensive movement
In overwhelming force, if Russia Is not
to admit herself beaten, and there Is
not the slightest sign that Kuropatkin
will be in a position to take the ag
gressive for many months to come,
even should he succeed in holding at
bay the oncoming Japanese. Yester
day's dispatches announce that Russia
will send 300,000 additional men to the
front, together with 600 guns, under the
command of General Grlppenberg. The
Grand Duke Nicholas Is to be commander-in-chief,
for the excellent rea
son that his ancestors set the example.
It may be that the Japanese respect for
ancestors in general will influence them
to let the Grand Duke down easy.
This new army, St. Petersburg an
nounces, will be in the field within three
months, ready to undertake a Winter
campaign. Now the greatest number of
men that arrived daily In Harbin when
reinforcements were being poured in
there at the time Kuropatkin was fall
ing back on Haicheng was 1500, the
average being much nearer 1000
as reported b; a reliable correspondent
After making allowance for the com
pletion of the railroad around Lake
Baikal, It is evident that no such force
as 300.000 men can be sent to Harbin
within three months, or possibly six.
And the Japanese, with the completion
of a light railroad from Antung to Liao
Yang, will be able to pour in men by
two lines of rail and by wagon road
from Yinkow. As the situation now is
the Japanese have the advantage and
should an early capture of Port Arthur
release the seasoned army in the Liao
Tung: Peninsula, their advantage is
"kely to become so great that Kuro
patkin will be thoroughly defeated long
before Grlppenberg appears with his
second army.
The demand for admissions to the
Dolliver-Falrbanks rally at the Armory
Saturday evening is greater than any
one could have imagined, and It Is cer
tain that only a fraction of those desir
ing to attend can be accommodated by
the great capacity of the building. This
Is a situation which reflects credit upon
Chairman Bakers ingenuity in stirring
up Interest, but bids fair to embarrass
him now by the plenteousness of the
harvest. He has therefore determined
to reserve seats for those who have
been Invited from a distance, but to
play no favorites here at home in Port
land and Multnomah County. This Is
obviously the only course open to him
It would be -an unthinkable discourtesy
to permit those coming by Invitation
from the Btate at large to be crowded
out of the hall; but for -Portlanders the
just and fair rule Is "first come first
served." This is also the method, as
we see from the Eastern papers, in
other cities where Senators Fairbanks
and Dolllver appear. There Is little
doubt that this meeting will be the
greatest political rally in the history of
the state, and It would be Impossible
for any two buildings in Portland to
hold the crowd that would like to at
tend. The invitations extended out of
town, as we understand it, are only to
members of the state party organiza
tion and officially due to be present.
The perfect control which the specu
lative element has over the Chicago
wheat market was again demonstrated
yesterday, when, in the face of a
stronger foreign market and generally
bullish statistics, there was a decline of
3& cents per bushel. "World's Ship
ments" -were smaller than for the week
previous, "Quantities on Passage"
showed a decrease of 1,280,000 bushels,
the "American Visible" showed a
smaller increase than for the same
week last year, the French markets
were firmer and English markets high
er, and yet the market slumped. The
violent fluctuations of the past month
show quite plainly that the market is
not in the hands of "pikers." Fractional
advances or declines in a day are no
longer noticeable, but there must be a
move of from one to four cents per
bushel in-order properly to trim the
lambs who wander among the bulls and
bears, who are just now enjoying rich
picking on the Chicago Board of Trade.
A three-cent moye generally shakes out
the unfortunate nonprofessionals, and
accordingly a reaction is due today.
Meanwhile men with the actual wheat
for sale might do worse than to accept
present high prices. -
The passing of Senator Hoar, which
seems near at hand, or may. Indeed,
be said to be progressing gently from
day-to day, is not likely to be marked
by any strenuous protest of mortality
against the decree of Nature. Having
finished his life work, the aged man has
wrapped the drapers of his couch about
him and lain down to pleasant dreams,
from which he is not likely again to
awaken in this world, at least. An
ideal passing, truly, unless its move
ment is too slow and the lingering of
the traveler on .the last stage of his
journey becomes pathetic.
If, as stated, the water supply of Port
Arthur has- been cut off, the crucial
point in its Investment has been
reached, and the stronghold will fall
Into the hands of the besiegers without
further heavy fighting. Russian Gen
erals will hardly attempt to keep up a
fight without an element, essential to
the life of man under any and all circumstances.
THE NAME OF 0REG0S.
New York Globe.
The citizens of Oregon, no doubt take
a comfortable pride in feeling that their
beautiful state is as beautifully named,
and it is a little hard that they cannot
say where the word came from. In "A
Short History of Oregon" (A. C. McClurg
& Co.) the compiler, Sldona V. Johnson,
frankly admits that it is an embarrass
ing situation. "In that state," she says,
"even a tenable theory will be warmly
welcomed, and an ' untenable one not
wholly neglected."
The name first appeared in print In
Captain Jonathan Carver's account of hlB
travels, published in 1778, in wfcich he
spoke of "the Oregon, or "River of the
West," meaning, of course, the river that
was later named the Columbia. But no
body knows where Captain Carver got the
word or whether he invented it. Arch
bishop Blanche t had an Ingenious theory
that It came from the Spanish orejon,
meaning big ear because the Indians of
the region were so blessed. But our com
piler Interposes the historical objection
that in 176S. when Carver was out there,
Spaniards had never seen those Indians
to know whether they had big ears or
not. Likewise, "the theory that early
Spanish explorers bestowed the name be
cause of wild marjoram (Origanum),
found along the coast, is quickly dis
pelled in the light of the fact that the
name Oregon had appeared in print before
the Spaniards had set foot on the coast"
Mr. Harvey W. Scott, editor of the Port
land Oregonlan, believes that the name
might have been left mysterious and Im
potent In Captain Carver's book, had not
William Cullen Bryant, who must have
read the narrative, taken a fancy to the
pretty word and embalmed it in his
"Thanatopsls" in the lines
In the continuous woods
Where rolls the Oregon, and hears no sound
Save his own dashlnga.
The region that evidently appealed so
Btrongly to Bryant has evoked many a
poetic fancy since his day. There are,
for Instance, In the October Metropolitan
some stanzas by Helen Hay Whitney,
daughter of John Hay.
A SONG OF THE OREGON TRAIL.
How Ions the trail! How far the goal!
Last year the moons might come and go
Like dancing- shadows on the enow;
My heart was light, my heart was strong,
I cored not If the way be long;
But now the end Is you my soul I
I fear the dark, I fear the dread
White frost that hovers round my heart;
The cold high sun, and wide apart
Frozen still pitiless stars above
So far, so far from my true love.
And, ah! I fear, I feftr the dead!
I fear their flngcra, grasping, pale
I did not fear the dead last year!
But now! the kisses of my dear.
The breast of her, so kind and warm
Ah, Heart! I must not come to harm.
How far the. goal! How long tho trail!
ARMY OFFICERS AND MARRIAGE.
Brooklyn Eagle.
The suggestion of General Corbln that
Army officers be forbidden to marry until
they have obtained permission from the
Secretary of War Is not liable to meet
with wholesale approval. The General
insists that the pay of a junior officer Is
not sufficient to admit of his meeting hl3
ordinary expenses of equipment and uni
form plus those entailed by the posses
sion of a wife, and, possibly, the pos
session of a family. Well, the United
States Army has done pretty well so fat
by leaving officers of all grades to judge
for themselves when matrimony Is pos
sible without too severely taxing their
incomes. We pay our Junior officers bet
ter than officers of corresponding rank are
paid In any other army In the world.
Beside, the American subaltern, even
though he be married, can live within
his pay In any regiment, no matter whero
it may be stationed, which Is nrdre than
can be claimed for the subalterns In Eng
lish, French or German regiments. For
example, an officer In any one of the
crack English regiments Is compelled,
when stationed In London, to spend any
where from $5000 to $15,000 of our
money to meet the expenses of his mess
and his tailor and to maintain the con
tributions the entertainment fund that
are expected of him. No such strain Is
put upon tne American officer, and he has
allowances over and above his salary
that make It quite possible for him to
marry, provided he bo willing to live eco
nomically. What General Corbln says
about officers not being allowed to marry
unless they swear they are free of debt
is also unnecessary advice. Officers who
multiply their financial obligations by
taking wives will eventually eliminate
themselves from the Army. When they
find they cannot support families and
creditors on their pay they will resign and
seek more profitable employment in other
fields. In any case there are safeguards
enough in the Army to prevent demorali
zation of the service through the unre
stricted marriage of officers. Extremes
of paternalism In Army administration
can never be made agreeable to Ameri
cans. In some matters Government will
do well to let well enough alone.
DUNBAR, POET, DYING.
Has Consumption and Cannot Live
Longer Than a Month.
DAYTON; O., Sept. 20. Paul Law
rence Dunbar, the Afro-American poet.
Is critically ill of consumption at the
home of his mothor in this city. Tho
doctors say he probably will not live
longer than a month. On May S he con
tracted pneumonia while in New York,
and It developed Into tubercular
trouble.
Dunbar has written a number of
poems that bear on death, but perhaps
his best effort In this respect is his fa
miliar "Death Song," which is as fol
lows: Lay me down beneat de willers in de graw.
Whah de branch'll go a-rtngln as It pass.
An' w'en I's a-layln low, .
I kin hyeah It as it go
Blngln', "Sleep, my honey, tek yo res' at las'."
Lay me nigh to whah hit meks a little pool,
An de watah stan's so quiet lak an' cool.
Whah de little birds in Spring
Ust to come an' drink an' sing.
An' the chlllen waded on dey way to "school.
Let me settle w'en my shouldahs drops dey load
Nigh enough to hyeah de noises in de road;
Fu' I t'ink de las' long res'
Gwine to soothe my sperrlt bes'
Ef I's layln' 'mong de things I'e alius knowed.
Dunbar was born at Dayton, on June
27. 1872. He was educated In the public
and high schools. He published his first
volume when he was turned 20, and
since then ha3 brought out a large
number of books and contributed freely
to the magazines. In 1897 Dunbar re
moved to Washington to take a posi
tion In the Congressional Library. His
verses and prose works have been high
ly commended by many of the leading
critics of the country.
The Modernization of Japan.
Thomas R. Ybarra.
The Japplsh merchant goes
No more In kimonos
Unto his office heaps of gold to earn,
He sits before his desk
And won't look picturesque
Despite the walls of poor Lafcadlo Hearn.
The Jap chauffeur breaks laws
In auto-mo-rlckshaws.
And pays his fine in dollars, not in yen,
While Sousa's "Stripes and Stars"
Is beard on soft guitars.
And "Sammy" sounds upon the samlsen.
In Tokio, if you please.
They don't use snickersnees
'Tls difficult to buy one-lf you do
Tls ten to one the blade
In Birmingham was made,
And then exported for the likes of you.
And geishas up to date v
Can all negotiate
Tho newest Broadway stunts and. by the
way.
My correspondent writes
They're going to dance in tights
Oh, where's the fair Japan of yesterday ? J
A NEGRO BANKER SPEAKS.
Brooklyn Eagle.
One of the most interesting Incidents of
the Bankers' Convention just closed In this
city, was the Impromptu speech of John
..Mitchell, Jr., president of the Mechanics
Savings Bank, of Richmond, Va. It is
somewhat of a surprise to people not in
timately familiar with the progress of
Southern negroes In busings that there
is such a bank, but Mr. Mitchell stated
that there were ten negro banks, with a
capital of $230,000 and deposits of 5300,000.
He added thathe came to the convention
on the advice of his white friends at
home and that he would not have come
otherwise. Of course, he spoke of the
condition of his race in the South and he
bore eloquent testimony to the value of
the doctrine of work and competence
which Booker Washington has preached
to his people so long and so fervidly.
These sentences throw light on the path
of progress for that race which Mr. Wash
ington and Mr. Mitchell represent:
The colored man is respected just in pro
portion as he respects himself. That Is so
in tha South, as It is elsewhere. We have
found that the way for us to reach success
and respect Is through finance. Nowhere in
the domain of business have found tho
white man other than ready to help us up
ward. Therefore I expected a welcome when
I came here among you.
The negro loafers are the only block to
our advance. We'd like to run them out, to
throw them into the trash heap. There is no
fight between the intelligent white man and
tho Intelligent negro.
When you hear a white man get up here
and talk about the negro with a future to
solve, he means tho loafing negro. He don't
mean the negro of our kind. We are Just
as much against the other kind as he is. I
want you to know that. sir. .
The promise of progress for the nogro
in this speech was reinforced by the en
thusiastic welcome extended to the speak
er, in which the Southern bankers were
prominent. Colonel Robert J. Dowry, a
leading citizen of Atlanta, said:
I am delighted to hear from my Southern
brother. There Is no fight, no hostility, be
tween his class and my race in Georgia or
anywhere else. I am glad to hear this gen
tleman from Virginia. I am a Southern man
bred and born, but I love one Dart of this
country as well as another. The gentleman
Is right in what he says.
While the success of Southern negroes
like this bank president and Booker
Washington shows the possibilities and
the way out. the race problem is still a
long way from solution. The class whom
Mr. Mitchell calls "negro loafers" Is still
a large majority. The minority of Ignor
ant white is also large and the possi
bilities of race friction and violence be
tween those elements are constantly be
ing realized. The number of men on both
sides of the line, who, like Colonel Dowry
and Mitchell, can meet on a common
ground of achievement and capacity Is
small. But the fact that when the negro
demonstrates his capacity the Southern
whites give him a free field for its exer
cise, maintains the open door to progress
a thousand times more effectually than
political action can ever do.
MISDIRECTED DRAMATIC CRUSADE
New York Press.
Our dramatic gods promise a play that
will permit nobody to" go out between
the acts and yet see it. This will be done
by having no "between-the-acts," only a
quick fall and rise of curtain. Presum
ably the Invention comes from a mind
which beholds in the custom of leaving
the seats at tho Intermissions the worst
evil of the theater. It is a sad fallacy.
There are some plays It would,, be cruel
to force one to sit out. In Buch cases the
going out and coming back between acts
la a compromise between not going out
at all and going out but never coming
back. The play at which the experiment
Is first tried would better be a certain
success or the reform movement will
come to grief at the outset.
Perhaps the going-out-and-comlng-back
fashion at the theater derives most of its
unpopularity not from the essential evil
of It, but from the incidental grievance
It occasions. If, like in some of the most
modern theaters, there were room enough
between seats to let the restless ones
emerge and enter without using neigh
bors as carpets, the despised criminal who
dares- to escape from his evening's Im
prisonment would not be the object of
general scorn. There la too much of the
odium on the patron and none on the real
author of the nuisance the architect who
tries to put three rows of seats where one
ought to be.
Yet why fight such a windmill when
there are real foes of theater-comfort
abroad? Before punishing the already
downtrodden man who seeks momentary
relief from superheated auditoriums or
a depressing play, or both, why not aim
for bigger and better game? Squelch the
speculator and expose the manager who
secretly divides his loot with him. Be
labor the practice of taking a dozen cur
tain calls, for advertising effect, at tha
expenso of a disgusted audience, which
often does not want a single encore. Ex
pel the boor In the next sea whose jab
ber spoils what good there is In the en
tertainment. Discourage the practice of
pushing a play on the public that 13
written around a title or a "comic opera"
whose chief assets are a brigand, a
"song-hit" and a press agent. Scourge
tho impresario who hires a gallery
chorus to whistle a bad musical comedy
Into popularity on the strength of a
"coon" song that presently the hand
organs shall play to death but oh! to
such a long and lingering death!
Kill all these nuisances before you
hound from the theater the poor wretch
who slinks miserably out between the
act3 on his hands and knees amid Jeers
and smothered swear-words for a mo
ment's surcease from the sorrows of the
modern theatergoer.
America's Stock of Gold.
Chicago Tribune.
Ellis H. Roberts, Treasurer of the
United States, says the world's stock of
gold is approximately $5,500,000,000, of
which this country holds $1,342,000,000,
which is over one-fifth. Of the Ameri
can gold the Treasury holds $700,000,
000. These figures seem . more impressive
when one looks back to 1S96. The
world's stock of gold then was roughly
estimated at $4,280,000,000, of which
the United States held $599,000,000, be
ing a Httlo less than one-seventh. Ab
solutely and relatively the gold hold
ings of this country have increased
greatly In eight years. In the Summer
of 1896 there was In the Treasury $150,
000.000 In gold, or a little more than
one-fifth of the present stock.
It Is not to bo wondered at, with the
Treasury and the banks overflowing
with tho yellow metal, that occasional
shipments to Europe, which would havo
excited alarm eight or nine years ago,
pass unnoticed now. The shipments
would have to be large and continuous
to attract attention in any quarter. As
the gold production of this country Is
$30,000,000 a year out of a total for the
world of about $300,000,000, it can ex
port considerably more than It Imports,
and yet bo adding steadily to Its stock.
The predictions of 1S96 that if the
United States stuck to the single gold
standard it could not get enough of
that metal to do business with because
of the world's struggle for It sound
ridiculous now. when it holds $1,312,
000,000, or more than $16 per capita.
Electricity.
Washington Star.
More wondrous than Aladdin's slave
Who searched the mysteries of the earth.
And all Its fairest treasures gave
.To gratify his boyish' mirth
As subtle as tho rainbow's gleam.
Tet mighty as an earthquake's throe;
Strange as the wizard's fondest dream.
Most generous friend, most wicked foe
Man's genius brings you to his feet
And bends your service to bis will.
Each night you blase across the street
To advertise a patent pill
NOTE ANDC0MMENT.
Russia has lots of men but lacks a man.
Parker's letter in four words: Keep
the country bottled.
We have no Vesuvius to spout over
here, but we have campaign orators.
Sherlock Holmes might drop around
and try his hand on the Breuer murder
case.
So -Portland's park system is "more
unique" than any other In America. Oh,
Mr. Curtis!
If Port Arthur's water supply is cut
off the garrison will have to drink theirs
without chasers.
Speaking of fish stories, what a time
Jonah must have had trying to get any
one to believe him.
Better hurry up the peace conference
before the rest of the powers are drawn
Into the Oriental scrap.
Henry Gassaway Davi3, we learn, pro
nounces his middle name Gozway. Later
he will pronounce it Dennis.
Great Britain probiibly regards the in
demnity from Thibet as a good-will of
fering from the spanked to the spanker.
One good thing about a crown made of
iron: King Peter doesn't wake up every
morning with a start, thinking someone
has swiped it.
War news lately has been something
like the training reports in the racing
papers "Kuropatkin went two miles at
half -speed this morning," and so forth.
The party of six that is reported to
have taken 6000 trout out of Beaver Creek
In three weeks must contain some, good
specimens of what an Eastern magazine
calls "game hogs."
Kuropatkin, emulating the small boy
who stands In front of a window and de
fies his opponent to hit him with, a brick,
might camp on the sacred tombs at Muk
den and defy tho Jap3 to shoot.
One of the most charmingly alliterative
names we have heard of for some time is
"Roughhouse Ruth." which 13 borne with
blushing modesty by a San Francisco girl
in honor of her pugilistic abilities.
It was certainly a shame for Policeman
Taylor to hold up the two highwaymen
before they held up him. He should re
member how Japan was criticised for
doing much the same thing last February.
A novel kind of music hag been discov
ered in Wisconsin. The Antlgo (Wis.)
News is credited with this Item:
Miss Maudo Aucutt gave a dinner to a num
ber of her young friends on Monday evening.
After partaking of the good things the evening
was spent in social chat and vocal Instru
mental music
Talk about tough luck! What could
beat this? "While Dade Peters was eat
ing a sandwich Saturday." says the Pee
Dee (Mo.) Patriot, "he bit his tongue
badly. But what made Dade madder was
to1 have a cur dog come along and eat
the sandwich which he had dropped."
Two men were recently sentenced to
imprisonment In Durban for defrauding
Zulus. The fakers told the guileless na
tives that they (the natives) had snakes
in their stomachs and ants in their heads,
and obtained money on promising to rid
the sufferers of their internal guests. It
should not be concluded from this that
the Zulu is a bigger fool than the Amer
ican. Portland's street corners prove the
opposite.
A. pitiful story from Kansas. At Cor
rey a young woman went to the postofflce.
wearing a new hat, the pride of her life.
Getting a letter, she stooped over the
counter to read It and her hat came into
contact with a cigar-lighter and began to
blaze. A gallant Kansas youth snatched
the burning hat from tho girl's head and
stamped on It in the mud to put out the
flames. Naturally this treatment "did
for" the hat, and the fair owner now
refuses to speak to the chivalrously dis
posed young man who ruined it.
A small boy entered an office in New
York the other day very early in the
morning, when the merchant was read
ing the paper. The latter glanced up and
went on reading, says the Kansas City
Star. After three minutes the boy said
"Excuse me, but I'm In a hurry." "What
do you want?" he was asked. "A job."
"You do? Well." snorted the man of
business, "why are you in such a hurry?"
"Got to hurry," replied the boy. "Deft
school yesterday to go to work, and
haven't struck anything yet. I can't
waste time. If you've got nothing for
me. say so, and I'll look elsewhere."
"When can you come?" asked the sur
prised merchant. "Don't have to come."
he was told. "I'm hero now, and would
have been to work before this If you'd
said so."
WEX. J.
OUT OF THE GINGER JAR.
"Didn't the new play go off all right, dear
boy?" "Go off! Why. cerfnly. Dead off."
Philadelphia Bulletin.
First Scorcher (speaking of rapidly passing
motorcyclist) Call that exerclse-f Second
Scorcher No. I call It sitting In a draught.
Punch.
"I saw Henpeck today and ho said he was
so homesick." "Why, he's at home. Isn't he?"
"Yes. that's what he meant." Philadelphia
Press.
The Girl I gave the horse a piece of sugar,
and he put his nose up to my face to kiss me.
What do you think of that? The Man I think
that's horse sense. Tonkers Statesman.
Tramp Yessor, boss, at one time I had a
big following. Boss How's that? Tramrj
I uster lead the lockstep gang at Jollet
Prison. Chicago Journal.
Stubbs After all. this shooting at clay pig
eons Isn't o exciting as firing at live ones.
Twist No, there's little fun shooting at things
that can't feel It when they are hit. Boston
Transcript.
"It Is getting to be a problem with me."
said the noisy politician, "how to keep the
wolf from the door." "Stand on the steps and
make one of your stump speeches when you
see him coming." Detroit Free Press.
She Gracious me! How dreadfully the
wind does howl tonight! He Yes; it prob
ably has the toothache. She The tooth
ache? Ho Yes. Have you never heard of
the teeth of the gale? London Snap Shots.
"I am filled with amazement," eaid the good
deacon as he met his neighbor walking un
steadily home. "Bet you the drinks you ain't
half as full's I am, an' I ain't had nothing
but old rye," was the genial reply. Cincin
nati Commercial-Tribune.
We have been asked If marriage Is a failure.
We have not found it so. We don't know what
our better half thinks of It. Our opinion Is
that only when a man marries avsealekln wo
man on a coonskln-income does le find mar
riage a failure. Hardeman Free Press.
"Mrs. Guechley remarked to me that It must
be pleasant to be married to a clever man,"
eajd Proudly's wife. "And what did you say?"
queried Proudly. "I told her. of course, that I
didn't know; that I had only been married
once." Philadelphia Catholic Standard.
Mrs. Upmore How is your experiment of liv
ing in the country suceeding? Mrs. Hyems It
Isn't so bad as you might expect. It costs us
more, of course, to have our butter and fresh
vegetables brought out to us from the city,
but we don't have to entertain nearly as much
company. Scottish American.