THE MORNING OEEGONTAN, THURSDAY, -NTfWEMBEB 17, 1904. stored at the Portofflce at Portland, Or.. as second-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. 3y mall (postage prepaid la advance) I Dallr. with Sunday, per month .85 tDfclly. -with Snndav excepted. tr tmt. - 7 GO Xtelly, with Sunday, per year. 9.00 sunn ay, per year ..................... Z.00 rhe Weekly, per year.. 1.50 The "Weekly, 3 months 60 czjauy, per weelc, delivered. Sunday ex- I cepted 15c 3aUy, per week, delivered. Sunday ln- ciuaea ............... ............. zoo POSTAGE RATES. Ualted States, Canada and Mexico 10 to 14-page paper le 116 to 30-pase saier .2o IS3 to 44-paeo paper 3a -foreign rates, double. EASTEKX BUSINESS OFXTCE. (The J9. C. BecJctrlth Special Ageacr) New York; rooms -43-50, Tribune buildine- I Chi capo: Rooms 510-512 Tribune building. The Oreceml&H does not buy poems or stories from Individuals and cannot under- I take to return any manuscript sent to it I without solicitation. No stamps should he inclosed lor this purpose. KEPT ON yT.T!. Chicago Auditorium Annex: Postofflee Kews Co.. 173 Dearborn street. Desver Julius Black, Hamilton & Kend- Irick, 800-912 Seventeenth st., and S"rueauEC 3ne., COS 16th st. B'ftncag City, JIo. BJcksecker Clear Co., jKlnth and Walnut. Ixw Angeles B. F. Gardner, 259 South Spring; and Harry Drapkin. Oakland. CaL W. H. Johnston, 14th and Jin st. Xlnne&polis M. J. Xavanaugh, 50 South Child; Id. Regelsburger 217 First avenue South. Neir York City Jones & Co., Astor Souse. Ogdea F. R. Godard and Myers & Har- rop. Omaha Barkalow Bros.. 1612 Farnam; lilageath Stationery Co., 130S Farnam. Salt lake Salt Lake News Co.. 77 West j Second South street. fct. JLooi World's Fair News Co.. Geo. I I'ULckerman, newsboy. Eighth and OUve sts.. od Excelsior News Company. San Francisco J, K. Cooper Co.. 740 Mar- fcket. near Palace' Hotel; Foster & Orear. Ferry News Stand: Goldsmith Bros.. 236 jfeutter; tu E. Lee, Palace Hotel News ! Stand; F. W. Pitts, 1008 Market; Frank f43cott, SO Ellis; N. Wheatley. S3 Stevenson; Hotel St. Francis News Stand. Washington. D. C Ebbitt House News r-tand. In Portland, Thursday, November 17. "THEORIES" IN CONFLICT. In the South the notion seems etill 0 "be prevalent that the Constitution !o the United States does not form, create or ordain a National Govern- iinent, but only a league of states. The notion therefore still Is prevalent that a struggle is yet going on between the ideas of Hamilton and those of Jeffer son, as to the nature of this system I ox ours, and the powers of the General Government. In the comment on the results of the recent election, we find -the following, from the Augusta (Ga.) I Chronicle: It must be inferred, therefore, that a large 'majority of the people of this country either i approve of, or do not fear, the theories of 1 government for which the Republican party I stands, to-wlt: A protective tariff; lmper j iallsm, or expansion, as you prefer; a large I Army and Navy: an aggressive, or at least ! more active, foreign policy; centralization of ! government; trust domination and commer cialism In fact, the Hamiltonlan theory of government,, in spirit at least, as opposed to the Jeffersonian theory. It is quite unnecessary to enter into any elaborate examination of this -statement It Is enough to say that what our Georgia friend calls "the the ories of government for -which the Re publican party stands" are not theories at all, but facts which lie at the hase and -constitute the vertebrate existence ; of the Government of the United States. Protective -tariff lies within the scope of our Government's powers; but of I course there is, always has been, doubt- Jess always will be, difference of opin ion as to tariff schedules. Congress, however, may adopt any subject only to tiie Judgment of the people as to (what they want or would approve. Nor 1b the country afraid of expan sion or Imperialism; for Its Government has full powers here also. The same as I 'to Army and Navy, foreign policy, thrusts, regulation of commerce and all else. The people of the United States Ilcet no limits upon the power of their !Government in these things; yet of course reason and Judgment must con 4rol alL No great people sets constitu tional limitation on Its own sover- Iteignty. Only in the nature of things do ieuch limitations exist. The contest over the nature of the Constitution itself ended with the Civil War, at the close of which the "Jeffer sonian theory" was utterly overthrown. Soever in history was there so com plete a vindication ad that of the "Hamiltonlan theory of government," against the "Jeffersonian theory"; and one thing, among others, that the pres ent astonishing triumph of Theodore Roosevelt means, is that the govern' jnent of our country is affirmed to be a government of sovereign powers. It Jean -enact protective tariff or free trade, maintain an Army and Navy great or small, annex territory adja cent or acquire territory distant; It I jean pursue an aggressive foreign pol icy if it chooses, or can eat humble pie in emergency though it is not likely to do that very often. In short, the dispute about Its "powers" may as well be consigned to the rag-bag! But whether It is tetter that It should pur sue this policy or that. Is open to de bate, always. There will be difference of opinion, and always must be, within these limits. But the debate between the "Jeffersonian theory" and the "Hamiltonlan theory" of government ended with the Civil "War In complete defeat of the former. Jefferson, through his "theory," was the father of the Civil "War, and in that cataclysm his "theory of government" perished. "Which is the larger part of the meaning of the immense majority thrown for Theodore Roosevelt. For, in opposition to the general policy of President Roosevelt the exploded Jef fersonian theory of Impotence and limi tation was Invoked; a plea was set up for the "theory" of a feeble and emas culate government, -which the country will not have; and the result Is the most powerful affirmation of the prin ciples of a vigorous National life that the country ever has known. Anxiety to communicate with St. Petersburg was evidently the cause of the Russian sacrdiflce of another torpedo-boat destroyer. The Rastoropny, like the Ryeshltelnl, made for Chefoo. the nearest neutral port, with the ex ception of "Wei Hal "Wei, which is not iooked upon favorably as a harbor of refuge for Russian ships. Here dis patches can be safely sent, and from Chefoo, It Is more than probable, the Russian officers -will devise a means of communicating with Port Arthur, where news pf the Baltic fleet's prog ress may prove a vital factor In the defense. As the Japanese dls regarded Ihe neutrality, of Chefoo In the Ryeshl telnl case, the Russians Justly antici pated that Chinese protection would be of little use In the present instance, and preferred to sacrifice their vessel rather than have it fall Into Japanese hands. As to the state of affairs wlthlri Port Arthur, nothing has yet been defi nitely shown. "When the Ryeshltelnl was sacrificed on a similar dispatch bearing errand, it was argued that the fortress must be In desperate straits, yet it still holds on after more than three months of constant attack. A BRIEF REPLY. A short letter on Socialism from Po- catelld. Idaho, is published today, which calls ror a remark. The first error Is the statement that labor is the source of all -wealth. It Is the organization and direction 6f labor that produces wealth. The man who furnishes the plan, the scheme, the ma chinery, the brains, the carItal. is the chief producer of wealth; for without him there would be no labor in the great Industries no great industries and little production. This man not only supplies the plan, furnishes the capital, looks out for the material and labor, studies the markets, attends to the cash and to the credits, but also pays the labor. Nothing could be done without him. -Of course this man who makes the plan has the capital and owns the tools." "Why hasn't the other man the capital and the tools? Because simply one man has more Drains and more enenry than another. Douglas, the RTeat shoe manufacturer. just elected Governor of Massachusetts, started with nothing and government hasn't helped him. The argument that everything else can be done by government because the public schools and the postofflee are carried on by government Is faulty, lame, Inconclusive. The public schools ana the postofflee are not productive industries. Ironmaking Is. The differ ence is everything. It is one thing to spend money, another to produce wealth. The water system of a city is on the same basis as the public schools. It Is not production. Manufacture of shoes and growth of wheat and cabbage are. There may be six thousand million airesthough that pcobably is exagger ation. -But there are not seventy-five millions who have nothing. There are innumerable proprietors. middling large and small, outside the wealthy class. These multitudes are not srointr to plump what they have into the oool of Socialism. One of the idle questions is, "Would it not be far better to nroduce for use than for profit?" No; emphatically no. Men must have profit, present or pros pective, or they will not work, will not be producers. Cut out the hone of material gain call It the struggle for riches, if you will and there can be no further progress. But certainly there would be retrogression. The quarrel, then. Is with the princi ples on which man is constituted, or ganized, created; and with the onranl- zation of society which has been devel oped by growth out of the fundamental and necessary principles of human na ture. This position reached, it cannot be necessary to say more. RAILWAY COMMISSION PROMISED. Governor-elect Mead, of the State of Washington, apparently has no Inten tion of neglecting to carry out his promise to approve any railway com mission measure that the Legislature may pass up to him. On the stump he made a promise of this nature, and in a statement to the public since his elec tion he again goes on record on the matter In the following language: In my message to the Legislature It Is my intention to make some specific recommenda tion on the subject of the creation of a Rail way Commission, either elective or appoint ive. I am not yet prepare to say Just what that recommendation will he. The subject is grave and far-reach In p. Before writing my message I propose to investigate and study it as thoroughly as possible that I may recommend a course of legislation that will be practical, effective and Just. It an appointive Railway Commission Is created and the Legislature gives me the power to appoint its members, I shall ap point the best available men, as I stated on the stump. As 'the result In Washington was dis tinctly a Mead victory, and the Governor-elect is backed up by a Legisla ture which in the main is in sympathy with him, it is now practically a cer tainty that the Evergreen State is at last to be presented with the long coveted bauble, a railway commission. As has frequently been stated, the rail road commission issue was originally dragged Into Washington politics by a lot of unscrupulous politicians, and it is largely due to the efforts of this same class that it has for so long been a disturbing factor In the politics of the state. On the west side of the state the rail road commission has never been enough of an Issue to prove more than passably Interesting; but the east-slders have become so thoroughly inoculated with the commission germ that they will never be happy until they have tried the experiment. It Is In recognition of this feeling that Mr. Mead will aid in bringing into existence the kind of a commission that the people desire. If the commission is honest, and it will be if Mead appoints it, it can do no harm, and will prove only mildly expensive. It cannot be clothed with powers suffi ciently drastic to enable it to harm the railroad companies to such an extent that the law will not offer them relief. The last reduction in freight rates in Washington was made voluntarily by the railroads, and left the rates at a figure that could hardly, be termed ex orbitant for the service rendered. This forced the commission men to make railroad taxation their strong rallying cry In the recently closed campaign for a commission bllL In his statement to the public Mr. Mead .says that his message will con tain a recommendation for a tax com mission. If this commission is ap pointed and becomes operative, it will certainly relieve the railway commis sion of the necessity of taking any ac tion on this really important matter. As to the 40-cent rate demanded by the lumbermen, the railway commission would be powerless to render aid of any kind, for the very excellent reason that Its Jurisdiction would terminate with the state line while the 40-cent rate embraces a haul through half a dozen states. A few railway commission newspa pers In the State of Washington, nota bly the Spokane Spokesman-Review, have criticised the attitude of The Ore gonlan regarding the railroad commis sion. The Review has stated that The Oregonlan'8 opposition to the really worthless measure was due to fear that the O. R. & N. Co. and Portland would suffer from a readjustment of rates such as the commission might feel it had power to establish. It may not be Inappropriate to state here that, no matter what rates a Washington rail road commission may establish for the roads which are compelled by their natural disadvantages to lift freight over two ranges of mountains, the road having a downhill haul to Portland will still be in the best position of any of the roads to meet those rates. It Is impossible for a Washington railway commission to harm Portland or the O. R. & N. It Is equally Impossible for the commission, to prove of any benefit to the people 0 Washington. How ever, they demand a trial of the com mission, and Governor-elect Mead, In acceding to their demands, proves hiro- seii not oniy a lair-minaea. man, out something of a diplomat as well. BEWARE OF TANNER CREEK. This is not the first bad odor that has cast disgrace on Tanner Creek. Long ere tainted sewer contractors exhaled perfumery, the little stream, otherwise so 'limpid and cold and innocent and docile, had acquired an evil fame from a 6tlnklng tan yard. Hence, "Tanner Creek." That was far back in 1846, fifty-eight years ago. The tannery gave Portland the first boost in the climb toward commercial prestige of the Northwest, It was the first Important plant of Its kind on the Pacific Coast. It manufac tured leather for pioneers and for ships that came to trade all this at the ex pense of a little brook, whose purling waterfalls had filled the air with music and whose fern-dressed glens with fragrance for untold ages. -The tannery stood south of the site of the present Exposition building. D. H. Lownsdale was the founder. In those days the spot was so far removed that the odors did not invade the "city," and If they flowed down Tan ner Creek they were absorbed by the Willamette River where they did not offend one's nostrils. But the people had frequent remind ers that the tannery was there, and when they wished to supply their town with water they ran their pipeline not to Tanner Creek, but Balch Creek, far away. Balch Creek flows Into Guild's Lake where It will delight the 1905 Fair. The other courses throw a sewer as a vehicle for filth. Poor Tanner Creek! Thus Tanner Creek lost Its claim to poetry and song, and Lownsdale grew rich In pocket. When the year 1848 rolled round, he bought with $5000 worth of leather, what does the reader guess? Was it a half Interest In the townslte of Portland? Tes; and soon thereafter Lownsdale came into posses sion of the other half. The other day, three lots at the corner of Seventh and Morrison streets sold for more than $91,000. They were part of the half In terest whose value fifty-six years be fore had been $5000 worth of leather. The mart who received the leather was Francis W. Pettygrove. Since then Tanner Creek has been on many a rampage. It has carried off houses, washed away streets, robbed this man's soil and covered another man's with debris and gravel, deprived several persons of life, choked up Its sewer and played havoc generally. Chi nese have cultivated peas and beans and lettuce on its margin, and when the Oriental stench has surpassed that of the ancient tanyard, off sailed peas and beans and lettuce and away scur ried pigtalled Celestials for the hills. Beware of another rampage. This fresh stench of the contractors may again stir the anger of long-suffering Tanner Creek. These heavy Tains are ominous. BAD OFFICIALS DISMISSED. President Roosevelt has summarily dismissed from office tne United States Marshal of Alaska, and requested the resignation of a Federal Judge. Some time Blnce he dispatched to that territory a special agent of the Treasury Department who was to learn the exact truth about the conduct of the Federal service. It would seem that he found out officially the things that all residents of Alaska have long known unofficially, but none the less certainly, and they are that the admin istration of Justice there has been in great part a farce and the conduct of the Marshal's office a long-continued scandal. It is scarcely too much to say that the Federal Judges of Alaska are tyrants, and their court officers are, some of them, criminals. From the time of the pompous, Ignorant and dishonest E. J. Dawne, of Oregon, who disap peared In time to escape the Just wrath of his outraged creditors, down to the unspeakable Noyes, whose bold and wicked partisanship for the Interests of favored litigants got him Into serious trouble with the United States Court of Appeals, the course of Justice in the Northern territory has been tortuous and uncertain. This Is not to say that there have not been, or that there are not now, honest officials In Alaska; for there have been and are; but the cor rupt officials have been so numerous that the whole service has long been honeycombed with rottenness. It would appear that the remoteness of the territory, the absence of strict Government supervision, and the ex ceptional freedom of life In Alaska, break down any strict sense of ac countability in officials, and transform a man ordinarily honest into a greedy rascal. The President seems now to have been apprised of the deplorable situation in Alaska,- and . we may rea sonably hope for a thorough renova tion. PREPARING FOR HEAVY TRAFFIC. The announced Intention of the Har riman system to spend $3,000,000 in bet terments on the Oregon lines this year will be received with universal satisfac tion throughout the state. In addition to the sum named, the Harriman lines will expend $500,000 in altering and en larging their shops in this city, and as much more on work now under way and not Included In the" larger sum mentioned. As the work is all to be completed within a year, it Is apparent that there will be an expenditure of more than $10,000 per day for the next twelvemonth. The greater part of this sum wHi be paid out for labor, and the undertaking will materially aid lri the general prosperity of the state. This money, however, percolating through the different avenues of trade, and thus having its purchasing power Increased many-fold, will be Insignificant In com parison with the ultimate good that will follow the Improvements that are proposed. This work, following the enormous expenditure made on the O. R. & N. lines within the past three years, is the strongest kind of a guarantee that Mr. Harriman will in time redeem his promises to afford Oregon a railroad service that will admit of the exploita tion of our resources to the fullest ex tent. The Improvements in roadbed. straightening of curves, elimination of grade all at an enormous expense will In many places double the coat ef the roadbed and track. This Is an ex penditure that would not be warranted unless the railroads intended to secure additional traffic, the tolls on which will be needed to meet the Increased expense of Interest and maintenance charges. Not enough of this additional traffic will come from the territory contiguous to the main line of the roads which are to be Improved, and the Harriman sys tem, both east and west of the Cas cade Mountains, Is decidedly short on feeders. At the same time there is an almost unlimited field for the profitable operation of feeders to these main lines and for extensions to the few feeders that have already been constructed. It 'Is from this virgin territory that the railroad undoubtedly hopes to secure the additional traffic that will be need ed to make these expensive betterments a profitable Investment. Central Ore gon, with Its vast areas of wheat and orchard land, its Immense pine .for ests, and with Its stock and other Industries, offers perhaps the best field for quick returns from a railroad investment, but there are also great opportunities in the Wallowa country, In the Nehalem, Southern Oregon and at other points. The road now under construction to Condon will haul out to the main line an immense amount of -new traffic that would never have originated had It not been for the construction of the road, and equally good results will fol low wherever farmers, lumbermen, or- chardlsts and stockmen are given facil ities for reaching a market. The Har riman system is not making this vast expenditure for the purpose of taking care of the business that Is now avail able, but to be In a position to handle the greatly Increased volume that will follow with the development of the country not at present in direct touch with the railroads. It Is needless to say that every dollar that Is returned to the railroad company for this Increased expense will represent from ten to one hundred dollars of new wealth placed In circulation In the state. The letter published from Marshfield, Coos County, Monday, descriptive of the Peter Scott berry farm and vege table gardens In South Marshfield, shows how Independent a man may be come through placing himself In close touch with the soil and combining brain and brawn In planting and culti vating It. Upon five acres of bog land, only one-half of which Is under culti vation, this man and) his thrifty wife and two sons live in constantly increas ing abundance, which promises a com petence a few years hence. Favored by a good location, rich soil and mild, humid climate, they plant and gather berries and garden truck for which there is a steady demand, sell their products at what their neighbors,, who work in other lines, can afford to pay,' and "get ahead" steadily, year by year. A sturdy Scotchman, Peter Scott Is en dowed with sound health, persistence and patience, and is withal honest, in telligent and lndustrious;.a man "who takes what to himself belongs, unenvi ous of another's state." Oregon has room and welcome throughout her en tire borders for men of this class their wives and children. With apparent gravity the New York Herald, since the election, thus ad dresses President Roosevelt: If you are wise, Mr. Roosevelt, :now that you have been elected for a term of four years by the people, you will have mercy upon them and no longer crowd your Imperialistic notions down their throats. This is a democracy a "Government of the people, by the people, for the people," and not a Government by the Executive, a one-man power. Refrain from attempting to extend the grasp of Executive pretension over the co-ordinate branches of the Government. In eort, let us have a re turn to the constitutional methods laid down by the Fathers of the Republic, by which generations of patriotic Americans have lived and for which .countless thousands of them have died. If-you are looking for an owlish, seri ousness, or gravity, and can be amused by it, nothing better could be desired. The assumption that Mr. Roosevelt has been "cramming his imperialistic no tions down the throats of the people" Is a conception which able editors and politicians evolved from their own rare mental organisms, for use or duty In a partisan emergency, but which to re peat now Is funny, grotesque, "rum," Indeed. Unfortunately for a number of Val ley towns, the Southern Pacific Railway runs only through the suburbs and pas sengers going through on the train get a very Inaccurate Impression of these towns. This Is particularly true of towns in which there Is an abundance of shade trees for the trees shut off the view and leave the traveler almost In doubt whether there really Is a town of any size anywhere near the railway station. To make matters worse, resi dents of the part of town through which the railway passes are often careless about the. condition of their buildings and fences, the back yards lying next to the railway. A liberal application of whitewash and a few hours' labor with hammer and nails re pairing fences and buildings would help the looks of things and leave a better impression upon the minds of the thousands of visitors who will pass through the, Valley next year, going to or from the Lewis and Clark Fair, It is now the general opinion, as we learn from Eastern newspapers, that Addlcks is not to get into the United States Senate, after all. He needs twenty-seven votes In the Ie1aware Legislature, on joint ballot, and he Is said to control only twenty-two. Nine of the thirty-one Republicans elected are anti-Addicks men, and he needs five of them. These men cannot be bought, and it is believed that the twenty-one Democrats will be equally firm In opposing Addlcks methods. There seems to be about 14,000 major ity against prohibition in Oregon sev eral counties not voting. This is about double the majority thrown against prohibition In 18S6, when a prohibition constitutional amendment was pro posed. This time the question was pre sented In an indirect and deceptive way. But The Oregonian has no doubt that If prohibition were now presented directly, as a state measure, it would be beaten by 20,0m or more. v The Russians might improve their standing In the estimation of the na tions of the world If they would give their war vessels names somebody else could pronounce. In the "dry" counties are eighty or more saloons. We . may beheld & fe-Ig boom in the dreg store bueiaeee after January 1. That's why druggiets ak prohibition. THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN FUND The New York World (Dem.) prints an article stating that the Democratic cam paign fund this year was almost as large as the fund that Chairman Harrlty had at his disposal in the Cleveland cam paign of 1S92. It is claimed that the Democratic National Committee had more than $1,500,000 In its bands, not In cluding $130,000 given by ex-Senator Henry G. Davis toward the West Virginia cam paign, and not Including also several other sums given for specific purposes. The committee of 1892 Is generally under stood to have spent $1,750,000, leaving a balance of $50,000. The Democratic Na tional Committee In 1S96 had approxi mately $250,000 against the millions raised by .Chairman Hanna. The committee 3 allotment to Indiana this year is put at $35,000 for preliminary work and $135,000 for use on election day. The Connecticut allotment is stated at $20,000 for preliminary work and $40,000 for election day. The worlds table on the money spent by the Democratic com mittee in different states follows: New York $250,000 New Jersey -about 80,000 Connecticut 60,000 Maryland about 20,000 Indiana 170,000 Colorado 25.000 Nevada 15,000 West Virginia through Mr. Davis. 130,000 It Is understood that Mr. Davis made a further contribution to the West Vir ginia campaign fund just before the elec tion. Liberal River and Harbor Bill. The Committee on Rivers and Harbors will meet on November 22 and will hold sessions for several days preparing the River and Harbor, Bill, which Is to be passed at the coming short session of Congress. At the last session the com mittee held hearings for several months and gathered all the Information that was needed for the preparation of its bill. Committees representing the com mercial bodies of all cities which desired generous appropriations for river and har bor Improvements appeared before the committee and filed briefs and other docu ments indicating the nature of the im provements desired. About the middle of the session Speaker Cannon notified Chairman Burton that he deemed the passage of a river and harbor bill Im practicable at that session. Accordingly, the plan to Introduce a bill was aban doned, but the bill Itself was prepared. On Mr. Burton's representations that the condition of the work in many places was such that to stop it altogether for a year would result In great injury. Speaker Cannon permitted the passage of an emer gency bill, covering about $4,000,000 or $5,000,000, which enabled work that was ab solutely Indispensable to be carried on. The bill which the committee will con sider at its. sessions, week after next, will be very generous. It will reach possibly $40,000,000, or even more, and it will provide for magnificent Improve ments In the harbors of all the great cities. In many cases the bill will au thorize the Secretary of War to make contracts for Improvements which will take several years to complete, but which. when once authorized, have all the author ity of law, and must be provided for an nually in the Sundry Civil BilL There Is no doubt of the passage of the bill &f the next session of Congress, and It will probably be among the first measures to be brought up In the House and passed. Few Millionaires Vote. From a Now York Letter. It Is always an event when a multi millionaire votes In New York, and the fact Is usually noted by one of the elec tion officials and reported as a friendly little news Item to some newspaper man. There are about 1500 men In New York who are worth upward of a million, and from all accounts not over a quarter of them vote regularly. When Moklnley ran four years ago scarcely one of them failed to appear at the polla but in the succeeding Mayorallty and Gubernatorial elections very few took the trouble. J. Pierpont Morgan, Henry Clews, August Belmont and W. K. Vanderbilt are tol erably regular. Russell Sage rarely votes, although ho was on hand for Mc Klnley. This year he failed to" show at his polling booth; When a derelict mil lionaire Is taxed with his failure to vote he usually explains that he was out of town on registration day or that he for got to register. Not one of them has ever been known to say that he despised the ballot. "Wide-Open Town" 4000 Years Ago. New York Tribune. It was a llyo issue In Babylon in the days of HamurabI, 2250 B. C. There were severe laws in Hamurabl's code against the barmaid (for women kept saloons in those days) who adulterated her wines. Wood alcohol Is not mentioned, but prob ably that trick was known In old Baby lon. Special police officers were de tailed for the enforcement of the excise laws In the city of Babylon, but, then, as well as now, the officers charged with this duty were. If we are to believe the code In question, either negligent In the performance of their duties or too will ing to accept bribes from barmaids in the shape of drinks, or even money. All in all, HamurabI had his troubles keeping Babylon from being a "wide open town," and accumulated wisdom of four thou sand years has not made the problem any simpler. Widow of Major Anderson. Mrs. Robert Anderson, widow of Major Anderson, known as the hero of Fort Sumter, drove to- the White House the day after election and left a large bou quet of flowers for President Roosevelt. On account of her afflictions Bhe was not able to leave her carriage, but the Presi dent came out of his office to where the carriage was standing and conversed for some time with the soldier's widow. The Wise Warning. Washington Post. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., has warned Mb Bible class against the pursuit of riches. It does seem a waste of energy to go into competition with the Rocke fellers in an effort to capture the coin. SINKS JAPANESE DESTROYER. Russian Midshipman Torpedoes Craft Under Cover of Darkness. CHEFOO, Nov. 16. The Novl Krai of November 11 prints brief details of a daring exploit which resulted in the sinking of a four-funnel Japanese tor pedoboat destroyer. Japanese torpedoboats and one de stroyer were engaged in removing mines, mostly their own, from Tache Bay on November 3. Midshipman DimltrlefC conceived the Idea that he could torpedo the Japanese boats an der cover of darkness, as the latter were very, busy and enjoying a fancied, security. It was the very au&acity of the plan, the Novl Krai, says, that made It successful. Securing a steam launch from the battleship Retvlzan, one car rying a torpedo tube, and accosapaaied by half a dozen silent volunteers, Mid shlpman Dlmltrieff, In the dense dark ness, slipped out of the harbor aa succeeded In evading the Japanese searchlights. Running around the Japanese boats with the launch at top speed, the Mid shlpman came within striking distance from the seaward side and launched his projectile. It sped true to the destroy er. There was a sudden explosion aad the destroyer sank immediately. The launch the sped towards the harbor, hut was not yursued, the Japaaeee evi dently mot having observed the lanaek and thiaklaif that the .destroyer had struck one. oc their own mines. SETTLERS MP ST RULE, Roosevelt Says Speculators Are Not True Friends of Irrigation. ED PASO. Tex.. Nov. IS. The Na tional Irrigation Congress is today di vided Into five sections, and each sec tion is meeting in a different hall. They will come together, again tomorrow in general session and report results of their work and any conclusion arrived at. The executive committee, in accordance with the Instructions given last yearr to day reported a number of suggested amendments to the constitution, but none or tnem is of material Importance. A paper on the subject of "Rural Set tlements," by Commander Booth-Tucker, has been presented to the congress. The Mexican delegates are enthusiastic over the prospect of being officially rec ognized by the convention. It Is under stood that they will return to organizs a congress for Mexico, but they went affil iation with this congress alsp. The following letter from President Roosevelt was read and aroused much enthusiasm: Washington. Nov. 10. 1004. To the National Irrigation Congress: It is a pleasure to aend my greeting to yot both as President of the United States, and as a man who has lived in the West and is eager for its prosperity. Whatever any man or body of men may believe a to any question in political controversy, "wo may unite in the great duty ef international Improvement: the duty of making every foot of eoll, every stream and every other resource of natural or human origin contribute to the very utmost to the permanent prosperity of our country. I congratulate you because you are no longer striving for what once seemed a distant hope; you are no longer engaged in a campaign of education for the passage of a- reclamation act. On the contrary, your first great object is achieved. You have yet to consider what has been done and what la being done under that act by the reclamation service; to con sider meana to give it its largest and widest results, and to discuss the broad problems of irrigation methods and practices. It waa through your efforts, and men like you. that the people of the United States, as a Nation. undertook to attack the desert and to do away with it, not only so far as there la water now for that purpose, but to the fullest extent for which water may be developed hereafter. Such an attack, can be successful only when based on accurate knowledge. When the reclamation bet waa passed, the eteentlal facta as to stream flow which had been ascertained In many parts of the United States and the scientific basis for a National reclamation, which otherwise would have taken years to accumulate, were already In a large part at hand. The fact that so much progress has already been made by the reclamation service is a striking example of the advantage of scientific investigation by the General Gov ernment. It may be true that, to the man whose interest is limited by Immediate re sults, the admirable work of the reclamation service at times seems slow, but we are build ing for a great future, and it is far more im portant that the works built should be per manent and successful than that they should be completed in haste. There will be no un wise hurry: neither will there be any unneces sary delay. Most of the great problem of organization and methods have now been solved, and progress In construction and set tlement is being made with increasing rapid ity. The passing of the reclamation law was ,a great step toward realizing the desire to produce water for irrigation. But always, and in every place, the best use of public lands Is their use by the man who has come to stay. There are, unfortunately, in every part of our country, a few men whose interests are pure ly temporary, who are eager to skim the cream and go. Instead of using the forests conservatively, they would, for example, abuse and destroy the natural reservoirs upon which National irrigation depends, to the permanent loss hf every agency which makes for the true development and lasting greatness of the Irriga ble states. Such interests cannot be allowed to control. Now that your first great object has been ac complished in the passage of 'the reclamation law, you should make yourselves the guardians of tbe future and the unrelenting and watchful enemies of every attempt to waste any of the great resources in the forestry, grazing and mineral wealth, the foundation stones of the newer .and greater West for irrigation and every other Interest which you represent. The period of excluelvenees Is past. The stock" Interests are no longer Independent of the min ing interests, nor either of them independent of the Irrigator. A closer interweaving than ever before is at band among all the great In terests of the whole country. One cannot pros per without the other. To the future growth and greatness of the other Western interests we depend in the first degree, upon the de velopment of Irrigation and the development of irrigation will depend upon the protection and wlee use of the existing forests, and the crea tion of new ones, and the proper control of the grazing. Your work for the good of one Interest Is for the good of all. , THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Senator Newlands, of Nevada, and Gov ernor Pardee, of California, are most fre quently mentioned for the office of presi dent of the congress. FRENCH CABINET CRISIS. Stability of Ministry Is Threatened by Resignation of Andre. . PARIS, Nov. 16. The stability of the entire Cabinet is considered to be seri ously threatened by the resignation yesterday of "War Minister Andre. Re ports have been circulated that Marine Minister Pelletan, Foreign Minister Delcasse and other Ministers are about to resign,- but those who are close to these Ministers say the reports are un founded. However, it Is conceded that the Cabinet, as a whole, is not likely to survive long. The private view of some of the best informed persons within Ministerial circles Is that a-new Cabinet will be formed In the course of the next three weeks. It is consid ered certain that Foreign Minister Del casse will remain in the reorganized Cabinet. CHINESE TERROR STRICKEN. Successes of Rebels Cause Business People to Leave Five Towns. SHANGHAI. Nov. 16. The rebels hate repulsed the Imperial troops at uucnow fu, In the province of Kwangsi, Southern They have captured Tuenhslen, Tienho slen, Dochengshien, Huaiyenhsien and Liuchen, five of the principal towns In the province. Tne merchants ana Dans: pr-q fled from the town. Cbou Fu, ex-Governor of the province nf Khntiinc. -who was reeentlv attaint ed Viceroy at Nanking, has been ordered to proceed Immediately to his post ana to take measures to check the rebels In the Yangtse valley.. RUSSIA TAKES DIFFERENT VIEW Conditions Not the Same as When First Peace Congress Was Held. ST. PETERSBURG. Nov. 16. An official note Issued here today controverts the analogy drawn In the proposal for .the new peace conference between the present situation and the situation at the time of The Hague Conference. It points out that France has transmitted to WashlnR- ton Spain's desire for peace before 4 sug gestion of the conference was formulated. and that the Russian circular convoking the conference was Issued only after the conclusion of peace. New Editor for London Standard. LONDON, Nov. 15. H. A. G wynne, Reu ter's chief correspondent in the South Africa, Soudan and Turko-Greek wars, has been appointed editor of the London Standard under the new regime. Serious Disorders Near Saioniea. SALOXICA. Nov. 16. The battalion of troops fresi Albania, has been ordered to proceed In haete to Vodslna, 45 miles north west of Safcmica, where serieus disorders fiX 3 1' Op OC Ex-Mtseowl Ceftgreseman. MAXSKALLs. Mo., Nov. ' IS. James CseMgr, Owi?Miwm ef. the Seventh actseewri DJrtrieC died t, fcta fee here today ( ymmimM slur a eeort umese. NOTE AND COMMENT. It Is time now that "aftermath of the election" was barred from the papers. One thins about Parker: he has shown V no Intention of starting another Com moner. Piatt's buckwheat breakfast should set . a fashion, and make "stack o hots" a rallying cry for the political hosts. New York Is having a great chrysan themum show, and CassinI has made no' assertion that it a breach of neutrality. In Kentucky there are four towns named respectively; Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel. "Where could' the Kentucklans have learned their names? The Cody robbers, instead of scootlnsr. stopped to rob again. They must think tney are being chased by that party of Isew York clubmen and English noble men." . . Russia, offers a prise for tha solution of the following puzzle: Is It better to have a whole torpedo- boat In Port Arthur or a busted one In Chefoo. A woman In Newark, N. J., has been sentenced to pay a fine of one dime every day for two years. Her sentence contains the worse feature of going to church every day. So Portland Is to have a chance of see ing the guileless little Igorrote. "When the Fair opens we shall be able to decide the question for ourselves and, by the bye. save your dogs. Mt. Hood Is tanked. That Is to say, a large tank prevents us from seeing the hillock out of the office window. Also It prevents visitors from seeing It. Hence forth there will be no cries of "Isn't Mt. Hood pretty!" or "Just look at Mt. Hood, It Is prefectly lovely today!" Thank heavens, there's nothing about a tank that demands expressions of. admiration. although It seems far more up-to-date than Mt. Hood, which is of obsolete con struction. Mrs. Smith of Philadelphia, had a treas ure of a maid. Mrs. BIddle of Philadel phia, telephoned the maid an alluring of fer. The maid packed up her duds and entered Mrs. Blddle's service right away. Mrs. Smith says It's just shameful the way Mrs. BIddle treated her. and Mrs. . BIddle retorts by asking "who Is this Mrs. Smith." Moral: If you' have a good maid don't brag about her, unless you can get her to wear an Oregon boot. Forty co-eds from tho University of Wisconsin visited' Chicago last week to pursue their study of "sociology." Under the guidance of their ifcpfessor and of a detective they visited a police court and saw a dope fiend or two brought before the justice, and then returned to their university, having studied" sociology in the most sociological place possible. Without a very clear idea of what soci ology may be, it would be presumptuous to express an opinion on tho propriety of girls snooping around police courts, but If anyone called It tommyrot few would be surprised. This Is "ajtermath of the election," and we apologize for mentioning- it. Zenos J. Rives, of Litchfield, 111., has been elected to Congress although only 23 years, of age. It appears that the Democratic can didate, a wealthy banker,,- was thought to have such a cinch that no one would . have the Republican 'nomination.' until -Rives took it. When the result of. the election, came in, great was the surprise to find that Rives had romped in ahead of his oppenent. As a representative must be 25 years of age, the surprised young lawyer may not benefit after all. Sut it all shows the folly of letting anything slip past that you' might grab. One of the richest women In New York has obtained credit for originality by giv ing barbecue dinners In her house. The kitchen Is filled with banks of earth in which the meats are cooked allee same open air. That's nothing. A Portland woman contemplates giving a clam bake in her house. By leaving all the water taps open for 12 hours she hopes to flood the bouse so that her guests will get their feet wet just as readily as If the? were at the beach. She will also have sand shaken over their dresses and Into their shoes, and the food will also' be sprinkled with It. No doubt her position as a hostess of originality will be secure after the clam bake, which Is to be given at once, or we dare not run the risk of having another ambitious woman steal the Idea beforehand. 'Rah for the Oregon Prune! Its virtues are beginning to be recognized by the world at large. Collier's of November 12 has something to say about it. under the heading of "Folks at the Fair." There are, folks mentioned Jn that part of the story the "vast horde of able-bodied American citizens and their wives crowd ing up in the hope of getting a free stewed prune" but It. Is evident that the Oregon prune dominates the situation. The "young woman demonstrator" is de scribed as "blond and shapely," and she ascribes the attractive qualities of the Oregon Prune and incidentally of the Oregon Peach not the kind of trees to "the Oregon air, sir, the Oregon air." Probably that Is the true explanation. Oregon air makes the prune's juicy, and the peaches lovely. Yes, the Oregon Prune Is a great thing and when. In con junction with the Oregon Peach it Is ir resistible. WEX J. Japan Appreciates France's Position. TOKIO, Nov. 16. The negotiations be tween Tokoi and Paris, concerning the alleged violation by France of neutrality In permitting ships of the Russian second squadron to use French harbors, continue. Pending their conc(uslan, the Japanese government Is silent. Sections of the press and public are indulging in somewhat se vere criticisms of the action of the French, but the feeling Is distinctly more temperate among the better-infonaed Jap anese who acknowledge and even sym pathise with the delicate position of Franco as Russia's ally. Underlying 'all is calmness concerning the RueeUa squad ron, produced by confidence la the ability of the Japanese navy to defeat the Rus sians. Clear Way far Russian Fleet. SUEZ, Nov. IS. The doversor has sum moned a meeting of the Coseula. aad has asked them to inform shipping agents that during the passage through the canal of the ships of the Russian secoed Pacific squadron all vessels proceeding northward will be stopped, allowing the Rueel&n war ships free passage, and that .all vessels must stringently refrain froca throwing anything into tbe canal while the war ships are- paeemg. and fre eagagter In demonstrations of any sort. AnglS'PiUf4it Treaty Stfitsrf. LONDON, Ner. 1C The" Aflle-FrV8 gueee treaty f arhttratten war sigma at iriadeer Caetie today.