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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1904)
N THE MORNING OREGONIAtf, TUESDAY! DECEMBER 13, 1904. Entered at the Postofflce at Portland. OrM as eecoad-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION' BATES. Br mall (postage prepaid In advance) Pally, -with Sunday, per month. . ... -5 .55 Sally, with Sunday excepted, per year".. 7.50 Daily, -with Sunday, per year.. 8.00 Sunday, per year t....... 2.00 The weekly, per year - 1 The "Weekly. 8 months Sally per week, delivered. Sunday ex cepted -10 Sally, per week, delivered. Sunday la- eluded POSTAGE BATES. United States. Canada and Mexico 10 to K-page paper. IS to 30-page paper ;c 2 to 44-page paper dc Foreign rates, double. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The S. 0. Beck with Special Agency New Xorlc; rooms 40-50. Tribune building. Chi cago; rooms 510-512 Tribune building. The Oregonian does not buy poems or sto ries from individuals and cannot undertake to return any manuscript sent to It without solicitation. No stamps should "bo Inclosed for this purpose. KEPT ON SALE. Chlcajco Auditorium Annex: Postofflce News Co., 178 Dearborn street. V Denver Julius Black. Hamilton & Send rick. 806012 Seventeenth St.. and FrueauC Bros.. COS ICth st Knnwis City, Mo. Blcksecker Cigar Co.. Ninth and "Walnut. Xiob Angeles B. F. Gardner. 250 South Spring, and Harry Drapkln. ' Oakland. CaL W. H. Johnston. Four teenth and Franklin st. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh. 50 South Third: I Begelsburger. 217 First avenue South. New York City I. Jones & Co.. Astor House. Ogden F. B. Godard and Myers and Har- rop. Omaha Barkalow Bros.. IC12 Farnam; Mageath Stationery Co. 1308 Farnam. Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co.. 77 "Wen Second South street. San Francisco J. K. Cooper Co.. 748 Mar ket street: Foster & Orear. Ferry News Stand; Goldsmith Bros.. 236 Sutter; L. E. Lee.JPalace Hotel News Stand; F. W. Pitts. 1008 Market; Frank Scott. 80 Ellis; 2f. "Wheatley. 83 Stevenson: Hotel St. Francis News Stand. TVasblnrton. D. Cv Ebbltt House News Stand. PORTLAND, TUESDAY, DEC. 13, 1004. THE POSTOFFICE AND SOCIALISM. In The Oregonian of yesterdav the report of the Postofflce Department was headed "A Big: Deficit" The defi cit was $4,060,044.73. It is a considerable sum, but not enormous. Never, but in one year, has the Postal Department paid expenses. Often in former years. when its business "was not one-half, nor even one-fourth, what it is now, it fell behind as much, or more. Postal service for the benefit of the people is the one branch of the public service which can be directed, with ad vantage by the General Government. in the interest of all. It is different In every -way from the railway service, or the telegraph service, or the tele phone service: it Is different from man ufacturing or other nmrtnrHv Inriuctrv which socialists insist that Government shall undertake. It is not a productive Industry. It is distributive only. Gov ernment hires the mails carried, and it collects from those -who send matter through the mailB. The service nearly pays its -way, and may be made to do so completely; since from an exnendl- ture of $138,784,487.97 a deficit is found of but 54,560,044.73. Since it is not a productive indus try,, since it requires no capital, govern ment nas no investment In it, beyond the trifle necessary for Its postal sta tions and mail "bags. It owns no rail roads or other means of transport. It simpiy nires the -work done. This ser vice furnishes no precedent, therefore, and no parallel, for those -who -would nave the Government go into railroad ing and ironrriaklng and shoemaklnir. The work of the postofflce therefore is not the work of socialism. It affords no analogy for the demands that so cialism makes. It doesn't follow at all that because government can rn thing of this kind, which investment ot capital, which produces "nothing at all, but only keeps -up the circulation of intelligence, or provides a. facility for the circulation of written or printed matter among the people through agencies which capital has es tablished and maintains, could there. fore take control of the vast productive inausiries or the country, which re quire immense capital and immense in bor, with best intelligence dominating over all, to make them successful. The postomce furnishes no argument -who t ever for the claims of socialism hnt the strongest of arguments against mem. .Between making plows, supply ing the capital for the undertaking nn performing the heavy labor in It, and carrying letters, which reoulres nn ran ltal at all and scarcely any labor certainly none of a severe kind there Is no correspondence. The things are uriequal, and', not commensurate or comparable. .Nor will the srood iudir ment and -common sense of the country ne aeceived by any attempt, however persistent, to force an analojrv. Gov ernment operates the postofflce and supports the public schools. But these are not productive Industries. Govern ment doesn't grow wheat or hnn n make leather or glass. Should it try. tne result could be foreseen. "EVERYMAN'S" USES. The production of "Even-man1 in Portland last week, The Oregonian Is told, made not a few persons eerlous and sent to the churches on Sunday numbers never accustomed to go. Now here Is a. hint for the churches. An effective way of getting up a "revival might be to induce the theaters of Portland to keep "Everyman" on the stage for a month or two the church people lending their influence, .attend ing themselves and urging their friends to attend. An influence could thus be exerted that would fill the theaters .every night of the week and the churches to overflowing on Sundays and in a little while the membership of the churches would be greatly in creased. For the fear of death and of what may follow is the most potent of all influences for conduct over a large class of minds. The English drama began in the churches, as an expression of the religious feelings of man, and the intense opposition of the churches to the theater came in with Puritan asceticism, on the assumption that whatever gives pleasure is sinful, "Everyman," however, though it would stir a feeling in many, is not the sort of drama that gives much pleasuro; so the Puritan objection on this score wouldn't lie against it. If the church people would take it up they could easily fill the theaters for weeks, with the attendant effect of filling the churches, no doubt. "We should get also a recrudescence of Bible reading, John Bunyan and Young's Night Thoughts It might do a lot of good, too; though affcr while uch is the constitution of the human mind that there would be a turning: to frivolity and gayety a grain. THE GOVERNOR'S DUTT. If the State of Oregon had a Governor with a more sober regard lor his duties than merely to look pleasant and draw down his unconstitutional emoluments, we should have public order 'in Central Oregon. It is not possible to view too gravely the startling condition of im potence Into which the administration of law has been thrown in more than one county by the timidity of local offi cers and the procrastination of our complaisant executive. Twenty-eight hundred sheep were slain In Lake County last Spring by a gang of outlaw cattlemen, who took this merciless method of wreaking vengeance on their enemies; and the feud. between them led to the shocking and mysterious death of a leading citizen, J. C. Conn. A Cor oner's jury said It was suicide; but the circumstances pointed so strongly to murder that there was a loud cry for a more thorough inquisition into the facts and for punishment of the supposed assassins. The Conn tragedy became a living issue in Southeastern Oregon politics, and led to the defeat at the polls of public officers who appeared to have taken the side -of the criminals, or to have hesitated to procure their arrest and conviction. Now thousands of sheep have been slain In Crook County as a consequence of the same conspiracy to expel the sheepmen from the range. The slayers are so audacious In their operations and so avowedly ready to pass from the massacre of sheep to the murder of sheepmen that whole communities are terrorized, the arm of the law para lyzed, and anarchy virtually reigns. In Grant County the stockmen, on their part, have been made victims of the depredations of an industrious band of rustlers, who steal horses and cattle with Impunity and practically defy ar rest. It Is obvious that In all these counties, and perhaps in others, the op eration of law has completely broken down, and It is obvious, too, that the depredations of neither the criminal sheepklllers nor the daring stock rustlers will cease until they kill off one another or until the present Governor of Oregon can be made to realize that the lives of its citizens are imperiled. their property in Jeopardy and their right to the law's protection denied. Sheepmen have the same rights In the country as cattlemen, and cattle men the same as sheepmen. But it is public land, and neither, at bottom, has any actual right. They are bound, how ever; in equity and justice, to respect tne common right, on either side, to graze their herds and flocks, till for bidden by the owner of the lands. It Is Intolerable when one party attemDts to exclude by wholesale massacre the other party from lands to which neither has a legal right. Active measures would be taken against these sheep killers if Oregon had a Governor who was not balancing and playing in poll tics for re-election. RURAL FREE DELIVERY. Rural free delivery, as discussed in the annual report of the Postmaster! General, a synopsis of which was print ed in yesterday's Oregonian. has be come a very prominent branch of the mall service of the country. The ranld lty with which the service has srrown is reflected in the official figures show ing an increase from forty-four routes maintained at an expenditure of 540,000 in 1837 to 24,566 routes on which the disbursements last year wore 512.921.700 This swift development in the service quite naturally has created a deficit. the shortage for the year beine- nlnrert at nearly 55,000.000. At first dance the sum expended for maintaining a service on these rural routes seems- large, but when it Is compared with the prodigal expenditures of the Government In other directions it makes a less formid able showing. The fundamental princi ple "underlying all measures enacted for the benefit of the public Is the greatest good for the greatest number, and. rea soning from this standpoint, the Gov ernment has certainly accomplished more with its money In the rural dellv ery service than In any other branch of expenditures for public service. That millions of people received a Ai rect benefit from this service is proved by the official figures, which show that the rural carriers delivered durinir the last fiscal year 906.424,121 pieces of mall matter. There is, of course, a direct financial benefit reaped by the subur ban resident on the rural route. The dally delivery of newsnaners nnr? tottora enaoies him to keep in close touch with all business matters in which he mav be interested. This direct financial ad vantage Is minimized, however. In com ,parison with the indirect benefits to the people as a whole. The isolated life of the country, and its lack of opportunity ior commercial ana social intercourse has from the lime when men first build ed cities bton controlling factors in in duclng the rural rtoldent to abandon the farm and get in closer touch with his fellow -men. The suburban car and the rural deliv ery have to a large extent eliminated this disadvantage, and. today, wherever the rural delivery route reaches, the progressive rural resident is fully as well Informed on the commercial and social topics of the day as his urban neighbor. The advantages now con ferred by the rural mail service hav not only added to the profits of the farmers and small tradesmen dwelling beyond the city limits, but they have also spread contentment amonc a. eer tain class of suburbanites who. without these advantages, would be rushing into the city and Intensifying the struc- gle for existence which is ever more difficult in the city than in the coun try. In the promotion of this content ment there Is. of course, a disappear ance of that Jealousy which is too of ten exhibited -by the country people for those who dwell in the city. The coun try dweller has his dally paper deliv ered at his door not very much later in the day than the city man. and is as close up -with, the times as the dweller in the city. . The two classes, thus being brought much closer together from a social well as business standpoint, will reap mutual benefit by the contact. It impossible to estimate in dollars and cents the value of this "sentimental benefit," but it can easily be understood that It has a value far and away in cess of the cost attached to the service, The rural free delivery has come stay, and, while there will undoubtedly be a steady Increase in the appropria tions required for Improving and main talnlng the service, they will be riv less grudgingly than for almost any otner purpose ror which demands be made on Congress. The recommendation -that the service be extended to Include the delivery small' parcels at a cost lower than of the regular postage rates seems to be a good one. The change as suggested does not affect parcels mailed at any other than the particular rural route over which the parcel is to be carried. Added value is given this suggestion for the reason that the carriers, who were formerly permitted to handle this parcel business as a side issue, have been prohibited from doing so, but In lieu thereof will receive more pay. The revenue from this source would materi ally aid in making the service self -supporting, and would also prove a great convenience to the rural subscribers. AMERICA AS AN ASYLTOL The total number of aliens admitted to the United States during the last fiscal year was 812,870. More than one half this number were of the Italian, Hebrew, Polish, Slavak and Magyar races. The need of new legislation for the more competent physical Inspection of aliens at the ports of embarkation is urged by Secretary Metcalf in his re port on this subject He also urges the establishment of a moral and manual tandlng for admissible aliens. This "need is expressed in figures showing that there are now in public and pri vate charitable. Denal and reformatory Institution in this country 44.9S5 aliens, distributed as follows: In asylums for the insane, 20,485; confined for the com mission of crime, 9825; of dependents, 14,675. Upwards of 25,000 of the whole number of these aliens will be confined for life an unjust charge upon the thrift of the communities or common wealths, into which they were allowed to drift poverty-stricken mental wrecks. Self-preservation should be the first law of nations, as It is of Nature. This is especially true in a country of free political Institutions. Vigilance is the price of liberty. The perpetuation of our institutions depends upon the exer cise of political sagacity and observ ance of wise measures of political econ omy. The old theory that proclaimed America as the asylum for the op pressed and the helpless of all lands has been sadly overworked in practice. It is time that the sentiment underlying our National hospitality should be amended so that our Invitation to aliens to come In and share with us the bless ings and benefits of a free land be restricted to the law-abiding, the phys ically and mentally sound and the self- supporting. Sentiment is well enough in Its way and within limits, but it Is a most unstable thing upon which to found the citizenship of a republic. COURTS AND CRIME. The London Spectator recently pub lished an article upon the creat In crease of qrlihe in the United States during the last tweiity years. In which a grave view of the situation was pre sented. It was supplemented by an an peal to the American people to impose radical reforms in its system of juris prudence before it becomes too late With much of the self-complacent Brit ish spirit the Spectator goes on to speak of the prestige that belongs to Judges on the English bench rthe Mavbrick case was probably not in mind), adding: We venture to say that l American Judges had the standing which belong to our Judges, ncn men who now uso their money to cor rupt DUbllc officials and rmhlln hnrll wnuU find themselves in jail either for contempt or court or some open breach of the law. Rich men dare not openly defy the law In England as they do In America. The actual statute law in America Is more than sunt clent to put down corruption. It Is Its admin Istratlon that Is at fault. TV know hnw difilcult. owing to the state system. It will dc to give greater weight of authority to the judicature of ordinary state courts. Until this is done, however, no attempt to purify American life can really be permanently suc- cessiui. furthermore. It Is absolutely neces sary mat, not morcly in cities, but through out the country, there should be a larrp well-paid, efficient police force, and this foroe snouia ne made to recognize that Its duties are quite as much preventive as punitive. Perhaps it would be well for nnr judges, or some of them, to lay this counsel to heart. In, the meantime however, the Intelligent American can nacdiy he expected to fall down, before tne snnne of "British justice" and see In its methods a crime-free state. There are statistics which show a somewhat alarming increase in crime in the United .Kingdom, notwithstanding the -prestige and standing" of British Judges and- the alleged incorruptibility of British justice as administered by them. Comparisons in this line are more than likely to be disconcerting. EXPANSION OF EXPORT TRADE. If any further testimony were needed to show that the foreign trade of this country is not being hampered in the slightest degree through an alleged lack of shipping facilities, it is offered vin the -advance sheets of the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Labor and Commerce. These figures show that for the first ten months of the calendar year all previous records have been far exceeded, and that, if the exports of manufactures for November and De cember are as large proportionally as those for September and October, the total for the year will pass the 5500,000, 000 mark, an increase of 566,000,000 over the record year, 1900. The remarkable growth of our manufacturing Industries is reflected In a comparison with the figures for 1890, when the total was but 5151,000,000. It will thus be seen that in the com paratively short space of fourteen years our exports of manufactures have more than trebled. The November fhrures have not yet been compiled, but for October there was an increase of more than 510,000,000 over the corresponding month of last year, while for the ten months to November 1 the total was 5412,946,036. compared with 5348,673,560 for the same period last year. Iron and steel products lead all other manufac tures, and for the first ten months of the year reach a total of 5105,350,418, an increase of more than 525,000,000 over the corresponding period last year. There has been" a heavy falling, off In the exports of agricultural products, due to the short crop in this country and attendant higher prices at a time when the foreign markets were being supplied . at lower prices from other countries. It is also probable that there has been a large increase in the de marids for home consumption. The increase in the output of manu factured products of course reflects corresponding increase in the demand for laoor, and, so long as industrial conditions warrant this increasing de mand for agricultural products, no re grets will be expressed over a decline In exports of products which are worth more for home consumption than, they will command when shipped abroad. In the segregations of our exports, cotton manufactures make the poorest com parative showing of any of the items on the list There is of course an Increase, but for the ten months it is only about 5 per cent. Our weakness In this branch of manufacture is strikingly illustrated by the fact that, while for the ten months exports of cotton goods were but 525,383,000, for the same period we exported 5260,000,000 worth of raw cot ton. When It is considered that Great Britain's mills annually export 5240,000,- 000 worth of cotton goods, nearly all of which are made from American cot ton, it Is apparent that there Is at. least one branch of Industry which is not being developed in keeping with its pos sibilities. The statistics covering the imports for the first ten months of the year also point indirectly to the growth of our manufacturing Industries. There was an increase of about 58,000,000 In the value of crude materials Imported for domestic industries, and the Im ports of articles of food and animals in creased nearly 540,000,000, the natural Inference being that the growth of manufacturing industries was so much more rapid proportionately than that of agricultural industries that the in creased imports were required by the larger army of workmen in manufac turing lines. The totals for Imports of all kinds for the ten months show a smaller gain than is noticed In the ex ports, but had reached the total of 5844,- 152,000, making it a certainty that the end of the year would .register a- grand total In excess of 51.000,000.000. This country Is still shipping as raw material a much greater portion of Its surplus products than It Is to our ad vantage to have go out In the crude state. The gain, however. Is not un satisfactory, and with a continuation of the, present excellent shipping facili ties, and low freights to all parts of the world, we are almost certain to con tinue to gain In exports. Troubles continue to multiply for poor, old, decrepit China. With the news of growing strength of the rebels In the Xwangsl Province comes a re port that the soldiers In the Ching yuen and Liuchou prefectures are on a strike for wages long overdue. Eighteen thousand .of the Imperial troops are threatening to join the rebels unless their demands for pay are met at once. Meanwhile the rebels are picking off government officials wherever they can find them unprotected, and the gov ernment "Is reciprocating by executing rebels In larse numbers. The Chinese government has been going from bad to worse, since the Japanese victory ten years ago, and there will be a task of no mean proportions for some of the great powers as soon as modern civili zation moves a little farther back into the interior, of the ancient empire. There have been land frauds In Ore gon. It is right and proper and neces sary to pursue them. But could any thing induce the land department to look seriously Into the enormously greater frauds In Colorado, Montana, Arizona and California? It seems doubtful. Besides, there are the enor mously greater frauds of lieu lands. covering millions of acres, that never are to be explored. They are covered. perhaps An all cases, by the- forms of law, but for this reason all the more unconscionable. But let justice pro ceed. Let it convict -the little offenders and let the greater criminals go free "Sweep on, you fat and greasy citizens; 'tis just the fashion. Wherefore should you 'look upon that poor and broken bankrupt there?" . The weekly wheat statistics yester day were all of a "bullish' nature. World's shipments showed a decrease of more than 3,000,000 bushels as com pared with the preceding week. Quan titles on passage declined over 2,000,000 bushels, and the American visible Bhowed an Increase of but 248,000 bush els. In the face of all this strength, which was not of a sentimental nature the Chicago market lo3t a cent a bushel and Liverpool also closed much lower. The predictions of 51.50 wheat before the turn of the year are no longer heard, and, unless the Argentine crop, now about Teady for the market, re celves a serious setback within the next thirty days, there jwill be still further recessions in price. The Coast Seamen's Union, which re cently "passed a resolution condemning the use of flshtraps, will now endeavor to'nduce 'Congress to pass a law pro hibiting the towing of log rafts on the Pacific Ocean. Of course, the relief sought by the seaman from these abuses is not for selfish motives, and the fact that no sailor ever owned a fishtrap or sailed on a Jog raft is merely a coincidence. Still, both of the meas ures will meet with outside support No glllnet fisherman will oppose the effort to abolish flshtraps, and no owner of a lumber drogher will object to hav ing log rafts kept off the ocean. It was the province of Senator Mitch ell and of Representative Hermann to decide, each for himself, whether they would quit their work In Washington and come to Oregon, to testify in the land trials. For reasons stated by themselves they have decided not to come. Though The Oregonian thinks It would have been better for the public service and for themselves, had they dropped everything at Washington and come home to testify, yet it realizes that they are to act upon their own judgment In the matter, and leave the result to the general judgment of the people. The reason Lawson wrote "Frenzied Finance" was his abhorrence for the methods by which the stockholders ii Amalgamated Copper had been victim In Ized. Now he has passed from words of sympathy to deeds of sacrifice sacrl flee by which he endeavors to ruin al the remaining value the stock pos all sesses. The fifth jury in the Ames case at Minneapolis is unable to agree, and the greatest and boldest of recent boodle Mayors will go unpunished. (However, the country Is able to agree as to Ames guilt, so the Minneapolis exposures and prosecutions have not been altogether fruitless. Russia In its students has a very large and busy body of copperheads. If they would go to Port Arthur and fight for Russia first, and for them selves afterwards, they might be enti tied to more of the world's sympathy. The discovery that 214 ballots In Den ver were written by fourteen persons and 176 ballots by one person would seem to dispose of the ancient notion that no Democrat can write. He long ago learned the value of education. A fool art critic of Berlin -has begun an agitation to prevent, the sale and removal of art treasures to the United States. Why shouldn't they come to the United States? NOTE AND COMMENT. , Darn your stockings Jr Copper copper. T. Lawson. The Christmas feeling empty pockets. Governor Vardaman la the boll weevil of politics. - '. " Even .Siamese twins don't hang-together like Tom and Jerri'. Speaking of the spirit of Christmas, hat price hot Scotch? We trust the stork noted" the reference to it In the Presldent'3 messace. About thtK timo nf voar "rri" nnV. . ... v.-.a V . V1-- V.t. ingg become more popular than over'. Pat Crowe hag ' forfeited all claims to kindness by bobbing Into the papers again. This is the time of year that the glass with the spoon in It has the best of the glass with the straw In It. "Fancy Waists Are in Favor," says the Brooklyn Eagle. Sure, any old waist la In favor. If you can get your arm around it. Carnegie will receive $1.50 a day while' testifying before the grand jury. Fate stems determined to make him die dis graced. Student demonstrations In Russia are largely shared in by women. Of course; and we'd like to see the Cossacks that would dare to charge a hatpin brigade. The father of Jim Jeffries Is about to go on a preaching tour. If his spiritual Dunch rivals the physical punch of his son. we expect Old Nick to last about one round. A man In KanAs Ciy was Injured by the burning of his celluloid collar. With out being vindictive. It may be said that Fate now and then makes the penalty fit the crime. In Tonopah a man bored a hole in the floor 6f a gambling joint and got away with the bank roll of this roiiletto wheel. That gives the owner someJdea of what it feels like to see lt."come green." The Burnslde Commercial makes the following slam at conditions in another Kentucky town: "Jackson now announces that it has neither police force nor saloons. The lit tle still up In the mountains and the feuds supply both booze apd bullets." The cult of the limerick flourishes in Kansas, as this specimen from the Eldo rado Republican testifies: Thero was a yonnjf girl from Sallno "Who looked like a perfect Albino, "When asked why her hair IVaa so fearfully fair. Her hasty reply tsus, "Damrfno." A dispatch from St. Petersburc saya that the 11-story building just opened by an American manufacturing company 13 the "handsomest structure In Russia." Presumably the correspondent who sent thiH dispatch la tired of domes and minarets and tho alght of a staring steel and concrete block relieves his homesick ness. Driving the "last spike" Is a favorite pastime with presidents and kings, when they are not "turning the first sod" or "laying the first brick." In view of the veneration in which first and last spikes are hold, the following paragraph is not devoid of amusing qualities: The final spike In the railroad from Canton to Saxnshul was driven the other day. But be fore. It had been down - hours It was stolen by tho Chinese. Xew Tork Evening Sun. The London News thinks that collars and tall hats will soon have to be creased. since coats and overcoats have followed tho fad set by trousers. Why not? Man's attire is already Idiotic enough to give grounds for supposing that before long he will be going around In a four-cornered garment of tin or some similar comfort able substance. The armor-clad knights were never foolish enough to wear their steel trousers and jackets with four creases in them. A New Tork girl of 15 hit upon a clever way of making money. She used to go about the streets In a shaky-looking skirt and when she met a woman with a purse In her hand, would ask for a pin to keep the skirt from coming down. The woman would usually offer tp help the girl. Fre queniiy ine gin wouia nom tne purse while hor sympathetic helper would pin up the Bklrt. It was easy to take out the money oeroro returning the purso and then the girl would disappear. The plan did not brlhg In such big returns) as Mrs, Chadwick's, but the Inventive girl man aged to live comfortably on her earnings until the police heartlessly Interfered. There Is a queenly young saleswoman In one of our stores who seems to have a very accurate Idea of the real significance of Christmas gifts, says the Washington Post. I saw her the other day Standing behind a counter on which lay a number of curious objects made of paper. "Will you please to tell me what these are?" I asked, respectfully. "Christmas presents," said she, idly fingering with a bcjeweled hand the price' less pearls about her throat. "Yes,'' I said, "but what aro they used for?" She looked at me languidly, and Instant ly I wished I dared to tell her that' really did have a beaver hat and a new fur collar at home. The finality which attaches to a Supreme Court decision was ,In her voice. "They are used for Christmas presents,' she said. , WEX. J. Scandals That Make Portland Famous Vancouver Columbian. Portland la having a good deal of free advertising just at present. The trial and conviction of Its leading gamblers and closing up of tho Chinese fan tan games follows closely upon the great land fraud swindles and the conviction of the principals. Then, to make things still more Interesting, the City Council and the government of the municipality has gotten Into a terrible fuss over the build ing of the new Tanner-Creek sewer. Port land Is evidently up against some hard propositions, but the sensible element will root out tho rottenness and put the city on the plane ot respectability it should have. The grafters and lawbreakers mil go, in that ctiy as well as everywhere. i'VoIce of the Land." Boston Transcript. That kindly little word, "Zemstvo, which appears so frequently in news from Russia these days, is derived from the noun, "zomlia," meaning land, and the verb, "vopeet," to clamor. Thus it slg nlf.es "the voice of the land," and is council of landed proprietors appointed to deliberate and report to the central ex ecutlve the wants of the rural population. It Is something like an English county council without the latter's authority, yet that authority is what it now pleads for. The Zemstvo was founded in lS&i, and Alexander II intended It as one of the most important of his reforms. GREAT SAILORS OF MODERN TIMES PIERRE ANDREE DE SUFFREN SAINT-TROPES (By Arrangement With the Chicago Tribune.) Ono of the most dangerous enemies the Eng lish fleet3 have ever met, and without excep tion the most Illustrious otflcer that has ever held command In the French navy. Laughton on Suffren, In "Studies In Naval History." If the winnina: of brilliant and decisive victories be the sole test of a sea fight er's greatness Suffren does not deserve to rank with such renowned commanders as De Ruyter and John Paul Jones, Lord kelson and David Glasgow Farragut. If audacity and celerity of action, distin guished tactical ability, dauntless courage In facing either danger or responsibility, heroic constancy and resourcefulness to keep the sea and steadily gain upon the enemy in spite of difficulties that would overwhelm any. but the stoutest heart constitute greatness, then Suffrta was one of the greatest warriors that ever trod a deck. Suffren's reputation rests malnly upon his Indian Ocean campaign. If he had been properly supported by the French government and his subordinates he might have wrested from England her Indian empire. The French government and his own captains almost utterly fail ing to support him, he made astonishing progress toward that end single-handed. Suffren sprang from anoblc family of Provence. At 17 years old he was sont to Toulon for his naval schooling. It was a time of almost incessant wars in Europe,- and naval officers got their training, not In the p"eace and quiet of an academy, but upon the rolling and often bloody decK of a man-of-war. The year after Suffren arrived at Toulon he received his baptism of fire on board the ship Mars, which fought a bloody and successful duel with the British ship Northumberland on: tne Scilly Isles. During the next 44 years he was to fight upon almost every sea and In almost every clime. In 1747 he was cap tured by thb British in a fight oft Lako, Capo Flnlsterre. Soon after ho was ex changed he went to Malta, where he was received a3 a knight of St. John, and dur ing six years took part In the knights obligatory cruises against their hereditary enemies, the Turks and tho Alrrerine pi rates. In 1759 he was captured again by the British in an engagement off GIbral tar. In 177S France recognized the indepen dence of the American colonies and war at once commenced between England and France, and Suffren, as captain of the Fantasque. sailed with Vice-Admiral d'Es- taing's fleet - for America, and entered upon the brilliant part of his career. Foiled in repeated attempts to fight the enemy on the coast of North America, the French Admiral on July 2, 1779, assaulted and took Grenada, a British stronghold in the Windward Islands. The next day tho British fleet under Admiral Byron was seen bearing down under full press of sail. Suffren, whose ship was at the rear of the French line, boldly and skilfully passed to the head of the line, where1 for more than an hour he received the brunt of the broadsides from 22 British men-of-war. The British having passed him, ho returned swiftly to his place at the foot of the line and again received tho full flro of the enemy. His ship was fearfully damaged, but mainly as a result of his brilliant maneuvering and the execution done by his guns the British were com polled to retire. After 35 years of subordinate service Suffren was now to have an Independent command. The French learned that the British government had intrusted to Com modore Johnston the commission of cap turing the Dutch settlement at tho Cape of Good Hope. Suffren, having returned to France, was dispatched with Ave ships of the line and several transports with orders to outstrip the British, warn the Dutch of their danger, and help them beat off the threatened attack. Johnston had several days' start of tho French com mander, but with such celerity did Suffren proceed that, to tho surprise of both sides. on April 16, 1781, ho overtook the English at Port Praya In the Cape Verde Islands. Two of Suffren'3 ships were far in the A SUBURB'S GREAT LUCK. 4 . Tho St. Johns Review sounds a note of warning to the people of that suburb that Portland wishes to annex St. Johns. And It proceeds to say: That soma talk of this kind induged In by our neighbor on. the south Is not at all sur prising, in face of all tho fact. "With a de pleted treasury, brought about by a waste ful extravagance, and the pursuit oc a pol icy that means nothing short of municipal bankruptcy, unless checked, It Is quite nat ural that they should cast about for some new source o revenue. "What Is wanted Is moro prolific "producers." St. Johns will have an assessed value at the next assess ment of something near a half million dol lars, and with a city tax levy of S mills would bring In a snug sum, and very materi ally add to the cash assets of our neigh bor. The city tax In St. Johns has never exceeded 3 mills, and by provision or tne proposed charter, tho levy can never exceed 7 mills. The bonding limit of Portland Is 10 per cent of valuation, while the bonding limit of St. Johns under thfr proposed new- charter is limited to a per cent oi valua tion. The reason for a desire on the part of Portland to annex this growing district Is very apparent, and the reason for tho residents of St. Johns to oppose such a move Is equally apparent, and we don't believe will be given serious consideration tor one moment. St. Johns has nothing whatever to gain and -everything to lose by such an alliance. The attention, such as public Im provements, fire protection, given the out lying districts ot Portland, is not such as they are entitled to. and in no sense com mensurate with the taxes paid by such dis tricts. They are simply neglected, and the , appropriations to which they aro rightly entitled diverted to other channels. No, St. Johns tried the annexation proposition once, and to Its sorrow, and will not soon repeat tho error. Let us say to our suburban neighbrrs that they need have no fears on this score. Portland has area enough at this time, and for a long time. Its suburbs have proved very costly to tho city. They have doubled its debt and increased Its taxation. Portland had St. Johns once, and doesn't want It again. Certainly not now. After Portland had built St. Johns a schoolhouse costing $10,000 and made othere heavy expenditures on the penin sula, as much with a view to St. Johns as to other parts of that section, SL Johns withdrew, seceded from the city, but never paid back a cent of the many thousands expended by the city for her. Portland didn't complain about it, for she was willing to let the suburb go, and so escape further drafts and drains from that quarter. St. Johns Is now prosper ous and Is getting ahead all right, and Portland Is more than wllllhg to' let her paddle her own' canoe for an Indefinite period. The "haughty" suburb certainly will wish to come In again after a while. Then we'll see. What's the Worry? Kansas City Star. Dr. Shurmann, president of Cornell University, addressed a New York audi ence a few nights ago on fancied dangers of milltarlsin In this country, and among other thlngshe said: Take away the Ideal government of the peo ple, by the people and for the people, and leave nothing behind but toleroble prosperity, heavy taxation, a big standing army and a despot over all as absolute as any Oriental despot, and, as In the case of the Soman empire, a nation will fall Into decay and gsadually disappear. Why,-certainly. That's as plain as the nose on Cyrano's face. But as long as none of these things are being done or are likely to be done, why should Dr. Shur mann or any other professional alarmist allow himself to get "fussed up" about It? rear of the other members of "ils fleet. Nevertheless, with customary audacity, the French commander ran up the signal to engage and bore down full tilt upon the enemy with his flagship, the Heros. Only one other of his vessels, the Ann! bal, succeeded In taking a position in the mldstfOf the enemy's line. The Heros and Arinibal made a gallant fight, buf the British were too many for them, and they had at last to put to sea to avoid capture. The British judiciously decided not to try- to follow up their advantage. His mission at the cape accomplished. the, French commander spread sail for the Isle de France. French naval Interests In tho Indian Ocean had heretofore dur ing this war been Intrusted to pusillani mous and Incompetent men, and Pondl cherry, the last French possession on the xnuian cuusi. una lauvu juits mu nuiiua of tho British. A change began to come over the face of things as soon as the courageous and resourceful Suffren ap peared. He set about refitting his dam aged squadron with a swiftness and vigor hitherto unknown to French administra tion In India. In two months he was ready to put to sea.v On February 14, 17S2, a British fleet of nine ships under Sir Ed ward Hughes was sighted at Madras. There at once began between Hughes and Suffren a 16 months' struggle, during which four pitched battles were fought, and which, while giving Hughes a high reputation, won for Suffren a place In the front rank of great sea captains. When the mists of the morning cleared Suffren wag chagrined to find that the English ships had got between him and the coast and were making off with his convoy. The French commander Immediately prepared for attack. His dispositions were ex ceedingly skillful, and he Inflicted heavy loss upon the enemy, but the Insubordina tion of five of his senior officers prevent ed him from winning a decisive victory. Proceeding to Porto Novo, Suffren, by a nne stroKo of diplomacy, formed an alli ance with Hyder An, nabob of Mysore, who was at war with the English. Then, having speedily victualed and repaired his crippled ships, ho set out once more In search of the British. On April 12 he came upon them near Trincomalee. The French fleet was the weaker, and Suffren's senior officers were again Insubordinate, but once more he got the better of the fighting. The rest of the campaign was like its be ginning. Badly supported from home, while Hughes was well supported, hl3 offi cers Insubordinate, his supplies of provi sions short, his ships crippled, and soon In every respect Inferior to those of the enemy, the Indomitable Suffren succeeded by capturing prizes, by enforcing rigor ous discipline, by -working himself and his men almost night and day, not only in keeping the sea, but In making a brilliant and successful descent upon Trincomalee, in fighting two more battles upon the Bea with Hughes, both of which were French successes, and finally in completely out maneuvering hl3 antagonists and relieving Cuddalore, which was being besieged by tho English on both land and sea. Sut fren, despite all the disadvantages under which he had labored, was now in a posi tion to proceed more vigorously and moro effectively than ever against the British. In September, 1783, however, news arrived that peace had been signed between Eng land and France. Suffren on his return to France was treated with the most dis anguished honor. He had been made a Lieutenant-General after the capture of Trincomalee. The King now created solely for him a Fourth Vice-Admiralty, which was abolished on his death. In 17SS, on tho appearance of trouble with England, Suffren was given command of a great fleet which was arm ing at Brest. On December 8 he was dead. Apoplexy, it was said, was the cause ot his sudden demise, and, as he had always been enormously fatr this seemed credi ble. Many years later, however, a story, apparently -well Xouned, came out that h had been killed In a duel which was , direct result of official action taken by him in India. Since his day Franco has had no naval commanders of marked abil ity. S. O. D. CIGAR STORE TRAGEDY. Pittsburg Dispatch. "A woman Is only a woman, but a good cigar 13 a smoke." Kipling. Scene Any cigar store or cigar depart ment. Time Present. (Enter demuro damsel and damsel's friend.) Demure Damsel (to clerk) Er ah I wish to look at some cigars for a gent leman. Clerk Yes, ma'am. Something pretty nice? f Demuro Damsel Sir! Clerk That is-the cigars, of course, I mean. Demure Damsel Oh yes. (Demure Damsel and friend laugh.) Friend (in stage whisper) Well, he is, isn't he? Demure Damsel Well, now Clerk Here's a box of our best Havanas exceedingly fine. A smoke such as any gentleman will onjoy and, while smoking, thankfully remember the donor. A gem for the price. Friend Oh, I don't like that kind of a Box. Do you, Maud? Demure Damsel How much aro they? Clerk Seven fifty for the box of 50. (Loud silence for a full minute.) Demure Damsel No, dear, I don't like that kind of a box, cither. Let me sea something cr something else. (Clerk brings out all kinds and grades of cigars. None pleases- Friend suddenly espies a bargain sale on tho counter.) Friend Oh, Maud! Do look at these! "Lo Flor de Cabbageos. Strictly domestic wrapper." What lovely pictures on tho cover of tho box! And, Maud, look! Only 98 cents for 50. Maud I'll take a box of those, please. (Takes purchase and both leave store, talking of the joy In store for a certain wonderful "George.") Clerk (looking after them, with feeling) Poor George! Russia's Bulk Its Weakness. From Letter In New York Sun. Granted the enormous area dominated by the Romanoff dynasty, and an aggre gate population of 129,000,000, an honest dissection will show that its huge bulk is Russia's greatest weakness. - Out of the total general population, the following races, conquered and held In subjection, are naturally looking for an opportunity to release themselves from the yoke: Mohammedans 35.000.000 Siberians 15,000.000 Poles .oco.e:) Jews 7,000.000 Courlanders S.0CO.C0O Armenians 5.COO.O0O Tartars 6.000.000 Caucasians 4,000,000 Slavonians 4,000.000 Finns 3.000.000 Sartens and Bickis 3.000,000 Sabatnikis 2.COO.00O Bokharians 1.5C0.C00 Bulgarians 1,500.000 Germans 1,000.000 Gruzens 1,000,000 Total 109.000.000 This leaves only 20,000,000. genuine Rus sians in whom. unlimited confidence might be placed, were not the majority of the true Russians as dissatisfied as the for eign races held in subjection. This d:r satisfactlon Is evidenced by the assassi nation of nrominent offlpials . Its Up to the People. Mitchell Sentinel. More shooting on the street Sunday night In front ot the postofflce. Kow long will such conduct be allowed to continue? Such could be and should be stopped; but when will. It be? When the people take the matter la. hand. Not before.