THE JfORNIXa OREGOIKLAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1905.
Entered at the Postofflce at Portland, Or.,
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rOKTLiAND, THDBSDAY, JAN. 19, 1900.
THE XXGISEATUKE AND THE 'XOCAIi
OPTION" ACT.
It may; bo admitted that there is
room lor doubt, from the. phraseology
of the referendum amendment, "whether
the Legislature may amend or repeal
an act which has become a law by a
direct vote of the people. Under this
amendment "the people reserve to
themselves power to propose laws and
amendments to the constitution and to
enact or reject the same at the Tolls,
independent of the Legislative Assem
bly," etc; and further on it is declared
that "any measure referred to the peo
ple 6hall take effect and become the law
when it is approved by a majority of
the votes cast thereon." But no ex
press power is given to the legislature
to alter or repeal such law. Some
therefore argue that such power does
not belong to the legislature, but that
the only way to alter or repeal laws
of this description is through new ref
erence to the people.
These arguments, combined with
study of the amendment, might not
only leave doubt m many minds, but
even prove conclusive against the
power of the Legislature to amend or
repeal laws carried by the referendum;
but the Supremo Court has already
passed on this subject, holding in
clearest manner against the contention
of those who deny the power to the
Legislature.
In its opinion of December. 1903, in
which the constitutionality of the
amendment was affirmed,. the Supreme
Court, deciding that the Initiative and
referendum amendment does not abol
iBh or destroy the republican form of
government, said:
The representative character of the Gov
ernment etlll remains. The people have
simply reserved to themselves a larger shar
ol legislative power, but they have not over
thrown the republican form of government,
or substituted another In Its place. Thw
Government 1" still divided Into the legis
lative, executive and Judicial departments.
the duties of which are discharged by Repre
sentatives selected by the people. Under this
amendment. It is true, the people may ex
ercise a legislative power, and may. In efV
feet, veto or defeat bills passed and apv
proved by the Legislature and the Goy
ernor; but the legislative and executive de
partments are not destroyed, nor are their
powers or authority materially, curtailed.
Laws proposed and enacted by the people
under the Initiative clause of the amend
ntent are subject to the same Constitutional
limitations as other statutes, and may be
amended or repealed by the Legislature at
Will.
This settles the matter, for the pres
ent, at least. The Legislature may
amend or repeal, at will. The perti
nency of the. inquiry at this time arises
frera the debate on the proposal to
amend, through legislative act, the so
called local option law, that came Into
being through the initiative and refer
ndum. The Orcgonian's views and opinions
as to this act are well known. It thinks
the Legislature ought to amend the
act. For the act was unquestionably
carried through by deception. All the
facts have come out since the election,
through the quarrels of the different
elements that supported It. Through
sharp practice on one side and through
stupidity on the other, the prohibition
ists obtained a decided advantage. The
date had an excellent law, before this
scheme of jugglery was enacted; for
any incorporated town or city could
even prohibit, If it chose to do so. and
in country precincts liquors could be
sold only on petition of a majority of
the electors. But The Oregonlan would
not counsel total repeal of the present
law. It would suggest amendment
only; which, nevertheless, should pro
vide for a true local option, so the
elector, if he wish, could vote for prohi
bition in his own resident district, with
out being compelled in order to do so
to cast his vote upon a scheme of forc
ing prohibition on others. This will be
true local option. It would extend the
right to call for a vote In any precinct
of an Incorporated town, as well as In
country districts; which some might
deem a gain. But county prohibition
should be cut out of the act. and The
Oregonlan does not doubt that it will
be, or that a gerat majority of the
people of the state will approve such
amendment.
The real purpose or object of this
peculiar law was to force prohibition
through tho vote of the country pre
cincts, where no liquors are sold be
cause none are wanted, on the incor
porated towns, where the people al
ready had the right of local prohibition
when they chose to exercise it. But no
sooner had the authors of this .scheme
of cunning, subtlety and deception
carried it than they fell out among
themselves. Now they are totally
estranged; or as our old friend John
"White used to say "they all got ostra
cized." No fraud, xsven in what Its ad
vocates call a "holy cause' can have
permanent standing. This act could be
amended with advantage, and it ought
to be. It should be made an honest
and fair local option act.
TARIFF REVISION.
PORTLAND. Or.. Jan. 17. (To the Editor.)
It our present .tariff law requires revision.
and the people are In favor of Its revision.
why don't the advocates of revision point;
out wherein they propose to revise It? From
all portions of our country the talk Is
"tariff revision." but no one tells wherein
he wants It revised. Recognizing The Ore
gonlan as one of the leading papers of
"the world. I, and many others. woulff
be pleased If It would lead In pointing ouf
the advantage of a revision.
W. W. BAKER.
Some of the advantages of tariff re
vision would be realized In cutting off
a part of the inconsiderable profits of
the steel trust, the sugar trust, 'the pa
per trust, and many other "combines"
which are helped by the present tariff
to exact high prices in many instances
selling abroad for lower prices than
they exact at home. Movements of the
markets show that the tariff on steel is
an additional profit to the manufactur
ers, on hides an additional profit to the
great beef trust and butchering estab
lishments, and so on. The reason why
"tariff revision" is much talked is that
these things are understood, very gen
erally. The Eugene Register, commenting on
recent remarks by The Oregonlan on
this subject of tariff revision, says:
We are not ready for an upheaval such as
revision might bring about. In another ed
itorial In the came issue objecting to tinkering
with the tax laws of Oregon. The Oregonlan
uses Hanna'a very familiar expression, "Let
well enough alone." This would probably be
the general public's reply on tariff revision at
this particular time. Tariff revision will come
In Its own good time, but not until the peoplt
are good and ready for It.
It is admitted, then, that tariff re
vision must come some time. "Will it
come through the Republican party, or
over the Republican party? Here is
to be an interesting question. There
may be no way to convince some peo
ple that tariff revision must come,
until smashing defeat first Is suffered
by the party that opposes it. This is
. one of the consequences that President
Roosevelt and those who agree with
him that there ought to be revision
would avert But It will come as sure
as fate. If the counsels of those who
call for revision shall be denied too
long. This is not a free-trade country;
protection will continue to be Its pol
icy, because It Is believed to be con
ducive to the general welfare. But
everybody knows that good things and
even best things may be abused by ex
cess. A TAX ON PRUDENCE AND FORESIGHT.
A bill has appeared In the Legislature
to Increase the tax upon life Insurance
companies. It really Is a bill to levy
taxes upon the holders of life policies.
At present a life insurance company
doing business in Oregon must pay 5100
a year state license. To the City of
Portland each must pay a license of $40
a 3ear, and for each solicitor or agent
a license of 55 a year must be paid.
The companies, moreover, pay 2 per
cent per annum to the state on their
gross receipts. This tax last year
amounted to 544,000. Of course it was
paid by the companies, but was all
taken out of the policy-holders. The
new bill proposes to double this tax
to make it 4 per cent, and to enforce
drastic measures for Its collection.
The effect simply will be to make
legitimate and responsible life insur
ance dearer, and thereby to discourage
it. It Is noticeable, however, that such
Insurance as persons of sound business
Judgment avoid such as that of ''fra
ternal" and "co-operative" societies. Is
not to be taxed at all.
The Oregonlan cannot conceive it
good policy to tax responsible life In
surance out of existence, and to en
courage that which can't be .depended
on. It is unbusinesslike. Life insur
ance, well directed, is a legitimate
method of investment. It pays already
a very considerable tax, which, of
course, comes out of the policy-holders;
and to double this tax only increases
their burdens on the one hand or de
feats Insurance on the other.
"Why is it that there Is a class of men
who want to fine and oppress to the
limit such persons as are willing to
cultivate the virtues of Industry, pru
dence, self-denial and thrift, and if
possible defeat Ihem? Shallowest of
all is" the notion that the insurance
companies can be made to pay the tax.
They will simply pass it on, and if the
policy-holders can't pay it, legitimate
and responsible insurance will be at an
end.
WOMEN AND DOGS.
A woman, a dog and a walnut tree
The more you beat them, the better they'll be.
Progress since the days when this
doggerel couplet was esteemed as pos
sessing both rhyme and reason has been
very marked. io man of sense now
beats a dog, realizing that there are
better ways of training dogs than by
knocking the spirit out of them with a
stick. With the idea of further ad
vancing Oregon along this human!
tarian path. Senator Slchel has Intro
ducca a mil calculated to remove
woman also from the scope of the
couplet quoted above. "Any person
who shall hereafter assault and beat
his wife," says the bill, "shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and,
upon conviction thereof by any court.
shall be sentenced to bo whipped pot
exceeding forty lashes, or imprisonment
for a term not exceeding one year, or
both, in the discretion of the court."
Godlva, according to Tennyson, was
held -by her husband a little lower than
his horse and a little higher than his
hound, an estimate of wives In general
that Senator Slchel evidently desires
to have revised for this later year of
grace. The author of the bill and our
progressive Governor are like the
young woman who was being exam
ined regarding her fitness to teach.
"What is your attitude on corporal
punishment?" she was asked, and re
plied that her usual attitude was
"seated In a chair with the child held
firmly across my lap. face downwards."
Like the young woman. Senator Sichel
and Governor Chamberlain are firm In
their attitudes on the question.
Yet the question Is" not one to be
lightly dismissed. The custom of wife
beating strikes lt6 roots deep into the
past. Not only wives, but grown-up
daughters, were formerly subject to
wallopings at the discretion of the head
of the -family. In England, where the
art of wlfebeating reaches Its highest
perfection, a recent trial threw some
light on the strength of the precedent
that has grown stronger with each
passing year. A man was charged with
a vicious and brutal assault upon the
woman with whom he lived. During
the trial it developed that through
some Informality In the marriage cere
mony the couple were not man and
wife, "Wot. ain't e my 'usband?" ex
claimed the woman; "then wot right 'as
to knock me about?" This, be It
marked, was an actual occurrence, and
It shows that woman, while refusing
to be licked by any stranger that comes
along, recognizes the prescriptive right
of her husband to administer a thrash
ing. Nor should wlfebeating be con
fused with mere brutal assaults. Cato,
we are told, was accustomed to flog
his slaves soundly once a week. Just to
remind them, that he was boss, and
Cato is revered as an exemplar of all
the sterner virtues.
There is much to be said on both
sides," Sir Roger de Coverly used to
say, when a dispute was referred to
him for arbitration, and with that dip
lomatic treatment of the question the
matter may be left to rest for the pres
ent. But with Hudson running the
price of a wife up to 55 and Slchel
flogging a man for beating one, after
he has got her, who Is going to marry
In Multnomah County?
RAILROADS AND CONGRESS.
President Roosevelt has made no se
cret of his purpose to put through. If
possible, at this session of Congress,
legislation to extend the power of the
Interstate Commerce Commission so
that it may fix what Is in its Judgment,
af ter due hearing of the railroads' aide
of the controversy, a reasonable rate
for transportation. This the railroads
have bitterly opposed.
The President also wishes to add to
the numbers of the Commission and to
have the salaries raised from 55000 a
year to 510,000, In order to make the
office acceptable to the highest class of
men. To this the railroads have no ob
jection. The doubtful question has been
if a majority in both houses of Con
gress could be depended on to pass this
legislation. Dispatches yesterday point
to probable concurrence by both houses.
The urgency of this railroad ques
tion has for the present overshadowed
tariff revision. The House committee
on Interstate and foreign commerce
has the past week given hearings to
the representatives of the railroads.
The case of the railroads has been
presented by Mr. Samuel Spencer, pres
ident of the Southern railroads. On
January 12 he conceded the propriety
of legislation against "rebates, secret
contracts and discriminatory devices."
In defense of the railroads Mr. Spencer
adduced the fact that 90 per cent of
the claims presented to the Commission
under these heads had been conceded
by the railroads without the formality
of a hearing, and he pointedly says:
"This does not indicate fight" (on the
part of the railroads). What kind of
business conduct Is it which pushes
patrons to the necessity of recourse to
the Commission, secures the delay, en
tails the cost on them so Involved, and
then admits 90 per cent of the demands
as Just, and so avoids the hearing?
It may be taken as settled that the
whole- system of rebates, open and
secret, and of all discriminatory de
vices, is to be abolished by law, and
the Infraction of such law severely
punished. Even the Santa Fe. In the
case of Its rebates to the Colorado Fuel
& Iron Company, has abandoned Its
appeal, and will have to take the con
sequences. The railroads themselves
having lost their own tails, propose
that river and lake freight steamer
lines, fast freight lines and) private car
lines, should also lose theirs, and all
be Included under the same ban.
As to the equally great question .of
the regulation of freights by the Com
mission, every indication pointed to
the railroads carrying their fight on to
me outer ena. jbui aiecrctlon seems
to be tempering their valor, and now
this same President Spencer announces
that legislation on this Bubject will not
longer be opposed.
The Greeks are to be feared, even
when bringing gifts. Minute, never-
ceasing watchfulness must be exer
cised, or some omission, some qualifi
cation, will slip in which will take the
whole force from the acts which em
body the great principle contended for
that to redress the injury of excessive
or unfair freights the powers of the
Interstate Commerce Commission shall
be extended to determine what are
just and reasonable rates, and to en
force their application. The last is the
urgent change to be Insisted on.
Probably a distinction may be drawn
between rates reasonable In a business
sense and those dependent on legal
construction of documents or deduction
from facts. The former should be Im
mediately enforceable, until reversed
by a Superior Court. The latter may
be held- in suspense under the hand of
the railroad company until a court has
rendered Its decision on law and fact.
Here appears another condition of af
fairs wherein President Roosevelt Is
verifying his promises and Justifying
his election.
GOOD NEWS FROM. SUBSIDY. BILL.
A Washington dispatch says that it
is practically a certainty that the ship
ping subsidy bill recommended by the
Merchant Marine Commission will not
become a law. This will be pleasing
news to patriotic citizens who object
to the steadily increasing tendency to
divert public funds into channels of
private graft According to advices
from Washington, examination of the
bill disclosed the fact that the de
mands It would make on the Treasury
were practically limitless. Examina
tion of the testimony taken by" the
Commission also developed the fact
that practically all of the clamor made
for a subsidy came from Interested per
sons residing at the seaboard. This
confirms what has frequently been set
forth by The Oregonlan, that the great
mass of producers who supply the car
goes which make up our foreign trade
have no concern whatever In the na
tionality of the vessels that carry their
freight to market, so long as the ser
vice Is performed at a rate low enough
to admit of a profit in the business.
If our capitalists find such remuner
ative employment for their money ln
the development of interior enterprises
that they are not warranted In enter
ing Into competition with the moneyed
men of less-favored countries, there Is
no good reason why they should be paid
a bonus out of publio funds to enter
the- carrying trade on the high seas.
It Is exceptionally fortunate that this
bill should be killed at this time, for the
reason that the whole world Is glutted
with ocean tonnage which Is In readi
ness and eager to carry our products
to market at such low rates that our
foreign trade is growing more rapidly
than ever before. With this trade
growing and developing, the necessity
for Increasing by any such artificial
means as a subsidy the supply of ton
nage with which to handle It will be
still less apparent a year hence, when
the subsidy grafters again have an op
portunity to 'bring their unreasonable
and unwarranted scheme before the
public
Not only will there be a sufficient
amount of foreign tonnage to handle
our Increasing commerce with foreign
countries at rates so low as to give the
producer the largest possible returns
for his capital and labor, but as Interior
development restricts the field for In
vestment on shore, American capital
will again turn seaward, and In -time
become content with, smaller returns
than are now possible In the ocean
carrying trade. It Is reported that an
attempt will be made to modify the
bill recommended by the Commission
so that it will pass in some shape this
Besslon, but It Is believed that opposi
tion to anything In the shape of a sub
sidy bill will be strong enough to pre
vent it The discussion and study
awakened by the great publicity given
the shipping subsidy matter have
served to educate our people on the
subject much more thoroughly than
ever before, and in this manner the
Commission may be said to have ac
complished something.
It has taught the people that we can
never enter Into competition In the
shipping trade on even terms with the
foreigners until our capitalists are willing-
to. accept smaller returns for the
money Invested than they are now
making on shore. It has also taught
them that foreign countries have an
Immense advantage over the United
States In being permitted to purchase
ships wherever they are sold at the
lowest prices. The first cost of a ship
runs against her expense account from
the beginning of her career until the
end, and If one nation Is prohibited, as
Is the case with the United States, from
buying In the cheapest market, she Is
under a lasting handicap. One of the
greatest aids which Congress could ren
der American shipping at this time
would be to remove this handicap.
What American shipping needs at this
time is not subsidy pap fed to it as
though It was a sick Infant, but instead
It needs release from 'the thongs of
antiquated and stifling laws.
Russian activity in Turkestan appar
ently shows no diminution during the
war, for China is reported to have en
tered a protest against the occupation
of Kashgar by the Czar's troops. "For
years Russia has been pressing east
ward and southward In the Turkestan
country, and but recently completed a
second line of railway to within a few
miles of the Afghan frontier. In view
of Secretary Hay's original note con
cerning the "administrative entity of
China" and his recent reply to Russia
concerning Chinese neutrality, some
interesting developments may be ex
pected should Pekln follow up Its pro
test The effort to make a political matter
out of the Swayne impeachment pro
ceedings has been successful only in
part. The action of Representative
Grosvenor in reading in the House the
letter of Judge Pardee was strange
business; and the letter itself coming
from a Federal Judge was even
stranger. Whatever the outcome of
the impeachment proceeding. It Is cer
tain that Judge Swayne has been guilty
of highly improper conduct He has
besides greatly offended the people of
Florida, and his career of usefulness
Is at an end.
Mr. Niedrlnghaus, of Missouri, seems
to have missed the. United; States Sen
ate. He had the caucus nomination
and a numerical majority of all votes
cast In the separate houses Tuesday.
But he did not have a majority of the
Senate, which Is Democratic, and yes
terday in joint convention enough
Kerens men bolted to create a deadlock.
The unpleasant stories told about the
Niedrlnghaus method of procuring his
election appear to be true; so that the
Republican party and the country at
large will doubtless be able to bear his
prospective defeat with philosophy.
It is to be observed that the inno
cent pastime of keno is not to be In
cluded In the gambling felony bill pre
sented to the House at Salem. There
Is an impression in certain quarters
that playing keno is gambling, but
gentlemen who are real gamblers and
have had somewhat to do with the
courts In Portland lately say It Is not,
and of course they ought to know.
Doubtless much depends on the point
of view. If you lose at keno, it Is gam
bllng; if you win, it is recreation.
Prince Sviatopolk-Mirsky has at last
abandoned an office for which he was
not strong enough. With' a vacillating
Czar, a clamorous Liberal clement and
a strong and hostile bureaucracy, the
Minister of the Interior was helpless.
His retirement appears to dash the
hopes of the Russian constitutionalists.
who were encouraged by him to hope
for concessions of some kind, merely to
be deluded by promises of which the
fulfillment was beyond Mirsky's power
to bring about.
It is clear that if the Game Warden
is to enforce the game laws he must
have a corps of deputies In every
county; and to maintain his deputies he
must have funds. The tax of 5t on
hunters will probably raise a consider
able amount. Inasmuch as hunter3 are
a class who as a rule are willing to
pay lor their fun. and they are, or
ought to be, anxious to preserve all
kinds of game, probably they will not
greatly object to the tax.
At the request of Representative
Humphrey, the Navy Department has
reduced the drydock charges at Puget
Sound navy-yard one-half. It Is sel
dom that the -Government enters into
competition with the business of prl
vate concerns, and this action will
hardly be appreciated by the owners
of docks not built with Government
money.
The Tacoma press complains of the
"Innuendoes and erroneous statements
of the Sweeny forces." and denounces
the "paid hireling of the Spokane mil
lionaire candidate." FroW which we
are to surmise that the entente cordiale
between the red apple and the cork
screw has been slightly disturbed.
With the Dr. Irvine-Bishop Talbot
case In the civil courts, the every-day
lawyer has a chance to show whether
or not he can talk as much and accom
plish as little as the ecclesiastical law
yers that have hitherto had the floor.
Pennsylvania, too, wants to come to
the Lewis and Clark Fair, and will
probably put up a large building out of
a proposed appropriation o.f 560,000.
As an unpleasant spectacle, nothing
of late can compare with that of the
doddering old Piatt tremulously relat
ing his octogenarian amour?.
"Trouble In
come chronic.
the Balkans" has be-
N0TE AND COMMENT.
A Washington paper credits a clip
ping- to "John Ruskln in the Kansas
City Star."
Careful calculation shows that in the
exchanges re6elved by The Oregonlan
the messages of various Governors of
states occupy paper enough to cover
Multnomah County and leave enough.
to start all the kitchen fires in Port
land for three months. ,
A fool and his money are soon part
ed, but not so a fool and his lawyer.
How Is It that dynamiters almost
monopolize the title of "miscreant" in
the daily papers?
Twenty-nine bananas were eaten by
a Chicago boy for a dollar reward. A
Portland boy would deem the bananas
their own reward.
"Faust" up-to-date Is making a
great success in Japan, according to
a Toklo letter. Mephlstopheles is rep
resented as a modern European, who
betrays a Japanese glrL Later the girl
Is acquitted by a court and is married
to a soldier Just home from the war in
Manchuria. The Japanese are capable
of anything.
"Should women be hanged?" asks a
Vermont paper. Well not all ofthem.
A Marshfield correspondent writes to
ask who wrote the poem called "T,he
Ragged Jacket," and where a copy of
tho verses may be obtained. Perhaps
some reader of The 'Oregonlan can
give the desired information.
Some time ago (before the snow!)
we ran a Tew lines under the title of
"Here and There," on Eastern weather
as compared with Oregon weather. F.
L. Griffin, of the John Crerar Library,
Chicago, sends the following verses:
Here and There.
(A reply to There and Here.)
In the East we "hold our sides,"
As the Western bard derides
Weather such as here abides.
And, in rapid, witty strides.
Tells what fearful thing betides
Him whom Ijarsh fate hither guides.
Torrents there are madly raining.
And the water slowly draining.
While pedestrians complaining
And, Indeed, their patience straining
Slip about, small headway gaining
Why hold such Joys worth obtaining?
And at times there corneals, flood.
Covers half the town with mud,
Smearing every shooting bud.
Drowning all that chew tne cud.
And uprooting sprouting "spud"
My. it almost chills our blood I
Nor in Summer is all clear.
But a smoky atmosphere
Renders all the landscape drear.
Hides for weeks the objects near.
Makes a view "without a peer."
Do you blame us If we Jeer?
One of the Smoot witnesses declares
that the nrlme object of the Mormon
Church Is to "steer clear of lawyers."
What an organization of perverts.
Among the felonious deeds mentioned
by the anti-gambling bills are the playing
of "brag, bluff, thaw, ton or banking."
What In thunder are those games?
According to an exchange, the women
of Haparanda, a town in Sweden, have
decided to relieve men of the necessity of
doffing their tats in the streets so long
as tho cold weather lasts. When the Sum
mer comes on there will be sunstroke tr
consider.
Rojestvcnsky must be In the same hole
with Pat Crowe.
Governor Folk is a thorough' Mlssourian
In that he has to be shown, especially by
lobbyists.
The North End Is like the cactus It
thrives best on tho least attention.
Eugene Ware's famous motto, "The
Lord hateth a liar," has been painted out
since he left the Pension Office. Evident
ly some official was too modest to have
the naked truth around, and so gave It
a coat of paint
The advertisement of a "human tax
idermist" in Berlin runs as follows:
Artificial calves to suit all purpoces. The
calves supplied by our firms have been de
signed by skilled anatomists, and are modeled
on the finest sculptures of classical antiquity.
Even a bull pup must find this world
full of shams.
The Czar declares that victory is a ccr
talnty. So it is for the other fellows.
A Detroit paper runs a headline. "JIa
chine Tools in Their Saddles." A nice
derangement of epitaphs.
In a murder trial at Bridgcton, N. J.,
we notice that one of the witnesses was
named Ananias Wcntzel. Mr. Wentzel's
parents must have had funny ideas on
choosing names.
WEX. J.
Sunday at the Fair.
Spokane Spokesman-Review.
If, as some of the Portland ministers
fear, the opening on Sunday of the gates
of the Lewis and Clark Fair will deprive
them of congregations, they will still
have the privilege, which was so freely
employed by the master, of preaching to
the throngs outside the churches and
synagogues. The Fair management will
provide a place for worship within the
grounds, and if this should not accom
modate the throngs the privilege will
doubtless be extended any reputable min
istcr to address overflow meetings in the
open air. If the ministers will approach
this opportunity In broad spirit and de
termination, they can make of the Fair a
revivifying influence in American re
ligious life, instead of Its becoming, as
they fear, a desecration.
A Troublesome Question Settled.
Springfield (Mo.) Leader.
Can a horse pull 10) pounds of sand at
tached to a rope 00 feet long? Many peo
ple claim that such a thing can be done.
while others say It cannot. Last week
the question was settled la Springfield. A
rope 500 feet long was tied to a 100-pound
sack of sand at one end and a horse was
hitched to the other end. A bet of 5W
was put up on the event by the original
parties, and several side bets were made.
The event came oft on the Market Square,
on Campbell street, and the owner of the
horse won the stakes, the horse pulling
the 100-pound sand bag for some distance.
Collecting Bottles.
The Gentlewoman.
Quite a number of collectors are an
nexing old bottles just now, and quite
an interesting nobby, too. they make.
from the old leather bottle and black
Jack of antiquarian and historic renown
to those of modern times. French liqueur
bottles arc particularly artistic In design,
and the Russian ones arc also quaint
The Dismayed Senior.
New Tork Evening Post
A senior in one of our famous colleges,
with an eye to employment after gradua
tion. recently called at the office of the
Evening Post He was attracted by Jour
nallsm, but his heart misgave him. "Will
not writing for a newspaper," he asked
"ruin one s stylcr
STRANGE PEOPLES
THE DYAKS
By arrangement with the Chicago. Tribune, f
N
O people has borne a worse reputa- t
tlon tor unmitigated and blood
thirsty savagery than the barbarous
Dyaks of the Island of Borneo. This rep
utation does not seem to be wholly de
served. The Dyalc Is hospitable. He will
divide his last bit of rice cake with, the I
stranger. It is an Insult to refuse to drink '
hls native "tauk" with him, and his
women never quit pressing It upon vis
itors. He Is truthful, he seldom steals,
and. except when he Is on a piratical ex
pedition or tho passion for head hunting
possesses him. he is gentle and merciful.
The Dyaks are Malays, and. like the
other members of their race, have a light
reaaisn brown complexion. Their faces,
breasts and limbs are hairless. They are
shorter than Caucasians, but their bodies
are wen formed, and. like the Indians of
North America, they stand without ap
parent fatigue exertions which would
prostrate a white man. In youth they are
gpoa looicing. but by blackening their
teeth and filing them to a Doint thev
give themselves, at a later age. a gro
tesque and sometimes hideous appearance.
The dress of the women consists only of
snort petticoat and numerous brass
rings on the arms and legs. The men usu
ally wear even less. Christian mission
aries have induced some of them to cover
a little more of their nakedness but most
of them still stick to their native garb.
inere are few details of savage life
more Interesting than those relating to
marriage costumes. When a Dyak young
man fancies a younc woman he shows it
by bashfully offering to help her. with her
work. If she accepts his aid he steals at
night into the room where all her family
are asleep on the floor together and wak
ens his sweetheart She may ask-him to
strike a light or stir the fire. In that
case he slinks gloomily off In the darkness
to his own lodging, for such a request is
rejection of his suit But it the cirl
takes a betel nut and slrlh leaf from him
and chews with him, he is accepted; and
the pair sit up all night, talking and
chewing.
Marriage follows close on tho heels of
betrothal. Tha forms of the ceremony
vary slightly among different tribes of
Dyaks. The commonest form Is about
as follows: Two bars of Iron are placed
In the middle of the village and the young
people are led from opposite directions
and seated on them. The priest hands
each of them a betel nut and a cigar and
waves two fowls over their heads. In a
long-winded speech he invokes many
blessings upon them. He ends by knock
ing their heads together three times. Tha
bride then puts her betel nut in her pwn
mouth and her cigar in the mouth of her
lord, the groom puts his betel nut In his
mouth and his cigar in the mouth of the
bride, and they are declared man and
wife. The fowls are now killed and the
fortunes of the wedded pair divined In
their blood. The ceremony ends with a
feast and a general drunk.
The young couple usually live for
awhile In the home of the bride's father.
The young man must show his father-in-
law profound respect He dare not men
tion his name, or eat from the same dish
as he, or drink from the same vessel, or
even lie on the same mat.
The Dyaks houses are all raised on
posts, and are often 200 or COO feet long.
The floor, which also serves as a bed ror
the whole family, Is made of strips of
split bamboo. In most villages there Is a
circular building called the "headhouse,"
where strangers are lodged, trades are
made, unmarried men sleep, and tribal
meetings are held.
Many Dyaks have become Christians.
They have always believed In a supreme
being. It used to be that when one of
their tribal leaders' died they set adrift a
canoe containing arms, provisions and a
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. .
Editor Harvey of Harper's Weekly
Talks Well.
From an address on the 25th anniver
sary of the Chicago Press Club.
Tnero is no press in the world com
parable to that of America in freedom
from Influence, political or soclal:
from venality, from contamination of
any kind whatsoever. In France, a
newspaper's opinions are a matter of
francs; la England, too often, of titles;
In Germany, Austria and Spain, of im
perial favor: In Russia, of absolute
censorship. In America, thanks to the
maintenance of tho sturdy traditions
established by the Greeleys. Raymonds.
Danas, Bennetts, Medils and Bowleses
of the past, the fundamental Integrity
of the press cannot be Impugned. It is
faulttul. but it ia free. We have our
sadly exaggerated headlines on week
days, and our monstrosities on Sun
days; we have amazing productions of
no lessv amazing "art;" we have col
umns and columns of crime, and pages
and pages of waste. Finally, not least
at any rate, In numbers, we hava our
red and white papers, sometimes re
ferred to as "yellow Journals."
Personally, I should be of the last to
defend or make apology for this latest
manifestation of commercialism, mis
directed ambition and false doctrines
in the American press. But, however
seriously we may regret and resent the
ebullition, we cannot Ignore the irresist
ible conclusion that this particular chan
nel, and this alone, affords a vent for un
expressed beliefs and suspicions which
can bo dissipated only by the clear
rays of reason following any form of
expression.
As contrasted with our own country,
Russia today stands forth a vivid ex
ample of the effect of suppressed opin
ion. Discontent would better burn than
smolder. The continuous hissing of of
fensive gases escaping is not pleasant,
but it is infinitely preferable to the
otherwise Inevitable explosion. Tet
more Important, mora vital to the per
manence of a government of a whole
people by themselves, is absolute free
dom of expression. Upon that all de
pends. Restrict It or create the im
pression in suspicious minds that it is
being restricted, and yon sow the wind.
With this general dictum few If any
would have the hardihood to disagree.
But It is often, and I regret to say
often truly, urged that liberty is sub
verted to license. Freedom of speech,
freedom of publicity, yes; all admit
the wisdom and necessity of preserv
ing both. But how frequently is added,
especially by men In public office, a
vigorous declamation against "unfair
criticism," and how almost dally is ut
tered, sometimes a violent and unwar
ranted, sometimes a dignified and Jus
tifiable, protest against "Invasion of
privacy." "encroachment upon personal
rights" and like offenses.
Only those behind the curtain of the
editorial sanctum can fully appreciate
the proportion of insincerity contained
in tho virtuous avowals of shy and re
tiring, though weak and human beings
of both sezes. in nine cases out of ten,
the most vociferous protest may be at
tributed safely to self-sufficiency,
snobbishness or a guilty conscience.
There is so little of malice in American
newspapers as to be unworthy of no
tice, but It is unquestionably true that
too little heed Is paid to the fact that
unwilful mlsrepresentitlon Is often
quite as serious In effect.
Worst of all is the refusal to rectify
a known error. Cursed be the man who
initiated the policy of never making a
retraction in the columns of his Jour
nal! The mere fact that an individual,
whether right or wrong, is virtually
voiceless and helpless in controversy
with a newspaper, should and docs
morally vest him with the right to ex
ceptional consideration. A He once
started can never be stopped, but tho
one responsible for its circulation, di
rectly or indirectly, who fails to exert
every possible endeavor to that end Is
unworthy ef association with decent
EARTH
tt
female slave. - The arms aqd ptVieIons.
were to bo used by tha deceased. 'In- an
other World, and the' slave "was. to wait on
him. When the Dyaks learned that the
canoe and Its contents, instead of being
serviceable to the deceased, fell Into tha
hands of some of their warlike neighbors.
they dropped this custom.
The blowgun" Is the most Temark-
able of the native weapons. It is seven
or eight feet long and scarce an inch
In diameter. Through it la blown an
arrow made of the thorn- of a saga
palm. Tho arrow is no thicker than a
knitting-needle, but Its sharp point is
poisoned with the juice of the upas
tree, and the wound it makes, though
hardly visible. Is almost alwavs fatal.
Tho Dyaks also mako a sword of re
markable temper. In the execution of
a member of a tribe the point of the
sword Is pushed Just behind his left collar-bone
to his heart and quickly with
drawn. Some cotton wool is then pressed
Into the wound. The native executions
are in this way made wholly bloodless.
The most horrible custom of the
Dyaks, and the one which, in the main,
has got them their reputation for ruth
less bloodthirstlness, is that of head
hunting. To take a head Is as much
the highest ambition of a Dyak as to
take a scalp formerly was of the North
American Indian. Tha Indian took
scalps only in war. Among the Dyaks
head taking was formerly the cause
rather than the consequence of wars.
Villages were attacked by large parties
at nignt and every adult inhabitant de
capitated. Tribesmen went forth singly
and lay In ambush to kill and take tha
heads of all who appeared. Women
and girls were not spared. Lovo and
religion conspired to strengthen tha
custom. Girls disdainfully refused to
marry young men who had not taken
a head. It was supcrstltiously believed
mat tne oia warrior could not lie com
fortably In his. grave until a head had
been taken in his name. After Sir"
James Brooke had partially suppressed
the practice in a district over which he
ruled he was constantly beset by war
riors, who begged permission to take
one head, at least "They cried for
heads." said Sir James, "as children
cry for sugar plums." The heads, once
taken, were dried and preserved as
proofs of the valor of the individual or
community. They were often drunk
from. Head hunting has been abolish
ed by European influence- over large
parts of Borneo, but it still obtains in
some districts.
The Dytks a century ago were fierce
pirates. Scores of their canoes would
creep alongside a becalmed vessel and
take it by sheer persistence and forca
of numbers. The objects of their at
tacks were loot and heads mainly tho
latter. The invention of steamships
and the vigilance of warships have
suppressed piracy here as In other
parts of the world.
The Dyaks are among tho most tem
perate members of the Malay race, and
Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, who has
made the closest study of them, re
gards them as among the mo3t intelli
gent Like all savages, however, they
are extremely conservative. They re
fused to chop wood with a European
ax, and even fined progressiva tribes
men who did so, long after they- had
been convinced that the white man's
implement was much better than tha
clumsy native one. They live mainly
by agriculture, rice being their princi
pal crop. The women do most of the,
work in the fields. Tha men spend tho
greater part of their time fishing,
hunting and lolling indoors, indulging
in the universal habit of chewing betel
nut. a O. D.
men. An American newspaper should
be an American gentleman.
To see the right Is genius: to do it Is
courage. Unite the two under the ban-
ner of sane idealism, and the most po-"
tent force in the cause of progress, en
lightenment and good will He In tho
free press of America.
Parker Before His Old Court.
New Xork Letter to Philadelphia Press.
A few days ago there was a brief report
of Judge Parker's first appearance as an
advocate before the court over which he
had authority as presiding Justice for
seven years. A few days later this court
handed down an opinion adverse to Judge
Parker's contention before it That was
a most trying experience for Judge Par
ker. He had not appeared as an advo
cate for nearly 15 years. He was now
appearing with all the embarrassment of
Inexperience and before a court of which
he had been for a long time presiding Jus
tice. Moreover, ho was appearing aa a
defeated candidate for the Presidency.
Ha was greatly embarrassed. He blushed
scarlet as he first addressed the court. It
was some moments before ho could con
trol himself. Moreover, he knew perfect
ly well that he had a losing case, for ha
knew that the Court of Appeals never re
viewed questions of fact excepting in cap
ital cases.
It was upon this technicality that he
was defeated, although in giving its opin
ion the Court of Appeals spoke well of
Judge Parker's argument Now that tha
lea is broken. Judge Parker finds fascina
tion in tho practice of the law. and looks
to It as his exclusive vocation hereafter.
Grant's and Port Arthur Losses.
Chicago Chronicle.
The Chronicle acknowledges the receipt
of a letter from -clone! George K.
Dauchy, of Chicago, late commander of.
the Twelfth New York Battery, in which
ho remarks that the statement of Gen
eral Grant's losses- during the Wilderness
campaign recently appearing in these
columns was overestimated. Colonel
Dauchy quotes General A. A. Humphrej'3
to the effect that these losses were not
60.0X). but 48.009. The Chronicle's asser
tion was based on the figures presented
by William Swinton in his "Campaigns
of the Army of tho Potomac," a book
generally held In high esteem, which are
as follows:
Wilderness. May 5 to 12 .......23 410
Spottayivar.ia, May 12 to 21. 10.3S1
North Anna. May 21 to 31 i eox
Cold Harbor, June 1 to 10.... 13.153
Totals 51,501
To thi3 aggregate of killed, wounded
and missing In the Army of tho Potomac
should be added the losses of the Ninth
Corps, which was not attached to that
army, about 5000. making a total of nearly
60,000. In either case the slaughter was
greater than that of any five weeks dur
ing the siege of Port Arthur.
If Kansas Girl and Oregon Apples.
Atchison Globe.
A 16-year-old girl Isn't as pretty as a
barrel of picked red apples.
OF THE
On the Firing Line.
For glory? For good? For fortune or fame?
Why, ho for the front where the battle ia ont
Leave the rear to the dolt, the lazy, the lame;
Go forward as ever the valiant have gone;
Whether city or field, whether mountain or
mine.
Go forward, right on to tho firing line.
Whether newsboy or plowboy, or cowboy or
cleric.
Fight' forward, be ready, bo steady, be first:
Be fairest, be bravest le best at your works
Eiult and be glad: dare to hunger, to thirst.
As David, as Alfred let dogs skulk and
whine
There Is room but for men on the firing Jine.
Aye. the place to fight and the place to fall
As fall we mut all in God'a good time
It is where the manliest man is the wall.
Where boys are as men la their pride and
prime.
Where glory gleams brightest, where brightest
eyes shine.
Far out on. the roaring red firing Use.
Joaquin Miller.