THE OREGONIAN, SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1905. '
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IPORTLAND, SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1003.
THE PERFECT POLICY-HOLDER.
The action of those policy-holders In
the Equitable Life who have petitioned
the Federal Court for a receiver and an
accounting comes little short of insan-
Ity. They may be merely victims of ig
norant panic; they may be tools of .some
designing genius of finance who Is plan
ning to ruin a great property and en
rich himself from the wreck. In cither
case they are Invoking calamity upon
themselves g'd others. It is a sad
eTiaraets1sa& of folly that it Is con
tagious. "What these policy-holders
ttiai'e attempted others are likely to at
tempt; their blow at the Equitable will
be imitated, should it succeed, by the
weakminded or the knavish against
other companies and with fair chances
of destroying them all. The Equitable
company is not insolvent; It is so far
from insolvent that the epithet is ludi
crous. An Insolvent has not the means
to pay his debts. The Equitable has
oeen embarrassed with too much
money, not with too little. Whoever
drew up the petition for a receiver has
Cost, through panic or knavery, .his
sense of what words mean.
The business of life Insurance is more
dependent than any other upon the un
stable sentlmerjts and resolutions of
-Treat masses of people. Much time,
much: argument and much money have
been spent to establish in the mind of
the common man something like a
knowledge of its benefits and something
Like confidence in Its results. No form
bf investment has suffered so much
from fraud In the past; but none is
Boupder, none brings such abundant
hnd timely returns to the Investor when
the business is conducted scientifically
jind honestly. A blow to life Insurance
Is a menace to those habits of persever
ing economy upon which civilization Is
based. It Is useless to deny that the
scandals In the management of the
Equitable have caused a general unrest
lind Joss of confidence among investors
Bn life insurance, no matter what com
panies carry their policies. To appoint
k receive for the Equitable would mag
nify this unrest to a panic.
Unless facts transpire which nobody
E reams of now, the Federal Court will,
f course, refuse to appoint a receiver;
nd it is unlikely in the extreme that
there is much more to reveal about the
tnalfeasance in the management of the
Equitable Company. Were secrets of
liny consequence still hidden, which ac
cident or intent might uncover. Gover
nor Hlgglns would never have allowed
I he New York Legislature to appoint an
investigating committee. No well-in
formed person has the least confidence
n the purpose of the ability of this
'.ommlttee Its members are ignorant
f the elements of the problems which
hey are supposed, to be going to attack,
nit that is not the worst of the matter.
They are from the Legislature of New
pork, a body which has just acquitted
he notorious Judge Hooker in shame
ess 'disregard of evidence and contempt
or public opinion. This Legislature
nay be too dull to perceive the dlstinc
lon between right and wrong, or It
nay despise the distinction; in either
rase, to ask for public confidence in a
ommlttee of its choosing to Investigate
natters like the Equitable frauds,
vhere high finance and subterranean
politics are both Involved, Is a singular
iisplay of impudence. The object of
his committee may be to whitewash
ertain politicians. It may be to check
nate Mr. Jerome; but beyond question
t Is a serious menace, to the policy
holders of the Equitable Society. En
lightened, opinion in New York has
rteadily opposed Its appointment. The
f ountry will watch its course with mis
givings which will not be lessened by
he consideration that Paul Morton is
resident of the society.
None denies Mr. Morton's distin
guished ability as an executive officer,
ut he has not the confidence of the
lerlcan people. Millionu of his coun-
rymen today believe that Mr. Morton
jught to be standing trial for breach of
Federal statute. They may be yrongt
ut their opinion k a it is, and to the
fortunes of an Insurance company opin
ion means everything. Investors would
prefer somewhat less ability in the
president of the Equitable and a more
pronounced character for resolute obe
dience to the law, if both qualities could
not be fouua united in their' highest
degree in the same man. This mas
sound Hke cant, but beyond all question
It Is a, fair statement, of the present
trend of public opinion. The people
simply will not trust a man with Mr.
Moxton's record, no matter who vouches
for him or what his abilities may be; J
and It Is useless to ask them to do so.
'It is best to state the plain truth about
these matters, for nothing else will re
store the waning confidence of the pub
lic in life insurance Investments. And
when all these disagreeable facts are
admitted. It still remains that no policy
holder in the Equitable Society has any
thing to fear except from .his own folly.
A reasonable degree of patience, a. calm
and resolute reliance upon the logic of
facts, are all that the circumstances re
quire. Resort to the courts is both ab
surd and dangerous.
WHEAT PLENTIFUL. TONNAGE SCARCE.
The farmers of Oregon, Washington
and Idaho are now harvesting what
promises to be the largest wheat crop
in the history of the Pacific Northwest
As no threshing returns are yet availa
ble on Spring-sown grain, it is impossi
ble to make anything like an accurate
estimate at this time; but, roughly
speaking, there appears to be a crop of
from 45,000,000 to 50,000,000 bushels In the
three states. By Including the carry
over from last season. It is reasonably
certain that there are 50,000.000 bushels
of the cereal to be taken care of. Cali
fornia is already making heavy de
mands on the comparatively scanty
supplj of old-crop wheat, and is also
making liberal arrangements for faking
an unusually large amount of the new
crop. But the California demand at its
best can hardly be expected to absorb
more than 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 bushels of
wheat in the current season.
Feed, seed and home consumption will
take care of about 11,000,000 bushels,
leaving approximately 34,000,000 bushels
available for" shipment foreign or East
by rail. At this time there Is nothing in
the situation to Indicate that the East
ern business will this year attain pro
portions of consequence. There will be
the usual demand for some of our
strong wheats for cereal food purposes,
but, unless there should be a marked
Improvement in prices in the East, or a
further decline in Europe, our market
for something over 30,000,000. bushels of
wheat must again be found across the
sea. The prospective Oriental business
Is more difficult to estimate than usual
on account of the disturbed conditions
of American trade across the Pacific.
Under the circumstances it would hard
ly seem safe to figure on any increase
over the shipments of last season. In
wheat measure, the Oriental flour ship
ments last year required about 10,000.
000 bushels.
If these figures are correct, and they
are the best that can be obtained sx
early in the season, there will be about
20,000,000 bushels of actual wheat for
which the Portland and Puget Sound
exporters must supply tonnage between
now and next season. Taking the average-sized
gralncorrler of the sailing
fleet. It will require nearly 200 ships to
move this surplus. Thus far, the en
route lisC together with the list of -easels
in port, ainounts to but forty-four
vessels about one-fifth the number
that will be needed to move the sur
plus. Even this small fleet is spread
out over such an 'extended period that
some of the vessels cannot noselbly
reach here before January, 190G. If
there is anything like a normal movement-
of wheat to market within the
next six months, it will be Impossible
to secure a sufficient number of sailing
ships to move the wheat, and It will be
come necessary to charter steamers to
carry It away.
Steam tonnage cannot be secured ex
cept at much hicher rates than are
exacted for sail tonnage, and. as the
freight charges are all paid by the
wh.eatgrower, this will mean a corre
sponding decrease In the price of wheat.
Sail tonnage at 27s 6d, the present rate
asked by the shipowners combine, is
very low in comparison with the average-
for many years, but it is so much
higher than last season's quotations
that there is much hesitancy on the
part of exporters in taking hold of it.
In former seasons the exporter as
sumed the risk by chartering the ships
when he thought they were cheap and
taking chances on buying wheat for
them. This year the wheatgrower must
take the chances, and, unless there Is
an unexpected demand for shipment
East, or farmers decide to hold their
crops, ocean freights out of Portland
and Puget, Sound will be much higher
than the rates now quoted.
A LAND LOTTERY.
Provo, Utah, is the scene of a scram
ble for Government land on the lottery
plan employed for securing homestead
tracts to settlers In a limited number
on ceded Indian reservation lands.
Land hunger Is one of the most viru
lent phases of the "get-somethlng-for-nothlng"
fever, so prevalent as to be
almost epidemic in these days of gift
enterprises and bargain -counter baits.
This somethlng-for-nothing scheme at
tracts an eager crowd all a'ong the line
of endeavor, from the seeker after a
homestead of 1C0 acres of land to the
shopper who buys goods that she does
not need in order to get "free" a cake
of soap, a gaudy print or a pair of shoe
laces without money and without price.
The lands of the Uintah Indian reser
vation comprise about 6000 acres all
told, and are not essentially different
from other lands in the semi-arid belt.
As stated by W. A. Richards, the Gov
ernment Land Commissioner, who will
supervise the registration of intending
settlers and later attend to the drawing
of claims in Provo, there is considerable
good land in this tract, but much of it
is mountainous and dry. and no better
than other public land that can be ob
tained in the Tegular way, -without the
excitement attendant upon a "rush."
Yet here we have an army ol? men,
several thousand strong, presumably
farmers, neglecting the business of the
year in harvest time,. congregating In
tents under the burning sun of midsum
mer in a semi-arid region, each and all
intent upon early registration and the
chance that it will give them In a lot
tery for 1W acres of land from a tract
of 6000 acres, a large part of which is
worthless for agricultural purposes.
The element of chance in this land
deal is its most attractive feature. Not
only do these people expect to get some
thing for nothing, but they each expect
to draw a prize quarter section. One
man's chance, they assure themselves,
is as good as another man's And with
the .gambler's hope feeding the gam-
jTbling fever that runs riot In their blood
they press forward in the eager quest,
an elbowing, pushing, hungry, thirsty,
dust-begrlmed crowd, each Intent upon
winning a stake.
Further comment upon an event that
has grown familiar through many res
ervation openings in the West is, per
haps, unnecessary. The potency of the
element called "chance" -Is well known
and receives In a situation of this kind
an impetus that sends simple-minded
folk quite out of their wits for the time
being, while It gives the cool, calculat
ing speculator, the gambler by profes
sion, as are all men. more or less, by
nature, an opportunity for which he Is
ever on the alert, to manipulate a
"deal" to his own advantage and the
discomfiture of the unsophisticated. It
was to thwart the. purpose of the spec
ulator and give the unsophisticated
man his chance that the Government
entered Into this lottery scheme, and it
Is but fair to say that this purpose has
been to some extent realized.
WAS NOBODY TO BLAME?
A wretched human creature, suffering
from acute alcoholism, is an object at
once of revulsion, and of pity. While
death Is the most merciful ending of
such a creature's misery, it is a reflec
tion upon common humanity even of
humanity that has been hardened by
daily contact with the seamy side of
life when no effort Is made to alleviate
his sufferings. Samuel Schwartz, whose
miserable, worse than useless life went
out in the terrible throes of delirium
tremens, alone and un cared for in the
"drunk cell" of the Cltj- Jail, Thursday
night, was not. cven'In his abandoned
moral and physical condition, beneath
the pity of the pitiful. That an effort
was not made to save his life Is not fo
reprehensible as that no effort was
made to relieve his terrible sufferings.
Of course, "nobody was to blame" for
the plain disregard of official duty and
common humanity in this case. But
the fact remains that somebody is paid
to give attention and such relief as is
possible to men taken to the City Jail
suffering as was this man. It is. no
doubt, true that there "is no fit place at
the jail for a man fn,.hls condition.
But the City Physician might at least,
upon Inquiry, have been told that the
suffering and dying man was there in
need of such relief as he was able to
give. It is the old story of divided re
sponsibility, the universal verdict of
which is "nobody to blame."
FRUITS OF THRIFT.
Against disclosures in high finance;
against the cry of tainted money, and
the proclaimed extravagance of a great
life insurance company; against the
bold measures of the trust and the
fraudulent practices of land-hungry
politicians, the thrift, the economy and
the resultant accumulations of the plain
people stand out brightly and with
striking effect. The annual review of a
single field of the savings and invest
ment of this class, as made upon the
occasion of the late convention of the
United States League of Savings and
Building Loan Associations, furnishes
conclusive evidence upon this point.
We have here a record of savings ag
gregating $600,342,568, a net Increase for
the year or nearly $21,000,000. It is of
Interest to note further that this
amount represents the Industry, econ
omy and careful planning of 1,631,046
persons an industrial army silently,
persistently Intrenching itself in homes
and providing means to secure them
from disaster. Other fields in which the
plain people toil are similarly produc
tive, the whole presenting a guarantee
of prosperity that is the safeguard of
the Nation.
ARIDITY AND IRRIGATION.
Harper's Weekly recalls an article by
Mr. E. W. Hllgard, professor of agri
culture In the University of California,
published some years' ago, in the North
American Review. In which it is ex
plained, elaborately, how soils are
formed primarily by the physical and
chemical disintegration (weathering) of
rocks, and how these processes continue
in the soil mass. Tliey result In the
formation of a certain proportion of
water-soluble compounds, chiefly of
sodium and potassium, but also of cal
cium and magnesium. Wherever abun
dant rains occur more or less regularly
throughout the year, these water-soluble
conipounds are leached out of the
land, passing into the sub-drainage,
and thence through springs, streams
and rivers into the sea. But where the
rainfall is scantyor where there is no
adequate artificial Irrigation this
leaching can take place only partially or
not at all; and then we frequently find
during the rainless season the salts of
potassium, sodium and magnesium ap
pearing as a superficial "bloom," or ef
florescence on the land surface, being
brought up by the evaporation of
the follrmoisture sometimes in such
amounts as to prevent the growth of
ordinary vegetation, and to permit only
that of "saline" plants. For, with the
useful nutrient substances correspond
ing to the nutritive solutions artificially
compounded for the purpose of growing
plants experimentally), useless or in
jurious ones, such as common salt and
sal-soda, are left In the land. Of these
so-calle'd "alkali" lands, the "sage
brush" region of the interior of North
America is a familiar example. Al
though, however, an excess of these
salts Is injurious to useful vegetation,
it Is obvious that where such excess
does not occur, or can be minimised,
there must be formed in the soils of
arid regions accumulations" of plant
food -which may render it possible to
defer for a long time the need of arti
ficial fertilization. The fact explains
the high productiveness of irrigated
land In arid regions and the dense
population supported within a compara
tively limited area In ancient Babylonia
and Mesopotamia. What was the rule
in those regions 3000 or 4000 years ago
is now exemplified in our irrigated dis
tricts, where from ten to twenty acres
constitute the soil-unU offered to a fam
ily. Instead of the forty to 160 consid
ered needful in the humid portion of the
United States.
Announcement comes from San Fran
cisco that the Southern Pacific Com
pany has set aside a fund of $100,000 to
be expended in the next six months
advertising at the East the Coast rail
way routes extending from Portland to
Los Angeles. This Is welL The Invest
ment is certain to pay good dividends,
but just at this time It seems to the
Interested onlooker as if a part of the
$100,000 would be more advantageously
applied by taking better care of 'tfie
multitude now on the Pacific Coast who
are eager to witness the mountain scen
ery and behold the many fertile val
leys to be seen along this 1300 miles of
"God's country." At best travel by rail
in Summer is attended with discomfort.
Overcrowded cars and Inadequate din
ing accommodations do not serve as
effective advertising. A tourist seeing
the Pacific Coast under favorable con
ditions is the very best advertisement,
because he exploits its charms among
those who are in the notion of going.
His praise brings Immediate results.
Those whom he Influenced upon their
return home, do just what he did. This
is what agents call cumulative 'adver
tising. Every visitor attracted by the
Lewis and Clark Fair, who journeys
south, would be a walking advertise
ment for the Southern Pacific if normal
accommodation were provided.
All previous records for Immigration
to this country were broken during the
year ending June 30 last. In the twelve
months. 1.027,421 aliens entered the
United States, and of that number near
ly one-half were from Austria-Hungary
and Italy. The latter country, for
the first time In six years, dropped Into
second place with 221,479 Immigrants,
while Austria-Hungary was first with
the enormous total of 275.603. Of all
this vast horde, less than 10,000 found
their way Into the country by the Pa
cific Coast ports. New York alone receiv
ing 7SS.259. while at Boston 65,111 en
tered, and at Baltimore 62,314 were ad
mitted. These figures speak eloquently
of the cheap labor markets of the At
lantic Slope, and also explain the grad
ual disappearance of the Yankee from
the rocky New England farms. The
latter Is being forced out West, and
this Is about the only gain the West
derives from this enormous Immigra
tion. Japanese emigration companies ob
ject to sending laborers to the Panama
Canal on account of the unsatisfactory
sanitary conditions and the lack of fa
cilities for caring for the sick. A gen
eration ago such reasons, coming from
the half-civilized Japanese of that era,
would have been regarded as absurd.
Sanitary precautions and care of the
sick are the natural accompaniments of
civilization, and It Is probable that the
conditions will be so remedied at Pan
ama that the loss of life will be much
smaller than In any previous attempt at
canal digging in a tropical country.
Perhaps there Is not. and in the na
ture of things cannot be, an opportune
time for' a telegrapher's strike. Cer
tainly the present strike on sections of
the Northern and Great Northern rail
ways Is most inopportune. It may be
hoped that the differences between the
contending forces will be speedl'y ad
Justed, to the end that normal condi
tions of travel at best, scarcely suffi
cient to accommodate the demands that
are being made on account of the
Lewis and Clark Fair may be restored.
The Puget Sound salmon are again
demonstrating the truth of the fourth-year-run
theory. After three years, of
poor runs and corresponding light
packs, the sockeyes as well as other
varieties are coming Into the seines and
traps in such numbers that it is taxing
the facilities of the canneries to handle
them. The season promises to he a
highly profitable one for both fishermen
and canneries, and the money distrib
uted will have an appreciable effect on
Fall trade on Puget Sound.
International yacht races ylth Ger
many and America as contestants are
now proposed, and Emperor William is
reported to be taking a keen Interest in
fhe matter. As the Kaiser has no tea
gardens, he can hardly be accused of
entering the game for advertising pur
poses. The American yachtsmen will
undoubtedly bring home his cups with
the same degree of ease that has ac
companied their former efforts with
those captured from Sir Thomas LIpton
and his Shamrocks.
Secretary Wilson yesterday issued a
statement denying that the employes
of the forestry service had written arti
cles for magazines prior to the publica
tion of the matter In public reports.
Nothing In the statistical information
collected by Secretary Wilson would in
dicate that he was'a busy man. but the
denials and explanations that he has
been making for the past month cer
tainly indicate that he is very much
overworked.
3Ir. Harriman has visited the Omaha
shops and approves the gasoline motors
.Introduced by Vice-President Mohler.
He ought to do a lot more visiting
while he Is out West. There Is a vast
territory In Oregon that he ought to eae
from an automobile or a buckboard.
Closer acquaintance with us cannot
helo but profit his railroads and the re
gions they imperfectly .ramify.
Monsieur Witte says quietly but firm
ly that he did not come to borrow
money, but to make peace. Yet It Is
hard to say which. Russia needs the
most.
The Chicago Tribune succinctly re
marks that another step toward mu
tuallzing life insurance companies
should ha the reduction of.premlums.
And Senator Piatt declared last Win
ter that it would be fatal to the inter
ests of the Republican party if Depew
was not returned to the Senate.
The city detectives' pay has been
raised to $115 per month. Wp hope
"raised" is the right word.
Mr.Brya"n is going around the world.
He wants to confirm his suspicion that
somebody else owns It.
The New York Legislature intends to
whitewash the Equitable. Well, some
body's got to do It.
One of the chief troubles of New Or
leans is that she didn't clean house
often enough.
The waters, of Crook County continue
to be salubrious for several kinds of
"big fish."
People Who Blush.
New -Orleans (La.) TJmes-Dcmocrat.
The habit of Mulshing Is almost In
variably a cause of great annoyance to
Its possessors. Very frequently it serious
ly hampers them in the ordinary affairs
of life, for blushing is accompanied by
confusion of mind, nervousness and hesi
tancy. The two main points in the treat
ment of shyness, which Is the great cause
of blushing, are, first, open-air exercise,
and, second, the society of others. Open
air exercise is good for all morbid disor
ders, such as excessive shyness, while
the social life makes for self-control and
that savior faire we all seek to attain;
for the latter enables us to go through
life without betraying awkwardness and
timidity. Abnormally sensitive people
may find the cure a lengthy one; but if
they persevere 'the very mental effort
which Is put forth to accomplish the
remedy .Wlj .aid them jn acquiring control
over their tell-tale bittthe.
0REG0N0Z0NE
A New Prize Poet.
One of the Eastern magazines has pub
lished the result of a contest for ten prize
poems magazine poems, of course.
Among the winners Is a poefnew to fame
magazine fame. His name should carry
him along; it Is Kalfus Kurtz Gusllng.
Mr. G.usling'8 surname suggests guzzling,
but we are not inclined to insinuate such
things- at this distance. That he Is Intem
perate, however. Is proved by his lan
guage. In his prize poem called "Posses
sion," wherein Is celebrated his fierce pas
sion for somebody presumably a female
who, he declares. Is his to have and to
hold, without a let-up for a single mo
ment. Here Is one of the lines In the
prize magazine poem of Mr. Kalfus Kurtz
Gusllng. which most of us married folk
are apt to think we have heard some
where before:" -
"With all my worldly goods I thee
endow." "
The Unofficial Autocrat.
"It occurs to me," says the Unofficial
Autocrat, ."that our tastes In smoking are
becoming entirely too hlfalutln. When I
was a boy I was willing to smoke a
grapevine. If nothing else presented It
self for the sacrifice; and a comsilk cigar
ette was a luxury. But I soon got to
smoking stogies the three-for-a-nickel
kind, strong enough to Hfr the ltd of
Hades or take the hair oft the back of a
porcupine. Then I got up to the 5-cent
cigar, and that was my old stand-by for
many years.
"But as I increased In prosperity the
10-cent cigar dldnt seem so far off as
the north star or the aurora borealls, as
It had seemed when the 5-center was
my limit. It got so that I could smoke a
10-cent cigar without going home and
contributing a dime to the conscience
fund my wife's pin money. After a while
the two-for-a-quarter kind caught me:
ray conscience kicked Just a little and had
a sort of dying spasm, and then I gradu
ated to the 15-cent straight. Thus I went
on from good to better as to the cigars
and was willing to smoke a 25-center
whenever any kind friend passed me one
with a modest remark concerning the
price. When I had paid for a few twen
ties myself It occurred to me that I might
as well make It an even quarter, so I
Jumped into the two-bits class. A friend
of mine (or maybe he wasn't a reai
friend) boasted one day that he never
smoked anything less than a 50-cent cigar,
and In spite of my deadened conscience I
began to worry.
"You see. smoking is a cultivated taste.
You may begin at the bottom, burning a
rope, but If you keep up the habit you'll
reach the top some day and incinerate
cigars so delectable that the flavor would
tempt an angel In Paradise. And In
smoking .you can't go backward; you
must progress; and when your taste gets
cultivated up to the two-bits brand and
your aspiration reaches out to clutch and
conquer the 0-conter, you are In a bad
way, unless you are a Rockefeller.
"If you happen to sit down soma quiet
evening on your boarding-house porch
and figure. up your smoke account, you
are In danger of being startled to the
point of heart failure. After you have
smoked up a house and lot, with Eerslan
rugs on the floor and marble tiles In
front of the fireplaces, your conscience
will be quickened Into life again If you
are a manly man. You can't ease ott
gradually by going down the Inclined
plane to the stogie or the rope; you must
quit. Do it now!"
Russell Sage reached his SOth birthday
yesterday. The ruling passion is still
strong with Uncle Russell. Even his doc
tor is named Munn.
John Richardson, a Government official
at Louisville, Ky., has discovered a new
way of making money. Recently, he took
out an accident insurance policy and
went to his country home, where he was
butted by an opportune billygoat. He
was laid up for two days, and the Insur
ance company paid him $12. SO for his loss
of ttme. It was like falling over a piece
of money and nndlng It.
The difference between a lawn party
and a garden fete Is largely a matter of
locality.
President David R. Francis, of the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Is coming
to pay an official visit to President H.
W. Goode. of the Lewis and Clark Expo
sition. It Is hoped that this will not
seriously affect the price of photographic
dry plates.
When you learn to pronounce It "vud
vull" you have almost arrived.
The Wichita Eagle reports that George
E. Laughed has started for the Lewis
and Clark exposition. Let us hope that
Mr. Laughed may have a jolly time.
Governor Folk, of Missouri, with six
Generals and nine Colonels of his staff,
will be among the glittering generalities
Of the Exposition early In September.
he Governor should bring along at least
one private. Just to show us that Mis
souri's fighting strength has not all run
to epaulettes and gold lace. And If the
private has had military experience he
should be placed In command of the party.
ROBERTUS LOVE.
TAXATION OF FRANCHISES.
New Law Will Be Proposed Under
the Initiative.
SALEM. Or.. Aug. 3.-(To the Editor.)
During rpany years past the common
people and ordinary taxpayers have
sought in vain relief through the Legis
lature from the Intolerable conditions ex
isting in this state, particularly in the
matter of equitable taxation. They have
seen rich men, of TfIous pretensions and
corporations owning valuable franchises
for operating railroads, street railways,
telegraphs and telephones, paying nom
inal taxes, while business men, manu
facturers and farmers havo been com
pelled to contribute practically the whole
expense of government. The Legislature
having failed to afford relief for obvious
reasons not necessary to enumerate or
now consider, it Is now proposed to enact
a law by means of the Initiative and ref
erendum amendment to the constitution
to correct. In part, the unequal and un
just assessment of corporate property,
such as franchises, etc.. and to compel
railroad, street railway, express, tele
graph and telephone and other corpora
tions to bear their just proportion of the
public burdens.
At the last meeting of the Willamette
Valley Development League, held recent
ly in this city, I was appointed chairman
of a committee to draft a pill to be sub
mitted, by means of the initiative and
referendum amendment, to the people at
the next election in June, 1SC6. to regulate
the taxation of franchises and other cor
porate property so that some relief. If
possible, may be given to the tax-eaten
rarmer, producer and manufacturer.
In order to draft such bill, the commit
tee asks the advice and assistance of all
good citizens. The object of this commu
nication is to request all persons to as
sist the committee In Its work. All
friendly assistance and advice will be
cordially received, juua A. uaksuk.
THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
World's Work (Lewis and Clark Exposition
Number).
A distinguished student of geogra
phy and of men has declared that' the
Northwest meaning Oregon. Wash
ington. Idaho, a part of Montana and a
part of Canada Is likely to be the
home of a better stock of men of our
race than has "yet been developed else
where in the United States, or in Eng
land, or In any of the British colonies.
The arable parts of this region are
so fertile that they will sustain a large
population perhaps 50,000,000; and yet
they will live on a high elevation
where snow falls; they will live in the
presence of great constant aspects of
nature for, however much man may
change the valleys, he cannot change
the mountains; and they will live
within reach of the sea. Ocean, stream,
mine, forest, farm all these have en
during variety and abundance of
wealth. This country -invites to an
outdoor life more kindly than any
other land of the, same altitude or lati
tude. You cannot study this region long
without feeling the probability of such
a prediction. Surely there Is nothing
extravagant In it; and every Important
fact about the land makes toward the
truth of it. Not the least Interesting
hint of such a destiny Is the universal
belief In It by the people themselves
who live there. They- are sure that
they have for a home the most advan
tageous part of the earth; and this
feeling Is not mere local pride such as
you will find almost everywhere. It is
a well-reasoned conviction, based on
study and on personal experience. It
crops out In their dally conversation:
it shows Itself In their actions. They
have planted their lives on it.
The miner, the farmer, the fisher
man, the sailor, the town-builder and
the railroad-builder every primary
and productive man sees before him
an endless chance of profitable work
for himself and for his successors, un
der favorable conditions that nothing
can change.
And everywhere the call Is for men
more men. They do not fear competi
tion: they rest securely In the belief
that every desirable newcomer adds to
the total wealth and benefits every
body. The best evidences of the high
destiny that these men look to. and of
the cheerful work toward It which
they are doing, are such brief glimpses
of their towns and Industries and
careers as I shall now write. If they
seem scrappy as you read them, they
all at least support the prophecy of a
masterful type of man In a home that
fits him for mastery.
Elsewhere very brief descriptions
are published of Portland. Seattle and
Tacoma. as the largest seacoast cities,
whose growth has been natural. But
the Inland city of Spokane Is a sort
of miracle. It began Its existence, be
ing inland, as a pretty tough town,
such at? you would expect to find In
"the West." A visitor this year, who
had last seen It ten years before,
walked the clean streets of solid busi
ness blocks and asked what had bo
come of the "tough" settlement of hl3
earlier visit. Nobody remembered It.
A beautiful, prosperous city it now is
beautiful, mind you. In spite of its
newness. The people are prosperous
because of tho rich mines near by (the
Coeur d'Alene among them), because
of the even richer wheatflelds. because
of the lumber and the fruit, because
(and this Is a late discovery), of the
marble, because of the waterpower and
tho mills. In the Palouse wheat region
they tell the story of a farmer driving
about in his sulky-plow, meeting an
nother farmer, also in his sulky-plow,
and the first farmer says: "Have a
cigar. John?" The cigar was a 25
cents perfecto. They have published
In a local magazine the photographs
of checks given to farmers for their
wheat crops checks for $35,060. for
$24,000. and for somewhat lesser sums.
In Clarkson. Wash.. I said to a man
who makes wlndow-sashcs. doors and
such things that if he wasn't careful
he'd be a millionaire In a little while.
"Just five years." said he.
The farmers in part3 of Illinois, of
Iowa, of Missouri and of Kansas have
perhaps reached as high a level of ef
ficiency as men have reached on any
large agricultural area. Taking their
efficiency as a standard, there is much
evidence to show that the farmers of
Oregon and Washington have made a
distinct advance over the men in these
states of the Mississippi Valley. There
are several reasons for this. Where
the soil Is rich at all In these Pacific
states it Is almost Inexhaustibly rich.
The climate is milder. The ntimber of
profitable crops Is greater. More Im
portant than all these facts, perhaps.
Is the difference In methods. Except
In tho great wheat fields and on the
large cattle ranches, agriculture in
Washington and Oregon is more in
tensive. The best land is in relatively
small areas, a valley here and a valley
there, with mountains between. Farm
ing, therefore, has to be intensive. It
Is fruit culture or the growing of vege
tables. Every foot of land Is valuable.
Or, It Is an Irrigated valley, every foot
of which is still more valuable. Under
such conditions men cultivate it with
more enre and with greater skill. Thus.
In addition to the great fertility of
the soil, is the hotter culture than Is
common or possible In the Mississippi
Valley. For these reasons agriculture
has rally become here a scientific and
profitable pursuit.
The expense and personal trouble
that the enterprising men and active
commercial bodies In Portland, for ex
ample, put themselves to for the public
good would be Incredible In an Eastern
city. If you wish to find out fact3
about anything in Oregon, you can for
the asking get accurate information
that has cost many thousands of dol
lars, wliich have been spent simply
for the public 'good, subscribed anfl
spent by private Individuals. The
helpfulness of the people is as note
worthy as the richness of the land.
And It Is a genuine public spirit not
the activity of land boomers. Every
visitor to the Exposition at Portland
this year who uses his opportunities to
talk with men whom he may naturally
meet there, will have his faith In
American character and kindliness
made stronger. This spirit is an im
portant part of the resources of the
Pacific Northwest. It makes men
broader. It makes them better neigh
bors and associates hotter citizens. A
normal man will find a more normal
development in a community of such
men than In communities where life is
a harder struggle.
Portland and- the smaller cities of
Oregon offer the same sort of chances
that Washington offers, except they
have no Puget Sound. There Is. how
ever, the great Columbia River, which
Is both an economic and scenic treas
ure. There are the Willamette Valley,
the Hood River Valley, and many other
valleys, the fertility of which matches
the fertility of any other parts of the
Northwest. Most of all. Oregon has
the beautiful and well-developed City
of Portland, whose hospitality thous
ands of strangers will enjoy this year.
Largo parts of Oregon are yet without
railroads; and a great population will
flock there as fast as these areas are
made accessible.
Tho strongest Impression made on
one's mind by.two months' observation
and study of this whole region is the
effectiveness of these people as build
ers of cities, of towns, of communities:
They have local jealousies. They have
grievances against the railroads, in a
word, they are human. But every city,
town, community and railroad has the
same mind about bringing new men to
help in the common task. This public
spirit and this temper of helpfulness at
tract good men and make them good.
PUBLICOPINION.
Its Overwhelming Power the Chief
Lesson of a Great "Kick."
From an editorial in the August
Century.
The most crying, shaming, and at tho
same time Inspiring lesson of the re
form movement In Pennsylvania is tho
revindication of the power of public
opinion. We all know, academically.
mat puDiic opinion ruies me worm
the whole world not only the civilized,
but the seml-clvillzed and barbarous
world: tnat It rules absolutely free
communities, such as the American, the
British, the French, and also where tho
monarch has groater power than In
Great Britain: that it rules essentially
ln Russia. India. China and Abyssinia.
Of course its rule Is more free and evi
dent In freo communities; but recent
events in Russia have shown that tho
most absolute monarchs in the world,
have to give way when their peoples
change their opinion about them and
about things in general.
The effect of the tremendous kick re
cently administered by public opinion in
Philadelphia to their local system of
political graft seems to have surprised
the beast that was hit not more than,
the great dead-in-earnest, though not
unhumorous. public that administered
the punishment. The event proves that
there was a storage battery of indig
nant protest right on the spot and ready
to be charged: and that It might havo
been charged and made to do Its vigor
ous work at any time these many years
back. '
This, ' however, is not the time for
blame for what was not done, but of
congratulations upon the glorious
things that have been done, and upon
the still more fundamental reforms
that are now In the way of accomplish
ment In the redeemed city and In tho
state at large.
But let every community in tho
United States that has not yet revolted
against corrupt local government take
botn warning and encouragement. Let
It realize fully that if It remains cor
rupt It is its own fault. For nothing sn
earth can withstand the besom of an
aroused and intelligent public opinten
led by disinterested men against forti
fied corruption and hardy cynicism.
WHAT WOMAN CAN DO.
Immense Service They Perform in
Cleaning Up Cities!
American Medicine.
It is strange how slow men are to rec
ognize that In all matters of practical
hygiene the women are necessary. Wo
shall never have clean cities until they
undertake the Job. nor shall we kow
how to be good National housekeepers
until the private housekeepers of tha
Nation extend their hereditary function
to public needs and duties. Every tlmo
the women are given a chance to clean
up a dirty city, carry on a . crusade
against public disgraces and Immoralities,
they are successful hnd there is at onco
a new order of things. In one state tho
men. the eaters of meat and mRkera at
laws, legally allowed the butchers to
carry on their work in such a diseased
and disgusting manner that the health
and morals of the whole people were
affected. One woman alone reformed and
cleaned up the whole abuse and made
the slaughter-houses of the state models
of hygienic order and decency. Here Is
another Instance: In a Michigan city.
Kalamazoo, the women grew tired of
filthy strets and disregard of law. and
they got permission to clean one street
for a while, on the same conditions as
the contractor had not cleaned It. They
aid the work, forced slumbering ordi
nances to wake up. demonstrated to the
city that cleanliness Is as easy and as
cheap as filthiness. and now the men and
politicians of Kalamazoo say they havo
learned their lesson and that they will
carry out the reform in all streets of
the city. The movement was Instituted
by Mrs. Caroline Bartlett Crane, who
also did such marvelous work in tho
Michigan slaughter-houses. There should
be a women's civic club or city Improve
ment league In every American city and
town.
THE NEED OF CONCORD. !
Eugene Register.
Every Oregonian of the Republican faith
Is convinced of the necessity of patching
up old estrangements and presenting a
solid front. As a party we cannot afford
to further hazard our success by internal
differences and keeping old soras pea.
Shortly we shall bo In the strike of an
other campaign and we must be well
groomed for the fray. We are saying
nothing we expect to be taken as origi
nal, but so long as nobody seems Inclined
to "suggest a means of solidifying tho
party, the Register Is willing to take th
Initiative and offer something which bos
obtained good results In another state and
which there is no reason to doubt weM
prove beneficial In Oregon.
In the Sucker State (Illinois) the Stato
Central Committee adopted a plan some
years ago for bringing together prior to
a state or National campaign, the leaders
of the party, farmers, business men aad
professional men of the Republican per
suasion. In a general conference calculat
ed to bring the different wings of tho
party Into closer communion and to weed
out differences and promote a feeling of
need for concerted action. At those times,
the State Central Committee holds an offi
cial meeting to arrange for matters per
taining to the campaign. ThLs meeting Is
termed a "Love Feast." and the results
obtained In this manner have been grati
fying In every instance. The attendance
Is always large, as the convention Is held
at a time when most people can absent
themselves from home without Injury to
their personal Interests. Topics of gen
eral Interest to the party's success aro
discussed by able speakers, factional
prejudices are laid aside, everybody en
ters into the spirit of the occasion and
all return heme persuaded that the meet
ing has been productive of much good.
These meetings are held some time dur
ing the fore part of January.
Oregon Republicans would find thl-i
plan a decided advantage as an ante
campaign help and the Register submits
It In the full belief of Its efficiency in the
present dismal outlook. It Is a matter
worthy the attention of the Republican
press and we hope It may receive careful
consideration.
Increased Equine Labors.
Puck.
Farmer Jonas Is your hoss afraid of
autos?
Farmer Heckbin Wal. yes; he's had tho
Job of hauling 'em to town so often when
they break that he fairly shudders when
he sees one a-comln!
A Pacific "Lid" On.
London Globe.
(Liquor prohibition belnsr enforced In.jtlia
Cook Island?, the natives have taken to crlnr
lag Florida water at $i per bottle.) " "
In the blue and bland Pacific. ,
Where ons tblret gets quite terrific;
And on liquid all one's money
Must be spent. '
Things are In a sad oondltien - ' Jj
Through a Hquor prohibition
And the natives are reduced-to
Drinklnz scent.
It's "Push about the brilllantlne!
Don't let the bay runt stop.
Ho. circulate the eau do Nil.
And drain It, every drop.
"What matter though twice two.and-stxV
Goes bans at every pop?"
If a fellow meetss a crony. ,
Then with water from Cologne fc
Fills a beaker, aye. and drains It
With a wlIL
Not a man the local doc. shuns;
"They don't care that such concoctloas
Must before an hour's flitted
Hake them 1H
i