Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, October 16, 1905, Page 6, Image 6

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    6
THE MORNING OBEGONIAK, MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1905.
W$B
Entered at the Postofflee at Portland. Or.,
as second-class matter.
SUBSCKIPTIOJf BATES.
INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
(Br Mall or Express.
Dally and Sunday, per year
Dally and Sunday, fix. months...
Dally and Sunday, three months.
Dally and Sunday, per month...
$9.00
5.00
2.55
.55
Dally wlthtfut .Sunday, per year...
7.50
Dally without Sunday, six months 3.00
DntK. trtltinnt Rnnripv. tbrea months.... 103
Daily without Sunday, per month-
Sunday, per year.....
Sunday, six months ........ --
Sunday, three months". 05
Dally without Sunday, per week .13
Daily, per week. Sunday included...... .0
THE WEEKLY OREGONIAN.
(Issued Every Thursday.)
Weekly, per year L
Weekly, six months
Weekly, three months ; 50
HOW TO REMIT Send postofflee money
order, express order or personal check on
your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency
are at the sender's risk.
EASTERN BUSINESS. OF11CE.
The S. C. BeckwlUi Special Asency-New
York, rooms 43-60 Tribune building. Chicago,
rooms 510-512 Tribune building.
KEPT ON SALE.
Chicago .Auditorium Annex. Postofflee
News Co., 178 Dearborn street,
Denver Julius' Black. Hamilton & Kend
rlck. 006-012 Seventeenth street; Pratt Book
Store. 1214 Fifteenth street.
Des Moines; Ia.-Moses Jacobs. 300 Fifth
rtrcet.
Goldfleld, N4ov. F. Sandstrom: Guy Marsh.
Kansas City. Mo. Rlckseckcr Clear Co.,
Ninth and Walnut!
Los Angeles Harry Drapklnr B. E. Amos.
B14 West Seventh street; Dillard News Co.
Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh, 50 South
Third.
Cleveland, 0.-James Pushaw. 307 Superior
street. . . -
New Yrk Clty-L. Jones' & Co., Astor
House.
Oakland, CaL W. H. Johnston. "Fourteenth
and Franklin streets.
Ogden Goddard & Harrop; D. L. Byle.
Omaba Barkalow Bros., 1612 Farnam;
Mageath Stationery Co.. 1308 Farnam; 240
South 14th.
Sacramento, CaL-Sacramento News Co..
420 .K street. , -
Salt Lake Salt Lake Kews Co.. . West
Second street South; National News Agency.
Lone Beach B. E. Amos.
Ban ITanclsco-J. K. Cooper & Co.. 740
Market street; Goldsmith Bros.. 230 Sutter
and Hotel St. Francis News Stand; L. E.
Lee. Palace Hotel News Stand; F. W Pitt.
1008 Market; 'Frame acoiz, ou
Whcatley Movable News Stand, corner Mar
ket and 'Kearney streets; Foster & Orcar.
Ferry Nett-s Stand. ,
Washington. D. C Bbbltt Hpuse. Pennsyl
vania avenue. .
PORTLAND, MONDAY, OCTOBEK 16, 1905.
FEDERAL REGULATION OF INSURANCE.
There is a growing opinion that the
insurance business of the country
should be brought under control bf
Federal law. But on what basis? Is
insurance interstate commerce? True,
insurance companies organized in one
of our states usually do business in
other states. But is this business
"commerce." in any accepted meaning
of that term? If we go to the dic
tionaries we shall hardly find any
definition of commerce that includes
life and fire insurance. In general,
commerce is interchange of goods, mer
chandise or property of any kind; trade,
traffic, buylrig and selling, or exchange.
In a series of decisions, courts of the
United States have held, In substance,
that insurance is not interstate com
merce. Justice Field, writing the opinion of
the Supreme Court of the United Stages
in Paul' vs. Virgin.ia, 8 Wallace, dealt
ith' a case that had arisen in the State
Circuit- Court at Petersburg. Va. Pre
sentment had been made by the grand
jury against an insurance agent for is
suing a policy without license required
by the statute of the state. The de
fendant sued out a writ of error to the
Federal Court, complaining that the
statute discriminated against all com
panies not incorporated under the laws
of 'Virginia, and asserting that the
statute was an infringement of the
power to regulate commerce. Justice
Field said: . "The defect of the argu
ment .lies In the character of business.
Issuing a policy of insurance is not a
transaction of commerce. The policies
are simple contracts of Indemnity
against loss bj' fire, entered Into be
tween the corporations and the assured,
for a consideration paid by the latter.
These contracts are not articles of com
merce in any proper meaning of the
word. They are not subjects of trade
and barter offered in the market as
something having an existence and
value independent of the parties to
them. They are not commodities to
be shipped or forwarded from one
state to another, and then put up for
sale. They are like personal contracts
between parties which are completed
by their signatures and the transfer of
the consideration. Such contracts are
not interstate transactions, though the
parties may be domiciled in different
states." This opinion, it is said, has
been reaffirmed by the same court no
less than eighteen times since it was
first rendered in 1869.
It would seem no easy matter, in
the face of this statement, to bring In
surance under Federal regulation and
control. The Supreme Court Is the in
terpreter of the Constitution and
" amendment of the Constitution, to meet
new demands, Is practically impossible,
except in supreme crises,, like that of
the Civil War.
JUST THE FACTS.
The Oregonian never has said that
Portland wanted or wants any of .the
state institutions, or the capital, either.
But It has said that the convenience
of the people of the state, and the wel
fare of the institutions of the state
may, in the opinion of the people, call
for removal of the capital and instltu
Hons of- the state-to .the central city.
the city most easily reached from every
partffthe -state. Even Salem, a way
station on a single line of railroad,
where the trains are very- uncertain,
when It wants, an outing, invariably
comes to Portland. Members of the
Legislature, even during the sessions of
that body, can't- be kept away from
PortlanaV
xne uregonian, ior itseir, cares
nothing about the matter. Port
land, for itself, . cares nothing about
It : The Oregoniaii deals only with
a' situation and with the facts
The great majority of the people
of Oregon can't get to Salem without
pjassing through- Portland and taking
trains nere; ana wnen tney reach Salem
they are in a dark,- chilly, muddy and
dreary town, -where they don't want
to be.
Now, .these are facts; and they who
have, to 'go to the capital on miblic
buslne'ss get out of . the town as soon
ajj' they 'Canf In Winter, especially. It
is. wVojHy. cHeerless. The hotel accom
iripaai6n& are of the rudest; you have
towai :in the fog and cold about a
miseraiifg dtfpot, outside the town, for
trains - '
Iifejpresentingthese facts The Ore
aroiilan is -not- saying that Portland
wants the capital, or any of the state's
Institutions. It merely presents state
ments that everybody In Oregon knows
to be true; and It supposes that if the
people of Oregon wish to remove the
capital to a place more convenient to
them and more agreeable to them, they
have a right to do so.
But as to Portland, It Isn't asking for
the capital, doesn't need the capital.
Still, the. people of Oregon, perhaps,
would like to have the capital and the
state institutions located to meet their
conveniences of travel, and of business,
of growth and of progress, and of gen
eral accommbdatlon.
THE GATEWAY OF TRAFFIC.
From Seattle we have it that absolute
necessity of construction of the line for
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cific on the north bank of the Columbia
is demonstrated dally by the congestion
of traffic on the Cascade Mountain divi
sions ofVthose roads. They can no
longer handle- their traffic over the
heavy grades. Short trains only can
be operated; the cost is heavy, and
blockades ensue.
But this Is not the only reason why
the Hill Toads are to build the Colum
bia River-line. Other great roads, as
the St. Paul and Northwestern, are
pushing westward, and the Hill people
see. if they do not at once occupy the
north bank of the Columbia, some other
road will speedily be established there.
This condition is a necessary one.
growing out of the general development
of the country. For the Northern roads
tfie Columbia line could be only tem
porarily .ignored. "With this increase
of traffic Its advantages were sure to
reappear. Natural conditions reassert
themselves. The bulk of the traffic of
the Northwest must follow the line of
the Columbia River, the only. gateway
through a great mountain chain. What
this will mean, not merely' to Portland
but to the whole region of the Columbia
Basin, frqm the Rocky Mountains to
the sea, is no difficult forecast now.
SYMPATHY DUE TO THE STATE.
There are no true sympathies to be
wasted on the offenders, nor excuses to
De ma(jfi for the Offenses. This unhappy
State of Oregon is the sufferer. Let
sympathy be reserved for her; and all
excuse that can be made, let It be
made for her.
In Oregon, these forty years, a sys
tem of politics that has led to this
humiliation, this shame, this disgrace.
has been in high career. The people of
Oregon, though warned again and
again, have not merely condoned It,
but have supported It and have con
tinued it. What disclosures, what pro
tests. The Oregonian might reproduce
from its own files!
It Is a pity pity for the state that
this system of politics has proceeded to
such disgrace. But the pity is not for
the offenders. It is not due to them
The disgrace is the outcome of a sys
tem against which the people of Oregon
have. .been too little on their guard:
and on the offenders, in their extrem
Ity, no sympathy ehould be expended.
The shame is for the state.
OVERPRODUCTION OF OCEAN TONNAGE
London Fair Play, the recognized
.organ of the foreign shipowners, con
tinues to berate the shipowners who
are now letting contracts for new ton
nage even though the builders' rates
are exceptionally low. The London
paper substantiates its position by
citing the fact that, while the slight
advance In ocean freights indicates a
revival of business, there Is not yet
enough traffic in sight to offer employ
ment for the big fleet of ships that have
been In idleness all over the world for
the past two years. At the end of the
first two years of depression In ship
ping, a great many of the owners
seemed to think that the bpttom had
been reached in the freight market and.
in order to be ready for the increased
demand for tonnage as soon as it ap
peared, they began letting contracts
nearly a year ago. Many of their ves
sels are now in the water, and launches
of others are unusually numerous at
all British yards.
This new tonnage, which has been
contracted for within the past twelve
months, is said to reach an aggregate
of 1,000.000 tons of tramp steamers
alone. Fair Play is not the only
authority to view this great increase in
tonnage with misgivings, for the con
servative and reliable London Statist,
in the course of an exhaustive review
of the situation, says:
What is to become of the reputed million
tons of steam cargo tramps now preparing
or active work on the oceans no man can
tell. There is everywhere more tonnage than
Is wanted, and, though freights in rome
avenues have been lower than they are at
present, they are extremely low taken all
over. The British shipowner haa now to com
pete with his own dlnearded tools. After
working his ship for a few years he sells her
to wme foreigner, who runs her at prob
ably half the expense for wages, stores, etc
When our British owner puts his realized
capital and savlnga into a new, up-to-date
vessel at present-day cost, he finds his mar
ket cut away from him by his old ship under
a foreign flag." -It
would be difficult Indeed for even
such shipping experts as the members
of the American Bankers' Association,
who are the latest ship-subsidy sup
porters to bewail the scarcity of ton
nage, to find anything In support of
their fallacious theory , in the above
straightforward statement of condi
tions as they actually exist. In all the
big ports on the Pacific Coast, ships
have been lying in Idleness for the past
two years, simply because there was
such an excess of tonnage that rates
had been crowded down so close to the
dead line between profit and loss, and
there was no money to be made by
moving the ships. Since the decline
got under way In the Spring of 1902,
it has been possible for American ex
porters to charter vessels to carry their
goods to any country on the face of
earth at the. lowest freight rates on
record. Under such conditions as these,
and in the face of a steadily increasing
supply of cheap tonnage, it Is strange
Indeed that any man gifted with ordi
nary business sense should even inti
mate that American trade was suffer
ing through lack of a merchant marine
to handle" our products.
The British shipowner, satisfied with
a return on his investment that would
be too Insignificant for American capi
tal, bewails the competition of the Ger
mans and Norwegians who are cutting
rates In the ocean-carrying trade. If
an American fleet were to enter the
business It would be obliged to meet
not only the competition of the Brit
ishers, but also that of the other sea
going powers, which are Just new mak
ing matters rather gloomy for the
"mistress of the seas." The .subsidy
necessary to enable our ships to com
pete would necessarily be an enormous
one. and the benefits resultant would
amount to absolutely nothing. Ameri
can exporters are now having their
wares carried to foreign markets by
the cheapest carriers on earth, and the
service Is secured without the necessity
of a raid on the National treasury.
OREGON TOWNS AND THE FAIR.
The Oregonian printed yesterday an
interesting and valuable symposium on
the Lewis and Clark Exposition and
its benefits to the entire Pacific Coast
The Governors of Washington, Idaho
and California bore cheerful witness to
the . fact that their . respective states
had; by their prominent participation
in the Fair, been large gainers there
by; and one and all expressed cor
dial appreciation of the enterprise,
liberality, skill and intelligence of the
people of Oregon In providing so fine
an opportunity for the whole Coast
to unite In one magnificent under
taking to show the world what
we are, what we have, ana wnai
we hope to be and to have. Every
state represented here doubtless found
it worth while; but it Is especially grat
ifying to Oregon and to Portland to
find this open -'and ungrudging com
mendation from Its Immediate neigh
bors. But the symposium showed more. It
proved that the people of Oregon as a
whole are proud of their great achieve
ment. Effort has been made to make
it appear that Portland was monopo
lizing the fruits of the Exposition at
the expense of the smaller towns of
the state. It Is not so. and It never
was so. It Is particularly pleasing to
find that these towns undrstand that
the Exposition was theirs, scarcely less
than Portland's, and that the credit for
Its great success is largely theirs, as
well as Portland's. The Mayors of
many Oregon cities and towns tell The
Oregonian how they regard the Expo
sition, and what they think will result
from It. For example, the Mayor of
Salem finds already In Oregon "new
settlers, new faces. In our midst, new.
business enterprises and new home
seekers." The Mayor of Medford telfe
of the "wonderful value of the Ex
position to the Southern part of
the state." The Mayor of Forest Grove
mentions the "benefits which the Expo
sition has- conferred on the people of
Oregon." The Mayor of McMInnvllle
thinks the Exposition "has brought
many people from the East who Will
eventually find homes here." The May
or of Corvallls declares that "Its effects
from a beneficial standpoint will soon
come to be felt all over our state." "The
Mayor of Marshfield thinks it "has Teen
a great success and benefit to the
state." The Mayor of Roseburg says
It will "vastly enhance the material ad
vancement of the Oregon country." The
Mayor of Ashland speaks of the "ben
efit that Oregon and the Pacific Coast
generally have derived and. -will con
tinue to derive.". The Mayor of The
Dalles says "It has brought before the
eyes of the world the great commercial
advantages of Oregon and its magnifi
cent climate." The Mayor of Dallas
says that "the bounteous harvest will
follow." The Mayor of Pendleton looks
for "great benefits." and deems the Ex
position a "good Investment."
Now let the envious be silent and the
trouble-makers quit spreading abroad
their slanders. The persons who are
authorized to speak for their communi
ties are on record, and Portland and all
Oregon are one In their view of the Ex
position and its advantages to all alike.
MODERN DEVELOPMENT.
The genius of man, that has wrought
from steel and Iron the most wonderful
fingers of toll; that has reached out
into the realm of nature and harnessed
steam and electricity and pressed them
Into the service of mankind; and that
has supplied means by which the pro
ductive forces of field and shop and fac
tory are a thousand times multiplied. Is
of relatively recent development. It Is
little less than amazing, as the Balti
more American says, "to take a look
backward and note the lack of invent
iveness of the people of all nations In
old times."
A backward glance shows the truth
of this estimate, and amazement grows
as the facts are disclosed by research
and -comparison. The sculptures, paint
ings and buildings of antiquity excite
wonder and admiration, but for all that
Inquiry and research have disclosed,
the methods of men who accomplished
these wonders were primitive in the ex
treme and were not for many centuries
Improved upon. Civilization advanced
without the aid of Inventive genius
during all the ages that have become
shadowy In the minds of time. The
messages of Pharaoh could be conveyed
to his army outposts as quickly as
could those of Washington to the dif
ferent sections "of his army, while the
movement of men and stores could be
accomplished in Hannibal's day as
quickly as in that of Andrew Jackson.
The inventive genius of man was sleep
ing all those years. His brawn, trained
to endurance, was his reliance.
The study of this phase of human
development is an interesting one. It
seems as if the inventive instinct, spirit
or faculty of man slumbered without
even stirring, until awakened by the
challenge of the nineteenth century.
There Is no reason to suppose that the
Puritans who built their homes In
America made any more rapid prog
ress, or were aided in the work by any
more advanced mechanical devices,
than were the laborers who built
Noah's ark. The ships of Paul Jones
were wretched, reeling craft, not swift
er or stronger than were the vessels of
ancient Rome. Homer could have his
works copied as quickly as Chaucer
could his, and Columbus could no more
carry the time in his pocket than could
Moses or Aaron. There, are men and
xjomen yet living In the United States
who were grown when the first rail
road trains were run, and when the
first telephonic messages ,wera sent.
while children who saw the first elec
trie cars have not yet passed their
school days. The friction match touches
the flint and steel at a period less than
three-fourths of a century old. and men
are now living who, as boys, were
routed out of bed early to co to th
neighbor's house a mile away to bring
home a live cqal that a fire might be
started in the broad fireplace, where
the crane and trammels hung as cook
ing appliances, in lieu of a cook stove
in the kitchen.
But, slow as was the Inventive genius
of man in awakening, It has indulged
In no period of somnolence since It was
aroused. It has Invaded the Industrial
world and gone from one stage to an
other, conquering and to conquer. The
most powerful and accurate machinery
Alls our shops, propels our steamships,
draws our railway trains, turns out our
great newspapers. Electricity, har
nessed and controlled, brings the dis
tant suburbs of the city close to Its
center. Mechanical devices of all sorts
take the place of human hands in do
ing the world's work. The United States
Patent Office is the busiest place, per
haps, that Is supervised by the Govern
ment. .One device suggests or calls for
another. The great printing press that
was a marvel of human genius and me
chanical effectiveness five years ago Is
inslgnificanfbeside that which was set
tip last Summer in the basement of The
Oregonian.
And so it is all along the line. Human
Invention was slow In awakening. But
It was a sleeping giant which, when it
aroused. 'and. shook itself, astonished
the world with Its powers, its versatll-
Ity.- its exhaustless energy and re
sources. Outdated today is its master
piece of yesterday: outdated tomorrow
will be Its wonderful achievement of to
day. Amazing as has been its progress,
human Invention has no more surprises
in stpre for mankind.' The most won
derful output of its genius is scarcely
more than the thing expected.
The police of different cities regard
drunkenness differently. That explains
the remarkable variations in the num
ber .of arrests made during 1903 In 175
large cities and towns, printed In an
other column. In no other way can the
figures for Seattle and Hartford, for
example, two cities of about the same
size, on opposite sides of the continent,
be reconciled. . In Seattle, one arrest
out of fourteen was for drunkenness.
and In Hartford two out of three. Not
even the most enthusiastic admirer of
Seattle will, we Imagine, pretend that
the difference represents the Immensely
greater degree jof general obriety to
be found in Seattle than in Hartford.
What It does show Is that in Hartford
the police probably arrest an Intoxi
cated man whenever they find him; In
Seattle they do not. The rule in most
or all Western cities Is, In fact; for the
police to arrest no intoxicated man
until he Is "disorderly." When he fs
simply drunk, they let him alone, or
send him home, if he has one. The
showing for Seattle, In the census re
turns. Is however very good; at least.
It seems to be good until one reflects
that thirteen out of fourteen arrests-
there are not for drunkenness, and
therefore they must be for some crime.
Many and sincere were the expres
slons of regret that were heard yester
day over the passing of the Dream
City. The-flush of the dying year was
on the hillsides which formed the back
ground for the beautiful picture.. The
sun shone bright at times and the
rippling waters of the lake threw back
Its gleams. The well-kept grounds
never" looked prettier and the white
buildings loomed tiig and impressive in
the clear atmosphere. Portlanders who
have learned, to admire this wonderful
picture with Us marvelous settings will
not soon forget It. But regret over Its
passing as softened yesterday when the
unusually clear atmosphere revealed in I
all Its beauty that grand panorama of
forest, river and snow-capped moun
tain, which is our heritage for all time:
There were limitations to the time
which we could spend In the enjoyment
of the wonderful picture of the Dream
City. Death alone can place a limit on
our enjoyment of that greater and
grander picture with which Nature has
favored -us.t
The action of the Harrlman lines In
making a low colonist rate effective for
four months of the year. Is sure to be
productive of good results, both for the
railroad company and for the territory
which It serves. The Pacific Northwest
has plenty of room for thousands of
newcomers, and there Is at this time
an Improved prospect for their being
placed where they can develop new-
country. The branch lines, now under
consideration by the Harrlman system,
as well as a number of other small
branches of new road, will open up a
vast area of country which can offer
good Inducements to all people that
the railroads can haul out here In many
months. Mr. Harrlman's passenger
department has always been several
leagues ahead of his construction de
partment, but there are now indications
that they will work In closer company.
Michael Cudahy, the millionaire Chi
cago packer, is said to be preparing to
strike the Standard Oil monopoly- a
vers serious blow with an opposition
pipe line and refinery, which will turn
out the finishes product at a point 300
miles nearer the Eastern market than
the Standard's Kansas City refinery.
If Mr. Cudahy is sincere In his deter
mination to give battle to Standard Oil,
he can undoubtedly mass behind him a
sufficient amount of wealth to enable
him to carry his project to a successful
consummation In spite of all the pres
sure that Rockefeller can bring to. bear
against him. The struggle will be a
Titanic one, and the oil consumers and
anti-monopolists of high and low de
gree, will fervently nope that the, usual
compromise will not result.
The Dougherty bank scandal In Illi
nois has not yet attained the propor
tions of the Blgelow affair In Wiscon
sin, or Mrs. Chadwlck's Ohio escapade.
but death and disgrace are just as
much in evidence in this latest crime as
they were in its predecessors. Worry
over the disclosures and fear of finan
cial ruin have already killed two ven
erable stockholders in banks affected
by the Dougherty failure. These trag
edies form but a small portion of the
long train of misery, suffering, disaster
and death that will be directly charge
able against the high financier who
caused aH of the trouble.
Among those whose services to the
Exposition are entitled to special com
mendation is Henry E. Reed, secretary
of the corporation from the beginning.
His work has been done with rare In
dustry and Intelligence, and with ab
solute fidelity. At all tlme3 he has had
the entire scheme of the Exposition in
hand, and In every part of the execu
tive work he was an invaluable assist
ant, and his Intelligent methods not
only expedited the work but saved a
great deal of money to the corporation.
The La Grande Chronicle says: "If
Vniinimnh th -Hrhpst wmntv In Vii
. ' .
aiUie, Call SU1HU au luacaaiiiciik uu itic
cash valuation of property, the smaller
counties Including Union can put up
with the same basis." Good and sound,
Tet we observe with regret that Union
County has not followed the sugges
tion of the Chronicle, but has reduced
last year's assessment by one-half.
Work like this will call for a Stafe
Board of Equalization with power to
"level up" ' the assessments.
It seems that the Mutual Life of New
York has been a "purely mutual" .com
panyfor the McCurdy family.
And now let's begin saving for the
Thanksgiving turkey and the Christmas
tree. !-.
SILHOUETTES. '
Let us hope that England will honor
herself by giving Sir Henry Irving a place
In Westminster Abbey.
I miss the pictures of Sunny Jim on the
billboards. There be so many varieties
of the Gloom v- Gus nowadays that tho
signt 0f our friend of the breakfast fod
,jer would be quite refreshing,
- -
In most people the streak of yellow. Is
so wide that they have room for little
else.
.
John D. Rockefeller has never yet been
accused of being the man who struck
Billy Patterson.
.
As a rule, steeple Jacks die young as a
result of high living.
I think my old army friend, Carrie Na
tion, must have fallen Into a well. It
she don't get busy pretty soon her name
may be Inscribed on -a tablet In the Hall
of Fame, on suspicion.
The next Congress should pass a meas
ure providing an open season ot one
month each year on traveling evangelists.
Fashion Note Decollette evening gowns
will be worn three inches lower at the
throat this Winter.
, N
European court circles must have taken
a brace. o new scandal has been re
ported from -those sources for a fort
night.
The man who thinks he is pretty has
but one formidable rival for the honor
of Champion Ass. and he is the man who.
thinks he Is brilliant.
There Is this good, to be said in favor
of tobacco chewing. One can't chew to
bacco and gum at the same time.
Millenium.
When Mount Tabor Is annexed to Port
land: when the beef trust Is put out ot
business: when the Celilo canal built:
when General Killfeather Is reduced to
the ranks and George Chamberlain elected
President; when the Philippines are free;
when the north bank road Is built; when
the Insurance investigation ends: when
the" Rough Riders have all been Riven of-
flees; when Russia becomes a republic
and the girl in our block get? lockjaw so
cne can't sins: coon soncs then 'will the
wicked cease from troubling and the
weary be at rest
a man who had Inquired for a certain
letter nine days In succession stepped un
to a window at the postofflce and was
troated somewhat brusquely by the lady
who has charge of the window.
"You're very uncivil." remarked the
man.
"Well. I'm not a civil servlco clerk,"
she retorted.
.
There will be a beautiful display of Fall
hosiery at the Marquam tonight. .
-
Thfs town seems to be suffering from an
overproduction of married flirts.
From the number of young pensioners
on the National rolls. It would seem that
tho volunteers of the Spanish War must
have bcon largely invalids or deadbeats.
One of the beauties of being a slave to
tho lamp Is that the slave cats his break
fast just before going to bed.
Dpn't be continually telling a friend
what a good friend you are to him. Juda3
always did that.
My Idea of real distinction Is to be listed
among "the others present" at a society
high-Jinks.
The census of 1500 showed that only
about one woman In 200 is klssable. The
proportion was abnormally large in Port
land, however.
If you want to know just how silly hu
man beings may become, buy a copy of
the Smart Set and read it.
The average man imagines he looks
like Napoleon when he Is parading the
streets In his lodge regalia.
The Importation of S head of milch
goats by the Agricultural Department will
be "viewed with alarm" by the manufac
turers of "genuine Swiss cheese," made
In Oregon. .
Over Confidence.
There was a young man of Racine,
Invented a flying machine;
He went up in the air
To take a friend's dare.
And since then he's never been seen.
Just because they stood Pat and didn't
abandon the search, those detectives who
captured the Omaha kidnaper need not
do so much Crowe-Ing.
Changed His Tunc.
Little Willie was so silly.
That ho wouldn't mind.
His mother called In Father Bill,
Who handed him the kind
Of lickings that our father used
To give us there behind
The woodsnea "There's no nlace liko
home,"
Sang silly little Willie.
ARTHUR A. GREENE.
Makers of the Great Fair.
PORTLAND. Oct. 15. (To the Editor.) Your
editorial of this morning, paying a Just trio-
uto to those whoso courage, fidelity and abil
ity made the Exposition so great a success.
omlta, for obvious reasons, to mention one
name which should be Inscribed beside, the
name of Henry W. COrbett on that roll
honor. I refer to Mr. H. W. Scott. No man
contributed more than Mr. Scott to the tnic-
cess of the Exposition. But for his labors
and Influence the Government appropriation,
which Insured the successful holding of the
Exposition, could hardly have been obtained.
He- undertook the presidency of the Exposi
tion Corporation upon Mr. Corbet t death
and guided It through a doubtful and trying
I Period.
I The Oregonian gave
tho Exposition. from
the time of Its Inception until Its cloce, the
most liberal and effective advertising and
support, all without any charge or compen
sation whatever. These things should be
known and due credit riven.
Mr. Scott should be named when recounting
those who made the Exposition successful.
O. T. P.VXTON.
Keeping Out of the Heat.
Magazine of Fun.
Pat I'm after bidding you good-bye,
Moike. It'a to Panlma for me. Shure. U
a day workin' on the canal looks like a
gold mine beside the J1.20 In Ameriky.
Mike But, Pat, do you mind that Pani--
ma Is one of the hottest places in the
world? It s 120 in the shade most every
day.
Pat You don't suppose that I'm such a
fool as to stay in the shade all the time,
do you7.
DRUNKARDS INJHE CENSUS.
Not less than 400,000 persons were ar
rested for drunkenness In the lo largest
cities of the United States In 1503. This
total, startling, almost, in lt3 stupendous
ness. means that, on the average, 1096
arrests for intoxication were made every
day of the year, and 4S every hour of the
day.
The aggregate arrests for all causes
during the 12-month footed up slightly in
excess of 1.102,000. and the fact that one-
third of them was for drunkenness brings
ont In a striking way the part which the
drink habit plays in fattening the crimi
nal records of the country. These com
putations are based on a bulletin which
has Just been issued by the Federal Cen
sua Bureau with reference to American
municipal statistics of 1900.
Examination of the figures of police op
erations in groups of cities of similar
magnitude discloses strange contrasts.
Take Boston and . Baltimore, for example.
Although these municipalities are of sub
stantially the same size, the number of
arrests for intoxication in the capital of
the Bay State during the year attained
the tall total of 27.792. while the figure for
the Maryland city was only 3573. The dif
ference Is still further emphasized by tne
.fact that Baltimore had 2230 retail liquor
saloons, while Boston was credited with
enly 7S3. In othere words, although Bos
ton had a little more than one-third as
many drinking establishments as Balti
more, it had nearly eight times as many
alcoholic arrests. The explanation of the
corpulent returns from Boston may per
haps be found in the rigorous police adr
ministration under the regime of Judge
Emmons and In the supplementary fact
that Boston 13 the drinking center for a
large suburban population.
Another striking comparison may be
produced by bracketing Pittsburg and
Cincinnati cities of twin population lying
on the banks of the Ohio River. In Pitts
burg In the course of the year the ar
restn for drunkenness numbered 17.291: In
Cincinnati. 2011. But the Pennsylvania
municipality had - only 571 saloons, as
agatnst 1692 for the Ohio city. Here, again.
Is supplied the curious situation of one
place having only a third as many grog
shops, but eight times as many intoxica
tion arrests as another place of similar
stature in the census table. Such a con
dition Is assuredly abnormal.
Another suggestive combination is pro
duced by putting Denver and Toledo
"cheek by Jowl. The population flgureu of
tne two communities travel In double har.
ness. but in Denver there were 1923 arrests
for inebriety In 1903. but in the Ohio city
the number was a beggarly 319. This di
versity Is rendered doubly noticeable by
the fact that Denver harbored 419 dram
shops, while Toledo had S76. The stunted
figures of arrests in Toledo are probably
product of the policy which the late
Mayor. Sam Jones, established when he
was sacking to operate the municipal ex
ecutive chamber on a golden rule basis.
He wa3 inclined to coddle the drunkard.
and insisted that, except under unusual
circumstances, the police should escort an
Intoxicated fellow home rather than es
cort him to the lockup. This leniency
toward the man In his cups was success
ful in making the statistics of arrests for
drunkenness In that city look Jlke a vest
pocKeL edition.
By way oC further comparison, let us
joke Hartford and Seattle same-sized
cities located on opposite slopes ot the
continent. In the Connecticut capital.
with 163 saloons, there were 3064 alcoholic
arrests in the course of the year, but in
the Puget Sound city, with 240 saloons,
the entries on the police blotter for In
toxication numbered only 576. In Hart
ford, every two arrests out of three were
tor drunkenness-, and in Seattle, only one
out of 14 was the average. Students of
roclal statistics will find these irreconcil
able ratios decidedly suggestive. Before
being driipped. Hartford may profltably
be compared with Bridgeport, another
Connecticut city. Hartford, with 10.000
more Inhabitants, but with 132 fewer sa
loons, had three times as many alcoholic
arrests ad Bridgeport, the exact number
being 3054. as. against 1063.
Prosecution of th examination opens
up an endless number of surprises. Yonk
ers, N. T., for instance, with 1S7 retail
Kquor establishments, reported 454 ar
testi for drunkenness, but the similar-
sized city of Portland. Me., which had no
licensed saloons, ran its arrests for that
cause up to a total of 21S6. Holyokc.
Mass., and Youngstown, O.. are munlcl
palities of equal population, but Holyoke's
jag arrests number S40, while loungs
town's record was 3o05.
A unique showing is made by the Iowa
city of Davenport. The municipality has
38.000 Inhabitants, and 1S4 saloons, but
during 1S03 the arrests for intoxication
aggregated only SO. There were only a
little, over two intoxication arrests for
each saloon, and an average of less than
one arrest In each 20 was chargeable to
excessive lingering over the winecup. This
record Is a curiosity which is not sus
ceptible qf easy explanation.
The record of arrests for inebriety in
American cities, as disclosed by the Cen
sus Bulletin, is so variable and capricious
that no general law governing the busi
ness Is easily ascertainable. The num
ber of arrests for this cause in any com
munity for a given period, like General
Hancock's conception of the tariff, is a
local Issue. Whether that number is
large or small depends In the main on the
condition of popular sentiment. In general
and on the character of the police admin
istration In particular. If the policy of
the police department toward the intoxi
cated Individual makes for severity and
not for mildness, the census of arrests
for intemperance takes on flesh and fat.
The line of alcoholic arrests in a com
munity Is irregular, rising during spasms
of strict law enforcement and falling dur
ing periods of leniency.
The relation between the number of sa
loons and the number of arrests for
drunkenness Is not clear. Indeed, it Is so
Indistinct as to be hardly recognizable.
Investigation of the statistics shows that
in various cases where the number of sa
loons Is small the number of arrests is
large and that where the number of sa
loons is big the number of arrests is little.
But this condition is a coincidence and
not a rule. Other Influences are appar
ently more Important than the volume of
drinking establishments In determining
the volume of arrests.
Although the Census Bulletin makes
no allusion to the legislation concerning
drunkenness, the statutes governing the
offence are as variable and diverse as the
statistics of arrests. In IS states no spe
cific laws for the punishment of intoxi
cated people and common drunkards may
.be found. The matter is covered by local
ordinances. , The penalty for drunkenness
in two states Is Imprisonment without
fine. In four commonwealths the punish
ment Is a fine, and the laws make no al
lusion to Imprisonment. Three states,'
without fixing the amount of fine or im
prisonment, require security for good be
havior, and If the convicted offender fails
to provide such security he may be com
mitted to the Jail or workhouse.
In 15 states the alternative penalty of
either fine or Imprisonment Is estab
lished. The fines range all the way from
a minimum of 50 cents to a maximum of
5100. The imprisonment, showing a simi
larly large variation between extremes.
runs from two days to five years. In sev
eral commonwealths provision Is made
for homes for inebriates or for the Inst!
tutlonal treatment of drunkards. The
probation system, which has more to do
with Intoxication than with any other
form ot delinquency, la being established
in a steadily increasing number of states.
What to Do With Mr. Roosevelt.
Leslie's Weekly.
Let New York send Mr. Roosevelt to the
Senate as soon as his term ends. When he
steps down out of the Presidency on
March 4. 1909. Mr. Piatt's term In the Sen
ate will close, and as he. will be 76 years
of age at that time, he will refuse another
election. He already says this is his last
term. Let President Roosevelt be chosen
i to succeed Senator Piatt
LITTLE RISK TO PRESIDENT.
Florida Times-Union.
In deciding to visit New Orleans at the
time originally appointed and make h!s
visit to that city the end of his Southern
tour, the President has done the klhd!.
the wise and the manly thing.
It fs manly in him to visit New Orleans
when so many are guarding against con
tact with that city with a spirit that
parses beyond mere prudent precautiO".
and goes to the plane of brainless frig": ,
Tho President will show the people of tNo
United States that he is not afraid to g5
to New. Orleans, and. what is much bar
ter, he will show the people of New Or
leans that he is not afraid to share the.r
lot with them. This is kindly, as well as
manly. It will encourage a peop!- who
have been fenced off to themselves r
fight the scourge.
The President of the United Statos lis
not the sam right to take risks tvni
Theodore Roosevelt would have iL a pri
vate citizen. What risk is he wk?rj; ,i
visiting New Orleans? A Ijttle CHkulj.t;-a
may serve to give some idea.
The existence of yellow fever ia New
Orleans was announced about ten wefk -ago.
Since that time there have been 3042
cases. In 1W0 New Orleans had S7
people. It had gained 45.D65 during rh
preceding ten years. At the outbreak -the
epidemic New Orleans probably hal a
population of 312.000. Of that number, cs
in 102 has taken tho fever, and 101 in 1
have thus far escaped it. And yet tho tr.
pression is the driveling Idiotic general
impression Js that when yellow fti
strikes a town nearly the entire popula
tion takes it.
Any man who poes North during trs
Winter takes as great a risk as th?s
dying with pneumonia or consumption,
and a healthy man would be regarde-3 as
extremely timid If he declined to go Nort
If his business called him there, on ar
count of as trivial a risk as this.
New Orleans needs President Ri-j---elts
manifestation of confidence anl S
sympathy. Other cities simply wk; f
see the President and show their kindly
feeling toward him. We are plead tt
his programme provides for a visit t
Florida before going to New Orleans, b .i
if he" did not. we would say go to New
Orleans now and come to see us later
In spite of the snmllness of the risk th
President should not visit points quaran
tined against New Orleans after going t
that city. He would not appreciably en
danger the public health by so doing, b-t
the President of the United States, of h's
own volition, should obey every law tac
private citizens are required to obey.
BUYING A PAPER IN SCOTLAND
Difficulties Experienced by an Amer
ican in Edinburgh.
Professor George E. Horr In Bost-n
Watchman.
The American custom of glancing eve?
the morning paper as you sip your eff-"
at breakfast goes with you abroad, but
it is no simple thing always to ge a
morning paper. On coming down to break
fast the first morning In Edinburgh, t
found there was no paper to be had. but
thinking that It was a simple matter t
buy a Scotsman on the street. I wtnt
out on Princes street and walked thro
blocks without the sight of a newsbo
"Where can I get the morning's Scot3
man?" I said to a policeman. He thought
a moment. "Weel. said he. "there's a
great news shop aboot three blocks u?.
and yo might And one there." I followed
the direction, and found myself in a Iarg"
news distributing depot. There wem
stacks and stacks of newspapers and mag
azines ail about. "I woukl like the Mrm
ing's Scotsman." I said. The man 1 1
charge looked bewildered. "I'll see' fc
said, "if we have one." He fumb!M
around a little while, and then went bak
into the rear of the store for fulty thrro
minutes: at last he came back, saving
"We haven't one." "Well." I said, "th-s
is about the strangost thing I have seen
Can't you got the morning paper here in
Edinburgh?" "No." he said, "ye'll fl-4
It diffeeculC" "What do they publish, pa
pers here for, anyway?" I rejoined Po
they want to keep them out of the han'n
of people? Don"t they want peopU f
read them? Do they print papers to kec-
the news secret?" He bridled at once I
want ye to understand." he said, "that
the Scotsman Is not published for the scl
eral publeek. It's published for the sut
screebers."
The Scotsman, you know, probabl,
ranks next to the London Times. "Wc"
I said, "this is ail new to me: in my coun
try publishers want to have their news
papers read: they want to sell all th?y
can; they don't try to keep them out cZ
the hands of the 'geenral publeek Can
you tell me where I can get one. fir I
want to see the morning paper, thrush
perhaps I shall have'to get a letter of In
troduction to buy one." "Well.' he an
swered, "there's a woman about IOC yarda
from here that takes the Scotsman: sh
might sell you hers." I took the direc
tion carefully, found the woman who toctc
the Scotsman she kept a thread and nee
dle store bought her copy, and rcarhrcl
the hotel a half-hour late for breakfast
which I had ordered before going out en
the difficult quest of buying a mcrnlnsr
paper In the great city of Edinburgh.
An Appetizer.
Harper's Weekly.
Dinner was a little late.
A guest asked the hostess to play some
thing. Seating herself at the piano, the gooS
woman executed a Chopin nocturne wlttx
precision.
She finished, and there was still an In
terval of waltins to be bridged.
In the grim silence she turned to an
old gentleman on her right and said:
"Would you like a sonata before dinner"
He gave a start of surprise and pleas
ure. "Why, yes, thanks I" he said. "I had a
couple on my way here, but " think I
could stand another." n
NEWSPAPER WAIFS.
"In what sort ot meter Is Soribler'a
poem written?" "Gas meter." "'WTiat thr
"So many unnecessary feet, you kn:w
Cleveland Leader.
"What do you know about the wirli. si-?
Didn't you ppend your youth In a theo
logical seminary?" "Ah. but It was nst
next to a girl's college." Life.
"Did I understand you to say that all
rum-selling has been stopped in your l.wn""
"Xot at all. I merely aW It was st tty;
prohibited." Philadelphia Presa.
Farmer Hombeak Your nleee that sr-adJ-
ated from the academy lately plays the t:ar:
pretty well, don't she? Farmer Hoak Tcu
betcha! Why, she's a regular pioneer Puck.
Edith Papa Is Immensely pleasel to tear J
you are & poet. Ferdy Is he? Edith Oh.
very the last of ray lovers he tried to U Itj
was a football player. Chicago Dally ews
Lady What Is the real difference between
an apartment, a flat, and a tenement hous"
Janitor In- an apartment the ladles dan tl
have no children; In a flat they ha? one cr!
two. More than two makes any hcas
tenement, mum Judge.
"Why do you want to amara all this money!
from street railway franchises?" asked thoj
man of elmple tastes. "So that I can have
an automobile." answered the street ral.-
way official, "and not have to be put to the
annoyance ot depending on my own street-
care.' Washington star.
Homeless Holmes Wot's become ot Everett
ft'rert? Oliver Mudd De poor hobo died ofl
overwork. Homeless Holmes G'wan I den't
believe It. Oliver Mudd It's de truf. He!
wuz too ambitious tried to do two days
Ioafin' In one- day! Cleveland Leader.
"But. said the merchant to the appli
cant, "you don't furnish any reference fron
your last place." "You needn't worry abou:
that." replied the man with the cIom-
cropped head and prlwn palter. "I woulda":
be here now If It hadn't been for my stocl
behavior In my last plse." Philadelphia
Ledger.