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J'ORTLAXI). TIKSDAY. DEC. 12, 1805.
Tllli IMMIGRATION PHOBLKM.
In the annual report of the Bureau of
Immigration, Commissioner Sargent
displays grave concern over the re
markable increase In the number of
aliens now pouring Iato -this country
from Europe. During the tvrelve
months ending June 30 the population
of the United States was increased over
1,000,000 by the foreigners who swarmed
in from the Old World. Despite his.
anxiety over the heavy increase in Im
migration, the Commissioner does not
appear to recommend legislation for
checking the flow, nor does he Inti
mate that there Is flagrant viola
tion of the laws now in force. The
gravity of the immigration problem de-
pends somewhat on the point of view. ,
and the evil attendant on this wholesale
Importation of alien labor would be
eliminated, or at least -minimized. If
the labor could be distributed to better
advantage.
Andrew Carnegie was recently quoted
as stating that each new immigrant
vas worth $1000 to the country. Under
certain conditions this may be true, and
when such conditions are In evidence
there will be no objection to the admis
sion of all of the proper class of aliens
who care to come. But the poor Aus
trian, Hungarian. Russian or other
prospective citizen who wedges his way
iato -the crowded labor fields of New
York or other New England cities is
not worth $1000 to himself or any one
in the country. On the contrary, he In
tensifies the struggle for existence on
the part of those already here, and in
many cases fails to improve for himself
the conditions under which he lived Jn
the old country. The New England
Yankee of the agricultural class has
always been regarded as a typical rep
resentative of thrift, and, through sheer
necessity forced on him by the rocky,
unproductive soli, has been obliged to
practice the most rigid economy in or
der to exist.
But even the economical New Eng
land farmer has been practically swept
off his feet by this wave of alien Immi
gration, and In the country he Is fac
ing the same competition that the la
borer and artisan are encountering In
the city. The seriousness of the problem
has not yet confronted the people of
the West, as lt has those of the East.
As a matter of fact, there Is still plenty
of room In the West for a large number
of the most desirable of these foreign
labor-seekers. It Is only In the West
that the average Immigrant now" com
ing .into the country can be worth $1000,
or even a small fraction of that sum.
If he can bp hustled through Ellis
Island and sent West with a sufficient
amount of money to secure a, start on
some of the millions of acres of land
still obtainable on easy terms, he can
very shortly add more than $1000 to the
wealth of the country. Even as a la
borer he will find a demand in the West
for his labor at wages which In due sea
son will prove that he has been worth
$1000 to himself as well as to the coun
try. It is from European Turkey that
Commissioner Sargent is expecting the
greatest Immigration In the future, and
he alludes to it as an inexhaustible
field as yet virgin to the activities or
the immigration agent. President
Roosevelt, in his allusion to the Immi
gration problem in his annual message,
mentioned the necessity for high-grade
foreign Consuls to look after the for
eign end of the immigration stream.
Much can be done in the way of shut
ting out undesirable immigrants if the
foreign Consuls are careful In the se
lection of proper subjects to become
American citizens, but it -would seem as
though it was also necessary to the cor
rect solution of the problem that the
incoming hordes are kept moving after
they reach our shores, until they are
w ell past the zone of congested indus
trial conditions, such as make New
York and other Eastern cities breed-Ing-iplaces
for crime and misery.
Many a man who invested in Portland
real estate two or three years ago has
seen his -property advance in value 40,
50 and even as much as 100 per cent.
Values have advanced because of the
rapid growth of population and the In
creased earning capacity of the prop
erty. The certainty that more trans
continental roads will build into Port
land has made the future greatness of
this city beyond question. Real prop
erty In a growing olty is always a good
investment, if the price paid is upon a
level with ordinary market values.
What Is true of Portland is true of
every part Oregon. The Willamette
Valley, the Tillamook country. Coos
Bay, Eastern Oregon, Nwill experience a
growth In population la the next few
years that will amaze the residents of
those sections. The building- of steam
railroads and electric railroads cannot
do otherwise than Increase the value of
land In Xhe regions traversed. If Ore
gon -were having- a wildcat boom, there
might be cause for apprehension, but
the kind of -development this state Is
now entering upon cannot mean any
thing less than healthy, rapid growth in
values. There is no need to take risks
In uncertain Investments when so many
opportunities re offered tor a good
profit on Investments In Oregon real estate.
DAMAGING PACTS ABOUT US.
The Seattle Times makes a noble de
fense of the Seattle Spirit, by showing
with a great wealth of interesting de
tail, and in imposing black letters, that
Portland is 100 miles from the ocean,,
and can never become a seaport. "Not
In a thousand years!" remarks the
Times. "Today she (Portland) is real
izing the real situation of a city wholly
inland one hundred miles from the
ocean and fifteen miles off the princi
pal river that flows to the ocean, in
spite of the fact that the mouth of that
river is a perpetual swamp of sand!"
The Times also stands ready to. prove.
If necessary, that "one-half of Oregon's
Congressional delegation has been con
victed of. crimes against the common
people which would have put to very
shame the stealings of Adams against a
gTeat Government, wealthy beyond
measure!" The great Government,
wealthy beyond measure, ought, no
doubt, to be ashamed of Itself i"or pay
ing the slightest attention to the pecu
lations of a petty thief who stole a
mere pittance of 5200,000 from the min
ers of Alaska", rich "beyond the dreams ,
of avarice.
The ancient -Krug defalcation the
Times explains at length and in a
manner that ought to silence forever
such "damnable slanders about Seat
tle." as It calls them with justifiable
heat. "They were defalcations arising
from mistakes of the head, and not of
a criminal heart and Seattle and the
Seattle Spirit, has made good every !
cent nvith every penny of interest, and ;
a surplus besides, of that unfortunate
affair." We glean from this thorough-
ly satisfactory statement (1) that Krug 1
had a good heart that beat ever 5n
sympathy with the common people;
and (2) that when hlsnead went wrong
his hand forgot and went -with It: and
(S) that the Seattle Spirit -was on Krug's
bond; and (4) that the aforesaid Spirit
Is still solvent; and (5) that defalcation
in Seattle results In Invariable benefit
to the public treasury. AH this will be
highly agreeable news in Alaska.
We are 'unable to defend ourselves
froinilhe damaging assertions of the
Times about Portland. Indeed, we must
confess that our indignant contem
porary has underrated the -truth in
some very harmful particulars. Port
land is not 100 miles from the ocean. It
is 110. The fact that Seattle Is 1K0
.njies from the ocean is not. indeed, lo
tne poJn:. xor will we add that when
Seattle ceases to condone offenses
against a "great Government, wealthy
beyond measure." and begin. to con
vict the offenders and put them in
prison, it may have as sound and
healthy a condition of public morality
as we have in Portland and Oregon.
IT IS TIIJB SVSTKM.
A. bill is to be Introduced to reinstate
young Meriwether in the Navy. Ke Is
the man who killed o. comrade In a
fight of fists, forced by the "spirit"
Prevalent in the student body of the
Naval Academy. It 4s difilcult to we or
to say how far he should be censured.
But it is not difilcult to see or l6 say
liow far the government of the acad
emy should be censured for permitting
such conditions to exist.
Cadet Meriwether told the court-martial
that he had his choice between
fighting Cadet Branch, who was kilted,
or of being "left In the same position
as another classmate with whom no one
has anything to do." In the minds of
those who have knowledge of the
"spirit" that prevails in and about the
educational institutions of the country
there can be no doubt of this statement.
The fellows are led or pushed into a
position In which they must fight, or
submit to the alternative of disgrace
and of social ostracism.
The "spirit" prevails more or less
about all our higher schools and more
rather than less. The Individual young
fellows who are drawn Into the system
are not responsible for it. They find
and must yield to It, or accept the al
ternative of exclusion and disgrace. It
is all very well to say that a true cour
age would Ignore It. But tn practice
no one who has manliness In him can.
.The masters of our educational insti
tutions know that these practices ex
ist. They know that individual stu-.
dents or collegians are powerless to
break away from them. So the young
fellow reaches a point where he must
fight. The practice may be just as well
broken up by the academical or col
lege authorities as the pride of deadly
sword play was broken up formerly in
the armies. It is not probable that
there will be much objection to Meri
wether's reinstatement In the Navy.
But why can't the Naval Academy and
the colleges of the land be brought
under better government?
JOINING SALEM AND PORTLAND.
Ground was broken yesterday In con
struction work on the Salem-Portland
electric railway, and the business men
of Salem celebrated the event In
appropriate fashion. Commencement
of this work is u matter of no small
importance to Salem, and It would have
been a reflection upon the business
sagacity, as well as the local pride, of
her citizens if they manifested no in
terest In the occasion. It is announced
that 4he electric line will not follow
closely the line of the Southern Pacific,
but will bear off toward the west and
swing around to the steam railroad
again at Woodbum. This means that
a new territory will be given rail con
nection with' Salem. All that region to
the -point where the electric line crosses
the Willamette, 30 miles or more from
the capital city, will naturally be trib
utary to Salem. All country residents
have occasional business at the county
seat, and the better, the transportation
facilities the oftener they will go.
Construction of thisroad will mean
a more frequent passenger service be
tween Portland and Salem, and. If com
petition can bring it about, lower rates
and quicker time. It Is probably true
that better and cheaper transportation
will increase the travel from Salem to
the metropolis, and In some lines of
trade where large stocks are a material
factor the purchases by Salem people In
Portland will be Increased. In general,,
however, lower rents and lower rates of
insurance, as well as lower running
expenses generally, will enable Salem
merchants to undersell Portland deal-
erg and make Salem the better place in
.which to buy. Portland business men.
will make more frequent visits to
Salem; they will spend their money In
Salem hotels and Salem business
houses. The relations between the two
cities will be closer and more friendly.
Portland extends a hearty greeting to
the capital on the occasion of the
breaking of ground, and hopes that In
the near future the two cities may Join
In celebrating the driving of the last
spike and- running the first through
electric car.
TO TKESERVE INDIAN MUSIC.
Francis E.- Leupp. Commissioner of
Indian Affairs, is taking more than a
material interest In the Indians. While
he gives due Importance to practical
memoes ior tneir improvement atong
industrial lines, he considers also
measures calculated to protect them
physically and to maintain to some ex
tent what is best In their race charac
teristics. To this end he urges that
what is genuinely characteristic in In
dian music shall be retained in the In
dian schools. The idea is entirely new
and may prove to be worth exploiting.
As fur, however, as the public knows,
there Is little in Indian music that is
worthy of preservation. Those among
us whose lives were cast -upon the fron
tier before the days when the Indians
were gathered upon reservations have
heard the weird and dlsmal death wall
of the Indians as they bore a lifeless
body of one, of their tribe to Its final
resting-place in tree or rudely con
structed deadhouse. But few there
were who were able to discover either
melody or harmony In the long-drawn
nasal tones of the death chant. m Be
yond this there are few among the early
settlers who ever heard any attempt at
singing on the part of Indians. Song
and story, however, hint occasionally
at some attempt made to turn noise
hito melody. Thus Whltticr In his
poem. "The Bridal of Pennacook," re
cites that
Merrily -ifn the feast wit dane
On -tee C:e-Mt itrwn the dance l?rw. ;
With ttjuaw rhrjli slave and deeper hum
Of old mea' beating; the Indian drusa.
And again' in the same poem we find
the following recital of the incidents of
an Indian death scene:
The oot-Wifk brown of men the ytH
Of women thronging round tir beJf
The tinkling efcarm of ring and 4M.
Tii Powali-cbantfnc oer th dad.
All thew t PaebemV home had Vmws.
When on her journey lone and wild.
To the dim world of ami', alone.
In her young beauty pawed the aether of
his child.
These things had their place In the
wild and weird life of the aborigines,
"but we can scarcely think that It is de
sirable or necessary to pcrpotuate thetn
In the lives of so-called educated In
dians. There are. perhaps, other features of
Indian music that It may be well to
perpetuate. To cultivate these would
be. however, to destroy the simplicity
which alone gives charm to them. It
would be, to compare ethical or fanci
ful with material things, like furnish
ing the squaws of the Navajo tribe,
famed for the beauty and durability f
the blankets that they weave by means
of a simple, primitive contrivance of
scarcely more than two sticks and a
rude shuttle, with modern looms upon
which . to prosecute lhc4r work, and
with imported yarns for Its warp and
woof, instead of the materials and dyes
that they have for ages improvised
from Nature.
So. also, with other Indian products
and characteristics. They belong to a
period In the life of a race which has
passed or is passing, and to Improve
upon them is to destroy whatever
oil arm they possess.
HOLY LAUGHTER.
Holy dances and holy kisses have
long been appreciated as edifying ex
ercises. Dr. W. F. Small. lit his LifI
Sunday's sermon, rescues holy laughter
from its inferior, if not actually repro
bate, esteem among the pious, and
maintains with admirable courage and
some success that it equals if U does
not surpass kissing and dancing as tt
promoter of sanctity. There are Scrip
tural reasons, which Dr. Snrall omitted
to cite, which would have fortified his
case. The young lady who had the
head of John the Baptist sent in on a
platter persuaded her father to mis
place it thus by dancing befor? him:
while Solomon expres;ly says that there
Is a time to laugh, but nowhere in the
Bible are we taught that there Is a time
to kiss.
In the face of all this. Dr. Buckley,
the great theologian and Inveterate foe
to female suffrage, dares maintain that
no minister should ever say anything
to make his congregation laugh. One
might reply to him that many minis
ters. If they obeyed his precept, would
have to keep silent altogether, for their
sermons are Irresistibly ludicrous when
they least Intend It, but such a remark
would be unkind and therefore out of
place. Dr. Buckley animadverts only
upon ministers who are humorous or
witty of malice .prepense not upon
those who are laughed at because they
are stupid. Indeed It would take a
hard-hearted judge ta blame the latter
for exciJrg merriment: but Dr. Small
i? such a judge. Imagine the conster
nation it would create for sonw. synod
or conference to decree that it is -a sin
for a preacher to be dull! Suppose Dr.
Buckley had modified his condemnation
a little and decided that the preacher
Is wicked who puts his congregation to
sleep! It would be a sad day for the
average sermon were the whole mass
of "funny" anecdotes and. "amusing in
cidents" ruled out of the pulpit, and It
would be unfair to rule them out on
the ground of their exciting merriment.
They excite a ghastly sortof mirth as
much like real merriment as theology
is like religion, but nobody ever did or
could laugh over their wit. Dr. Buck
ley does not fear dullness In the pulpit
nor coarse jokes, nor allusions of dou
ble suggestion all these are safe
enough. They cannot harm what Dr.
Buckley calls religion. It is wit that he
fears, and well he may. Wit is said by
rhetoric-makers to be a keen percep
tion, of incongruities. Imagine a
preacher with "a keen perception of In
congruities" holding forth upon almost
any text from the Bible to a-typical
congregation of wealth and fashion.
Imagine him comparing what they say
they believe with what he knows of
their conduct. Suppose he should com
pare their way of "following Jesus"
with the Master's own way,. It Is ter
rible to think of what, would happen.
Dr. Buckley does well to exclude wit
and the laughter It WQUld -excite from
the pulpIL Dr. Small need not fear
laughter, perhaps, for his creed has
eliminated the ridiculous so much of '
it, at least, that his more orthodox
brethren say his sect is not Christian.
But to those very brethren he owes a
duty of charity. If their creeds and
their conduct are such that they are
afraid of a senile, it Is Dr. Small's duly.
It Is the duty ef s all to look seleran,
especially m church, where the tempta
tion to laugh Js most severe.
The Era dub. of New Orleans. Incited
to wrath by the execution of Mrs. Rog
ers, rises to a point of order. It does
not object, so It declares by resolution,
to the hanging of a woman, but it does
object because she Is npt tried by a
Jury of her peers a jury, in other
.words, composed of her own sex. To
this was added a denunciation of men,
especially husbands, , who murder,
women. So far as we have observed,
no voice has been heard In the negative
on this last proposition. As to the
other, wqman's right to trial by a jury
of ber peers may, on a technical point,
be conceded, but In this case, with the
Interpretation put upon the term
"peers" by the Era Club, of New Or
leans, women would be hanged much
more frequently than now. Perhaps
that would be in the Interest of justice
and public morals. Who can tell?
The Carmania, the first trans-Atlantic
turbine liner to reach he port of
New York, arrived yesterday after a
successful .trip across the ocean. She
encountered very heavy weather, but
succeeded in reeling off as high as 437
knots In a twenty-four-hour run. Her
speed, of course, was much less than
that of the marvelous German, grey
hounds which scorch across the Atlan
tic, but It was sufllcient to demonstrate
that the turbine is a success. The tur
bine Is as great a departure from Its
predecessor, the direct-acting, engine, as
the propeller steamship was from the
old sldcwheelers which first crossed the
ocean. If the Improvement from this
time on is In keeping with that which
followed the appearance of the first
sldewheelers or the first propellers, the
turbine steamers will shortly be mak
ing new records across the Atlantic
Statistics gathered by the Illinois
Manufacturers' Association show that
132 of the leading manufacturing con
cerns of the country have been obliged
on account of the tariff to establish
branch plants In Canada. The result
ant loss Is estimated at $50,000,000, a
large portion of which Is suffered by
the ' Illinois concerns, which are now
preparing an appeal to Congress for. re
lief. It is hardly probable that this re
lief will be forthcoming at this ses
sion of Congress. That eminent school
of 'political economists known as the
"standpatters" have not -yet awakened
from the .Illusion that we can continue
to enjoy the trade of Canada and other
foreign countries without the necessity
of granting some reciprocal favors in
return. By clinging too long to this
ancient dream they are courting dis
aster at the polls.
The women of the Des Moines
Women's Club announce that their pur
pose Is to have fewer and "better chil
dren. In other words, their motto Is
quality, and not quantity. The trouble
is that there Is a notorious lack of qual
ity, if good quality Is what is meant.
The best men and women do not come
from families of one or two children.
The children of auch families are neat
ly always selfish and not above the av
erage In intelligence. The bright, ac
tive, companionable men and women
enic from families of from four to
eight children, .where- they learned
from -infancy to give and take, to help
others and be helped in turn. Talk
about quality on the part of parents
who choose to have small families is
pure assumption, for Investigation,
will not support the clahn that ine
quality; is there.
Grape rulture is one or the most fas
cinating as It is becoming one'of the
most profitable branches of, horticulture
in the Willamette Valley. Like every
thing else, the science of knowing how
must be applied to this -industry in or
der to Insure success. This knowledge
is readily obtained without the slow
process or experiment costly both In
time and money by simply giving at
tention to the instructions given from
time to time by men who have passed
the experimental stage in grains culture.
The address, of J. F. Broetjc. of Mll
waukle. before the Farmers' Institute,
a careful synopsis of which was pub
lished in The Oregonian yesterday, is
commended to the attention of all who
desire to undertake grape culture and
succeed in it.
A resident of The Dalles has been ar
rested upon the charge that he swore
falsely in securing a divorce. It is to
be hoped that the prosecuting officers
of this state have not entered upon a
policy of brlglng criminal proceedings
against people who commit perjury iri
such manner, for there Is no appropri
ation available Just at present for the
construction of an addition to the peni
tentiary. It would be Inhuman to rent
warehouses in which to herd the co
victed perjurers.
The degeneracy of the Indian Is be
coming every day more apparent. Last
Friday morning two "students from
Chemawa Indian School entered a resi
dence in Salem at 5 o'clock In the
morning and sought to rob the two fe
male Inmates of their money and jew
elry. Their more high-minded ances
tors would have been inspired by a
nobler purpose the taking of scalps.
Such is the result of a commercial age.
The Governor will probably appoint
Mr. Gearln Senator. If he does not. It
will amount to a refusaUo appoint him,
and it looks as If matters nad pro
gressed so far that the Governor will
not take the responsibility of thus cre
ating a great schism 'among his follow
ers. The opponents of Mr. Gearin
would seem to be making themselves
and Governor Chamberlain unnecessary
trouble.
Mr. Gearin Isn't afraid to say he is'a
Democrat. Not now. nor ever. Yet he
Is ready to, -support many of President
Hoosevelt's policies. And.ihe President
isn't afraid to -say he is a. Republican. '
Two rare men, and they both mean it.
But where are we at?
The great turbine steamer Carmania
had to He off Sandy Hook many hours
waiting for a chance to enter New York
harbor. This forever dispels . the illu
sion that New York is a seaport, and
not an isolated inland city on a fresh
water strearor
There are not a few gentlemen just
now in Oregon who are proud -hen
the Governor is looking to remember
that they are Democrats.
It would seem that there is nothing
left for CorralUs but to join the foet
.ball reformers.
SILHOUETTES
Let us hope that the' NortSera Pad 3c
and the St. Paul will prove .to be more
congeabU twins: than St- Paul .aad Xte-
neapoUs have ever been.
Simply because there were only half as
many women as men at the Mark Twain
dinner doesn't argce that -wopaen do lit
erature half so well as xaen.
.
This Is one or Ople Read's characteris
tic stories:
Great tral errlce they have la Txaj!
Cottoa Belt train came la on. tlme'tq a lit
tle town cn the llae. and the Copmerclal
Club was 90 pleaded It raided a. jare for the
engineer. Kano: tas. he iras tboogb. ar.d
be aald. "I caa't tako this rceney, friends:
this I ywtercar train."
Mary Johnston, the Southern novelist.
Is dying at her 1 home tn Richmond.
"Prisoners of Hope" and "To Have and
to Hold" may not be literature, but their
moral tone la lofty and they "were In a
sennr pioneers of the renaissance ot ro
mantic writing In America. Thousands
of us who love a story for the story's
sake have a arm spot In our hearts for
Miss Johnston and will grieve at her
passings
The laztea man in the world has been
discovered at last. Ue Hvs In Kansas
Cltyand has Invented a patent fire
builder which he operales from his bed.
After all. however, hla contrivance may
render a great sorvlec to humanity by
doing away with one of the chief causes
of domestic Infelicity the morning row
as to who shall get up and make the fire.
a
Harbin has been sacked and burned by J
the riotous Russian troops. Poor old
Harbin. She must realize that peac hath
her "rough houses" no less disorderly
than war.
So long as Prinevllle remains a part of
the State of Oregon, we ought to sing
low about Cossack atrocities.
The titles of members of the British
Cabinet are almost as high-sounding -as
tho?e of an American fraternal Insurance
order.
That story about the construction of a
tunnel under Behrlng Sea has again es
caped from custody.
The boycott occupies the same exalted
place In. the economy of business as the
slung'scpt in the ethics of highwaymen.
The Postmaster-General complains at
the decrease In postal revenues. 'Tig
easy. Strictly modem young people send
thslr love letters over the long-distance
Before It's finished the Panama Canal is
likely to have cost as much as the Ma
coupin County courthouse.
Mr. Sehlbredr. of Marahflcld, .to the
contrary notwithstanding. It docs seem
as if Oregon should throw fn "find" with
that JliCO salary It pays tfeo Governor.
a
The Commissioner of .Indian Affairs
wants to preserve the music of the Amer
ican Indian. Oh joy! What bflsa that
will be for those of us who fairly dote
on graphophones and ulcerated songs.
Oh. plague take it! Just as wq are
beginning to get settled come? along thi3
threat of the Roumanian? to drive out
the Hungarians. That will mean an in
crease in the circulating medium of gou
lashes and "royal bands" over here.
a m a
A Lady Poetess.
Mirs EHthelta Gristleback. the beauti
ful and talented daughter of Major Gulli
ver G. Grirtlcback. is one ot the most
rbring young poetesses In the Valley,
where most of the pomes come from.
Her latest effort appears In last week's
Salem Statesman and the genial literary
editor of that famous paper says it is
"one of th best he ever seen." By spe
cial permission It Is reprinted below:
Xnuistldc.
Hurrah! Now Xmas Is almost here
again." .
Bringing with It Its happy pleasantness
and alsp its pain.
Of eourso we all love to have it rain.
But I hope it will not do it when the
"mrry day has came.
Gaily we all to buying presents have
bejnin.
And are anticipating much pleasure
therefrom.
While all the happy choirs and Kpworth
Leagues, are bract loin a anthem.
So let us all rejoice both great and -mail.
The "rich in his fine raiment and the poor
in overhauls, , .
For this In the blessed season that we
call Nmastlde and do attend the ton
sorlal artists annual ball.
a a
The memory of William Lloyd Garrison
is fortunate In having so able a champion
as Dr. Stephen S. Wise
Horticultural Notes.
A 'lot' of people would like to discuss
J. F. Boetje'a paper on grape-culture If
they knew bow to pronounce his name.
Luther Burbonk Is said to be working
up a cross between tamale and frank
forter plants and- expects to produce
spaghetti.
This is the best time to trim father for
Christmas presents. -
No, Angelface, eggplant Js not used In
the manufacture ot eggnog. You must
be thinking of the nut-sundae, which also
yielded very well this year.
This department would like to suggest
that if Henry Ankeny and Phil Metschen
would mow their whiskers out of the
fence corners they might sell a few bales
to the Ostermoor buyers.
I hope McCredle is buylng,the Portland
.ball team for export purpose.
-
Jim -Corixtt ayn he's too much of a
gent to fight Kid McCoy.- James has evi
dently given up alt hopes of breaking
Into New York's smart set and live the
decent life.
. ARTHUR A. GREENE.
Docsa't Werk Xew. '
' A couple of mechanics were chatting on
train. "Where does your brother work
now.r. asked the elder. A pained
shocked expression came, over the face, of
the younger. ."Oh. ray brother don't
work: my brother has a position!" he
exclsised proudlyr There are grades in
.the dignity of labor.
"o Help From Mars.
t
Chicago Record-Herald.
Professor Lowell declares that the ca
nals on Mars are artlAcfal, and not the
result of any natural process. He Is un
able, however, to say whether they are
sea-level or lock affairs, thus leaving -the
Panama, partisans right where they were
'before.
UNCLE SAM'SPENSION BILL
From the report of the Secret airy "of the In
terior for SacaX year eaied June 30. 190S.
Tbe report of the Commissioner of
Pensions shows that during the . fis
cal year the total number of pension
ers on the roll was 1,016.627 and the
number remaining on the roll at the
end of the year was 99S.441. a net gain
of over the previous year. The
gains to the roll during the year were
l&.SS) new pensioners, and 2006 resto
rations and .renewals, a total of 51.S65:
of this number 1SS were pensioned by
special acta .pf Congress. The losses to
the roil during the same time by-death
were -IS.SS3, and from .other causes.
503, a total of .1SS. a net gain for
the year of 3673? The number of deaths
of soldier and sailor pensioners for
the year was 32,009, and of this num
ber 30. 324 -wer vnltmf rr th ri,-it
War. The pension roll at the close of
the year contained the names of 717.13S
souuer and sailors. 2S0.6S0 widows
and dependents, and 603 Army nurses.
The pensioners on the roll June 30.
190a. are classified as follows:
Kevelutlcnary AVar Widows 1; daughter
4. War of 1S12. widow, 77.
Xiullan wars-Survlvor. 2263; widovs. 3481.
War wfeb Mexico Survivors. iSiO? -wMows.
7633.
Sen-ice after March 4. lSlt. Civil AVar:
General laws Invalt.Jj. widows. 77.-
M; minor children. 703; mother. -IC45: fath
ers. ..6; brothers and "Ister. 195; helpleea
children. 472. Ao: of June 27. IS0O Invalids.
46S.224; widow. 183.056; minor children. 4177;
motbi-sw. 191X5; fathers. 634; helplew children.
250; Army nurtw-s 603.
War with Spain Irlvalldy. J5.7U: widows,
10SS; znlnor children. mother. 2057; fath
ers. 473i brothers und sisters-. 9; helples chil
dren. J.
RMTo!f establishment Invalids, 10.000; wid
ows. 2C3;mnor children. 115; mothers. 714;
father. ICS; brothers and alters. (J; help
less children. 7. Grand total. 93.441.
The cases referred to above under
the head of "Regular establishment"
embrace those in which the disability
originated in service In the Army.
Navy or Ifarin Corps between' the
Moe of the Civil War anJ the com
mencement of the war with Spain and
slnco the close of the war with Spain
and the insurrection in the Philippine
Islands.
Prior to 1905 the maximum number
of pensioners was reached July 31.
13ti2, when It was 1.001.494; this num
ber was exceeded during the fiscal
year 1905, when it was 1.00.l96. Two
hundred and ninety-one thousand two
hundred and thirty-eight claims of all
classes wtre adjudicated during the
year; 175.731 by allowance and S1.353
by rejection. Included in the number
of allowances were 4913 claims in
which no benefit acojrued .to the claim
ants, for the reason that they were
then pensioned under another law at
an equal or higher rate. Certificates
are not issued in this class of ca-ses
unless claimants elect to take the pen
sion in lieu or mat wnicn tncy now
receive. Of the clsims rejected. 62,690
were denied on medical ground?, and
most of them were applications or In
crease In which the examining stir
gcons found no increased disability
slnee.tac last adjudication. Only 19.163
ciaimH were rejected on legal around
title to pension not having been shown
ny sulnclent evidence.
The number of claims pending July
1. 1904. was 2S5.323, and there were
filed during the year 217.433 new aDH
cations of all kind?. At the close of
the year only 220,322 were pending.
85.439 being original claims. In which
no allowance has ever been made, but
wnleh are now In process of adjudica
tion. The total number of male pen
sioners at the close of the year was
717.15S 24G.125 on account of disabil
ity or service origin. 4 6a.224 on ac
count of disability whether due to ser
vice or not, and 6S09 old war survivors;
The total, number of female and de
pendent pensioners was 2S1.2S3; 92,660
by reaoon of death ot the soldier or
lor from causes due to service, 175.
125 on account of service of soldier or
sailor, 11.S35 on account of service of
soldier in old wars prior to March 4,
1S6I. and 603 army nurses.
1 renew the recommendation con
tained In my last annual report that
aproprlate legislation be enacted " by
Congress for the retirement from duty
of superannuated clerks or aged em
ployes. The present system of exam
ining applicants for pension Is a most
uncertain, expensive and unsatisfac
tory method, the system being liable to
outside control and political dictation,
and generating an enormous amount
of political friction.
Four thousand seven hundred anJ
forty-two examining- surgeons are em
ployed to make medical examinations
of claimants for pension and increase
of pension, of wnom S6 are single
surgeons. aOi are designated special
ists, distributed throughout the United
States, and the remainder, 4149. are
organized into Tjonrds of three mem
bers each. The "amount appropriated
for this service durinjr the year was
?avu.uuv, ot wnicn iJ..iu. was ex
pended. During the year, four of the IS
pension agencies occupied leased quar
ter, at a total annual rental of 110.600,
During the present fiscal year, endlnn:
June 30. 1906. the agencies at San Fran
cisco and Indianapolis will In all like
lihood, be furnished office room In Gov
ernment buildings, leaving but two
agencies, vis: New Tork and AVashing-
ton. in rented quarters. The cost of
maintaining the pension agencies dur
ing the fiscal year aggregated ?537.
671.49. The act of August 7. 1S82, provides
that marriages shall be proven in pen
sion cases to De legal marriages ac
cording to the-law of the place where
tne parties resided at the time of mar
riage or at th time when rlgh: ot
pension accrued. The effect of this
law has been to -deny claimants In
many instances- the status of lesral
widowhood, although the equities ao-
pear to be in favor of such claimants.
1 desire to reiterate the recommenda
tion contained In previous ranorts that
Congress so amend the act as to pro-
viae ror tne admission pf evidence to
prove marriages for pensionable pur
poses by a standard -which will be uni
form, throughout the entire Jurisdic
tion of the United States.
The "disbursements for pensions tjy
the United Stales from July 1. 1790. to'
June 30. 1SS5. were 196.445,444.23; the
total cost or pensions and expenses con
nected with the administration of the
pension laws from the latter date to
the present tme. with the number of
pensioners, is shown In the following
table:
. X umber of
Tear. ,
i us as per ton., pensioners.
if - . is.43o.5ia.sa
20.74S.TSO.69
186S 23 101 S.-".T
126.722
155.474
1PB.W.1
187.M3
1&S.6P6
107.405
232.229
238.411
236.241
234.821
232.137
232.104
223. 89S
242.755
250.8S2
303. ezs
322.758
343.IC3
565. 733
406:007
432T357
4S&.T23
537.914
76.1Q
876.068.
948.012
S49.5U
570.524
970.07S
978.014
S93.714
S9I.519
S93.329
san735
, GC9.44
906.345
DG4.TS2
998.441
1MO 2S.5ia247 2T
8l 29.331.4SS.73
J8J1 2WIS.780.B2
JJ2 29.752.744181
1S75 .. 2S52.0St
D.77a.89
IJ5 .270i404.76
ISJ 27.&-5S.2flS.5.t
1877 23stte.821.72
17 26L7Sa.0C9.44
1373 33.&54.42S.92
1SSO- 25.O9.2.0S
Wl i SO.3S3.40&35
1S 5I.313.172.C5
MM .427.5T3J1
57.9UU37.47
15 8C.171.837.1
1SS R4.C91.142.CO
1SS7 73.732.607.G8
Wi 7S.98O.50I.87
1H 8.842.720.5i
100 106.C9C.WO 38
i n7.3i:,cs.5
Jf2 123.384.I47.il
lfifia lS-j.wa.err.M
Jew i39.9s.7-.rr
if m.812940
in rn.220.7n4.4s
lf7 1.W.717.13
lfles I44.e3t.87.sa
IMS 13.063.0325
i i3M&iap.es
WOI 13S.53I.4S5..4
IMS ..k 137.E04 307 PS
137.7.3.7I
1W t ll.C90.57i;
IMG I41.142.S6l.33 .
Total
.S8.221.414.37S.7S
FRANKLIN'S FAME AT HOME
New York Evening Sun.
The state of which Pennypa'cker Is the
grotesque head recently contributed ' the
sum of $23,000 to buy a silver service for
the officers mess of the cruiser Pennsyl
vania, It fell to the Governor to select
the "faces" of distinguished citizens ot
the state to be placed on the varlc-us
"pieces." That of Franklin was put upon
a vegetable dish. Hence the' tears of the
Historical Society the Franklin Soclety
and other important bodies, which point
out that they can't see why the profiles
of such comparatively unknown great
men as Jame3 Wilson, John Dickinson
and David Rlttcnhouse should appear on
vessels of greater honor. Had a butter
dish been' selected it might have symoai
ized Franklin the diplomatist and cour
tier who had all the belles marquises at
his feet at Versailles.
Governor Pennypacker was approached
for an explanation, and this dialogue fol
lowed:
J. "Vo evidently
1 xst'M et r?aWer
do not ajsree with the state-
dent Wood row AVHson. in a. re
cent speech In- this cltv to the effect that
Franklin, rather than Hamilton or Jefferson
or otaer Illustrious Americans, was the typi
cal American citizen?"
,"l should hate to believe that FranJclln
waa the trpiea American citizen." replied
the Governor, "t do not llfte these men who
are too smart. FranXlln did not always pay
his debts. He was In the printing: business,
and he contracted some debts la it. He wlllet
bin Interest In It. Incumbered, as It wero. to
the Prnxuiylvanla Hospital, and he did It with
a flourish of trumpets, as If he were dolng
m great thin."
"DM the hOKpltal ever collect tho debU?"
"it would not even accept the sift under
the ctrcumatances. It was refnaed." answerl
the Governor, with a gleeful chuckle.
Governor Pennypacker is then reported
to have Indulged In some hcarcd remarks
oh the subject ot the wild oats sowed by
the philosopher at a time when he ought
to have been reaping the harvest of a re
bellious and hot-blooded youth.
We can imagine Daniel Webster greet
ing Mat Quay beyond the Styx, with
characteristic and old-fashioned courtesy,
and saying: "Take my chair. I yield to
you, for Pennypacker. an enthusiastic
and- discriminating student of history,
says that you are tho greater man."
A CSEFUTi AYORKEK.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
John Bartlett. of "Familiar Quotations"
fame, one of the most retiring in habit
and valuable in service of the literates of
Boston, died Sunday evening. December 3.
at his home on Brattle street. Cambridge,
being well advanced in his S6th year. All
who have -desired to know who was the
author of some oft-quoted phrase of Eng
lish literature, and have found it told in
his compilation, should feel that they have
lost an old friend; but he has left them
his gift, which is no less In demand as
the years go on. Mr. Bartlett was of tho
oldest New England lineage. He was
born at Plymouth. June It. 1S20. descend
ant In the eighth generation of Robert
Bartlett, -who landed at the port of the
Pilgrims from the ship Ann. In 1G23. and
married -fhe daughter or Richard Warren,
of the Mayflower. When is years old,
after his education at the public schools
of Plymouth. Bartlett became clerk in tho
College bookstore, Cambridge. In-lSX) he
went as volunteer paymaster on the South
Atlantic squadron of the United States
favy. and continued in that service until
1S6X Returning, he became associated
with" the Boston publishing houso4of Little.
Brown &. Co., and remained so 'until 1SS9,
being partner from 1M3, and senior mem
ber from 187S. His valuable reference
book, the "Dictionary of Familiar Quota
tions." was first issued in 135T. a volume
of 200 pages. It has been often revised,
and the last edition, that of 1S91. com
prises 1200 pages. The last large labor ho
undertook was in this revision. Ills
"Shakespeare Phrase Book." however,
was finished in 1SS2. It was a most fortu
nate Idea of Bartlett. and far superior in.
value of consultation to any word con
cordance, to any one acquainti-d -with
Shakespeare. The "Larger Shakespeare
Concordance" was published In 1S94. with,
the constant assistance of his wife, to
whom he always professed himself greatly
indebted, and whose death a year .ago
made the present mode of existence
wearisome, so that he was, no tfoubt, glad
of release. His wife was granddaughter
of President WHlard, of Harvard, and
they had no children. Among other things
which Mr. Bartlett did In the way ot let
ters was his edition of "The Complete
Angler" of Izaak Walton. This was real
ly an outcome of the recreation of his life,
the sport of fishing, about which he made
a large collection of books, ancr-gaye It to
Harvard College library. Mr. Bartlett was
one of those quiet, sequestered, self-effacing
characters, who rejoice in their work,
but care not to be known.
Jjlncs on the Death of Alexander
First, Emperor of Russia.
The IndeDendent.
(Tnls poem of Whlttter's was written beforo
anytblnc of his was ever published, and has
never been In print. This was written, as Is
shown by the Quaker date, only a short time
crter the news of the death of Alexander I
reached this country, and before Whittier had
anr other educational advantage than the
district nchoo!. Alexander had the reputa
tion of encouraging tbe introduction of West
ern clvlUzaUon in his empire, and he abol
ished serfdom in the Baltic Provinces. His
part In curbing the ambition of Napoleon was
probably uppermost In the Quaker boy's mind,
when he wrote these line?, which are tha
earliest extant in bis own handwritinir. Sam
uel T. Plclcard. Ameobury, Mass.) By John
Creenleaf Whlttler.
Tbe pride of the North to the tomb has de
scended. The story of Kussla. has sunk In decay:
For departed Is he whose dominion extended
O'er Tartar and CossackL with absolut
oway!
Cold and still is the heart of the princely
commander,
Tbe .star of his (lory is. set in death's
Kloom;
The clods of the valley enshroud- Alexander.
And AzoPs -tide washes the base of his
tombf
As a tyrant and despot he world may up
braid hire.
And. vilely with Infamy his memory brand.
Unlike U the time when with awe It surveyed
blm.
Tbe wonder of Europe, tbe pride ot bla
land. .
Bat look to the records of grandeur and glory
Of absolute monarch and desootlc chief.
How few can be found within History's story.
More worthy than he of tbe tribute of
Krtef? .
Long ares may pass, and tbe distant sun
fltnir out tr
Its cold beams on many an Emperor's
tomb,
And the bells oi St. Petersburg merrily rlnr
- out
A. welcome to others to rise In their room;
And there .may 'not be found wben the long
' record closes.
Of those who have sat upon Ruasia'a high '
throne.
A prince more observing than he who reposes
Where Azof s tide washes his moaumeut
stone!
A Pathetic Talc.
Tady (at book store) I want to get a
good novel to read on the train some
thing rather pathetic.
Salesman let me see. How would
"The Last Days of Pompeii" do?
Lady Pompeii? I never heard of hlnv
What did he die of?
Salesman I'm not quite sure, ma'am
some kind of an eruptfon. I've heard.
Harper's Weekly. .
Are There Others.?
Florida Times-Union.
Christmas Is comlns
And Santa Claua. too!
And beirac dead broke.
Lord. what, shall I do?
Tbe children will cry, ,
Their mother will pout
Tit have to go try . -
Put my watch ut the spout