THE HOKJttXG OKEGOXIAJC, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1903.
Caterea at the Postoffl.ee at Portlaaa. Or.,
as second-class matter.
6UB6CKIPTION BATHS.
INVARIABLY IN ADVAXCH.
(By MaJl- or Express.)
Dallr and Sunday, per year..... '2'S2
Bally and Sunday, six months. ........ o.ou
Sally and Sunday, three months. 2-
Dally and Sunday-, per month -
Dally -without Sunday, per year
Dally without Sunday, six months...... 3.JHJ
Sally -without Sunday, three months... LWj
Sally without Sunday. per month -85
Sunday, per year
Sunday, six months , ;
Sunday, three months....- .5
BT CARRIER.
Sally -without Sunday, per week .
Sally, per week. 8unday Included......
THE WEEKLY OKEQONIAK.
(Issued Every Thursday.)
Weekly, per year 1-50
Weekly, six months -
Weekly, three months 60
HOW TO REMIT Send postofflce money
order, express order or personal check on
your local hank. Stamps, coin or currency
are at the sender's risk.
EASTERN' BUSINESS OFFICE.
Th 8. C Beckwita Special Axescy New
3ork. rooms 43-50. Tribune tmuaing.
caco, rooms 610-512 Tribune building.
KEPT ON SALE.
Chicago Auditorium Annex, Pottofflca
no.. ITS Searborn street.
nraver Hamilton & Kendrlck. 808-812
Seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store, 1314
Fifteenth street.
Goldficld, Xcr. Guy Marsh.
Kansas City, Mo. Rtcksecker Clrar Co.,
Ninth and Walnut.
Los Azurelee B. E. Amos, manager seven
MlmeaBoIls M. J. Xavanauxh. BO S. Third.
Cleveland, O James , Pushaw, 307 Superior
street.
v-Mf Tori- rthr t. Jnn &. Co.. Artor
House.
Oakland. Cal. W. H. Johnston, Fourteenth
and Franklin streets.
Ofdea Goddard fc Harrop: S. I. Boyle.
Omaha, Barkalow Bros.. 1612 Far nam;
vr...tv, Ktotinr,rrv Co.. 1308 Faraam; 24S
South 14tb.
Sacramento. CaL Sacramento News Co
489 K street.
Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co., 77 West
Rrnni1 Ktrt South: Levin. MlW L 24
Church street.
Saa Francisco J. K. Cooper : Co., 748
Market street; Goldsmith Bros., 238 Butter
and Hotel St. Francis News Stand; L.
Lee. Pilar Hotel News Stand: F. W. Pitts,
1008 Market: Frank Scott, 80 Ellis; N.
Wheatley Movable News Stand, corner Mar
ket and Kearner streets: Foster & Orear,
Ferry News Stand.
Washington, D. O Ebbltt House, Pennsyl
vanla avenue.
TnRTI.AVD. TITKSnAY. DECEMBER 26.
introduction of yellow fever from Cuba
like that of last Summer, the United
States will act. Of course, under Cu
ban autonomy, no remedy ever will be
found. Administration 'Of Cuba by an
Intelligent and energetic power is aa
necessary for Cuba as for the United
States.
such system as this been In effect dur
ing the past year. It Is a certainty that
the Stat Department would not have
been misled by calming reports' regard
ing the Chinese boycott until It was
too late to" head off the movement wlth
, out more trouble than can now be esti
mated or understood.
MONOPOLIZING POWER FROC STREAMS
The Idaho courts are drawing the
lines closely in defining the rights of
appropriators of water from streams
for power purposes, and evidently there
will be little opportunity for individuals
or corporations to maintain control of
is j water -without using it. A power com-
AS TO NEWSPAPER SUTPORT.
SALEM. Or.. Sec. 24. To the Editor).
The leadlnc editorial In Friday's Oregonlan
attracted great attention and was much ap
proved. Thre has bf rn considerable talk
of what men The Oresronlan would rapport
or oppose for nominations and the an
nouncement that all will be given the same i
treatment settles that. The
striking candidates for large sums Mxr to pany operating at Twin Falls, on the j aV. MV -h'le he is young for
$750. Ther asked for MOO and ne cnnv River, filed on 10.009 cubic feet I . , j r m
turned them down hard. They wanted " ,A 1W1 H,,IH to "c. .XTlZJ f IT..,""
to dig up WOO and he has j " 'is tnus m narmony mm ouuhu. yruuc-
not done so. has lgned up a con- "iv w - tlal maxims as wen aa wiia tne swa
tract for 5400. They wanted to pay pacity or tne piant. nowever, ienu i of mathematics.
mtecalcuUtiea of rates owght o be
shared by all the members. The
amount of this burden is easy to state.
It !s such a sum as will exactly balance
the -total of the increased cost of insur
ance accruing Inevitably to each mem
ber with his increasing age. The Su
preme Council has distributed It, not
without equity, by making the rate of
Insurance increase for every member
with his age- Still, against this method
there is much to be said. It may not
be unjust, but It certainly Is not fra
ternal. To Increase a man's burden as
i his strength diminishes seems to violate
1 some of the fundamental principles of
j the mutual benefit orders. Much nearer
thi ideal 1 the "level "rate." this
THE PESSIMIST,
T wonder if the conductors kept the
change?
Yesterday. It was the 23th day of De
cember, and Christmas.
This Is the era of peace oa earth
good will toward sen.
$650 for advertising, and he declined. Many j use of only 2150 cubic feet per eecond.
and the remainder was permitted to
run to waste until needed by an en
larged planL Early In the present
year another filing for 4000 cubic feet
per second was made by a man who
proposed to take the water from the
stream above the dam. The first ap
propriator brought an Injunction suit,
claiming that he was entitled to his full
10,000 feet whenever he was ready to
use It. The court held that the first ap-
proprJaior'a right was limited to the
amount it was then using, while the
next appropriator acquired the next
right. "While the dispatches are not
very full upon the matter. It is evident
that the court held that the first ap
propriator had not put the water to a
beneficial use within a -reasonable time.
Inthls state there have been few cases
In court Involving the extent or tne
right of appropriators of water for
power purposes, but in these few casws
the courts have declared that the ap
Droprlator must put the water to a
beneficial use within a reasonable time.
or lose his rlgnt. TVhat constitutes a
reasonable time is left to be determined
by the circumstances of each particular
caae. The rule of beneficial use as tne
measure or the right of an appropriator
Is necessary In a country where -water
power and irrigation play an Important
part in Industrial development, une
man must not be permitted to acquire a
right to water flowing In a. public
stream and then maintain that right
without using the water. The old doc
trine of riparian rights serves as a pro
tection for the non-user of water, and
such a principle has no proper place In
the laws of a new and growing- country.
LIBERTY AND EPIDEMIC DISEASE.
During the brief period of control of
Cuba by the United States the yellow
fever in the Island, endemic there for
twp centuries or more, was completely
extirpated- What our antl-lmperlalists,
as they call themselves, denounced as
"despotism" did this. It forced atten
flan to sanitary conditions. It com
pelled a lazy, listless, worthless, half-
civilized people to pay some attention
to physical conditions to which man
must conform If he Is to live on the
earth. This, however, is "tyranny." If
the Cubans kept the yellow fever within
themselves, and they alone perished by
it. we might pardon It to the "spirit of
liberty," and to the desire of "National
Independence." But they pass the reek
and rot of yellow fever on to the
United Stfctes.
Through a mosquito, generated by the
prodigality of Nature in the tropical or
semi-tropical climate of the West In
dies, the yellow fever Is widely propa
gated. The same mosquito Is found on
our Gulf coasts. In Florida and Louis!
ana.. But the disease is not endemic
with us. With the aid of frost we
6tamp it out- All cases of yellow fever
that appear In the United States are
traceable to the virus introduced from
abroad. Cuba is the main source
whence the United States, one year after
another. Is Infected. Authority of the
United States, while It was paramount
4n Cuba, went to the source and root
of the malady, and completely stamped
it out. But the United States withdrew
its authority; Cuba is "independent";
there Is no authority to enforce sanl
rary regulations, and with the boon of
liberty revives the luxury of yellow
fever.
The New Tork Herald, which ,1s more
than friendly to Cuba, and was among
the. Journals which Insisted on Cuban
independence or autonomy, now Insists
that Cuba Is not carrying out Its agree
. ment with the United States in the
matter of sanitation and repression and
extirpation of yellow fever, even now
prevailing there. What rational person
ever supposed It would or could? You
never will find the inhabitants of tropi
' cal countries exerting themselves In
(pursuance of any fixed, definite and
continuous purpose. Why bother about
liberty and Independence for them?
Their natural and Irreclaimable condi
tion is that of slouching Idleness.
It would have little importance but
for the fact that people of the more en
.ergetlc races are of necessity in con
tact, more or less, with them. The
tropics yield fruits and various prod
ucts that the people of other zones
"want and will have. The movement Is
essential to the commerce, to the com
fort and to the progress of mankind. We
shall not allow Cuba, therefore, to shut
herself up. What goes on In Cuba, in
the way of breeding and .spreading dis
ease, is our business.
Beyond all question the yellow fever
In the United States last Summer was
introduced from Cuba. It was traced
from Havana to New Orleans, with un
erring certainty. Now we have a right
to protect ourselves against a neighbor
ing; evlL We reserved that right ex
pressly in the matter of sanitation In
Cuba. One of the conditions on which
the autonomy of that island was grant
ed was that the government of Cuba
"will execute, and as far as necessary
extend, the plans already devised, or
other plans to be mutually agreed
upon, for the sanitation of the cities
of 'the island, to the end that a recur
rence of epidemic and Infectious dis
eases may be prevented, thereby as
suring protection to the people and
commerce of Cuba, as well as to the
commerce of the Southern ports of the
United States and the people residing
therein."
The fact that Cuba is utterly Ignor
ing this agreement and requirement
alarms the people of our Southern
States.' We find the New Orleans
Times-Democrat saying that "a condi
Hon of affairs exists In -the Island suffi
cient to warrant an Inquiry by Con
gress as to whether Cuba Is carrying
out the true spirit of the agreement.
which requires the Cuban -government
to take charge of and control the Sani
tation of the Island, and to maintain
the thoroughly satisfactory sanitary
conditions that prevailed during the
American occupation."
After one more experience with the
Tonle think all newspapers are -run that
way. I find people who think The Oregonlan
was ald for printing the Wlthycomb Inter
view, the Ceer announcement, and the Tooie
announcement. G. M. O.
A candidate has an. undoubted right
to buy and pay for advertising in a
newspaper. Just as he has to print elec
tion cards, purchase billboard space.
hire a hall or employ a brass band-
But the newspaper that sells Its support i
or favor to a candidate for money cor
ruptly bargains away Its independence,
deceives and wrongs Its readers, lowers
the tone of the honorable profession of
Journalism, and does great harm to the
public service. It Is tainted money paid
to tainted Journalism. No newspaper
can engage In that sort of business and
retain the respect and confidence of the
public, which It must have if It is to
keep circulation and prestige. There is.
of course, a class of "hold-up" news
papers. Just as there are blackleg law
yers and blackmail doctors; but they
are ephemeral and can have no perma
nent success. Their methods always
find them out. If certain newspapers
in the Willamette Valley are endeavor
ing thus to make hay while the polit
ical sun is shining, as our correspondent
says, they will find speedily that they
cannot long fool the public; nor can the
candidates who are said to have en
tered Into such a conspiracy with them.
No newspaper is under obligation to
print gratis whatever a candidate or
any other person asks It to print. But
It must publish whatever Is of Interest
-or moment on Its merits as news: It can
follow no other policy as to political
or any other matters, and survive. The
newspaper must, however, be the sole
Judge as to what Is news, and the skill.
fairness, activity and honesty with
which it exercises that function will be
the exact measure of Its success with
the public It cannot permit its col
umns to be edited by candidates . for
office, or by an other persons or In
terests outside of Its own office. That
is what happens when "Influence" Is
sold.
During a political campaign there are
many tnmgs for wmcn a newspaper
may properly be paid, and for which It
ought to be paid, but support, fa
vor,, "pull," are not among them. The
WIthycombe Interview, the Geer an
nouncement and the Tooze announce
ment were news excellent news and
The Oregonlan printed one and all con
spicuousiy, ana. lor tnat matter, ex
clusively. If candidates or any oth
ers have anything to say, they natur
ally seek The Oregonlan as the medium
through which to say It. Here all are
treated alike. They know It; the public
knows It; and no candidate is under
any Illusions as to the support The Ore
gonlan wJH gle him before the pri
mary, or In any doubt that nc and his
candidacy will have all the considera
tion they deserve to have.
The Government continues to In
crease Its figures on the wheat yield of
1S05. and the bears In the Chicago mar
ket take full advantage of the mislead
ing Information and hammer the mar
ket. The crop was worked up to 6S2.
000.0M bushels in the report which ap
peared Thursday, and the market
trailed off nearly 2 cents per bushel in
conseouence. Meanwhile millers and
buyers of actual wheat are endeavoring
to locate this enormous crop Last
year, with a crop ot oniy oowv.wj
bushels, the American visible at this
date amounted to 5S.SS5.000 bushels.
This year, with the Government show
ing a crop 140,000.000 bushels larger than
last year, the visible supply Is 35,55,
000 bushels. The Government later In
the season will have some difficulty In
explaining why an Increase of 140,000.-
000 bushels In the crop falls to produce
a greater increase than 250,000 bushels
In the visible supply. The only drawback
to this belated explanation will be that
It will not appear until after all the
wheat has been marketed on a market
where values are based on a crop of
632.000.000 bushels.
CONSULAR REFORM IMPERATIVE.
Official statistics compiled by the De
partment of Commerce and Labor and
printed In yesterday's Oregonlan con
firm previous commercial reports re- ;
gardlng decrease In the flour trade with
China. As has frequently been said,
this decrease is due almost exclusively
to enforcement of the Chinese boycott. ,
This particular commodity has not been
singled out because of features of spe
cial vulnerability, but because It is the
most important of our exports to the
Flowery Kingdom, and any .Impression
made on the business is more easily
understood than In some commodity of
minor Importance. This boycott did not
get into effective working order early
enough this year to make any marked
impression on the totals for other com
modities, but it is certain that Us effect
will be felt quite materially in 1906.
It is dally becoming more apparent
that some of our Consuls have oeen
stupidly neglectful of our interests m
the Far East, or we should not.
months ago, have been misled by their
calming reports to tne enect tnai me
boycott was not perlous, and that it was
dying out. Now that we are beginning
to realize how serious It may be. there
Is good prospect for at least a portion of
the blame to be placed where it be
longs. The Consular service lias for
many years been regarded as a kind
of a standing Joke. Except In a few
cases, ft has been used for the purpose
of supplying berths for men who had
outlived their usefulness for political
purposes, ana were incompetent. ior
anything else. The principal reason cor
so.many of our consular berths being
occupied by men of this class Is that
the emoluments of the office are Insuf
ficient to attract good men. The Amer
lean exporter, with a single Une of
goods which he was desirous of Intro
duclng Into the Orient, would refuse to
emplov a man to represent him abroad
who could not command a salary two
or three times as large as that at which
plenty of Consuls are available.
And yet the consul is supposed, to
represent not only one, but hundreds of
American exporters, who are desirous
ot expanding our trade relations with
foreign countries. There are so many
broken-down political hangers-on who
must be taken care of, either at home
or abroad, that It will be a very difficult
matter to change speedily this unfor
tunate system. The President has fre
quently acknowledged the weakness of
the consular sen-Ice by repeatedly call
ing attention to necessity for Its lm
prox-emcnt. The principal stumoiing
block which Congress will throw In the
wav of those who might attempt to re
place the Incompetents with good men
will be alleged economy.
While It might not be possible to se
cure a material advance In salaries,
there may be opportunity to do some
thing In increasing fees or allowing a
certain percentage of the value of im
ports to go to the Consul In whose for'
elen territory these goods were dlstrib
uted. This would prove An Incentive
to activity and watchfulness, and. If a
Consul were fully aware that his emol
uments depended on the amount of
business handled la his territory, he
would be quick to note the appearance
of any l&terferlBg factor. Had eomt
A GRAVE INSURANCE PROBLEM.
Of local application merely and there
fore not widely Important, the decision
of Justice Gaynor. of the Brooklyn Su
preme Court, adverse to the new rates
fixed by the Supreme Council of the
Royal Arcanum will, nevertheless, ex
cite general discussion on account of
the present interest of all classes of
people in whatever affects the problem
of life Insurance. It Is understood that
the Royal Arcanum was confronted by
a condition which, sooner or later, in
evitably confronts every fraternal or
der. The increasing average age of the
members entailed an Increasing death
rate. The -navments from the older
members fell far below tbclr death
dues, and the order was driven to fol
low one of three courses: to go Into
bankruptcy, to initiate new members
enough to meet the deficit, or to in
crease the annual payments
The first course need not be discussed
The 'second was Impossible. It would
Impose upon the new members the bur
den of uaylng assessments sufficient to
meet their own Insurance together with
the excessive death dues of the older
members. Of course, such a financial
prospect could not attract young men;
but to meet the exigency it must not
only attract them, but must gain them
In a proportion to the whole member-
-h!Ti increasing every year. Such a
task exceeds human powers. The au
thorities of the order adopted the tqlrd
and only practicable course; they In
creased the annual dues.
But there Is more than one method of
Increasing annual dues. The Increase
may be confined to new members: a
horizontal rise may be Imposed on the
whole membership; or the dues may. be
so graduated to increase with the age
of the membership that they snail ex
actly meet the growing cost of his in
surance. It is understood that the Su
nreme Council adopted the third
method. The matter was taken into
court by dissatisfied members and the
decision now under discussion Is
against the policy of the council,
though other courts have sustained It.
Disregarding legal subtleties, the broad
equitable ground for the adverse de
cision must be that members of the
Royal Arcanum admitted to the order
under a certain rate acquire a vested
right in. their insurance at that rate.
Tha being so, an Increase of rates
would amount to a partial confiscation
of their vested right.
Since the laws of mathematics per
mitted the Royal Arcanum no other
choice than that between bankruptcy
and an advance In rates, one would
not have looked for a contest against
the principle of the action of the Su
nreme Council. Partial confiscation of
a vested right would seem preferable to
total loss. But, so far as an outsider
can determine. It is fallacious to hold
that an advance In rates Involves con
fiscation or any breach of contract be
tween the order and its members. The
constitution of the Royal Arcanum
necessarily forms an Implicit part of
the contract with the members, and
certainly no vested rights can accrue
contrary to the provisions of the fun
damental law of the order. This fun
damental law. It is alleged, confers the
power of fixing Insurance rates upon
the Supreme Council. It Is difficult,
therefore, to feel that the decision of
the Brooklyn court is logically sound.
Still, It may be argued that the power
to fix rates does not Involve authority
to change rates after membership has
begun. The Supreme Council may raise
rates for prospective members, not for
actual ones. This view is possible, but
It is unreasonable. To raise the fates
for entering members only would place
them at a disadvantage In the order.
It would amount to a penalty for Join
ing and would discourage growth, no
matter how small the difference might
be. But to meet the exigency the dif
ference must be large. The' entering
member must pay very much higher
rates than his predecessors, for he must
not only insure himself, he must also
make up his share of the deficit in the
Insurance of the old members. This
burden young men would not endure.
They would prefer to found new orders.
Just as they are actually doing almost
dally. It is out of the question, there
fore, to think of throwing the whole
deficit upon prospective members, and
the -rule 'giving the Sapreme Council
power to fix rates, cannot fee s Inter
preted without ruining the order.
I 7e feurdaa cause fcy tfce ertgisal
Mr. Robert FItzslmmons was defeat
ed In his last ring contest, and at the
'same time he lost his wife, who eloped
with a handsomer, older and wealthier
man- Now the ancient prizefighter as
serts that his heart Is broken- Pending
future developments, that portion of
the soft-hearted public which takes the
slightest Interest in" the movements of
these creatures of the under-world
should withhold its sympathy for Rob
ert. His heart was broken once before
when another Mrs. FItzslmmons and
probably as good a woman as ever went
wrong enough to marry a prizefighte:
died suddenly. The broken heart healed
up so rapidly, however, that within less
than two months Robert had recovered
sufficiently to wed the unspeakable
Mrs. Fit, the third, who has Just left
him so abruptly. If there Is sympathy
demanded In this case. It should be held
In reserve for the abandoned wife of
the man who eloped with Mrs. FItz
slmmons. At the present writing she
seems to be the only respectable person
mentioned -In connection with the dirty
mess.
A party of treasure-hunters has left
England for Cocos Island to search for
the treasure supposed to be buried In
that famous Island. Another party will
shortly sail from Victoria, B. C, on the
same errand. The identity of this Co-
cos Island treasure is almost as hazy
as that of the famous Captain Kldd
and the Pacific Coast searchers for it
arc about as persistent as those who
dug over so much of -the Atlantic Coast
la an effort to find the treasure-box of
that pirate bold. If all of the money
spent In these treasure-hunting expe
ditions could be turned over to one par
ticular crew, there would ibe enough to
satisfy their most sanguine expecta
tions. Treasure-hunting on Cocos island
Is one of the many diversions wherein
the pleasures of anticipation are always
the only ones experienced In connection
with the Incident,
The action of the north-bank railroad
men In turning down White Salmon, in
locating a station opposite Hood River,
will have a tendency to cause property-
owners at other proposed towns along
the route to be a Utile more reasonable
In their demands. White Salmon has
been quite a prominent fruit-shipping
point for many years, and was .quite
naturally the best location for the sta
Hon. The property-owners in that v
clnlty will now pay the penalty for
placing too "high a valuation on their
land by being forced into competition
with Blngen, a town which, without
the prestige of the railroad station
would never have been much of a com
petltor.
WEALTH OFJHE SOUTH. J
Remarkable Increase of National
Bai&s and Capital
Manufacturers' Record (Baltimore.)
and
Which also includes the ladles, the dear.
sweet things.
When the shepherds on the plains of
Judaea, saw the angel who brought the
glad tidings, "they were sore afraid."
I noticed that the most handsomely
decorated Christmas trees were In the
houses where the window shades were
up.
I got three new neckties, a nice clock for
the front hall: and then, there were somo
other things that I remember having sent
oft two or three years ago myself. My
little boy gave me a drum and a pair ot
slippers. . He was sure that they were Just
what I would want. I will give him the
drum, but will retain the slippers and
hand them to him later, one at a time. It
Is more blessed to give than to receive.
That Is why I will need the slippers.
I always did like Christmas. We hear
to many beautiful sentiments and moral
precepts, which we follow when we have
time.
I have especially admired that story
about Santa Claus. It Is so simple and
Instructive. It Is particularly helpful to
boys. It arouses their imagination and
their Inventive faculties It was the first
lie I ever heard. As I remember the cir
cumstances, I wanted to sit up and watch
six by four-foot Santa Claus crawl
through a six-inch stovepipe hole. They
wouldn't let me do It. and I had to go to
bed- After that It was quite easy for me
to understand the other stories I heard at
Sunday school.
On the street, the other day. a man told
me that !twas a wise merchant who first
Invented Christmas. I would have laughed
louder than I did. but, at the time, we
were walking past a department store
where I saw some things that I had not
bought. However, the Joke was not lost.
for the man who told It chuckled contin
uously until we came-to another depart
ment store, where he saw some things
that he had not bought. Then he stopped
laughing.
I don't think much of that fellow who
has been writing letters about his travels
In Europe. He didn't stay there long
enough. Henry James was there 30 years.
V lady who thinks a great deal of him of
Henry, I mean writes as follows: "The
patriot must Inevitably welcome almost
with a pious gratjltude a long series of
Impressions made upon a mind prepared
to receive the fine, elusive, Imperceptible
seed ot English and European influences.
to nourish It with the substanco of a rich
Intelligence, and bring it to a luxuriant
fruitage of ripe reflection." It Is obvious
that a flne. elusive. Imperceptible seed
like that needs a lot of nourishment: and
It I well that Henry stayed as- long as
he did. I doubt If there is any one else
who could have stood it.
Three hundred dollars' fine and six
hours Imprisonment at a social club
was the punishment administered to a
couple of wealthy Nebraska cattlemen
who had fenced In 22.000 acres of Gov
ernment land. As a consequence, the
President Is said to be "dissatisfied with
the results of the prosecution" and has
removed two of the officials who were
responsible for the failure to make the
punishment fit the crime. There are
still quite a number of land thieves at
large In Kansas and Nebraska, and. In
view ot the action of the President, It
is probable that the next men to be
convicted will hardly be permitted to
serve out their sentence at a club.
A Salem attorney discovered some
suspicious circumstances in the trans
actions of a timber-land operator and
told the gentleman that he wanted no
more of his business. The timber man
didn't qulL He knew there was more
than one attorney In Saiem.
The United States Constitution fixes
the term of a Representative In Con
gress at two years. The people of Ore
gon should fix the term at about ten or
twenty years, by electing men whose
fitness for the place will Insure their
re -election every two years.
Being assured of 25 per cent more
than they expected in -the way of divi
dends, there are no Lewis and Clark
stockholders who will bewail the con
tribution of the other 75 per cent to the
common .good.
Up at Eugene' they are prosecuting a
man for robbing a slot machine. Many,
a man will testify that a more appro
priate proceeding would be to prosecute
the machine for robbing scores of men.
Multnomah stayed on the eld and
took Its licking. Ten never 'find the
Multnomah team explaining defeat by
saying the referee did it-
Rev. Charles D. Williams, of Cleveland.
in an article In the December McCIure's,
produces a scheme whereby we can all be
come good. The result la to be achieved
through the efforts of the Christian
Church.
Our chief trouble, according- to Mr. WH
Hams. Is that our religious sense Is so ex
haustcd by building libraries and unlver
sides and being decent at home, that wo
arc obliged to have a rest, in other
words,, as the reverend gentleman says.
we display a "lack of moral co-ordination,
a divided and disintegrated conscience
Now. that is the meanest thing that
has been said about us yet.
But to continue with what the eminent
divine has to say; speaking of some of our
first families, he says: "They are morally
color-blind. They sec no distinctions of
right and wrong. They are for the most
part utterly unconscious of the flagrant
iniquity of their doings."
That Is very bad.
The remedy like Thomas Lawson. he
has a remedy to quote again from the
distinguished clergyman, 1s this: "The
church is to teach men to do business and
to vote ai they pray, in the fear of God
to go to the polls or the legislative halls
as they go to the sacrament. In the fear
of God. ..."
It looks to me as though it was time for
the church to get busy, because, as Mr.
Williams says, "here lies the searching
and final test of our modern Christianity,
Can it produce such men today. If it
cannot or will not. It must perish, what
ever arguments may be alleged as to Its
authenticity and authority."
It Is sincerely to be hoped that our local
pastors will do their share by taking some
of Portland's politicians in hand and show
them the error of their ways.
Although America seems to be In a bad
way, there Is still hope. Dr. Torrey and
his musical colleague, Mr. Alexander, the
successors of Moody and Sankey, have re
turned to this country and will soon have
the aituation well in hand. Dr. Torrey,
besides being a powerful preacher. Is a
capable demonstrator of tho power and
efficacy of prayer. The beat thing 'that
he has done in that line Is quoted by the
Literary Digest:
"I prayed the Lord that he would help
me choose a good suit of clothes, and
lead me to the right pattern. I was ask
ing him to take the lead in the least little
detail of my every-day life as I had never
done before. We went through the rolls
of cloth, and, of course, my eye settled on
the best roll In the lot. I inquired its
price. The tailor said, 'A suit In that
cloth would be UQ.' I said, tThen It's no
use talking about that one.' Wc went
along, and each piece of cloth seemed to
be unsuitable, and finally the man turned
to me and said. Tpu liked that first piece
better than any, didn't you? I said,
Yes Well,' he said, 'there was a man
came in here and had a suit made of that
cloth, but it didn't quite fit hint, and he
was not pleased with it. It Is a
new suit never been worn. If it should
fit you, I will let you have It for JtS.' We
tried It on. and it fitted me exactly, with
the exception that the trousers had to be
shortened a little; so I had J2 left for ties
and collars. Thus I learned a lesson that
I have never forgotten that God answers
prayers for temporal things as well as
spiritual."
That wag all right. Nevertheless, It
would have been a little bit .better if the
trousers had fit. ' .
M. B. WBGLS.
The wonderful progress ot the South is
in no way better illustrated than by tho
enormous growth of Its banking facilities.
A study' of the statistics Issued by tho
Controller of the Currency and cover
ing the last 25 years, from 1550 to 1505.
comprehensively displays the vast
achievement of this section. In 1SS0 there
were Zm national banks in the entire
South from Maryland to Texas, but now
there are 1221. In 1SS0 the national bankt
Ing capital In this section was only $43.
5SS.CW, now it Is $126.C37.XO. and while 25
jreaxs ago the surplus of the South' na
tional banks was only J9.00O.C0O and a few-
thousands over. It Is now $o0.23.000. Na
tional bank deposits In the South have
grown from JC4.T3.0CO to over J459.032.0CO
within the same period.
But It Is by comparison with Jhe growth
of the national banking system In the en
tire country that the establishment of na
tlonal banks in the South displays Its
onsplcuous gains. The number of na
tional banks In the entire country In 1SS0
was 0X0. now it Is 5737. an Increase of
3.43 per cent, but the crowth In the
South from 220 to 1221 national banks Is
an Increase of 435 per cent. Furthermore.
wnile the national banking capital In the
whole country advanced during those 23
years from J457.553.9S3 to J799.S70,229, an in
crease of 74.79 per cent, the South's
growth from over J43.O00.00O to more than
Jt23.000.CC0 of national banking capital In
the same time la a gam of liS.45 per cent;
also the national banking surplus In the
whole country rose from over J12O.C0O.00O
to nearly J4M,00O.0CO. an Increase of
45.63 per cent, but the national banking
surplus In the- South, by going from
J0.000.000 to over JSO.000.000, displays an In
crease of 4d.T3 per cent- This shows tho
rapidity of Southern advancement In a
striking manner.
Not the least interesting feature of
thesg statistics Is the gain displayed In
some states In the number of national
banks therein. Mississippi, for Instance.
had no national banks In 18-30 although
13 years previously she had two but in
1503 she has 25. The jrreat State of Texas
had 13 national banks a quarter of a cen
tury ago, now she has 440: Florida had
only two then, but now 34: Virginia had
now 83: West Virginia bad 17. but
now 79: Georgia had 13. now 63; Alabama
had nine, now 67. Both Maryland and
Kentucky had each a comparatively
large number of national banks In 1SS0,
the former possessing 35,, and today 89,
while the latter then had 49. but now 124.
But most of the large gains- In tho num
ber of national banks are -clearly results
of the act of March 14. 1900. authorizing
tho establishment of national banks with
less than $50,000,000 capital. For Instance,
In 1300 Texas had 223 national banks, now
she has 440. aa heretofore stated: Ala
bama had 2S. now 67; Georgia 27. now 63;
West Virginia 40. now 79: Virginia 43,
now S3; Kentucky SI. now 124: Arkansas
had f, now 2s: Louisiana 21, now 3o.
National banking capital In the South
rose from a total of about J15.500.000 In
1SS0 to nearly J32.50O.00O In 1850. but In
ISO) It had fallen back to about JSS.500.000.
yet during tho last five years It has risen
from that comparatively low figure to
over J12S.000.000. But there has never been
any halt In the gain of Southern banking
surplus. From J9.0CO.00O In 1SS0 It rose to
J24.0CO.OOO In ISM and to $30,000,000 In 1900
and J5O.00O.00O In 1S05. Undivided profit-
have gone up from below $4,000,000 In 1SS0
to nearly $12.0tX).000 in 1SS0. to more than
J15.CCO.0X) in 1900 and to nearly $27,000,000
In 1SC5.
Could any record of accomplishment be
more Impressive than this? Yet It must
be remembered that In this quarter of
century deposits In Southern national
banks have Increased from a total of 554.-
729.0CO- to a total of J4ffl).032.32S. which Is
gain of very nearly 625 per cent. And
it must furthermore not be forgotten that
these statistics do not Include the numer
ous private and state banks In the South.
wnich number many more than the na
tional banks therein, nor the trust com
panies that also engage in banking, all
of which classes of financial Institutions
are constantly growing in numbers and
strength.
THE SENATE AND DUELING.
Mitchell Incident Recalls an Episode
Following Broderlck's Death.
Washington Star.
The Incident concerning the manner
In which the Senate received the news
of the death of the late Senator
Mftchcll of Oregon has passed Into
history and In years to come may bo
cited as a basis for similar action. But
during the cloak-room discussion of
that incident there was little or no
reference to a somewhat similar case
that occurred in 1S60. when eulogies
were being pronounced on Senator
David C. Brodenck of California, who
died from wounds received while
fighting a duel with Judge Terry of
I his state.
It happened that this Incident oc
curred on the first day that Edward V.
, Murphy went Into -the Senate chamber
us ix sicnoRtapnci tu assist, in tepun
Ing the proceedings of that body.
Theodore F. Shuey and Mr. Murphy
have for years been the official re
porters ot tho Senate. Mr. Murphy ar
rived In this city for the first time
February 11. i860. That was on a
Saturday night, and on the following
Monday morning he made his appear
ance ln the Senate to assist In tho
work of reporting the proceedings.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR HAZING
Washington Post.
When the facts of the Branch-Merl-wctlier
tragedy first transpired. The
Post was at no loss to Identify It as
the fruit and the perfectly legitimate
fruit of a survival of hazing. It
stood unmistakably revealed In that
sinister light, and we so described it In
our editorial comment at the time.
Meriwether had been hazed they call
it "running" now, but It Is the same
old abominable persecution In another
name and Meriwether, instead of sub
mitting to the outrage, forced a fight
upon his tormentor.
New It appears that hazing, or run
nlng label the barbanlsm as you will
has been going on steadily, and not
so very secretly at that. Young Meri
wether told no tales. He took his own
case lu hand, and managed It as best
he could for nis dignity and self-re
spect. It was plain enough that he
had no protection save in his own
courage and his own strong arm: Any
one could sec that he had to fight or
incur the contempt and ostracism of
the wholo academy.
Whose fault was lt2 Whose fault
la It now with this hazing and little
boys sent to the hospital every few
days? When WHlard Brownson was
superintendent at Annapolis, no exe
cuted the law and expelled threo haz
ers, as was his bounden duty. Then
came Congress repudiating Its ' own
laws and reinstated those three of
fenders. They had a pleasant holiday,
lost nothing In grade, escaped a little
unpleasant service, and are at present
on the whole, distinctly beneficiaries
of the episode. Congress Is making
great uproar over these recent dls
closures of hazing- and general ruffian
Ism, but what could Congress have ex
pected after reinstating the hazers ex
pelled by Admiral Brownson, and thus
sealing their offenses with approval
Is it now proposed to hold Admiral
Sands responsible for conditions which
Congress itself has deliberately creat
ed?
Meanwhile, as the perfectly natural
product of an this hypercritical non
sense, we are developing at Annapolis
every latent Instinct of cowardice and
hoodlumlsm. It Is all very fine, for
Congress to get up on Its hind legs
and. snort at the spectacle now pre
sented for Its inspection. All the same,
the fault lies at the Government's
door, and nowhere else.
"In accordance with custom." said
Mr. Murphy yesterday, in recalling
this Incident. "Senator Henry P. Has
seat pf California, on February 13.
1S60. announced to the Senate tha
death of Senator Broderick. and tho
Senate proceeded to pay tributes to
his memory. After several addresses
of the character generally mado on
euch occasions. Senator Foster of Con
necticut, subsequently President Pro
Tem. of tho Senate, and .the only
President Pro Tem. of tho Senato
.hoao marble bust adorns the Vice
President's room at tho Capitol, arose.
"Senator Foster spoke briefly on tho
private and public character of Sena
tor Broderick. and then entered a pro
test against the Senate paying honor
to a man who had lost his life ns the
result or a duel. In violation of the
laws of hi country.
"'Life taken In a duel, said Senator
Foster, 'is by the common law mur
der. Fighting a duel Is a criminal
offense. I believe, In all the states. oC
the Union, punished In different states
with different degrees of severity.
Very serious disabilities are annexed
to the offense In many states. In this
District by a law of Congress of 1S39
the surviving party and -all persons
concerned In a duel In which cither
party Is slain or mortally wounded aro
deemed guilty of felony and are pun
ishable by imprisonment In tho Peni
tentiary at hard labor for any term
not exceeding ten years.
The Senator gave further details of
the manner in which tho law regard
ed the crime of mortal duellnc- at
that day. He then announced that he
was not ready to recognize the 'coda
of honor as a "higher law than tha
laws of man and the laws ot God. Ho
said, when a man dies Ui the direct and
willful violation of the known laws
ot his state, his country and his God.
however dear to him he may have
been, he could Join In no nubile trib
ute of respect to his memory.
It 13 Idla to enact laws. he said:
It Is foolish to expect that they will
bo obeyed, if those whose last vol
untary act in life Is to violate them
aro publicly honored as heroes and
martyrs. With no disposition to war
with the dead, or to give unnecessary
pain to the living. I must vote against
tnese resolutions.
"After this unusual and unexpected
Incident a brief address eulogistic of
the dead Senator, written by Senator
Wade of Ohio, was read by Senator
Foot of Vermont. In the absence of
Senator Wad Senator Foot announc
ing that he fully concurred with tho
sentiments expressed In Senator
Wade's address.
'Then Senator Toombs, one of the
ablest and most extreme of the
Southern Senators, after an eloquent
tribute to the memory of Broderick.
closed his address with . a defense of
the- 'code of honor. the last, perhaps,
ever uttered on the floor of either
house of Congress.
T think no man under any circum
stances, he declared, 'can have a
more honorable death than to fall in
the vindication of honor.'
'The records of the Senate- un to
that time, and such has since uni
formly been the case, on the conclu
sion of such ceremonies, show that tho
resolutions of respect were 'agreed to
unanimously and the Senate ad
journed. bht upon that occasion unan
imous consent could not be obtained
owing to the opposition of Senator
Foster, and so the record mcrelr
reads:
The resolutions were adopted and
the Senate adjourned."
Mighty Stingy Coanrry.
Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
rrv. av Vfnr nf Vanrav Trill eel thm
Ex-43ovemc 04eli Is likely to ftnd i Jl.t i,rv of JSftXKO a Tear, or oaK-
out also that the whole -country loves j four Umta as much as the Presideat ot
Reofrevak for the emi he tea na.de. tkc United tutu.
Three Others.
Kansas City Journal.
The death of Edward Atkinson will not
force the antl-lmperlallst organization out
of existence. There are 3tlll three mem
bers left.
"Poppin Time Is Klssln' Time.'
Woasaa's Home ComD&nion.
They t before the- kitchen ranze.
The com was bobbin? la the can,
Hho -araj a. sweet and lovlnr law.
He wu a brave but bashful man.
For full x year on her ha'd called
And looked the. love be bore the maid.
But still It seemed he never would
Declare hlatelr. -with out her aid.
So weary of the lonr delay.
X hint renohred to elve to him.
She said, "Look at the frisky corn!
I do declare tt'a poppin, Jim!
"It'a pewta", powte. Jbat me!
What fai It tellla. dos't yoa'ltBO'wT"
He Me4 aad rose. "I grteaa," talii he.
"U'cUHla 2&c It's tise ta x.
Solemn Meditations From Missouri
ColumbU3 (Mo.) Herald.
"The most dangerous thing a man can
do Is to fall In love. If he falls into a
ditch he may break a leg or a neck, but
when he falls In love he sometimes
breaks his heart, and that Is worse. How
mysterious is this business of falling in
love, anyway. The youth goes soberly
along the path of everyday evlstence. H
has no thought save his work, no eyo
for aught save the duty at his door.
Suddenly a look, a yolce, a face, and ho
Is In love. No more a pathway undis
turbed. The world has changed. A new
Ideal has arisen. The gray clouds fade
into a blue sky and he blacks his boots
twice a day. Whether love be caused by
electricity or microbes, It certainly cornea
unbidden. Reason has little to do with it.
Imagination is its helper and sentiment
its twin. A man who can keep out of
debt and out of love will never be mis-1
erable, and never happy."
When Peace Shall Reign.
From Puck.
"But sleeping on your arms night af
ter night Is not a great hardship?
The conscript saluted respectfully.
"Oh. no. sir!" said he. "Our new mus
ket, you see. Is a combined musket and
folding bed. Ot course, there is always
the danger of the thing shutting up and
smothering one. but the life of a soldier
Is never free from danger. 'TIs sweet
to die for one's country."
"You are a brave fellow!''
"Thank you, sir!"
Fun In a Few Paragraphs.
"Do you believe honesty is the best pol
icy?" "Well. It baa the deferred dividend
feature." Puck.
"But Is an operation absolutely necessary,
doctor?" "Certainly; Tve sot to have a va
cation next month." Smart Set.
Should you say that a man. Is 'sick, of &
fever or '111 of a- feverr "Dependa on
how Ion he has been that way. ir It Is
lone I should think, he would be 4ck of It."
Judge.
Mrs. Newgraft-Te. Henry, they call this
place Palm Beach. Mr. Newsraft Very ap
propriate. Maria. Everybody you meet hold
out his palm. Chlcaeo Dally News.
Comic man (to unappreciated tenor, whose
senff has Just been received In stony silence)
I gay, you're not soles to.etag an encore, are
you? Unappreciated tenor (firmly) Yec I
am. Servo them right! Punch.
De Tanque I never saw Guzzler hi ouch
a condition aa he was In last night. I was
positively shocked. O'Soaque Why. he was
perfectly sober. De Tanque X know. That's
what gave me .the shock. Philadelphia Bee
ord. "Which do you think we had better make."
said one Buasian official, "threats or prom
ises?" "Whichever you choose," answered
the other. "The people are paying last a
much atteatloa to oae as to the other."
JLlTjjfciagtea Star.