TUB 3IORXIXG- OBEGON1AX, THURSDAY, 3IAB0H 1, 1900.
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1 'OUT LAND, THURSDAY, MARCH 1. 1B06.
THE TEOPLE INTEND TO KNOW. YOU
KNOW.
All who -were present at the Investi
gation or inquiry last night into the
affairs of the gas company saw and
heard, and all who may read the report
thereof this morning in The Oregonlan
will see. know and realize what mighty
ohange has taken place, within a year
past, in the state of public opinion as to
spublic-service franchises, with recogni
tion by those who hold such franchises
of the right of the public to know about
them.
Till The Oregonian opened its inquiry
Into these public-service corporations,
operating under franchises, and Its crit
icism of them began, there was little
thought that the public had any rights,
or that there could be any inquiry into
their business or methods. People had
always paid what was demanded, had
-submitted to all exactions, and never
supposed they might have redress.
But 'there has been a change. It Is
wonderful. Last night we got some Im
portant parts of the secrets of a public
service corporation the Portland Gas
Company which it never would have
been possible to obtain before. The
company realized that It had -to give
up. and it did. That is, the general
and minor details; but it stuck on giv
ing an account of its capitalization; of
Its stock and bond operations; of Its
methods of high or frenzied finance, to
which the people are required to pay
tribute in the price of gas.
But much has been gained, and more
will be gained. The principle is estab
lished, and recognition of it is forced at
Portland, that every Individual, every
corporation, doing business on a public
franchise, must render an account to
the public, as fully and s frequently
as the public may require. This is the
basis of the inquiry Into the public
franchise corporations now in progress
in. every part of the United States.
The people "want to know, you
know," and they will know, you know.
It Is insolent presumption, on the part
of any public-service corporation, oper
ated on public franchise and owing Its
very existence to the favor of public
franchise, to assume or pretend that it
hae a right to keep information as to
l any part of. Its operations from the
knowledge of the people. No part of
the business is to be concealed from
them.
Just now there is inquiry Into the gas
business. It is In progress from one
side of the continent to the other. It is
a leading topic In New York, in Chi
cago, in Kansas City, in San Francisco,
in Portland. These corporations, none
of them, working on franchises, will
be permitted further to hold up the
people, do as they please and charge
what they please. Gas is to be fur
nished at its cost, with reasonable profit
only; so is electric light and power; so
is water; so is street-car service. In
order to get at tall this business, and
to reach a basis for controlling It, we
are to have close examination, rigid in
spection and scrutiny, careful inquiry
into all details, public knowledge of
the amount of investment, of amount
of stock and bonds and value of ma
terial property, profits and dividends of
the holders of the franchise, assess
ments and taxes, salaries of officials,
cost of operation and of materials; in
short, the public is to know it all.
Business done on a public franchise is
no -private business.
, Upon the knowledge thus obtained
the municipality is to fix the maximum
price of gas, of electricity or etreet-car
service, and of service tinder other pub
lic franchises allowing a fair return
for the, service, and no more. In New
York, a commission has fixed the rate
of SO cents per thousand for gas, to go
into effect on the first of May. It finds
that the gas concern has $80,000,000 of
outstanding capital etock and bonds,
and convertible debentures amounting
to $21,245,000. It reaches the conclusion
that the value of the property of the
company actually -employed in the man
ufacture and distribution of gas does
not exceed $30,000,000. It further ex
presses the opinion that the cost to the
.company of manufacturing and distrib
uting gas does not exceed, W.75 cents
per thousand feet The commission
nays in its report:
In allowing a fair return upon the value
of the property actually employed In the
.gas-making business, account has been taken
ot the nature, and hazard of the bueineee and
of the return allowed en similar Investments.
The commission thinks that 8 per cent
is a reasonable return upon the actual
value of the property owned- Ty the
company and used In the manufacture
and distribution of gas. It will be re
membered that this return is not based
upon the capitalization of the company,
but upon the actual- capital engaged in
the manufacture and distribution of
gos.
The situation in Portland, though on
a small scale by comparison, is sub
stantially parallel. The people are go
ing to put an end to the abuses of a
system built up on their own fran
chises. In order to get at a basis for
action, the workings of the gas com
pany of Portland are to be turned In
side out The people will not stop till
light shalL have been darted into every
secret hole. Greatest of 'all abuses In
municipalities are these abuses perpe
trated under the privileges of franchise
the users, of the franchise, charging
what they please and rendering no ac
count of their stewardship. Though we
haven't yet got to the bottom of the
operations under this gas franchise in
Portland, we are making progress.
Resistance to inquiry Into capitaliza
tion, stock and bonds, and the meth
ods by which they have been accumu
lated and multiplied, will be uecless.
The people "want to know, you know,"
and they are going to know, you know.
THE EXCELLENT MR. WOODS.
We are told that a man named J. N.
Woods, representing John Crabtree, of
St Louis, who in turn represents money
in countless millions, "has taken up his
residence In Roseburg, for no other pur
pose than to advance the Interests of
the proposed new 'Oregon & Eastern'
line of railroad." This seems to be the
"proposed" road about which some talk
was had through The Oregonlan and
through the Portland Chamber of Com
merce, a while ago.
But If Mr. Woods is not more truth
ful In his statements as to the "pros
pects" of his "proposed" road than in
what he takes leave to say about The
Oregonian, we shall find our most seri
ous apprehensions regarding- the un
substantial nature of that undertaking
confirmed. He tells the Umpqua Valley
News (Roseburg) that "the proposition
is to run a coast line from Portland to
a point on Coos Bay, and from there to
some point in Humboldt County, Cali
fornia"; and also to build a "lateral" to
Salt Lake City, "which Mr. Woods says
his people regard as fully as Important
as the projected coast line." All this
"we agree to have in operation by Jan
uary 1, 1909 three years from now."
This Is the swelling prologue to the
imperial theme of mighty lying about
The Oregonian, which appears to be the
main object of the manifesto Issued by
Mr. Woods. He says: "Of course, as
was to have been expected. The Orego
nian bitterly opposed encouraging our
plans, because a majority of The Ore
gonlan stock Is owned by the Harrlman
system and that paper has to stand pat
for the Southern Pacific But so con
vincing have been our arguments that
even The Oregonlan has retracted Its
former declaration that it was a bad
case of hot air and the like, and now
that paper admits that our prospects
are most excellent for building and put
ting the new line In operation."
The Oregonlan expressed doubt as
all know, of the validity or substantial
ity of this scheme. It still entertains
such doubt the more so now from such
utterances' as those accredited to Mr.
Woods. After a talk with the commit
tee of commerce of Portland, The Ore
gonian, however, said that It was quite
willing to give the committee credit
for sincerity In having entertained the
proposition, but for its own part It
would wait till the projectors should
"make good." It by no means "retract
ed Its former declaration that It was
a bad case of hot air," but said, refer
ring to the representations made by the
committee, that there was a difference
of opinion, as between the committee
and The Oregonlan, which would have
to wait for solution. We are waiting,
and we think everybody Is waiting,
with Increasing doubt every day. For
now behold those who were talking of
men with immense money behind them,
who had everything prepared, and were
going to execute this mighty project
right off, saying that "our prospects
are most excellent for building and
putting the new line into operation."
The Oregonlan is sorry Indeed that the
undertaking dwindled to a "prospect"
so soon. But nowise surprised. When
we get this railroad, as The Oregonlan
has heretofore stated, congratulatory
acknowledgments will be due from The
Oregonian. We shall get it we sup
pose, from these projectors, at the
Greek Kalends, but shall dine meantime
with Duke Humphrey. Yet doubtless It
will be built by somebody, some time.
One more word, about another state
ment of this vagrant adventurer and
common liar. He says "the major
ity of the stock of The Orego
nlan is owned by the Harrlman
system, and that paper has to
stand pat for the Southern Pacific." U
is well enough known, by all who know
anything, who the owners of The Ore
gonian are, and by whom the paper Is
directed and controlled. The chief
owner and stockholder of The Orego
nian is Henry L. Pittock, not unknown
in Oregon, after his residence hero and
the work he has done these fifty years.
Some Interest in the paper, as a stock
holder, is held by this editor and pres
ent, writer, H. W. Scott. This newspa
per can take cure of itself, and does
take care of itself, without dictation
from "the -Harrlman system," the "first
families of Portland," or any other au
thority or Influence whatever. It knows
how to be independent and it has the
courage or spirit of independence. It
has for years been a critic of "the Har
rlman system," and its relations with
the Harrlman system, in consequence
of the criticisms, have at many times
been much st mined. It has insisted
that the Harrlman system should push
the long neglected railway develop
ment of Oregon, and It believes now
this will be done. We shall rejoice and
do rejoice'in the building of the Colum
bia north-bank railroad, upon which
thousands of men ar now at work;
upon extension of the Southern Pacific
from Drain to Coos Bay, now actively
In preparation; upon the assurance of
the Harrlman system that there will be
extension of lines across Middle Oregon
and into the country of the" Klamath
Lakes. Welcome would be the assur
ance that this coast line was to be built
by Mr. Woods and Mr. Crabtree. from
Humboldt Bay to the mouth of the Co
lumbia. But The Oregonian must be
excused If it begs leave to wait and. see,
in order that it may have ground to be
lieve. There is "hot air"; there Is Ignis
-fatuus, or. kit-of-the-candlestlck, play
Ins in fantastic movement .along the
marten; and the phosphorescence that
the pioneers and their children were
wont to call foxfire; and the guff of
modern adventurers and projectors,
who ars going to do great things and
have all millions behind them. Excuse
The Oregonian. It will wait and aee.
SOME SIGNS OF A SQUALL.
The financial expert was detailing the
history of a certain railroad property In
the Southwest which made considerable
Wall-street history a few years ago.
"Gould picked It up for a song," said
he, "and when he turned It over to
Russell Sage he got 60 for the pre
ferred. Sage then sold out to John W.
Gates and the Chicago crowd at 50,
and when Gates let go he got a hun
dred and a quarter for It from J. P.
Morgan." "Ah."- said the' listener,
"Gould got 60, Sage got 90, and Gates
got 125. What did Morgan get?" "Oh.
he got the road, or the control of it,"
was the answer. It was about that
time that Morgan and his followers got
the International steamship lines, the
American shipbuilding plants, and a
large number of other well-watered and
hot-air-inflated securities which could
not be turned over soon enough to pre
vent the slump. Of course In some of
these unfortunate ventures Mr. Morgan
was loser only the time consumed In
pumping out the hot air and pouring In
the water, but the good suffered with
the bid and Wall street lost hundreds
of millions before the scare had run It
self out ancj values had settled to a
healthy bask.
With the memory of what happened
at that time still fresh 4 In her mind,
New York is showing a disposition to
cease buying. There has been a ram
pant bull market for months, for over
a year In fact and the more cautious
traders are showing signs of apprehen
sion that they, like Morgan, may "get"
something nt a high price and be com
pelled to carry It down through a long
period of declining markets, or close It
out at a sacrifice. This Is the cause of
the dull trading of which the New York
stock market report has complained so
much recently. Henry Clews, whose
conservatism Is somewhat more pro
nounced than that of the average Wall
street operator. In his weekly financial
review sounds a note of warning of a
probable emash in prices. In his opin
ion all bullish Influences have been
overdlscounted, there is a scarcity of
money, and great Increase In new
curities. Bank reserves are low. and
are not being strengthened from the
West, as In former seasons, for the rea
son that the West Is just at present ex
ploiting on a large scale Industrial un
dertakings at home. This has necessi
tated the borrowing of considerable
money abroad.
Mr. Clews affords no comfort for the
holders of high-priced stocks when he
states quite emphatically that "there Is
no cure'for the present situation except
further liquidation, and any attempt to
carry on the upward movement under
existing conditions will inevitably lead
to difficulty." With the West still em
ploying a great many millions of East
ern capital in developing its resources.
It Is, of course, impossible for New
York to experience a financial strin
gency without some of the ripples from
the disturbance being noticeable here,
but never again will the "overplaying"
of the New York stock gamblers have
the detrimental -effect on the West that
it has had in panics of the past. This
is due largely to the fact that the West
has for pale enormous quantities of sta
ple commodities of which the world
stands ever In need.
The stock market report In yester
day's Oregonlan noted a heavy decline
In New York traction stocks, and in
Reading Railroad shares. On the same'
page was an account of sales of more
than 100,000 head of Oregon sheep at the
highest prices paid In twenty-five years.
There are a good many million people
In the world .who may not care to buy
traction stocks or Reading preferred,
but they will buy mutton, even when
the money market is tight Consoli
dated Gas was also reported weak In
New York, where the SO -cent rate
threatened to create necessity for re
moval of some of the water In the
stock. Locally, where we ship prunes
by the trainload, the market for that
staple was reported firm and higher,
with stocks well cleaned up. In New
York, Amalgamated Copper suffered a
heavy loss, but In Oregon, the greatest
lumber state in the Union, there wus a
substantial advance on the price of
lumber.
Let us sell the prunes, lumber, sheep,
wool, hops, wheat salmon and a large
number of other staples which have
made Oregon famous, and we care" not
who sells Rending preferred. Amalga
mated or New York tractions. Our sta
ple trading commodities grow much
more rapidly than those to which the
East is accustomed, and the world
stands in greater need of them. The
threatened war in Europe would un
doubtedly cut down the prices of some
securities In New York that were being
carried on foreign capltul, but It would
enhance the value of a great many sta
ple products throughout the West.
There arc signs of an approaching
financial squall for the speculators who
have been plunging too heavily in in
vestments which lack stability of value,
but a commercial cataclysm which
would sweep some of the Stock Ex
change securities Into ruin would touch
hundreds and thousands of legitimate
enterprises with the breath of a
zephyr.
NEW AND OLD IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.
The observant foreigner, visiting the
United States with his eyes open, sees
In things American vast possibilities
but little In the line of great and per
manent development that has been
pushed to a finished stage. The wave
of interest fostered by agricultural en
gineering and activity in irrigation In
recent years has led our own people
to believe that this country was out
stripping the old world in these mat
ters. But, as noted recently by the
New York Commercial, a comparison
of the work already completed and
under way in foreign countries with
the numerous plans now being engi
neered, literally speaking, in the United
States, shows that in this particular
field Americans are Imitators or fol
lowers not leaders or originators.
In magnitude of Irrigation plana, the
palm must be awarded to India and
Egypt under British direction, while,
if consummate skill and judicious dis
tribution of water are considered, the
laurels go to Italy and to her engineers.
On the great plains of Northern
India, for example, over 40.000,000 acres
are Irrigated, which, according to a
generous estimate, is over ten times as
great an area as that which has been
reclaimed by Irrigation on the treat
plateau of North America. These In
dian plains, that now support a popu
lation of 800,000, were formerly abso
lute deserts.
The Ganges Canal, which was opened
over 50 yean? ago, now , has a length.
iMcluding Us tributary canals, of 19,W
miles. In the State of Mysore a reser
voir Is under construction which, by
means of a dam of solid masonry 142
feet high, will enclose a valley contain
ing over 2000 square miles.
The Assuan dam In Egypt blds'falr
to be one of the wonders of the modem
world. It will be completed In 190S at
a cost of 531.000.000, and will form a
lake more than 100 miles long1, that will
make possible, by conserving the waste
waters of the Nile, the growing in that
river basin of two crops a year Instead
of one.
For one thing, there has never yet
been a necessity In this country, shad
owed by possible famine and urged on
by the needs of millions of people for
great Government reclamation schemes
and works. It Is In far advance of
such conditions that the Federal Gov
ernment has even now undertaken the
reclamation of desert wastes in the
vast Rocky Mountain region. But that
It has been undertaken insures, with
certainty, a beneficent result when the
need comes.
Something over two years ago an Ore
gonlan representative visited the west
coast of Vancouver Island, and, after
a study of the local Indian question,
ventured the opinion that the white
man's religion had accomplished noth
ing for the west coast Indian In the
way of improving mind or morals. It
was also pointed out that, in many re
spects, religion had proved a positive
detriment to the simple children of the
forest. The article, of course, provoked
criticism, and an attempt was made to
show in contradiction that religion had
done much for the Isolated red men.
The extent to which the white man's
religion has affected them Is disclosed
In an interview in yesterday's Orego
nlan with Rev. Charles Moser, a Bene
dictine missionary from Clayoquot. In
discussing the Valencia wreck, he
states that the Indians could have
reached those in distress "If induce
ments had been made." He further
states that when the Indians learned
that $15 was being offered for the re
covery of a body, many of them started
out in their canoes and brought in the
dead. In the opinion of this minister
of the gospel, "it would have been bet
ter had the Indians been offered $50 for
every passenger rescued, but no one
made the offer, and the Indians re
mained at their homes." This brutal
Indifference to the fate of helpless
women and children may indicate a re
ligious training, but it Is nothing that
can be pointed to with any great degree
of pride.
The encouragement given to boys of
the manual training classes of the pub
lic schools to build nesting-boxes for
wrens, bluebirds and swallows, through
prizes offered by the Oregon Audubon
Society. Is praiseworthy. Both beauty
and utility will be served In this con
test while the achievement will carry
wlth It gratification at seeing these
birds snugly housed, well worth the ef
fort that It costs. The hand of the boy
will be trained, his Interest In animat
ed nature aroused, and the protective
feeling that is the first impulse of culti
vated manhood will be Invoked. A
measure of this kind is worth more
than all the ordinances that a munici
pality can enact for the protection of
bird life within its limits.. The reason
for this Is obvious: It takes away the
Incentive to destroy so strong In the
average boy. who has not yet attained
the age of responsibility, and It substi
tutes therefor an impulse to provide
for weaker creatures, that have as dis
tinctly as himself a place In the grand
scheme of life. The law restrains,
through fear of punishment; the pro
tective impulse, through desire to pro
tecL The one is from without the
other from within.
An Oklahoma oil dealer has just testi
fied under oath that, while In the cm
ploy of the Standard Oil Company, he
was instructed to get samples of oil
from rival companies "If he nad to steal
them." This testimony would seem to
offer a good text for one of young
Rockefeller's characteristic homilies on
stealing and lying. The young man
could dilate at length on the evil ways
of the opponents of the Standard Oil in
withholding these samples from those
who had assumed a divine right over
them. He could also show the futility
of all opposition to a concern which he
scms certain Is working under the ex
clusive patronage of Divine Providence.
The Oklahoma man has not yet finished
his testimony, but when It Is all In it
will undoubtedly disclose, as usual, that
the Standard Oil stole the wells, if the
stolen samples wer.illsfactory.
When Baron Komura traveled u cross
the Pacific on one of Mr. Hill's big lin
ers he set a new mark In "tips" on the
steamer by presenting one of the
haughty soup-servers with 510. Now
comes the story from Port Townsend
that Prince Tsal Tse, of the Chinese
Imperial Commission, has "seen" the
Komura ante and "raised" It $10. Fifty
dollar tips from the representatives of
a country where the average wage per
day would be insufficient to purchase a
package of chewing gum certainly tend
to the belief that there are Chinese und
Chinese. If Tsal Tsc continues to
maintain the standard he has set on
the first stage of the trip, the expense
account will put a fair-sized crimp in
the royal exchequer.
Mr. Adams, of the gas company,
through his passionate temper, becomes
entirely Irresponsible. We shall excuse
the profanity of the blackguard, and
must regret to defile the pages of The
Oregonlan by reporting, him verbatim.
Now It will be understood what the
customers of the gas company have to
meet, when they go to the office with
their protests and complaints.
Mr. Wood, speaking for the gas com
pany, last night made a mistake .as to
this newspaper. He said the gas com
pany was operating under a public
franchise, and so was The Oregonlan.
The necessary correction Is that The
Oregonlan is not operating under a
franchise It has no franchise, nothing
whatever, from the public.
A big fit pocket book saved the life
of an anti-league organizer at Salem
the other night turning aside the dag
ger of an assassin. Here Is an argu
ment that the campaign fund solicitors
of the league should not overlook.
The Idaho banker who is making a
name for himself as a writer of fiction
is not the pioneer of his profession In
that field In these parts. The Seattle
clearing-house has been engaged In
similar work for years.
The condition of King Edward's
health and the state of Mrs. MIzner's
affecttens are about equally uncertain.
- THE SILVER LINING.
Good Morning.
Tell mc not In mournful numbers
I'm a chump. I know It well.
Visions haunt mc In my slumbers.
Showing mc I can't be swell.
Life Is speedy! Life is earnest!
And the grave we're pressing fast;
Earth thou art to earth rcturncst;
We arc game up to the last!
Work ls hard and time is fleeting.
And my heart, though timorous,
Ifnth a boiler-factory beating.
And can never make a fuss.
In this town's small field of battle.
In our Portland's dirty streets.
You can bet you'll hear my rattle
When your morning paper greets.
If a word of wit, or folly.
If a thought, or quip, or play.
Makes you just a speck more jolly, "
If It drlvc3 your cares away;
If I win a smile at present.
I may win a heart some day.
Try to laugh, and. so, look pleasant.
Grasp my nand. and shake alway!
A. H. BALLARD.
It Isn't what you know that counts,
for there Is nothing really new under
the sun. It's your original viewpoint
that makes you important.
Be brilliant If you can. my boy; but
be swift at all events.
Seek the good In others. By some
beneficent and insidious process it will
make you good yourself.
God made the world. But a few per
sons (who inherited a part of Port
land) assume that' they made it all
and own it all.
a
The most extravagant women in the
world are the New York , women. Yes,
and. they are the- prettiest also. Balti
more once had a call on feminine beau
ty but New York now Is far ahead.
Be good and you'll falter. Be bad
and you're sure what you're doing.
.
TIiofc who holler the loudest are
hurt the loast.
Sorrow Is like the measles the more
It comes to the surface the quicker it
Is over.
Fastidious precision in the use of
language Is not always possible. Lan
guage Is made in the street as well as In
the library, and we must accept the mean
ing a word acquires as It passes from
mouth to mouth.
As the American magazines improve
typographically they plunge deeper
Into a gulf of intellectual dullness.
Be sure you're right: then go horns
and think it over.
Some like Bourbon and some like Rye,
But we'll all get to Heaven bye and byo.
This Is what happened at a candy- pull
In Tennessee:
Sam Blair, shot four times in stomach.
Bob Motley, shot twice in grom. '
Richard Johnson, throat cut.
Occasionally when they have a prayer
meeting they call out the troops.
After a while Dr. Morrison will get
down to business und tell us something
real bad about the Christian Scientists.
'
An English scientist Is of the opinion
that laughter is Insanity: that the person
who laughs Is Insane temporarily and
more or less violently. On this the
Omaha World-Herald comments as fol
lows: "We refuse to be frightened by
the eminent English scientist However,
his alarm doctrine may explain one thing.
Possibly when an English gentleman puts
on a pained and Intellectual expression
of countenance and refuses to laugh at
some of our spasms of American humor
It la not because he doesn't see the Joke,
but merely because he Is afraid ot un
seating his reason."
Over 15.CCO.0CO umbrellas a year are made
In the United States. A few of them are
used in Portland, and the rest are lost
When It come3 to handling Park Boards
Lafe Pence Is right there.
If negroes could always be sure that
an incendiary mob would Hound them Im
mediately upon the event of any charac
teristic negro depredation, then the ne
groes would soon become tractable citi
zens. Mob law is not pleasant, but it is
sometimes salutary.
a
The annual outbreak ot troubles among
the coal mines is about due. and we hear
the muttering? of the storm as It ap
proaches. '
When you think you need a bracer just
brace up In your mind. These scientists
and professional sharps of all kinds tell
plenty- of lies, but their statement that
mind Is more powerful than matter hap
pens to be true.
Definitions.
(Tips on the Race of Life.)
Book The salver used at racetracks
when they take up the collection.
Fool Hs hard to define this, for a fool
becames wise just as soon as a good
chance hits him. A woman can't be a
fool because she's always wise.
Paper A material out of which they
once manufactured money. They use gold
Instead now, for they have ro much gold
In New York that It is more plentiful
and cheaper than paper.
Slipper The cynosure of all eyes just
like a man when he's well heeled. Sllp
pors and men both must be well heeled
In order to be successful in their business.
Business The. origin of the pace that
kills. A term applicable .to men only.
Women have no business. They have pro
fessions. Mrs. Warren, now, for example
but that's another story.
Changed. Church. to Suit.
Exchange.
An absent-minded woman one Sunday
morning walked Into church, took a front
scat and Joined In the service vigorous
ly. Then the collection-basket was passed
to her. and putting a coin In It. she
looked about. She cast glances In every
dirctlon. her mind cleared, and an ex
pression of amazement overspread her
face. She got up. She hurried down the
aisle. She overtook the man with the
collection-basket. "I'm In the wrong
church." she whispered, and. taking out
the coin she had put In. she hurried
forth.
Effect of Local Option.
Houston Post.
A crockery factory near San Antonio
Is now confining all Its resources to the
making of Jugs. One firra In San Antonio
bought two carloads of one.aad two-gallon
jugs the other day.
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
Discussion by Writers on Various Topics of Public Interest
PORTLAND, Feb. 28. (To the Editor.)
In addition to your excellent editorial on
water supply, allow mc to say that as the
population Increases In alt countries purifi
cation of the water supply becomes Impera
tive, and that only mountain villages or cities
in the foothills escape the trouble and ex
pens of filtration.
In general there are two clarses ot Alters
or purification processes, alow or continuous
sand filters, and mechanical filters. About
20 cities and towns in Holland. 30 in Great
Britain and about the same In Germany and
the United States use the continuous eani fil
tration sjfitem: in fact, nearly all European
cities with a population aggregating 20.000.000
use it. In the United States nearly 200 cities
and towns use aomc sort of a mechanical
filter. But a few years ago Albany. X. T..
erected a magnificent eand filter at a cost
of nearly $500,000. It has reached a bac
teria efficiency of 00 per cent.
Properly constructed sand filters purify
from 1.30-1.000 to 2,500.000 galons ot water
In Zi hours, according to the degree of turb
Ity and the condition of the filter. Very
muddy water requires a sedimentation In addition-
to the filter, and there muat be enough
acreage of filter to supply water while a
section is being cleaned. Thesa filters cost
about S35.C0O per acre, more or less accord
ing to location, cost of the right kind of
sand, rock, cement, drains, etc There must
be added cos: of pumps, pure water tajji
sedimentation, basin, etc. Probably the total
cost would be between $4 and ?5 per capita.
The cost of operation in some European
cities Is about SI for 1.000,000 gallon?, but
It would probably be something more here.
As to mechanical filters, these originated
in the United States at a time when low
first cost, regardleu of permanency ot con
it ruction, was desired by investors. These
filters were simply a cylinder of Iron or wood
filled with sand. "Water was forced through
them about 100 times faster than ordinary
sand filtering. Since then they have been
developed and brought to high efficiency. The
efficacy of mechanical filters depends .upon
the use of coagulants, without which only
the coarser particles are removed. About
one grain of sulphate of alumina produce
ar. efficacy of 98 to 90 per cent, but this
resnlt depends upon the condition of water.
They operate 'with from 2500 to 3000 gallons
per square foot of area per day and are said
to cost about $20 per square foot, exclusive of
buildings, pumps, etc. which sometimes
double th cost. On account ot the cost of
the coagulant the cost of operation Is a lit
tle more than the cost of operating a slow
sand filter.
Generally speaking, slow sand filters are
considered more efficient in removing bac
teria than mechanical filters. But some of
the best modern mechanical plants eeem to
show a great per cent of efficiency as the
slow sand plants. They require less ground,
are unaffected, by the weather and are con
venient to operate.
Thorough filtration removes about 09 per
cent of the bacteria. If a water supply can
be taken from some mountain stream at a
point In the mountains where few or no people
live near It. or from springs which are the
outflow ot deep strata, it is a good safe
water supply. Otherwise the water should
be filtered. "WILLIAM B. CHASE.
'THE PEOPLE'S .CHOICE."
Democratic Vagaries as to the Elec
tion of TJ. S. Senator.
EUGENE. Or. Feb. 27. (To the Editor.)
While much has been said concerning
"Statement No. 1," there Is one- phase of
the matter that, so far as I have seen,
remains untouched.
Democratic newspapers and politicians are
so insistent upon the strict observance of
'that part of the primary law that they
would have every legislative candidate, espe
cially Republican candidates, sign the
pledge to 'vote for the "people's choice"
for United States senator, unconditionally,
whereby each and every Senator and Rep
resentative would be under obligations to
vote for the same man. But what of their
record, when they have had opportunity to
emphasise their approval of such method
of electing United States Senators?
It will be remembered that, under the
Mays law. ex-Governor Geer. having re
ceived a large majority over C E. S. Wood
at the June election of 1002. was. according
NEED OF CANTEEN KN ARMY,
But Its Restoration by Congress Is
Not Likely .at This Time.
Boston Evening Transcript.
A bill has been introduced In Con
gress and is now before the commit
tee on military affairs, providing- for
the restoration of the Army canteen.
We do not look for Its passage, partly
because of the timidity of members
who do not dare displease a certain
element In their constituencies, and
partly because the legislative grist Is
so large that it Is not likely to be
reached. Questions of expediency and
questions of moral regulation that
have been recently settled, even
though such settlement was wrong;
stand a poor dhance of reconsidera
tion against the pressure of new prop
ositions. But we believe this will bo
an ever recurring question until it Is
settled right. "Were it put upon Its
merits and given reasonable consider
ation, it ought not take long to dis
pose of It. The canteen has now been
out of commission for several years.
It Is possible to determine with almost
absolute certainty by the weight of
evidence whether its abolition has been
a benefit or an injury to the military
service and has helped or hurt the
morals of the American soldier.
The action was taken in deference
to the prejudices of many people, no
doubt well-mcaninsr. who deplored
serving beer and light wines to the
Army. The canteen had been an in
stitution of long standing. It was
abolished on the theory that it worked
Injury to the morale and discipline of
the Army. That theory has now had
a thorough test, and the question to be
decided is whether or not It was justi
fied. If the soldiers behave them
selves better; if there is less drunken
ness and other vice: If the absences are
fewer and higher standard of conduct
has been established, it ought not be
difficult to prove the fact. Let tho
records be examined. Let the testi
mony ot commanding officers and mili
tary Inspectors be taken and a basis
of comparison established. Then it
should be easy to decide which system
had. better served the cause of tem
perance and discipline.
But there arc so 'many ex-cathedra
statements td the effect that the aboli
tion of tho canteen has been followed
by a partial demoralization of the ser
vice that some attention should be
paid to them. Let us remember that it
is not a question of light wine arid
beer, on the one hand, and total ab
stinence on the other. It Is a ques
tion of nothing at the post and strong
drinks and bad ones on leave of ab
sence, with the other vices that so
generally attend Indulgence when re
straint has been removed. Army
scandals have been multiplied manifold
since the canteen was abolished. This
is the general testimony of officers,
and that testimony Is to be trusted be
cause whatever the personal habits of
officers themselves may be they cer
tainly prefer that system for the men
under them that will keep them up to
the highest standard of order and ef
ficiency, because that makes their own
tasks easier and their responsibilities
lighter.
Where Hubby Comes In.
Atchison Globe.
An Atchison woman advertised for a
cook, saying In the advertisement that "a
man was employed to do the heavy
work." "But we haven't any man," pro
tested her husband. "That's . you," re
sponded bte wife.
to their interpretation of. the . law. the
"people's choice" fbr Senator. Under the
plea now put up. every Democrat In the
twenty-second regular biennial session was
under obligation to vote for Governor Geer.
But not one of the "stalwarts" so voted.
They did, howex'er, vote to a man for Mr.
Wood.
Coming to the death of Senator Mitchell,
when Governor Chamberlain had the oppor
tunity of his life; In the appointment of a
United States Senator to fill the vacancy,
to have at least carried out the wishes or
his party by naming Mr. Wood, his appoint
ment of Mr. Gearln would indicate that h
did not consider such obligation binding,
when applied to tho Democratic party, but
only as to the Republican party, as the
whole trend of their argument now clearly
shows. If so able and astute a politician as
Governor Chamberlain the very head and
shoulders of the' Democratic party can and
does so easily brush aside so- great and
binding an obligation to suit his own indi
vidual preference, with what grace does
this persistent clamor for the observance ot
the primary law. as applied to Republicans,
come from his Democratic brethren?
J. M. SHELLT.
USE OF PAIiLiACIES.
Youth of All Ages Need Sunshine
arid Flowers.
PORTLAND. Feb. 27. (To the Editor)
The public generally will not indorse the
pessimistic delusions of Marcus W. Rob
bins, expressed in his letter entitled "Fal
lacies," and published in your Sunday edi
tion. He can claim no more for himself
nor even so much than he accords Aris
totle. J. Ogden Armour or "The Preachers
and Monument Builders." for they were in
strumental In promulgating fallacies In
but a single direction, while your corres
pondent endeavors to cast this gloomy
cloud over everything mortal and immor
tal. The youth of all ages need 'all the
sunshine and flowers we grown-up peo
ple can give them, mainly for the purpose
of piloting them through this lake of fal
lacies. When the girl or ' boy steps Into
the arena of the Infinite and with a single
mad stroke or rash act extinguishes the
candle of life, in a majority of case? the
cause is a conclusion erroneously reached,
that the universe is a. fallacy and because
ot It life and eternity are a mocker". This
Is the conclusion reached by your corres
pondent a fallacy which every Impulse ot
nature rises to refute.
HENRY S. WESTBROOK.
A PLEA FOR MONUMENTS.
The Time Is for the 3raklng; of the
City Beautiful.
PORTLAND, Feb. 26. (To the Editor.) To
an observer, one who has seen the world's
work, in the arts and sciences, one feels
here In Portland the lack of the monumental
features. Baltimore has been called the
monumental city. There are many fine mon
uments there, but here there are none. New
Orleans. Richmond and other cities ot Dixie
boast of their monuments. Why not Port
land? The Eastern cities have their edu
cational monuments pointing to the valor of
their heroes in their multiplicity. Wny not
Portland?
The many triangular lots of Portland are
most excellent sites for monuments of a
Lincoln, a Washington, a McKlnley. type
of the patriotic, of the American Revolution,
the Civil War and the Spanish-American
War. the arts and sciences, navigation, valor
of Oregon's sons and daughters, and a multi
tude of other notable subjects, ad Infinitum.
The most remarkable thought of the many
minds that visited the Lewis and Clark Ex
position was, "Where are your monuments?"
Tou have them "native" as a matter ot
course in your Mount Hood. Mount St. Hel
ens. Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson and
Mount Rainier, but where are the splendid
masterpiece ot man. the chiseling of the
marble, cast bronze, carvings, frescoes-, paint
ings, the fancies of the many fertile minds
that Portland is blessed with? This ia tho
time for the esthetic, and tho esthetic in art
Is the making of tho city beautiful.
WJLLIAM WORDSWORTH GOODRICH.
RURAL CUSTOMS IN MEXICO.
Modern Mexico,
in the tower of the hacienda chapel, or
if there is no chapel, then from an arch
over the main entrance to the owner's
house, hangs a bell that has been blessed.
In times of war It was used to call in
the field hands when danger threatened.
At the first note they dropped plow and
sickle, running toward the great house.
The women and children were gathered in
the patio. The sendr armed the men with
rifles, from the storeroom. Then from
behind the portholes of the heavy stone
walls, from the corner turrets and from
the protected roof, the hacienda was able
to offer stout resistance against wander
ing marauders, or bands of soldiery in
search of supplies. But, now that peace
has come to Mexico, the bell Is rung only
when rain or hail threatens In harvest
time. Since it is blessed its voice is a
charm against the elements.
When the day's work is done and the
last red faded from the mountains, the
field hands gather in the open before the
quarters to sing the evening song of
praise. A deep bass begins the song:
"DIos te salve Maria."
A shrill childish treble Joins In:
"Dios tc salve Maria."
Then sweeping up from the farther end
of the line comes the chorus:
"Dios te salve Maria
Llcna ores dc graciat"
The voices arc truly Indian, and carry in
pitch from a shriek to a roar; When the
whole line Joins in, each yelling at the top
of his voice:
"Bendita tu eres.
Entrc todas las mujcrcsl"
One might imagine he heard the war song
of the legions of old Tlaxcallan as they
sallied out against the royal city by the
lakes. But it Is only the "Ave Maria"
sung to the gentle mother.
Belated pulque gatherers and caretcros.
as they pas3 the line, raise their hats In
respect. It Is a sacred service, and closes
with a short prayer by tho "captain" of
the singers.
If a field produces well, a cross, hung
with wisps of grain and stiff decorations,
made from the flower of the maguey, is
set up in the corner as a sign of thank
fulness. On Sunday every one attends church In
the village if it be near enough. After
mass they do their weekly buying, from
the stalls, in the plaza. A little old man
carrying a silver tray begs alms for tho
church. The more religious Indians raise
their hats as ho passes, or stoop to kiss
the cross designed on the tray.
As the pulque gatherer pours the agua
mlel freshly gathered from, the maguey
into the stinking cowhide, vats of the tin
acal. he calls out in a loud voice:
"In the name of the holy sacrament on
the altar! Hall to the most pure Virgin
Mary! May the pulque turn out well."
Every man in the building raises bis
hat.
a
The grain is cut with short-bIaded hand
sickles. Whenever a reaper straightens
up to rest from his work he raises bis hat
and shouts In a high, monotonous key:
"Ave Maria Santlsslma!"
Some fellow-worker from a neighboring
field answers back, and so from all the
wide fields a continuous cry of rejoicing
goes up.
The Courage ef Yenus.
New York- Sun.
The Venus of Mllo explained.
"I wore elbow sleeves in ihe Winter an
they froze off,' she vouchsafed.
Thus Indeed do .we aee what women wi'l
endure for fashion.
ft
USUI