THE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JULY 9, 1906. Entered at the Postofflce at Portland. Or., u 8cond-Clas Matter. SUBSCRIPTION BATES. CT IK VARIABLY IN ADVANCE. "CJ (By Mall or Express.) DAILY. SUNDAY INCLUDED. Twelve months $8.00 Blx months - ;5 Three months - ij One month -J 9 Delivered by carrier, per year 9.00 Delivered by carrier, per month 73 Lsn time, per week 20 Sunday, one year 2.50 Weekly, one year (issued Thursday)... I SO Sunday and Weekly, one year 8.50 HOW TO REMIT Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency re at the sender's risk. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The S. C. Beck with Special Agency New York, rooms 43-50. Tribune building. Chi cago, rooms 510-512 Tribune building. KEPT ON SALE. Chicago Auditorium Annex. Postofflce News Co., 17ft Dearborn street. St. Paul. Minn N. St. Marie. Commercial Station. Denver Hamilton ft Kendrlck. 009-912 seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store. 1214 Fifteenth street; L Welnateln. Ooldfield. Nev. Frank Sandxtrom. Kansas City. Mo Rlckaecker Cigar Co., Ninth and Walnut. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugb. 50 South Third. Cleveland, O. James Fushaw, 307 Superior street. New York City L. Jones & Co., Astor House. ' Oakland. Cal. W. H. Johnston, Four teenth and Franklin streets: N. Wheatley. Ogden D. L. Boyls. Omaha Barkalow Bros.. 1812 Farnam: Mageath Stationery Co.. 130S Farnam: 249 South Fourteenth. Sacramento, Cal. Sacramento Haws Co., Sll K street. Suit Lake Salt Lake News Co.. 17 West Becond street South; Miss L. Levin. 24 Church street. Los Angeles B. E. Amos, manager seven street wagons; Ben News Co.. 32ttfe South Broadway. San Diego B. E. Amos. Pasadena, Cal. Berl News Co. San i-ranclscu Foster & Orear, Ferry News Stand. Washington. 1). C. Ebbltt House. Penn sylvania avenue. PORTLAND, MONDAY, JULY 9, 1906. IS HE "CONSERVATIVE" BRYAN? w siih XJi jail id an Lille uy TfMSTTir U1C . I . ; I : ! I I : . OUUUll JJ1U Hits ,'! t ' . the Ne-braskan among the grandees of the earth. "President" Bryan is the title by which Democrats of Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas and other states would place him among the world's real potentates. Yells assail the sky, hats fly up and a boom echoes from ocean to ocean, for Datto Bryan, and for Presi dent Bryan perhaps. But stay What Is Bryan saying? Does It echo of that which came forth of his mouth before? Is he cured of heresies that beat him twice, and is he passed from a radical to the boasted conservative? In writing from Stockholm he says he wants "certain reforms" In America, but tells not just what. In London, he wants "two-legged" money and de nounces imperialism. In campaigns past Mr. Bryan has de lined "two-legged" money as free coin age of silver as well as gold; and im perialism ae retention of the Philip pines and other insular possessions. It is natural to suppose, therefore, that he means for his "certain reforms" free coinage of silver at 16 to 1 and aban donment of the Philippines, Hawaii and other insular additions to United States territory. These are still his issues, then, as they were in 1896 and 1900, and as h reiterated them in 1904 true Democratic doctrine. That he will be the nominee of his party for President In 1908 seems altogether probable at this time, and that he will enforce these Issues is natural to expect, in the light of what he has Just said abroad. This, then, is the "conservative" Bryan, who has been tamed by two de feats at the hands of Republicans and one defeat at the hands of his fellow patriots. This Is the man who has traveled the world, surveyed many lands and beheld many peoples; all of which, it was said, would lift his hori zon and broaden his vision until he should be no longer the old-time radi cal of the Wild West but a mellowed statesman, "safe and sane," the protec tor of his party against the "yellow talons of the griffin Hearst" and of his country against the "Roosevelt man on horseback." His travels were to lift him high above the old heresies and gain him that public confidence whose lack In two campaigns defeated his Presidentiar ambitions. These "certain reforms" are of tre mendous interest to the electorate of the United States. They are the test of Bryan's fitness to be President. His late utterances have been awaited ever since his last boom began, and it was said for him that time and travel had reformed his notions and tempered his speech. Because Roosevelt has curbed trust barons and corporation greed, won for the country a rate law and pure-food regulation, relieved it of In surance rapacity and coal greed. It has been said by Bryan boomers that in these things Bryan and Roosevelt are alike, and this has been asserted so often that "nonpartisan" elements, like those which made Chamberlain Gover nor of Oregon, have begun to sit up and take notice. s But Mr. Bryan Is beginning to show himself the same type of man and mind as the people twice rejected. Though he admits the "white man's burden" he denounces Imperialism in the same old way in which he assailed American occupation of the Philippines. Imper ialism and that occupation appear to be Just as synonymous in his view as six years ago. "Henceforth," says the Independent, "he ranks with other "scutcheoned grandees of high fame and strange name the Padishah of Persia, the Ameer of Afghanistan, the Tycoon of Nippon, the Inca of Peru, the Mahara jah of Mysore, the Sirdar of Egypt, the Khalifa of Sudan, the Mahdi of Khar tum, the Negus of Amhara. the Dey of Algiers, the Imaum of Islam, the Soyyid of Zanzibar, the Sultan of Johol, he Vali of Janina, the Mutaserif of Is mld, the Kaimakam of El-Juf, the Mu hafza of Suaklm, the Sachem of Tam many, the Than Thaiof Anam, the Khan of Kalat, the Tetrarch of Abilene, the Grand Mogul of Delhi, the Gaekwar of Baroda, the Sclndla of Gwalior, the Kazi of Sikkim, the Nawaub of Mysore and the Akhond of Swat. Shall we give him the title higher than any of these, of President of the United States, for his nominations have already begun to pour in from East and West? The Washington Railroad. Commis sion Is at last displaying commendable regard for the proportions of the task which It encountered in the making of a new distance tariff. It is now an nounced that It will be several weeks and perhaps months before the details of the new raes can be worked out. Distance tariffs, like joint rates, are dangerous weapons In the hands of novices, and the caution with which the commission Is approaching the matter Is in strange contrast with the reckless disregard for property rights shown in Its order regarding the joint rates on wheat. Men with a lifetime of experi ence in the making of rates and dis tance tariffs approach any such radical change as that proposed by the Com mission with considerable seriousness, realizing as they do that even a slight alteration in a single rate may have considerable effect on ten thousand other rates. The Commission is appar ently beginning: to appreciate its limi tations, and, if it continues to act with the present caution, it may do less harm to the Washington taxpayers than ia now expected. OUR FRIKXD THE RAILROADER. There are so many contributing fac tors to the remarkable growth Portland is experiencing at this time that It Is difficult properly to apportion the credit for the wonderful change which has taken place since the close of the Lewis and Clark Expositibn. All know that the large increase in our population and the advent of much new capital are to a large extent due to the wonderfully favorable impression which our last Summer visitors received. Except In rare cases where chronic soreheads were obliged to maintain their local reputation by finding fault with Port land and the Fair, every visitor from the East returned home to become a walking and talking advertisement for Portland and the Pacific Northwest. To all of these good new friends Port land owes a debt of gratitude, but above all others to whom we should feel grateful stand the railroad men of the country; not to the representatives of any particular line or locality, but to practically all of the men. engaged in the business of routing passengers from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. The very nature of their business makes it a ne cessity that railroad men, successful either by birth or training, or both, should be broad-minded individuals of more than ordinary intelligence. The railroad men in almost any city In the United States are at times called on for information regarding localities many thousand miles away from their imme diate field, and it Is a part of their education to prepare themselves with expert knowledge regarding the entire country. The visit of the American- Association of Traveling Passenger Agents to Port land last Summer placed those men in possession of the actual facts regarding the great Northwest, towards which the gaze of many people was directed: All that this rich country ever needed to attract immigration was to have its re sources and possibilities understood, and the railroad men were quickMo ap preciate them. As immigration agents seeking to induce new settlers and cap italists to come into our country, these men were far superior to any other agency by reason of their being con stantly in touch with people who are contemplating a change and desire ex pert knowledge of that part of the country toward which they may be in clined. It was largely through the Commer cial Club that the Railroad Men's Con vention was held here last year, and, while this splendid commercial organi zation lias achieved rare success along many lines of promotion, it is doubtful if any other single feature which has enlisted their effort has brought such highly satisfactory returns in the way of immigration and general dissemina tion of the truth regarding Portland and Oregon. Portland is under lasting obligations to the railroad men who have done so much to advertise the city and state, and incidentally we must not forget the untiring efforts of the Commercial Club. FOREIGN TRADE MISUNDERSTOOD. With the aid of a guidebook and a few pages of foreign trade statistics, the political economists of the Middle West evolve grand theories regarding the export trade of the United States. The Commercial West, a weekly trade Journal printed at Minneapolis, In Its last issue has the following: Notwithstanding the strenuous efforts ot this country, by reciprocity treaties and by political protectorship, to buUd up trade with South America, our exports In that direction have made less progress than to any other section of the globe. On the other hand, not withstanding our hostile legislative and treaty enactments against China and our Inadequate shipping facilities- on the Pacific, American exports to the Orient have grown during the past ten years more rapidly than to any other part of the world. Our exports to South America have made less progress than to other parts of the world for the simple reason that the commodities of which the United States exports in the greatest quantities are also exactly the same as those in which South America leads. We could enjoy a fine trade with South Amer ica if that continent would buy our wheat, aorn, beef, hides, wool and other great American staples, which are pro duced also In South America in large quantities. Americans, of course, re fuse to buy these commodities from the people of South America, and the latter accordingly establish trade relations with other countries which are in need of them. This, however, does not pre vent us from buying Immense quanti ties of coffee, spices and other com modities which we can secure in South America to better advantage than in any other country. There Is no sentiment in trade and buyers purchase where they can secure the best bargains. "Hostile legislative and treaty enactments" against China have had little or no effect on American export trade with that country, for the reason that this country had better goodg at lower prices than competitors, and the Chinaman is sufficiently Intel ligent to avoid "cutting off his nose to spite his face." "Inadequate shipping facilities on the Pacific" would read like sarcasm, if one were to believe that the writer knew anything about the situation. As a matter of fact, at all times in the past ten years there has been a surplus of tonnage on the Pa cific. Even at the present remarkably low rates It is impossible to find cargoes for the regular liners. As an illustra tion of the situation, the case of the big H1I1 liner might be mentioned. On the last outward trtp from Puget Sound this mammoth steamship, with a capacity of about 25,000 tons, carried less than 4000 tons of freight, and on its Inward trip less than 2000 tons. A little learning is a dangerous thing, if a writer on trade topics essays to put out anything approaching a truth ful review of the situation. We can trade with foreign countries so long as they have goods which we need at lower prices than we can secure them elsewhere, or so long as they offer us better prices for our goods than we can receive for them at home or in mar kets where we are not doing much ex port business. Our foreign business in certain directions could be Increased by more liberal tariff laws, tut It Is not suffering from lack of shipping and it cannot be increased with South American countries to an equality with that which is enjoyed by the Europeans until we buy from South America as freely as the European countries do. ANARCHY AND NEWSPAPERS. Collier's Weekly, which Is friendly to the Socialists and hostile to all anarch ists, undertook in a recent issue to name those American cities which har bored the bomb-throwing gentry within their borders. Portland got some unde sirable and perhaps undeserved notorie ty from the Collier's writer; and Pat erson. New Jersey, received the greatest attention because it has been head quarters for years of a very active an archistic "group." The City of Pater- son has taken mighty offense at the no toriety it has achieved through this and similar publications, and it has decided to do something to vindicate its good name. The Board of Aldermen has di rected its City Clerk to institute action for libel against Collier's, "if. in his Judgment, action for libel will lie against the owners of said publication." Doubtless it would not, and the only ef fect of the board's action will be to call public attention to the formal protest made by Paterson, and to correct in some measure the false impression the world has that the New Jersey town tolerates the existence there of a regi cide band of revolutionary enemies of society and all organized government. No reputable newspaper desires to li bel a person or a community; therefore Collier's has in its current issue an ar ticle designed to appease the wrath of the good people of Paterson, and to show that the community is in no wise tainted by the presence there of the anarchist group. Yet It practically re peats the assertions previously made by its writer and shows that there is printed at Paterson an infamous period ical called "La Questiono Sociale," which in its issue of June 23 refers to President Roosevelt as the "ex-policeman, murderer of the Colorado miners," and to Pope Plus as a "sheep" for con gratulating King Alfonso on his escape from the anarchist's bornb. The Pat erson paper has besides an article jus tifying the assassination of rulers of high and low degree. "La Questione Sociale" ought to be excluded from the mails; perhaps It is. Yet the very vio lence of its utterances, disclosing the bloody sentiments of the "group" it speaks for, is a warning against it and can only create universal indignation and protest among all intelligent and patriotic citizens. When anarchy waves its abhorrent flag and proclaims its treasonable and murderous schemes, it is not dangerous. The real enemies of law and order are the nameless crimi nals who make their plans in secret, prepare their deadly explosives- in the solitude of their improvised laborato ries and approach the consummation of their horrible schemes by stealth and .surprise. The "anarchists" who hold public meetings, like the so-called Port land group, seldom do anything but waste their time in idle and ineffectual gabble. The Paterson anarchists have never killed anybody, and probably never will. Yet of course their avowed sympathy for the sporadic deeds of the frenzied maniac who act first and boast of it afterwards, is not a good thing. WILL EIGHT ADVANCE IN RATES. Washington policyholders are threat ening suit against the fire insurance companies that have announced their intention to make an arbitrary increase of 25 per cent in rates in order that they may more speedily recoup their losses by the San Francisco conflagra tion. It is quite clear that it would be impossible for one or two or half a dozen of the companies operating in Washington to put in force an advance such as is proposed, without concerted support and co-operation from a large number of other companies operating in the state. The banding together of these greedy companies for the purpose of holding up policyholders is said to be directly in violation of the laws of the state. Under the insurance law of 1897 it was specifically provided that any in surance companies which entered com binations for the purpose of maintain ing high rates should be deprived of the right to operate In the state. This law has not yet been. invoked for the purpose of keeping rates at a just and reasonable figure, but, If it answers the purpose for which it was framed, it can undoubtedly be used either to force the insurance compsrnies to recognition of fair play and honest treatment, or else to kick them out of the state. Pacific Coast insurance has been so enormously profitable in the years preceding the terrible disaster that it is hardly within the range of possibilities that it will be abandoned, by the companies at present endeavor ing to effect a saving at expense of the policyholders. Not only are some of these companies attempting to force an advance of 25 per cent in rates, but they are also seeking to escape liabil ity on policies which were in force in San Francisco at the time of the dis aster. Either end of this graft works injus tice and hardship on the insured, and every fair-minded Individual will hope to see the companies attempting it driven out of the business on the Pa cific Coast. If the insurance companies could maintain their wonderful system of settling exceptionally heavy losses at less than par and at the same time re coup with increased charges, the busi ness would possess all of the essential features of the surest "sure thing" game that was ever worked on the pub lic. Fortunately for those who object to being robbed in the manner proposed, or who are reluctant to be unprotected against loss by fire, there will always be capital In readiness to accept busi ness for a remuneration based on the actual risk involved. A great many of the insurance com panies in San Francisco have for years been accumulating large surpluses over and above the dividends, for the pur pose of meeting such emergencies as that which arose in the Bay City. It would of course be very nice for the insurance people to retain these sur pluses for other emergencies, and, in place thereof, levy extortionate toll on the policyholders for the purpose of meeting the extraordinary demands!. This nefarious latter plan, however, does not meet with approval of the Washingtonians, and in their fight against it they will have the moral support of every policyholder in the ad Joining states. The opportunity for a local independent fire insurance com pany is daily becoming more apparent. Between the United Railways Com pany and the Willamette Valley Trac tion Company there has been a fight for street railway franchises In Portland. The United Railways won, then capi talized the franchises and "sold out" at a profit said to be near $100,000. This profit is money out of the pockets of the public, because on it the public must pay the dividend and Interest tribute. Yet this is small greed compared with that of the men who capitalized the street-car lines of Portland at dizzy figures a year ago, and "sold out" at profit of several million dollars. These same men are now managing the Wil lamette Valley Traction Company. Had they won the franchises away from the United Railways, their career shows that they would have turned up their noses at profits so paltry as tlOO.OOO. The people's savings are sweet booty for franchise buccaneers and one set of grafters seems no better nor worse than another. The steamer Hilonian, which has been placed in service between Port land and Honolulu, is due today to load at this city on her first trip. A special effort should be made to send the steamer out with a good-sized cargo. Portland and the territory for which this city is the port of entry and de parture produce in great quantities the commodities of which the Hawaiian Islands have long been liberal pur chasers. We handled a large volume of trade with the islands many years ago, when the unsatisfactory service of sail ing vessels was the best available. With the Hawaiian population many fold greater, and a regular steamship serv ice, we should now enjoy a large trade with the islands. The promoters of the line, however, if the offerings are light, should not take the first trip of the ves sel as a criterion for what might be ac complished, as it will take time to win back the trade which we abandoned many years ago. London advices state that the Sultan of Turkey is very much disturbed over the activity of the Greek revolutionists in Macedonia. It is asserted that the offending Greeks have the moral sup port of the government at Athens, and a representative of the Ottoman gov ernment asserts that drastic' measures will be adopted unless the Greeks dis play less aggression. Some philosopher is credited with the statement that "war is hell," and perhaps he is right. It will be remembered, however, that it was a war between Turkey and Greece which was responsible for Fitz Greene Halleck's immortal poem, "Marco Boz zaris." If a scrap between the modern Turks and Greeks could supply the necessary inspiration for another such poetic masterpiece, the literary world might give consent. It needs be a cold or a hot or a nor mal day when Seattle does not break Into view. On the recent trip of the North German Lloyd liner Grosserkur furst from Bremen to New York, trip lets were born the second day out; two days later the stork, which seems to have acquired t"He land and water char acteristics of the frog, brought twin girls to a much-gratified couple. The night before docking, Dr. Stark (the "a" In the ship physician's name sure ly must be a typographical error) wasJ congratulating himself on the pros pect of a rest when he was called to attend Mrs. Friedenburg, of Seattle, a first-cabin passenger, who added the sixth baby to the list. It was a de scending ratio, to be sure, but Seattle got there. There is good sound sense in the sug gestion that what Oregon needs is the production of crops that . will have a much larger average value. It is folly to raise $12-an-acre crops on land with soil adapted to the successful produc tion of craps that will be worth $50 an acre. Raising the value of the crop produced will be followed by an ad vance In the value of the land. Farms will be smaller because a smaller area will produce enough to support a fam ily. The population will be denser be cause it takes more labor to produce a crop that yields a larger value. One of the needs of this state is the adoption of industries which will increase the average value of products per acre. T( Buenos Ayres and even to Pata gonia by rail will be one of the new trips available for the globe-trotter a few years hence. The projectors of the Pan-American Railroad are pushing southward from San Geronimo, on the Tehuantepec National, and expect to reach Quatemala before the end of the year. If the revolutions will cease re volving for a brief period, the line may be pushed well Into Guatemala before the end of the year. The route should present great attractions in cenic won ders and also offer some rare speci mens of nomenclature. For example, we note that trains are already in op eration as far south as Pijijiapan. On second thought, the Canadian Par liament has decided not to shut the lid down tight on Sundays. The trains will run, and the Sunday newspapers will go on just the same, and every citizen will bepermitted to make him self as miserable as he pleases in his own way. That ought to make him happy. What the average Canadian ob jects to is to have somebody else tell him how he must make himself miser able on Sunday. A Seattle young man fatally shot a Superior Judge because he thought the latter had interfered to prevent his at tentions to a young lady. The Judge failed to figure in the shotgun charac ter of Seattle love. It will probably turn out that the lone 'outlaw who held up five stage loads of Yosemite tourists in succession was the Valley hotel-keeper. But why did he hide himself at a turn in the road? The Bryan boomers should look after their man; he needs to be "seen." A datto might coin silver at 16 to 1 and pull down the flag in the Philippines, but a President probably not. They are quoting District Attorney Manning as saying In Seattle that if Mitchell had slain Creffield in Portland "he wbuld not even have been arrest ed." He meant "convicted." We glean from Eastern exchanges Just at hand that the Fourth was about 50 per cent more sane and safe than the hysterical effort to make it so. Liquor can be sold by a 'wet" county tb a. "dry" one in Oregon Is state prohibition necessary to stop this method of securing liquor? Mr. Bryan declares that he greatly "enjoys the freedom of private life." The whole country enjoys having Mr. Bryan enjoy himself. Senator Depew will serve his country during the Summer by spending the Senate recess abroad. He has no in tention of resigning. Why should he? He hasn't been convicted by a jury. Portland, It appears, broke all pre vious building records for June by 106 per cent. That is even a higher notch than the July thermometer. JOB FOR PLUTOCRAT PREACHER Let Him Show The Oregoalaa the Error Of Its Ways. Salem Capital Journal. The Oregonian should mend the error of its ways and become more orthodox la its religious views. Dr. Hill should quit the employ of the millionaires and plutocrats long enough to convert The Oregonlan. Its cold and heartless materialism in assailing the vested rights of the plutoc racy is discouraging to capital invested in- churches. Does not The Oregonian know that Dr. Hill is a labor union man, and pleads the cause of the down-trodden at $500 per month and an occasional trip to the holy land thrown into the bargain? In the early days when Scott and Pit tock were young men trying to pick up a living among the big stumps where Portland now stands, there was no Y. M. C. A. stretching out its helping hands to set right the young. They had to grow up the best they could with such simple equipments of morality as the golden rule and rustle for your self and the devil take the hind most. And the former was not as much practiced as at present. The man with the least conscience and the most cunning did not always get the highest rewards for his activity, but fre quently dangled atthe end of a rope. When in their old age 3cott and Pit tock are trying to get right and are ex posing the avarice and greed and gen eral cussedness of the trusts and monop olies, they ought not to be discouraged. Dr. Hill has no patent or monopoly on being good. There is no law that forbids any man, even though he be a hoary sin ner from away back, from turning from evil and being just as good as he can be. We are not claiming that Scott and Pittock are as good as Dr. Hill or any of as new lights of public morality, but for the chance they had, in an unenlight ened pioneer age. when most ministers preached for glory In lieu of cash, they have done fairly well. If Harvey Scott ever gets to heaven he will probably be fenced off in a corner somewhere with Joab Powell, Dr. Driver and other backwoods exhorters of the huckaback variety. The high-salaried, kid-glove, smooth shaven dispensers of orthodoxy would not relish the plain-spoken unkempt camp meeting shouters who washed themselves at the watering troughs and dried on a saltsack towel. It's a hard job trying to split a tough old stump, but Dr. Hill and Rev. Dr. Brougher should forego their annual out ing at the Summer resorts and convert The Oregonian into a clean, moral, re ligious newspaper. Will This ln)te You Shudder! Springfield Republican. Since railroading began people have Im agined the case of the engineer who should suddenly die at the throttle and leave the train, filled with passengers, to the mercy of chance for the remainder of the run. Engineers, like other men, may have heart disease or apoplexy, and, if they have attacks while on duty, there you are. This long-imagined case actu ally was realized and perhaps it has been" aany times before on a fast ex press train running from Trenton to Phil adelphia Thursday last. The engineer died at his post, nobody knows just when, but the dead hand remained on the throt tle and the sightless eye continued for miles and miles to glare along the road bed in front of the rushing train. The fireman observed nothing unusual; the track was clear; every switch was prop erly turned and the flyer sped on within scheduled time. Not until the train ap proached Philadelphia and a place was reached where the speed is usually slack ened did the fireman feel a thrill of alarm. They were entering the city like the whirlwind, and then, examining the en gineer, he found him dead. Suppose a wreck had occurred before the fireman's discovery. The engineer would have been found "killed." and his "negligence" would have been held responsible for the disaster. Hot-Weather Fish Story. Ellensburg Capital. It will be remembered that last year the Hayes brothers did some boring for artesian water on their farm in Johnson canyon. After they had gone down less than 100 feet they gave up the idea, al though they had struck water which came up to the surface. They covered these holes they bored one of 10 inches' and another of 6 inches' diameter for the safety of stock and have done nothing with them since. Lately a remarkable discovery has been made. W. T. Sheldon, who has a farm near by had occasion recently to lift these covers, and he was surprised to see scores of fish rush from the surface into the depths. He called the attention of others to the strange con dition and many have since seen them. No one has gone to the trouble of catch ing any, but Mr. Sheldon says they look like trout and he believes they are. He saw no large ones, but says they certain ly made up In large numbers. The ques tion naturally presents Itself, where did these fish come from? Mr. Sheldon's the ory will doubtless be accepted. He thinks the drill holes connect with an under ground lake or river. Junk Dealer Buys Courthouse. Somerville (N. J.) Dispatch in N. Y. Sun. The Somerset County Courthouse, one of the most striking specimens of old Dutch architecture in New Jersey, was sold by auction today to Hyman Kline, a junkdealer, for $125. It was built in 1779. soon after the British burned the first county Courthouse at Millstone. An ef fort was made to preserve the old build ing, but it failed. The building will be razed, and on its site will be erected a white marble Courthouse at a cost of $300, 000. The high stone steps, the columns supporting the lofty portico and many other of the striking features of the old Courthouse will be preserved in the archi tecture of the new building. Spokane'Newspaper Change. The Orator, a Spokane weekly, a year old and in the first class of Its kind, has absorbed the Outlook. Mr. Norman, edi tor of the latter, will enter the daily newspaper field. Remarks From the Pup. Burges Johnson In Harper's. She's taught me that I mustn't bark At little noises after dark. But Just refrain from any fuss Until I'm sure they're dangerous. This would be easier, I've felt. If noises could be seen or smelt. She's very wise, I have no doubt. And plans ahead what she's about, Yet after eating, every day She throws her nicest bones away. If she were really less obtuse She'd bury them for future use. But that which makes me doubt the most Those higher powers that humans boast. Is not so much a fault like that, ji Nor yet her fondness for the cat. But en our pleasant country strolls Her dull Indifference to holes! O If I once had time to spend To reach a hole's extremeat end, I'd grab it fast, without a doubt. And promptly pull It Inside out; Then drag It home with all my power To chew on it In a leisure hour. Of all the mistresses there are. Mine Is the loveliest by far Fain would I wag myself apart If I could thus reveal my heart. But on some things, I must conclude. Mine la the saner attitude. KING ALFONSO'S CHANCES. They Are In Favor of Ills Escape from Assassination. New York Tribune. While King Alfonso himself, and many others besides, are imbued with the con viction that he is destined to die by the hand of an assassin, his consort may de rive some comfort from the fact that of all his long line of predecessors upon the throne of Spain, throughout a period of nearly a thousand years, not one has been murdered. King Peter of Castile, sur named "The Cruel," succumbed to vio lence, It Is true, but It was during the course of a personal encounter with his brother Henry, and can scarcely be de scribed as an assassination. The contest between the two was witnessed by the French national hero. Du Guesclin, who, seeing that his friend, Don Enrique, had the upper hand, allowed him to finish oft his brother when he had the latter on the ground. Other rulers of Spain, but relatively few of them, have had their lives attempted. King Amadeus and Alfonso XII were both shot at, without sustaining any Injury, and old Queen Isabella was stabbed on one occasion when leaving church by a crazy and unfrocked priest, but her corset saved her from harm; the would-be mur derer was seized before he could repeat the blow, and the dress which she wore on that occasion, cut and pierced by the poniard, now figures among the numerous gowns constituting the wardrobe of Our Lady of Atocha In the, famous church of that name. Still. It cannot be denied that the crime of regicide Is Increasing by leaps and bounds In the civilized portions of the Old World, and that It is far more frequent today than it was in the medieval era. In the first half of the nineteenth century but one ruler was murdered. In the sec ond half a dozen perished by assassina tion in Europe alone, and although but six years have elapsed since the opening of the twentieth century already three rul ers have met a tragic fate. Seeing Things in Hover. Sunshine. A sight which Hoverlans will probably never see again was presented here a few evenings ago after a shower. Just be fore the sun set, its radiance burst through the clouds while the raindrops were still falling. This resulted in a two-thirds circle rainbow. This is not an unusual sight anywhere, but across the river from Hover, and at a point midwity between Attalla and Two Rivers, was presented the most gorgeous phenomenon of a lifetime a mirage sunset in the east. Turning to the west, one saw the orb of day through the light mist of the rain, and the reflection not only of the sun but of the foothill behind which it now sinks from sight was perfectly mirrored in the east. Straight Dinner Comes In Again. New York Press. London society has taken to dining with out the aid of an orchestra, and those gifted with garrulity will now have a chance to hold forth undisturbed In the "musicless restaurant." Music and din ing are incompatible, say the enthusiasts of this latest fad. For a long time BOclety has had to be baited with something be sides food, no matter how elaborately or florally served, to get it to attend a din ner, and music was considered an essen tial attribute to these entertainments. Now, however, the straight dinner has come in again. Doubtless it is a relief to have a chance to converse In a normal tone, but It is doubtful If London does without music or a compromise of some sort for long. Never Wore the Same Suit Twice. New York Times. On Jlo a week Harry H. Forsyth, as sistant treasurer of Proctor's One Hun dred and Twenty-fifth-Street Theater, was the Beau Brummel of Harlem for a time. He never wore the same suit of clothes two days in succession, It is said. Now he is in the Tombs, held in $2000 ball, on a charge of stealing $440 and withholding 500 theater tickets. Central Office detec tives appeared as complainants against him in the Police Court where he pleaded guilty. He was held for further exami nation. Prison Sentence for Plutocrats. Omaha Bee. A prison sentence on Toledo Icemen re sulted in a reduction of 13 a ton in the price of ice in that town. Where fines have been imposed in other cases the con sumers have usually footed the bills In higher prices. A Song of the Airship. Leslie's Weekly. Oh. the horse and the wheel, and the auto mobile, And the train for the people who crawl, But for him who will dare take a ride In the air, A journey to heaven's blue wall; A race with stars In their silvery cars. And a brush with the moon as we fly, Is the trip to enjoy when all earth-pleasures cloy. Then ho! for & spin In the sky. The world, with Its woes, and Its rains, and Its snows. Drops down like a plummet below. And the universe lies straight ahead as we rise Like an arrow unloosed from the bow. The cloud-wreaths divide like the foam on the tide. And the planets like lampposts flash by As we daringly sweep through the aerial deep Ho! ho! for a spin In the sky. ABSOLUTE SECLUSION IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS DURING HIS VACATION DU POSrS FIGHTING BLOOD. Delaware's Next Senator Has a Fine Civil War Record. From Various Sources. In 1861 two classes were graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. At the head of the first stood Henry Algernon DuPont. of Dela ware. He carriers from the distinguished family of that name (who can proudly write themselves De Nemours, from the French ducal house thus called), that in every war the Republic has fought has had a son In both the land and sea serv ice for over a hundred years. Graduating, as he did. first In his class. Henry A. DuPont could have gone into the Corps of Engineer. But the fighting blood of the ancestral head of the De Nemours (who went up in the breach of the wall at Ascalon side by side with Godefroy de Bouilllon) was strong within him. He could not sit In an easy chair and well-carpeted office with a war go ing on at the very city gates. So Du Pont respectfully declined the commis sion in the swell Corps of Engineers and chose the artillerv instead. At all the great battles In which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, the ring of DuPont's lS-pounders was heard. He was breveted for times for "distin guished services and gallantry in action." When the war closed he was a brevet Colonel and Brigadier-General. He could have had the actual rank three times, but he would not leave his guns the guns he had made famous on 20 stricken fields. Just after Chancellorsville. when Merritt and Custer were Jumped, one from First Lieutenant, the other a Captain, to the rank of Brigadier-General, DuPont was offered the same grade. "No," he said. "I will stick to what I understand best." When the wag closed and peace was made, Henry Algernon DuPont hung up his stainless sword and took up the business of the great powder factory of Dupont de Nemours, over a century old. At his princely home on the Brandy wine he dispenses the most charming hospitality to old foes who were In front of his guns and those who supported them. Cannon In Role of "Noblest Roman." New York Sun. Compliments for the Speaker are al ways in order in the closing days of a session of Congress, but there Is nothing perfunctory about the tributes paid to the Hon. Joseph G. Cannon. There has been no presiding officer bet ter liked in our time, and Mr. Cannon Is admired and esteemed in spite of the fact that his policy has raised up a large body of insurgents in his own party, and to spite of periodical denunciation as -in iron-handed despot by an unterrifled but helpless minority. How can the language of amiable hy berpole used by Representative Townsend in speaking of Mr. Cannon In the House be accounted for? Is the Speaker "devot edly loved by every member?" Is he, to quote Mr. Townsend, "younger than the youngest and stronger than the strongest, 'the noblest Roman of us air "? A well-preserved and remarkable man Is "Uncle Joe," but a partisan withal, and a good hater as well as a staunch friend. He would be the last man In Congress to wear a halo, and he has no Illusions about his greatness. The secret of his popularity In the House is com posite. He Is always one of the boys," his heart being on the floor with them, although he sits In the exalted chair of Speaker and rules them grimly for their own and the country's good; they know him as a thoroughly trained and sapient legislator who never loses his head: his human nature is all-embracing and equal to every emergency; he is so good an American that he might pass for Uncle Sam himself. Other Speakers have been looked up to and even feared, and many have enjoyed the esteem of their assoclats; but Mr. Cannon has won and rtained their per sonal affection while commanding their respect under the most trying circum stances. Nickel Soda for Convicts. Columbus Dispatch. "Soda water, 5 cents!" These words, spoken in a whisper, may be heard in the halls of the penitentiary In the evening nowadays. Warden Gould has given permission to sell soda water behind the walls to the convicts, who eagerly look forward to the evening, when, during hall permit, they are able to get this delicious refreshment. Old prisoners, who served behind the walls for many years and know what it is to be held so strictly to rules that they almost forgot how to talk, look with wonder on the development of the ele ments of humanity. The soda, however, Is "the goods" with the convicts, and many a man who laughed at the person who drank soda on the outside likes his little Ice cream now as well as he liked his whisky be fore. Retrospection. Walla Walla Statesman. The old-fashioned woman said little and spanked much; the woman of the present time says much and spanks lit tle. When we remember the spankings we got when we were little, we think to day's woman Is the better, but when we see how noisy today's children are we wish we could have more old-fashioned women around. Yes, If a a Little Premature. Baltimore News. Fun 1st being poked at London Punch because It referred to the President's son-in-law as "Senator Longworth." Per haps the defense will be made that the term Senator is in literary use in England as applicable to any legislator. From the St. Paul Pioneer Press.