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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1906)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1906. 8 H;f (Drc ijrmtan Entered at the Postofflce at Portland. Or., as Second-Class Matter. srascBirTioN ratks. C INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. U (By Mall or Express.) DAILY. SUNDAY INCLUDED. Twelve months $8.00 fx months i'S- Three months 2.25 One month L'JS Delivered by carrier, per year 9 .00 Dellyered by carrier, per month T3 Lcss'tlme, per week...- 20 Sunday, one year 2.50 Weekly, one year (Issued Thursday)... 1.50 Sunday and Weekly, one year 3.50 HOW" TO REMIT Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at the senders risk. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The s. I'. Beekwith Special Ageney New Tork, rooms 43-50, Tribune building. Chi cago, rooms 510-512 Tribune building. KEPT ON SALE. Chicago -Auditorium Annex, Postofflce News Co.. 178 Dearborn street. St. Paul. Mum. N. St. Marie. Commercial 8tatlon. Denver Hamilton tt Kendrlck. 006-912 Seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store. 1214 Fifteenth street; I. Welnsteln. GoldfleUl, Nev. Frank Sandstrora. Kansas City. Mo. Rlckaecker Cigar Co.. Ninth and "Walnut. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh, 50 South Third. Cleveland, O. James Pushaw, 307 Superior street. New Tork City L Jones & Co., Astor House. Oakland. Cal. W. H. Johnston. Four teenth and Franklin, streets; N. Wheatley. Ogden D. L. Boyle. Omaha Barkalow Bros., 1612 Farnam; Ilageath Stationery Co.. 1308 Farnam; 240 South Fourteenth. Sacramento, CaJ. Sacramento News Co., 430 K street. Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co. 77 West Second street South; Miss L. Levin, 24 Church street. Loh Angeles B. E. Amos, manager seven street wagons; Berl News Co., 326 14 South Broadway. San Diego 1: E. Amos. Pasatteua, CaL Berl News Co. Ban Francisco Foster & Orear. Ferry Mews Stand. Wellington, D. C. Ebbltt House, Penn sylvania avenue. PORTLAND, SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1006 HOW THEY DID IT. Fault is not to be found with the present charter of the city as it stands so much as with the use that was made of the methods employed in its formation and adoption, for exemption of the holders of old franchises, from the terme of the new charter, by re arranging in advance the whole bunch of them, extending them to long terms and juggling the whole business so as to add immensely to the value of the old franchises, at the expense of the city. With the charter as it stands we have found and now And little fault; but there is every reason to censure and condemn the rascally proceedings In connection with its formation and enactment; through which old fran chises were renewed Just before Its en actment, and for which Its enactment was delayed in order that the authors of the conspiracy might make profit for themselves and immense profit they made while subjecting future franchises to conditions from which they exempted their own. This was a most scoundrelly piece of business, pursued and accomplished through plu tocratic craft and greed. It should consign to infamy every person con cerned in it; and it stands as a warn ing against repope of further confidence in them, in any matter whatever. You may bar your doors against common burglars; but how are you to provide against these secret schemes of whole sale plunder, under forms of law, and under professions of public spirit and virtue? Of course you see that men who will deal with a public trust In this way will take also every advan tage In private business, through craft and cunning, that they possibly can. The editor of The Oregonian, though nominally a member of the charter board. was seldom present at the meetings, and paid little attention to the proceedings. He was a member of no one of Its com mittees, never was present at a com mittee meeting and confesses that he didn't know at all what was going on. It was a fault, perhaps, that he did not withdraw his name from the board, or that he did not suspect that the chief actors In the preparation of the char ter and holders of the franchises had sinister purposes, that ought to be watched and exposed. He, with others, naturally Bilpposed there was to be a square deal. There were. Indeed, many meetings of the board; but, as he re members, he was present not above twice, and then only a few minutes either time. But, if he didn't know what was going on. and what was in tended, neither did the majority of the members. About three men made the charier, and not above five knew what was in It. These were In the secret of the juggle with the franchises, under the old charter, and were engaged In getting special privileges under it, in anticipation of the adoption of the new one. which denies such privileges to others. Though we have said we have not found much fault with the new char ter, here Is a very serious fault In it. It does not give the city power to regu late the charges for service, or to pre scribe the quality and extent of the service itself. No doubt this was pur posely omitted: since the operation of the old franchises was to continue un der the new charter, and our franchise holders didn't want to be hampered by sueh restrictions. Inasmuch as they copied closely from the charter of San Francisco, in these matters, except in this particular, it need not be sup posed this omission was unintentional or accidental. The fact Is that until attention to the charter and to the franchises was forced by the gas In vestigation, only the interested parties and they were few knew fully what had been done by these schemers for personal advantage. And perhaps all don't know all about It yet. But at length we do know much. We know, for example, how these first class citizens got larger advantages under the new charter than any others ever can obtain under it; and how they, by "working" the Common Council and the Legislature, exempted themselves and their assigns from burdens that others must bear. Thus, we can get no report of the operations carried on un der the franchises, that were fixed up and extended to long terms Just before the new charter went into effect en actment of which was held up five days in the Legislature, after it had passed both houses, in order that the work re quired might be completed In Com mon Council of Portland. But every holder of a franchise now granted must make a report to the City Auditor of his whole business every year. In full detail, showing receipts - from all sources and all expenditures for all purposes, together with full statement of all assets and debts, costs and profits of service, etc., as the Auditor may re quire; and the Mayor is to embody it In his annual report for Information of the public. But our operators exempt- ed themselves from this and other re quirements by getting their franchises extended barely ahead of time, holding up the proceedings in the Legislature to accomplish it. So the people have no means whatever of arriving at knowledge of what the greatest and most numerous of the corporations op erating under out public franchises are doing, or of controlling their action, for nearly thirty years to come. But our thrifty charter and franchise- mongers have maae rigorous cuiiui tlons for all who may desire to enter into competition with them. These proceedings were employed largely for the purpose of increasing the value of the franchises for sale; or. If sale could not be effected, great advantages would result from the conditions, to our thrifty "best citizens." In a multitude of ways, too long to enumerate, they arranged it so that privileges and ad vantages are secured to those holding the franchises existing at the time the new charter was enacted; while "every franchise (granted under thla charter" is subject to the close condi tions from which these people excepted themselves. Hence the people can know nothing about the operations of the great public-service corporations in which the authors of this conspiracy were interested. And they have sold out for millions, and put into their pockets the proceeds of the colossal fraud. A true story, as well as a fable, may teach a moral. This true story teaches a moral It will be well to remember, namely: ."Don't trust your 'best citi zens.' Watch them." THE BOARDING-HOUSE HABIT. Births in Portland are much belbw normal conditions. Why should they be? There are marriages enough, and married couples enough. But few children. Many couples have none. What is the reason? The boarding house habit. The desire of so many couples to avoid the duties and respon sibilities of family life. At bottom, self-indulgence and general selfishness. They who intend not to have children never should marry at all. Marriage for such is mere profanation. Persons who marry, man and wife, who go to boarding-houses, have no children, and stifle life in its secret and sacred sources, never can know any thing of the joys of bringing up a fam ily, which exceeds all other joys of the world. Such deserve no happiness; never get It. Of course It is a sacrifice to bring forth and bring up children. Yet the most inestimable of human rewards. In this world there is nothing so fine as the spectacle of a young mar ried couple living in their own little home, alive to every duty, day and night, and bringing up their children. They who refuse this miss all the beet rewards of life. Why is it refused? Through hard human selfishness. Of course no word that can be spoken will change or amend It. But these persons, man and wife, living In profanation of marriage, have and can have no happiness, never will have happiness; because they do not deserve It. A NEW DOCTRINE Most people felt their blood run cold when the newspapers printed the re port that five respectable citizens of Toledo had been imprisoned for organ izing an ice trust. Td be sure, Ice trusts were unlawful, but so were oth ers, and there was a common under standing that laws of this kind were not meant to be enforced. They were like plaster of paris birthday cakes, baked to be looked at, but not eaten. If things came to a pass where some body must be punished for breaking the anti-trust statutes to satisfy the clamors of the mob, it was understood that the penalty should be one that would not hurt the criminal's feelings or injure his respectability. A rich lawbreaker might be fined, for exam ple, but never imprisoned To pay, a fine with graceful indifference rather enhances one's social prestige. It Is an effectual way to display a man's wealth and, when not too heavy, introduces an agreeable variety in the tiresome monotony of spending money. But im prisonment hurts. A family sometimes boasts that one of its ancestors was hanged, but never that he spent a term In the City Jail. There is no way to dignify a sojourn in the cooler. It is pure, unadulterated punishment. Hence the general shudder when five mem bers of the first families of Toledo were marched from the Police Court to the jail and there locked up in their re spective cells. We all felt much as the besotted peasants of Europe did when the French cut Citizen Capet's head off. Would not the stars flee from their places? Would not the heavens fall? They have not fallen yet, at any rate, and the sentence was passed two or three weeks ago. The ice-trust magnates whom Mayor Whltlock, of Toledo, and his Prosecut ing Attorney marched oft to Jail were no worse and no better than the mem bers of the first families of Portland and other cities who are engaged in transactions of the same sort. They were highly respected citizens, leaders in high finance, church members and contributors to good works. Their only fault was that they were pirates who utterly disregarded the law when It stood in the way of plunder. Formerly pirates had for their emblem the black flag adorned with a skull and cross- bones. This they ran up to the mast head when a prize was in sight to warn their victims to get ready to die. Our plutocratic pirates have discarded this barbaric emblem and adopted in Its stead a motto. "We Intend to run our business in our own way" is the mod ern substitute for the death's head and bloody bones, and, though mild and innocent in appearance, it is really much more deadly than the other. The beef trust claimed the right to run its business in its own way and flood the country with meat putrescent and de filed, which had been doctored with chemicals to look harmless. The milk trusts in many cities claim the right to run their business in their own way and deal out to babies foul and disease laden milk. The ice trusts demand the same privilege. All they ask is to be let alone. It Is safe to say tltat our piratical trusts cause more deaths in a single year than all the nautical pirates on all the seas of the world in the last five centuries. Think of the ghastly doom roll of the railroads alone and add to It the multitudes slain by poisonous food, drink and medicine. They include the young children sacrificed to the plu tocracy In mills and the strong men killed by machinery, and all those who succumb to deadly disease brought on by fetid air and inhuman conditions of labor. The deeds of Captain Kidd were the pastimes of an innocent child com pared with what our prayerful aristo crats are doing in defiance of the law year in and year out. And yet when a little bunch of them is sent to jail we shudder as if sacrilege had been com mitted. The discovery that law can strike the rich Is new In our social system. We have hitherto supposed that gold was a sort of lightning rod. Whoever had enough of it was as safe in a courtroom as a barn with a dozen points on the roof Is In a thunder storm. The truth that trust magnates and plutocrats or all sorts can be punished for their crimes like common men will rank with the great scientific discoveries such as Newton's law of gravitation and Dar win's natural selection. Moreover, It has been brought to light by men who j ought to rank in political economy and jurisprudence with Galileo and Huy- gens In physical science, for it will transform civilization. These dis coverers are not college professors. Few advances In any science have been made within college walls, in this coun try at any rate. The legal and political J science of the colleges is a mass of con ventional statements, some true and many false, but all adapted to sustain and Justify the special privileges of the plutocratic rulers of the Nation. Political economy, for example, is a collection of the rules which the "eco nomic man" follows in his pursuit of wealth. "Economic man" is a polite synonym for hog. A swine, up to the limits of his opportunities, obeys all the precepts of political economy without any instruction whatever. Our new leaders in thought and con duct do not believe that the hog is a worthy model for human beings to imi tate. They discard the infernal precept that any man has a right to conduct his business as he pleases without re gard to the welfare of others. Bach person engaged in trade depends upon organized society for defense and sup port. Without the public, neither his business nor himself could exist. There fore in every enterprise the public is a partner and should have something to say about the method of conducting it. It Is a wholesome doctrine that any business carried on to the detriment of the public is a crime. This doctrine is slowly taking the form of law and the nascent law acquires energetic potency in the hands of our new school of polit ical leaders. t ARMOR-PLATE MONOPOLY. The spectacle of the representatives of the Bethlehem and Carnegie Steel Companies pleading against granting the Midvale Steel Company a "monop oly" of the armor-plate business of the Government was rare and pathetic. There is but one customer for armor plate in the United States, and that customer Is the Government. When we first began construction of battleships the Carnegie and the Bethlehem armor plate manufacturers formed a com bination and proceeded to rob the Gov ernment in the most approved manner of modern Industrial highwaymen. The charges were so extortionate that at nearly every session of Congress the matter of establishing a Government plant for manufacture of the armor has been seriously considered. Natur ally, with a business that yielded such extravagant profits competition at last appeared, and last year the Mid vale Steel Company put in a bid that was so much lower than that of the Carnegie trust that It created the greatest consternation, and Incidentally secured for the new bidder all the work that the ordnance department thought could be turned out with the compara tively limited facilities of the plant. The profits, even at the reduced fig ures, were so enormous that the Mid vale people immediately began enlarg ing the plant, and this year was In po sition to bid for the entire amount of armor-plate needed. They submitted bids for supplying the plate needed for the two battleships now under con struction at prices $170,000 lower than those submitted by the Carnegie-Bethlehem trust. The able gentlemen who guide the destinies of the Carnegie trust may be grafters, but they are not fools, and when they discovered that the Midvale opposition was the real thing, and not a bluff, they began beg ging for a portion of the contract, of fering to accept the same rates as were submitted by the Midvale company. The Secretary of the Navy seemed indisposed to accept the statement of the Midvale people that they could turn out the full amount of plate needed, and on that ground divided the con tracts between the new company and the trusts. Now there are rumors that the Midvale has been taken into the fold by the others, and again there is no competition in the making of armor plate in the United States, although there are three big plants at which it is manufactured. No one ever heard of the leopard changing spots, or of a trust reducing prices, consequently the next armor-plate contract will neces sarily be let to the trust at the old-time fabulous prices which have aided Car negie in sowing libraries around the world with the recklessness of a man who is spending other people's money. Secretary Bonaparte states that the bids, which, of course, were all pared down to the Midvale basis, were "lower than any price heretofore paid by the Government for like armor, and lower, so far as the department is informed, than is paid by any foreign govern ment." As the Midvale works had previously had experience in making armor-plate, they, of course, made their bids with a margin of profit. According to the Sec retary of the Navy, they demonstrated that armor-plate could be made in this country as cheaply as in Europe. This being the case, there is no reason to fear European competition, and. In or der that the three-cornered trust so re cently amalgamated cannot force prices up to the figures demanded by the Carnegie-Bethlehem trust, an im mediate effort should be made to curb this monopoly by admitting foreign bidders. There are very few serious minded people in this country who be lieve the steel trust or the armor trust would fail to secure all of the American contracts for their product if the law compelling purchase of armor "of do mestic manufacture only" was repealed tomorrow. Farmers who have spent their lives in the Willamette Valley will scarcely un derstand the dispatches which give an account of efforts to break the elevator monopoly. In the Middle West the grain warehouses are called elevators because the grain is elevated to bins high up in the buildings and run down through spouts to the cleaners and finally to the cars. In the Willamette Valley an elevator is a warehouse. Grand Duke Alexis, the baby Czaro witz of Russia, is being taught to kiss ikons and wear a cross around his neck as a safeguard against violence and a pledge of loyalty to holy Russia. Poor little chap, only two years old and born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. He will, if signs serve, find something more practical than myths and tradi tions necessary to equip him as a ruler of the most turbulent empire on the face of the earth unless Indeed turbulence is merged into peace and tyranny into liberty long before his time comes. In this case, as a young man without a job and with his own way to make in the world, he will stand some chance of living happily and dying in his bed. Salem city officialdom is hopelessly divided and wrought up to the point of open warfare over the question whether brakebeam passengers on the Southern Pacific shall be invited to stop in Salem or ordered to move on. Those who be neve that the weary Willies would help harvest the hay crop and garner the grain want the hobos to alight and make Salem their rendezvous. Those who believe the dusty wayfarers would not work if they had a chance and are more likely to burglarize homes than pitch hay argue that the police should keep the city free of ufiknown tran sients who have no visible means of support. It's a close question in sociol ogy and well worthy the profound study it is receiving. The solution, if accompanied with new light upon the subject, will be awaited with anxious interest by all communities stricken by the labor famine. The organ of the first families was not always the organ of the first fami lies. It was started without their as sistance, and was about to die; but presently they took it up and made it their organ. It cannot now avail any thing for it to reprint against the pluto-aristocracy what it said before they plumped their money into it and made it their organ. It was against them before that; since then It has been their willing servitor, fed on the crumbs that fall from the plutocratic tables. To make good, the crumb-picker and pap-sucker of the first families now apologizes, and defends what It says It opposed before they adopted th "little sore-eyed thing," as it has since described what it was in its earlier days, and numbered it among their ser vants. Not one accusation, not one of the statements made by The Oregonian as to the mammoth franchise steal, has been met, or controverted. They can not be. They are truth, the overwhelm ing and damning truth. There is noth ing to be said in defense or explana tion of the perfidious and conscience less betrayal of the people by the fran chlsegraibbers; therefore they say nothing except to shout that "You're another." "Yes, we stole the fran chises,' they say, "but why didn't you catch, expose and stop us then?" High morality of this kind ever asserts its right to rob and steal when no one is looking, and to keep what it steals be cause the thieves were not caught in the act. The defeat of the street-car men's union is a notable victory for the Port- Jand street railway system. It is nota ble because it was won by the unflinch ing loyalty of a large number of men who have held their positions for a great many years and who have the highest respect and admiration for Manager Fuller. Perhaps, if there were more men of the Fuller type in charge of large numbers of wage-earners, strikes would be fewer. The Oregonian is not in sympathy with many of the practices of the street-car monopoly, but there is certainly no criticism due on the manner in which Mr. Fuller handles the old men who have known him for many years. Since Oregon occupies the apparently Inconsistent position of raising hops for the manufacture of beer at the same time that it is proceeding to prohibit the consumption of beer, would it not be wise to strike a happy medium and remove the Inconsistency by merely prohibiting the sale of liquor of strong er Intoxicating power than beer? Now this is a suggestion in behalf of tem perance and hopgrowing. To prohibit the sale of whisky would reduce the amount of drunkenness but would In crease the sale of beer. Now, Mr. Amos, you and Mr. Deckebach have the floor. You may both speak at once, If you wish. "Mr. Jackson," a name common in the comic papers a portrait of Mr. Jackson, a colored gentleman, usually accompanies the witticisms says something about Mr. Scott, meaning the editor of The Oregonian. With Mr. Jackson Mr. Scott has no controversy. Mr. Jackson is a property not a sep arate or individual entity. What The Oregonian may have to say, on any topic Mr. Jackson may be interested in, refers to Mr. Jackson's masters. Mr. Jackson will not engage the atten tion of The Oregonian. In view of the Maegly junction, de cision. It is possible that Mr. Hill will And It unnecessary to pull that fine hew depot at Seattle out by the roots and replant it at Everett. If Judge Frazer could be induced to go over to Seattle and determine just what each of the warring factions ought to have, white-winged peace would settle along the shores of Elliott Bay in short order. In the circumstances the refusal of the street-car men to strike was wise. Clearly they are not prepared for so grave an issue. Besides, the differ ences are not yet clearly defined. It may be hoped and expected that em ployers and employed will adjust dif ferences and get together, so no strike ever will be necessary. Of course now, infidels, apostates, un believers, heretics, proletarians and one-gallus democrats shouldn't have much to say. "Strike the drums! Let not the heavens hear these telltale women rail on the Lord's anointed. Strike, I say!" The chronic kickers had the scare of their lives, for they were face to face with the dilemma of walking or hiring an automobile. They should get to gether now and resolve that any car service Is better than- none. The Chicago banker who says he ought to be in the penitentiary, and is trj'ing to get in, should be accommo dated. Yet he is setting a very bad example for other alleged bankers. The Oregonian has wished to put all the people on their guard against those whose wealth has become dropsical through sharking up estates. Keep out of their clutches. The Czar feels that so long as he ex- ercises the imperial prerogative of his crown and vetoing his own acts, august head are safe. The Oregonian admits it was de ceived. It depended on the integrity of "best citizens." It never will again. WHAT PORTLAND HAS LOST. Awake at Last to Wrongs by Fran- cfalae Monster. Morning Astorian. Portland has just awakened to the fact that she has been shamefully treated by the street railway combine; that she has been gulled to the last dollar's worth of franchise property she possessed; and that she is, prac tically, without recourse except upon the plea of eminent domain for the re covery of the ravaged rights she gave so willingly to the adroit thieves. Well. It was getting around to Port land, anyway; every other city on the Coast has had an experience of the sart with corporate vultures, and now the Oregon metropolis can put up her fight. We hope for the city's sake she will put up a clean, hard, winning scrap; that she will be so successful that every other outraged community in the land will have a winning predi cate to operate uponwhen they shall be called upon to light the like. But. In the light of past experience, the country over, we are compelled to nurse a reasonable v doubt of that success. But Then, You Know, They Posed aa Honorable Men. Hlllsboro Argus. Portland is just discovering that in the past she has been robbed of valu able franchises. The time to have stopped this filching of public prop erty was when it was being consum mated. It's a poor time to lock the stable door after the ass has been stolen. No Shave in Fifty Years. Meadville (Penn.) Cor. Chicago Tribune. M. T. Freeman, of Chicago Township, Crawford County, one of the original Fre mont Republicans, is now in his 81st year. His first Presidential vote was cast for General Taylor In 1848, and since the formation of the Republican party he has been an ardent Republican, voting for General Fremont, the first nominee of the party for President, in 1856. At that time Mr. Freeman made a com pact that he would not shave until Fre mont was elected. His candidate lost, and Mr. Freeman remained steadfast to his agreement. No razor has touched his face since 1856, and while he never let the beard grow to an unusual length, still he has never had it trimmed short. Mr. Freeman has received an Invitation, as one of the original Republicans, to at tend the golden jubilee of the Republican party held in Philadelphia. K Mr. Freeman is still a bright and Inter esting conversationalist. When 15 years old he attended the celebrated Whig and Democratic mass meeting held in Erie, on September 10. 1840, which undoubtedly was the largest mass, meeting ever held In this end of the state, people traveling In wagons 100 miles to attend. Those were the times when "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too," "Log Cabin and Hard Cider," and "Roast Beef and a Dollar a Day" were the slogans. A Department Drug Store. Report from Rabbltvllle In The Dalles Optimist. For a full line of canned and pickled things and codfish and also hamm, call at the city drug store. Likewise ladle's cor setts and eoo'k stoves. A few of them choice potaters still on hand and a few settins of gooses eggs. Also a fresh cow with caff by her side. Try one of our new perscriptions called the Shepherd's Delight. They are very encouraging this hot weather. A Ballad of Andrew. The June Critic. "When Andrew was a 'ittlo lad He had no books to read. And so he butit a library His Intellect to feed. Whene'er he saw a useful book Says he, "I will put that in"; And German, French and Scots he took But nary Greek nor Latin. So diligent a lad, I fear, "Will not be seen again; He labored fourteen hours a day, And read the other ten. But when hie money all was spent. Says he, "So poor I feel. There's nothing left for me to do But make a little steel." Then everybody bought his steel And paid him such a price That Andrew was a millionaire In Just about a trice. But now he felt a fearful fear That rose to such a pitch It haunted him by day and night The fear of dying rich. He did not want the charge to stand On the eternal docket That A. Carnegie had expired With money In his pocket Says he, "To keep from such a fate I'll alter my char-ac-ter: I'll leave off making steel and be Henceforth a benefactor." In tfteologic zeal he gave An organ to a church. And then endowed an "Institute Of Biblical Research." He saw that college profs die poor In spite of their endeavor; He filled their pockets up with cash And now they'll live forever. He saw that we Americans In courage are but zeros; He spent ten million dollars to Transform us into heroes. He saw we couldn't spell. Bays be. While tears his eyes did fill. '"Spell Just as badly as you please. And I will pay the bill." What things are lovely, true and pure, Of good report and right. On these our Andrew thinks, and these He helps with all his might. So here's to Andrew Carnegie, K And when he's called above. He may go poor In pocket, but He will go rich In love. THAT THRIFT JOHN D.'S FRENCH CHATEAU. s. Rockefeller Stopping In a Town That Royalty Often Visited. New York World. The Chateau des Avenues. In Complegne. France, where John D. Rockefeller Is stopping with Professor and Mrs. Strong, his son-in-law and daughter, Is a two story brick and stone structure, of antique design, but in good condition. It has the steep roof of the old French castle and all the modern improvements of science. Its grounds are ample. It Is owned by the Countess de l'Algle. to whose husband Napoleon IIL gave the structure. Louis XIV. had a hunting box on the side of the estate, and It was In the old days a favorite resort of the monarch. Complegne. which Is only one hour and a quarter from the French capital, U? rather famous for Its golf links. They are beautifully laid out and adjoin a his toric forest of about 36.000 acres. The main course has 18 holes and there is a smaller one expressly for women. Being on the road to Rhfelms. the French klnes earlv acaulred the habit of stopping here for rest on their way home after being crowned. The first castle In town was built by Clovls. Charlemagne enlarged It and Charles the Bald further enlarged It still more. Other castles were built by other rulers. Louis XVI. was a great deal at Com plegne, and it was probable here that he saw ffrst the Indications of temper on the part of the people which was to result In the Revolution. One of the chateaux begun in the reign of Loulx XV. was used by the Czar in 1901 on his visit. In 1S06 Napoleon, who had decided to use the castle for a palace, turned out the rebellious students who had used It as a school and made preparations to re ceive his bride. Archduchess Mar,!e Lou ise. The wedding festivities took place In this- town, and It was here that "L'Aig lon" was born. An old history of the town still in man uscript tells how the Empress used to place the baby on the floor, where the Emperor would be sure to find it. The happy father would take the child up, tease It, and then place It In front of a mirror and tell It to behold the future Empercr of the world. A Disappointed American-Britisher. South Bend., Ind., Tribune. William Waldorf Astor is reported to be very ill. The announcement of his sick ness will brlpg forth little sympathy here in America, for no man in recent years has given the people of this country such Just reason for cordial dislike. Mr. Astor found America too democratic, and so, some years ago, he became a British sub ject. Since going to England his entire time has been devoted to an effort to gain royal favor. His overtures have, how ever, met with rather Indifferent success and it is said that he is a very much dis appointed man. Mr. Astor was ambitious to become a member of the British no bility. He wanted to bear a title commensurate with his millions. He thought that he could buy the object of his desire. In pursuit of this belief, he wined and dined those of influence and In every manner made his wish patent. iThe career of William Waldorf Astor has 'been a negative one. It Is difficult to un derstand his attitude. Trsgedy of a Forsrotten Shell. New York Times. The Natal Mercury (South Africa) tells the story of a Boer farmer named Mool man, who lately found a 4.7 naval shell lying on the veldt unexploded and took It home to his sister. She wanted the shell for decoration purposes, and be gan to dig out the lyddite, and, to soften it, poured cold water upon It. The lyddite and water began to effervesce, and the girl went indoors, and from the end of the passage watched the shell, which lay upon the doorstep. Suddenly there was a terrific explosion, and Miss Moolman fell dead, struck in the breast by a piece of shell. The whole house was wrecked, every pane of glass, every win dow frame and every door being cast to the ground, and most of the furniture being upset and smashed. A Solemn Prophecy In Politics. Triple-Leaded Editorial Paragraph In New Tork Sun. The Sun craves permission to present its humble service to the supreme pow ers at Oyster Bay, to Messrs. Piatt and Depew, to the new and austere hier archy of Odell and associates, to one Frank Wayland Higgins. the putative Governor of the State of New York, and to all sober-minded and self-respecting Republicans to whose confidence it can appear, and, with all deference and respect, submits: The next Governor of the State of New York will be a Democrat. The next Governor of the State of New York will be the next President of the United States. He Won't Last That Long. Springfield (Mass.) Republican. Mr. Bryan rises like a balloon In 1906, but his problem Is to land in 1908, Horse Talk. New York World. Note The Bide-a-Wee Society proposes to furnish free straw hats and free drinks to all working horses which apply. That suits us. See? And here's our best to the Bide-a-Wee. It's mighty hard lines on a decent hoes That works all day a-bearlng his cross. Nor ever complaining, nor going on strike, Nor scrapping about what he doesn't like. To have to suffer a long, long dry "When good cool water don't come very high; And to keep on trot to get hia work done. With his head unprotected from a broiling sun. So when we see The Bide-a-Wee. Or anybody elae. Doing "such deeds of charity. The horse Is with them on the spot To give them all the pull he's got; And whinny our thanks to tlfem and say They're acting in a Christian way. For a horse must look to the kind above For a little share of human love. Which, if they choose to disregard, He's up against It mighty hard. He Is Indeed! MAY FOLLOW FAWNING. From the Washington Evening Star. SOME FEATURES OF THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN First and f ore man t, mil the world news by Associated Pptm, special I correspondents and members of The Oregonian stuff, mukinjr the fullest and most complete record of any Pacific Coast newspaper. HAPPY CHILDREN AT PLAY IN THE SUMMER'S HEAT A warm weather round up by Marlon MacRae. of Portland younsters, rich, poor, and neither rich nor poor, enjoying themselves during the heated term dut In the j open air under our wealth of shade ; a human story well told and well pictured, by a staff photographer. PORTLAND BOYS LEARNING TO SWIM Their teacher Is L W. Myers, an expert In the employ of the Young Men's Christian Association. The most useful part of the instruction is class-work, showing how to res scue drowning persons and resus citate the unconscious. NEZ PERCES INDIANS CELEBRATE THE FOURTH Their manner differentiates from the white man's, yet on the last National holiday they recounted at the Lapwal Agency, the brave deeds of their fathers: illustrated by photographs by Major Lee Moorhouse, of Pendleton. , MIGHTY OCEAN RISING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA A stupendous volume of water from the Colorado River that can not be checked, Is pouring Into the Imperial Valley, destroying town, farms and orchards. One mistake of man promises to fill up an In land sea that has been dry for ages. SONS OF EMINENT MEN WINNING FOR 1 HEMSELVES Four boys of presidents have reached manhood and on their ac count have made names respected In this country. Running comment by Dexter Marshall on young men who are likely to figure large la future America; well illustrated. WILL TRY TO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL Two Americans, George Kistler, of Philadelphia. and William J. Glover, ot Blkton, Md., are now training for the blue-ribbon feat In natation swimming the 20 miles of choppy water between Dover and Calais. Kach expects to duplicate Captain Mathew Webb's great stunt of 31 years ago. SOME MIRACLES IN MINIATURE Alfred Benzon, a famous mind reader. Is visiting Portland. Some of his occult feats are simply as tounding. He "performed" pri vately for an Oregonian reporter, who recorded faithfully the mental and digital wonders. PERRY'S FLAGSHIP TO BE RAISED AND PRESERVED Congress, at the last session, ap propriated $20,000 to lift the Ni agara out of the sand and tow it to Erie, where It will be set up, as a museum in the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. It was this war ship under direction of Commodore Perry that defeated the British and drove them from Lake Erie In 1813. RECOLLECTIONS OF GEORGE H. WILLIAMS The veteran Jurist had a personal acquaintance with General W. T. Sherman, Senator John Sherman, Generals Sheridan. Hancock, Thomas and Meade, and gives an estimate of them. SUSAN CLEGG AND HER FRIEND MRS. LATHROP The village philosopher goes to the convention, but gets back the same day. If you want to forget the weather and other, troubles, read her first experience In a city bathtub. HUMOROUS PHASES OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE CAMPAIGN Dr. George C. Cressey, . formerly pastor of the First Unitarian church, writes about It from Lon don. British equal suffragists were making big strides toward recognition by Parliament when several cranks by strange antics gave the movement a bard back set. THE ROOSEVELT BEARS END THEIR JOURNEY With tomorrow's issue. Paul Piper's Jingles and E. K. Culver's pictures of the famous bears come to an end. The Teddy's visit Washington, pay their respects to President Roosevelt, shoot up the town, don cowboys' costumes and leave for the far West. BOOK REVIEWS AND NEWS OF LITERARY FIELD "What's going on In the world of letters Is recorded. Among this week's book reviews are: "The Awakening of Helena Richie." by Margaret Deland: "Foibles of the Bench." by Henry S. Wilcox: "The Life of General Hugh Mer cer," by John F. Goolrick: "Making Men and Women." by Emma A. Robinson; and "Humor of Bulls and Blunders," edited by Marshall Brown. SPORTS, BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL There Is practically nothing of mo ment In sportdom that Is not to be found In The Sunday Oregonian. The completeness of this depart ment Is not approached by any oth er newspaper In the Northwest. Spotting news from all parts of the world 'comes to The Oregonian in Associated Press dispatches, SOCIETY, MUSIC AND THE DRAMA All of the local social happennlgs are chronicled In these depart ments. There Is a readable re view of the past week, with its weddings and various gatherings hesldes announcements of the no table events that are to come. Mu sical and theatrical news is thor oughly covered by competent writ ers, and special attention Is given to telling what is In store at the different playhouses. Photographs and sketches add to the Interest of these pages. TREATS IN STORE FOR MUSICAL NEW YORK New Yorkers are , eagerly looking forward to what Is expected to be the most brilliant operatic season that an American city has ever experienced. During the coming Fall and Winter many of the greatest artists of the world are to appear at the great metropolis, be sides the best musical organiza tions of this country. Although the season Is not definitely out lined at present. It is known that the productions will be dazzling and stupendous. It is all told In the usual letter from Emile Fran ces Bauer. HOW WASHINGTON SOCIETY IS SPENDING THE SUMMER With the adjournment of Congress and the advent of the hot months, society at the National capital are leaving for the vacation months. In the Washington letter this week is some interesting chat about the plans of Senators, Representatives and members of the various diplo matic corps.