THE MOKMNQ OEEGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1906.
Entered at the Postofflce at Portland. Or..
a Secnnd-CJnss Matter.
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PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY. AUGUST it.
TARIFF AND TRUSTS.
President Roosevelt, In his letter to
Representative Watson, of Indiana,
nays: -"The. question of revising the
tariff stands whoUy apart from he
question of dealing with the trusts'
that is, with the control of monopolies
and with the supervision of great
wealth in business and' especially in
corporate form."
Yes, and no. Of course there are
great trusts some of the greatest, as
Standard Oil that are not favored by
protective tariff; and to deal with the
tariff would not affect the methods of
euch trusts, or abate their abuses. But
look at the steel trust, as another type.
Very probably removal of the duties
on steel would not overthrow the steel
trust, so strongly established and in
trenched is it; trut certainly to allow
free importation of steel would cut the
profits of the trust, and to that extent
relieve the people of a burden.
No generalization, such aa the Pres
ident has made, on a subject so com
plicate as this, can be wholly correct.
Because there are trusts that exist
without protective tariff establishes no
ground or proof for the assertion that
no trusts are or can be favored by It.
It te true that the greatest of the
abuses of which the trusts are guilty
arise from their methods of distribu
tion and coercion of markets, which
can be abated only through such leg
islation by Congress as has been re
cently' enacted, and such prosecutions
for. violations of the laws and the pres
ent Administration has undertaken.
No changes of tariff could affect these
abuses; and so far the President is
right. But It is an error to say that re
Vision of the tariff stands wholly apart
from dealing with the trusts or some
of them.
PANAMA LABOR PROBLEM.
The definite decision of the Govern
ment to secure a trial shipment of Chi
nese laborers for the Panama Canal
Is virtually an announcement that the
policy of direct construction Instead of
by contract is to be pursued. This
has been one of the grave questions
with which the Government 1ms had to
contend. In view of the experience
with big contracts In the past, there
was a general belief that better results
would be obtained by the contract sys
tem. It Is always possible where re
liable contractors agree to do a certain
amount of work for a stipulated sum
within a certain time limit, to deter
mine with a fair degree of accuracy
what the coot of the work will be.
Without the contract system there will
be more uncertainty as to the length of
time necessary and the cost of the
' work may toe greater than it would
have been had it been let out by con
tract. If, as the Government has de
cided, . it Is necessary to secure Chi
nese labor In order to proceed expedi
tiously with the work, it may be
that the present plan of direct con
struction will be preferable to that of
the contract system. .
There is and will continue to be op
position to admission of Chinese la
bor on the isthmus, and this opposition
would be much more effective when
directed, against a private contractor
than when It is directed1 against the
Government Itself. When the situation
on Jhe Isthmus is better understood
and the impossibility of . securing a
sufficient number of white Americans
to perform the gigantic task is more
fully demonstrated, it Is probable that
there will be very little objection raised
against -the -temporary employment of
the Chinese. More than a year has
passed since active efforts to secure la
borers for canal work was commenced,
and the result of these efforts Is far
-from satisfactory. With a crying de
imand for all classes of labor In all
parts of the United States, where cli
matic conditions are perfect and the
environment and living-are Incompara
bly superior to the same things on the
fever-haunted isthmus, there is abso
lutely no Inducement for labor to aban
don the United States for the Isthmus.
Naturally It Is not 90 much this indi
vidual act or any effect It will have in
depriving Borne American laborer of
his daily bread that is causing the op
position of some of the labor leaders.
.They dislike to see a precedent estab
lished which might be called up in
some future emergency wherein the In
terests of American labor were more
deeply involved than they are In the
present case. But, owing to the lan
guage of the treaty with Panama, un
der which the Government Is building
the canal, it will be impossible .to make
(any use of the act of employing Chl
neserori the Panama Canal as a prece
dent oil which to base a similar policy
in American territory, . where . labor
jwould be -injured by Asiatic competi
tion. Panama is not United States terri
tory, and the jurisdiction of the United
States Government over the canal zone
is limited to certain specific acts and
duties. The Republic of Panama
'granted to. the United States the "use,
occupation and control of a zone of
land," the boundaries of which were
set forth In the treaty, "for the con
struction, maintenance, operation, san
itation and protection of said canal."
Under the treaty with Panama, no
United States law, either on Chinese
labor, the tariff or contract labor, can
be made to apply without authority
from the Republic of Panama. Chief
Engineer Stevens has repeatedly ex
pressed the belief that the canal can
be completed at a much earlier date
than was originally set, providing a
sufficient number of efficient laborers
can be had. On account of the enor
mous Investment In the enterprise,
every day that can tie saved in com
pleting the great work will mean a
vast saving In interest charges alone,
and if this saving can be effected by
the employment tf Chinese laborers,
without in any way affecting the In
terests of American labor, the Govern
ment should be exempt from criticism
for -endeavoring to economize .in time
and money.
THE IDEAL. DETECTIVE.
The ideal detective is a man who un
derstands how to Jay. up. $70,00.0. in five
years from a eaJary of $70 per month.
This lie could not' do' if he wasted his
precious hours pursuing murderers
and arresting burglar. A detective
who knows his business pays no atten
tion to murderers. ' "What would It
profit him if he should arrest a thou
sand? There is no graft In bringing a
man to the gallows, though an honest
penny may now and then be turned
by letting a murderer escape.
The ideal detective Is rarely so hard
hearted as to arrest a. thief. It .Is more
merciful as well as profitable to take
half or two-thirds of the swag and let
him go. He believes with Dogberry
that the most peaceable way to be rid
of a thief. Is to let. .him steal out. of his
company, after paying for the privi
lege. It is beneath his dignity to take
notice of small thefts and petty crimes
which offer no promise of graft. When
a case Is assigned to him to- "work up"
he first considers whether or not there
is any graft in it. If there Is, he calls
upon the criminal for the detective's
proper share. If there Is not, he for
gets all about the matter as soon as
possible. In no case does he conde
scend to make a report to his superi
ors. A report. In fact, would be a
gross Indiscretion for the Ideal detec
tive, because it would reveal so many
things which were better left unsaid.
To- the ideal detective every criminal
is a source of Income. The more
crimes he commits the more profitable
he Is. Hence the detective who should
try to prevent crime would be a fool.
He would be cutting off his own nose
to gratify the public. Each new crook
that comes to the city is so much clear
profit to him. When he is compelled
by public clamor to order one to leave
for a time, It Is so much loss. Hence,
under the fostering hand of detectives
whom the city pays, burglary flour
ishes and murder goes unpunished: To
the ideal detective every crook In the
city Is his familiar friend, and to them
all he is a benevolent patron as long
as they divide up fairly.
Of course. If they do not play the
game on the square,, the case la dif
ferent and the ideal detective may
then be compelled to arrest hie best
friend; but this is a very rare incident.
In general the thieves are loyal to their
patron and the patron Is kind to his
flock. In all this It is only the public
that suffers, and the humble public
long since learned how divine a thing
it Is to suffer in silence. Among the
queer dispensations which an Inscruta
ble Providence has bestowed upon us,
the ideal detective Is the most mysteri
ous. He seems in some way to have
missed his aim. He Is a sort of social
boomerang. Aimed originally at the
criminals of the city, he has whirled
round and smashed the nose of the
public.
WOODMEN FOR THE WOODS.
. Again the statement is made that the
forest patrol system, as applied to this
state, has been weakened in effect toy
the displacement of woodsmen, skilled
In their craft, by men enjoying a polit
ical pull and wearing the cloak of civil
service examination, but wholly un
learned in the lore of the woods.
Adolph Aschoff, a man who knows the
woods, as a horseman knows his
horse, and who loves horses withal, is
late authority for the statement that
friends of the heads of the depart
ments are given positions as rangers
who have no training for the work,
while good men have been displaced to
make room for them.
This Is not unlikely, and, if correct,
Is certainly to be deplored. Many re
member the scandals that grew out of
the Indian reservation service years
ago by the appointment of men who
had never plowed a furrow, hoed a row
of potatoes, planted a hill of corn .or
grown a pumpkin, as "farmers" upon
Indian reservations. Political hacks.
whose only passport to official favor
came through their success as vote'
getters on election day, or crafty ma
nipulators of votes in a Senatorial
crisis, were commissioned as Indian
agents or "farmers," and sent to dis
play their Ignorance of agriculture be
fore the less Ignorant red men. The
result cropped out In waste and woe
and semi-starvation on the -reserva
tlons. Ground that was reported "un
der cultivation" had simply been
scratched over, and, drying up, pro
duced nothing but a crop of baleful
weeds; farming Implements and ma
chinery that toad cost the Government
thousands of dollars rusted in un
tooused desolation throughout the In
clement season, and was tout clumsily
used at any time, for the simple rea
son that the Government "farmers"
knew nothing whatever about the use
and care of them. The lesson was a
costly one, and it Is to be regretted If
it 13 toeing repeated in kind. If not In
detail, in the appointment ' of forest
rangers In this district.
' THE CANNON BOOM.
It is not any "sullen" boom of the
cannon that has been rolling out of
Danville, 111., and up and down the
land for the past few weeks, for the
boom of Uncle Joe more resembles the
Joyous bark of a popgun startling but
pot frightful, sullen or solemn. No
man whoso Democratic proclivities are
so strikingly reflected In the angle at
which he pitches his cigar and wears
his hat pressed down over his perspir
ing brow can fail to become a good
deal of a popular idol. As a statesman
and a speaker, Mr. Cannon Is held in
high regard by his friends, but as a
Presidential candidate It Is question
able how many votes could be ototained
In exchange for being a good fellow
and a first-class speaker.
Of course, out here In the Golden
West, on the borderland of Utopia, we
have Damon and Pythias and David
and Jonathan friendships which compel
our Governor to refuse the Vice-Presidency
'and pass it on to Washington's
ex-Senator, who In turn passes It back.
There is many a political crown "thrice
declined" for obvious reasons out
West," tout in the East the political
game has developed into more of an
each - man-for -himself-and-the-devll-
take-the-hlndmost" affair. When the
tooom of the Illinois Cannon was heard
along the "Wabash, far away," it
awakened no responsive echoes, and
the cold zephyr which blew off the gla
cial candidate whispered that "Indiana
Is for Fairbanks, first, last and all the
time."
Over In the Badger State more sound
was extracted from the Cannon boom
by the friends of La Follette; 'and in
Massachusetts, if Uncle Joe's cigar and
hat were not enough to queer him in
Boston, there is a Lodge in that "vast
wilderness" of smug, self-satisfied Ig
norance who will attend to any possi
bility of the Cannon boom becoming
very loud. And ec on -down the line.
As a Presidential possibility. Speaker
Cannon will be kindly regarded, but,
should he develop into anything more
than a possibility, he will learn again
of man's inhumanity to man when he
becomes mixed up in a political Jack
pot without openers.
A PUSH TOWARD PATERNALISM.
Professor J. Pease Morton, of Tale
University, recently read a paper be
fore the American Association for the
Advancement of Science which con
tained some startling heresies. Among
other novel propositions the professor
advanced the opinion that the life of a
human being is more valuable than
that of a pig, and the toealth of a child
as Important to the Nation as that of
an apple tree. This incendiary doctrine
was not thrust boldly forth; the pro
fessor rather Insinuated than asserted
It; but his meaning was unmistakable.
"The Government,'! . he said, "spends
$7,000,000 annually on plant health, but
not one cent on the health of infants."
Again, "Thousands have been expend
ed to stamp out hog cholera, but not a
cent to eradicate pneumonia among
human beings." He also pointed out
that of those persons now living on
the earth some 8,000,000 will die of con
sumption, and remarked, with either
real or simulated horror, that the Gov
ernment raises not a hand to help
them.
Why should the Government raise its
hand to help them? The Government, as
a Yale professor surely ought to know,
has more important matters to look
after than pneumonia, consumption
and children's ailments. Hog cholera
pertains to animal industry, which Is a
department of business and 'therefore
may well claim a share of the public
funds. Should all the hogs In the coun
try die of cholera, what would become
of the packing Industry? It would
wither away. On the other hand, even
if . twenty millions of human beings
died of consumption, Instead of a pal
try eight, the packing industry would
not be affected. Indeed, mere human
deaths have been found rather profita
ble to It. Something similar is to. be
said of the money expended toy the
Department of Agriculture on plants.
It makes business flourish. Children
may die by the million without affect
ing business In the least; therefore the
Government has no legitimate Interest
In them; tout if all the apple trees in
the United States should succumb to
the scale and the woolly aphis, think
how the profits of the commission men
and the railroads would be depleted.
The aim and object of human life Is
to do business. The catechism is mis
taken In laying It down that the chief
end of man is to glorify God and
keep his commandments. The chief
end of man is to amass profits. In
comparison with profits, life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness are idle
vanities and the glory of God a pass
ing show; and, since profits arise from
business, man comes nearest to his
Ideal condition when he is driving a
bargain. It follows that government
may properly devote to the promotion
of business all the funds and energy
It has left from getting ready for war.
This, of course, as Professor Morton
might have figured out for himself,
leaves nothing for the public health
and similar minor matters.
Not only is the professor wrong from
a practical, or business, point of view,
but he is also wrong In theory. We
have been taught upon high authority,
and we are all Inclined to accept the
precept, that the best, government Is
the one that governs least. Now, In
doing what it does, whether much or
little, the Government either benefits
or Injures its subjects. If It injures
them, then the anarchists are right and
we should plainly be better off If gov
ernment were abolished. If we are un
willing to agree to this, we must admit
that government is of some use or
benefit. The Jeffersonian maxim,
therefore, really means, "that govern
ment Is best which Is of the least use
or toeneflt." Stated a little more elab
orately, it Implies that the Government
should always waste the taxes It col
lects, tout never on any account spend
them for a useful purpose. In fact,
there are grave constitutional objec
tions to any expenditure for the pub
lic good, such as roads, quarantine or
food Inspection; tout who ever heard of
the Constitution being quoted against
an investment like the Philippine
Islands? Our fundamental law gives
limitless .play to waste and thriftless
ness, but draws the purse strings tight
against public betterment of any sort.
It Is always difficult to get money
from Congress for objects like those
which Professor Morton enumerates,
but easy for pompous and splendid
waste. The Smithsonian Institution
has been a needy toeggar at the doors
of Congress for more than half a cen
tury, though It is one of the most be
neficent foundations eVer endowed by
man. Compared with the sums appro
priated to the Army and Navy, the ex
penditures for animal Industry and
plant experiments are trivial. Our
Philippine adventure has cost a billion
dollars, while the Mississippi Valley
cries vainly for a canal to the east and
a deep-water channel to the Gulf. The
Postofflce Department complains of the
extravagance of Congress In voting the
meager millions which go to the free
delivery system; the people plead to
deaf ears for a parcels post and postal
savings banks; but the funds flow free
ly enough when It 18' a question 'of pay
ing for the Inspection of the products
of the beef trust. The Government has
plenty of money to spend for the de
fense of the people's lives, tout very lit
tle to make them worth defending. To
a mind like Professor Morton's, most
of the governments of the world, with
all their vain ponvp and parade, must
look like a man who spends his income
for drinks at the club while his wife
goes without a -gown and his children
are shoeless. Or, perhaps, to him .the
Government more resembles that fa
bled family which spent all Its sub
stance on one big dinner each year to
the elite of the neighborhood and lived
on flint soup the rest of the time.
Governments delight to be grand,
glorious and gay, tout they bate terri
bly to be useful. The tendency of our
times is, however, to eliminate the use
less, and we may therefore expect to
see Congress taking up the tasks
which Professor Morton specifies In
the course of the next few years, but
what it will make of them Is another
question.
Late reports from the wrecked
steamer Manchuria offer but small
hope of the vessel ever leaving the
treacherous reef on which she struck.
There is something almost pathetic in
the contemplation of such a magnifi
cent steamship of vast proportions be
ing battered to pieces by the waves
which sweep over her. Even the sight
of a dirty old tramp steamer or sailing
vessel grinding out her life on a reef
awakens unpleasant emotions In man
kind, and, as "the liner she's a lady,"
the feeling of distress over her plight
is heightened. The Manchuria, big,
powerful and costly, was a marvel of
marine architecture, equipped with
every modern appliance Tor safety.
With speed and power of the highest
degree, she seemed well able to told de
fiance to all dangers of the ocean. But
the mightiest works of man are weak
and Insignificant In comparison with
those of Nature, and the grim old
ocean, ever watchful for a chance at
those who defy its power, caught the
master of the Manchuria napping for
an Instant only.
An Interesting convention is that be
ing held in this city this week by the
American Association of Instructors
for the Blind. Prom whatever stand
point It may be viewed whether from
that of political economy, wise philan
thropy or simple humanity the prog
ress made In the last quarter of a cen
tury in teaching the blind to see
through other channels than the visual
organs has been remarloable. Helen
Keller is the most conspicuous exam
ple of this progress of the present gen
eration. Laura Brldgman was the
most noted example of' the initial step
In this progress, taken In a preceding
generation. Less conspicuous, but use
ful and happy examples are numerous
in every state of the American Union.
Philanthropy has had no brighter star
In the crown of Its endeavor In recent
years than that w"hlch has given light
to the blind. The convention to be held
In this city next week no doubt will
furnish bright illustrations of this fact.
Labor, 00 far from rising to meet Its
opportunity all along the line, skulks
and shirks and in many lines is found
wanting. This Is especially true of un
skilled labor, which of all types should
lay hold upon opportunity most eager
ly. The laborer who does not stay
long In one place, but moves on after
eaclr payday, will, when Winter comes,
be without means to secure food and
shelter. His call for food and lodging
will be heard at the Salvation Army
barracks In every city, 'and his plaint
of hunger will be heard at the back
doors of many suburban homes.
Neither call nor plaint should be heed
ed. The man who will not work when
work Is plenty and wages are good
should be made to subsist upon the
pay of such Jobs as he can pick up in
the Winter. True charity sanctions
this decree.
The public will scarcely get wildly
excited over the ne's that the Island
of Juan Fernandez was sunk. If Dan
iel Defoe told the truth. Its popula
tion was never large, and we have
neved heard that the Immigration was
heavy after Robinson Crusoe left. So
we Judge the list of casualties was
probably not great. Yet It Is gratify
ing to note that we can get the news
from Juan Fernandez a great deal
more promptly than In the late Mr.
Crusoe's day.
The Oregonlan makes no boast that
Its contents are "wholly original."
They are not. The Oregonlan doesn't
pretend to cut out Shakespeare, the
Hebrew prophets, Socrates, Milton,
Dante, Cervantes, Burns and Thack
eray, and a thousand more. No, no;
if The Oregonlan were wholly original
it woufld toe a trifling publication as
trifling ae some others.
.The gillnetters and the seine fisher
men have no objection to the flshtraps
as long as they (the traps) don't get
In their way. But they add the pro
viso that the traps are always In the
way. They probably will be, so long
as the sole occupation of both the fish
ermen and the traps is to catch fish
where they are to toe found.
Detective Day had fifty-three cases
referred to him In two months, and
kindly consented to tell what he did on
four of them. What he did wasn't
anything. What toe did on the remain
ing forty-nine was the same. Why
should they bother him to tell what
they already know?
San Francisco, It is observed, was
the first American city to start a fund
for the relief of Valparaiso. One good
turn deserves another, and It may be
up to Valparaiso to do something for
San Francisco, which Just now has
money to shake at any earthquake.
"The Duality of Man's Mind" en
gages the attention of the Malheur
Gazette ' In a leading editorial. The
railroad will get In there, presently;
and then abstract thought will give
way to the practical work of life.
All you need to do, says District At
torney Jerome to the Democrats, is to
nominate and elect; me Governor; and
I will do all the rest. That's the rea
son they won't nominate and elect him.
We shall have a railroad to Coos Bay
by the end of next year. Then South
western Oregon will begin to boom.
Look out for .enormous growth and
progress In Southwestern Oregon.
Robinson Crusoe's Island, 600 miles
from anywtoefe, has been sunk for a
few days by the grapevine newspa
pers. That's what It gets for being
near the earthquake belt.
Ex-Governor Geer seems to have
solved for himself the pressing prob
lem of what should be dons with him.
Unexpected,' but nevertheless highly
satisfactory.
County Clerk Fields has no. record
that twenty-seven couples .for whom
licenses were Issued In July were mar
ried. Not married? They know better.
The Illinois Republicans are ready to
revise the tariff "whenever needed."
That ought to satisfy everybody.
The earthquake was toad enough, tout
when It comes to a "seismic disaster"
we surely are hit too hard.
The Illinois Democrats simply want
Bryan to attend strictly to his business
of running for President.
BIGELOW AGAIN AT PANAMA.
The Writer Severely Crltlelaea I'n
beautiful Condition.
Poultney Blgelow has again visited
the Panama canal and again written a
bitter attack directed at the manage
ment In September's Cosmopolitan
there appears the first of three arti
cles of which Mr. Bigelow la the author.
He remained at the scene of his Inves
tigations six weeks somewhat longer
that his first record-breaking vlBlt
giving special attention to what he
calls the "human side" of Panama.
It will be remembered that Poultney
Blgelow made statements last year rel
ative to the alleged mismanagement of
the Panama canal that called forth
much criticism. His article was print
ed In the Independent and created a tre
mendous stir all over the country. He
appeared before the committee on inter,
oceanic canals of the Senate where It
developed .that the Journalist had been
at Panama for less than i& hours. Ho
refused to divulge the source of Infor
mation but steadfastly Insisted that
everything he had rltten was based
upon facts. The Cosmopolitan, which is
owned by W. R. Hearst, asked Mr.
Bigelow to return, to Panama to make
a more exhaustive examination.
"Mr. Roosevelt may easily learn the
truth if he will but visit Colon dis
guised as a plain man seeking Infor
mation from those who know, and not
from men who have an ax to grind. If
he Is wise and visits Jamaica on the
way he will see that the dirtiest part
pf Kingston compares favorably with
the beat part of Colon. And yet there are
$10 spent In Colon to $1 at Kingston.
The difference is -not all stolen; It Is
wasted through political Jobbery."
In these words Mr. Bigelow com
ments on the planned visit of Presi
dent Roosevelt to the Panama canal.
He attempts to show among other
things that real ' estate ownership
among canal officials Is responsible
for the crowding of unsanitary Colon,
and that the employment of the white
labor on the canal Is an unnecessary
waste of human life and money. His
most startling charge Is that there is
a political ring which controls real es
tate at Colon and forces the natives to
pay exorbitant rents.
"When 20,000 worklngmen and their
families are compelled by our Govern
ment to pay exorbitant rent for shacks
built over swampwater, and when at
the same time our authorities Issue re
ports pronouncing the sanitation of
the xone as satisfactory, it is high time
we asked questions. Let us put an end
to the political ring which controls real
estate at Colon and do something with
the people who are dying with the real
disease, while some of our medical .offi
cials are playing with diseases of the
fancy."
He says that when he was there In July
Colon's streets were mostly under water.
The article states that the wells are of
doubtful utility, for the water Is tainted
with the cesspool and latrine refuse. One
of the sharpest of his remarks Is:
"If a ruler were proposing the best
means for diminishing population, he could
study with advantage our present municl
pal government of. Colon, but to dothls
he must not confine his studies to orrir
daily doctored reports."
According to Mr. Bigelow, many of the
canal officials own lotg on the unsanitary
land at Colon, and that consequently they
have a pecuniary Interest In congesting
population so that rents may rise. He
says that the city has doubled In popula
tion within the last six months, but that
Instead of furnishing relief, the officials
decline to afford the people more space
on which to build.
a
Gross stupidity and mismanagement are
alleged. He gives an example of gutter-laying,
the purpose of which was to
collect surface water. After it had been
completed, according to Mr. Bigelow, it
was found that no openings had been left
for the water to seep through Into this
concrete drain. These were made later
by breaking through the cement with a
pick. , The openings at the sea had defect
ive iron flaps which sometimes prevented
the dirty water from running away, but
never prevented high tide from entering
and flooding the very street the gutter
was intended to keep dry.
In speaking of the character of the men
employed, Mr. Bigelow sarcastically
writes:
"When a man tells you on the Isthmus
that he is an engineer, you don't know
whether he has tended a soda-water foun
tain or run an elevator."
He says it Is mainly the Incompetent
and the corrupt ho care to run the risk
at Panama. In comparing the difference
of existing conditions in British Guiana
and Panama, he says:
"Come with me to Demerara, at the
mouth of the Essequibo River, in British
Guiana, still closer to the equator. There
you may see one' of the most healthful
cities In the tropical world, situated on
soil below the sea level. Walk the streets
of Georgetown and you will see that the
soil la well drained and dyked: that the
sanitary Inspection is honestly done; that
the sewage is disposed of on practical and
not theoretical lines. Consequently.
Georgetown Is as free from fever and dys
entery1 as any city of the United States.
But at Colon the health service Is neither
Intelligent nor honest. The whole tene
ment Bection Is like one smelling cess
poolit is so at this moment."
There Are Some Others, Too.
HILLSBORO, Or., Aug. 21. To the Ed
itor.) I notice In this morning's Orego
nlan that Captain La Follette, of Monta
vtlla, says he haa taken The Oregonlan 47
years. I wisluto say I have taken it con
stantly ever since it was first published.
In 1850. and I am still taking it. Is not
that going Captain La Follette some few
years better? THOMAS OTCHIN.
No Chance for Norah.
Boston Transcript.
' "Mrs. Flnnlgln's Nor-rah must be nigh
to thor-rty now, and she not married!"
"She says she ain't met her mon."
"Huh! Her mon ain't bor-rn ylt, and
his mother's dead!"
NEWSPAPER WAIFS.
Wigs "BJones was after a political Job
for a Ions; time. What's he doing now?"
Wagg "Nothing. He got It." Philadel
phia Record.
"la that friend of yoUTs a great debater?"
"He Ms," answered Senator Sorghum, "in
the kind of an argument where money
talks." Washington Star.
Griggs "That fellow Splcer claims to be
connected with eome of our best families."
Brlggs "He Is. He takes their orders for
groceries over the phone." Boston Trans
cript. Freddie's Aunt "Why, Freddie. what's
the matter? Don't you like your new toy
motor-boat?" Freddie "Oh, auntie. It -boo,
hoo, hoot it-It doesn't leave any
s-a-smell!" Puck.
"Say, "Weary, wot's contemp' of wealth?"
"It's da finest kind o' contemp' you can
feel. A man wot has It would give up a
t'ousand dollars a day sooner n work for
it." ClevelarM Plain Dealer.
"Who Is the best informed woman in your
city?" asked the visitor. "Mrs. Dressalott."
replied the native. ''An! is she a collega
woman?" "No; but she patronises every
dressmaker In town." Judge.
NO MORE. NEGRO TROOPS
Government Withdraws Them From
Texas and Abandons Fort Brown.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 21. The negro
Federal troops have been ordered out
of Texas. Instead of going to Fort Rln
gold, which Is about 10 miles up the
Rio Grande from Fort Brown, the bat
talion of the Twenty-fifth, Infantry has
been ordered to Fort Reno. Oklahoma.
This action Is In accordance with the
direction of the President, and also Is
recommended by General McCaskcy,
commanding the Department of Texas.
By direction of the President, also. Gen
eral J. Franklin Bell, chief of staff, will
make a thorough Investigation of the
whole Brownsville affair and report to
the President
Fort Brown Is to be abandoned. The
company of the Twenty-sixth Infantry
which was sent there today will not
stay very long. Its duty is to pack all
the moveable Government property,
which will bo shipped to other points,
when the troops will be ordered away.
The Investigation now under way will
he continued by Major Blorkson, and the
War Department authorities state that
every effort will be made to find out
the facts and fix the responsibility for
the disturbance, and that any soldiers
found guilty will be punished.
CAUSED BY RACE PREJUDICE
Army Officer's Report on Negro
Raid at Brownsville.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 21. General
Ainsworth today made public a report
received from Major Blocksom, of the
Inspector-General Department, who Is
Investigating the trouble between the
citizen of Br-nsvllle, Tex., and the
negro troops stationed at Fort Brown.
The telegram says:
"Causes of disturbances are raolal.
People did not desire colored troops
here, and showed they thought them
Inferior socially by certain Blights and
denial of privileges at public bars, etc.
Soldiers resented this. There were sev
eral Individual encounters between sol
diers and citizens.
"About midnight of 13th party of
soldiers, probably 9 to 15, made raid
through several squares of town, firing
75 to 150 shots, killed a Dartender and
dangerously wounded Lieutenant of
Police. They also fired into several
houses, where women and children nar
rowly escaped being shot. Raid lasted
from 8 to 10 minutes. Claim made that
citizens fired first, but I believe with
out foundation. Although the act
probably preconcerted, do not think
commanding officer could have fore
seen. "Citizens cannot identify Individual
raiders and authorities have made no de
mand for them. Investigation now going
on has as yet discovered none. Com
manding officer today invited a commit
tee of three citizens to assist In conduct
ing investigation. People are still In a
state of great nervous tension and men
nearly all carry arms openly at night.
Women and children still frightened.
Consider it necessary to remove colored
troops, the sooner the better."
The War Department today received a
dispatch from General McCaskey, com
manding the Department of Texas, stat
ing that a company of the Twenty-sixth
Infantry had left the maneuver camp
near Austin. Tex., for Fort Brown, on a
special train and probably would arrive
there today. The battalion of the Twenty-fifth
Infantry, negro troops, will march
to Fort Rinoritold. which at present Is
unoccupied, as soon as the company of
the Twenty-sixth Infantry arrives.
WILSON INSPECTS INCOGNITO
Visits South Omaha Packeries and
Finds Them Good.
. OMAHA, Aug. 21. Secretary Wilson, of
the Department of Agriculture, unattend
ed arrived at a local hotel late last
night, and, without registering or dis
closing his Identity, early this morning
drove alone In a closed carriage to the
packing plants In South Omaha. After
a short inspection of several of the plants
the Secretary, again returned to this city,
saying.:
"I am going to South Omaha, but I
don't want my Identity known. I have
Inspected all the packing plants and
found them In good condition. I will go
from Omaha to Minneapolis." '
Want Pay and Title to Go With Work
WASHINGTON, Aug. 21. Some better
mthnH of ndvannemenfr Of Officers of
the Philippine Scouts Is advocated by
Brigadier-General James a. cucnanan,
retired, former commander of the Depart
ment of the Vlsayas, In his final report
to the military secretary of the War De
partment. Under the present law, lieu
tenants cannot be promoted to the grade
of captain- Many lieutenants of the
Philippine Scouts are and have been for
the last five years performing a captain's
duty, others raised.organlzed and for three
or four years kept their companies in ex
cellent condition, only to have a first
lieutenant of the line supercede them In
command with a captain's rank and pay.
Vollva Declines Dowle's Terms.
CHICAGO. Aug. 21. John Alexander
Dowie said last night that all negotiations
between himself and Wilbur Glenn Vollva
for settlement of the Zlon City tangle
have been declared off. Dowle Issued a
statement last night in which he says:
"All attempts at negotiations have end
ed In failure. I made a clean-cut propo
sition, but Vollva and his adherents re
fused to consldor it. Then I offered to
consider a proposition from them, but it
was twice stated that they had none to
offer. Hence negotiations are closed and
there Is nothing more at this time to
say."
Chinese Students Confer.
AMHERST, Mass., Aug. 21. A confer
ence of Chinese students of the eastern
part of the United States began here last
night with an address by Paul H. Linn,
of Columbia University. The programme
will run through the next four days.
The object of the conference is to bring
Into closer contact for purposes of study,
discussion, recreation and the enjoyment
of social advantages students from China
who are In Eastern Institutions of learn
ing. Various Chinese educators of promi
nence will address the meetings, and the
Chinese Minister, Sir Chen Tung Liang
Cheng, will speak on Thursday.
Pat Crowe Turns New Leaf.
NEW TORK, Aug. 21. Pat Crowe, of
Omaha, who was taken In charge last
night by the police, but was later given
his freedom, called at police headquarters
this morning, In accordance with an ar
rangement made last night. Crowe had a
long talk with Sergeant Dunn. He told
him he had given up his old life. He said
he was engaged 1 nnewspaper work and
meant to earn an honest living hence
forth. He was told that he could remain
in the city as long as he did as ho prom
ised. Rumor of Greco-Bulgarian War.
WASHINGTON. Aur. 21. A report cir
culated here today that as a result of
strained relations between Greece and
Bulgaria, the Greek Minister at Sofia, the
Bulgarian capital, haa been recalled. The
report was discredited at the Greek Le
gation here.
Extra Dividend on Federal Mining.
NEW TORK, Aug. 21. The Federal Min
ing & Smelting Company today declared
regular quarterly dividends of 1 on Its
preferred stock and 1H on its common
stock, and an extra dividend of 2V4 per
cent on Its common stock.
DENVER'S liTBERAJj GIFT.
Enriches Franchise - Grabber Still
More.
DENVER, Col.. Aug., 2L (Special.)
Without a word of debate or explana
tion or the loss of a moment's time, the
Board of Supervisors has surrendered the
rights of the city In the Lacombe Elec
tric Plant to the Denver Gas & Electrlo
Company and, so far as the board could,
entered into a contract with the Gas &
Electric Company to furnish arc lights
to the city for $60 per year for . the next
10 years.
This step was taken in spite of the
fact that the courts are now Investigat
ing the recent election, when it Is
claimed the people voted In favor of
the light company franchise, with the
probabilities that the result as declared
by the Election Commission will be
found to have been fraudulently arrived
at and will be overturned.
Under the terms of the franchise
granted the Lacombe Electric Company
in 1901. the city had the option to pur
chase the plant any time by paying a
fixed price, beginning at $225,000 at the
time the contract was entered into.
Each year the city was to receive a
credit of $20.0(0. This now amounts to
$125,000, and It Is this amount of money
the Board of Pupervisors by Its action
voted to the Denver Gas & Electrlo
Company.
The ordinance went to the Council to
night and was referred, but is absolutely
certain of passage by that body -and ap
proval by the Mayor.
Mrs. Kmma Wells, Judge of election In
the Twelfth Ward, stated on the stand
todiy In the franchise contest before
Judge Llndcy, that she was approached
by S. 8. Campbell, of the Denver Gas
& Electric Company, before election and
offered $25 If her precinct was carried
for the gas franchise. She added that
an additional offer was made to her of
a position with the gas company for her
niece if the precinct returned a favorable
majority.
Another wltnesn testified that 11 bal- '
lots were cast In Ward 12, Precinct 15,
after the polls were closed.
MAKE THE ISSUE CLEAR CUT
Government Attorneys Taking Pains
With Standard Oil Indictments.
CHICAGO, Aug. 21. In preparing
the indictments upon which the Stand
ard Oil Company Is to be tried for ac
cepting rebates, the Government at
torneys are making an especial effort
to have the Issue clear cut, and to that
end a conference has been called for
Wednesday. District . Attorney J. J.
Sullivan, of Cleveland, has been sum
moned, and In company with Assist
ant Attorney-General Pagln, Special
Prosecutor Morrison and his assistants
will examine each Indictment carefully
and endeavor to draw It so as to pre
vent It being quashed on a technical
ity. In order to give the attorneys all
the time needed, both the Juries ad
journed yesterday until Thursday
morning, when It Is believed they will
make their reports to Judge Bethea, of
the United States Court.
REBATER3 ALU APPEAL.
Burlington, Thomas and Taggart
Raise Technical Points.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 21 The Chicago, Bur
lington & Quincy Railroad Company, con
victed at Kansas City on the charge of
giving rebates to packing companies, has
taken an appeal to the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals here. The Bur
lington assigns, among other errors, that
the court erroneously Instructed the Jury;
that the shipments were destined for a
foreign port, and did not Interfere with
Interstate commerce laws.
George L. Thomas, - who operate a
transportation freight bureau in New
York, and his clerk, L. B. Taggart. who
were convicted on a charge of violation
of the interstate commerce laws, also
appeal from the Kansas City court's find
ings, claiming that the Indictment did not
charge the commission of an offense
against the United States.
To Prevent Cereal Consolidation.
AKRON, O.. Aug. 21. An injunction
suit ngainst Chicago and Cleveland di
rectors of the American Cereal Com
pany to restrain them from transfer
ring the stock of the company to the
Quaker Oats Company for the purpose
of forming a consolidation of the cereal
companies of the country has been filed
here. The suit was filed by Carl R.
Ganter, of New Tork. A temporary In
junction haa been granted by Judge
Parde.
WILL BE BATTLE WITH REBELS
Dominican Army Goes Out to Meet
Revolutionists.
CAPE HAYTIEN, Hayti, Aug. 21. Ad
vices received here from Guayabln, Santo
Domingo, say that General Guelllto, at
the head of 900 revolutionists, nas iert
Dajabon to Join the troops of General
Navarro and make an attack upon Monte
Crlstl. The government of Santo Do
mingo has sent 1200 men from Moca
against the revolutionists. It Is believed
that a desperate civil war will follow.
New Zealand Seeks American Trade.
WELLINGTON, N. Z., Aug. 21. In the
speech from the throne at the opening of
Parliament today, the Governor of New
Zealand, Baron Plunket, said the promo
tion of trade with the United States and
Canada would be one of the subjects to
be considered during the present session.
The members would also be asked to con
sider proposals for a renewal of the sub
sidies for the San Francisco and Vancou
ver mall services.
Assassins of Americans Caught.
CAPE HAYTIEN, Aug. 21. The as
sassins of Milbourn and Thurston, the
two Americans employed as collectors
In the Dominican "customs office, who
were killed recently near Las Matas,
have been arrested at Port au Prince,
Hayti. Tholr extradition is demanded
by the Dominican government.
Destructive Storm In Tunis.
TUNIS, Aug. 21. A violent tornado
swept over this district today. It was
accompanied by a terrific hall storm and
lightning, which killed eight farmers and
hundreds of head of cattlo. Landslides,
resulting from the storm, have destroyed
the railroad and have broken, down the
telegraph lines.
Alabama MlnersJ Strike Off.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Aug. 21. At the
headquarters of district No. 20, United
Mineworkers of America, this afternoon,
the statement was made officially that
the local unions have voted to call off
the strike of miners, which has been in
progress at the mines of the four big fur
nace companies in this state since July
25, 1904. The strike affected 6000 men
and cost their organization over $1,000,000.
Newsdealers In Session.
CHICAGO, Aug. 21. The annual con
vention of the National Association of
Newfidealers, Booksellers and Stationers
began here today, with delegates pres
ent from all parts of the United States.
Extra Dividend on Republic Iron.
NEW YORK, Aug. 21. The Republic,
Iron & Steel Company today declared the
usual quarterly dividend of 1? and an ex
tra dividend of 2 per cent on its preferred
stock.