rr
UNior-
VOL. XXVI. NO. 14,263.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1906.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
S ARMY
ILL PROVIDED
All Western Cuba in
Sympathy with Him,
MANY DESERTIONS TO REBELS
Palma Buys Cargo of Guns
and Ammunition.
TOWN RETAKEN BY RURALS
Government Forces Recapture San
Jnan de. Martinez. Kebels Retir
ing Attack on City of Pinar
del Rio Expected.
HAVANA, Aug. 24. Unofficial advices
Teoelved from the western part of the
Province, of Pinar del Rio tonight are to
the effect that the insurgent forces now
concentrating west of San Juan de Mar
tinez are far more formidable and better
supplied for camping and a long and ag
gressive campaign than had been sup
posed. A prominent resident of Havana whose
word is beyond question returned this
evening from a three days' tour in the
vicinity of Ban Luis and San Juan de Mar
tinez. He informed the Associated Presa
that Pino Guerrera's following In Pinar
del Rio is now from 1500 to 2000 men. He
said the idea of his not having sufficient
ammunition was ridiculous, and that he
Is abundantly supplied with every possi
ble necessity. The behavior of his forces
Is excellent.
Wins Over Many Rurals.
He said the insurrectionists had eight
mules loaded with dynamite and that
lately they had received supplies from un
known sources. He positively declared
that fully a hundred members of the rural
guard had deserted and joined the Insur
rectionists since the trouble began, and
that practically all Cubans in Western
Cuba were sympathizers with the move
ment. , "'"'
Word has been received here from San
tiago that General Jesus Rabl, with 2000
veterans, will come to the Vuelta Abajo
to help put down the Insurrection. This,
however, is not confirmed.
The government's extra expenses since
August 19 have been $270,000.
Rapld-Fire Guns Useless.
The critics of the government privately
ridicule the plans of the government to
bring rapid-fire guns to the island, assert
ing that the experiences of the Cubans
with these guns In Cuba proved their
uselessness In battle. They admit, how
ever, their value for the protection of
cities and highways.
General Jose Miguel Gomez, at his for
mal arraignment today, denied the alle
gation that he had engaged in a, conspir
acy against the government..
There is no foundation in fact for the
rumor in circulation tonight that the gov
ernment has begun negotiations with
Pino Guerrera. More troops will be for
warded to the western district tomorrow.
Enlistment Goes Slowly.
Aside from slight encounters In the
Provinces of Havana and Santa Clara,
nothing of Importance has transpired
there today. The enlistment of rural
guards and volunteers Is going on very
slowly In the provinces, but In the City
of Havana enlistments are somewhat bet
ter. The City Council this afternoon ap
propriated $5O,q0O for the support of the
city militia, of which there are two di
visions, the Interior and exterior.
The government expects that the steam
er Mexico, which will sail from New York
on Saturday, will bring eight rapid-fire
guns, 10,000,000 cartridges and 12.000 Lee
rifles.
The disturbed condition of the country
Is Interfering greatly with commerce. The
transportation of merchandise by railroad
has practically ceased, shippers fearing
the seizure of their goods.
President Palma's son has Joined the
Havaan city militia.
Palma Works Day and Night.
President Palma has not left the palace
this week. He Is constantly receiving re-
ports, holding consultations and issuing
orders. He is assisted in his work by
Font Sterling, Secretary of the Treasury,
and General Rafael Montalvo, Secretary
of Public Works, who since the resigna
tion of Senor O'Farril, Secretary of State
and Justice, divide the duties of those
offices between them. The three continue
at their work until nearly morning. Pres
ident Palma bears the strain of his labors
remarkably well, considering his age, and
does not appear especially fatigued. In
spite of the arduous nature of the duties
he has performed for the last four years,
contending most of the time with a hos
tile Congress. The President Is hopeful
of the outcome, and Is confident of the
loyalty of Cubans In general.
Senor CFarril expects to go to New
York soon. .
GUERRERA MOVES OX GCAXEZ
Will Soon Attack Pinar del Rio De-
' dares Ills Policy.
HAVANA, Aug. 24. Pino Guerrera,
with most of his command, left San Juan
de Martinez this morning with the ob
ject of occupying Guanez, situated on the
extension of the Western Railway, which
la not yet in "operation. The traffic man
GUERRERft
ager of the Western Railway reports
that trains are running and the telegraph
line operating to San Juan de Martinez
today is without any interruption any-'
where.
The government regards Guerrera's
movement on Guanez as a retreat from
the troops gent against him from the
City of Pinar del Rio.
Guerrera declared previous to his de
parture from San Juan de Martinez that
after occupying Guanez and getting ac
cessions from the people in the lower
cart of the Vuelta Abajo district, he
would return and surround and capture
Pinar del Rio. He says his policy Is to
occupy towns as peacefully as possible.
to continue the local authorities in office
at present and change the officials grad
ually and compel the government to an
nul the last elections and hold new ones.
Campos Marquettl (colored). Radical
Liberal member of Congress for Arten
sla. Province of Pinar del Rio, has joined
the insurrection.
The government force in the City of
Pinar del Rio today consists of 250 ar
tillerymen and 150 rural guards. The in
habitants of the City of Pinar del Rio
are reported to be loyal and it is said
that most of them are armed and will
assist the troops In resisting an attack
on the part of the Insurgents.
Orestes Ferrera, who was the cam
paign secretary and manager of Jose
Miguel Gomez, and who was with him in
New York several months ago, after
Gomez gave up his Presidential cam
palgn, was arrested In the City of Santa
Clara today on the charge of conspiracy.
Ferrera is suspected of trying to secure
arms and ammunition In the United
States for the use of insurgents.
RETAKE SAN JUAX DE MARTINEZ
Government Forces Again In Posses
sion When Guerrera Retires.
SAN JUAN DE MARTINEZ, Cuba,
Aug. 24. This town, which on Thurs
day was occupied by a band of in
surgents under command of Pino Guer
rera, is again In possession of the con
stituted forces of the republic. At 5:30
o'clock this evening the troops under
command of Colonels Bassalao and
Avalo arrived here from Pinar del Rio,
but news of their coming had preced
ed them by several hours and by noon
the last of Guerrera's men had left,
taking with them all the horses they
could gather.
The government troops now here
consist of 25D artillerymen and SO re
cruits. They are quartered in the
churches and public buildings. The
town is quiet.
Guerrera's force is larger than was
supposed. He has probably 2000 men.
well equipped with arms and ammuni
tion, and Is well supplied with money.
Guerrera's movement westward is not
a retreat, nor Is it with the purpose of
occupying Gulnes. That town is in
fact already practically . occupied by
resident Insurgents. Guerrera's purpose
Is to effect a conjunction with several
hundred insurgents who' are coming
westward from the vicinity of Guinea.
At San Antonio de los Banos, Ha-
Concluded on Page 5.)
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
TODAYS Fair; northwest winds.
TESTERDAT'8 maximum temperature, 80
deg. ; minimum temperature. 56 de.
Revolution In Cuba.
Guerrera with well-armed force threatens
attack on Pinar del Rio. Page 1.
Whole of Western Cuba friendly to rebels.
Page 1.
Becrults ambushed by rebel band and
routed. Page 1.
Guerrera abandons San Juan de Martlnes
and Government retakes It. Page 1.
Cargo of guns and ammunition for Palma.
Page 1.
Foreign.
Czar's plan to sell .ard to peasants makes
Romanoffs richer. Page 4.
Alfonso approves Spanish Government's
clash with church. Page 4.
Chilean Government provides relief for
earthquake sufferers and will rebuild
Valparaiso. Page 3. ,
National.
President orders reformed spelling In all
his official documents. Page 4.
Politics.
Taft, not Cannon. Roosevelt's choice for
President. Page 1.
Friction among men who will welcome
Bryan home. Page 4.
Van Horne threatens retaliation for Hill's
Invasion of Canada. Page 2.
Boom in Harriman stock continues and ex
tends to Hill stocks. Page 6.
New volcano found In Alaska. Page 3.
Jury disagrees In lynchers trial In Missouri.
Page 3.
Standard Oil and New York Central in
dicted at Jamestown, N. Y. Page 3.
Insurance committee proposes bill to force
lower rates. Page 5.
George Hazzard arrested for forgery In In
diana. Page 2.
Pacific Coast.
Palouse farmer goes Insane over rains in
harveet and kills himself. Page 6.
Three Seattle bunco men secure $50,000 in
lees than a year. Page 1.
Washington State Fair to be held at North
Yakima September 17-22. Page 6.
Sir of the jurors who convicted murderer
Barnes In Douglas County now helping
'to secure commutation of his sentence.
Page 1.
Sport.
Two swimmers race today from Oregon City
to The Oaks. Page 7.
Oakland defeats Portland at baseball 7 to 0.
Page 7.
Crosby wins National trap-shooting cham
pionship. Page 7.
Results of Middle West tennis contests.
Page 7.
Commercial and Marine.
Review of local potato market. Page 15.
Harriman issues prominent stock specula
tion. Page 15.
Chicago wheat market weak and lower.
Page 15.
Fall trade steadily expands. Page 13.
Owners are looking for a route for the
steamer George W. Elder. Page 14.
Big liner Manchuria is pounding hard
astern on rocks off Hawaii. Page 14.
Portland and Vicinity.
Idlers All city heedless of unprecedented de
mand for labor. Page 1.
Senator Gearin returns from Washington.
Page 7.
Trial of Blue Mountain forest reserve land
fraud case ' continued in Federal court.
Page 10.
Engineer Clarke, of Water Department, in
spects systems of wooden mains in Seat
tle and Taeoma, with a view to replac
ing iron piping here. Page 10.
Detectives raid poolroom and arrest 15 men
playing the races. Page 0.
Programme of Oregon Development League
at State Fair. Page 11.
Bridge over Willamette River at Wilsonville
for new valley line to be 75 feet high.
Page 14.
Bruin says he likes Day. but that friendship
cuts no figure In administration of police
department. Page 11.
Peter Johnson sues Chief Grltxmacher for
false Imprisonment. Page 11.
Many Oregonlans will join excursion to ir
rigation congress at Boise. - Page 6.
ROOSEVELT ROT
OUT F00 GANNON
Story Circulated by
Boomer Doubted.
TAFT IS PRESIDENT'S CHOICE
Big Secretary Better Repub
lican Vote-Getter.
CANNON HAS WEAK POINTS
Not Agreed With Roosevelt on Re
vision of Tariff, and Has Alien
ated Labor Vote Taft Could
Hold Standpatters.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, 'Wash
lngton, Au ar. 24. The promoters of the
'V
t K
Speaker Joseph G.' Cannon. Illinois
Republican choice for President.
Cannon Presidential boom are attempting
to' place' the 'Speaker before the country
as Roosevelt's choice for 1908. Only re
cently the story was given out in Wash.
lngton that the President, on the occasion
of the Speaker's recent visit to Oyster
Bay, while discussing the political out
look, shook Cannon's hand and said to
him:
"You; Mr. 'Speaker,, will be the next
President of the United States.".
To this the Speaker is reported to have
replied:
'Oh, pshaw: Mr. President, you are
wrong. You, sir, will have to take the
nomination if I can read aright the signs
of the times."
This story is put forward in all seri
ousness, and in a manner to make it ap
pear that the President believes Cannon
la not only entitled o the nomination in
1908. but that he stands a better chance
of election than any other man now men
tioned for the place. But notwithstanding
the tone of the story, it is not credited in
Washington. The opinion prevails here
that,- while the President may have used
CHOSEN TO REIGN AS QUEEN OF ASTORIA REGATTA
ASTORIA, Or., Aug. 24. (Special.)
Miss Esther Anderson, who has
been chosen to reign as Queen of the
Astoria Annual Regatta, is one ofMhe
most popular and most beautiful young
ladles of Clatsop County. She is one, if
not the handsomest, of Astoria's fairest
daughters, and because of her grace) of
manner, beauty, popularity and promi
nence in society circles. Is eminently fit
ted to preside over the magnificent
water carnival which has been planned.
Miss Anderson was chosen by a commit
tee composed of the society leaders of
Astoria, but if it had been put to a con
test it is believed the result would have
been the same.
Queen Esther will be attended by a
retinue of 16 young ladles, who were se
lected from among the most popular
young ladies of Astoria and other cities
which will be represented In the regatta.
They were also chosen by the commit
tee. The attendants are: Miss Maude
Rahles, of Portland; Miss Laura Mo.
Farlane, Taeoma; Miss Reichel, Ger
many; Miss Helen Dawson, Florida, and
the Misses Leta Drain. Ellen Nolan. Ger
trude Upshur, Lola Foard, Freda Foard,
Irene Simington, Martha Foard, Sally
Gray, Louise Gray. Margaret Taylor,
Ethel Gerding and Frances Estes, of As
toria.
The regatta will be held at Astoria
three days, beginning August 30. The
carnival promises to eclipse anything of
its kind ever held in Astoria from a so
cial standpoint, as well as the regatta it
self. Over JS000 will be awarded in prizes.
and the contests will include rowing.
sailing and power-boat races.
Among the many features that have
been arranged by the committee In the
form of night entertainments are marine
parades, band concerts and fancy balls.
and an old-fashioned country dance. The
regatta ball wll be the shining social
event of the regatta.
The officers from Fort Stevens will
take a prominent part In the entertain
ment of those who take part In the re
gatta. The land parade of the opening
day will be conducted under the charge
of the army officers.
the language attributed to him, it was
In a jocular way, and that he was
"Jollying" the Speaker, as has .been his
habit on past occasions. If this was not
the case, it is commonly believed that the
whole story is a fake with absolutely no
foundation of fact, but put forward sole
ly, s a boost.
Comes From Cannon Boomer.
To begin with, this " story " emanates
from one of the most enthusiastic of all
the Cannon boomers, Representative Mc
Kinley,' of Illinois. He brought the .story
to Washington, told it to Cannon's priv
ate secretary and through the private
secretary it found its way into print. It
went a round-about course and it passed
through the hands of men who are nat
urally prejudiced in favor of Cannon and
who stand ready to do anything and
everything to boost, his boom. That is
one thing that casts suspicion upon it.
Another is the fact that it was nearly a
month In leaking out. The 'probabilities
are that, if the President had in all seri
ousness, uttered the words now attributed
to him, some of the men present would
have mentioned It before now. The Speak
er himself would likely have managed to
let the fact leak out in some way, for
nothing could help any candidate for the
Republican nomination in 1908 more than
the stamp of approval of Theodore Roose
velt. Taft Roosevelt's Choice.
It has been the common understand
ing for some time that the President
preferred Secretary Taft to any other
man known to aspire to the Presi
dency. Taft is closer to him than any
of the others and possesses more of
the qualifications of a successful can
didate than any others now in the
race; and it might also be mentioned
that he has fewer handicaps. If his
indorsement was ample, the President
might prefer Root to Taft, for he has
said that "Root would make a magnifl
cnt President, but a poor candidate."
In those few words he sized up the
Root prospects. Once selected, he
would be a President to take rank
with the most prominent; his admlnls
tratlon would be marked by sound pol
icies, clean administration and the ac
complishment Of high purposes, but
the trouble would be to elect Root if
he should be nominated. He Is a man
of exceptionally high type, but he
would not be a popular candidate. He
Is not the kind of man to appeal to the
masses, and the nomination of such a
man as Bryan on the Democratic ticket
would be apt to result disastrously
for Root. Knowing this,, the Presi
dent does not favor Root, because he
wants to see the convention nominate
a man who can win, and he does not
believe that Root would -win as against
Bryan. '
Not Agreed on Tariff.
' But as for Cannon and ' Roosevelt,
there is room for speculation: Why
should Roosevelt pr6fer Cannon to
Taft? The President and the Speaker
have not been particularly dose in
their relations; frequently they hav
worked at cross purposes. Both have
been stubborn, and time and again the
President has had the greatest diffi
culty in driving Cannon Into line.
Cannon even opposed the President on
so nnmilar n meastirA as the m p a t -1 n -
spectlon law, and was arrayed against
him on the naval bill, some Important i
features of the rate bill and the pure- J
food bill of the last session. These
two men have not worked in harmony;
their policies have often been widely
different. But much as they differed
in the past, they are far apart on the
tariff, which promises to again become
the issue of the future. Cannon rep
resents the most extreme element of
the "stand-patters." Roosevelt is
known to believe that the time has
come when there shoud be a readjust
mnt of some schedules of the Dlngley
law. With the prospect that the next
National campaign may be fought out
on the tariff question, is it reasonable
to suppose that Roosevelt prefers a
"stand-patter" as a party leader when
there. is a man like Taft, who is in
sympathy with his own views on the
tariff? Taft and Roosevelt both be
lieve that the Republican party should
(Concluded on Page 2.)
MISS -ESTHER
r ' - ' I ;
i 1 f i '
'-x X t i - - i
i , '
" -4
V w
BUNCO
ARTISTS
STEAL. FORTUNE
Clean up $50,000 in
Year at Seattle.
VICTIMS LURED INTO CITY
Fleeced Through Fake Fights
" and Wrestling Matches.'
DETAILS OF THE SCHEME
Agents Sent to Smaller Cities and
Towns to Secure Wealthy "Suck
ers" Bring Back Easy
Marks Three Leaders.
SEATTLE! Wash.. Aug. 24. (Special.)
-New facts, which are coming to light.
If
Secretary of War W. H. Taft, Roose
velt's choice for President.
make it appear that the three Seattle
crooks fwho' buncoed ' Charles'- Cunning
ham, the wealthy sheepman of Pendleton,
Or., and other prominent citizens' of the
Pacific Northwest, by Inducing them to
bet on fake prizefights and wrestling
matches, have netted no less than $50,009
during the past year by such operations
It is now known that the members of
this never-ending consipracy to rob un
sophisticated "sports" from the smaller
cities were Russell B. Harriman,' F. W.
Brown and Matthew Rips. Ries was for
merly noted aa the "king" of Seattle
bunco men, and has a "bit" In Walla
Walla to ' his credit. Beyond all ques
tion the three swindlers have cleaned up
large amounts of money and the . total
given is very conservatively estimated.
Were all the suckers who have been
"skinned" to come -forward and confess,
no doubt the total would be greatly aug
mented. .
Victims Admire Their Work.
The cleverness with which the confi
dence men operated has aroused admira
tion for the perfection with which the
Photograph by McCrea-Ford Co.
ANDERSON".
scheme was worked out. That the three
who manipulated the game were adepts
is conceded by all, even by those who
were played for "suckers."
According to the expose of the Seattle
Btar, a local evening paper, at least 20
fake fights or wrestling boats have been
pulled off in the little house boat on Lake
Washington within the last eight months.
Strangely enough, these stunts were
never done at night, but early In the
afternoon or about midday. They were
attended only by the confidence men and
their victims. Russell B. Harriman, alias
Russ Barrett, la said to have been the
principal In the series of swindles. He
has been 4n Seattle since December and
Is a well-known Eastern confidence man.
He has offices at 36 Holyoke block.
The plan followed was to engage the
services of "steerers," who were wont to
prey on residents of towns other than
Seattle. Local talent was not enlisted
in the sure-thing game. These steerers
would visit towns where the proposed vic
tims lived. The first step was to secure
the acquaintance of the intended sucker
and the steerer then ingratiated himself
into the good graces of the men with
money.
Letter From Confederate.
After the acquaintance had progressed
for some time and the steerer was sure
of his ground, a letter would come from
a confederate telling of an opportunity
to clean up a good sum of money In
Seattle through a wrestling match or a
fight, as the case might be. Usually the
steerer was to be one of the principals
In the contest.
The letter . would be exhibited to the
victim, who would te Induced to accom
pany his supposed friend to Seattle, there
to handle the money of the steerer's as
sociates. The victim would be told that
he need not take any money with him, as
it would not be necessary. However, by
the time the start was made it was usu
ally the scheme to have the intended vic
tim take along a letter of credit or a cer
tified check, the suggestion being made
that In case there arose any question as
to wher'j the mony" was to come from to
back the fighter, these credentials could
be' "flashed."
Then the start would be made for Seat
tle. Upon arriving there, the steerer and
his dupe would visit the office of Harri
man, where a "tale would be heard of a
wealthy Alaskan who was willing to
back the other man in the contest. .
Alaskan With Millions.
The fellow has got millions," would
be the story, "and he Is ready to back
his man for any amount."
Needless to say, the wealthy Alaskan
would be another of the swindlers. The
victim would then be handed J5000 and
a meeting would be arranged later In
Harriman's office between the Alaskan
millionaire, otherwise Brown, Harri
man's , partner, and the sucker.- At the
appointed time the $5000 would be
wagered on the outcome of the con
test, Harriman acting as stakeholder.
Usualy the "millionaire" would offer
to bet still more and Tie would be told
to call later. If by that time the vie
tim showed no signs of producing any
of his own coin, he would be handed
,nother J5000. In the meantime Brown
would be handed a similar sum and at
the second meeting another wager
would be arranged, the coin being de
posited with Harriman. This same
programme would be carried out, Har
riman. handing out the same money
each time until the victim, seeing an
apparent opportunity to make some
easy money for himself, would offer to
wager some of his own cash.
Give Victim the Rush.
If, however, tho victim showed no
signs of loosening up, Brown would
again appear on the scene and demand
to know where the money was com
ing from, intimating that he believed
there was something crooked. The
victim would then be hurriedly advised
to go to the bank and draw some gold
and wager It so that the suspicions of
the "millionaire" might be allayed.
This usually worked and the victim's
money was secured in this way.
The wagers all made and the money
of the victim Becure In the .hands of
Harriman, the time would be set for
the fight or the wrestling match. No
time would then be lost. By water or
by land the party made its way to the
houseboat, where the "contest" was
pulled off.
Mr. Brown would be there as the
Alaska "millionaire," and Harriman
would act in the dual capacity of
stakeholder and referee. The two
principals would be accompanied by
trainers. These, with the victim, made
up the small but select audience.
A cupboard in one corner of the
house would be unlocked and there
would be taken therefrom a bucket,
sponge and several bottles of liquor of
various sorts for the use of the prin
cipals. Sawdust on the Floor.
The floor would be liberally covered
with sawdust and a rope strung across
from wall to wall, making, with the
front and the sldewalls, the regulation
sized ring for fights.
Then the contest would begin. Fear
ful that they might be discovered, none
would dare talk above a whisper. For
several minutes the battle would be
fiercely waged, all the time, however,
the man whom the victim had backed
appearing as the aggressor and ulti
mate victor. Then would come an ac
cident and to the utter dismay of
everyone but the Alaskan "millionaire,"
the prospective victor would be down
and out, and the contest awarded to
the man backed by the Alaskan.
Send Victim Home Clean.
And so the game ended. The money
of the victim safe in the hands of Har
riman and Brown, every effort would
be made to hurry the victim out
of town. The possibility of his
arrest would be pointed out to him,
and, realizing that he had been "In"
on what he believed to be a shady bit
of work, he usually left town in a
hurry, sadder but much wiser.
Only two of the score of men robbed
In this way have "hollered." Thomas
Norton, a saloonkeeper of Sacramento,
Cal., who gave up 310,000, went to the
police and prosecuting attorney, but in
both cases secured no satisfaction and
finally left town.
Louis Stenger, of Belllngham, who
Concluded on Fas 4.)
IDLERS HEEDLESS
OF CM LABOR
Workmen are Needed
on Every Hand.
UNEMPLOYED FILL THE CIT
Men Throng Plaza Blocks and
. Morth-End Resorts
DREAMING SUMMER AWA'V
Plenty of Applicants for Soft Snapsj
but Few Men Are Found Who
Want Heal Work at
, Good AVages.
........................ r
t
LABOR SITUATION IN OREGON. J
WANTED 3000 men to work on rail- 4
road construction In Northwrst. f
WANTED lcr.nno men. women and t
children to pick Oregon's great hop I
crop. I
WANTED 1000 men in the logging
camps. t
WANTED SOO carrenters, bricklayers I
and artisans to erect Portland's new
buildings.
WANTED 600 men to complete de
layed street, water and aewer Im
provements. WANTED u0 men in Portland's lum
ber mills.
WANTED 20O day laborers to per
form odd jobs.
Never before was the call for labor In
Oregon and in Portland so urgent as at
present. Farmers in all sections are call
ing for men to harvest their crops, and
raisers of hops are searching far and
near for men to pick the products of
their yards. Railroad companies are
competing with each other to secure con
struction gangs for- their new lines, while
the logging camps In Oregon's great
forests offer permanent employment to
all who seek It. Right here at home
contractors of all kinds are looking for
workmen. Alllls. street Improvements,
new buildings and scores of other things
are In urgent need of more toiler.".
No one In Portland who wishes to work
need go into the outside districts, for
the cry for men here 1 probably as
urgent as elsewhere. Indeed, contrac
tors who have on hand all kinds of
projects are complaining of the diffi
culty of securing lubor, and many
firms are compelled to content them
selves with forces smnller than they
need.
The trouble lies not In the scarcity
of men, however, but in the fact that
a large percentage of the men who
have no other means of support than
common labor are remaining Idle. The
wages being offered In Portland, es
pecially those for common labor, are
higher than for years past, and yet
hundreds of men are refusing to ac
cept employment. The Plaza blocks,
the North End saloons and other
places where men congregate are
filled each morning and afternoon with
men who have Just money enough to
live on and will not accept work.
Dreaming through the pleasant Sum
mer days, they loaf -away the time,
giving no thought to the future and
utterly deaf to the call for workmen
and blind to the Inducements offered
if they will only take up ax, pick or
shovel.
Along the North End streets, the
rendezvous of these men, are dozens
of employment agencies, the proprie
tors of which are using every effort
to secure laborers. Borne years long
lines of anxious men have waited at
these places to secure work of any
kind and have been willing gladly to
accept employment at from $1.L'5 to
$1.50 a day. Now all is changed. On
the walls of these agencies are posted
lengthy lists of vacancies. In prac
tically all cases common laborers are
offered from (2 to 12.50 a day, but
there is no line of impatient appli
cants. The proprietors are constantly
beset with employers seeking men, but
there are dozens of positions for. every
applicant.
Plenty of Men Seek "Snaps."
The employment agencies are not
altogether deserted, however. In one
place, for Instance, there were about
20 men waiting yesterday afternoon.
The proprietor had Just been complain
ing about the scarcity of men and sur
prise was expressed that so many
should be there looking for work.
"Oh, those men do not want work,"
he Bald. "They are here looking for
snaps.' I shall call their attention to
the $2.25 and $2.50 Jobs we have open.
but it Is safe to say that not one In
the lot will accept. Those fellows
won't turn over their hands to work
until they are broke. They come in
here and try'to get some place where
they can draw a salary and have noth
ing to do, and when they find that
there are no such positions on hand,
they go away. We call them 'snap
hunters'; you have no Idea how numerous-
they are this year.
"Why. it Is simply ridiculous." he con
tinued. "Big, muscular fellows weighing
200 pounds or more, who have never done
anything else than dig ditches or work
In railroad gangs, come in here every day
hunting for snaps. They want to be book
keepers or something like that, although
Concluded on Page 6.)