THE MORNING OREGON'IAN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1906.
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PORTLAND. THURSDAY, SEPT. 6, 1906.
THE EASY WAY OF ILLUSION.
It has been the habit of The Orego
nian, during the whole .period of Its
existence, to discuss a wide range of
subjects. The discussion. Its own opin
ions and conclusions, have been baaed
on historical examination of the sub
jects before It, and on experience of
the past connected with the experience
of the present time. Many readers
have not been able to follow It. Some
such think It full of prejudices and In
consistencies. One such, Mr. W. J.
Van Horn, of Fossil, Or., writes In The
Oregonian today.
It will hardly be granted that the
writer of thio letter has digested the
subjects of his discount. He is full of
the emotions and Is stirred with the
aspirations of the sort of Democracy
that has found its best expression
through Mr. Bryan. These do not re
quire any accurate knowledge. They
are palpitations, merely, of warm
hearts, to whom accurate knowledge
would be fatal. ,
All the vague errors and empty
dreams that were called into a super
natural activity toy the appearance of
Mr. Bryan as a candidate ten years
ago are revived by his reappearance
now. Of course, our esteemed corre
spondent thinks The Oregonian has
been wholly wrong, wofully Inconsist
ent, and deplorably full of prejudice.
It matters not to him that rejection of
Mr. Bryan and his crude though se
ductive theories has been followed by
an era of greatest prosperity the coun
try ever has known. To him the the
ories, so rejected, disproved and con
founded by results, are all right any
how. Fallacy is easy and fallacy Is cheap
and fallacy Is pleasing. It produces
agreeable emotions; while sound truth,
a product of hard thinking and hard
experience, is accepted only under com
pulsion. Our friend's views on the
money question, as presented in 1896,
are Bryanesque. They belong to the
man who doesn't want the truth or the
facts, but who does believe in Bryan,
and finds that belief all sufficient. It
is absolutely of no use to attempt to
discues sanely the money question as
presented ten years ago with one who
writes as Mr. Van Horn writes. He
doesn't know. Doubtless he is entirely
honest in his purposes; but he doesn't
know. What makes it more hopeless
is that he believes in Bryan, te devoted
to hie own prejudices, formed on lack
of knowledge, and shuts up his mind.
That Mr. Bryan is honest and sin
cere, and that Mr. Van Horn Is honest
and sincere. The Oregonian makes no
question. But liability to illusion and
delight in it is the quality of their type
of mind. It is with Mr. Bryan on the
railroad question now, as It was with
him ten years ago, on the money ques
tion. There may be some part of
truth; but half truth, in great matters.
Is worse than whole error because It
leads further astray.
The Oregonian does not expect to
meet the approval of men like Van
Horn. They do not. understand it.
They live in a world of political illu
sion and partisan prejudice.
To them it ie nothing that their the
ories go against the results of expert
ence and the common judgment of
mankind; nothing that the country,
since rejection of their theories and no
tions, has prospered beyond example,
They regret consignment of those the
ories and notions to the political scrap-
heap or graveyard, but come up cheer
fully and hopefully with another lot as
fanciful, vagarious and unsound. To
them, of course. The Oregonian seems
inconsistent, a nopper and a
"dodger." But The Oregonian believes
that evil the main objects for which it
has contended, during its long career.
have been approved by the country and
successfully established. It has en
gaged In many a fight, but never has
failed, on any important question, be
cause It has pursued the course of right
reason. Opponents often have failed
to understand It, because they haven't
understood the questfons before the
country, and have mistaken variety of
argument, presented from many points
of view, for inconsistency or contradic
tion. Tour opponent, in error, splitting
hairs in support of his own untenable
propositions, will always complain
that you axe inconsistent. Because, of
course, if he- Is incapable of under
standing the truth of the subject and
your attitude towards it, every argu
ment you make for it is absurd to
him, and inconsistent with every other
argument you make. The spirit of the
hymn, "Rock of Ages," never can be
made intelligible . to the followers of
Confucius or of Mahomet.
In Vermont there is the "regular
fuss" over prohibition. Many Repub
licans 'bolted, and voted for an inde
pendent candidate for Governor, whom
the Democrats also supported. This
combination cut down the majority for
the Republican candidate, which, how
ever, was 15,676. The Republican can
didates for Congress were elected by
; majorities greater than those of two
years ago. In 1902 the Republicans had
no majority on Governor. The vote
split on prohibition, and the election
went to the Legislature, which de
clared for the Republican candidate.
Clement, then, as now, the fusion and
Democratic candidate, got more votes
than he gets now.
A SIGN OF THE TIMES.
United States Senator Piles tells the
King County Republicans that the
next Washington Legislature will un
doubtedly enact the direct primary law.
The' legislative candidates of the
county convention are pledged to sup
port the bill proposed by the direct pri
mary league. That measure contains a
provision that United States Senators
shall toe nominated at the primary by
all parties. .. The Legislature, through
Its majority, is under specific obliga
tion to abide by the choice of the dom
inant party. In Oregon the voters as
sume to elect Senators. The method
to be followed in Washington Is the
same as that included in the primary
laws of the Southern States. Parties
nominate, the Legislature elects;
Undoubtedly Senator Piles reads cor
rectly the signs of the times. He does
not make the mistake of opposing a
movement that would doubtless crush
him if he put himself in its way. It
may be assumed that the Senator, un
like most other Senators, proposes long
in advance of his campaign for re
election to place himself in accord with
popular sentiment. Senator Piles Is
personally popular throughout Wash
ington. Why should he not favor , the
direct primary? It is good politics for
him. Of course it can easily be under
stood why such Senators as Aldrich or
Penrose or Piatt or Depew or Foraker
or Dick should fight the direct primary
with might and main. They, too, will
probably have to yield to it sooner or
later. But it means their political ex
termination. The experiment ought not necessarily
to be fatal, or even dangerous,, to a
Senator like Mr. Piles, who stands well
with the whole people. The King
County Republicans are for the direct
primary. It is the first important con
vention to be held in the state, and its
example will doubtless be followed by
others. The Republican State Conven
tion, -too, will probably declare for the
principle of the direct primary. The
Republicans of Washington are mov
ing to get rid of the bosses.
THE NEWSPAPER PERIL.
Frederick Peterson, M. D., has an ar
ticle in Collier's Weekly on what he is
pleased to call "The Newspaper Peril."
The startled reader asks himself what
it can be that the newspapers Imperil.
Is it the insurance grafters, the beef
trust or Standard Oil? Is it corpora
tion control of courts and corruption of
politics? No, none of these .things.
What the newspapers threaten to de
stroy, according to Dr. Peterson, is the
memory of the man who reads them.
And not only do they Impair his mem
ory, but, what is worse, they weaken
his capacity to take in new ideas; they
destroy one's ability to pay attention.
The case which the doctor makes out
against the daily newspaper is really
something dreadful. Its only object in
life, he says, is to make money, and its
code of morals conforms to the re
quirements of modern business. This
is a polite way of saying that it has no
morals at all. The news which it pub
lishes tends daily to become more sen
sational. The more horrors it prints
the greater its circulation. The news
paper criticisms of current events are
seldom Impartial; most of them are in
spired by bribery, favoritism or malice.
The editorial articles, he thinks, are
written with direct reference to the
advertising department and are ground
out by mechanical minds who are paid
for superficial comments on transitory
events.
The reader of these deplorable pub
lications loses the capacity to enjoy
good literature, the doctor continues;
their distorted facts and invented news
deprave his morals. For the public
they are a menace to mind and soul
alike, and for the reporters who write
the "stories" they are a "school of dis
honesty." They represent the "mob
spirit," he declares; they are delirious,
anarchistic, degenerate. Is not this ter
rible to think of, if it is true? Let us,
with as little delirium as may be, ex
amine the doctor's charges and see
what there is in them. To prove that
newspaper reading weakens the mind
he lays down the proposition that each
of us has just so much mental energy.
The quantity cannot be increased, but
it can be diminished. In fact, he be
lieves that every word a person reads
breaks up a brain cell. Hence the
more one reads the more brain cells he
destroys and the more he weakens his
mind. This Is an alluring argument
but it Is difficult to perceive why the
doctor should limit Its application to
newspapers. It must be just as true of
Shakespeare, Newton's "Principia" and
even the Bible. Certainly it must de
stroy brain cells faster to read Her
bert Spencer's "First Principles" than
the Ladies' Home Journal; hence the
former publication must be more weak
ening to the mind than the latter. Ter
ribly destructive to the minds of stu
dents must be the usual college curric
ulum, on this theory. One can imag
ine their brain cells melting away like
snow before a Chinook wind as they
delve in Greek grammar, the calculus
ana Kant's "Critique of the Pure Rea
son." The true way, it seems, to pre
serve the Intelligence of college stu
dents is not to let them read anything
at all; then they will emerge from the
halls of their alma mater with all their
brain cells Intact.
Dr. Peterson's theory is absurd. The
brain Is strengthened by exercise, like
any other part of the body. Too much
newspaper reading would undoubtedly
make the mind dilatory; but the same
Is true of all reading. The ordinary
reader of newspapers turns to them
after a hard day's work, or in the
morning before work begins, and in
stead of weakening his power of mem
ory and attention they refresh it.
Change of occupation, as Darwin' well
remarked, is in itself rest. The mind
applies itself to its daily task .with
more keenness and energy for the time
spent over the newspaper. It broadens
the outlook on life, exercises the sym
pathies and intelligence and leads the
soul for a little while out of the barren
routine of existence to participate in
the great interests and emotions of the
human race. .
It (may be admitted that newspapers
exist to make money; but we may
state the case more fairly by saying
that if they did not make money they
would perish, and the same may be
said of the church and of all other hu
man institutions, worthy and un
worthy. It is not true, however, that
the. sole object of most newspapers is
to make money. Even the poorest and
meanest has some purpose apart from
profit. Not all of them advocate every
good cause, bu.t most of them advocate
some cause for which they will, in a
pinch, sacrifice subscribers and even
advertisements. The newspaper press
is more ready to take up new ideas
than the pulpit; it preaches morality
with wore directness, power and effi
cacy. So far as morals go, the charge
thaE immorality makes a newspaper
popular is false. No Journal of large
circulation is immoral in any true sense
of the word. That they are sensa
tional need not be denied, but sensa
tionalism is not immorality. In fact,
the exaggerations of the so-called "yel
low" press are almost invariably made
to excite moral indignation or rouse
admiration for something worthy. The
stories about the late Mr. White were
doubtless somewhat overdrawn, but it
was done in the interest of virtue. One
may regret that not all newspapers
confine themselves to the cold facts,
but the fault is not nearly so bad as
it would toe If It were committed in the
interest of vice. I
It may also be disputed that the
published news tends dally to become
more sensational. The newspaper, like
the pulpit, tries to set forth Its wares
attractively, but those who have seri
ously studied the matter believe that
they are coming more and more under
the rule of good taste and moderation.
To print a falsehood is admitted In
the newspaper world to be a disgrace.
Reporters are encouraged to make their
stories interesting, but one who ob
tained Interest at the expense of truth
would have only a brief career. The
competition among newspapers for ac
curacy Is quite as keen as that for
novelty. Reporters are certainly not
schooled in dishonesty, but in the op
posite. Impartial criticism Is a very rare
thing either in newspapers or any
where else. Most publications, like
most men, have their bias; but readers
soon discover it and allow for it; while
the statement that bribery and malice
have perceptible influence upon the
press simply shows that the doctor
does not know what he is writing
about. A newspaper whose opinions
were for sale would disappear beneath
a flood of contempt both from Its read
ers and its rivals. The press grows
less partisan every year. Fewer "party
organs" exist now than formerly; in
telligent independence is more common
and criticism of public men and events
is more fearless.
That reading "fugitive" periodicals
destroys the taste for good literature is
a trite charge without foundation. Good
literature is now more widely read
than ever before. It never was and
never will be popular like a dime novel,
but it takes yearly a stronger hold on
the public. Milton, Shakespeare and
Burke sell toetter today than ever before
and this increasing love for the great
classics of the language Is directly In
duced by the universal reading habit
which newspapers stimulate and en
courage. GOULD'S ROAD AND ELECTRIC LINES.
It is unusual for railway companies
invading new territory to' disclose
plans either to rival lines or to the
general public; yet it may be that one
of the Goulds' Pacific Coast extensions
will enter- Southeastern Oregon. Rail
road men who have closely followed
the engineering department of the
Western Pacific have expressed the
opinion ' that the. system . will have
forked termini- on . Pacific tidewaters
and that one tine of . the fork will
reaoh Portland. Its exact route is a
matter for conjecture. -
If the Goulds decide to build through
Oregon they will be certain to protect
themselves against diversion of legiti
mate local traffic toy electric roads
something that the Southern Pacific
has failed to do, as witness Oregon
City, to say nothing of further diver
sion as far south as Salem. While the
Western Pacific was getting main-line
rights of way in the Sacramento and
San Joaquin Valleys, it also secured
rights for branch trolley lines. These
will serve in the future as feeders, not
suckers.
In Oregon the problem of constructs
ing trolley lines, either for defensive or
development purposes, or both, 13 sim
pler and less expensive than in Cali
fornia, on account of our many avail
able water powers. Recent acquisition
of franchises in the Willamette Valley
with access to Portland, taken in con
nection with the latest news of the
Goulds' Northwestern movements, is
possibly significant.
BAFFLED GREED.
The characteristic of Senator Hey
burn's utterances upon the question d"f
forest reserves Is heat rather than
light. Once and again he has skirted
perilously near to the outer edge of
truth in advocacy of his peculiar and
mysterious opinions. He has only
avoided flat opposition to the President
by ingenuities of language which are
more creditable to his brain than his
conscience. His solicitude for the "free
Amercan citizen" will be taken at its
proper value by those who have fol
lowed the course of his opposition to
the creation of forest reserves.
The policy of creating forest reserves
puts an end as rapidly as may be to
the wholesale perjury and bribery
which previously prevailed In the dis
position of the public lands. In the
areas now reserved the homesteader
entered hie claim, not for himself, but
for the timber syndicate which had
paid him to commit perjury. This was
done systematically. It was the regu
lar course of business. The homestead
plan worked only to transfer the public
lands from the people to the syndi
cates, while deforestation proceeded
recklessly and unscrupulously without
a thought of its ultimate effect upon
the water supply and future produc
tiveness of the country. An empire
was being transformed into an irre
claimable desert to satisfy the greed of
the wealthy syndicates.
This carnival of waste, destruction
and crime the forest reserve policy has
checked and will finally stop. It is a
policy most beneficent for the present
and absolutely necessary for the fu
ture. It is impossible- to understand
why any sane man should oppose it.
If the reasons for his course which Mr.
Heyburn professes openly are his only
ones, there is grave reason to doubt his
good sense. If he has others which he
deems It best to conceal, there are
equally grave doubts of his sincerity.
The surprising thing about it all Is
that a man who Is supposed to be a
public servant should exhibit such bit
ter hostility to a policy so clearly for
the public good. The forest reserves
secure to the people a part, and a very
small one, of the Inheritance which
i Nature gave them on this continent.
The policy which created them Is not
likely to be reversed at this- late day
to gratify private greed.
Was the enthusiasm In New Tork
over. Bryan's return as great among
the poyulace 'as sympathetic reporters
felt it in the atmosphere around the
speakers' stand? Evidence comes that
it was .not; and from Democratic
sources, too. The Times of last Friday
morning says Bryan was not able to
hold his audience, and during the last
half of his address in Madison-Square
Garden he was speaking to empty seats
all over the place. The crowd, says
the Times, was smaller than expected.
Note the photographs published by The
Oregonian. Bryan is the most enthu
siastic man pictured. In the crowds
lining the sidewalks, observe the de
corum as if a funeral procession were
passing; no handkerchiefs waving, no
fla.gs, no cheering, no "throwing up of
sweaty nightcaps," no "demonstra
tion." It would serve no good purpose
to belittle the quality of Bryan's first
reception, but it is pertinent to remark
that the camera doesn't lie. Neither
does the New York Times.
The State Tax Commission is sound
in Its argument that since the state
mu6t bear part of the burden entailed
by the liquor traffic, a part of the li
cense fees should be paid into the state
treasury. If there were no liquor sold
we could get along with a smaller num
ber of Circuit Judges and Prosecuting
Attorneys, for there would be fewer
criminal cases and divorce suits. But
the minority member of the commis
sion seems to have raised a pretty
strong objection to the plan of dividing
the fees when he says that the regula
tion of the liquor traffic has been made
a local matter and that fees should be
paid to counties . and municipalities;
and not to the state. Opponents of the
license system would make a vigorous
protest against the state's taking any
-money that came from the liquor
traffic, hence it is not probable that the
Legislature will Inaugurate a new
scheme of distributing the fees.
The Chinese boycott on American
goods is already forgotten, according
to the statement of Francis D. Cloud,
Acting United States Consul at Hang
Chow, who was interviewed a few days
ago at Kansas City, where he stopped
en route home. Now there is "a fair
field with favors, if any, to the Tankee
merchant, tout we will never realize the
possibilities of that market until we
send capable, Intelligent salesmen to
study their wants and whtms." Mr.
Cloud called particular attention to the
demand for American cigarettes, which
the Chinese buy in enormous quantities
and this country has practically a mo
nopoly of the trade. It is worth while
Inquiring whether the Chinese, In ex
changing the opium pipe for the cigar
ette, has taken a step upward or down
ward.
In a yard where the accommodations
are civilized, nothing quite equals hop
picking as an outing. Good company,
good work and good pay taken together
make an attractive combination for
young and old. Arcadia had nothing
better to offer than the hopyard, where
"light labor spreads its wholesome
store," with music and dancing in the
evening and dreamless sleep to follow.
What Oregon poet will write the "Song
of the Hopyard"? Fame waits for the
man who will do it as well as Sam
Simpson sang of the Willamette.
Now comes a heartless investigator
and tells us that there are imported
into the United States only 12,000,000
pounds of Mocha and Java coffee each
year, while 27,000,000 pounds of the al
leged article are sold in Chicago alone.
Here we've been thinking our nerves
were being shattered by the real thing,
while in fact the coffee was Inferior.
We paid the price of a first-class nerve
destroyer and find out that the work
was done by a cheap substitute. What
next? ,
Governor Chamberlain undoubtedly
sees the Vice-Presidency of the United
States looming just above and beyond
the presidency of the National Irriga
tion Congress. This is one of Hope's
bright visions which can never be any
thing more than a vision, but it does no
harm and the Governor probably en
joys it. Why should any one seek to
dispel his innocent and pleasing Illu
sion?
Some New England cranks have
raised a serious issue in connection
with the President's recent order for
simplified spelling. They ask whether
he will usurp the right, to stamp on a
silver coin representing 100 cents' value
"one dolar." The country won't care,
just so it has its pockets full, whether
the miney is eipelled with one or
two l's.
The bosses of the State of Washing
ton are making the current county
conventions an occasion to take tearful
leave of their greatness. The Legisla
ture will certainly pass a direct pri
mary bill this Winter; and then good-
by to the boss and all his works.
Probably Senator La Follette will
wish he had stayed at home. It is' dif
ferent when a Senator comes back
from Washington, whither Ihe was sent
and tries to tell his state what' to do
about its own affairs. .
Vermont goes Republican by 10,000
plurality more than four years ago,
We see nothing left for Mr. Bryan but
to suggest that the Presidential fight
for 1908 be submitted to International
arbitration.
Mr. Hughes won't say whether he
will accept the New Tork Governorship
or decline it. Which means that he
will take it if he can get it. Why not?
It seems harder to spell by the new
method than the old, and a lot of per
sons, having learned to' .spell once,
don't wish to learn again. .
The Portland ball team has climbed
to the top of the heap, just to show
what a graceful slide it can make down
the percentage column.
Three "dry" counties in Oregon
Lane, Linn and Tamhill are doing
their best to supply their "wet" neigh
bors with beer hops.
We have suffered a great deal from
the late hot spell, only to plunge deeper
Into the gloomy distractions of the fo-
netlk spell.
Mr. Bryan knows better than to look
over the crowds and then to begin
counting the electoral vote of 1908.
Passing; of Question Mark Candidate,
Nebraska State Journal. (Rep.).
Mr. Bryan has always tried to Impress
opinions upon his party Instead of allow
ing the party to Impress convictions upon
him, and he was thus enabled in his
Macliflon-Square speech to deliver him
self clearly upon public questions with
a remarkable absence of partisan can
despite his partisan position. It used-to
be said that obscure men were most
easily elected President. There are now
signs that the day of the question-mark
candidate has passed.
NOT PLEASED WITH MR, BRYAN
Important Democratic Papers Repudiate
HIS Utterances.
New Tork Times (Dem.) ,
Returning to his native land, Mr. Bryan
presents himself to his countrymen no
longer as a Democrat, but as the founder
and leader of a new party, the exponent
of a new National policy, and the advo
cate of new and revolutionary principles.
nasmuch as Mr. Bryan's speech makes it
evident that if he shall be a can
didate for the Presidency in 1908 the
great issue will be between Gov
ernment ownership and Government reg
ulation. It Is interesting to examine nia
new position from the point of view of .
political principle and of party tactics.
Mr. Bryan's new doctrine of public
ownership for the railroads Is distinctly
and measurably more dangerous and
upsetting than his abandoned issue of
16 to 1. It Is revolution that he pro-.
poses, and incalculable disaster would
attend the success of his effort. The
people of this country can see far
enough ahead to steer clear of a ca
lamity of this magnitude so plainly in
their view.
Mr. Bryan's express appeal to mem
bers of both parties, it seems to us,
leaves Democrats all over the country
free to manifest their disapproval of his
principles, and to reject public owner
ship as un-Democratic and him. as no
longer a Democrat. The Democratic par
ty, with its history, its tradtions. and
its achievements, cannot surrender; to
this radical and revolutionist.
The Bombshell Will Shatter.
Brooklyn Eagle (Dem.)
More particularly is Mr. Bryan likely
to insist upon the retention of the Ham
let of his political play. Government own
ership and operation of railroads. To
this he commits himself, deliberately.
unequivocally and unalterably, and to
this he will commit the party unless in
the interval his dimensions diminish to
such an extent that he ceases to be, as
he was in the days of the Kansas City
convention, a political law unto himself.
with none to say him nay.
Koosevelt has set a fast pace. He will
probably go faster yet- That he will be
strenuous to the end of his Presidential
term is altogether likely. So, Bryan had
to make a choice. He has elected to go
faster. And, of his power to carry the
party with him, he seems to entertain
no doubt. He is mistaken.
The bombshell will shatter. There is
not a state In the Union in which it will
not take Immediate effect. The com
monwealths have been lining up with un
conditional endorsements. They have
been making out a mortgage in favor of
the peerless leader, a mortgage appar
ently so irrevocable as to warrant the
literal s translation of the term death
grip. This sort of thing may con
tinue. As there is or, as there seems
to be, a sort of Bryan craze,
Bryan epidemic, as Bryanism is In the
air. more mortgages may be manufac
tured, but there is little risk in ventur
ing predictions to the contrary. Far
more likely is it that the reverse will
come to pass, that the mortgages already
made out will be repudiated.
Apostle of Discontent.
New York Evening Post (Ind.)
The new Bryan has the chief fault of
the old. He is provocatory, not to say
inflammatory, but wholly vgue. He
rouses passions without directing them.
He puts forth a tremendous scheme
without showing any sign of having
thought It through, and without indicat
ing a single detail. He is in a great
state of excitement about plutocracy, but
just how he is to put a hook in Its snout,
one reads his speeches in vain to find out.
And as for his plan of Government own
ership of all the trunk lines, with the
states to own the railroads wholly within
their own borders, he Jauntily projects
it before the crowd without giving a., hint
how the immensely difficult problems of
management and financing are to be
solved. How the properties - are to be
bought in, how the $13,000,000,000 of money
is to be raised those are "mere details
which do not exist for this grandiose
political thinker.
It is a terrible fault in a political
leader. Flights of oratory, ardent hopes,
glowing aspirations, millennial dreams
these are all very well, but a real
statesman will not attempt to dazzle the
people with them until he is prepared to
proceed with the necessary Constitutional
amendment, tne requirea arait or a stat
ute, the project of taxation needful, the
Inexorable financial balance-sheet. In
all this, the new Bryan shows himself
as sadly lacking as the old. Hence he
still falls far short of our great politi
cal philosopher s definition of a states
man.
Like a Strong Man In a Sideshow,
Evening Wisconsin (Rep.).
Mr. Bryan has in his pocket a ready
made solution for every political griev
ance and every embarrassment resulting
from the operation of economic laws
you don't see what you want, ask for it-
it is a pleasure .to show goods. The earn
pies which he exhibited were numerous
and varied, and indicated that he would
sooner any day amend the Constitution
of the United States than take a step to
one side to avoid being run over by an
automobile. Bryan explains that he is
for the ownership of the trunk railways
by the Federal Government and of local
lines by the respective states or terrl
torles In which they are situated. He
takes up one capital question after an
other In quick succession and disposes
of each with the celerity of a strong
man in a sideshow juggling with 1000-
pound weights.
Sllverlras, He Unites. Hla Party.
Philadelphia Inquirer (Rep.).
For years the Democratic party has
been split over the silver question. Last
night Mr. Bryan united It by practically
taking the 6ilver question out of the con
troversy. He comes back to America
nominated in advance of the Democratic
National convention and promised th
support of every Democrat. On the
whole, Mr. Bryan gives evidence that he
Is toning down; that while he believes
in tariff reform and lower rates and
strong in his antagonism to trusts, he
Is not going around with guns and clubs
ana is not so very far In advance of hi
party on the topics which he discusses,
He has given us nothing new; indeed, he
has yielded to milder methods in hand
ling old subjects.
Would Create n Jfevr Party Vote.
Salt Lake Tribune (Rep.).
In so far as Mr. Bryan's speech may
be interpreted as to commit him to Gov
ernment ownership of railways, there
will be much opposition to It. The trans
portation Interests in this country in the
hands of the railway magnates are so
enormous, their employment of men Is on
such a tremendous scale that Govern
ment ownership would be a direct invl
tation to those in charge of the railway
interests to combine for political pur
poses and have their own plans of gov
ernment, to be carried at the polls by
themselves In control of the elections
the railway interests alone are sufficient
to sway elections in most of the states,
provided that votes were all cast in one
way.
Maybe a Bid for Hearat'a Support.
Kansas City Journal (Rep.).
As to the Government control of rail.
roads, the Socialists and the political
camp-followers will be, pleased with Mr.
Bryan's attitude, but the real Democracy
will be disappointed. This portion of the
speech may be a bid for Hearst's sup
port, but it win hopelessly alienate those
who are honestly and earnestly seeking
in some practical way to correct any
evils that may exist oy reason of rail
road abuses of any sort. The railroads
are worth something like fourteen bil
lions of dollars. The United States has
not this sum, and confiscation is not. to
be thought of. Mr. Bryan is no nearer
the Presidency today than he was eight
or twelve years ago. It is doubtful if he
is as near.
THE HIPPLES OK PENNSYLVANIA
Incidents of Personal and Family His
tory Revived by Recent Events.
The New York Globe of August 31 has
a news article of which the following is
part. It is accompanied by pictures of
Frank K. Hippie and Senator. Mitchell:
Another startling; sidelight thrown on the
private life of Hippie comes from Butler,
Pa., in the Information that he was a coualn
of United States Senator Mitchell, of Oregon,
who died, suddenly last Winter after he had
been convicted of defrauding . the United
(states Government.
That these two blood relatives should have
had such similar careers. In that each
cloaked nte crimes under a mask of resnerta
blllty. Is regarded -hero as more than a coin
cidence.
Hints of a criminal family history have been
made by some of the older residents of But
ler.
The real name of the late Senator Mitchell."
oi uregon, was John Mitchell Hippie. He
lived In Butler, Ps, for many years and left
the place In 1862 on account of domestic
troubles. Soon after he reached Oregon he
had his name changed to John Hippie Mitch
ell, and then gradually dropped his middle
name.
Many of his closest friends. After his re
moval to Oregon, did not know of the dark
chapter In his career until he became in
volved In the land frauds that caused his
downfall, followed by his sudden death.
John H. Negley, who has been a member
of the Butler County bar for 60 years, knew
Senator Mitchell well while he was there and
says that Frank K. Hippie was a cousin of
the Oregon Senator. The Hippie family went
to Butler from "Washington, Pa., and to the
latter place from Philadelphia.
John Hippie, the father of Senator Mitchell,
was one of a large family, and Mr. Negley
has a distinct recollection of hearing of a
family of the name of Hippie who lived in
Philadelphia.
The New Tork World of same day has
the following editorial, entitled "Blood or
Accident?
Is It anything more than a coincidence that
Frank H. Hippie, president of the Real Estate
Trust of Philadelphia, and Senator John
Hippie Mitchell, of Oregon, In hie youth
plain John Hippie, of Pennsylvania, should
have ended long careers of honor and trust
in criminal money dealings? The two men,
far apart in their ambitions and activities,
are said to have been cousins. Was there
some taint In the blood that led them toward
crime and disgrace?
John Hippie left Pennsylvania In 1860 for
the Pacific Coast for domestic reasons. Me
added the name of Mitchell In Oregon. There
he practiced law, entered politics and was
elected to the United States Senate. But at
the age of 70 he was convicted last Summer
in connection with Western land frauds
against the Government of which he was an
officer and sentenced to serve six months In
Jail. Death unexpectedly saved him from that
laft shame.
Frank H. Hippie had risen to the front
rank of Philadelphia financiers. He was a
pillar of the church, trustee and treasurer or
Its funds, a man of unquestioned probity.
His eecret transactions were not even sus
pected by his closest associates. Last week,
without apparent cause, he killed himself.
When well past 60 he had not only wrecked
the trust company of which ho was president,
but embezzled its funds.
Between these two cousins, both of whom
ended badly in spite of splendid opportuni
ties for worthy success, it is not even known
that there existed a casual acquaintance.
Their lines were cast In different places and
separate pursuits. But the same failure and
the same moral appear at tne ena oi doih
misdirected Uvea. : -
The Holy Land In Commerce.
Dundee (Scotland) Advertiser.
If Palestine is not precisely a land flow
ing with milk and honey In modern times,
it Is still not doing badly, according to the
consular report of Mr. Dickson, just is
sued. It is particularly fertile in or
anges, which it exported to the value of
114,650 last year, chiefly to Scotland, the
trade, we are told, being steadily increas
ing. Wine and spirits, too, are becoming im
portant, the Jewish colonies displaying
considerable activity in the cultivation of
the grape, which was very abundant last
year. Watermelons are also plentiful. The
total value of the imports and exports of
Palestine last year was 821,820. Con
sular reports are sometimes curious in
the way they lump trades together.
We find Consul Dickson saying: "As re
gards other articles of export, there was
an increase in religious ornaments and
hides." It may be noted that it is the
Americans who are after the religious or
naments of Palestine. People who desire
to send their friends to Jericho will be
interested to hear that a new carriage
road will be completed down to the Dead
Sea and Jericho in the course of a year
Then, if anybody wants to send a tele
eram to Beersheba. the tning can be
done on the customary terms. Beer
sheba in these days only consists o' i
dwellings, but it is "rising in importance.'
Be Glad.
James Whitcomb Riley.
O, heart of mine, we shouldn't
Worry so.
What we've missed of calm we couldn't
Have, you know!
What we've met of stormy pain
And of sorrow's driving rain.
We can better meet again
If It blow.
For we know, not every morrow
Can be sad;
So, forgetting all the sorrow
. We "nave had.
Let us fold away our fears.
And put by our foolish tears,
And through all the coming years
Just be glad.
CAN HE
ALL- POSEY WAS THERE, B'GOSH
Taaa-art'a Hooaler Frlenda In New York
Have Some Exciting Adventures.
New Tork World.
Every Indiana delegate from Porter ,
to Posey County and from Steuben to
Switzerland was represented on the
seventh floor of the Waldorf-Astoria.
Tuesday afternoon. There were 200 of
Ihem. all In the spotlight of Tom
Taggarfs smile. The seventh floor
roared with the tumult of their arrival.
They were travel-stained and weary.
Their whiskers had not surrounded
anything but sandwiches and coffee
since they started and they were hun
gry. "Say, Tom," whispered the delegate
from Tail Holt, hoarsely, as Taggart
passed through the hall; "say, Tom, I'm
Jest Jim whizzlud with thirst. Where's
thur a saloon, do you reckon? 'Yin't
got a bottle, hev you?"
Now, Tom Taggart has acquired some
New York weaknesses, among them the
art of pushing a button, principally for
others. In fact he has a corn on tha
end of ills index finger, acquired at
great expense.
"Come in here, Jim." he said, "when
you want a drink Just push this bot
tnn '
Jim pushed it once. Then he pushed it
twice. As- Taggart had gone away, he
pushed It three times and then four.
An hour later Taggart met the dele
gate from Tail Holt in the lobby look
ing flustered and ill at ease.
"I suppose .you feel better after your
drink. Jim," he said.
, "Drink hell!" exclaimed the Tall Holt
man; "I ain't had no drink yet. That's
a low-down trick to play on me, Tom.
I "pushed tho button right enough, and
then 1 took the tumbler and looked
around for the drink. I didn't see none
and I pushed again and then some
more.
"After 'while in comes a boy with,
eight million buttons and a pitcher of
ice water. I didn't want no water, and
I was ashamed to ask a God-fearing
boy like that where the saloon was.
"The boy went away and then a big
Irishman came In and laid hold of my
gripsack. I grabbed it away from him
and had got a good clamp on his neck
when in came a young woman with
enaugh blankets to saddle an elephant.
1 1 threw them both out, and here I am.
Tom, I'll forgive you if you 11 do the
square thing and show me a place."
Taggart showed him a place, and im
mediately there arose the sound of a
four-lingered gurgle.
Dinner was a great event ir the In
diana delegates on the seventh floor.
They didn't know exactly how to go
about It, but they knew that it had to
be done, because they were hungry.
Say, which one of you fellers has
got the comb?" called out a long-whiskered
chap from Posey; "I reckon I'll
have to primp up some before I go to
supper."
Jim Davis took it," someoody re
plied, "and he's gone downstairs.
Oh, well, I reckon I m good enough
for ham and cabbage anyway, and
that's all I want," said the Posey man.
But when he sat down to the table
with two of his fellow delegates a few
minutes later and glanced at the bill of
fare his Jaw fell. The others each took
a bill and sat silent.
Then they looked at each other sort
of carelessly, and one said:
"I don't feel very hungry anyhow,"
said the third. "You go ahead and
order, John."
This is what John was up against:
Crema Crevette. Tablettea Conti.
Rissoles Bearnaise.
Terrlnes de Instances de Carpes.
Jambon a la Danoise.
Mousses au Citron.
Dinonneaux Rotls Truffes.
"See here, mister," said John to the
suave waiter, "Just bring all that ex
cept the mouses. It don't sound good,
and I never ate any. And If you have
any ham and cabbage, bring some, and
three cups of coffee."
Tnen John leaned back with an air
of conscious superiority and said:
"Just pick out what you don't want
and order the rest in a bunch. It saves
time."
Playing Lady.
Bell Rumford.
She borrowed my hairpins to do up her hair.
She borrowed the skirt of my gown to wear.
And she managed her train with an elegant
Dorothy "playing lady."
She came to call In a neighborly way,
With her three doll-children in grand array.
And we dared not smile at the things she'd
say,
'Twould offend her, playing lady.
She gravely discussed the children's Ills.
The dOBes they had taken and horrible pills.
And casually mentioned the doctor's bills
With quite the air of a lady.
The subject of dress she did not forget.
Nor the ways of her servants, the shiftless
set,
Who surely would cause her insanity yet.
For thus is life hard on a ladv.
At length she thought she must say farewell.
But she caught her foot In her train and fell
As she made us a bow, and I grieve to tell
That we laughed at her playing lady.
But I had a glimpse of her by and by.
In a very short skirt, with her hair a-fly
And she haughtily said when I questioned
why
"She was tired of playing lady."
And I thought of some larger girls I knew
Who. when life goes wrong, as It's bound to
do.
Find that being grown up Is hard work, too.
And get tired of "playing lady."
STAY ON?
03
-From th St. Louis Republic.