8
THE MORNING OREGOXIAN. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1906.
" SUBSCRIPTION BATES.
ty INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
(By Mall.)
. Pally, Sunday Included, one year $8.00
Daily, Sunday Included, six months. . . . 4.25
Iaily, SundaV Included, three months.. 2.25
Daily. Sunday Included, one month 75
Dally, without Sunday, one year 6.00
Dally, without Sunday, nix months 3.25
Dally, without Sunday, three months.. 1.75
Iallywlthout Sunday, one month 60
Sunday, one year 2.50
Weekly, one year (Issued Thursday)... 1.50
Sunday and Weekly, one year 50
BX" CARRIER.
Dally, Sunday Included, one year 8.00
Dally. Sunday Included, one month 75
HOW TO REMIT Send postoftlce money
order, express order, or personal check' on
your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency
are at the sender's risk. Give postoftlce ad
dress in full. Including county and state.
POSTAGE RATES.
Entered at Portland, Oregon, Postoftlce as
Second-Class Matter.
30 to ii Pages - 1 nt
1 to 28 Pages - 2 cents
0 to 44 Pages - " cents
8 to 60 Pages cents
Foreign Postage, double rates.
IMFOBTANT The postal laws are strict.
Newspapers on which postage Is not fully
prepaid are not forwarded to destination.
KASTEUX BUSINESS OFFICE.
The H. C. Beclcwlth Special Agency New
York, rooms 43-50 Tribune building. Chi
cago, rooms B 10-01 2 Tribune building.
KEPT OX SALE.
Chicago Auditorium Annex, Postoftlce
News Co., 178 Dearborn street.
ft. Paul, Minn. N. St. Marie, Commercial
Station.
Colorado Springs, Colo. Western News
Aenter Hamilton Hendrlck. 906-912
Seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store, 1214
Fifteenth street; I. Weinstein; H. P. Han
sen. Kansas City, Ho, Blcksecker Cigar Co.,
Ninth and Walnut. '
Minneapolis M. J. Ka-vanaugh, 60 South
Third.
Cleveland, O. James Pushaw. 807 Su
perior street.
Atlantic City, N. J. Ell Taylor.
New York City U Jones & Co., Astor
Hou: Broadway Theater News Stand.
Oakland, Cat. W. H. Johnson, Four
teenth and Franklin streets, N. Wheatley;
Oakland News Stand.
Ogden 1. L. Beyle; W. G. Kind, 114
251 h street.
Hot Nprinirs, Ark. C. N. Weaver & Co.
Omaha Barkalow Bros., 1012 Farnam;
Mageath Stationery Co., 130S Farnam; 240
South Fourteenth.
Sacramento, Cal. Sacramento News Co.,
43 K street.
Suit Lake Moon Book & Stationery Co.,
Rosenfeld & Hansen.
Loa Anireles ii. E. Amos, manager seven
street wagons.
San Diego B. E. Amos.
l-ons; lirach, CaL B. E. Amos. .
Pasadena, Cal. A. F. Horning.
Sail Francisco Foster & Orear, Ferry
News Stand; Hotel St. Francis News Stand;
L. Parent, N. Wheatley.'
Eureka, Cal. Call-Chronicle Agency.
Washington, I. C. Ebbitt House. Penn
sylvania avc-nue.
Norfolk, Vs. Jamestown News Co.
I'ine Beach, Va. W. A. Cosgrove.
Philadelphia, Pa. Kyan's Theater Ticket
Office.
PORTLAND, THURSDAY, DEC. . 6, 1D06.
THE INCOME TAX.
Speaking of the Income tax, toward
which, as well as the inheritance tax,
his1 inclination is very strong," Mr.
Roosevelt saya in his last message that
"the question of its constitutionality te
undoubtedly intricate, delicate and
troublesome." He recalls the fact that
the hostile decision of the Supreme
Court in 1895 was given by but one
majority, and then, he might have add
ed, only after Judge Shiras had al
tered his1 previous opinion. Upon the
question first before the court the eight
judges present were equally divided.
The effective decision came later, and
most lawyers are agreed that it result
ed not so much from a candid con
sideration of the constitutionality of
the income tax as from what Profes
sor Daniels, of Princeton, calls "a shad
owy fear of socialism." Judge Fields
openly called the income tax "an as
sault upon capital," although every re
spectable writer on finance agrees that
it is nothing of the kind, and the great'
majority of them are of the opinion
that it is among the most equitable of
all taxes.
Touching the constitutionality of the
Income tax, John Sherman in his great
6peech before the Senate on January 25,
1871, ridiculed the idea that It was in
valid. He recalled the fact that the
. country had lived under an income tax
during the Rebellion, that nobody Ifad
then questioned its constitutionality,
and he quoted Judge Cooley and other
eminent constitutional lawyers in its
favor. The income tax enacted in 1861
excited no hostility among the people,
and as a source of revenue it was very
productive. The returns from it rose
from some $3,000,000 in 1863 to about
$73,000,000 in 1867. After that period the
revenue declined. The principal consti
tutional objection to the income tax of
1894 was that it was direct and as such
was" not apportioned equally according
to population. The best authorities,
however, agree that an income tax is
not direct in the constitutional meaning
of the term, and the Supreme Court has
itself so held in at least two decisions.
The decision of 1895 against the income
tax was a reversal of the uniform
course of our financial history. Profes
sor Daniels says of it that "it ran in
the teeth of dicta and precedent."
Mr. Bryan will undoubtedly reiterate
his charge that the President's idea is
borrowed from the Democratic plat
form of 1894, but in reality it is bor
rowed from the experience of the civil
ized world and from our own earliest
history. Massachusetts has an income
tax today and had one as early as 1646.
It was a progressive income tax also,
for it exempted those whose daily
wages fell under 18 pence. In 1892 the
Income tax produced a revenue of $840,
000 in the City of Boston. Professor
Sellgman, our greatest authority on
such, matters, says that all nations are
tending to discard the old-fashioned
property tax and resort to the fran
chise. Income end inheritance taxes as
sources of revenue. The property tax
in its primitive crudity, he says, exists
today only in the United States, Aus
tralia and some parts of Switzerland.
The Income tax exists in Germany,
Austria, Denmark, most parts of Swit
zerland, and in Great Britain. It has
not yet been adopted in France, but the
movement toward It is strong. It was
first applied in England in 1793 by Pitt
as a war measure. In 1816 it was aban
doned, to the great detriment of the
country, according to Professor Bar
etable, of Dublin University, and was
re-enacted by Peel in 1842. Since that
time it has formed a permanent part
of the British financial system. Pro
fessor Barstable, -whose authority on
finance is high, says that It has been an
unmingled benefit to the empire. It
made the financial reforms of Gladstone
possible, -while its elasticity renders it
fair to the taxpayer both in good times
and in bad. When Incomes are small
the tax is light by Its own operation;
when they are large the tax Is pro
ductive. D. A. Wells remarks of the
Income tax that it is theoretically "one
of the most equitable, productive, and
least exceptional" of all taxes, but he is
of the opinion that it cannot be ad
ministered under a free government.
His reason is that it can only be col
lected by inquisitorial methods. To
show this he cites the fact that in 1872
only 72,949 persons in the United States
out of a population of 39,000,000 would
admit that they" had an income above
$2000, which was the limit of exemption.
This, however, only proved that a
good many American citizens were
guilty of perjury, as they are today
whenever the Assessor appears. To the
charge that an income tax requires es
pionage and inquisitorial methods, John
Sherman . replied in his speech of 1871
that "all taxes require espionage,"
and he added that every state required
the citizen to report his property under
oath. An income tax law could require
no more. Replying to the charge that
the Income tax was odious and un
popular, Mr. Sherman said that he
"never knew of a tax that was not odi
ous and unpopular with those who had
to pay it."
The remark of Mr. Wells that an in
come tax cannot be collected in a free
nation falls rather flat when We recall
that it actually was collected in this
country for ten consecutive years and
has been the unchallenged rule in Brit
ain since 1842. England, so far as ad
ministration is concerned, is at least as
free as America. The canton of Vaud,
in Switzerland, to cite another, exam
ple, adopted a progressive income tax
by an overwhelming majority under the
referendum. To quote Professor Bar
stable again, "incomes' are the true,
normal source of taxation." Both he
and Professor Adams, of Michigan,
agree that the tax on incomes is one
of the few which stay where they first
fall, most others being ultimately shift
ed to the shoulders of workingmen and
small consumers; while all authorities
agree that, with the exception of the
inheritance and franchise taxes, it is
the most equitable method of obtaining
a revenue for the Government.
SLOT MACHINES AND BUSINESS.
Once more the nickel-In-the-slot ma
chine, ever under the law's ban and al
ways resuming business after tempor
ary enforced suspension, is condemned
to idleness in Portland. How long it will
so remain is problematical. In the inter
ests of common sense, sound business
principles and good ethics, it ought to be
put into permanent retirement as an
adjunct to legitimate retail trade, or
for any. other purpose.
On behalf of this gambling device the
claim is made that it serves as an au
tomatic salesman. Appealing to the
customer's cupidity, he ventures more
money than is involved" in the usual
purchase of immediate imaginary needs
and thus creates traffic that in the ag
gregate is larger than normal. If cer
tain days develop such stimulated
traffic, it follows that succeeding days
must show corresponding depression;
for year in and year out there are just
so many smokers and so many cigars
to be smoked, and no more. Men don't
buy beyond their desires. In the end
as much business will be done without
the aid of artificial "salesmen."
Some folk argue that sharp compe
tition among rich cigar concerns for
distributing centers at good corners,
taken on long-time leasee, has contrib
uted largely to the increased value of
property in the "shopping" district and
has driven many small merchants into
creating new retail districts which less,
than two years ago were -given over
to dwellings. Admitting this, it may,
be pertinently inquired, what figure
does the slot machine cut in the propo
sition? None at all. It is purely a
fight for cigar business.
Stripped of the false reasoning that
an appeal to the universal gambling in
stinct fosters trade, the slot machine
stands out useless and demoralizing. It
is an ever-present temptation for im
mature youth to take on a vice which,
is likely to grow. On this point the
records of our criminal courts furnish,
ample testimony. Any business that
must depend on the invitation "Try
your luck," which the fakir at a county
fpir employs for bumpkins, is entitled
to no consideration.
THE REED INSTITUTE.
'The prospect for the Reed Institute
looks bright. The will of the late
Amanda Reed can hardly be attacked
again in the courts of Oregon. Litiga
tion is still possible in California, but
it is not likely to be dangerous. If the
great fortune wheh seems now safely in
the hands of the trustees is adminis
tered with a wisdom commensurate
with the far-sighted generosity of the
donor, Portland will soon have an in
stitution of learning whose usefulness
cannot be estimated. Though the en
dowment of $1,500,000 does not rank
with the largest in the country, still it
is large for a beginning. Much can be
done -with it; and it is a property of
munificent gifts of this character that
they attract others. It is said to be
disrespectable to die in Boston without
leaving a legacy to Harvard. We may
expect a similar sentiment to develop
in Portland should the Reed Institute
fulfill its possibilities.
Two mistakes common enough at the
Inception of such institutions the trus
tees will doubtless avoid. The first Is
the sinking of their capital in magnifi
cent buldings, leaving but a meager
income to support instruction, buy
books and furnish laboratories. This
mistake has ruined more than one
promising school and thwarted the be
nevolent intentions .of many a donor.
Buildings are but the clothing, the
school's a school for a' that, even if at
first it be "housed exceeding humble."
Dr. Gllman began his great Baltimore'
experiment in a few little structures
which he sometimes spoke of as "shan
ties." Buildings should come mostly
out of income. They should not in
fringe much upon capital.
The second error is to aim too low.
The fear that a high standard may
repel students has hampered school af
ter school. The higher the standard set
at the beginning the more students the
institute will attract and the better
their quality. This result may" not be
immediate, but it is absolutely certain
in the long run.
Still, popular instruction should not
be forgotten. While the technical
courses should be scholarly and appeal
to the best grade of students, there
ought also to be provision for untechni
cal popular lectures. All these matters
the trustees, who are men of unques
tioned ability, have undoubtedly can
vassed. Probably they have also consid
ered another peril -which continually
besets all technical schools. This peril
is the- employment of a president and
faculty whose sympathies have been
formed on the old classical model. Such
men, unconsciously and In spite of the
beet intentions. Invariably depart from
the technical idea and turn an institu
tion into one of the classical type. Such,
an outcome would be nothing short of a
calamity. Nothing could be farther
from the wishes of Amanda. Reed or
the husband whose intentions she ful
filled in her -will.
The executive head of the Reed Insti
tute is all important to its destiny.
Upon" him will depend the direction and
intensity of its original impulse. He.
should be a man of the broadest culti
vation, yet at the same time with an,
unconquerable belief in the efficacy and,
value of, scientific and technical edu
cation. If he doe3 not know Latin, no
matter; but he must know the needs,
of modern life and must understand,
the kind of education which in our day,
opens the door of opportunity.
KNOWING HOW.
There is probably a good deal of mis
apprehension in this country concern
ing the condition of work people in Eu
rope, and especially in France and Ger
many. The labor laws of both those
nations are in advance of our own.
Those pertaining to women and chil
dren are particularly admirable.. We
might imitate some of them with great
advantage. An esteemed correspondent
of The. Oregonian, writing from Med
ford, remarks that "the children of the
poor in France and Germany labor in
factories and coal mines and receive no
schooling whatever."
Now this is a rather serious mistake
about a matter of fact. Had the state
ment been made of conditions in our
own country, nobody could have dis
puted Its truth. Children of the poor
in the United States do labor in fac
tories and coal mines to an alarming
extent, and are thereby deprived of
health and education; but in neither
France nor Germany are conditions so
bad. Schooling is universal and free in
France. The poorest stands on the
same plane as the richest in the matter
of education. Nor is the case much
different in Germany. One might add
that throughout the Scandinavian
countries also education is pretty near
ly universal.
In none of these countries Is private
schooling to be compared with public.
Exactly as" In the United States, the
private schools of Europe are generally
inferior. Their teaching is impover
ished, their methods reactionary. The
upper middle classes of France and
Germany are educated in public insti
tutions, not in private schools, and
their more rapid progress compared
with our own boys and girls of the
same age is not to be explained by the
superiority of private schools.
The children of the poor in France
and Germany are just as far ahead of
our own children of the same age as
the children of the rich. The fact is
well known. Nobody disputes it. Pres
ident Hyde has stated it publicly with
out meeting any contradiction. Profes
eon Munsterberg has lately reiterated
it as baldly as possible. The simple
fact Is that European teachers in the
public schools know how to teach;
while those or many of those in Amer
ica have the art yet to learn.
TREATY CHECKS TO EtfMIG RATION.
Senator- Fulton is right that steam
ship companies should be checked In
unloading foreign immigrants on Amer
ican shores. His remedy is good, but
there is another still better that of
preventing the embarkation of immi
grants from foreign lands unless their
qualifications to enter the country shall
be attested by Consuls or other diplo
matic representatives of the United
States or by special agents stationed
for the purpose.
The Chinese problem on the Pacific
Coast has been more than a match for
immigration troubles on the Atlantic
seaboard. Now comes the Japanese
difficulty, threatening even more seri
ous trouble. Resentment of Chinese
has sprung chiefly from humiliating de
tention in our ports of Chinese who
have come here under the notion that
they were entitled to admission, and in
many cases -were so entitled. As has
been pointed out in these columns be
fore, Chinese would have little or no
resentment if their entrance qualifica
tions could be determined before leav
ing Chinese ports, vised by agents of
the United States in those ports and
the certificate thereof be made a posi
tive guarantee of -prompt admission to
this country. By this method high
class Chinese, whom the United States
does not wish to bar out, would be ad
mitted without delay or humiliation.-
This I system could be used by the
United States as to immigrants and
travelers from all foreign nations,
whose outflow of population makes im
migration troubles for the United
States. This could be accomplished
probably by treaties. The treaty plan
is favored by the State Department,
which takes the view that by such
agreements the work of immigration
societies and steamship companies in
inducing immigration, ' could . be
stopped by the foreign governments.
This method would be satisfactory to"
Senator . Fulton. If it should not be
adopted, he promises to work for a law
of Congress to stop immigration of per
sons who have been induced to come to
this country by steamship companies
or immigration societies, thus to end a
system that brings thousands of immi
grants here, who would not start of
their own initiative. His proposal
might help to alleviate conditions, but
would not apply beyond the jurisdiction
of the United States, as the treaty
method would do. By the latter, for
eign nations would be obliged to en
force treaty stipulations against emi
gration from their shores of undesira
ble ,persons.
SUICIDE AND ITS CAUSES.
The theory that depressing weather,
short, dark days and long nights in
cite to suicide seems to have found
verification in the frequent suicides in
this city during the past fortnight. A
total of seven cases of self-murder in
twice that number of days is appalling,
upon whatever theory the fact Is based.
So far as investigation has developed
cause In the?e cases the verdict has
been that the act was caused by de
spondency, incident to Illness and pov
erty. It can soarcely be doubted that
these.two misfortunes combine to cause
self-destruction; nor is it illogical to
suppose that gloomy weather adds to
the temporarily insane, or at least un
reasoning, desire to throw'off the whole
wretched business of living, as far as
all that they see 'and feel and know
extends. Whether or not there is any
thing in the theory that depressing at
mospheric conditions incline the morbid
mind to self-destruction the record for
this city In this line in November and
thus early in December is a startling
one.
And while we are upon this sub
ject it may be said that nothing is
gained, generally .speaking, by trying
to trace this effect to its cause. Un
less some vital issue of Justice is at
stake, the near of kin of a person who
has -committed suicide is perfectly ex
cusable in refusing to divulge, if
known, the immediate cause of the act.
If, as is hinted in the case of the two
young girls who opened the gas cocks
in their room Tuesday night and lay
down to their last sleep, there are.
"fam'ily reasons" for withholding the
details from the ears of a critical and
unsympathetic public, these details
may very properly be withheld. If
man's perfidy was the predisposing
cause, there Is not one chance In a
thousand that the sinner will be
brought to book by disclosing the
frailty of the dead and further wound
ing the sensibilities of the already suf
fering living. Matters of this kind have
been threshed over before the public
so often that it is idle to suppose that
the flail of inquiry will beat any new
grain from the flying chaff. On this
view it; may be hoped that the sur
vivor of the alleged "three sisters," two
of whom died together by their own
act. will continue to maintain a dis
creet silence. The girls are dead, the
manner of their death is known. Let
that suffice.
Klnoch & Co., large ammunition
manufacturers of Birmingham, Eng
land, have decided to adopt the met
ric system in -weights and measures
and in monetary dealings. The metric
system in England Is permitted legally,
but it is not compulsory. Repeated ef
forts have failed to render it compul
sory, and these manufacturers, becom
ing tired of waiting for Parliament to
act, "have decided to make the experi
ment in their own business. The ex
isting system is found to be a great
hindrance to foreign trade, and it is
held that an experiment by a large
firm able to make it will result bene
ficially to the commerce of the king
dom. A uniform system of weights
and measures is . necessary to the
world's commercial transactions. The
metric system is simple and compre
hensive, and will, no doubt, in due time
make its way f in international ex
change, though custom in this as in
other things makes way slowly, ques
tioning innovation at every step.
In the case of Chester E, Gillette,
convicted of murdering his confiding
victim, there Is presented another in
stance that American juries have no
mercy on men who seduce young
women and afterward are suspected of
murdering them. For the last fifteen
years every sensational trial of this
sort has ended in a verdict of guilty,
with the death penalty attached. And
in every case the conviction was based
on circumstantial evidence. Juries
without exception have reversed the
rule of law that the prosecution must
prove beyond a reasonable doubt that
the defendant is guilty; they demanded
that the defendant prove himself inno
cent beyond the least doubt.
An order looking toward the" adop
tion of a uniform rate for box rent in
postofflces has been issued by the First
Assistant Postmaster-General. The re
vised rates will prevail in every post
office in the United States.- This is as
it should be. The postal service is pre
eminently the people's service, and all
should be treated alike in the matter of
mail distribution. The purpose of the
order is to correct inequalities that
have long existed in the service, and
to this end the rental of some boxes
will be raised and that of others low
ered. The Government will lose noth
ing by the revision, and the patrons
will be placed on an equality in the
matter of expense,
v
At last we have the legal status of a
trust that fixes prices. By the United
States Court of Appeals at Cincinnati
it was decided that the Continental
Wall Paper Company could not collect
$57,000 for goods sold and delivered in
violation of the anti-trust law. A trust
has the same standing in court as a
faro bank.
The City of Portland has at any rate
the precious consolation of knowing
it gave the United Railways a generous
gift. How sweet is generosity and
how comforting to the soul the recol
lection thereof. In the words of the
prophet, "The fool city and its fran
chises are easily parted."
The boom that irrigation and the de
mand for lumber have given to Montana
lands appears in the records of the
State Land Office. These show that
the total income of the State Land
Board for the fiscal year exceeds by
,$260,000 that of any previous yea- in
the history of Montana.
The Spokane murder trial that has
engrossed the time of the court and the
attention of the public for some days
past has demonstrated one point quite
clearly, viz., that the murdered man,
having eaten sour grapes, . his son's
teeth were set on edge.
It is understood that Mr. Foraker has
secured the unanimous support of the
negroes by his resolution against the
President's discharge of the colored
regiments. Now if he could manage to
secure the support of a few white men
his Presidential boom would look prom
ising indeed.
From the country point of view life
in the city is the acme of desire. Yet
the man who said "All is not gold that
glitters" described the true situation.
Better the drudgery of the farm than
the worse drudgery of the city, with a
merciful close to a hapless career.
As excuse for suicide, two misguided
country girls said they couldn't find
work in Portland. Any young woman
who knows the A B Cs of domestic
work, if she be industrious -and frugal,
can acquire a competency before she is
old enough to wish to retire.
The word came from California. It
was somewhat indistinctly . spoken, but
it sounded like "secession." Even If the
law is unconstitutional, "we shall en
force it just the same." Try it on, Mr.
Altraan, ,and see what happens.
For next year Harriman proposes to
expend $2,200,000 on betterments of lines
in Oregon. We move an amendment
that $200,000 be- devoted to safer track
and $2,000,000 to more freight cars. All
Oregon seconds the motion.
No wonder the ancients thought the
world was flat. They had no nickel-.
ln-tne-slot machines, no bridge whist,
no automobiles no nothing that makes
things lively in" these later days. Flat,
of course it was.
The Californians may comfort them
selves a little by the reflection that the
President's remarks on schools and.
Japanese were perhaps intended for
foreign consumption.
The Russians also thought the Japs
were an inferior race. Experience is a
stern teacher, but a fool will have none
other.
Lebanon, put on the map by Senator
Miller, may have another day of joy.
wbaa the Great Commoner comes.
LIVING TO BE ONE HUNDRED.
Remarkable Differences Between Vari
ous Countries of Europe.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
The death is reported from France of
one Jean MIgnot, who was thought to
be the oldest person In that country. He
was 107 years of age and to the last
had taken a daily walk and preserved
his f acuities. The results have been
given out of an investigation by a Ger
man statistician concerning the preva
lence of centenarianlsm in the various
countries of Europe on the basis of
the latest census figures. The differ
ences between various countries are
rather remarkable, not to say inexplic
able. This is what he finds, with the
total population of each country men
tioned in round figures:
100 years Total
and over, population.
Germany 7g fi6.000.on0
France 213 40.000,000
England 14a 33.000,000
Scotland ., 4a 4,500.000
Denmark 2 2.500,000
Belgium 5 6,700,000
Sweden . 10 6.000,000
Norway 23- 2.S00.OO0
Spain 410 18,600,000
Servla 573 2,500,000
Houmanla 1.0S4 6.000,000
Bulgaria 3.SS3 3.8O0.0OO
Such a great difference as is shown
between France and Germany may ac
tually exist. The climate of France is
less severe than that of Germany, and
the life of its people is more contented.
Yet Norway, with a more severe cli
mate than England, has a larger relat
ive number 'of centenarians, and a
much larger relative number than the
adjacent and kindred country of Swe
den. But if these differences can be ex
plained satisfactorily, not so the fig
ures for the Balkan countries, which
are ridiculous on their face. To sup
pose that one in every 103 of the Bul
garian population is a centenarian is
to conclude that a new and unique type
of human being has been discovered
on the face of the earth, and that too
in the very midst of shorter-lived races.
The explanation of these figures is that
those who gave them for the most part
lied or did not know. Up to a certain
point in life men will misrepresent
their ages, if at all, on the under side.
But beyond that point the greatness
of the years becomes a matter of pride.
The uncertainties and general worth
lessness of centenarian statistics are
shown quite as strikingly In our own
country as in these European figures.
Thus the 1900 census for the continent
al United States brought out the fol
lowing as to excessive ages:
ll years. Total
and over, population.
Native whites, native par
entage 303 40.049,362
Native whites, foreign par
entage M 10.6M.2R0
Foreign-born whites 301 10,213.817
Negroes and of negro de
scent 2,55.1 8.8.13,901
Chinese and Japanese 3 114,189
Indians Ill 237,106
Total -.....! 3,504 70,980,838
Not Including B. 013. 737 native-born persons
of mixed foreign and native parentage.
Probably the number of centenarians
among the whites, and particularly
among the native-born whites. Is near
the truth; and the country in this re
spect makes a better showing than any
of the European countries from which
come measurably reliable statistics.
But the negro age statistics are admit
ted by the census office to be remote
from the truth. Imagination will do a
fot for an Ignorant man of advanced
years in magnifying them, when the
date of his birth is unknown.
There Is enough of truth in the fig
ures, however, to make plausible the
claim that the race, under modern con
ditions of life, is not only advancing
the average of longevity, but maintain
ing the numbers of exceptional cases,
even as against times far back of civi
lized history, when people lived largely
in the open air as do our American In
dians, who truthfully or falsely show
so high a relative number of centenarians.
The President's Message.
Washington letter to the Boston Transcript.
By the middle of the week the Re
publicans who control in Senate and
House will have a fair idea of what the
President will say In his message. They
will get their information from him. Ho
has always made It a practice to consult
the Congressional leaders freely about his
message; he consults them and then pro
ceeds to say what is in his mind, whether
it meets the approval of the legislative
leaders or not. It is safe to say that be
fore the middle of next week he will have
read most of his message to callers and
most of the persons intrusted with the
alleged secrets of the message will go
out and talk about the document. Under
the circumstances it is not strange that
the public generally knows what the mes
sage is to contain before it is sent to
Congress. It Is all right with the Presi
dent. He never has undertaken to main
tain secrecy about his policies.
Three Times and Out.
Puck.
J. Caesar doubtfully rubbed his chin be
tween forefingers and thumb and mused.
"What'll I do about accepting that third
offer of a crown? I'd like to know what
Roosevelt would advise. Just as a
pointer."
The noble Roman concluded to turn
down the proposition and shortly after
ward did not live to regret it.
BLOW TO COTTON INDUSTRY.
French Movement to Raise Tariff on
Cottonseed Oil.
PARIS, Dec. 5. Cottonseed and cot
tonseed oil, of which there is an enor
mous importation from America, are
threatened with almost prohibitory du
ties. The subject is being pressed for
consideration, not only as a new
source of revenue, but on the demand
of the olive-oil Industry for protection
against cottonseed oil, which is exten
sively replacing olive oil.
The customs committee of the Cham
ber of Deputies has decided to propose
a rider to the budget increasing the
tariff on cottonseed to 6 francs add the
duty on cottonseed oil to 12 trf.s per
100 kilograms. The commerce commit
tee of the Chamber has protested
against the inclusion of the proposed
new duties in the budget, and, having
a reciprocity agreement In view, pro
poses to bring up the question in Par
liament as a separate matter.
The Foreign Office has received Am
bassador McCormlck's strong repre
sentations against the suggested in
creases in duties.
Thaw Witnesses Go to New York.
NEW YORK, Dee. 5. Clifford W. Hart
ridge, counsel for Harry K. Thaw, today
withdrew his application for the ap
pointment of a commission to take tes
timony for the defendant outside of this
state. Mr. Hartridge sent a note to
Judge Newburger, saying that he had
found one of the witnesses he wanted at
Los Angeles, Cal., and that the witness
started for New York to give his testi-,
mony. Mr. Hartridge said also that he
expected to get the other witnesses he
wanted next week. The two witnesses
whose testimony he wants are Truxton
Beale and Thomas McCaieb.
LOAFERS DRIVE OUT JAPANESEV
Beaten and Kicked at Sawmill Town
Near Tacoma.
XACOMA, Wash.. Dec. 6. A dozen Jap
anese taken to Alder, Wash., to work In
a well, were set upon by a band of thugs
who objected to their presence there, and
roughly handled. The Japs were beaten
with clubs, kicked and threatened with
death If they did not immediately depart.
The train had gone, and the Japs were
driven down the railroad tracK and told
that if they returned to Alder they would
be shot. A meeting was later called in
the hall at Alder, and inflammatory
speeches against tbe Japs were made. Au
thorities are investigating.
Manager Chester, of the Alder Mill
Company, which is 35 miles south of Ta
coma, says the trouble was caused by a
few hangers-on at a saloon, who would
not work themselves and who assaulted
the Japanese In the endeavor to drive
them away. Two deputy sheriffs arrived
Sunday evening, and the Japanese are
now at work In the yard doing common
labor, for which other men could not be
obtained. Mr. Chester says the other
millmen are satisfied, and that the mill Is
running all right.
The employment of Japanese laborers
is not a. new thing on the line of the
Tacoma Eastern Railroad. They have
been doing section work for several years,
and there is hardly a mill among the 25
on the line that does not employ from
ten to a dozen Japanese.
JAPAN PRAISES ROOSEVELT
Thinks San Francisco Must Yield on
School Question.
TOKIO, Dec. 6. The clear, firm and
determined attitude of President Roose
velt in his message in reference to the
San Francisco school question and anti
Japanese sentiment is warmly praised. It
is felt here that, however much the' San
Francisco school authorities may be af
fected by local sentiment, they can ulti
mately only yield to the moral weight
which President Roosevelt's message car
ries. NEWS TO CONSUL H. B. MILLER.
Japanese Have Separate Schools and
Are All Adults.
SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 5.-:onsul
Henry- B. Miller of Yokohama, who sails
for Japan on the Siberia next Saturday,
attended a meeting of the Board of Edu
cation this morniug and was greatly sur
prised to learn that the Japanese aro not
being excluded from the public schools,
but are merely obliged to attend separate
schools. It was also a great surprise
to him to learn that since 1SS7 San Fran
cisco has maintained a separate school
for Chinese children.
In response to the question as to
whether or not there are any Japanese
children here with their parents who
desire to attend the schools, he was in
formed that there are none: that the
pupils are grown men and are .for that
reason objectionable.
East Does Not Understand.
SACRAMENTO, Cal.. Dec. 5. Governor
Pardee said today in reference to the
question of Japanese in the public
schools:
"I don't think the President under
stands the situation out hero any more
than any of the other people in the East
do. I also do not think the right of na
turalization should be extended to the
Japanese. We can get over the school
proposition very easily by applying an
age limit. I think the statute now pro
vides for this. I favor separate schools
for the Japanese as well as for any other
alien and unmixing people.';
ASKS AUTHORITY TO DISMISS.
President Cannot Get Rid or Disrep
utable Officers.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. The Presi
dent today sent a special message to
CongTess, urging giving the Executive
authority of his own initiative and
own responsibility to dismiss any of
ficer whom he thinks unworthy to re
main in the service.
The lawi at present provides that In
time of peace no officer shall be dis
missed except in pursuance of a court
martial, or in mitigation thereof. This
provision the President wants re
pealed. Illustrating the necessity for the
legislation desired, the President clte3
the case of a -Naval officer, whose
name Is not given, but who was ac
cused of "indecent and disgusting be
havior." He was convicted, but tlio
court, to his surprise, the President
says, did not sentence him to dismis
sal. The President also asks for the repeal
of article 37 for the government of the
Navy, which in time of war practically
subjects his right of dismissal to review
by a courtmartial, to be assembled within
six months. If the accused officer de
mands this court.
INTERNAL REVENUE GROWING.
Increase of Over $2,500,000 In
October Collections.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. The month
ly statement of receipts from Internal
revenue sources shows that for Octo
ber, 1906. the total collections were
$24,825, 2S3, a gain over October, 1905,
of $2,500,994.
ONE VIEW OF
LET CONVICTS MAKE ROADS.
Moore Sounds Keynote at Opening of
Good Roads Convention.
Ml'SKOGEE, I. T., Dec. o. The Na
tional Good Roads Association met here
today in annual convention. The meet
ing will be in session for three days,
and several men of National promi
nence will take part in its proceedings.
A feature today was the building of a
model road near the National cemetery
at old Fort Gibson, a few miles north
east of Muskogee. There is no contest
in sight over the election of president,
and W. H. Moore, of Chicago, probably
will be re-elected.
President Moore, in his annual ad
dress, said the method of housing
thousands of criminals Is wrong. Mil
lions of arrests are made annually, he
said, and a large portion of these In
mates of jails and penitentiaries are
used to manufacture products which
are sold in open market in competition
with the free and honest labor of the
country. This he termed a hideous
nightmare of mtsgovernment. These
classes, he said, should be utilized in
building roads and public works.
Kirk M. Treat, of the Chicago Com
mercial Association, stated that good
roads would save $1,000,000,000 a year
for the United States. Other speakers
concurred with Mr. Treat and im
pressed upon delegates the necessity
of establishment of a system of roads
in Oklahoma at once.
Miss Alice Robertson, Postmistress
at Muskogee, attributed the larg
amount of Insanity among women of
rural districts to the loneliness and
isolation caused by the lack of com
munication from impassable roads.
NEGRO QUESTION GOES OVER
Senate Calls for Full Information
About Japanese.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. The brief
session of the Senate today resulted in
the Introduction of many bills, resolu
tions, petitions and memorials, and the
receipt of a number of communications
from the Executive Department. Sena
tor Foraker'B insistence that immediate
action be taken on the pending resolu
tions asking for Information regarding
the discharge of negro soldiers of the
Twenty-fifth Infantry developed discus
sion, but resulted in postponing action
until tomorrow.
Without debate the. Senate today
adopted a resolution calling on the Secre
tary of Commerce and Iabor to furnish
the Senate copies of all official letters,
telegrams, reports, etc, filed In the de
partment in connection with the investi
gation of the matter of Japanese attend
ing the public schools of San Francisco.
The resolution was presented by Sen
ator Flint, of California.
The Senate committee on naval affairs
today ordered a favorable report on the
nomination of Victor II. Motcalf, of Cali
fornia, to be Secretary of the Navy.
DON'T KNOW THE OFFENSE.
Standard Oil Men Move to Quash
Ohio Indictments.
FINDLAY. O., Dec. 6. Late this after
noon the attorneys for the Standard Oil
Company filed in the Court of Common
riea3 motions to quash the indictments
against John D. . Rockefeller, the Stand
ard OH Company of Ohio. J. M. Roberts
and II. P. Mcintosh, of Cleveland, offi
cers of the Standard Oil Company of
Ohio. It is stated in the motions that
the Indictments aro uncertain and In
definite and do not charge an offense in
such manner as enables the defendants to
ascertain the character of the charges
made against thorn.
The three defendants named in the mo
tions other than John D. Rockefeller will
appear In court here Friday to plead to
the indictments. Mr. Rockefeller will be
allowed to plead through his attorney.
MUST APPEAR IN ST. LOUIS.
Rockefeller and Whole Gang Served
Willi Summons.
ST. LOUIS. Dec. 6. The Clerk of the
United States Circuit Court today re
ceived notification from the United States
Marshal's Office In New York that serv
ice had been ordered on John D. Rocke
feller and others in the Government suit
against the Standard Oil Company re
cently filed in St. Louis. In addition to
Rockefeller, the following joint defend
ants with him were served:
Henry H. Rogers. William Rockefeller,
John D. Archbold, H. M. Flngler and
Oliver H. Payne. They will be required '
to enter an appearance here.
RELIEF FOR MONEY MARKET.
Shaw Will ray Interest Due Next
Year Out of Surplus.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. The Secre
tary of the Treasury gave notice today
to the holders of United States bonds
that the interest maturing on the sev
eral Interest dates between and in
cluding January, October, May, 1907,
will be repaid without rebate on and
after Dec. 15, 1906. Checks for the
interest due January 1, 1907, on reg
istered bonds will be mailed to the
owners on or before Dec. 15.
The amount of interest which may
thus be paid Is $12,000,000. The action
taken releases for the use of the busi
ness of the country a sum practically
equal to the surplus receipts for No
vember and December.
THE MESSAGE
I From the Chicago Tribuns.
M hi
"1 1 . KKfl