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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 1906)
8 THE MURMJG OREGOXIAX, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, iyu. SUBSCRIPTION KATES. IT INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. VJ (By Mall.) rally, ' Sunday Included, on year. . . . .?9-0 Dally, Sunday Included, six months.... -25 Dally, Sunday Included, three montbl.. 2.25 Dally, Sunday Included, one month 73 Dally, without Sunday, one year ...... 00 Dally, without Sunday, six months 8-25 Pally, without Sunday, three montha. . 115 Dally without Sunday, one month Sunday, one years 2.50 Weekly, on year (Issued Thursday)... loo Gunday and Weekly, one year 3.50 BV carrier. Dally, Sunday Included, ons year 9 00 Dally. Sunday Included, one month "5 HOW TO REMIT Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. Give postottlca ad dress In full. Including county and state. rOSTAGE BATES. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postottlca as Second-Class Matter. JO to 14 Pages 1 cent J 9 to an Pages ....2 cents to to 44 Pates 3 cents 8 to 60 Panes cents Foreign Postage, double rates. IMPORTANT The postal laws are strict. Newspapers on which postage Is not fully prepaid in not torardd to dwttntion EA9TEUX BUSINESS OFFICE. The S. C. Beekwlth Special Agency New Tork. rooms 43-00 Tribune building. Chi cago, rooms 510-512 Tribune building. Ktrr ON SALE.. Chicago Auditorium Annex, Fostofrce News Co., 178 Dearborn street. St. Paul, Minn N. St. Marie, Commercial Station. Colorado Springs, Colo. Western News Agency. Denver Hamilton & Hendrlck. 909-912 eenteenth street; Tratt Book Store, 121 Fifteenth street; I. Welnstein; H. P. Han aen. Kansas City, Mo. Rlcksecker Cigar Co.. Ninth and WaTnu. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh. 60 South Third. Cleveland, O James Pushaw, SOT Su perior street. Atlantic Cllj, N. J. Ell Taylor. New- York City L.. Join & Co.. Astor lieu--; Broadway Theater News Stand. Oakland, Cal. Vv. H. Johnson, Four teenth and Franklin streets, N. Wheatley: Oakland News Stand. Ogden V. 1. 13cyle; W. O. K.lnd, 11 25th street. i Hot Springs, Ark. C. N. Weaver Co. Omaliu Barkalow Broc, lol? Farnam; Magealh Stationery Co., IMS Farnam, 240 South Fourteenth. Sncramento, Cal. Sacramento News Co.. 43 K 91 rest. Salt Lake; Moon Book & Stationery Co.. Uosenfold & Hansen. Los Angeles B. E. Amos, manager seven street w-agons. San Diego B. E. Amos. Long Beach, Cal. B. E. Amos. Pasadena, Cal A. F. Horning. San Francisco Foster & Orear, Ferry News Sta.'.d; Hotel St. Francis News Stand; L. Parent. N. Wheal ley. Eureka, Cal. Call-Chronicle Agency. Washington, D. C. Ebbltt House, Penn sylvania avcnue. Norfolk, Vs. Jamestown News Co. Pine Beui-h, V.-W. A. Cosgrove. Philadelphia, Pa. Ryan's Theater Tlckst Office. ' PORTLAND, SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 1908. NO TRl'ST. BI T A TARIFF. The price of lumber has soared up so near to prohibitive rates all over the country that the Commissioner of Cor porations has begun an investigation for the purpose of finding out whether or not there is in existence a lumber trust.. It ie very doubtful about tho Commissioner unearthing any organi zation that will answer the description qf a trust in 'the sense in which we have liome to accept tho term. There Is a number of lumber organizations throughout the country in which the lumbermen have combined for their mutual welfare, but organization of a trust that could control the market price of this great staple in all parts of the country i a task that neoms to be 'too great under existing conditions. We' find the Southern" associations lighting the Western associations In mutual territory in the Middle West; and,' while it must be admitted that their contests have Bcldom reached the price-cutting etage, . they belabor the railroads for preferential rates that will give them an advantage in the Held tvhere both work. But, trust or no trust, the price of lumber has advanced to a point where it works quite a hardship on the con sumer of only moderate means. On the Pacific Coast no small amount of the Increase is traceable to' the San Fran cisco disaster, and In a lesser degree to the' earthquake at Valparaiso. To re pair the immediate damage at these two .cities there was required a vast amount of lumber, nearly all of which wa,s drawn from the North Pacific ports. There has also been a heavy demand from the Orient and from North China, where the waste of war had to be repaired. The vastness of this foreign demand is shown by the figures for the first eleven months of the current year. During that period the . foreign exports from Portland alpne, not Including other points on the Columbia, were more than 105,000,000 feet, while something over 100,000,000 feet -was shipped coastwise by water. With this enormous business and the mills turning down orders for lack of- cars and ocean carriers. It is, of course, a very easy matter to screw prices up to a high notch without the aid of a trust. As the Pacific Coast rnilte have be come a most prominent factor in the trade of the Middle West, where mdst of the trust talk is heard, it is easy to understand how their withdrawal from that trade to take care of coastwise and foreign businewj would be felt. There is still a large number of small mill operators who are dependent on the loggers for their supplies of raw material, and even eome of the big mills that are large holders of timber are Still buying from the loggers. With logs selling from $10 per thousand up, and owners of vessels demanding $10 per thousand freight, and unable to supply a sufficient amount of tonnage even at that figure, it is easy to trace a large portion of the heavy advance in the West,' which has, perhaps, contrib u ted to excite suspicions of a trust. If Commissioner Garfield Is unable to lo cate any trust of sufficient tangibility to admit of prosecution, lie might as certain to what extent relief from the present scarcity and attendant high prices could be secured by removal of the present duty on Canadian lumber. At the rate at which our great mills are eating up forests In this country; the finish of the Industry can be seen looming up. with startling distinctness. Removal of the Canadian' duty might have other effect In addition to giving the consumer cheaper lumber. It might result In staying the hand of the de stroying logger among our own mag nificent forests and giving the Canadi ans an opportunity to thin out their own timber districts. That removal of the duty on lumber would be a great benefit to the unfortunate consumers who are striving to rebuild their homes and places of business in San' Francisco is a fact too plainly In evidence to ad "mlt of argument. The scarcity of ton nage due to the big demand has forced coastwise rates up to a point "where Ca nadlan lumbermen find it profitable to charter British vessels and ship lumber into San Francisco, where, after paying the duty, they still have a margin of profit over the manufacturer who Is obliged to 'depend on the higher-priced protected American vessels for shipping facilities. We lament the ruthless destruction of our fine forests, and we complain of the high prices of lumber, and yet the for eigners seem willing to supply our de mands, providing we will remove the tariff and enable them to give our con sumers relief from the present exorbi tant rates. The removal of the duty would at least cause a revision of price schedules, and, as there are hundreds of consumers Interested where there is one manufacturer, the removal would be only another case of the greatest good to the greatest number. PORTLAND'S BUILDING BOOM. Portland building permits for the year w;lll show an increase of nearly 40 per cent oyer .those of 1905, a year which broke all previous records. More than 3000 permits were Issued during the year, which closes with more buildings under construction than at any former period' In the history of the city. The official statistics will show the- valuation of the permits issued dur ing the year at nearly $7,000,000. As has frequently been mentioned In these col umns, the actual amount Involved In the cost of the buildings in Portland is always far in 'excess, of the figures named in the permit, and it is highly probable that .the value of the buildings represented by the permits issued is in excess of $10,000,000. .While it Is the large . structures going up in every part of the city that first take the eye of the stranger. an even stronger testimonial to our great prosperity Is found in the large number of residences which are under construction on both sides of the river. Tho wage-earner or the professional man of moderate income who shows his faith in the city by building a home contributes in degree just as much to Increasing the value of all property as does the capitalist who invests large sums in a business block. It is on the wage-earner and professional man, In fact, that the owner or lessee of the big building must depend for the trade which will make his investment profit able. The cost of building is higher now than It has ever been in Portland, but real estate values are still remark ably low, considering the size of the city, and whether built for rent or for occupancy by the builder, there Is still a good margin of profit in well-located residences or business quarters. Ton millions is a large amount to in vest in new buildings in. ono year, but it should be remembered that a great many thousands of people have come to this city seeking 'quarters within the past twelve months, and thousands more are on the way or preparing to come. "Every year a record-breaker" has been true in the case of Portland for the past three years, and the im petus now gained is too great to admit of anything like a serious check for an other year at least. Twelve months hence the building permits, bank clear ings and real estate transfer statistics of this date will seem small by compar ison with those which will then be In evidence. OSH NEED OF STATE UNIVERSITY. A report of the work that has been done by the University of Oregon In the past two years, together with sugges tions of the needs of that Institution for which the Legislature at its coming session will be asked to provide by ap propriation, has been Issued by Judge Bean, dean of the board of regents. -The faculty is justly commended for the progress, against many difficulties, that has been attained by the university- in the past two years.- A largely increased attendance of students is shown, and the work in many lines proves an at tention to detail that Is creditable to president, professors and the student body. A rather surprising recommendation. however, In view of more vital needs, is that twenty acres of land adjoining the university be purchased at a cost not exceeding $25,000 for athletic grounds. It is the Judgmeat of many persons who "are in. close touch with the uni versity and its work that the para mount need of that institution at pres ent is a dormitory building for young women students. True. Judge Bean, recommends an appropriation to fur nish the woman's cottage that has been built, and for the construction of an other cottage for women. But this will not at all adequately meet the demand for a suitable, comfortable, modern dormitory building for the use of young women. Provision reasonably 'adequate has been made for young men in at tendance upon the university, but it Is a fact well known that the accommo dations for young women, including board and room, with fire, light, bath and a place to receive their friends. are grossly. Inadequate to the needs of this large and worthy class of students. THE LIBERAL PROGRAMME. The movement for separation between church and state, with secular educa tion as an incidental issue,' which Is so strong In France, Spain and Italy, has met with an apparent reverse In Eng land. The House of Lords amended the liberal education bill until there was very little left of It; and the Ministry has decided to drop the matter for the present. The bill by no means provid ed for complete seoular" education. It merely relieved nonconformists of the burden of paying taxes to inculcate a religion which they did not believe in, By rejecting a measure so manifestly just the Lords have undoubtedly pre pared the way for one which will go much farther. Since 1886, when the House of Lords became uncompromisingly Tory, It has made liberal legislation impossible in England. No matter what bills the Commons may pass, their fate In the upper house is decided' beforehand, The government may appeal to the peo ple on the education bill if it likes and have a new election. But supposing the nation again returned ' a Liberal House of Commons and the education bill were again passed. Its fate would be the same as before. How, then, are the people of England to obtain legisla tion which the hereditary peers do not approve? The programme of the Ministry seems to be to permit the Lords to heap up sins to their own undoing. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman .will not appeal to the country on the education bill alone, nor on any other single measure; but he will force the Lords to reject some half dozen, all popular. Thus he will hold many more votes than he could on any single question. The Ministry will then go to the country with the question whether the Lords or the Commons shall rule the empire. A Liberal majority . returned upon this Issue will be . mandate to the Lords either to yield or see- them selves abolished. The Commons can abolish the upper house by a declara tory act, providing the nation is with them, and undoubtedly the Ministry meditate some such plan as this. REASONABLE DOUBT. The justice or Injustice of the Presi dent's discharge of the negro crmpanies alleged to have been concerned In the Brownsville shooting has excited wide discussion. Dr. Lyman Abbott, speak ing upon this matter the other day, said that, though. Mr. Roosevelt had been severely censured for what he did. the President was still a friend of the negro. Such talk Is pleasing and un doubtedly true, "but it is irrelevant. Of course the President is a friend to the negro. No well-informed person can honestly doubt it. But one's friends are occasionally deceived. The best inten tions can be brought to naught by false testimony, and the greatest intellects are not exempt from the consequences of bad logic. Much as most Americans admire Mr. Roosevelt, few could be found who would wish to assert that he is Infallible in his Judgment or that he Is not liable to be misled by the delu sive lures of circumstantial evidence. We have no wish to eay that the case of the discharged negroes resembles that of Dreyfus; but there are many considerations which urge upon one the fear that In discharging the negro sol diers the President, against his own de sire, became an instrument for wreak ing the bitterness of race hatred upon innocent men. In the first place, ' it is to be rioted that while there Is little or no direct evidence against the accused soldiers, all through the controversy It has been, assumed on the Government side that they are guilty. The possibility, or even probability, of their complete In nocence has not been allowed. The Government made sincere efforts to in duce the negro soldiers to tell which ones of their comrades were guilty of. the riot.. They replied that they did not know. From this a conspiracy of si lence was Inferred. The Government would not entertain the hypothesis that they told the truth; that they really did not know, and that the shots were fired by other persons than the accused. For their "conspiracy of silence," as the President calls It, they have been dis charged from the Army and consigned to Indelible disgrace. If negro soldiers did indeed fire the shots; one may admit with reservations that the discharge of the companies for their "conspiracy of silence" is just, though severe. If they did not fire the shots, it is one of those instances of sickening injustice which blacken forever the pages of history where they are recorded. . Is there a doubt, then, that the colored soldiers fired shots in the streets of Brownsville on the night of August 13? There is such a doubt; and it i6 not the mere finical creation of sentiment alists. It is a doubt which would weigh heavily in any court of justice. It is of such importance that hardly could a Jury be found to convict the accused until it were removed. The evidence against the colored soldiers, as we have said, is almost purely circumstantial. In itself a thing to Induce caution and warn those In authority against hasty action. Not only Is it circumstantial. but it is of a low order even of that shifty and uncertain ruide to belief. No citizen of Brownsville swore that he knew the rioters were negroes. The witnesses inferred it from their voices and uniforms. Their faces nobody seems to have seen. Now the voices of Southern white roughs are not unlike those of negroes; the night was ad mittedly dark and it Is proved that many of the roughs of Brownsville habitually wore khaki trousers and blue shirts, like the Army uniform. Sev eral of the witnesses swore that the rioters wore blue 6hirts, but not one that their faces were black. If It was light enough to see the color of their shirts, It was not too dark to see the color of their faces. There Is absolute ly no direct testimony that the. rioters were negroes. Against the accused there is one more bit of circumstantial evidence. Gov ernment cartridge shells were found on the place where the shots were fired. This piece of evidence proves a con spiracy against the negroes rather than anything else. Had they fired the shots they would have taken some pains to retain the Incriminating shells; while it was the easiest thing In the 'world for ill-intentioned roughs to collect shells from the target ground and scatter them where they would do the most good. Major Penrose, a white officer, declared that but for these shells he could . not have believed the soldiers guilty. How such a flimsy bit of evi dence could have convinced him is one of the everlasting mysteries. On the other hand, at the first sound of shots the bugle called to arms within the fort, the troops paraded and the roll was called. From the call to arms to the completion of the rollcall not more than eight minutes elapsed; several offi cers say not more than five. All the negro soldiers were accounted for. Of those not present and answering to their names some were In the hospital, some in the -guardroom. Four only were outside on leave. Within those eight minutes which thus elapsed It is claimed that negro troops ran to quar ters from the scene of the riot, climbed the walls of the fort, concealed their arms, removed all traces of dust and exertion from themselves and answered to their names. This may not be im possible, but it is highly unlikely. It raises a reasonable doubt. The logical Indications from all the circumstances are, not that the colored soldiers at tacked the town, but that the roughs of the town attacked the soldiers, who did not even resist.: intending " to accuse them falsely. If this was the case, there Is no Instance on record where fiendish malignity has more completely accomplished its ends. A day late in December that shows but one degree between the maximum and minimum temperature, the first being 54 degrees, the latter 53 degrees. Is . not a day to be criticised, even though the rain pours all day long. This was the weather record Thursday of this week In Portland, and in proof that such weather Is enjoyable, even out, of doors, Christmas shoppers thronged the streets, go-carts contain ing babies were frequently in evidence, and people generally were smiling, busy and cheenful. And when' the next day came In with a gorgeous sunrise and an April temperature, it was neces sary to turn to the calendar for verifi cation of the belief that we were actu ally within one day of the Winter sol stice. There were 34,974 new names put on the pension rolls during the past year, and 47.444 taken off through death and other causes. This is the largest de crease In any one year In the history of the Pension Office. Of the - 1,033,415 names now on the rolls, 666,346 are those of actual soldiers, the rest being those of widows and other dependents. There was an unexpended pension bal ance of $1,521,000 returned to the Treas ury at the close of the last fiscal yeari. The number of pensioners is still nearly as large as It was ten years ago, and the amount of pensions paid was over $140,000,000. Twenty years after the close of the Civil War the disburse ments for pensions were only $57,000,000 and the number of pensioners 323,000. These figures show, among other things, that the pension agent has worked overtime in the last twenty years and that marrying veterans to secure pensions has become a settled industry among relatively young women. The death at the home of her daugh ter, Mrs. David Steel, in this city, of Mrs. Matilda Weatherford is an nounced. Mrs. Weatherford was a pio neer of 1853, having come to Oregon with her husband, the late Dr. William Weatherford, in that year. The' family settled at first in La Fayette, Yamhill County, but after a few years removed to Portland, where, after many years of active practice of his profession. Dr. Weatherford died eome years ago. A frail, gentle, whltehalred woman, Mrs. Weatherford has for years been a fa miliar figure at the reunion of the Ore gon Pioneer Association. She was the mother of a large family, most of whom have passed on. Her life covered the wide space that Intervenes between the storied days of early Oregon and Its present development In civilization. By the few who. In later years, have known and loved her, this gentle pio neer woman, will be missed;" while the wider circle made up of the friends of other days will learn of her passing with tender regret. The fact that land frauds are not confined to Oregon has been demon strated by -the Federal Court in Omaha, where the officers of the Nebraska Land & Feeding Company end their agent were convicted on thirty-six counts of an Indictment charging con spiracy to defraud the Government of public lands and of subornation of per jury. The names in this case are un familiar to Oregon readers, but the evi dence sounds as if the transaction might have taken place in Crook Coun ty, in this state, instead of In the "spade" ranch enclosure In Cherry, Sheridan and Box Butte Counties, Ne braska. These land thieves are birds of a feather, though their feeding grounds are somewhat widely separated. In Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Cali fornia, Oregon it matters not where they are a greedy lot and their meth ods of land absorption are the same. According to the late report of the Commissioner of Education, nearly a fourth of the people of this country are now going to school. Specifically, he finds that. about 19.000.000 pupils answer to rollcall In the various schools, public and private, on the morning of every school day. The greatest gain Is noted in the schools of technology, in which hundreds of young men. are preparing to fight the battle of life along some special line of advance and endeavor. This indicates that the "Jack of all trades" will be out of commission In a few years In this country, and' that the man who knows how will be In evi dence in Industry wherever there Is im portant work to be done. Whatever view one may hold of a fight to a finish under ring rules be tween schoolboys. It must be said of the lads at Colfax who thus "arbitrat ed" a quarrel that they fought fair. When Hughes wrote "Tom Brown at Rugby" and Blackmore "Lorna Doone" two modern classics universally com mended to the youngs they thought such an event worth a prominent place In their stories. Human nature is the same on the Pacific Coast as in Eng land. The faithful of Zion City have found that laying up treasure in heaven by consigning all of their earthly assets to the custody of an alleged prophet Is not a procedure that w-ill keep want from the door. Many of the dupes of Dowie, having Invested their all In "the king dom," are now shivering around stoves in which the fire has gone out and bor rowing from whom they can to keep their families in bread. Taking at its face value the testimony of a railroad president that prompt loading and unloading of freight-cars at terminals would at once doubje the efficiency of the country's freight-car equipment, It Is evident that shippers have means for partial reform In their own hands. Helena and Butte, Mont., are burning kerosene and candle; no coal for the gas works. There is some advantage In living where the motive power for a city's lighting is obtained from a river that never runs dry. Unofficially, England has slated Hon. James Bryce for Ambassador to Wash ington. No Britisher is more familiar with the United States and none more In sympathy with the spirit of our po litical Institutions. - . Now that the farmers of .Linn County are forced to pay higher prices for blacksmithing because iron and steel have advanced, they may conclude that one article in our sacred tariff schedule needs amendment. Tendency of the' age toward organi zation is signally Illustrated by a com bine among the blacksmiths of Linn County to raise the price of their work. After fixing a scale, they naturally held a banquet. In Kentucky yesterday Curtis Jett, serving a life sentence for murder, was given another life sentence for a like crime. This, no doubt, is a great way to keep ahead of the pardoning power, The Southern Pacific Company has learned once more that Oregon pioneers were right when they spoke of the river as the raging Santiam. Once more it has earned the title. Strange that no one thought of In flicting imprisoned Mr. Hicks with the old song, "Thou Art So Near and Yet So Far." The effort to prove insanity of Ches ter Thompson can hardly fail If all his poems on love are read to the Jury. The sun rose yesterday at 7:27 and set at 4:30. This is authentic. Portland actually saw It shining. Four men convicted at ' Omaha for land fraud. Eastward the course of justice takes its way. For obvious reasons the passengers will "keep the change" today. ' STATE INHERITANCE TAX. Federal Law, If Enacted, Should Not Interfere. New York Tribune. The recess committee of the Massa chusetts Legislature, which Is revising the taxation system of that state, will, it Is understood, recommend an en largement of the .state's inheritance tax plan. Massachusetts has now a collateral Inheritance tax of 5 per cent on Inheritances over $500. It is not unlikely that the revised system will provide for direct Inheritance taxes. The more recent tax enactments, espe cially In the Western States, contain both direct and Indirect Inheritance taxes, and generally in a graduated form. California passed a very thor oughgoing law of this sort last win ter. Direct inheritances are taxed at 1 per ' cent under $25,000 and over $4000 (except in case the heir is a widow or minor child, when the mini mum Is $10,000), at 1 '4 per cent be tween $26,000 and $50,000. at 2 per cent between $50,000 and $100,000", at 2V4 per cent between $100,000 and $500,000. and at 3 per cent over $."i00,000. Col lateral inheritance taxes are graded according; to nearness of kin as well as amount, but In the remotest degree the rate rises with the amount of the in heritance from 3 to 15 per cent. Fif teen per cent Is a heavy tax, but It applies only to bequests to strangers or very remote kindred, and then only to the excess of the bequest over $300,000. California's system is an Il lustration of what is meant by a graduated inheritance tax on botH direct and collateral Inheritances. Most of the states derive some of their revenue from inheritance taxes, though generally only upon collateral inheritances. Sixteen states have direct Inheritance taxes, but only three of these In the graduated form like Cali fornia's tax. Sixteen states have only collateral Inheritance taxes, several of these possessing the graduated fea ture. The system of Inheritance taxa tion Is so firmly established among the states and the states derive such large amounts from it that It is doubt ful If they will be willing to relinquish that source of revenue to tho nation. A Federal Inheritance tax 'law would probably meet with opposition from the states, for all of them are looking for additional forms of taxation and not abandoning any revenue-producing system they already have. New York receives about $5,000,000 a year In in heritance taxes. If she should cease taxing inheritances in order to leave that field of taxation to the nation, she would not - know which way to turn to make up the deficit in. the revenue. If there ever is a national Inheritance tax It will probably be in addition to the inheritance taxes al ready levied by the states. One great advantage which - would come from a national system, if the states should surrender this form of tax, would be uniformity. The present system is so confused that Inheritances are often taxed in two or more states. The Boston Transcript calls attention to this confusion, and suggests that a conference of the states should be held to secure uniformity and put an end to overlapping taxation. The stock of a Massachusetts corporation held by a citizen of New York 1 taxable both In New York and Massachusetts. The Transcript gives an example of the way this works. It says: "Suppose a citizen of Maine trans mits to collateral heirs stock in the Boston Albany Railroad, what would be the levy on that part of his estate? It would be taxed 4 per cent In Maine, 6 per cent In Massachusetts and In New York that fraction of 5 per cent represented by that state's proportion of the mileage of the Boston & Albany road." If In addition to all of this a Federal tax were levied the Inheritance would be overburdened with taxation. Clear ly. If there Is 'to be a Federal . In heritance tax, and If the states at the same time remain In the field of taxa tion, some system must be devised by which there will not be more than one state tax in addition to the Federal tax. Some states have put the rates ijpon collateral inheritances very high.' The maximum rates are 15 per cent in California, North Carolina and Wiscon sin, 12 per cent In Washington, and 10 per cent In Louisiana, South Dakota and Utah. If a citizen of California should leave a large block of the stock of a Wisconsin corporation to a col lateral heir, California and Wisconsin could each collect 15 per cent on the inheritance. If the Wisconsin corpora tion happened to be Incorporated also under the laws of one of these other states having a high collateral in heritance tax, that state, too, could collect Its 10 or 15 per cent on the same transaction. An additional Fed eral Inheritance tax of the same radical sort would eat up most of the inherit ance. The supposed case Is extreme, but " it shows the possibilities of the present unsystematic and overlapping state taxes. First Aid Cabtnete In Streets. London Telegraph. The St. John's Ambulance Association has placed a number of first-aid cabinets In the streets of Leicester, England. The cabinets are kept locked, but readily can be opened by breaking a "glass door in the same way as fire alarms. They con tain splints, bandages and smelling salts, as well as other"Brst-aid appliances. The iAver's Coming. Jean Ingelow. I leaned out of window, I smalt ths whlta clover. Dark, dark waa tha harden, I saw not the gate, "Now, If there be footatepa, no comas, my one lover Hus'n. nightingale, hush! O sweat nightin gale, wait Till I listen and hear If & step draweth near. For my love he Is late! "The skies In the darkness stoop nearer and nearer, A cluster of star hangs Ilka fruit in the tree. The fall of toe water comes aweetar, comes clearer; To what art thou listening, and what dost thou see? - Let the star-clusters glow. Let the sweet waters flow, And cross quickly to me. Tour nlght-motha that hover where -honey brims over From sycamore blossoms, or, settle or sleep; . You glow-worms shine out, and the pathway discover To him that comes darkling along toe rough steep Ah, my sailor, make haste. For the time runs to waste. . And my love lleth deep "Too deeo for swift telling; and yet. my one lover. I've conned thee an answer, it waits thee tonight." By the sycamore passed he. and through the white clover: Then all the sweet speech I had fashioned took flight, - But I'll love him more, more Than e'er 'wife loved before, ' -Be the days dark or bright. WATTERSOVS POLITICAL CREED. A Lincoln Democrat Crossed on at Jcffersonlan Republican. (Extract from a speech to Kenturkians in New York City December 11 I come to fetch you a message from God's country, and, as the walking lady in Proctor Knott's delightful story de clared, "I mean to fulfil mee promise to the people of this village at the risk of mee life." Don't forget the old folks at home. Don't forget the homely, the homespun sources from which we draw our inspiration and our life. Don't for get Aunt Betsy's Christian preach ments, nor Cousin Polly's complacent and wise rusticity: for the buttress and the bell tower of Kentucky's fame, the verdure and the bloom of Kentucky's manhood and womanhood, were, and are, and will ever remain, the holy Bible, the Old Field school, the patriot's call to battle and the Song of the Greenwood Tree. Shall I also say the resolutions of '98? Well, gentlemen, whether you call yourselves Republicans or Democrats, "you may." as the good priest observed in maintaining the doctrine of purga- tory, you may go further antl tare worse. Under the hand of a President" whose personality is so attractive, whose motives are so unchallenged, whose public service is so eminent and brilliant that most men are loth to question anything he says or does under the hand of such a President the pendulum of centralization has swung much too far to leeward, and will need to be swung back again if .we are to recover the poise and balance which the fathers and founders of our great republic designed for the Federal Gov ernment and the states. We have already the "splendid gov ernment" they dreaded. Modern Inven tion by Its annihilation of time and space has well-nigh obliterated the old landmarks. It has actually flung the geography into the sea. Happily some things we could well afford to spare are gone, sectionalism among them. But shall we stand listless by and see home rule go with It? If Alexander Hamilton could come to life again, could revisit the glimpses of the moon which shines over the White House with its "big stick" and the capltol with Its supreme tribunal and Its houses of Congress, I am perfectly sure that he would say, "Go a trifle slower, Theodore, my son." I confess that I am so old-fashioned as to still believe in the Constitution ot the United States. The other night before a company of fellow Kentuckt ans who. to bid me good-by and wish me godspeed upon a journey I am about to make, had assembled in their hunt ing shirts and linsey-woolsey under the roof of a logcabln in Louisville long known to you and dear to you all I mean the Gait House. I described my self as "a Lincoln Democrat, crossed on a Jeffersonlan Republican." That ought to catch truth both ways, "a-coming and a-going." Lincoln was a con science Whig, Jefferson wrote the Dec laration of Independence. Each of them revered the Constitution. Planting myself upon that Declara tion and that Constitution, expansionist that I am, even Jingo that I am, loving to hear the eagle scream and to see Old Glory wave, fully conceiving the Importance and portent of the advanc ing greatness ot my country and re joicing that it Is at length a veritable world power, I yet cling to the belief that wherever the flag goes the law must go; that there must he uniformity of freedom everywhere beneath that flag; to quote from a noble opinion of Justice HarJan there are still other living and eminent Kentucklans besides Carlisle and Lindsay "The Constitu tion is supreme over every foot of ter ritory, wherever situated, tinder the Jurisdiction of the United States, and Its full operation cannot be stayed by any branch of the Government, In order to meet what some may suppose ex traordinary 'emergencies." Ruin From Malaria In Greece. : London Mall. The excessive prevalence of malaria In Greece is engaging the attention of English physicists. It Is said to be checking the development of rural life and is a very serious thing for the nation. Out of a population of 2.500,000 there were 250.000 cases of malaria annually, and the deaths -were about 1.760. Last year the number of cases Increased to 960.000. and the deaths to J5, 916. Professor Savas, of the Uni versity of Athens and physician to King George, Is initiating a movement to deal with the plague. First Bible Version In German. Paris Matin. The custodian of the royal library In Vienna found, the other day. in a pile of unsorted parchment a valuable manu script of the thirteenth century about 300 lines of a versified translation of the Bible Into the Bavarian-Alemanlc dialect, made by Rudolf von Ems, in Switzer land. Its Importance lies in the fact that this was really the first Bible version Into German. A Sojourner In Yesterday. Richard Kirk In Smart Set. Did you love Yesterday so well That when at length Its twilight came. You made your bed some grassy dell, Nor answered when you heard your name Tour fellow-travelers called at day. Departing on their newer way? You did not choose to hear that call. But lingered in your chosen spot. While faint and fainter their footfall Returned that day and answered no But tarried still: and still you stay, A sojourner in Testerday. Was Yesterday so fair to you. Or did you weary of the quest The endless quest we still pursue? Oh, were you weary would you rest. Poor pIlR-rlm, travel-worn and gray From dusty roads of Yesterday? SPEAKER CANNON "EVERY CONGRESSMAN WHO IS OPPOSED TO HAVING HIS SALARY INCREASED WILL PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING HIS HAND" COMl.VG CHAXGES IV THE SENATE. Veterans) of 1'pper House Must Soon ;lve Place' to Others. Springfield .(Mass.) Republican. The recently evidenced weakness of Senator Cullom and the certainty that Senator Piatt will not be re-elected should he miserably hang onto his place until his present term expires in. 1909 serve, as reminders that within the next half dozen years, the membership of the Son- ate must consiaeraoly cnange. It wm probably change more than has been usual In a like period. !n the first place there are the natural chanp.es which are likely to be caused by old age or death. Senator Pettus is S3. Senator .Morgan N'- and it can hardly be many more years before new Senatorp sit lor Alabama. Senator Allison is 77. and the serious Ill ness which kept him out of service during the important closing weeks of tho last session was by1 many regarded as a fore warning of the end of his legislative ca reer. Another of the old guard is Sen ator Frye of Maine. 75. who though just re-elected, is hardly likely to stand for t yet another term. May the day when most of these veterans are retired be dis tant, yet come it must sooner or later To the Inevitable change of time and old age which of themselves will proba bly reach no more than the average . must be added the effect which will he produced by the new ideas which are gaining strength among ilie people nt large. Next Sprint; there will take oaths 12 Senators who were elected after being nominated by the people at the primaries. Unquestionably the further spread of pri. mary nominations or of direct elections will have its effect upon the character of the Senate, fortress of conservatism though it is. As a body it will he closer to the people. In 10 years' time thero will be a new average type of Senator, if present movements continue. At pres ent tho type Is not distinguishable. Hut the dim outlines are perhaps mnre like those of I.aKollette of Wisconsin, despite all his faults of exaggeration, than of any man now in the Senate, and the change is likely to make Itself felt South as well as North. Why Physical Culture Falls. Review of Reviews. Dr. Alexander Bryce. in an article In the Grand Magazine, begins by assnimlng a pure assumption that physical cul ture does fall. Here are some of his "evidences." This "fad." he declares, has become such a craze that over-exertion, is now more of a danger than under-exer-tion. "In Norway tuberculosis Is rife: In Sweden the foremost gymnastic country" In the world one-third of the population dies before the age of 21. and of the males who are left one-quarter are re jected for military service." And Germany and England show enormous numbers of young men miflt for military service. Why. then, with such enthusiasm for physical culture. Is there so much physi cal deterioration? Fir.st. because physi cal exerciser often lack system, and are not sufficiently adapted to the needs of the Individual. Dr. Bryce evidently favors the Ling system. Secondly, wrong systems are often adopted: and there are many other reasons, among which too great an enthusiasm for cold baths. It Is not an Immediate reaction and glow that test the heallhfulness of a cold bath, hut the, feeling or glow all through the day. In stead of, depression and cold a few hour.-j afterward. Dr. Bryce also comments on the prevalent tendency to adopt wrong positions in standing, sitting and walking, which helps to make so many of us lop sided. Horse Burned for Witchcraft. New York Sun. Anlmal-tralners of the old days led ad venturous lives. In 1W all Ixindon wa talking of a nian named Bankes. servant to the Karl of Rssox. who had taiiKht his horse to count and perform a num ber of feats, including mounting to tho top of St. raid's Cathedral, while "a number of asses," as the historian puts it, "brayed below." Sir Walter "Raleigh, in his history, says of Bankes that ho "would have shamed all tho enchanters of tho world: for whatsoever was most famous among them could never master or instruct any beast as he did - his horse." When Bankes took his horse to Rome both were burnt for witchcraft. If Pn'd Been There. Puck. Some burglars came to town the other right. And got in Guthrie's house and helped thetr selves To nearlv everything there was in eight Or looked In drawers or piled up on ths shelves. And Mr. Outhrie hardly drew his breath. Cause Mrs. Guthrie enld he didn't dare; Those burglars would of both got scared to death If pa'd been there. When Russia didn't whip the .lapanese Pa told us It was Kouropatkin's fault: He ought, of won as easy aff you please. The trouble was he wasn't worth his salt I'll bet the Japa would all be wlshln' yet That they had not mixed up In that affair. For they'd be full of bullets- and regret. If pa'd been there.- .ant Christmas Uncle Fred sent me a book About the fight they hart at Waterloo; . It tells you of the part Napoleon took; Pa says he bit off more than he could chew. And ma thinks that the Duke of Wellington. Who, as the poet says, stood up four square. Most likely would of gone home on the run If pa'd been there. i Once when my pa waa tellin' ma and me About the flood and Noah and the ark He said he couldn't ever srem to see Why Noah let the rats and mice embark. And ma said: "I suppose he didn't know How they'd Increase the woes we'd have to bear: They'd never of got up the gangplank, though. If you'd been there." If pa had been in Adam's place that day , When Patan came to K.tcn In disguise. We wouldn't have to die and pass away. Nor care about no mansions In the skies. Pa he'd of winked at Bve and turned to chaw The mean old tempter In a hole some-' where; The fall of man would not of taken place If pa d been tnere. From th Chicago Tribune.