8
THE MURMJG OREGOXIAX, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, iyu.
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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.