THE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATUBDAf, FEBRUARY 9, v1907.
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PORTLAND, SATURDAY, FEB. 9, 1007.
A PROBLEM IN STATE RIGHTS.
Out millionaires must spend their
money in some way. The mere posses
sion of wealth without realizing it in
outward effects of some 6ort Is ex
tremely unsatisfactory to everybody
except the maniacal miser who gets
his enjoyment by merely counting his
cash over ejid over. In Mr. Rockefel
ler's case this would be Impracticable
even were he disposed to such solitary
and arid pastime. He and many oth
ers of our plutocrats have so much
money that they cannot count it. But,
as a matter of fact, few of them have
shown the characteristic traits of mi
sera They are greedy, we concede, al
most Infinitely so; but their greed per
talnB rather to acquisition than hoard
ing. With many of them the motto
6eems to be "Easy got, easy spent."
Many of these millionaires possess
what is equivalent to the taxing power,
not over a city or state, but over the
entire country. To some men the mere
exercise of power without regard to
what It effects is a keen pleasure, and
we may very likely ascribe a good deal
ot what seems eagernesa lor money in
our millionaire rulers to their enjoy
ment of the power to make ub pay
taxes. The raxing power has generally
been granted charily by nations to
their sovereigns, but our actual rulers
possess It without restriction.
When the fancy takes them to do
some deed of striking magnificence,
euch as to endow a university or a
hospital, or to build some great struc
ture like the peace palace at The
Hague, tbey can raise the necessary
funds without impairing their invest
ments by levying a tax on the Nation.
This may 'be done in any one of many
ways. The coal bairon will naturally feed
the springs of his generosity by a slight
raise in the price of coal. The railroad
magnate will manipulate freight
charges by one of those delicate and
almost Imperceptible processes ot
which he is master. Mr. .Rockefeller, of
course, applies the taxing power by in
creasing the price of kerosene, gasoline,
denatured alcohol or some other ot the
many universally used products which
he has absolute control of. Since our
millionaire sovereigns can and invaria
bly do recoup themselves for their gifts
to the public by imposing new taxes
upon the public, clearly their generosity
Implies no sacrifice on their part.
Some of them spend their money on
one fad, some on another. This one
turns his interest toward yachts, that
one toward stock farms and race
horses. Mr. Rockefeller's fad is educa
tion. There is no doubt that he desires
to be remembered In history as the
greatest benefactor of public education
who has ever lived; and if he keeps
on bestowing gifts like lil9 last one of
some thirty-two (millions, he will attain
to his ambition. To raise the funds
for these gifts, as we have saidv he im
poses a tax upon the country by ma
nipulating the price of petroleum prod
ucts, or of denatured alcohol, of which
the Treasury regulations give him a
' 'oompiote monopoly. The question un
avoidably arises whether It Is really
more advantageous to the Nation to
permit Mr. Rockefeller o levy and ex
pend such taxes than to do It our
selves. There is much talk In these
days of the dangers of centralized gov
ernment. Unquestionably euch dan
gers exist; but are they to be found in
the centralization of power in the rec-
ognlzed government which the people
own and control or in extra-govern
mental institutions, like the Standard
Oil trust, which the people do not own
and over which they have no control
whatever?
That Mr. Rockefeller raises by taxa
tion the money which he gives to the
, Chicago University and to the General
Education Board is true beyond all
possibility of doubt. Perhaps the ob
Jects to which he contributes are excel-
lent; but if so, would it not be better
for the people to raise the taxes by
legal methods and supervise their ex
penditure through their own officials?
. Is it well to leave the virtual control of
public eduoaitlcm in this country to a
board endowed anil subsidized by such
a man as Mr. Rockefeller? Granting
that he is a model of all that is good
and that his board Is of unimpeacha
ble character, etlll is It well to hand
over the control of the public schools
and the colleges to them? The posses
sion of this enormous endowment
makes the board in a large sense an
educational dictator. By advancing or
withholding gifts to colleges It can di
rect the sentiment of the higher edu
cational circles as it likes. By subsi
dizing prominent teachers, controlling
the tendencies of textbooks, lobbying
in Legislatures and divers other meth
ods well known to the possessors of
great wealth, it can direct the public
schools in the long run and mold the
education of the Araericaln electorate
as it pleases.
At present the board has no euch de
sires, so far as we know. It is com
posed of men of high character whose
only falling seems to be their disposi
tion to adulate Mr. Rockefeller. But
this endowment Is for all time. It es
tablishes a power which will necessar
ily grow with the years and whose am
bition to control will increase with, the
perception that it does and can con
trol. Here is a highly centralized, body
of unlimited power, absolutely Inde
pendent of the public, receiving its Ini
tial impulses from the most dangerous
figure that has yet appeared in our his
tory and with the mission and means
to dominate public education. What do
the state rights doctrinaires think
of it?
PRIVATE GRUDGES.
Just a few words to set at rest all
unnecessary talk about The Oregoni
an's satisfying a private grudge
against the Portland Gas Company in
advocating revocation of its franchise
at Salem: The Oregonlan has no pri
vate grudges. It cannot afford to have.
From a sense of public duty it un
dertook, more than a year ago, the un
pleasant task of investigating universal
complaints against the gas service. It
criticised the company's methods and
it printed the statements of many
abused and swindled patrons. It sim
ply told the truth. No remedy ap
peared to be easy, for the company
held an unlimited franchise from the
Legislature of Oregon. The company
thought It could not be reached. It
waa Intrenched behind its perpetual
franchise. It disputed the right of the
public to do anything whatever. Final
ly, goaded Into action by the universal
clamor, the company itself asked the
Mayor of Portland to Institute an in
vestigation so that It might be "vindi
cated." But it attempted to limit the
scope and character and probable re
sult of the inquiry by telling the Mayor
whom he should name on the commit
tee. Then the City Council took a
hand, on Its own Initiative. It had
barkened to the great public outcry
and saw a chance to do something for
the people. It is unfortunate for the
Council, or a majority thereof, that It
did not fully improve the chance, for
later it harkened to the cry of the gas
company and used its utmost endeav
ors to defeat the consequences of a
proceeding it had Itself Invoked. The
Oregonlan at no time Invited the Coun
cil to move on the gas company. It
had no confidence that the Council
would accomplish anything. Its lack
of confidence was abundantly Justified,
although the inquiry did develop the
sterling qualities of six members who
could not ba influenced or bulldozed or
wheedled Into stultifying themselves by
making a false report of facts and by
Innocuous findings.
The bill for revocation of the gas
company's franchise passed the House
at Salem by a vote of 60 to 3. No repu
table body In Oregon would or could
have gone on record In this overwhelm
ing manner for any measure represent
ing a private interest or framed and
urged to satisfy private spleen. The
bill passed on its merits. There is no
other explanation. It was passed in
response to a universal public demand.
The House did Its duty In heeding it,
Its passage, too, la complete vindica
tion of The Oregonlan for Us attitude
toward! the gas monopoly ad all simi
lar monopolies.
THE ITNPROTECTEU PHII-ITPIXES,
There has been an undue amount of
"coloring" In most of the discussion
that has been noted since possibilities
of trouble with Japan were scented
Conservative and well-informed people
In this country, at? well as in Japan,
do not anticipate an early and general
stampede to arms unless there Is de
velopment of something more serious
than anything that has yet been men
tioned in connection with the two coun
tries. At the same time the topic lies
served to call attention to the manner
in which we have neglected, the Philip
pines, the flret obstacle in the Japanese
line of march to victory. From either
a commercial or a political standpoint
we have been woefully derelict in our
duty toward these Far Eastern dependf
encles that fly the American flag but
fail to receive the favors which should
go with that emblem of freedom.
Perhaps the greater part of this neg
lect is due to the aversion some of our
people have to the Philippines. Since
the Japan trouble became a topic of
conversation it is not uncommon to
hear half-Jesting and half-earnest com
ment to the effect that It might ba a
good thing for us if the Japanese would
take the Philippines. Unpatriotic ut
terances of this nature are not entitled
to serious consideration for the reason
tha.t, no matter what our opinion might
be as to the value or lack of value of
the islands, we would never consent to
their unopposed appropriation bv the
Japanese. Having secured these islands
at a considerable cost in blood and
treasure, it would not be at oil In
keeping with American policy and
American patriotism to permit them, to
go by default or to place them in Jeop
ardy.
But from a commercial stand-point we
have already abandoned them to their
fate, or at least we have withheld from
them the tfalr treatment which is so
necessary to. the growth and develop
ment of their Industries. The Philip
pines are American territory, and yet
we stifle their tobacco and sugar Indus
tries by refusing to admit these prod
ucts Into this country unless an exor
bitant and unreasonable duty Is paid
It Is only by the most strenuous plead
ing on the part of a few of our people
that we have not already laid an em
bargo on their shipping facilities by
applying the coastwise provisions of
our ancient navigation laws to the
Islands. Congress, Indeed, by passing
such a bill, showed a willingness to
stifle the trade facilities of the islands.
but enforcement of its provisions has
been deferred from time to time, the
last respite being until next year.
While the men who are thoroughl
in touch with the subiect and under,
stand the commercial situation have
been urging repeal of the present trade-
stifling laws, the political future of the
Islands has also been giving concern to
others. The islands afford a fine
strategic base in the Far East, and, aa
they comprise the sum total of our pos
sessions across the Pacific, it is espe
cially essential that they be protected.
And yet they are lying there under the
guns of Japan, China, Germany and
England, any one of whom would re
joice .t an opportunity to take them in;
and so weakly fortified and defended
are they that their capture would be a
task of only insignificant proportions.
Commercial Jealousy and the short
sighted policy which has made our
trusts hated in the eyes of the people
are responsible for the throttling of the
trade of the Philippines; but the selfish
ness so noticeable in our trade pollcv
should not be permitted to Influence In
any way any action for protecting them
from foreign invasion.
"We have already engaged in some
hard fighting for the Philippines, and
more might be averted if we took the
precaution to erect suitable fortifica
tions and send around a sufficient fleet
of warships to police properly the im
mediate vicinity. Some such precau
tion may with us be the "stitch in
time" that will save a good many more.
LESSONS IX CRIME.
Most of us hug to our bosoms a great
many prejudices and traditional beliefs
that we know are without foundation.
Oftentimes the emptier they are the
more fondly we cherish them. A writer
in The Outlook for February 2 seems
particularly fond of the superstition
that the daily newspapers "give les
sons in crime," to use his own words.
He adds that the best papers are as
bad as the worst in this respect. There
is so little foundation for his opinion
that the writer ought to be ashamed ot
but he Is not, unless the withholding
of his name Is a sign of shame.
Like most critics who read, the news
papers to find reasons for thinking
themselves morally superior to the rest
of mankind, the writer In The Outlook
exaggerates the space which decent
publications give to the particulars of
crime. Events of a harrowing or shock
ing character are not made prominent
unless there is good reason for It.
When they are of National interest the
papers must treat them adequately
In other cases theyi are passed over
with brief mention.
His main point is that by giving the
details of crimes the newspapers teach
how to commit them. This is perhaps
true in some cases; but It is a much
more Important truth that, while one
person may learn how to commit crime.
thousands learn how to escape or pre
vent it. He cites the details of a cash
ier's embezzlement which went on for
years undetected. The papers de
scribed exactly how it was done, and
the writer believes that the description
will teach other cashiers how to do the
same thing. Maybe it will; but bank
officers will -learn from the same source
how to prevent them from doing it.
People still buy gold bricks and send
their money to all sorts of frauds and
fakers; but they do less of it than they
did years ago. This is a desirable ad
vance in civilization, and it has been
brought about by the publication in the
newspapers of the details of the
schemes. The exposure of a gold-brick
game certainly teaches how to work it
but it also" teaches how to guard
against it. It may be doubted whether
anybody ever actually planned a crime
from newspaper accounts; but it is cer
tain that innumerable crimes and swin
dies have been prevented by them.
THE MENACE I" OVERABUNDANCE,
The money question that so wrenched
the very vitafls of the country In 1896 is
not likely to come up again under the
same form, though people and oollti
clans are asking each other and them.
selves whether we have not more
money now than we need for all legit
imate purposes. The debate upon this
topic ran high In the contest in which
McKinley won out for the Presidency.
The people then decided that to In
crease the volume of -money by depre
ciating its quality was not wise. The
amount of money in circulation In the
United States in 1896 was equivalent to
$25.62 per capita of the population; of
this, $21.44 was In actual circulation.
In other words, as sta.ted by Harper's
Weekly, "the business, pleasure, needs
and extravagances of the country had
use for about $4 less per capita than
could have been had from the banks
and the Treasury."
What is the present situation? The
volume of money and the volume
of business has . substantially in
creased in the decade that has Inter
vened between the financial and polit
ical strife of that memorable year and
the most prosperous year in our his
tory. That is to say, the United States
and Its business and commercial com
petitors and respondents have grown
in ten years to proportions, financially
speaking, that were undreamed of then
The per capita circulation on October
1, 1906, was $33.08, or nearly $8 in excess
of the ample circulation for all public
and private needs in 1896. In other
words, there were In this country avail
able funds amounting to nearly $7,500,
000,000, lees the sum of $337,000,000 held
on deposit dn the Treasury and the
banks. Clearly, it is not poverty, but
abundance, that menaces the Nation If
it Is shadowed by a menace, as many
masters of finance and sapient oracles
of economics believe and assert to be
the case. It needs no argument to
prove that overabundance leads to ex
travagance and extravagance to finan
cial stress. Individual experience and
ordinary observation have proved this
fact over andt over again. In every en
terprising and prosperous community.
We are fond of saying that the million
aire of today may be the man of small
means tomorrow, and that "from shirt
sleeves to shirt sleeves" not more than
three generations ordinarily intervene.
Statistics show that there is plenty of
money In the country; that our credit
as a Nation Is good, and that individual
enterprise was never more active than
now In turning money over and in
creasing Its volume; that the United
States mints coin annually about $300,
000,000 in gold, and that the increase in
the amount of money through this ad
dition to our own stock, together with
that which flows in at the behest of
commerce, is greater than that of the
Increase in population. It Is clear,
therefore, that if a financial menace is
shadowing the Nation It is not through
the scarcity or diminishing supply of
money, but In wastefulness, the leglti
mate result of abundance at once un
precedented and vast.
More money than they know what to
do with is a curse alike to individuals
and to nations. In the first case it be
gets Coreys and Thaws and Stanford
Whites and all the rest of the evil
brood that prey upon society at its
most vital point and commit crime to
extenuate or avenge evil doings; in the
I second it finds outlet through the ma-
I oipulatlon ot the venal crew that
J schemes and plans under the mantle
of public service. In both cases it is
pt to prove in the long run that over-
bundance Is not true prosperity.
The development of the dairying in
terests of Tillamook County within the
past five years has been little lees than
phenomenal, considering its restricted
transportation facilities. The output of
the creameries in butter and cheese
last year brought returns of many
thousands of dollars to the promoters
of this industry. The owners of dairy
herds shared in this prosperity and all
are hoping that railway communication
will shortly widen their market and
give further Impetus to their special
industry. Their patience in waiting
the tardy coming of the railroad has
only been exceeded by their determi
nation to make the most of the situa
tion. This determination they have
carried out to their profit, es statistics
of the dairy industry of the county
show. Their full reward cannot be
much longer delayed, since even rail
road builders and promoters will in the
long run help those who help them
selves.
The marine news printed in yester
day's Oregonlan was not of a nature
ntend-ed to bring much cheer to Pacific
Coast underwriters. A Los Angeles
dispatch reported abandonment of the
steamer " National City, which ran
ashore near Redondo. From San Fran
cisco came the news that it was impos-
lble to float the W. F. Witzmann,
which struck Duxbury Reef two days
before. The schooner Alpha was re
ported ashore eight miles north of the
Umpqua River. The tug Samson put
back to Astoria with disabled boilers,
and her tow, the schooner Washington,
was badly strained and leaking. The
steamer Newberg, from Aberdeen for
San Francisco, put back with an an
chor missing and her deckload shifted.
These various mishaps, coming imme
diately after a number of total losses,
will put some very severe crimps in
the profits of the business of marine
underwriting.
The Falls of the Willamette at the
height of the present freshet present a
sight of imposing grandeur and power.
Scarcely more than once in a genera
tion is ouch a sight presented- to won
dering and awe-stricken spectators.
Chained during the long, -drowsy Sum
mer time to the wheels of industry, its
waters make scarcely audible complaint
of their subjugation. It is only when
the heavy storms of an extraordinary
Winter combine their forces that the
conditions now present are witnessed
at the falls. These conditions pre
vailed In December, 1861, In the early
days of February, 1890. andi again dur
ing the present week. The sight Is one
well worth a somewhat disagreeable
trolley trip, Including crossing the rag
ing Clackamas on a footbridge, over
the twelve miles between Portland and
Oregon City.
William Pfunder, whose death oc
curred in this city yesterday, came to
Portland many years ago a. young
man full of energy and ambition. He
was one of the pioneer druggists of the
state, and was widely known in his
profession. Some years ago he manu
factured a proprietary medicine of
which the root of the Oregon grape
was the tonic basis, and through this
he became known beyond the bound
aries of the state. . He was a man of
probity and business enterprise, and a
loyal citizen of his adopted state.
The present Winter throughout the
Willamette Valley is almost an exact
counterpart of that of 1862-63. Heavy
rains produced a freshet In December
of that year, followed In January by
a snowfall that In turn was followed
by a Chinook freshet that did much
damage to lowland fields, warehouses
and docks. It Is pleasant to recall.
however, that the '"hard Winter," as it
was called by the pioneers, early gave
place to a balmy Spring, followed by a
fruitful and most delightful Summer.
The testimony of Evelyn Nesblt
Thaw must have a tendency to make
many a poverty-stricken, beautiful 16-
year-old girl in the rough, turbulent
mining towns of the West thank God
for her environment. Only in a few
fetid spots has the "civilization" of
little old New York permeated the
West, and innocent girlhood "out
West" can still find the protection
which seems to be denied her In the
East.
Henry E. Dosch wrote a letter to The
Oregonian the other day proposing the
establishment of a "department of api
culture and poultry" at the Agricul
tural College at Corvallls. Through
misprint the word "agriculture" was
substituted for apiculture. Agriculture
is already being taught at Corvallls.
The error was quite inexcusable, since
Mr. Dosch's chirography is so plain
that one man In ten, nearly, can read it.
Argentine wheat shipments this week
were more than 3,000,000 bushels. Our
friends in the Southern Hemisphere
will be In need of a "Society of Equity"
If they continue to put afloat such
enormous quantities.
Councilman Shepherd, too, wants to
run for Mayor. Then there's Council
man Annand. The gas company would
save family troubles by backing the
whole Solid Nine. They would get their
own votes.
"This cheap talk about the will of
the people and the voice of the people
and the rule of the people Is all rot,
remarks Editor Bennett. Keep your
temper. The worst is yet to come.
John D. Rockefeller has donated $32,
000,000 to the cause of education. The
wise man will refill the oil and gaso
line tanks before the coming rise
which is thus assured.
John D. Rockefeller has sloughed off
a few more millions to the cause of ed
ucation. Evidently Mr. Rockefeller
thinks the whole American people
ought to know better.
No one reading tb accounts of the
proceedings of the Multnomah delega
tion at Salem Should confuse that
happy family with a sewing society.
If any one has any franchises he
desires to have revoked, let him go to
Salem and have them revoked now, or
forever after hold his peace.
The groundhog started February off
with a rush of weather and floods; but
fortunately it's a short -month.
Mrs. Thaw's story proves once more
that the devil is just as black as he is
painted.
The Thaw trial came along Just in
time to end the war with Japan.
USE OP DRUGS IJT MEDICINE.
Cove Phynlclan Takes Exception to
Teaching; of Portland Brethren.
COVE, Or., Feb. 6. (To the Editor.)
Seldom has the mall brought me a great
er surprise than when I opened a letter
from well-known Portland physicians.
asking me to urge upon our lawmakers
the passage of an act to eliminate from
the questions to be propounded to can
didates for license to practice medicine
in Oregon, all mention of drugs. In the
language of the immortal Widow Bcdot,
"Ger-reat guns!"
Do these physicians suppose, or do
they think that I suppose, that anyone
is qualified to be the guardian of the
health and life of his fellow man with
out a knowledge cf drugs? Why should
chemistry, materia medica, therapeutics
and toxology be stricken from the list
of requisites for a physician's armament
arum? I feel, and so does every true
physician, ' that with all the knowledge
I have been able to obtain upon all subjects
in any way relating to the human system,
mind and body, and more especially those
branches of knowledge which deal with
the prevention and cure of disease and
the remedying of the results of accidents,
that I am still all too poorly qualified for
my profession.
Why, then, should anyone suppose that
I would be willing to place my helpless
neighbor in the hands of a person, pro
fessedly more ignorant than myself? Can
I say with one of old, "Am I my brother's
keeper?" and allow that brother in his
ignorance to become the prey of that
most despicable of all robbers, the per
son who, without careful and conscien
tious preparation for. the work, engages
In the practice of medicine, simply for
the money there is in it? God forbid!
Nor can I in the hope of gaining some
advantage over unscrupulous pretenders
to the medical art, stultify myself by
abating in the least what I consider the
proper requirements in the case. "Fiat
Justitia, ruat coelum."
Let ua not do evil that good may come.
If we believe in medicine let us practice
it and let us require others who claim a
right to practice the healing art to snow
at least a knowledge of Its rudiments.
CHARLES M. RAMSDELL. A. M., M. f.
BALMY BREEZES TICKLE HIM.
Kansas Visitor Would Doctor Weather
Reports From Oregon.
SEATTLE. Wash.. Feb .8. (To the
Kditor.) As it happened in my way to
look over a recent copy of The Ore
gonlan, I found myself reading an edi
torial, "Our Christian Duty." Now, in
view of the accounts The Oregonian
gives of severe losses and awful storms,
mostly in Oregon, it seems to me a
matter of doubt whether some neglect
of "Christian" duty has struck a guilty
conscience. You may really think that
some suffering farmer east of the
mountains- can improve his condition
by coming over into Oregon and par
taking with you of the storm-swept
condition of your state, and you ought
to tell him about it.
Or is this editorial Intended as a Joke?
If it was really written in earnest, and
if the Western farmers are as smart as
The Oregonian seems to think they are,
would suggest when you send out
your information. It might be well to
leave out the reports of the storms you
have had. If they knew about West
ern Oregon storms, they might decide
not to locate with you. If that edl
torial Is Intended for a Joke, you could
label it, as Artemus Ward used to dub
some of his writings: "This is a Joak.
If you would send It out that way, it
might amuse somebody.
I have lived in Eastern Kansas near
ly 36 years. Now I have spent 30 days
on the Pacific Coast, and my wife, who
is also here, thinks: Dear me. If I
could only get back East, where the
sun likes to show his smiling face, I
should be content."
I think when you make up the in
formation you wish to send to these
suffering farmers east of the moun
tains, if you will consult me, I can give
you some valuable assistance.
A. WILLIS, of Ottawa, Kan
MORALE OF THE COON HUNT.
Opinion Is When We Kill Wantonly,
Some Good Within Vs Dies.
PORTLAND. Feb. 8. (To the Editor.)
I note with Interest the experiences of
storm-bound passengers on the O. It. &
N. Many pleasing, comfortable things
along with the discomforts were related
Among the thrilling incidents we are
told of a trainload of men who found
great amusement in the torture of a poor
little half-frozen coon, which they dis
covered in a nearby tree. Fifty shots
were fired at this coon by skilled marks
men, and its agony was surely If not pur
posely prolonged. Finally the little fright
ened thing fell to the ground, almost un
hurt. Nothing but -its death could satisfy
this pleasure-loving crowd, so all gave
chase. One, more fleet than the remain
der. caught the little coon and beat Its
brains out on a log.
Royal sport! Not even an excuse that
they desired its tail to trim a hat! No
doubt many of those who were "in at
the death" have expressed themselves
freely at times upon feminine cruelty to
feathered tribes. But few of us would
willingly kill a bird that we might add
it to our plumage." however heedless we
may be in creating a demand. Men kill
these birds for gain. We encourage the
traffic by wearing birds in our hats.
It would be well for all to know that
all life is a part of ' our life, and that
when we kill for the love of killing some
thing within us dies. So even the life of
the little coon is avenged. If we could
but consider the kindly thing, such cruel
ties, great and small, would cease.
A WOMAN SUBSCRIBER.
MUSIC TO
KEEP MEMORIAL DAY IX SPIRIT
Reverence Soldier Dead but Also Make
Occasion a Holiday.
PORTLAND, Feb. 5. (To the Edi
tor.) Thank you for your sensible ed
itorial In regard to Memorial day. For
almost 40 years I have been engaged in
patriotic and charitable work for the
veterans, but, even with a heart sad
dened and a life marred by the bitter
results of war, I have never felt aught
but a subdued joy when beautiful Mem
orial day comes on the threshold of
Summer, when the whole earth is laid
in flowers and the sheen of their fra
grance overspreads the land. It is a
season when the whole country needs
noliday. ifivery heart unconsciously
responds to the "call of the wild."
The careless and happy multitude
who revel in the early Summer holi
day do not the less respect the thin
ning ranlo of the veterans because
they can attend a ball game or a boat
race on Memorial day. It is fitting
that the Grand Army and its auxilia
ries should strew the sunken mounds
with flowers. They do not perform
this office to keep alive their own
memory. It has become a beautiful
custom, and one that will never die
out, but it need not be attended with
sorrow and weeping, but rather with
a spirit of joy in keeping with the day
and season. The careless boy and the
curious foreigner will doff their hats
as the veterans march by. Then they
will turn to the sports of the "day. Can
we consistently ask that the stranger
and the present generation go, once
each year, down into the valley of the
shadow, and enter into the feelings of
past generations?
The Civil War is long since over.
The heritage is a priceless one. The
boys and girls of today know it, and
feei it. Should occasion arise, the
same blood that throbbed in '61 would
again fight its way to freedom and
glory. But in the days of peace let
us have peace, and if possible a multi
plication of sports on Memorial day
healthful sports, which will serve to
render the open door of the saloon in
operative and lead men and boys to a
day in the open.
HELEN N. PACKARD.
EFFORT IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
Mr. Cooper Discusses the Basis of In
dividual Initiative.
M'MINNVILLE, Or., Feb. 8. (To the
Editor.) In an article In last Saturday's
Oregonlan It is said:
"Individual initiative is the most valu
able factor in civilization." This state
ment seems good enough to me to de
serve a black letter panel, not only in
one issue but In many. Its blazonry may
not make laws but It will make law
makers. In theory, ail parties unite
here but in practice they go to pieces.
Can we agree on this? A man with a
home and comfort all his own, and lib
erty unrestrained by a neighbor, is
possessed of the greatest incentive to
individual initiative, and a community ot
such people is the basis of a civilization
good to contemplate. But every man's
home clouded by a mortgage or the
ownership of another, compels that man
to divest himself of a part of his in
ittative and direct his energies to the
interests of the man who has ownership
in his home.
The man who hires himself to an
other, places his activities and for the
time being subjects all of his initiative to
the direction and the interests of his em
ployer. provided he is a good and faith
ful employe.
If I am correct in this there is no
way to avoid the conclusion that our
civilization is cut down and obscured in
proportion to the number of clouded
homes and hirelings in the country. Am
I right? J. C. COOPER
Essence of the Cornell Creed.
Ithaca (N. Y.) Cor. Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Cornel' creed, according to a
Cornell University professor, who has
his version on his desk where he can
look at it when he works. Is as fol
lows:
"I believe in the stuff I am handing
out, in the firm I am working for, and
in my ability to get results. I believe
that honest stuff can be passed out to
honest men by honest methods.
"I believe in working, not weeping;
in boosting, not knocking, and in the
pleasure of my job. I believe that a
man gets what he goes after that one
deed done today is worth two deeds
tomorrow, and that no man is down
and out until he has lost faith In him
self. "I believe In today and the work I
am doing, in tomorrow and the work
I hope to do, and in the sure reward
winch the future holds.
"I believe in courtesy, in kindness, in
generosity, In good cheer, in friend
ship and honest competition.
"I believe there is something doing
somewhere for every man ready to do
it. I believe I am ready right now."
Geoirraphlcal Glee.
Washington Herald.
If Pittsburg waa a smokeless town
And Boston nothing knew
Of Kant or pie or baked beans brown.
What would we Jokesmlths do?
If Now Tork would not let a Celt
Serve on Its civic crew.
And Louisville In drygoode dealt.
What would we Jokesmlths do?
If all St. Louis girls had feet
That took a dainty shoe.
And Brooklyn owned no babies sweet,
Wbat would we jokesmlths do?
Oh! humorists, both near and far.
But for the gallant few
Who made our cities what they are.
What would we Jokesmlths do?
THEIR SOULS
From the Washington Evening Star.
IN THE SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
TOMORROW
f" "WOST YOU '.
Fac-Simile of Full - Page
Cover Design of Maga
' zine Section, Repro
duced in Colors.
St. Valentine's Day is
coming, a great day for
young and old, and the first
color page of the Magazine
Section of The Sunday
Oregonian is appropriately
given to a pretty Valen
tine picture, as outlined
above. A charming young
Oregon miss has posed for
the photograph, and the
pictures and the delicate
blending of the colors are
a striking indication that
Oregon presents abundant
material for color pages
without importing the col
or plates.
Following the color page
come two full pages illus
trating Valentine games
for children. Tired moth
ers, who are planning par
ties for children, will find
several ideas for their juve
nile guests, while the
youngsters will take pleas
ure in the pictures and in
the accompanying jingles.
While The Sunday Ore
, gonian has plenty of fea
tures for the grown-ups,
the children are never neg
lected. Besides the Valen
tine pages, the "Roosevelt
Bears" appear in a full
page of printed colors. Ted
dy B. and Teddy G. are in
Ireland this week, "buying
Shillelahs and Irish lace,
and driving donkeys at a
rapid pace." Undoubtedly
this is the most, popular
feature for children since
the days of Potter Palmer,
and the illustrations by
Dick Culver are more than
amusing.
In the comic, section the
youngsters will see Dolly
Drake and Bobby Blake
playing some St. Valen
tine's Day pranks, and Bin
nacle Jim and Bill masque
rading as a make-believe
elephant on board the
Dancing Sal. Two pages of
stories, one by Elizabeth
Stuart Phelps, contain much
that will interest youthful
readers. In place of the
Dooley Letters, Mr. Donley
being indisposed this week,
a special character study of
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw by
Frederick Boyd Stevenson
has been substituted. Mr.
Stevenson is a new York
newspaper correspondent,
whose point of view in sane
and calm, and he has writ
ten a careful review of
some of the salient features
of the murder trial which is
being discussed in every
phase from coast to coast.
Mr. Stevenson's article is
illustrated by a pencil
sketch of Mrs. Evelyn
Thaw by a well-known
newspaper artist.
George Ade takes liber
ties this week with one of
his ancient rivals, Oliver
Goldsmith, doing over the
story of "The Vicar of
Wakefield" in a style that
would make the late play
wright, if he should return
to earth, wonder whether
slang had not hit the Eng
lish language amidships.
Ade is amusing, neverthe
less, and he tells what woes
the good old dominie
"ducked by getting away
150 years ago."
"Newspaper Men in Pub
lic Life" is the subject of
Dexter Marshall's feature
story, well illustrated with
photographs of editors who
have achieved fame outside
their profession, and also
with many anecdotes.
A timely article by John
Elfreth Watkins in connec
tion with the Lincoln anni
versary Tuesday; Profess
or Frederick Starr's fourth
article describing the ac
tors in the Congo drama;
the correspondence school
of style, and beauty; the
warfare London is waging
on corrupt corporations, de
scribed by W. B. Northrop,
are other features of the
Magazine Section which,
combined with the society,
dramatic, music, books,
sports, real estate, depart
ments, and' a comprehen
sive news report, go to
make up a complete and
modern newspaper.