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VOL. XLVI XO. 14,411.
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
t
3
COMMISSION BILL
PASSED AT SALEM
House Measure Is In-
dorsed by Senate.
GOVERNOR SURE TO SIGN IT
Interest Now Shifts to Ap
pointments Under Law.
NAMED BY STATE BOARD
J.and Agent Oswald West Slated for
Place on Railroad Regulating
Body by Chamberlain-iHepub-llcuns
Choose Two Others.
SALEM, Or., Feb. 13.-(Special.) Chap
In's railroad commission bill has passed
both houses of the Legislature and the
Governor will probably allow it to become
a law. It passed the House last Monday
by a unanimous vote. There was only
one dissenting vote in the Senate today
when It passed that body. Whealdon of
Wasco alone voted "no." While the Gov
ernor Is not satisfied with the bill, for
the reason that It provides for appoint
ment of the commission by a state board
instead of by the executive, the bill Is
In all other particulars the measure he
has favored, so it is not thought that
he will veto it because it Is unsatisfactory
upon this one point.
Since the bill has been passed by al
most unanimous vote, if the Governor
should now veto it and the Legislature
adjourn without taking further action,
the responsibility for failure of railroad
legislation will rest entirely upon the
Governor. Hence it is the universal
opinion that the bill will be filed within
the five day's In which he has the right
to consider it.
The bill having been passed. Interest In
the subject has shifted to the probable
personnel of the commission. The ap
pointing board is composed of a Demo
cratic Governor and Republican Secretary
of State and State Treasurer. The Re
publican members have the power to se
lect the three commissioners If they
wish, but it is pretty generally under
stood that they will not do so. The Gov
ernor will be permitted to name one
member at large. Secretary F. W.
Benson will name one member from
the Second Congressional district.
Presumably the member named by
Steel will come from Portland and
the member selected by Benson from
Southern Oregon.
It is reported tonight that .Chamber
lain, Benson and Steel have already
conferred and practically agreed on
this course. These reports, while not
official, come from what appears to
be an authentic source.
Those who are familiar with affairs
at the Capitol and with Governor
Chamberlain's official relations, feel
quite confident that Oswald West,
now State Land Agent, will be se
lected by the Governor as one mem
ber of the commission. While West
is a young man, he has had consid
erable business experience In respons
ible positions, and has always "made
good." He carried out the Governor's
ideas of reform in the State Land Of
fice and succeeded In uncovering the
frauds with which the public is now
familiar.
It is known that the Governor has high
appreciation of West's ability and the
utmost confidence in him. If the Chapin
bill becomes a law, as it seems certain
to do. West is very likely to become a
member of the commission.
State Treasurer Steel will likely consult
wlLh Portland shippers before he makes
a selection from his congressional dis
trict. While it is not to be presumed
that he will be governed by the wishes
of any number of members of the Cham
ber of Commerce, it is safe to assume
that he will give due consideration to
their opinions.
Secretary Benson will consult the ship
pers in -the Upper Willamette Valley and
in the southern counties, particularly the
lumbermen and fruitgrowers, who are
most interested. It is known that neither
Mr. Steel nor Mr. Benson has yet decid
ed upon appointments.
A number of men are being discussed
and some of them have been recommend
ed to members of the appointing board.
Among them are G. A. Westgate, chair
man of the Republican State Central
Committee; T. T. Geer. of Pendleton; T.
C. Taylor, of Pendleton; J. M. Keen, of
Medford; O. V. Hurt, of Corvallis; H. H.
Hewitt, of Albany; W. A. Mears, of
Portland; Col. E. Hofer. of Salem, and
D. E. Toran, of Eugene.
lii an attempt before the passage of the
House bill by the Senate to bring
the two houses into harmony, the
Senate appointed a conference committee
or three members. The House did. like,
wise, after killing the Senate bill.
The conference was held at 1 o'clock in
the office of President Haines. After a
brief discussion, in which the House mem
bers insisted that the appointments
should be made by a board controlled by
members of the majority party, and in
which the Senate members argued that
m3. commission would be more effective if
named by one man, a motion was made
that the Chapin bill be approved. The
vote stood 3 to 3. as everyone expected.
Then a motion was made that the
Binsrham bill be approved, and the vote
T was still 3 to 3. After further Informal
discussion, the conference agreed to
disagree and adjourned.
The fight over the railroad commis
sion bill today was comparatively
brief. The House killed the Bingham
Senate bill by a vote of 29 to 28, thus
putting this measure out of considera
tion. Though a conference comirittee
was named, there was no possibility
of its members getting together, and
such was the report made by members
from the Senate when the Chapin bill
came up as a special order at 2:30.
At that time the bill went to a vote
without discussion, and every member
of the Senate voted for it except
Whealdon, Johnson of Benton entered
a protest upon the records, but voted
(Concluded on Page 7.)
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 51
degrees; minimum, 38.
TODAY'S Fair; easterly winds.
Foreign.
"Women suffragists riot at BrltlpTi House
of Commons and police ride them down.
Page 4. -
Home rule declaration by Bryce's successor.
Pag 3.
NaUonal.
Agreement reached to settle Japanese ques
tion. Page 1.
Immigration bill changed to exclude coolies.
Page 1.
Senate passes bill giving Government right
of appeal in criminal cases. Page 3.
President sends message on coal-land leas
ing. Page 4.
Hermann trial begins and defense raises
vital issue. Page 3.
New light on Bristol compromise. Page 2.
Domestic.
Survivors of Larchmont disaster tell stories
of horrible suffering and death, Pn-ge 1.
HaBkin on St. Valentine's day. Page 1.
Sickness of Juror's wife may delay Thaw
trial. Page 2.
"Western TJnion advances operators' wages
and Postal will follow suit. Page 4.
Over $500,000 stolen from New Britain Sav
ings Bank. Page 2.
Railroads will raise rates .nd get money
for improvements. Page 8.
Commercial and Marine.
Chicago wheat mnrlcet weak, following Liv
erpool. Page 35.
Campaign for advance In stock market.
Page IS.
Longshoremen strike on Japanese steamer
Katshira Maru. Page 14.
Sports.
Entry of amateurs into city baseball leagues
raises nice question as to players' stand
ing. Page 11.
Pacific Coast.
Washington Legislature passes bill to Im
prison insane criminals. Page S.
Gas explosion wrecks Los Angeles building;
three killed. Page 5.
Lobbyists have inning at "Washington cap
ital. Page 5.
Pacific Coast League to be four-team affair
this year. Page 11.
Idaho colons discuss Mormon test oath
Page 2.
Oregon Legislature.
Chapin Railroad Commission bill passes Sen
ate; now up to Governor, who will sign
it. Page 1.
House favors flat salary tor State Printer.
Page 6.
House sentiment favors two normal school
plan. Page 6.
R, T. Hume reads lecture to lawmakers.
Page 6.
Portland and Vicinity.
Portland Railway Light & Power Company
to build great power plant two miles
above Cazadero station. Page 10.
Through Ignorance of language, prisoner at
bar in State Court, pleads guilty to rob
bery when he meant to plead not guilty
and is sentenced to penitentiary. Page 14.
John MoCracken sells quarter block at cor
ner of Twentieth and Washington streets
for $50,000. Page 11.
W. G. McPherson tells of conditions in Pan
ama. Page 14.
Tongues of Fire special policeman says au
thorities will not support him, and turns
in his star. Page 10.
Owner of Mount Tabor water plant offers
It to citv for $60,000 and Water Board
offers $22,182. Page 10.
C. J. W. James,' accused of delinquency
toward children, slaps Judge Frazer In
Juvenile Court. Page 10.
Federation of hardware and Implement deal
ers' associations In West, with Portland
headquarters, will be formed here this
week. Page 11.
HARRY MURPHY
j
REACH AGREEMENT
T
Roosevelt and Califor
nia in Unison.
EXCLUSION LAW TO BE PASSED
Abolish Oriental and Open
Japanese Schools.
IF ACCEPTABLE TO JAPAN
Congress to Pass Amendment to Im
migration Bill Shutting Out Detri
mental Aliens Schmltz Says
Bargain Is Not Closed.
"WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. The Japanese
school controversy is settled In so far as
President Roosevelt, Mayor Schmitz and
the members of the San Francisco School
Board are concerned. An amicable adjust
ment of the question now rests with Con
gress. If the amendment to the Immigra
tion bill proposed by Secretary Root, ex
cluding foreigners who use their pass
ports to gain admission to the United
States, "to the detriment of labor con
ditions in this country," is accepted by
the Senate and House, and the immigra
tion bill is passed at this session of Con
gress, the San Francisco Board of Edu
cation will rescind its order establishing
the Oriental schools, unless the Japanese
government agrees to a proposition to
separate schools which will provide equal
facilities for the Japanese children.
Terms of the Agreement.
Mr. Schmltz and his associates con
versed with the President today and as
sured Mr. Roosevelt that the amendment
to the Immigration bill was entirely satis
factory to them. Mr. Root participated
in the conference and made a report on
his negotiations with the Republican
leaders in Congress and the Japanese
Ambassador. While the California's are
still hopeful that Viscount Aokl, the Jap
anese Ambassador, will agree to sep
arate schools in California, they stand
willing to rescind the order establishing
the Oriental schools and again admit Jap
anese children to the white schools.
Mr. Schmltz today pointed out to Mr.
Roosevelt and Mr. Root the advantages
that will be gained by the Japanese chil
dren if the Oriental schools are main
tained, and expressed a willingness to
give the Japanese equal educational facil
ities to those given the white children of
San Francisco. If the Japanese govern
ment will agree to this proposition, the
School Board will establish a sufficient
number of Oriental schoolhouses to ac
commodate the Japanese and will give the
children individual Instruction. The
Mayor says the Japanese make faster
progress in the Oriental schools than they
do in the white schools and that In the
JAPANESE
PAYS A VISIT TO OLYMPIA AND INCIDENTALLY SKETCHES A
mixed schools the Japanese only retard
the white children.
Final Conference Friday.
Another conference will be held at the
White House Friday and in the mean
time the President hopes to be able to
assure the Mayor and' his associates that
the immigration bill, including the exclu
sion amendment, will be passed at this
session of Congress.
Mr. Root will ascertain Japan's atti
tude on Mr. Schmitz' proposition for sep
arate schools and the Mayor's assurance
that the Japanese are not to be discrim
inated against, but are to have equal
educational advantages with the white
children. If the proposition does not
meet with Count Aoki's views, the School
Board will abolish the Oriental schools.
All that may prevent an amicable settle
ment of the whole question Friday will
be the unwillingness of Congress io pass
the immigration bill.
In discussing the question tonight, Mr.
Schmitz said:
Not Yet Settled, Says Schmltz.
"The prposed amendment to the im
migration bill meets with our approval,
so far as the question of excluding coolie
labor is concerned. It is a step in the
right direction. But the school question
has not been definitely settled, and I do
not want it understood that we have ac
cepted the immigration clause as a price
to recede from the school controversy.
While, as I have said all along, we are
willing to make any concessions that we
believe for the good of the country, we
want to reach an agreement, if possible,
for the maintenance of the separate
schools with an understanding that the
Japanese are to have the same facilities
as white children. We stand willing to
build additional schoolhouses in sections
of the city where -"they will be convenient
to the Japanese children. We hope to
reach an agreement at Friday's confer
ence that will provide for separate
schools. One thing is certain: we will
never agree to admit adult Japanese to
the white schools. I believe an agree
ment will be reached Friday."
Congress Favors Exclusion.
The provision In the immigration bill
conference report restricts the use of
passports granted by foreign countries,
for the admission of their subjects into
the outlying possessions of the United
States. Including the Panama canal zone,
which was intended to aid the adminis
tration in adjusting the California situa
tion, is regarded with favor by the Sena
tors and Representatives In Congress
from that state. However, it is not held
that the provision satisfies the demands
California has made regarding the exclu
sion of Japanese laborers from the United
States. Nothing in the provision excludes
such laborers from ports of the United
States.
The Congressional delegation' from Cali
fornia is in the attitude of having Mr.
Schmltz and the San Francisco School
Board as intermediaries In the nego.!.
tions with the President. The delegation
is keeping In close touch with the situa
ton through the Mayor and Board.
AGREE TO EXCLUDE COOLIES
House and Senate Conferees Adopt
Measure to Mollify Coast.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. Exclusion of
foreigners who use their passports to se
cure admission to the United States to
the detriment of labor conditions in this
country is provided for by an amendment
to the Immigration bill, agreed upon by
conferees of the Senate and House today
and reported to Congress. The amend
ment is the result of the demand from
the Pacific Coast States for the exclu
sion of Japanese coolies, and it is as
serted that it will aid in securing an un
derstanding between the Administration
and the San Francisco delegation now in
(Concluded on Page 2.)
TELL
OF SUFFERINGS
Agony of Castaways
From Larchmont.
FREEZE AND FALL INTO OCEAN
Half Those on Board Large
Raft Meet Death.
CHARGES OF COWARDICE
Boy Says Captain Deserted Passen
gers, but Other Survivors Say
He Did Duty Harrowing
Scenes on Liifeboats.
PROVIDENCE), R. I., Feb. 13. The
steamer Gluckey, bearing 18 survivors of
the Larchmont disaster and 49 bodies of
those who perished, reached here this
evening. The survivors were taken to
hospitals, while the dead were placed in
morgues. Physicians, after examining
the bodies, said that in numerous in
stances death resulted from cold rather
than drowning.
The unnatural positions of the bodies
showed the terrible effects of the cold.
One body, that of a woman, was placed
on a slab, and, as her head rested on it,
her hair, frozen solid, extended to the
floor.
Crowded on Great Haft.
A thrilling story of the disaster Is told
by Harris Feldman, of New York, who,
with his wife, was saved. After dressing,
Feldman and his wife ran to the hurri
cane deck. They had been there but a
moment when the Larchmont began sink
ing so rapidly that it seemed that they
must be lost. A wave struck the top of
the steamer and ripped off a huge piece
of the superstructure, on which they and
other passengers were standing.
As the wreckage slipped off into the
sea many of the passengers either fell
backward into the saloon of the steamer
or were thrown into the water. After the
wreckage, which was in . effect an Im
mense raft, had been away from the ship
a few moments, Mr. Feldman counted his
companions. Besides himself and his
wife, there were 33 on board, but they
were so badly crowded that one by one
they began to drop off Into the water.
Many Jump Into Sea.
Some, crazed by the cold, jumped from
the raft and were drowned. Others, near
the edge, were swept away, and still
others, frozen to death, dropped into the
water. An hour after the raft had been
swept from the steamer there were but
IS persons on it, and of these only eight
were alive. Mrs. Feldman was slowly
freezing to death, when he begged her to
move her hands and feet to keep her
blood circulating. She did not wish to do
so, saying thafc she would rather go to
sleep, as she wanted to die. It was only
FEW MEMBERS OF THE WASHINGTON SENATE
by constant attention that Mr. Feldman
was able to save his wife from death.
For thirteen hours the raft drifted
about helplessly and, when the
schooner Clara E. came alongside and
rescued them, every person on board
was covered with ice. Mrs. Feldman
was the first to be lifted to the
schooner, but, half insane, she leaped-
from the hands of "her rescuers back
onto the raft, screaming wildly that
she would not be separated from her
husband.
Says Captain Deserted Ship.
A statement by Fred H. Heirgesell
an 18-year-old boy who was returning
to his home after baving run away
for nearly a year, contained the
first direct charges against Captain
McVey and his crew. He declares that
Captain McVey's boat was the first
which left the sinking steamer. He
said he saw many women on the hurri
cane deck running about helplessly and
begging for life-preservers. Many
women pleaded in vain with passen
gers and crew to direct them to the
lifeboats.
"My stateroom was almost at the
point of collision, on the port side.
says Heirgesell. "I was in bed with my
clotnes on and, when I rushed on deck,
I found the officers reassuring the
passengers and telling them they were
in no immediate danger. The Captain
left the steamer in the very first boat.
The second boat was taken possession
of by a gang of negro waiters. These
seemed to have lost their heads, and
so many of them crowded into the boat
that It capsized as soon as it struck
the water. I believe all were lost.
Swam Ashore With Frozen Hands.
"I got into the third boat with five
other men. There were no oars in the
boat and we were obliged to drift with
the wind and the waves. We drifted
for several hours and, when we were
near the land, a big wave capsized the
boat. The five men who were with me
were drowned, but as soon as I struck
the water I began to swim and, al
though my hands were terribly frozen
and my feet felt like lead, I succeeded
In reaching the beach, where some one
dragged me out of the water.
"It was an awful sight on the hurri
cane deck of that steamer. I saw a lot
of women running around, helplessly
calling for life-preservers1 and begging
that they be directed to the lifeboats,
but no one paid any attention to thera
and they were absolutely neglected.
"I did not see many life-preservers
around. As I left the ship, many peo
ple were jumping overboard, just as
the steamer began to slip beneath the
waves."
Exhorted to Fray Amid Storm.
David T. Fox, of Bridgetown, N. T.,
pledged his good faith in saving him
self and others. Mr. Fox was reT
turning from a bible convention at
Beverly, Mass. He was on the same
piece of wreckage as that which car
ried the Feldmans away. He said that
his whole experience was so appalling
that he found it impossible to drive it
from his mind. As soon as the raft
reached the water, the despair of all
on board seemed to become so general
that he spent his entire time begging
them to have faith in God. He as
sured everyone that if they -were only
prayerful and not give up hope they
would be saved. Mr. Fox says that
as the bodies slipped into the water
those who remained found more room
and had a better opportunity to move
their limbs and keep their blood in
circulation.
Whole Boatload Swamped.
Antonio Riezukiewltz, of Central
Falls, R. L, entered a lifeboat with
eight other men. The boat had scarce
ly touched the water when it turned
(Concluded on Page 3.)
t
t
E'S
FEAST OF LOVERS
Postcard Craze Has
Boomed Business..
MILLIONS TO BE SENT TODAY
Original and Tasteful Ideas in
Adorning Them.
ANCIENT ORIGIN OF FEAST
Founded by Romans in Honor ot
AVolf's Cubs and Adopted by
Christians Day When
Lovers' Hearts Speak.
BY FREDERIC J. HAPKIN.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 8. (Special Cor
respondence.) The postcard craze has
given the Valentine habit a tremendous
impetus In this country. Fully 3.000.000
postcard Valentines will be sent through
the mails. The idea, proved so suc
cessful last year that the card printers
and dealers laid in enormous stocks and
they say there will be few left over. One
drug store in an Eastern city, which
makes a specialty of souvenir postals,
laid in a stock of 25.000 Valentine cards
consisting of 500 different varieties. The
demand for these began about the middle
of January, and by February 1 there was
a steady sale.
In making these postcards, the Valen
tine Idea has been conformed to In every
conceivable way. One may have a pret
tily embossed Cupid with a blue ribbon
on his quiver, shooting a pale gold ar
row through two hearts of cerise, all set
off with a vari-colored background as
vivid as a nightmare, or one may ha-e a
selection from Browning printed softly
and without offensive ornamentation
within a simple border of hearts. Charles
Dana Gibson and R. F. Outcault have
contributed their genius, and we can
choose between the ever-Btateiy Gibson
girl and the cute flirtations of Buster
Brown.
Millions of Picture Postcards.
The United States and Germany each
prints 30,000,000 picture postcards a year,
and most of the American product, as
well as a large percentage of the German
cards, are sold In this country. As the
souvenir card has made hasty correspon
dence a Joy instead of a burden, so the
swain will find the handy postal a con
venient means of reminding his sweet
heart of his steadfastness. More likely
he will lind a dozen for a quarter, take
the whole pack, invest In 13 one-cent
stamps and thereby increase the popular
ity account of 12 girls instead ot one.
Another feature of St. Valentine's Day
in America, which would be appalling if
it were not confined to a single day. Is
the production of original poems. There
is no question but that the output of
pristine sentimental effusions is greater
on this day than for the remainder of
the entire year. People of all ages, from
boys and girls of 12 and 14 to ancient
beaux and belles of three-score and ten,
sneak off into corners and with much
chewing of pencils and much counting of
syllables grind out their rhymed messages
of tenderness. Most of these outpourings
are never seen save by two persona. Few
of them ever get into print.
His Gifts AH Anonymous.
St. Valentine was an economical soul,
and the practice of celebrating his day
by little anonymous gifts has never
changed. It is the only holiday that has
not become expensive with age. Probably
more candy and flowers and books are
sent In America than any other country,
but here, as elsewhere, it has never been"
considered polite to attach one's name to
any Valentine gift or give any hint of
Its authorship. The only exception to this
rule seems to have been in the olden
days, when the practice prevailed of
drawing by lot for the name of one's Val
entine. In Pepys' Diary Is a story of
Madam Pepys drawing the name of Lord
Something-or-Other one St. Valentine's
Day, and that of her husband the next
year. Pepys regrets the fact that his
name was drawn by his wife, because
he will have to spend five pounds on a
present for her, which money he would
otherwise have been able to spend on
himself.
Feast of Roman Origin.
St. Valentine's Day has been a holiday
for boys and girls for many centuries
and its observance will undoubtedly re
main with other institutions of this civ
VALENTIN
ilization. Indeed, the day has lived
through more than one civilization. Even
the Dark Ages could not blot it out, and
Its number Is still red on the calendar.
It Is a continuation of the old pagan fes
tival of the Lupercalla, which the Ro
mans celebrated on February 15. Chris
tian Rome could not stop the games of
the day, therefore it adopted them as
Christian rites. In the Lupercaiia it was
the custom of the young men and women
to draw by lots for the names ot their
sweethearts. There was an organization
composed of young men, who carried the
carnival into the streets, and it was they
who fairly "made Rome howl." It was
"thrice upon the Lupercal" that Caesar
refused the kingly crown. In those days
there was no festival more popular nor
one more generally celebrated.
St. Valentine was a Christian pres
byter. He was crucified in the Forum
at Rome, on February 14, A. D. 270, in
(Concluded on Page 14.)'
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