THE MORNING OKEGONIN, MONDAY, MARCH 18, 1907.
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PORTLAND, MONDAY. MARCH 18, 1807.
. TJSES OF INLAND WATERWAYS.
, President Roosevelt's letter upon the
subject of systematic improvement of
inland waterways is the beginning of
a policy of the National Government
which will in time reflect as great
credit upon its author as anything he
has done. The subject has been dis
cussed in a small way by commercial
organizations heretofore, but has never
come to general attention, nor would
it now receive more than passing no
tice but for the forceful presentation
;of its various phases in the letter pub
.lished in yesterday's Oregonian! An
Inland Waterways Commission has
been appointed to investigate the sub
ject In all its bearings, and report a
comprehensive plan for the improve
ment and control of the waterways of
the United States. This applies to the
improvement; of navigable rivers, for
il is over these only that the general
Government has jurisdiction end for
.which President Roosevelt says the
Government must acknowledge re
sponsibility and, obligation.
Improvement of inland waterways
has in the past been haphazard and
without system. As the President says,
works designed to control our rivers
.have usually been undertaken for a sin
g!e purpose, such as the improvement of
navigation, development of power, re
clamation of arid lands, protection
from floods or supplying water for do
mestks . and manufacturing purposes.
This has been true in every part of
the country, and the lack of system has
"resulted, in enormous waste of time
and money. We need not go far from
home to see an illustration. The Gov
ernment is today working upon a canal
at Celilo for the purpose of enabling '
up-river steamboats to pass Celilo
Falls. Construction of canal and locks
"has but a single purpose, improvement
of navigation. Beyond a doubt there is
opportunity for development of valu
able power at Celilo, and if the work
were undertaken in conjunction with
construction of canal and locks, the
two enterprises could be carried to
successful termination at much less
cost than' can be done separately. The
Government has control over the Co
lumbia at Celilo. It has a right to
take the water for Improvement of
transportation and for development of
power. It should do both. In due time
the power developed at Celilo would
bring in revenue sufficient to pay in-
' tcrest on the cost of construction.
Improvements on the Mississippi
River, where the Government has spent
billions of dollars, have had the single
purpose or improving navigation or af
fording protection from floods. No
thought has been given to any other
advantage to be gained in connection
with the improvement. The City of
Chicago has recently constructed si
canal from Lake Michigan toward the
Mississippi. The immediate purpose of
the canal is that of a sewer, to carry
way filth that has been polluting the
water supply of the great city upon the
southern shore of ' the lake. Chicago
has in mind a plan by which the Gov
ernment will complete the canal to
connection with the Mississippi River,
thus affording transportation by water
from the Lakes to the Gulf. The canal
has been constructed to Jollet, a dis
tance of 40 miles, and here the water
(10.000 cubic feet per second) is turned
into an old channel to find its way, to
the Mississippi. As a sewer it serves
its purpose But where the canal ter
minates there is a drop of 12 feet and
a private corporation has -undertaken
to appropriate that 10,000 cubic feet of
water per seconds turn it into power
and sell the power to the people of
Chicago, who have spent $50,000,000
constructing the works that carry the
water out of Jollet. It is estimated
that the power Chicago has thrown
away Is worth $2,000,000 a year, or 4
per cent on the cost of the canal. And
that power is worth much less today
than it will be a decade hence.
There is no need to multiply in
stances. A moment's thought will con
vines anyone that irrigation, water
power and navigation can be Joined in
many waterway improvements and it
goes without saying that tbr should
be. Water taken from the Deschutes
or the Klamath or any other stream
should be so conducted as to be avail
able tor development of power If pos
sible, and when the Government is
owner of the canal system it should,
also be owner of the power. In the
words of the President. "The time has
come for merging local projects and
uses of the inland waters in a compre
hensive plan designed for the benefit
of the entire country. Such a plan
should consider and Include all the uses
to which streams may be put and
should bring together and co-ordinate
the points of view of all users of
water."
The President's letter also brings out
an astounding fact which has been
common knowledge so long that Its im
portance has been forgotten. He quotes
eminent authorities for the assertion
that every year the Mississippi River
carries away sediment equal to double
the amount of material that must be
removed in excavating for the Panama
Canal. This sediment is composed of
the most fertile materials of the lands
from which it is washed. The magni
tude of this loss of soil presents for
consideration the problem of devising
means of diminishing the wash and if
possible recovering the sediment. All
this is to be included in the general
task Imposed upon the commission, in
formulating a general plan for im
provement of inland waterways. Trans
portation will probably always be the
primary object In river improvement.
but as the years -roll toy an-d fuel be
comes less plentiful, the power prob
lem becomes steadily more important.
The commission - appointed by the
President is headed 'by Theodore E.
Burton, of Ohio, chairman of the rivers
and harbors committee of the lower
house of Congress. It includes F. H.
Newell, of the Reclamation Service,
and Gifford Pinchot, of the Forestry
Bureau. - The other members are Sen
ator Francis G. Newlands, Senator
William Warner, Congressman John H.
Bankhead, of Alabama; General Alex
ander Mackenzie, of the United States
Engineer Service; Dr. W. G. McGee, of
the United States Geological Survey,
and Herbert Knox Smith, Commission
er of corporations. Some of these men
are not known to the public. Those
who are known are men of such char
acter and ability as to create for the
commission a very favorable impression
in the public mind.
WHERE FAST LIVING LEADS AND ENDS.
Fast living is assigned as the cause
of the embezzlement' of $6000 by an As
toria young man from his employers.
The thefts of money had extended over
a period of 12 months. Fast living will
make any man an embezzler if he has
only his own earnings to live upon.
A fast pace is always downhill, and
the longer it continues the faster it be
comes. From his temporary point of
view the fast traveler is having a "good
time." But eventually the crash
comes, and then, In accordance with
the universal law of compensation,
an accounting must be had.
The fast traveler must pay for his
ride. He may not be an embezzler of
money, but he has thrown away time
and energy and self-respect. If he has
added crime against others to the
crime against himself, he must endure
public disgrace and punishment, as
well as the scourging of his own con
science. It is an enforcement of the
law that those who dance must pay
the fiddler. When the world offers so
many opportunities for healthful, en
nobling enjoyment, theTe is no possible
excuse for Indulgence in frivolous or
worse than frivolous pleasures that
leave empty heads and empty purses.
The young man who would avoid the
final catastrophe that ends what might
have been a .brilliant life career, must
shun the beginning of a downward
course. Idleness and evil companions
are the introduction to vices of more
serious nature and more difficult to
overcome. Every young man must de
termine for himself whether his life
Bhall be honorable or dishonorable and.
this once determined, it is not difficult
to shape a course that will reach the
desired goal. The man who has start
ed wrong can see in the disclosures at
Astoria the probable story of his own
life unless he changes his ideals, his
hopes, his ambitions and his actions.
FORTIFYING THE PHILIPPINES.
Japan would attack the Philippines,
in case of war with the United States,
and if it could wrest them away would
probably then assume the ' defensive,
thus challenging the United States to
dislodge the Japanese from the Philip
pines or to give up. Realizing this,
the President is getting ready to de
fend the Philippines as soon as pos
sible, with forts and guns, for which
Congress has provided $1,435,000. Japan
would probably not risk a fleet so far
from home as the Western Coast of
the United States. The American
ships would be greater in fighting
power than any fleet Japan could send
to these waters. Besides, if hostile
ships should come, they could hit this
country In no vital part. The great in
land power of this country its re
sources for carrying on war the Jap
anese could not reach. Besides they
would not dare enter our ports, ex
posed as they would be to guns and
submerged mines. Nor could they even
approach the ports. They would find
American warships an entirely differ
ent sort from Russian or Chinese.
American Navy gunners are the most
expert in the world, not excepting the
Japanese, and they have brave fight
ing blood in their veins.
The Japanese are too wary to be ig
norant of these traits and of the ef
ficiency of the American Navy. But
they see that if they could catch the
United States unprepared for war In
the Philippines, seize those islands and
fortify themselves, they could put this
country to tremendous disadvantage.
To dislodge the Japanese might cost
this country enormous quantities of
blood and treasure, and a faction would
spring up at home, declaring the cost
not worth while..
It would seem, therefore, that the
Jap wears a chip on his shoulder be
cause he knows the unprepa-redness of
the United States to defend the Phil
ippines. ' This country will establish
fortifications In the islands at once,
however, and then the greed of the Jap
for those islands will have proper
check. There is good reason to be
lieve that there would be no war talk
at all if it were not for the Japanese
itch to possess the Philippines and the
notion that the United States, being
far distant, could not well -defend them.
Besides, the Japanese having taken
the measure of the Russian white race,
imagine the American white race made
of similar stuff.
The oie weakness of the United
States is the unfortified condition of
the Philippines. With this cured, Japan
will be in no position to carry on war
against this country. Its resources are
no match for this country's and in
war, the ability of a nation to sustain
a great army and navy is the real ar
biter. Japan was on the verge of a
collapse when its war with Russia
ended not through lack of men or
ships, but through exhaustion of re
sources. The end of the American
Civil War was accomplished not by the
superior fighting numbers of the
Northern soldiers, but by the superior
fighting resources of the North.
Since Japanese threats .began, less
has been heard from the foes of a large
American Navy. The Japanese menace
has brought to the attention of this
country, as nothing else could have
done, the necessity of possessing a
strong -fleet in Pacific and Atlantic
waters and of early completion of the
Panama Canal, so that warships can
be moved quickly from one shore of
I the United States to the other.
With the Philippines fortified, Japan
could gain nothing in war with the
United States. It would emerge from
the conflict, probably a ruined nation,
and the growth of its oriental power
would be checked perhaps forever.
FAULTY FUNDAMENTALS.
Helicon Hall went the way of' things
terrestrial and Upton Sinclair's dream
went up in smoke. After a few months
in Elysia, where the servant ceased
from worrying and the family was at
rest, the peace was rudely shattered- in
the still hours of early morn by the on
slaught of the Iconoclastic devourer.
The literary colony that had sought re
pose was driven forth in a cold world,
clad as fancy favored and lightly at
that to -watch, its erstwhile haven dis-
solve. "The blaze was preceded by an
explosion in the ballroom," so the dis
patches tell us, but the cause thereof
is not given. Evidently it was some
thing spontaneous. No doubt the in
cubus of Inertia, tired of its happy.
peaceful surroundings, got exceeding
weary and ripped up things.
There can be no Utopia in these days.
Here was a place where everything
was planned as desired; no friction,
no turmoil, no anything to disturb the
even serenity. The meals were on
time and cooked Just right; the
temperature of the rooms was- balmy,
though outside there were snow
and Ice; the beds were downy and con
duced to slumber; the whole machin
ery of the great household moved- with
the automatic regularity of a great en
gine. Yet there was a cog (missing in
the massive wheel, and the deluded
victims of the miscalled happiness found
it out. In all the plans the discoverer
of "The Jungle" seemed not to have
thought of a fire department, that by
pressing button No. 1 would sound the
alarm, No. 2 unreel the hose and lay it.
No. 3 (per phonograph) give the cus
tomary yell to "Walk up on her, now!
What in so-and-so are you waiting
for?" and all that goes with the Job,
winding up with button No. 4 to reel
up and go home.
There was not even a ladder, and
when the matron looked for it the bell
rope in the tower was -missing. So she
had to climb a lattice 50 feet to sound
the alarm on the bell. Let us hope
pajamas were included In the .plans of
organization. If not, then it is up to
Mr. Sinclair, when he rebuilds and
recreates his family, to provide all the
things that were missing.
CURBING RAILROAD PLUNDER.
Laws to prevent discrimination in
railroad rates Harriman and his con
federates ' are willing to see enacted,
if they will but pacify the "reform
agitation." But when those laws are
likely to be extended so as to prevent
acts like the loot of the Chicago &
Alton, and the high finance plunder in
connection with suppression of South
ern Pacific earnings reports, the Union
Pacific dividend and the purchase by
Union Pacific of stock of the Illinois
Central and of other railroads then the
buccaneers stow alarmed and, as Har
rlman did in Washington recently, de
plore the "reform agitation" as a "ten
dency of unsuccessful men to assail
those who are successful."
These plunder acts Harriman would
not explain fully to the Interstate Com
merce Commission. Tet the commis
sion squeezed out enough facts to in
form the people of the nature of the
transactions. Harriman's refusal to
divulge the full details -leaves a well
founded suspicion in the public mind
that the deals were accomplished for
the aggrandizement of a few selfish
high-finance bandits. Indeed, this sus
picion amounts practically to full
knowledge. The beneficiaries are the
"successful men." The American peo
ple are the "unsuccessful .men," whose
laws did not prevent the others from
thus plundering the public carriers of
the Nation.
Laws will now be enacted to check
this high finance. Of course, this will
not conform with the "fair play" ideas
of the bandits, Harriman already rails
against the "unfair methods of the ad
ministration, as carried out by the
Interstate Commerce Commission," and
declares "there is now no Incentive for
a man to be successful," but is "sure
that in the end the old American spirit
of fair play will prevail."
It would be interesting to hear
whether Harriman considers the Alton
matter "fair play." The Chicago &
Alton Railroad, when bought in 1899
by a Harriman syndicate, was capital
ized for $39.935.887.. Seven years later
the capitalization was $122,872,000, of
which $60,000,000 was water. The "clean
up", for Harriman's syndicate amount
ed to some $24,000,000. But this was
one of his minor deals. So trivial was
it that an Item of $2,000,000 was omitted
from it. "A little matter of $2,000,000
doesn't amount to so much one way
or the other," said he, when asked- con
cerning it, before the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
This depredation is only one of many.
But It reveals the others. The public
sees that laws to regulate rates will
accomplish only a part of the correc
tion needed. The plunder barons have
been willing to yield to rate regulation
if they could but preserve their bigger
profits. Now when they are likely to
lose their get-rich-quick method, they
say their foes are attacking the suc
cessful men.
These matters have received the
scrutiny of tb.6 President. Last Satur
day he held a conference with Governor
jeneen, or Illinois, presumably over
the Alton matter. When J. P. Morgan
visited him several days before, to
protest against popular hostility to
ward railroads and to prepare for the
proposed meeting with railroad pres
idents and magnates, he doubtless
learned that the President Is loaded
with facts.
The people now demand more string
ent enactments than the rate law, so
as to prevent high finance plunder. - It
will be vain for Harriman and his as
sociates to plead against it. Perhaps it
will be impossible to enact laws to cure
all at once. But, as new sources of
plunder are revealed, remedial enact
ments will be effected.
ix tnis cannotJLthe canal.
be done through regulation of rail
roads, it will be accomplished through
Government ownership.
Illinois 'has a "minority representa
tion" provision in its constitution which
rhfl Tnrer fVpati Kivs -rwis worked very
effectively. It is what is known as a I
"cumulative voting"plan, and applies
only to election of candidates for
the lower house of the Legislature.
There are "three Representatives to be
elected from each senatorial district.
Each voter would under ordinary elec
tion methods be entitled to vote for
their candidates. The Illinois consti
tution gives each voter three votes for
Representative and he may cast them
for three men or for one. Under this
plan, if the Democrats are in the mi
nority, they nominate but one candidate
and each Democratic voter casts his
three votes for that one candidate,
thereby giving the one candidate
enough to elect him. The Republicans
in that district, realizing that the Dem
ocrats can elect one candidate in spite
of them, nominate but two and center
their votes upon these. Where two
candidates are nominated and the
voter has three votes, he may cast one
and one-half votes for each. The cu
mulative plan does not apply to elec
tion of members of the Senate.
Persons who object to being made
the victims of apparent rudeness should
be careful not to Invite such treatment.
For example, those who needlessly
block the way of busy people In public
places should not feel aggrieved- if they
find themselves jostled toy the hurrying
crowd. An Eastern exchange relates
an incident not uncommon In Portland
and in every other city. A woman was
alighting from & streetcar and: stood
on the steps for a moment to repeat
farewells and good wishes to a friend
remaining upon the car: Other passen
gers desiring to get off the car crowded
against her with the result that the
smiling face of a pretty woman be
came the scowling visage of a shrew.
Her remark about the Impoliteness of
men would have been amusing were
they not voiced in tones unbecoming to
a lady. . She thought she had been ill
treated when, as a matter of fact, she
was the one who had violated the rules
of etiquette. Lingering farewells are
proper in their time and place, but in a
crowded thoroughfare all else must
yield to the necessary, rule "move on."
The New Tork Tribune Is stirring up
a fuss because police inspectors In the
'American metropolis live In luxury on
salaries that fire department officials
find it difficult to live modestly upon.
The fire department officials live in
small houses and spend little on lux
uries. The police inspectors own cost
ly homes (in their wives' names) and
have liveried servants. The Tribune
remarks the coincidence that while all
Inspectors live in fine homes, not one
of them has the title to the property
in his name. Just as the New Tork
contemporary gets ready to ask the
question, " Where did he get It V the
fact develops that the inspectors are
spending $100,000 trying to defeat an
anti-graft bill in the New Tork Legis
lature, and the question becomes un
necessary. '
Always something comes up to per
suade Masters and Shepherd to stay
in the Council. If Masters will stay
long enough, the corporation -members
of the Council can deprive the people
of the pleasure of electing his succes
sor. Mr. Masters Is required to quit
the Council, because of change of his
residence from the Fifth Ward, but
of course, if his valuable services shall
be needed in the Council until after the
city election in June, the people will not
choose his successor, and the present
Council can elect the new member to
take his seat before the first meeting
of the new Council In July. Beats all,
the important Interests that must be
served toy Mr. Masters.
We hear that Editor Geer, up Pen
dleton way, indulges in a little sneer
because The Oregonian referred to the
Mayer sixtieth wedding anniversary as
their diamond Jubilee. He thinks they
should wait 15 more years. It is to be
regretted that Editor Geer did not
think It all out in time to advise the
late Queen Victoria of her exceedingly
bad taste in celebrating her diamond
Jubilee after she had been on the throne
only 60 years.
The United States gave Japan her
start in civilization and educated many
of her young men who became leaders
in the making of modern Japan. Now
John D. Rockefeller proposes to give
$50,000,000 to start an awakening In
China. Perhaps we may have reason
to regret the awakening unless we find
some satisfactory means of checking
what we are pleased to call the "yel
low peril."
The New Tork special franchise tax
law has brought in so much revenue
that the counties have been relieved of
their direct state taxes. But what's
the use of thinking about that after an
Oregon Legislature has defeated all
legislation looking to the attainment of
the same conditions in this state?
New Tork race track men have a
superstition that $2 bills are unlucky.
For that reason, before they bet a $2
bill, they clip off a small piece from
one corner. They would find that $2
bills are lucky If they would bet tha
corner they clip off and put the rest
back in their pockets.
"Do it now" is a legend that many
energetic men and women have hung
up over their desks to serve as a con
stant reminder against procrastination.
An exchange suggests a very appropri
ate companion motto: "Do It Better."
City Councilmen want their salaries
raiBed. Some of them are entitled to
it, and the matter should be called to
the attention of the gas company and
the Southern Pacific.
Up to the hour of going to press,
Harriman had not secured a controll
ing Interest In the Canadian Pacific,
nor the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
If the soul has weight, the existence
of numerous narrow individuals proves
that the true net weight standard fails
to apply in one more direction.
We are in a sa-d state, indeed, when
a financial panic is threatened because
the railroads are to be required to obey
the law.
In view of recent calamities, state
Legislatures ought to get that unwrlt
ten .law on the statute books quick.
It would seem that almost enough
inspectors have visited Panama to dig
RAILROADS AND THE PEOPLE
Retaliation Doesn't Pay. and Justice
M ill Prevail In the End.
New York World.
No sooner has the two-cent-fare law
gone into effect in Nebraska than the
railroads retaliate by discontinuing a
number of their passenger trains. They
have even gone so far as to compel
passengers from outside states to buy
fresh tickets and recheck thoir bag
gage at the Nebraska state line. It
may be that by deliberately inconveni
encing their patrons the roads will
succeed in starting a popular reaction
in their own favor, but it looks like
reckless experiment.
When the two-cents-a-mile bill was
under consideration at Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania Railroad officials de
clared that a two-cent fare would mean
two-cent service. It would be im
possible to maintain their fast Chicago
service or to operate passenger trains
on minor state lines at a profit.
The railroad manager usually takes
the gloomiest view of the case when
he cannot have his own way. Ruin
always stares him in the face at the
slightest provocation. Still, it is obvi
ously true that an arbitrary passenger
rate enforced throughout an entire
state might sometimes prove utterly
unfair. In New Tork the two-cent
rate applies to main lines, and in some
other states the legal rate Is deter
mined by the gross earnings per mile.
Trafflce conditions in New Tork may
warrant one set of maximum charges,
those In Nebraska another and those in
Nevada still another. General uni
formity is out of the question. Some
thing must be left to experience, what
ever the local state of resentment
against corporations.
Over 25 State Legislatures this win
ter have undertaken to enact laws
against the railroads, mostly through
regulation, direct or Indirect, of their
charges and service. The prevailing
sentiment seems to be that new rate
laws and new commissions will auto
matically Bolve all problems. An in
telllgent understanding of the trans
portation question is not expected, and
the railroads on their part have done
next to nothing- to supply It.
Mr. Harriman, for Instance, who
knowns better, says that it does not
matter to the public what is the capit
alization of a railroai; the only thing
that concerns the public is the kind of
service a railroad furnishes. Tet every
time railroad regulation, either under
Federal or state laws, is proposed,
railroad companies like Mr. Harriman's
which have been fraudulently over
capitalized bitterly protest that any
interference with their private man
agement will make it impossible for
them to pay interest on their bonds
and dividends on their stocks.
Between Harrimans and a public
actuated largely by prejudice It will
not be easy to effect peace, especially
when the rights of passengers and
shippers are disregarded as contemptu
ously as the interests of legitimate In
vestors. But the railroads are oertaln
to gain nothing by pursuing a policy
of retaliation. However crude and un
wise some of the restrictive legislation
may be, it would be far better for the
roads to make an honest attempt to
carry out the spirit of the law. Then
thoy can go before the Legislatures
with their balance-sheets and fairly
ask for a square deal if they have not
been getting it. The American people
intend to be just. In the long run they
would be more than just if the rail
roads would meet them half way. -
THEY WAIT FOR PUBLIC OPINION
Peint Made That Lawyers Delay Dis
barring- Their Venal Brethren.
PORTLAND, March 17. (To the Ed
itor.) I wish to indorse Tho Orego-
nian's recent editorial "lambasting" the
lawyers. It was the truth from start
to finish.
I am well aware that The Oregonian
does not need any of my unsolicited
help. But after reading the reply by
Robert Treat Piatt, I consider it a duty
as a public juror in the case to hand
up my decision which 13 that Attorney
Piatt utterly failed to establish or
prove his case, or disprove The Ore-
gonlan's statements. . Take the recent
cases of Ach. Hubbard and Maynard.
Why didn't the lawyers kick out these
men before the public did?
If lawyers have such a high sense
of honor, and are so much more Intelli
gent than the common people, why
don't they discover the "shysters" in
their ranks and fire them before the
common people do the firing act?
We all know that when a rich man
commits a crime and is detected, ho
immediately employs from one to a
half-dozen of the brainiest, most tal
ented lawyers to be found, because, as
The Oregonian has said, they know
better how to evade the law and defeat
Justice. Oh, yes, there may occasion
ally be an honest lawyer; but he
doesn't get much work. I am for. "tho
truth, even if it does hurt. R. R. B.
OrlRin of the Word "Skedaddle.
OREGON CITT. Or., March 15. (To
the Editor.) I am inclined to question
Frederic J. Haskin's account of the
origin of the word "skedaddle." I well
recollect hearing it told in Oberlln Col
lege that in the days of the Civil War
the professor of Greek in that institu
tion left ,for the front, taking half the
college attendance with him. One day
when the routed enemy was flying, the
excited professor shouted, "See them
skedannumi!" the Greek for "scatter."
"What's that?" eried one of the boys,
" 'skedaddle,' did you say?" The pro
fessor laughed. "yes, that's .good.
See them .'skedaddle!" The word
caught, ran over the field and got into
the newspapers. If Is quite likely that
the war correspondent of the London
Times first heard it at Bull Run, but
he was not the originator of the word.
The root is "skeda," another form is
"skedo," the present popular skidoo,
that has been used by college boys for
years, but has only lately reached the
public ear. With so respectable an
origin, "skidoo" is likely to become
good English. EVA EMERT DTE.
The Why of Orerdne Insurance.
ABERDEEN, Wash., March 16. (To the
Editor.) Please explain the subject of
reinsurance of overdue ocean-going ves
sels. Where is this kind of speculation
principally carried on and what are the
methods employed? SUBSCRD3ER,
Overdue reinsurance is in effect a dis
tribution of the increased risk -which ap
pears as a vessel s voyage is unduly
prolonged. An underwriter carrying, say.
$50,000 insurance on a vessel ' at a low
premium, will, as the danger of loss in
creases, parcel this $50,000 risk out among
other parties, paying them all the way
from 6 per cent to 90 per cent premium
in proportion to the steadily increasing
risk of total loss. In addition to this
legitimate form of reinsurance, which is
engaged in only by the parties directly
interested in the safety of the ship, there
Is much gambling on similar lines by
parties having no direct interest in the
safety of the. ship. Overdue reinsurance
is carried on in all large seaports
throughout the world-
PROBEVG NORMAL SCHOOLS DEAL
Representative Jones Accuses Governor
Chamberlain's Political Machine.
INDEPENDENCE. Or., March 16. (To
the Editor.) In a Portland evening news
paper the other day. Governor Chamber
lain, through his mouthpiece, Tony Nolt
ner, says it is his personal opinion that
a majority of the voters of Polk County
think that if I ever want another office,
had better move back to Lincoln County.
The grave charge of this mouthpiece of
the Governor, who is, by the way. presi
dent of the Democratic Board of Regents
of the Monmouth Normal School, is that
I allowed Vawter and Jackson to attach
an amendment to the Senate bill of Sena
tor Loughary. for the support of the
Drain Normal School. This, however, is
not the reason for the attack on me. The
fact is that the Governor, with all his
shrewdness and political cunning, has
made a mess of the normal question, and
wants to unload it on the Legislature, and
he has had it in for me since 1903, when I
succeeded in carrying a normal bill over
his veto in the House. But the real sore
place affecting the Governor is the Rail
road Commission. He grieves over tne
fact that I would not allow him and his
Democratic brethren to bulldoze me into
allowing him to appoint the Commission
under the Chapman act, thus adding three
more appointive offices to his string 01
about a hundred making him more votes
for the United States Senate. Since he
has, through his mouthpiece, Tony Nolt-
ner, seen lit to advise me as to my future
political course, I will say here and now
that, should I ever be a candidate for any
office in Polk County, I hereby extend
a hearty invitation to both the gentlemen
to come up to the Blue Ribbon County
and make a joint canvass, allowing lite
people to be the judges as to whose rec
ord is the best on the normal school ques
tion.
As a matter of fact, neither the Gov
ernor nor his man Noltner has been in
Polk County since the Legislature ad
journed, and they know nothing of the
opinion of the voters of the county ex
cept as told to -them by a man who is
drawing a salary from the normal school
fund and has been under salary for many
years. There is no complaint in Polk
County over the action of the Polk County
delegation except possibly from a dozen
who are directly interested. But there
are many who are complaining at the
Governor s course in vetoing the Smith
bill.
One of the good reasons the people have
for opposing the normal schools is that
members of the Board of Regents and in
structors In the schools have for years
been attending each session of the Legis
lature and lobbying for larger appropri
ations for their sohools. And the most
regular and most persistent member of
all the boards is Tony Noltner. Early In
tne session I asked Mr. Butler and Mr.
Moran to keep Mr. Noltner from lobby
ing for Monmouth on the floor, as I knew
it would hurt the cau9e. Polk County
was also represented in the House by Dr.
Aleuallan, yet the president of the Nor
mal 5oard does not mention his name.
although the doctor, like myself, did not
kill the Drain rider. If this is not an in
suit to the doctor, then the whole attack
on myself must be a personal one.
The f acts are. the Loughary bill did not
get to the House until the last days of
the session, and after both the Weston
and Ashland schools had got their appro
prlation. Then the Polk County delega
tion held a conference with members of
the Normal Board and Instructors of the
Monmouth school, and both Dr. McCal
Ion and myself agreed to be advised by
the Monmouth delegation from the Board
of Regents and the school as to the best
thing to do. This is probably tho worst
mistake we made If we made a mistake
at all as we should have used our own
judgment In the matter. As it was on
show-down it made no difference, for it
was killed by the Governor's veto, and if
the Polk County delegation had succeeded
in killing the Drain rider, then the Drain
people would have killed the bill. Mon
mouth lost the support of three mem
bers by the Drain amendment, and if
tne amendment had been killed. Mon
mouth would have lost the support of all
tne southern Oregon members and the
bill would have been killed by a large
majority. In any event the kick would
have been coming from Tony Noltner, as
he would have lost his job. either wav the
cat Jumped. He should have used more
Influence with the Governor, and kept the
veto oix.
If the Governor had not lost his tern
per over the Railroad Commission and
thought to kill oft the whole Republican
party, he would not have been led into
vetoing tne Smith bill, and thus the
wnoie .Normal question would have been
settled. .However, there has been a i
action, and the Governor will find it
losing game.
Finally, if the people of Polk Cnnntv
have any grievance it is not against their
Delegation Dut witn the Governor, who
cut off the support of their school until
the next meeting of the Legislature. But
be it remembered that not all of the nn.
pie of Pork County want normal school.
At the last election the voters of Polk
uounty, ty a large majority, cast their
votes against ail tne normal schools, in-
ciuaing jxiouxnoutn.
B. V. JONES.
Appreciation of nn Editorial.
M'MINNVILLE, Or..- March 16. (To the
Editor.) The editorial In last Friday'
Oregonian relating to the alleged plagiar
ism of Wallace G. Trill, of Willamette
University, is the most fair-minded state
ment of the case we have yet seen.
A COLLEGE STUDENT.
Sage of RabhitvIHe In New Role.
Irrigon Irrigator.
The bride was given away by Mr. Ben
nett.
THE NEW
LIFE IN THE OREGON COUNTRY
Distracting;.
LexlngtonWheat field.
It's pretty hard for a girl to be hugged
and play the piano at the same time.
He Had It Two Years.
Newberg Graohic.
The price he paid for the place was $2100
and he sold it for J4CO0, which shows a
nice profit on the investment.
Needs Chamberlain Remedies.
Dallas Observer.
The Capital Journal prints in Its editorial
column a recipe for a cure for back-ache.
What Editor Hofer really needs is a cure
for chronic belly-ache.
Looking Up Crop Statistics.
Canyon City Eagle.
A grasshopper is something unusual in
the month of March, yet such put In
appearance last week at the home of W.
H. Damon, of Mount ernon.
The Real Stock.
Dayton Optimist.
To be Irish and proud of It is a natural
consequence, and a distinction of the race
which has followed them throughout the
length and breadth of the land.
The Little Tickler.
Seattle Municipal News.
When a politician begins to cultivate
church people after ignoring them for a
year, 'tis a sure sign that the office bee
again doing a little buzzing.
All Aboard!
Woodland Independent.
U'Ren hasn't the only referendum ma
chinery In- the state. His is liable to set
rusty, while the grange machine is well
oiled and In good working order.
Sounds Like OreEoa. .
Olympia Recorder.
A good many legislators are returning
home, wondering just what effect that
direct primary law will have upon their
prospects for returning two years hence.
Sign of War.
lone Proclaimer.
Touch a long-eared, four-legged animal
in a weak spot and watch it kick and
3nort. Yes, it is true that some that can
talk will also stand back and call you
names.
Hake Contract With the Comet.
Castle Rock Advocate.
Just as the boon of 2-cent passenger
fares is about to be realized, a fury
breathing and tall-switching comet threat
ens to crash against the earth and tear
up the tracks.
Write a Letter.
Baker City Democrat.
The settlement of a country depends
largely upon the efforts of the people
already there to make known to the world
the advantages of the particular section
in the way of its resources by advertising.
Job Lota.
Kent Recorder.
There surely is something in the air
east of Kent. But a short time ago a
pair of baby girls arrived at the home
of Guy Walton, and now word comes in
that the stork called at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Henry Finster this morning and
left a pair of twin boys.
- Booming a Church on Sunday.
FYeewater Times.
The excursion from Pendleton to Walla
Walla on Sunday for the new Christian
Church was fairly well patronized. Pend
leton sent 108 passengers, and intermedi
ate points, including about. 40 from this
depot, furnished about the same number.
Twenty-three thousand dollars was raised
at the opening.
- In the Depths of Depravity. "" ':
Jefferson Review.
Guess the wood famine must have hit
Jefferson. Anyhow, somebody "capBwol
lowed" a load of wood from the Review
office sometime between Saturday evening
and Monday morning. A fellow who will
steal wood from the editor of a country,
newspaper will sure be warm enough by
and by.
Astorian.
With an extraordinary outlay of about
$150 in gold coin, Dell Scully cornered the
Jews-harp market here yesterday, buying
the last 500 of those instruments known
to be in existence. These he distributed
broadcast among the youngsters of tho
town and among the relic-hunters of ma
turer age, and the festive twang of the
hideous things was heard on all corners
last night to the discomfiture of all the
cats and dogs in Astoria Christendom.
Harassing: Predicament.
Oregon City Enterprise.
The wife of one of tho well-known men
in the town thinks her husband is a
brute. She would spell it with a big B,
too. Even after giving the old zinc bath
tub a coat of nice white enamel to please
her she was not satisfied, for when she
went to take a bath and sat down in the
tub she stuck fast. Then was when she
found out that her husband was a brute.
Of course she screamed. Who wouldn't
if he stuck fast to a bathtub? Her hus
band came. Then he laughed. The more
he laughed the madder his wife got and
the faster she stuck. Finally with much
exertion she was rescued from her un
pleasant predicament, although rumor has
it that she will prefer standing to sitting
for a time.
NAPOLEON
From the Boston Herald.