THE MORNING OREGONIAN. THURSDAY. MARCH 21, 1907.
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PORTLAND. TML'RMDAV, MARCH 21, 1907.
PLAINTS OF LAND PATRIOTS.
As often as forest reserves have been
Treated or enlarged, self-seeking per
sons have raised their voices In pro
lent, saying that the lands withdrawn
are practically lost to settlement and
use. Now again, since the large with
drawals made by the President's order
of March 2, the same wail has gone up
again, atKr Is echoed In several newspa
pers in Oregon. Immediately after
this order, before tle Bureau of For
estry explained the libera! policy that
would be followed for use of the re
served lands, there was reason to be
lieve that the reserve plan was being
overdone. But now, when it is seen
that the reserve enlargements will not
bar use of the lands for settlement,
that reason does not have weight.
Opposition to re-serve enlargements
comes from persons who are shut out
of particular tracts of land which they
wish to take for speculation. While
this may not be the case in every in
stance, it is so in such a great ma
jority as to establish the rule. These
persons have been called landgrabbers.
They have been a noisy outfit in Ore
gon. They have controlled its polities
and many of its country newspapers.
They have had numerous friends and
clnquers whose voices have swelled
the din. All . this group of grabbers,
when raked together in Oregon, being
those who have been disappointed at
one time or another In their quest for
land, by Hitchcock or Pinchot. or
Honey, makes a considerable army
and when they shout all together their
chorus echoes far.
This self-inierest is revealed in an
editorial of the Coqullle Sentinel, Coos
County, which soberly announces that
creation of the Coqullle reserve de
prives the people of that district of
the profits accruing from acquisition of
the lands from the Government and
sale of them to timber syndicates
profits coming to certain agents from
their acting as go-betweens for great
timber-grabbers. Says the Sentinel:
A large acreape of timber lands of this
county will be sold to Wisconsin capital
ists this Summer. t'rulsers are now going
over the timber making estimates and fur.
niRhing data for the new purchasers. Tim
bcrmen of the Gael who have seen the tlm
her supply of their section -den-ease in the
last few years have cast their eyes toward
the Immense amount of standing timber of
the Northwest, espet-ially Oregon, and have
for years been quietly buying up all tracts
that they could get. hold of. They are at
present putting forth an extra effort to get
hold of all of the large tracts in the state,
no matt'-r how far they are from railroads
or navigable streams. The Interests which
are acquiring these lands are able to hold
them until the price of timber justifies them
to start logging camps and .build mills.
The purchase of timber In this county will
bring thousands of dollars to our people be
Mica creating in all probability an industry
that will spend thousands of dollars In
wages. About all the timber claims in
Coos County have been taken up and the
creating of the Coqullle reserve has taken
from the market HU.tHio acres of choice
timber that should have been left for the
people to take up.
Then the Sentinel brings out the
twisted argument that the reserve sys
tem will result in giving "a few com
panies control of the natural product
of the forest, that should be the inheri
tance of future generations." Yet' in
the same article the newspaper com
mends the old system, which gives
control to large syndicates, saying:
"The purchase of timber in this county
(by syndicates) will bring thousands of
dollars to o'lr people, besides creating,
in all probability, an indumry that will
spend thousands of dollars In wages."
Under our lax laws, the reserve is a
protection of the people's timber heri
tage against syndicate grabbers. The
land and the timber, when needed for
settlement, will be opened for that use.
None of the land lately reserved is
sought for that purpose now; at some
future day it will be. There are tim
ber syndicates in this state holding
enough timber for their use for fifty
and a hundred years to come. There
is enough timber, then, in private own
ership, for present-day consumption
and for consumption of many years
hereafter. The timber reserved from
their clutches for the public does not
take from the public wealth; it re
serves for the peoplo the timber that
is theirs and should be theirs in the
next generation or the one after that.
Another newspaper, the Florence
West, of Lane County, on the coast,
takes the same view as does the Co
qullle publication. Speaking of the
Umpqua reserve. j.t says:
It seems to us that the action of the Presi
dent in setting this tract aside for a forest
reserve 'In unwise. Nearly all the more valua
ble farming land and that containing the best
timber ha been taken up and Is now owned
by private parties, so it is too late. to head
off speculators if they had designs on this
land. Beside this it will retard the develop
ment of this part of the stated as it wil-keep
people from coming here to seek homesteads
or to take up timber claims. We hope the
proclamation will soon be recalled and think
into would be the best course for the state.
The Umpqua reserve will not keep
away seekers of homesteads. We have
it on the authority of forestry offi
cials that bona fide homesteaders will
not be barred, but that speculators
seeking to grab land by only nominal
residence thereon will be shut out.
Another hostile utterance from Coos
County, this time from the Myrtle
Point' Enterprise, declares the new re
serves "not exactly to the liking of the
people of this section of Oregon, partic
ularly to those who still have timber
claim rights unused, as perhaps half
of the desirable lands have thus been
placed out of reach."
The Idea of Iandgrabbing, therefore,
is still strong in Oregon. It possesses
many persons who think they ought to
be allowed to use their unused timber-
claim rights for speculation. That
idea has done irreparable injury to the
public -domain, has made untold per
jurors, has put some persons behind
the bars and is sending others there;
has made many a respected man quake
of nights for the good name of his
"wife and children, and has given a vir
tual monopoly of priceless timber heri
tage of the people to grasping syndi
cate barons. It may be worth while to
drop this Idea. '
THE LIMIT TO BUILDING.
This inquiry comes to The Oregonian
from a man whd moved to Portland
from Minnesota last Summer and
bought property whose income, he says,
will sustain him and his family in com
fort so long as he lives:
A neighbor of mine and I had an inter
esting dtscussion over your editorial yester
day on real estate values. He Is of the con
servative, timid type and believes that
Portland has now enough buildings to meet
the demand. He fears that the town may bo
overbuHt and that landlords will soon be
searching for tenanta if a halt in the for
ward march is not called. 1 do not agree
with him and I should like to hear what
The Oregonian has to say on the subject. I
read It every day for six months before I
moved here and every day since.
If any class of building, from the
four-room cottage to the J300.000 sky
scraper, has -been carried beyond ac
tive demand. The Oregonian has not
perceived it. Any time the last four
years when some one began an exca
vation for a basement he would receive
from five to a hundred or more appli
cations to rent the building he was
about to erect. This condition still ex
ists. It is likely to continue for several
years, unless immigration, steadily on
the increase, should stop all at once
a contingency, we think, too remote
for serious consideration.
All observant men who had watched
the effect of notable expositions
agreed that Portland and Oregon
would receive larger -benefits from the
Lewis and Clark Fair three years after
it closed than during the first and sec
ond years. Even the very worst
"knocker" must admit that this pre
diction has been verified in every par
ticular. And it should be remembered
that our second year has barely
opened. The thousands of new settlers
in Oregon will serve as immigration
agents for many thousand more.
But why does our correspondent's
neighbor worry himself over another's
enterprise? If a new resident or an
old-timer or a man living elsewhere,
or a syndicate of capitalists, decide to
invest a part of their inactive money
in new buildings here, so that it may
earn satisfactory returns, is it wise to
ask them to desist? Does he suppose
these menid not consider the matter
fully before they engaged the archi
tect? Is their judgment of the present
and the future worthless?..
What builds up great cities? Means
of communication, trade and manufac
tures. Portland has these three aercn-
cies. Thfcy are expanding. They are
profitable. They dre permanent. Port
land's geographical position is such
that the trade with the rich regions it
supplies can never be diverted to other
cities. It must grow. While dull peri
ods may come during which progress
will be slower than now. Portland can
never stand still. ' No American city
that ever grew to 60.000 inhabitants re
mains stationary. The few exceptions
in the way of once-populous mining
camps only prove the rule. To say
that Portland needs no more new
buildings is to say that wholesale and
retail business, shipping and manu
facturing, have reached their maxi
mum, which is absurd.
CANNERIES FOR FRUIT
What creameries have done for the
dairy industry in the Willamette Val
ley canneries will do for the fruit in
dustry if the supply of fruit is . suffi
cient to make the operation of canneries-
profitable. In the days when
there were no creameries and every
farmer made his own butter, the local
market was the only one available and
it was flooded. Country butter would
not do for shipment. The establish
ment of creameries turned a large part
of the cream into a class of butter that
found a ready market wherever it -was
shipped, hence whenever there was a
surplus over the local demand it was
sent away. This relieved the local
market and helped prices even for
those who still made butter at home.
One trouble with the fruit market is
that in years of abundance there is
more fruit than the local market can
handle, and. with a surplus offered, the
price goes tumbling down. Fresh fruit
of the perishable kind, such as berries
and cherries, will not stand shipment
to any distance without more or less
loss, which the grower must bear in
the end. Operation of canneries will
provide a permanent market for fruit
of this kind, at somewhat lowerprices;
it is true, but a market that will take
up any surplus. With a cannery buying
berries at fair prices, the grower is
still able to sell fresh fruit to the ex
tent of the demand, and he has the
certainty of not having left on his
hands a part of his crop which "he
cannot give away." as has been the
case sometimes. At the same time.
canneries cannot operate with only
enough fruit, on an average, to supply
the local market. That is to say. a
canner cannot maintain a plant for the
purpose of handling fruit only In years
of overproduction. He must be as
sured of some fruit every year, unless
there ia an entire failure. It 4s there
fore apparent that if growers would
provide themselves with the best op
nortitiutlaa they must offer induces
rr.ents for the establishment of fruit
canneries, or take the initiative by run
ning co-operative canneries. Then they
must see to it that the acreage of fruit
is such as to make the fruit-packing
plant a success. The grower must
permit the packer to make a. profit or
the cannery will not long continue in
operation. On the other hand, the
packer -must manage to pay prices that
will leave the grower a profit, or the
fruitgrower will go into some other line
of agriculture There is now on foot a
movement for the establishment of
fruit-packing establishments in several
localities in Oregon. The movement is
one calculated to do much for the de
velopment of the fruit industry, for it
will very greatly . enlarge the market
for a product in which Oregon excels.
Ol'B APPREHENSIONS.
The railroad presidents who have
sought interviews with Mr. Roosevelt
take considerable pains to state that
they wish him to make some definite
declaration of purpose in order "to al
lay the apprehension of the public." !
If this is their real object, they might
have spared themselves the trouble of
going to talk with the President, for
there is no public apprehension to al
lay. The faith of the people in Mr.
Roosevelt's purposes is cleatv nd un
clouded. They await his action with
perfect confidence.
In speaking of apprehensions, the
railroad magnates confuse the feelings
of their own little coterie with those of
the great public. The magnates, espe
cially those who are, or who know
that they ought to be, under indict
ment, naturally feel more or less ap
prehension over the railroad situation;
but the public does not share their
woes. It will look on without the
slightest -mental anguish while they
are tried, convicted, and, possibly,
punished.
Mr. Roosevelt never has permitted
any doubt to exist concerning his at
titude or intentions toward the rail
roads. He has declared that they must
obey the law. that they must
treat all patrons fairly and that they
must submit to proper regulation. This
has been his purpose and it is his pur
pose still. It conUins nothing to
frighten an honest man: it involves no
danger to a law-a.biding .corporation.
Men who are not honest and corpora
tions which are not law-abiding very
likely see reason to tremble, but they
are not in a position to expect much
sympathy '
Some rational question may perhaps
have existed as to what Mr. Roosevelt
desires in the matter of valuation of
the railroads. Will he insist upon a
thorough squeezing out of the water?
In strict justice this ought, of course,
to be done; but strict justice sometimes
conflicts with expediency, and the
President seems to hold that expedi
ency in this Instance must prevail. He
has set his face against more water,
but what has already been injected, he
will treat as if it represented honest
value. This may be the only practical
policy, everything considered. Those
who have bought Uie fraudulent stock
and paid full value for it ought to be
protected, unless their protection robs
the public too outrageously. The pub
lic is so used to being plundered that
it-can stand the loss better than indi
viduals could. But watered stock
which has not been purchased by Inno
cent parties has no standing in equity
and deserves no mercy.
"Mr. Roosevelt has, it seems, no ob
jection to issues of stock to pay for
terminals and other improvements; but
he decidedly objects to issuing stock
for improvements and using it to gam
ble with. He tliinks that railroad man
agers ought to deal honestly in these
matters, and the public agrees with
him. What we need in the railroad
business to solve the problems and to
allay the apprehension, if there is any,
is the rigorous application of the good
old rules of honesty and honor. Neg
lect of them never has failed to bring
distrust and disaster in the long run,
and it never will.
T. B. ALDRICH.
The death of Thomas Bailey Aldrich
deprives American letters of an author
who has always written ' -correctly and
sometimes admirably. His prose style
is careful and lucid, though it seldom
attains the highest qualities. His po
etry Is thoughtful rather than passion
ate: with much meditative charm but
little melody. His poetic gift was
lyrical, but he never, perhaps, over
came his self-consciousness far enough
to sing unhampered by it. There is
much beauty in his songs, but it is
mingled. with prosaic passages and at
its best falls short of clear and perfect
poetic expression. His rank among the
minor poets of the country is high; but
to be an American minor poet is not to
stand very high in the general litera
ture of the world. x
Mr. Aldrich wrote, besides his novels
and poems, a number of works in dra
matic form. Of these, "Mercedes,"
with the dialogue in prose, was sug
gested by an incident in the "Memoirs
of the Duchess d'Abrantes. It is some
what conventional in tone, and par
takes little or at all of the spirit
which permeates the great realistic
prose-drama of modern Europe and
America. His "Judith" is St Biblical
play based on the tragic episode cf
Judith and Holof ernes. It is written
in blank verse of skillful structure, but
lacks real dramatic power and fervor.
Aldrich's best-known story is "Mar
jorie Daw," which is a masterpiece of
its kind. His other novels have very
likely been more popular than they will
ever be again,, and it is not probable
that his longer poems will be remem
bered a great while except by scholars.
Some of his short lyrics, however, pos
sess -genuine vitality. As a literary
man, Mr. Aldrich was respectable
rather "than great. His work was con
scientious and uplifting, but as a whole
it was not much above mediocrity.
Perhaps he was greater as an editor
than as a writer. His conduct of the
Atlantic Monthly was successful in the
highest degree. While that magazine
has always enjoyed high rank, it prob
ably owes much of its present primacy
in our periodical literature to the sound
judgment and correct taste ' of Mr.
Aldrich.
An optimistic view of the future of
the Hudson's Bay route for Northwest
grain shipments is taken by Consul A.
G. Seybert. of Collingwood. Ontario. He
cites the fact that 1000 miles of trans
portation would be saved by following
this route, and says that for ordinary
iron steamships Hudson's Strait is
navigable from July 20 to November 1.
The standing objection that the pass
age is closed by ice just at the time
the grain crop is threshed is met by
the assertion that at present only 20
per cent of the grain reaches the sea
board before the navigation of the year
following that in which it is harvested.
But even this situation places the Hud
son' Bay route under a, serious handl-
cap. In order to save these 1000 miles
of transportation the grain crop of the
Northwest must be shipped to Fort
Churchill and stored in elevators ready
for rapid leading upon ships as soon
as the strait is open. Ships -must be
ready at that time, even If they lose
traffic elsewhere in order to do so. Th-?y
must plan to get the wheat out at
least two weeks before the time when
the straits ordinarily close, lest they
should be caught inside by accident or
an early season. The Hudson's Bay
route has always been an interesting
subject for discussion, and it may prove
to be a practicable highway for ships
carrying wheat from Canadian fields
to English markets, but the advantages
of the short cut must always fall far
short of the showing made by a com
parison of distances.
How far estimates may err is shown
by the latest figures on the Oregon
hop crop. At harvest time last Fall
the yield In Oregon was estimated at
about 112.000 bales, or the same as the
year before. These estimates came
from many sources and were honestly
made. Now, however, it is shown that
the Southern Pacific has shipped 113,-
000 bales, and there remain unsold
in the hands of growers 23,000 bales,
in railroad warehouses 4000 bales and
in growers' warehouses, though sold to
dealers, from 5000 to 10.000 bales, mak-
ng a total of probably 147,000 bales.
Thus It is seen that the yield sur
passed that of any previous year by
35,000 bales. Oregon is by far the
largest hop-producing state in the
Union, the nearest rival being Cali
fornia with 109,000 bales for last year.
While it is clear that there must be
reduction of yield somewhere in order
to avoid the consequences of over
production, there is ho reason to be
lieve that Oregon will be forced to cut
down its acreage. In time New Tork
will cease to be a factor in nop pro
duction, for the Coast can grow this
crop at considerably less cost per
pound. Quite likely Oregon growers
will suffer occasionally from low prices
du to over-production in the future
as in tho past, but on the whole the
state will continue to be a leading hop
producing state. Quality, clean pick
ing and baling and large relative
yields per acre are the factors that
determine supremacy in hop growing.
An Oregon creamery is advertising
the fact that its butter sells in Port
land for an average of 3Mt cents a
pound more than Elgin butter sells in
the Elgin market. The average price
of butter in Elgin In 1906 was 24.3
cents, and in Portland 27.7 cents. As
the price the farmer receives for his
butter fat varies with the price of
butter, the extra 3',-i cents represent
an advantaged the Oregon producer has
over his Illinois competitor. After
passing the cost of production, every
cent added to the price is' clear gain.
Since it has been admitted by Eastern
dairy experts that Oregon can produce
butter cheaper than any other part of
the United States, the figures here
given should stimulate the dairy in
dustry. We note an unexpected difference of
opinion between the New York Sun
and Mr. Rockefeller about the railroad
situation. The Sun asserts with a good
deal of temper that Mr. Roosevelt's
"violent and spectacular attacks" have
destroyed the credit of the roads. Mr.
Rockefeller says they have destroyed
their own credit by issuing watered
stock. Which of these great and vera
cious authorities shall we believe?
Travelers on the Southern Pacific
will be gratified to learn that Salem
has increased its speed limit for trains
from six miles an hour to ten miles
an hour in the thickly settled part of
town and to 12 miles in the suburbs.
The traveler never wants a slow train.
regardless of the local questions that
may be involved in speed regulation.
Since the storm of 2-cent rate bills
began to pour in an astonishing abate
ment is observed in the zeal of the
railroad magnates ,for states' rights.
The jump from Federal to state regu
lation was rather like going from the
frying-pan tt the fire. Now the mag
nates are almost unanimous for "cen
tralization." Judge Trieber holds that the employ
ers' liability law is valid; Judge Evans
that it is invalid. Since we are bound
respectfully and loyally to agree with
every decision of every judge, the pre
dicament is embarrassing. How loyal
could we be to either, were 'tother
grave jurist away.
Dr. Woods Hutchinson preaches the
gospel vof the six-hour workday in
Harper's , Magazine for March. He
puts it on hygienic grounds. What we
long for is some prophet who will for
bid all work on moral grounds. Then
one might be truly happy.
Thermometers registered 102 in the
shade in Guthrie. Okla-, Tuesday. But
there will be a snow storm before the
end of the week and the general aver
age can be used in giving statistics in
advertising the attractions for home
seekers. News dispatches convey the informa
tion that the Harriman lines will run
under the City of Seattle. That Is
something new for Harriman lines.
Here in Oregon they have always
shown a disposition to run over every
thing. These latter-day panics do not seem
to spread much beyond Wall street.
The general public is protected from
them by a marvelous i immunizing
serum recently discovered. It is called
common sense.
There was just one thing lacking to
make Ruef a perfect specimen of the
combined coward and rascal, and now
he has supplied it. He has gained im
munity by "'peaching" on his confeder
ates, i
If Lincoln Steffens writes as many
nice things about Oregon as he has
said, we shall get some desirable ad
vertising through the. publication of,hls
articles. But we'll wait and see.
Roosevelt had a reputation for hand
ling bears and bulls and wolves before
he went to Washington, and he is los
ing none of it at the National Capital.
There are several cities in- the
United States where the .mere mention
of the word "Heney" would cause a
stampede for the tall timber.
Uneasy rests the head that aspires
to wear a Roosevelt crown.
Perhaps Ruef can lay It all on to a
brain storm.
KECRCITING LABOR FOR CANAL,
American Agent- Gets Spaniards and
Italians Despite Opposition.
PARIS. March 30. Leroy Parke, gen
eral agent of the War Department, has
ben in Europe for some months, solicit
ing foreign labor for work upon the Pan
ama Canal, and although he has en
countered much opposition, he has suc
ceeded since October in shipping 4500 men,
nearly all Spaniards or Italians, and they
are now going forward at the rate of
about 500 a month.
They are given free transportation, re
payment to be out of their earnings at
the rate of H a month, and are guaran
teed pay at the rate of 20 cents an hour.
with everything in the shape of lodgings-.
medical attendance, etc., upon the Isth
mus found, except the meals, which are
paid for at the rate of 20 cents a meal.
or 60 cents a day.
Notwithstanding the inducements of
fered, both the Spanish and Italian gov
ernments were opposed to allowing their
subjects to go to Panama. The objec
tions of the Spanish government were in
a measure overcome, but the Italian gov
ernment has remained steadily hostile
and formal notices warning Italian, labor
ers not to go to the Isthmus were pla
carded throughout the country. Never
theless, many Italians attracted by the
offer of Work, crossed the frontier and
left from French tiorte.
Should the supply needed for the canal
be cut off in 9pain and Italy, it Is likely
that Parke will make an effort to secure
men from Russia, especially from the
Baltic provinces, where the native Letts
and Esthonians are especially good work
men, and on account of political condi
tions, might be disposed to leave their
native land.
Mead Approves Many Bills.
OLYMPIA, Wash., March 20. (Spe
cial.) Governor Mead approved the
following bills :
S. B. 90, amending section 715 of Bal
linajer's Code relating to the organiza
tion, classification, incorporation and
government of municipal corporations.
H. B. 232. relating to the taking of
food fishes.
H". B. 3 7. relating to the formation
and management of road districts and
the appointment of Road Supervisors.
H. B. 349, providing for the annexa
tion to cities of the first class of un
incorporated territory contiguous there
to and providing a method therefor.
H. B. 300, extending the time for re
moving timber from state lands on
which the timber has been sold.
H. B. 4Jt5, Ross committee's bill,
amending the law relating to the ad
ministration of the Land Department.
S. B. 268, the harbor line commission
bin.
The Governor filed without his ap
proval or disapproval the following
bills: H. B. 127, the 2 per cent gross
premium tax on Are. insurance compa
nies; H. B. 417, Halteman's bill amend
ing the insurance laws
DESERTER PCTXAM CAPTURED
Recognized by Officer in Tacoma
Hotel.
TACOMA. Wash.. March 20. (Special.)
The presence in Tacoma of a dozen sol
diers of the United States Army frus
trated the plans of Z. L. Putnam to de
sert the Fourteenth Infantry, stationed at
Vancouver BarrackB. Sergeant Martin
Jensen, of Company B, of the Four
teenth, thought he recognized the man in
the Donnelly Hotel and addressed him as
Putnam. He was told he had made a
mistake in the soldier.
Later, when the man returned to the
lobby. Sergeant Jensen told him he knew
he was Putnam and asked him if he was
on a furlough. Putnam could not produce
his papers and was taken into custody.
Putnam has been absent from Vancouver
Barracks 14 days and had been dropped
as a deserter.
PAYS $1100 FOR BLANKET
Merchant Fined for Buying From
Vancouver Soldier.
TACOMA. Wash.. March 20. (Special.)
For the offense of buying an army blank
ket from a soldier of the Fourteenth In
fantry, stationed at Vancouver Barracks.
J. M. Flynn was fined J1000 and costs by
Judge Hanford In the Federal Court to
day. Flynn is engaged in the furniture
and second-hand business in Vancouver,
Wash. The punishment imposed on him
carried with it the alternative pronounced
bv Judge Hanford that he be confined in
jail until both fine and costs were paid.-
Fiynn paid up, his total contribution to
the United States treasury being upwards
of $1100. The sentence was the minimum
provided for the offense, the court having
been lenient on account of Flynn s plead.
ing guiltf.
STRIKERS DRIFT TO COUNTRY
Men From Portland Mills Seek Work
at Hood River.
HOOD RIVER. March 20. (Special.)-
Several strikers from the Portland lum
ber mills were here today looking for
work at the milts in Hood River Valley.
The men say that quite a number of the
strikers are drifting into the country and
that unless an early settlement of the
strike is effected, few. except those who
have families In Portland; will stay there.
Millowners here are putting all that ap
ply for employment to work, and state
that, if the strike continues, they will
probably, be able to get all the men they
want
Foiled in Escape, Pleads Guilty.
HILLSBORO, Or.. March 20. (Special.)
Charles Patton, colored, . this morning
pleaded guilty to having received stoien
money, alleged to have been taken from
the .person of William' Thornburgh, a
rancher of Banks, while the latter was
Intoxicated. Yesterday fatton, while en-
Joying the freedom of the corridor in the
jail, attempted to wore out a DricK with
a caseknife. but the attempt was frus
trated by the appearance of the officers.
Patton was immediately placed In the
steel cell to avoid future attempts at
escape.
Winding Up Cooper's Affairs.
ASTORIA. March 20. (Special.) The
creditors of C. H. Cooper, a bankrupt,
met this morning at the office of C. H.
Page, referee in bankruptcy. Fourteen
of the creditors filed their claims. R.
L. Sabin, of Portland, was named as
trustee and Thomas Ryrie, William A.
Stine and H. L. Knight were appointed
appraisers.
U'Ken Speaks at Eu scene.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene,
Or..' March 20. (Special.) Hon. W. S.
U'Ren addressed the students at, assem
bly this morning. His Bubject was:
"Movements in Government."
PEASANTS ATTACK BOTOSHANI
Set Fire to Town, but Are Driven Off
by Troops.
BUCHAREST," Roumania. March 20.
Peasants yesterday again invaded Bo
toshani and set fire to different parts
of the town, especially the Jewish
quarters. Troops intervened and sev
eral of the peasants were killed or
.wounded.
PREFERS FEDERAL CONTROL
Rockefeller Says Conflicting laws
Are Problem With Railroads.
NEW YORK. March 20. Asked If he
thought the conferences between tho
railroad and the Government would be
beneficial, John D. Rockefeller today
said:
"I cannot say. It is my idea that
Federal control -ould be a better thing
for the roads. They would then under
stand the laws they must observe and
would be able to 'plan ahead intelli
gently without one state's suddenly
demanding one thing and another state
being equally insistent on something
entirely different. The interstate situ
ation and the differences in state laws
is. I think, one of the greatest prob
lems railroad men have to deal with."
Sneaking of the general financial
condition of the country, Mr. Rocke
feller is quoted as sayinu:
"On its surface It is good. Business
is booming and everyone seems to be
satisfied. But there is an undercurrent
tht does not look so (rood. - I. have not
quite made up my mind . if the in
creased production of gold is responsi
ble or not. It is impossible to see how
such a situation will work out. Per
sonally I don't like the outlook.
1 don t think our people are sav
ing the monay they should. The na
tion at the present time is unusually
prosperous, hut financial reports do not
show that saving has increased in ratio
with our prosperity. vt e are making
more money, and, unfortunately, spend-"
ing more."
CAUSES HALT IN CONSTRUCTION
Effect or Railroad Reform Agitation
on New Lines.
CHICAGO. March 20. How the state
and National agitation against railroads
is affecting the country, from the stand
point of the railroad interests, is set forth
in detail in an article which will appear
in the issue of the Railway Age. March
22. In part ft is as follows:
"The outlook for railway building In
the United States is not as promising as
it was a year ago. There is ' as large a
mileage projected as there was In March.
isoh, but the conditions are not as favor
able. '
'The country is as prosperous as It was
12 months ago, and the demand for tho
construction of extensions into new ter
ritory and Increased railway equipment,
but the campaign which has been so mer
cilessly waged against the railways has
caused many of the large systems to
adopt policies f "retrenchment, and the
result is that much more important work
which had been planned for the present
year has been indefinitely postponed.
There Is no market for railway securi
ties except at prohibitive rates of inter
est, and necessarily all the loans that are
being made are of a temporary nature
and are to provide for urgent capital
needs.
"A year ago more than 13.000 miles of
new railroad were under contract, nearly
one-half of which was completed before
the close of the year, a larger mileage
than has been built in any other single
year since iss.
"There is almost as large a mileage un
der contract today, and. while there will
be great activity during 1907 in pushing to
completion new lines on which the work
of construction is already well advanced
and financial arrangements for which
have been made, the launching of new
projects, for which the capital must be
provided in many instances has been post
poned until conditions Improve."
STATE WILL PAY THEIR FARE
New Hampshire Officials Forbidden
to Accept Passes.
CONCORD. N. H., March 20. A bill for-
bidding state ofllcers to use or solicit free
passes on the railroads passed both
houses of the Legislature today under
suspension of the rules, following a report
irom tne judiciary committee.
By the bill the Governor is authorized
to contract for railroad transportation for
members of the Legislature and House
of Congress as needed.
Cost of Pacifying Cuba.
WASHINGTON, March 20. Extraor
dinary expenses to the United States
up to date caused by the sending of
an army of. pacification to Cuba, aggre
gate about ?2,o00,000, according to fig
ures which have been prepared by the
war Department. It has not been de
termined exactly when the money will
be collected from Cuba by the United
States.
Clowry Succeeds "Jimmy" Hyde.
NEW YORK, March 20. At the an
nual meeting ot " the Texas & Pacific
Railway today, Robert C. Clowry was
elected a director to succeed James H.
Hyde, and Benjamin Nicoll to succeed
Louis Fitzgerald. All the other direc
tors were re-elected. -
Austria Guards Frontier.
VIENNA, March 20. The Austrian
Minister of the Interior has ordered a
considerable increase in the number of
gendarmes upon the Roumanian frontier
in order to prevent riotous peasants from
crossing the frontier and starting dis
turbances in Austria. The opinion is ex
pressed at the Foreign Office that unless
the Roumanian government promptly
suppresses the Agrarian movement in
Roumania. it is liable to soon get be
yond control.
It is believed here that the Russian
agents are responsible for the anti-Jewish
riots, their object being to inflame
the anti-Semites in the Southern prov
inces of Russia.
READY FOR A SQUARE DEAL NOW
ARGUE ON CHANGE OF VENCH
Attorneys for Federationirtts Oppose
Trial In Canyon Connty.
BOISE Idaho. March 20. (Special.)
At the evening session John F
Nugent marie an argument on behalf
of the defense on the motion for a
change of venue in the Moyer-Hay-wood
case, and -J. H. Hawley spoke for
the state. The argument will be
closed in the morning by' H. F. Rich
ardson for the defense. The latter
just before court adjourned tonight
indicated he might wish to apply fot
counter affidavits and asked if time
would be granted. Judge Wood indi
cated that this point should come ur
after the main argument.
Mr. Nugent said that approximately
5300 votes were cast for Governor at
the last general election and that it
would be safe to presume that 1000 of
these were women, leaving 4300 votes
from persons qualified1 as jurors. He
said the defense had filed 600 affi
davits, among them probably 50
-women." That would leave 25l men,
or about 36 per cent of the population
eligible for juror service.
"We contend," he said, "that if thi.
is not a sufficient showing that in ar.
justice these men should be granted a
change of venue, then the statute provid
ing for such a change is no good. It is
absolutely true that the people of Can
yon County are generally so prejudiced
against the defendants that they cannot
possimy give tnem a fair trial.
Mr. Nugent called attention to the large
number of newspaper clippings read and
said that he had shown that the news.
papers created a biased sentiment in
Caldwell and Canyon Counties. Just here
Judge Wood asked Mr. Nugent where
the right of the defense to move for a
change of venue ceases.
"I want to say in all sinceritv." de
clared Mr. Nugent, "that we are willing
and anxious to try this case in any of
the counties mentioned in the affidavits
of the prosecution. We are anxious to
go to any county, and are honest in be
lieving that it would be next to suicide
to try those men here. In the name of
Tight and Justice. I plead for a change
of venue, to grant theso three men a
fighting chance for their lives. That It
all we ask."
Mr. Hawley consumed an hour and fif
teen minutes replying. He opened by
saying that he represented all of the
attorneys for the prosecution in saying
that if they had found that a fair and
Impartial trial could not be had in Can
yon County they would have joined the
defense in Insisting that a move be made
to some other county. He said no show
ing had been made that would warrant
the change.
"I care nothing," he said, "for. the SOU
affidavits that have been filed. None of
them show any faith to support the mo
tion for the change. Every affidavit Is
defective. One good substantial affidavit
would be worth more than 6000 of such
as have been presented. We found that
400 of these names do not appear on the
tax-roll of Canyon County. Only about
150 of them are on record as owning
taxable property."
In closing Mr. Hawley suggested there
was doubt about the right to apply for
or grant a change of venue until an
effort had been made to secure a jury.
In response to a question by Judge Wood
he stated the Idaho Supreme Court had
so indicated In the case of the State vs.
Reed. ,
OTHERS UNDER FIRE AT BOISE
Rumors Afloat Concerning' Proced
ure of Grand Jury.
BOISE; Idaho, March 20. (Special.)
The United States Grand Jury Is now
examining witnesses who live in Boise.
It seems it is investigating certain
timber transactions by John Klnkald
In the Boise Basin country. This has
given rise to a rumor that the Barber
Lumber Company Is to be involved
and possibly others. "
It was asserted today that it is not
to be assumed that indictments are to
be returned in any cases simply be
cause the District Attorney has called
witnesses here. As the statement was
made by an official it probably has
significance and it is not impossible it
indicates that Information gathered
may be used in civil suits.
ADD TO STATE ASYLUM SITE
Board Authorizes Purchase of Riley
Land for $10,000. -
SALEM. Or., March 20. (Special.) The
State Asylum Board met today in the
Governor's office and authorized the pur
Chase of the Riley tract of 25 acres, ad
joining the asylum grounds, with the J10.
000 appropriated for this purpose by the
Legislature. Dr. Mark Skiff has threat
ened to enjoin the board! from making
the purchase by throwing the matter intc
court, contending they are paying toe
much for the property. He says the
property could have been secured for
tTOOO, but the board could not make any
such deal with the Rlleys, in fact, they
asked Jlo.OOO.
Governor Chamberlain appointed Walter
Pugh architect to draw the plans and
superintend ' the construction of the new
wing to the asylum, part of which build
ing will be constructed on this tract.
It was expected that some action would
be taken by the board at the meeting in
regard to the application of Dr. E. Cal
breath, but there was no such develop
ment. Brownsville Witnesses Missing.
WASHINGTON, March 20. The Sen
ate committee on military affairs was
again disappointed today by the non
arrival of expected witnesses and its
investigation of the Brownsville affair
was adjourned until Friday.
JSr"
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