6
THE MORXIXG OREGOMAX, MONDAY, MAY 13, 190-7.
Mt Brimtmt
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PORTLAND, MONDAY, MAY 13, 1807.
THE PORT OF COLUMBIA.
The Astoiian charges The Oregonlan
with "avoiding an open expression as
to the validity or constitutionality of
the Port of Columbia law." As usual,
the paper finds fault with the manner
In which this paper has brought the
matter before the public, commenting
thereort as follows:
We say again that The Pregonian has
known from the very Inception of the Port
of Columbia fraud that it was a trick of
the rankest sort; that it has no honest merit
Athi law; that It Is full of weaknesses and
stands" frtr the last phase of a desperate flht
to maintain a false positian; and we shall
hold to that theory until the big paper
comes to; the front with a detailed, able,
plea In Behalf of the measure that was
smuggled and browbeaten through the Leg
islature of Oregon.
The Oregonlan declines such an Invi
tation to go on record as an authority
on constitutional law, being perfectly
willing to leave the matter of the va
lidity of the Port of Columbia law to
the proper Tiuthorlties. It might not
be inopportune, however, at this time
again to set forth a few facts regard
ing the Port of Columbia law. This
measure was drawn up and passed for
no other purpose than to lighten the
burdens and lessen the delays to which
shipping has been subjected at the en
trance of the Columbia River. Through
the Indifference and lack of interest of
the Astoria people, who controlled the
service, these burdens had become so
onerous that, four years ago, the In
ternational Sailing-Ship Owners' Union,
an organization controlling four-fifths
of the sail tonnage of the world, levied
a differential of 30 cents per ton against
Portland and in favor of Puget Sound
on all grain vessels coming to this
port. On demand the Ship Owners'
Union supplied the Portland Chamber
of Commerce with details of the disa
bilities of the port on which the differ
ential was based. These disabilities
were taken up one by one. and with the
single exception of bar pilotage.which
is not compulsory on Puget Sound, all
were removed without the necessity of
special legislation. Free pilotage was
demanded by the foreign shipowners as
a price for removal of the differential,
and free pilotage could be secured in
no other way than by wresting the con
trol or tne ear service from the little
Astoria clique -which for so many
years had manipulated it to the advan
tage of the pilot ring and to the det
riment of the entire Btate, which suf
fered by reason of the poor service.
The law may have imperfections few
laws have not but it was agreed on,
after much deliberation by the busi
ness men who were paying the frieght
nd suffering from the effect of the
differential. The Astorlans who pro
tested against the passage of the law
were repeatedly asked to suggest some
other method or other form of legisla
tion by which the end sought could be
reached: but. if they knew of any bet
ter method, they kept it a close secret.
This is not a matter which concerns
Portland or Astoria alone. It is one in
which the entire state is interested, al
though Astoria, if the sentiment of the
people is voiced by the newspapers,
seems to regard the retention of the
pilot autocracy as of greater importance
than the commercial interests of all the
rest of the state. Portland has no
"false position" to maintain, but the
men who were responsible for the Port
of Columbia law will continue their
contest until it is possible for shipping
to get In and out of the Columbia River
with no greater expense and no greater
delay than Is experienced at other'
ports with which we are compelled to
compete. Incidentally Ifmight be said
that all obstacles which Astoria can
thrust in the way of the accomplish
ment of this result will not prevent
ultimate success, which, of course, will
prove relatively as beneficial to Astoria
as to Portland.
In arranging for an annual cherry
fair the citizens of Salem have very
visely thrown open the competition to
all comers. This will give the event a
wider scope and Interest. Any organi
zation holding a competition for prlies
offered by it may very properly limit
the entries to members of the organiza
tion or others they may choose to h3-
mlL The Salem fair is the result of
the efforts of citizens generally, and
the business men will provide the pre
miums.' In putting up the prizes and
challenging the whole world to come
and win them, Salem displays a will
ingness to meet all rivals upon an
equal footing. The cherry fair should
be ' an unqualified success. "
CRITICISM WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE.
A Minnesota paper rejoices over the
fact that an initiative and referendum
movement has been nipped in the bud
by the Legislature of that state. That
the movement was defeated by misrep
resentation is quite likely, in view of
the fact that the paper says that in
Oregon eleven questions were submitted
at the last election and all of them
carried, showing that the people voted
"yes" regardless of the measures pro
posed. But we have a recollection that
the people voted "no" on woman suf
frage, on a local-option law proposed
by the saloons, and on a bill for the
purchase of a tollroad.
The same paper says that sufficient
signatures aie easily .obtained to all
petitions and that the people of this
state enacted two inconsistent ' laws
which are both void because of the in
consistency. Which, also, is not true.
Reference is had to the gross earnings
tax bills. That proposed by the Wil
lamette Valley Development League did
not secure signatures enough, was. not
submitted, and therefore did not inter
fere with the Grange measures on the
same subject. The initiative and refer
endum has its faults, but it is not.open
to so many criticisms as its opponents
in other states would, have the people
believe.
ROOSEVELT AT EIGHTY-FOUR.
When Benjamin Franklin was called
the "many-sided Franklin" he was ac
corded a title which distinguished him
from all other Americans of his own
or subsequent times. No other man
has arisen with powers and activities
so varied as to challenge the right of
Franklin to the distinction thus exclu
sively conferred upon him. It is not
unlikely, however, that if President
Roosevelt , should live to the age at
tained by Franklin, Si, he will win ac
knowledgment for as wide a range of
usefulness as that possessed by Frank
lin. Roosevelt is not a man made
famous by one idea; his work is con
fined to no narrow lines. With the pos
sible exception of Roosevelt, no Amer
ican has so deeply impressed the peo
ple of all classes as did Franklin. The
"father of American . diplomacy" not
only rendered invaluable service to his
country, but his teachings exerted a
marked influence upon the lives of the
people, even to the smallest details of
home affairs. He was a leader not only
in affairs of state, but also in the for
mation of rules of conduct by which
men govern their private lives. He
was not only a thinker and a teacher,
but a practical worker.
Roosevelt is all these. Franklin re
tired from active work at the age of 82.
The estimate of a man's life work can
not be made until that work has ended,
but if Roosevelt should retain his vigor
to a siml'ar age, thirty-three years yet.
there can be little doubt that his work
will far surpass that of Franklin, not
only In importance, but In its varied
character. To become great in one
field of effort, be it literature, states
manship, philosophy, invention or war,
is the achievement of few men. To be
pre-eminently useful in many fields Is
rare indeed.
HIGHER EDUCATION FOB THE MASSES.
President McFee, of the Montreal
(Canada) Technical Institute, has a very
high regard for that portion of the
educational system of the United
States represented by the Colleges of
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 'He
deeply regrets that Canada does not
maintain such institutions, and urges
that steps be taken at once toward
establishment of a similar department
In the educational work 'of the Domin
ion. Speaking of his observations
while on a visit to the United States,
he said In addressing the Canadian
Manufacturers' Association:
I was surprised while investigating this
matter recently In the United States to learn
of the very large amounts that they are
expending each year upon technical educa
tion. In the report of the Commissioner of
Education for the year lttOl I find that the
lncjme of the technical schools amounted
to 7, 050,000. of which the Federal Govern
ment at Washington contributed 70 per cent,
the state and municipal governments gave
I12.5u0.000, while benefactions and fees
amounted to $17,5110,000. By this you will see
that in the United States the people regard
tho training of their working classes as of
paramount importance, and tax the country
as a whole sufficiently to defray 82 per
cent of the necessary outlay. In this we
can certainly take a leaf out of their book.
Next to our common schools, we of
America prize our Agricultural Col
leges, as they are called. These insti
tutions are designed to give instruction
not only in all phases of agriculture
and animal industry, but also in min
ing, civil engineering, ironworking,
draughting, woodwork, and, in fact,
nearly all applied sciences. There is no
institution except the common school
that we guard more jealously than this,
lest it drift away from Its original pur
pose. We shall prize it the higher after
learning of the high regard our neigh
bors to the north have for the work we
are doing. -
THE CATERPILLAR.
Reports from the rural districts. indi
cate that the caterpillar pest will be
prevalent in - Willamette Valley or
chards again this year, though proba
bly no worse than in the. last year or
two. To tho growing crop the cater
pillar is not an -eneray unless so nu
merous as to strip the trees of foliage;
but the danger is that the worms will
destroy the fruit buds of the follow
ing season and destroy next year's
crop. The careful orchardist will there
fore give this pest his attention instead
of relying upon the fact that the cater
pillar disappears after two or three
years of ravaging in the orchards.
There are several methods of fighting
the pest. - any of which are effective.
The most common plan is to go through
an orchard with pruning-hookg, cut off
the ends of branches that have the
swarms of caterpillars on them, and
either crush the worms or cart them
away to a fire. Another method is to
go through an orchard with torches
such as are carried in parades in polit
ical campaigns and hold the torches
under the Infested limbs, thereby
scorching and killing the pests. Spray
ing is the third method, either Paris
green or arsenate of lead being used.
The latter is probably the most thor
ough, method, but also the most expen
sive. If an orchardist begins his fight
on caterpillars before they have spread
over the limbs and foliage, it is not a
difficult task to cut them off with prun
fng-hooks and kill them. As they are
found in clusters, the amount of prun
ing ' on each tree is inconsiderable.
Apple and pear orchards that have
been given the Summer spraying for
codling moth are not subject to attacks
from the caterpillars, but cherry and
prune orchards which are never given
a Summer spray and those apple and
pear orchards which have been neg
lected will be found' to be Infested.
The worms are just now beginning to
hatch out and this is the best time-to
begin war upon them. The sooner the
work is commenced the easier it will
be.
DOLLAR WHEAT.
The trend of the stock and wheat
markets for the week ending Saturday
again brought to mind those ancient
aphorisms about the ill wind which
brings good to nobody and about meat
for one man being poison for another.
While the gloom of a falling market
hung heavliy over the possessor of
stocks and bonds in the grain-carrying
railroads, the' men who held wheat or
wheat options were experiencing the
delightful thrills of . an old-time boom
In the wheat market A 7-cent ad
vance in less than three days, with the
price of wheat almost within reaching
distance of the dollar mark. Quite nat
urally rejects an abnormal condition
in the market. It is the presence of
this abnormal condition that has
played havoc with the . stock market
simultaneously with the infusion of
strength In the wheat market.
Unfortunately for all branches of
finance and trade, these hysterical
eruptions in our markets are more pro
ductive of evil than of good, and their
effects reach far out beyond the zone
of the actual holders of wheat and
stocks. The American Society of
Equity, which for two years has been
diligently predicting dollar wheat, is in
a fair way to have an opportunity to
say "I told you so," although neither
the preaching policy nor practice of the
society has had the slightest effect in
bringing about the present high prices
in the cereal. The farmers who have
held their wheat are duly jubilant over
the situation, as also are the profes
sional bears, who devote their energies
to depressing stocks on any and all
occasions.
But behind this comparatively small
band of farmers and Board of Trade
men who are long on wheat, and behind
the bears who are short on stocks, is
a vast army of people who share in
none of the profits and yet suiter all of
the losses. Dollar wheat means a ma
terial Increase in the price of bread.
and the constrmers of that great staple
outnumber the producers of wheat by
many millions. The slump in railroad
securities, which occurred simultane
ously with the advance in wheat, was
due o the expected decrease in earn
ings. Naturally, with less grain to
move, there will be a lessening in the
demand for train crews, warehouse
men, freight-handlers and all branches
of railroad labor. These men, who must
seek employment in other lines of in
dustry, thus suffer loss of employment
in their regular callings, and, as an
additional hardship, -experience, from
the same cause as that which deprived
them of work, an increase in the cost
of living. Dollar wheat in a country
like the Pacific Northwest would be of
inestimable value. It would also prove
of the greatest benefit to Canada, the
Dakotas, or any other sparsely settled
region where the production of the
great cereal overshadows all other in
dustries. From the National viewpoint, how
ever, the permanent maintenance - of
the dollar standard for wheat could
hardly be accomplished without a com
plete revision and readjustment of
prices on all other commodities. The
effect of this revision would be to leave
the situation relatively unchanged, for
other commodities would of necessity
advance to meet the new standards
which would automatically fail into
place with dollar wheat. Another fea
ture of these spasmodic periods of dol
lar wheat which cannot escape atten
tion lies in their occurrence only after
practically the entire crop has passed
from the hands of the consumer. We
never have enjoyed and probably never
will enjoy a protracted era of dollar
wheat until Argentina, India, Russia
and other cheap-labor countries cease
to Bupply the foreign markets. Pend
ing such time it is questionable whether
these temporary spasms of high prices
are of any tangible benefit to the coun
try at large.
TROUBLESOME AND UNNECESSARY.
Apparently the last Legislature in
serted some provisions in the new ini
tiative and referendum law that will
cause unnecessary inconvenience. For
example, it is held by the Attorney
General that referendum petitions must
be filed by one person, who must be
present in the office of the Governor
when the separate sheets of the peti
tion are detached from copies of the
bill and bound together. The law pro
vides, in the first place, that petitions
may be filed in numbered sections,
leaving the impression that separate
filings may be made and the whole
made one petition when all have been
received. But the subsequent require
ment that certain proceedings be had in
the presence of the Governor and the
person filing the petition shows plainly
that all the filings must be made by
one person, or at least a very small
number. It would not be practicable
for all persons circulating petitions
and sending them in by mail to go af
terward in person and see the sheets
of signatures detached from the copies
of the bill. Neither will it always be
convenient for the one person who
makes the filing to be present.
The. purpose of the law could have
been accomplished by providing that
any person who filed a section of the
petition should have the right to be
present if he wished, but not making
such, presence necessary. This is the
provision of our election laws. A can
didate has a right to have a repre
sentative present at the counting of
ballots, but is not required to do so.
But, though this feature of the law
may cause some inconvenience and
misunderstanding, it does not present a
very serious defect. Perhaps this pro
vision was intended to be mandatory,
but there would seem to be no reason
why it should have been so.
A PROSPEROUS YEAR.
Following a Winter of unusual se
verity comes the promise of crops of
cereals and of forage plants, and in
many sections of fruit, in the greatest
abundance. The National Department
of Agriculture is in closest touch with
every section of the country, and there
is not a single discouraging note in
the reports that have reached it thus
far this Spring. All Indications point
to enormous yields in almost every
standard crop. There has been a gen
eral increase of acreage in the grain
sections, and, while- it is yet too early
to tell what the Summer will bring in
the way of drouth or pests, the farm
ers, livestock men and promoters of
dairy and poultry interests look for
ward confidently to an "early harvest
and a plenteous year."
With the surplus of the- abundance
of several years past Western farmers
generally have released their lands
from mortgage; many of them have
money in the bank, and not a feW have
made loans on city property,, entirely
reversing the old order of financial re
lations between city and country.
These conditions existing, it would re
quire several consecutive years of crop
failure to put farmers in the position
of financial embarrassment in which
they were when crafty politicians util
ized them in producing the People's
party some years ago. There is no
such disaster as universal crop short
age in sight, and certainly no reason
to believe that one is impending in
the immediate future.
As it is -with the agricultural indus
try so it is with business and the in
dustries that it fosters. Unless ail In
dications fail (and there is no reascm
to suppose that this will happen), the
year 1907 will be added to the list of
the fruitful years in the history of the
United States which began with the
first year of President McKlnley's first
term, of office. The industrial promoter
is not shirking his duty in these times
of prosperity. Certainly the laboring
man should be mindful of his oppor
tunity, and. Joining prudence with, in
dustry, he should turn the present ad
vantage to future profit, first of all by
securing for himself and family a
home the roof-tree of which will go
far toward solving the rainy-day prob
lem, when in the course of events it
is presented to htm.
The business Interests with which Mr.
C. M. Levey, vice-president of the
Northern Pacific, came in touch in
the Pacific Northwest, while regretting
his departure from the Pacific Coast
to a more responsible position at St.
Paul, will be pleased to know that they
have one more friend at court, where
railroad policies are shaped. Lack of
personal experience in this field, on the
part of the men "higher up," has been
responsible for much of the neglect and
mismanagement that have created such
a strong anti-railroad sentiment in the
Pacific Northwest. Portland, Or., and
the railroads as well, would be in more
comfortable circumstances today if the
Wall-street end of the corporations
were in closer personal contact with
the tollers in the field that is yielding
up the big dividends.
Bradstreet's reported Portland bank
clearings for the week ending iast Fri
day $7,143,000. an increase of 40.3 per
cent over those for the corresponding
week last year. No other city west of
the Mississippi River showed such a
heavy percentage of increase, and but
two cities In the United States exceeded
It. The Seattle Trade Register, in a
compilation of bank clearings for April,,
credits Portland with a gain of 65.6 per
cent, Seattle 10.3 per cent, Spokane 45
per cent and Tacoma 25.6 per cent. The
same- authority gives Portland's gain
for the first four months of 1907 as 48.3
per cent, compared with a gain of 1.8
per cent for Seattle, 40 per cent for Spo
kane and 20.7 per cent for Tacoma.
Comment is unnecessary where figures
speak so plainly.
A Seattle dispatch announces that
the Centennial Mill Company will in
crease the capacity of the Tacoma mill
to 4000 'barrels per day, "making it the
largest flouring mill on the Coast." A
4000-barrel .mill is a pretty big con
cern, but "the largest flouring mill
on the Pacific Coast" is still doing
business at the old stand in Portland,
Or., and is turning out 4500 barrels per
day. . The Portland Flouring Mills
Company, of this city, was the pioneer
in the Oriental flour trade out of tho
Pacific Northwest, and has never lost
the prestige it gained at ,the beginning.
The Department of Agriculture has
ruled that under the new pure-food
law It is not illegal to use sugar in
canning fruits, but that it is unlawful
to put sugar in vegetables for the pur
pose of misrepresenting their character.
The decision is a reasonable one. Put
ting sugar in canned fruit deceives no
one. Putting it in corn may quite
easily make the purchaser believe he is
buying sweet corn when he is not.
When sugar is put in canned vegeta
bles that fact must hereafter be stated
on the label.
The Gerald C, a useful little coast
ing craft, was wrecked in the break
ers at the entrance to Nestucca harbor
Saturday. The Chinese Junk Whang
Ho, strictly ,in the ornamental class,
was in the breakers near Peacock Spit
the same day, but as only the good die
young, the Whang-Ho drifted out of
danger and is safe in the harbor at
Astoria.
Over in Tacoma they are enforcing a
law against spitting in streetcars and
here in Portland smoking is prohibited.
If this movement keeps up, they will
soon be enacting ordinances forbidding
gentlemen on streetcars to talk about
their private affairs in such a loud tone
as to be offensive to all other passen
gers.
Mr. Corey, so it is reported, has given
orders that the name of his divorced
wife shall not be mentioned in his
household. Wonder what he will call
her some years hence when he asks
St, Peter to send her with even a drop
of water to cool his parched tongue.
Albany is to have a free public
library. Like many other Oregon
towns, it should have had one several
years ago. Beginnings must be small.
but with careful management a library
can be secured without the burden
being felt by the people.
A Clackamas County bridge has stood
for thirty-four years. The contractors
who built it should be remembered by
the erection of a monument on the
spot. There are contractors who don't
build that kind of bridges.
After all is said and done, what
benefit to the world would follow dis
covery of the North Pole by either
Peary or Wellman? The ice trust would
likely annex the whole region after
being shown the way.
Those big freight engines hauling
long trains of cars look good to ship
pers along the lir:a of the Southern
Pacific. The old-fashioned engines of
small size were retained too long.
Every issue this Spring cf the Coos
Bay Harbor, North Bend's excellent
weekly, seems to have promotion and
publicity In view.
And now Senator Foraker will be
thankful if he should be allowed to
ride on the back seat of the Taf t band
wagon.
PRIORITY IX FILING PAPERS.
Sir. Westbrook Suggests Plan to Help
Primary Ballot Reform.
PORTLAND, May 12. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian of last Satur
day appeared a communication over the
name of A. M. Webster, in which he
suggests the alternating of the candi
dates' names upon our official primary
ballots, as a remedy lor the reform so
badly desired. The consensus of opin
ion must be that his suggestion would
not afford the proper relief, because
of the extra cost it 'would entail in
the printing of .the ballots, the diffi
culty of equitably distributing the
blocks of tickets, and the ground it
would open for fraud for unscrupulous
politicians and corrupt political cliques.
It seems to me. If we had a law, or
an established precedent, by which the
position of a candidate's name on the
official ballot depended solely upon his
tiling; all the papers and petitions re
quired by law, as necessary to get his
name on the ballot, and let the date
and the hour of filing such complete
papers indicate the numerical position
of the candidate's name upon the bal
lot, a solution would be found for the
present problem. Thus, if A, B and W
were candidates for the same office,
and W filed his. complete papers first,
let his name appear first upon the .bal
lot, and the names of A and B appear
in the order in which their complete
petitions are filed. If, upon examina
tion, the papers of any candidate are
found to be incomplete, or fraudulently
issued, drop his name until his papers
are corrected or completed, and then
give him the position, on the ticket
following the names of those filing
complete petitions preceding the com
pletion of his papers.
This would place the matter upon a
legal custom, following a legal prece
dent recognized, and practiced the
world over. It would leave the matter
solely with candidate, and would be
an impetus for him to file complete
papers as early as possible, permitting
the authorities to make the examina
tions necessary and arrange the bal
lots for printing, more at their leisure.
Those of us whose names commence
at the bottom of the alphabet, and who
could never get justice from "alpha
betical order," I am constrained to be
lieve, could find no objection to this
arrangement.
HENRY S. WESTBROOK.
CRY FROM THE NORTH BANK.
Complaint That Mall Service Is Still
Late From 2 to 34 Hoars.
ALTOONA, WasV. May 10. (To the
Editor.) Spring has come; the trees,
leaves are out; the river is full of
shad, and the mail setvlce has again
resumed its old schedule any old time
from two to 36 hours late.
In regard to this chronic complaint
about delayed malls, isn't it about time
that people on the north bank of the
Columbia River, who are now receiving
mail at any old time (hat the freight
packets jf Jacob Kamrr and the Oregon
Railway & Navigation Company see fit
to deliver, choula make a request of the
proper Government officials for relief?
Here on this side of the river from
Portland to Astoria, are some 20,000
people who ask and demand better
mall service than we are now getting.
If the Government spends millions
yearly to improve and enlage its rural
delivery, surely a demand from 20,000
people along this river will be heard.
It is no fault of the transportation
companies now operating, that we do
not get prompt mail service. I under
stand that they receive the princely
sum of 116 per day for delivery of
mails, and neither they nor any other
company can give good service for this
beggarly pittance. Let us get up a
remonstrance against present condi
tions, pray that the Government will
ask for bids for delivery of mail on a
schedule to vary not more than one or
two hours. This will bar the freight
packets from bidding, and the contract
can be written for a sum that will en
able a good fast passenger boat to op
erate yearly from Portland to Astoria.
Who will start the ball rolling? The
Postmasters at each town served should
get together, draft petitions, secure
signatures thereto, and forward to
proper Government officials asking re
lief. It will probably cost the Govern
ment an extra $20,000 yearly to give
-the people on the north bank proper,
mail service, but the money could not
be expended for any better purpose.
J. G. "BAILEY.
LIFE IN THE OREGON COUNTRY
Taken Aviay From Home.
Eugene Journal.
The San Francisco Call of April 29 con
tains a picture of Marie Ware which does
not resemble her in the slightest degree.
Malheur Freak.
Ontario Argus.
County Commissioner Glover has a
freak of nature at his stock ranch near
Jordan Valley. It is a yearling heifer of
the Hereford type, mule-footed in front
and cow-footed behind.
Doubling Up In Douglas.
Drain Nonpareil.
We understand that a very nice young
lady of Texas will soon lead one of our
blushing young men to the matrimonial
altar. The Tinpot girls will have to
hustle, or all of our young men will be
going to Texas for brides.
Knocked Out the Ladles,
Arlington Record.
A number of the housewives of our
town were indignant at the water com
missioner Monday morning as he turned
off the water on Mafn street for a while
without giving them warning, which he
should have done, as a great many of the
ladles were putting out the family wash
ing. ' ,
Senator Foraker Business Son.
Washington (D. C.) Times.
Joseph Benson Foraker, Jr., is the old
est son of the famous Ohio Senator, and
remains a bachelor, much to the wonder
of many. The younger Foraker is now
in the thirties, and he has ever mani
fested any desire to mix in politics. A
graduate of Cornell and a lawyer, young
Foraker baa cared more for business
than for law or politics and is Just now
vice-president and manager of the great
traction system of Cincinnati. He draws
four times the salary that his father
draws as Senator and has less to worry
about. While the young man has in
herited much of his father's ability, he
has also inherited from the mother's side
a vast amount of diplomacy and repose,
which fits shim for business rather than
for political warfare. He is well known
in Washington society and is a frequent
visitor during the busy season.
Saying Good Night.
Houston Post.
Within the vestibule he stood.
Saying "Good night."
Beyond the door's projecting hood
The world was white.
The hour was late; the moon was high;
Her folks in bed.
When Reginald uncorked a sigh
And sadly said:,
"Good night, Misa-- Smlthera."
The hour of one disclosed him there.
Saying "Good night."
A cabman with an owlish fare
Was all in sight.
No other human forms were nigh;
The town was dead.
When Reginald uncorked a sigh
And sadly said:
"Good night. Miss Bmithera."
The hour of two revealed him still
Saying "Good night."
And then her dad with brutal skill
, Unslung his right.
His spine was bent, his ribs awry.
And bruised his head.
When Reginald uncorked a sigh
And sadly said:
"Good gracious! what hit ma?"
REINCARCERATION OP JANUARY.
Pronounced sin Injustice and Hark Back
to Medieval Age.
MORO. Or., May 11. (To the Editor.)
The editorial in The Oregonian of yester
day headed "January." is one which
should appeal to every law-abiding. God
fearing American citizen.
I agree with The Oregonian that the re
incarceration of James January, under
any pretext, or for any purpose, after
his record of 10 years' good citizenship.
Is an absolute miscarriage of justice, and
one that should awaken the protest of
the people of the United States as a
whole. The details of the case lead one
back to the "Old Forms .of Justice."
which are so thrillingly portrayed by the
novelist Victor Hugo in his "Les Mis
erables" a justice which was fostered
by the ancestors of the Honorable Attor
ney-General of the United States a Jus
tice which must appeal to an enlightened
community as "A blot on the es
cutcheon" of Judicial procedure, which
time can never efface, and which future
generations can never respect.
Who is there who has read the sad
story of the life of Jean Valjean, and
who has not asked himself with a start:
"Can this really have happened?" then
answered his own question with an in
credulous smile which branded the story
as the vaporizings of the author? The
present case, however, will forever put
an end to questions of this nature. For
it is now answered, not in words, but in
deeds, and upon the recommendation of
a descendent of one of those same post
scribers of Justice, who considered the
criminal rather than the crime, but with
the difference that the scene is now laid
in Christian America.) rather than in me
dieval France.
While I am not of the opinion that it
Is a wise thing for the people to attempt
to Interfere with the course of Justice,
still it would seem to be the duty and
privilege of every American to interfere
with the course of injustice, and I con
sider it a regrettable fact that Presi
dent Roosevelt has allowed himself to be
guided entirely by the recommendations
of the Attorney-General. I feel that a
case where judicial jugglery would ap
pear to be so patent, as in the present,
when compared with those cited by The
Oregonian, in the editorial referred to;
should be condemned, both by the news
papers and the public, in no uncertain
HERBERT S. WARD.
Society Girl in Renl Estate.
New York World.
Miss Mathilde Van Rensselaer has
gone to work as a real estate broker.
She Is a bud of the proud old family
that was powerful on Manhattan Island
when New York was the Dutch Colony
of New Amsterdam. Her forefathers
were great landowners before the first
John Jacob Astor began to buy. She
Is the daughter of Mrs. Stephen Van
Rensselaer, who was Miss Matilda C.
Heckscher. They live at the Park
avenue Hotel.
Miss Van Rensselaer has agreed to
begin her business career with the
firm of Bloodgood, De Saulles (i Talbot,
of Fifth avenue and Forty-fifth street.
. . t- c.iu. was a noted college
1-' n . j li. n . , . - .
football player. It is believed that the.-
extensive acquaintance oi jm.ib
Rensselaer in the society set will make
her a brilliant success as a real estate
broker.
Yea, a Big Tree for Kansas.
Lawrence Gazette.
There is a legend outside of Kansas
that there are no trees in this state, or,
If any, they are Bcrubs, and will not
furnish shade for a yearling calf. The
story has just been shattered by the
woodmen who were clearing up some
land for Ben Wilson, six miles north
west of Lawrence. A giant old Cot
tonwood was felled, and the log meas
ured six feet four inches in diameter.
The body of the tree was cut into nine
foot logs, and one of them broke down
the wagoit -upon which it was loaded.
The tree grew near the banks of the
Kaw River, and made about 5000 feet
of lumber. The chopper got logs ZVi
feet in diameter from some of the
limbs.
Hetty Green Must Now Pay Rent.
New York World.
Hetty Green will have to pay office
rent in future. No provision whatever
has been made for her in the new
banking home of the Chemical Na
tional Bank, Just opened at 270 Broad
way. For many years the "richest
woman In the world." who is one of
the largest stockholders of the bank,
had a private office in the aid bank
building rent free. She will now have
to content herself with sharing the
handsome quarters provided for all the
women stockholders and depositors on
the first floor.
Phones Eliminating Grocery Clerks.
Chicago Cnronicle.
The Mooseup Grocery Company, of
Central Village, Conn., has established
free telephones in customers' homes, to
take the place of clerks.
Same Old Circus.
Philadelphia Bulletin.
The circus tent has gone to smash.
But not the circus no.
Next vear the same brass band will boom.
When comes the three-ring show.
The grand parade will pass along
With shrill caliope.
And beauty ride on prancing steeds.
While elephants we'll see.
The camel he will hump himself.
The tiger loudly roar.
There'll be rhtnoeeri and hip
popotami galore.
There'll be the zebra in his stripes.
The gnu and the giraffe.
The latter stretching out his neck
As though to break in half.
The leopard, the hyena too.
Of sacred, cows the best.
Coyote, kangaroo and elk
See posters for the rest.
And where the biggest tent is spread.
Should ever tumult lag.
Will rise the old, familiar cry,
"FYesh peanuts; fl-e a bag!"
But surest thing of all will be
That, on adventure bent.
The boy who lacks the price will crawl
in underneath the tent.
FISHIN' OR
-From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
WHAT STATE PAPERS ARE SAYING
Same Old Daisy.
Central Point Herald.
Binger is still the same nice old Ore
gon daisy as of yore.
Mayor Lane and the Mule.
Pendleton Tribune.
But Harry Lane never seemed to be
making such poor headway In his life
as when trying to get away from that
pursuing donkey.
Providence Did It.
Canby Tribune.
People who are selling their land for
double what they paid for it three years
ago should be thankful to the kind provi
dence that has brought them such good
fortune.
Speaks for n Place on the Bandwagon.
Toledo Leader.
Another batch of Oregon editors has
sppken through The Oregonian in favor
of Roosevelt for a third term. We're
not enthusiastic, but we know how to
get on to the bandwagon when the time
is ripe.
- Some Streets In the Metropolis.
Eugene Register.
- While Portland is growing at a re
markable pace its growth wouid be great
ly accelerated if civic pride prevailed
there to a greater degree than is shown
by some of its streets which would be
a discredit to the humblest village in.
Oregon.
Also the Number of Lawbreakers.
Corvallis Republican.
It would be a good idea to enact and
enforce a law prohibiting people from
using money they owe other people in
putting on style and trying to look aristo
cratic. We are sure such a law would
greatly decrease the number of dudes
and dudlnes.
How the Railroad Could Make Money.
East Oregonlan.
If the 8.000,000 acres of the Southern
Pacific' land grant in Oregon were opened
to settlement at $2.50 per acre it would
give the Southern Pacific something to
do in carrying In the flood of homeseekers
for the new lands and then would keep
the railroad busy forever after in carry
ing out the immense store of products
grown upon the lands.
"Me Sober.. Everybody Else Drunk."
Grant County News (John Day).
Just because Oregon editors, following
their usual custom, told the truth as to
the strength of the Roosevelt sentiment
in their respective communities, the
Baker City Democrat throws a fit. It
calls 28 out of the 32 who first answered
The Oregonlan letter more contemptible
than a whelp cringing before his in
furiated master. Like the inebriate of
much renown, it swears "all tipsy but
me."
Easy Money and a Reputation.
Toledo Leader.
Senator LaFollette of Wisconsin, who
has been making easy money and some
thing in the line of reputation by travel
ing over the country and roasting his
Republican colleagues, has received a
plain and vigorous calling down from
Senator Fulton. Itinerant grandstand
statesmen of the LaFollette type always
find the pointing out of motes in the
eyes of public men a very profitable busi
ness. The dear people like that sort of
entertainment.
Sincerity Entitled to Reapert.
Albany Herald.
It is unfortunate that rumor should
connect the name of Professor Kerr, the
new president-elect of the Agricultural
College, with Mormonlsm. And yet peo
ple should not go into hysterics over such
a report. Though Professor Kerr may
at one time have been a polygamist, and
renounced the practice, his profession of
sincerity is entitled to respect, and he
puts himself In a position, morally, that
shields him from stones that may be
hurled by a great many persons.
Hermann's Falthfnl Friends.
Myrtle Point Enterprise.
The acquittal of Binger Hermann of
the charge of destroying public records
as General Land Commissioner came as
a welcome relief to his friends in Myrtle
Point and somewhat pleasantly surprised
many of them, who had hoped for noth
ing better than a disagreement of the
Jury, with a possible conviction. A num
ber were loyal throughout, however, and
expected nothing else. The reason for
the attitude of the others is to be found
In what is now considered the rank preju
dice of the Portland papers, who had not
only convicted Mr. Hermann on every
point, but made It appear that he was
almost entitled to a death penalty.
One Way to Defeat Railroad Monopoly
Jacksonville Times.
The railroad company rather has the
best of the rate question, and sawmill
men have but small hope of relief in
event the Southern Pacific raises the
tariff on lumber. Of course the inevitable
would, soon follow still another upward
jump in the price of building material.
There is Just one way to defeat the rail
road's game, and that Is by building an
Independent electric line between - South
ern Oregon interior points, and Coos Bay
or Crescent City. This will give perma
nent relief; but until this section of the
country gets such an outlet for the vari
ous products the producers will con
tinue, as In the long years heretofore,
to pay ruinous tribute to the railroad
company.
Three Years, n Tramp, and a Shirt.
Indianapolis News.
Three years ago Mrs. Mary Rossiter
of Chester, Pa., gave a tramp a shirt,
some stockings and 25 cents. She has
Just received a check from her bene
ficiary for $23.
POLITICS?