Morning Oregonian., July 15, 1907, Page 13, Image 13

THE 3IORXIG OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JULY to, 1907.
13
INDUSTRIAL GROWTH OF
REPORT TELLS OF
Engineer Jayne, of Agricultural
Department, Makes Study
of Valley.
MANY THINGS TO ADJUST
Present System Is Wasteful, Water
Rights Are in Bad Shape and
Much Land Capable of Cultl
tlon Is Still Unwatered.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, July 14 For nearly half a
century the farmers of the Yakima Val
ley have been reclaiming desert lands
by irrigation, until today they are utiliz
ing every drop of water that flows from
Its various streams, yet in all that time
these farmers have not solved the prob
lem of "making the desert bloom." On
the, other hand, through impractical
methods and a lack cf proper study of
the subject, they have first reclaimed
and then ruined a part of the valley, and
Its ultimate destruction might have re
sulted had not the Federal Government
Intervened in their behalf.
The problem of Irrigation has always
been a sort of an experiment with the
Yakima farmers;, they have gone at it
blindly. Yet in spite of their crude
methods, they have produced phenom
enal results, showing that even more
might be accomplished by proper use of
their natural resources. In 1900 the De
partment of Agriculture sent 8. C.
Jayne, one of the best irrigation experts,
to Yakima Valley to see what was wrong
and to start the farmers on proper lines.
Mr. Jayne has just completed a report
containing his observations covering six
years. The report is of great value to
every farmer in the valley, and to those
who contemplate going there, and shows
conclusively that the Reclamation Ser
vice, in entering that Held, was not a mo
ment too early. This very event will do
more than everything else to preserve
Yakima Valley and make it what it
should be.
"There is more of the very best land
still unirrigated than there is at pres
ent under cultivation in the Yakima Val
ley," says Mr. Jayne In his report. It is
his opinion that the remaining Irrigable
lands can be readily Irrigated If the peo
pie exercise good judgment in the use
and distribution of the water.
Water Supply Abundant.
"There is perhaps no other Irrigated
district In the West." says Mr. Jayne,
"which Is favored with a more abund
ant supply of water than is the Yakima
Valley. While the water supply of the
valley is generally abundant, during
parts of August and September there
' has been in the last two or three years
more or less distress from lack of water
for the various canals, and trouble be
tween rival companies has at times
seemed Imminent. The difficulty is that
although there is plenty of water. It
does not come down at the right time.
If there is hot weather or prolonged
rain in the mountains early In the Spring
there is liable to be a shortage late in
the season. The development of the un
irrigated lands in the valley, therefore,
depends mainly on the feasibility of
storing the water to be used during two
or two and a half months when the
natural flow Is Insufficient."
Mr. Jayne says there are five reservoir
sites available for impounding water for
irrigation in Yakima Valley, their Joint
capacity being 427,030 acre feet, enough,
water for at least 150.000 acdes of land,
and by economical use, enough for 'a
much greater area. These reservoirs are
Lakes Cleelum, Kachess and Keechelus;
Bumping Lake and McAllisters Mead
ows. The capacity. of these lakes could
readily be doubled, and even then they
would hold only a small portion of the
flood waters that now escape.
Irrigation has been practiced In Yak
ima Valley to some extent for more than
40 years, but all ditches of importance
have been built within the past 25 years
and the larger canals now in use were
built within 15 or 16 years. Now that the
government has entered this field and is
absorbing many of the private enter
prises, the problem becomes less Compli
cated, and many of the difficulties here
tofore experienced will be eliminated.
There will be a more equitable distri
bution of the watei. better regulation of
the use of water by Individual irrigators,
and less occasion to resort to litigation.
Yakima Valley Is essentially an arid
district, having but ten inches of rain
fall per year.. This is utterly inadequate
for crops, and without Irrigation nothing
can be grown. "With Irrigation," says
Mr. Jayne, "any crop can be grown- in
the Yakima Valley that is known In the
Temperate Zone, and many of the tend
der fruits such aa peaches, apricots,
grapes, etc.. which require the most
favorable climatic conditions, are raised
with entire success and develop to a
state of perfection unexcelled any
where."
Some Artesian Water Used.
There is some irrigation In the Yakima
Valley with artesian water, but not
much. The flow from artesian wells is
usually small, and is growing less as
more wells are drilled. It is Mr. Jayne's
opinion that artesian water will never
be extensively used for irrigation In Yak
ima Valley.
Water rights in Yakima Valley are In
t
:W4
4
M h:
siltMrii mum tem.! , ? .
Mil
Grill
2J&' r-ajsBSji-TJfc
decidedly bad shape. In the past there
has been no practical method of re
cording . water rigbts. As a consequence
of lax and inadequate laws governing
the appropriation and use of water, the
problem of, water rights in Yakima Val
ley Is one of the most perplexing ones
yet unsolved. Under the present con
ditions, says Mr, Jayne, no one's rights
are definitely known, but as long as all
got what water they needed this fact
seemed to make little difference to any
body. With the gradual development of the
country a shortage of water began to
appear and in 1905 the situation began to
take on a serious aspect and extensive
litigation was threatened. In fact, a
suit was started, but at this time the
United States Government, by securing
an option on the Sunnyslde canal, was
instrumental In bringing about an agree
ment by which litigation was warded off
for the time, and the question of rights
Is still unsettled. The Reclamation Ser
vice secured control of the flood waters
and storage sites before mentioned, and
no recent filings of great importance
have been made by private parties or
companies.
When the Reclamation Service became
an Interested party in Yakima Valley,
agreements were entered into with all
the Important ditch companies flaking
water from Yakima and Natchex Rivers,
whereby the allowance of each-was lim
ited to a certain stipulated amount.
These agreements were entered into vol
untarily, and are not binding, though
there have been few instances where the
companies took water in excess of their
allotment, and when such cases were dis
covered, the companies immediately re
duced their diversions. The trouble is
the companies have no means of measur
ing the water diverted by their canals,
and are likely to innocently take more
than they are entitled to.
The present agreement relative to the
distribution of water has brought about
a temporary 'peace, but the fact that a
ditch company agrees to take only a lim
ited amount of water is no evidence of a
right to take even that amount or any
at all, and no doubt In many Instances,
if the truth were known, the quantities
agreed upon are far In excess of the just
requirements.
Diversion Criticised.
The report severely criticises the diver
sion works now employed In Yakima Val
ley. All are crude in construction, tem
porary in character, and altogether un
worthy of a community where irrigation
has been so successful and the farmers
bo well rewarded. The diversion works
of the Sunnyside canal are being recon- I
structed by the Government, and when
completed will be the only strictly modern
works- of the kind in the. valley. The
overabundance of water which has in
past years been available throughout the
Yakima Valley accounts for very crude
and totally inadequate means for the
Just and equitable distribution of water
among Irrigators. Not a single canal sys
tem in the entire length of the Yakima
Valley Is today In such condition that
even an approach to equitable division
and distribution can be made. Many of
smaller canals are without any means of
measuring the water used, and many of
the larger ones on which some attempts
at measuring have been made might al
most as well be without anything, for the
devices' now in use are of practically no
value for taking measurements even ap
proximately correct.
Several of the larger irrigation compa
nies contract to supply definite amounts
of water to consumers, but without ex
ception, these companies have In the past
delivered many times the contract
amounts. :While In the past the" compa
nies have been more than liberal with
water, and the co-operative ditches have
had sufficient to satisfy all," these condi
tions cannot go on forever. With thou
sands of acres still dry, which with water
would make homes for hundreds of fami
lies, it Is not fair to the Yakima Valley
or to the State of Washington, says Mr.
Jayne. that the extravagant and waste
ful methods of irrigation which have pre
vailed in the past should continue In
definitely,; and they will not.
Report Deals With Crops.
The report of Mr. Jayne deals exten
sively with the various crops that can
be profitably grown In Yakima Valley,
taking up each one separately. Alfalfa
has geen generally grown as the initial
crop on new ground, and is frequently
planted in rotation, being quite profit
able. Timothy and clover are also grown,
both for their value as forage and be
cause, when plowed under, they enrich
the soil. Potatoes do splendidly on ground
that has previously been planted to al
falfa, but do not do well In new ground.
Corn, which does not produce readily In
the Far West, has been successfully
grown In the Yakima Valley. Hops are
a staple crop, and one of the most profit
able, though the equipment of hop farms
is expensive, and this crop is usually
found only among the farmers who have
been established some time. Tremendous
profits have been made In years when
prices were high
Some parts of Yakima Valley are par
ticularly adapted to orchards, but like
hops, the orchards are found on the
farm's of old residents. When they reach
mature years, they yield larger profits
than any other crops. Strawberries do
well, and those that ripen early yield
heavily. All these subjects are gone Into
in detail, and a mass of Information Is
given which will be interesting to those
who oontemplate locating In Yakima Val
ley. ,
One of the great drawbacks In Yakima
Valley heretofore has been the Improper,
or rather the extravagant, use of water.
More water has been applied to the land
than the crops needed. n
One of the results of over-Irrigation has
been the ruining of many of the low
lands, toward which the surplus waters
have flowed carrying with them the al
kali in solution. Had the lowlands been
properly drained this surplus water would
have run off carrying the alkali with it
but much of this land is now ruined be
yond redemption. Wherever irrigation is
practiced, says Mr. Jayne, drainage is al
ways necessary and must go hand-ln-hand
with It. Where natural drainage is not
afforded it must be artificially supplied.
DAEDUK FILLING SITE FOB PORTLAND
BUILD TROLLEY LINE
Workmen Start Operations at
Eugene Today.
PAVE THE STREETS ALSO
University Town Is Rapidly Taking
on Appearance of Upper Valley
Metropolis AVhole City
Is Prosperous.
.. EUGENE, Or., July 14. (Special.) The
busiest season that Eugene has ever
experienced and the Summer productive
cf the best results in the building up of
the city will be made still busier tomor
row morning -when the Warren Construc
tion Company and the Willamette Valley
Company start their big forces of men,
teams and machinery in the paving of
Willamette street and the construction
of the Eugene -Electric Railway. .
The preliminary work for paving has
been going on for several days past at
the quarry back of -Spencer's Butte, and
several hundred tons of crushed rock of
different sizes are on the side streets,
near Willamette street ready for the real
work of construction, which will MTfiw
the laying of the streetcar track. The
boxes for the curbing are being placed
and will soon be in position for the
cement. The curbing must be finished
before the street proper is paved.
The materials, : that is, the tics, rails
and trolley wire for the railway, are
all on hand so that there Is not likely
to be any further delay in the matter of
construction. The track will be laid just
in advance of the paving work. The
rails and ties are distributed to a point
beyond the University ot Oregon and lit
tle preliminary grading is necessary for
the track.
The route of the railway will be from
the Southern Pacific depot on Willamette
street south to- Eleventh street, then on
Eleventh to Alder, when, after a run of
two blocks, a turn is made into Thir
teenth, which continues to the crossing
of the rajlroad track in Fairmount near
the Intersection of Thirteenth street with
Moss avenue. The road will likely be
continued from this point to Springfield,
although the interurban route has not
been deflnitelv announced.
A branch line will be run out to the
Masonic cemetery, through the Gross ad
dition, on University avenue, from Thir
teenth street.
The paving company expect to com
plete the work on Willamette street by
August 15. The work on the car line
must preceed them and the franchise re
quires that cars be running to the Uni
versity by October 1. Strong efforts are
being made to secure the paving of
Eighth and Ninth streets, while the con
struction company is at work here, and
if this Is done, it will take all Summer to
finish the work. It Is a difficult matter
to get men and teams to do the work,
with the great demand for help through
out the country, but full crews have been
engaged to go to work tomorrow morn
ing. ,
BIGGEST OUTPUT IX HISTORY
Hood River Valley Iiiimber Mills
Taxed to Capacity.
HOOD RIVER, Or., July 14. (Speciak)
Lumber plants In Hood' River Valley
report the biggest output in their history,
and It is estimated that they art turn
ing out a naif million feet per daj
About 20 cars a day are being shipped
In addition to that kept for sale -later in
the year. The efficiency of the mills is
said to be due to the fact that labor
is more plentiful than last year, and
while the mills were started up later
this season than last, on account of
the heavy snowfall, it is expected that
more lumber will be cut.
The Oregon Lumber Company is mak
ing a long extension of its logging road
this Summer, which will eventually reach
Lost Lake., This company controls, many
acres of timber In . that district which
will be brought to their plant at Dee.
Big holdings secured by the Stanley
Smith Company on the other side of the
valley Insure a number of years' cut
ting for them also. Smaller mills in the
vicinity are cutting to their full capaci
ty, and it is expected this year will be
a record one for the lumber output from
this district.
MILLS TURX TO TIE MAKIXG
Linn County Plants Find Tills In-
dustry Very Profitable.
ALBANY. Or., July 14. (Special.) The
manufacture of railroad ties has become
so profitable that several of the small
sawmills of Linn County have refused all
other orders and are devoting their time
this Summer exclusively to that line of
work. A scarcity of ties has caused the
Southern. Pacific to offer the highest
prices in years, and mills are working on
contracts ranging from 35 cents to as
high at 4S centB per tie.
All df the six mills in the northwestern
part of the county are now sawing rail
road ties exclusively, and this is true
also of some of the mills In other parts
of the county. One mill, which is forced
to haul its lumber 13 miles to secure
transportation facilities, finds It profit
able to manufacture the ties even with
that handicap.
Small Fruits in Palouse.
. GARFIELD. Wash., July. 14. (Special.)
Robert G. Elder, formerty editor of the
SEATTLE RAILROAD TERMINALS.
OREGON
Garfield Enterprise, but now oni of Gar
field's most prosperous and wealthy
farmers, has demonstrated that there is
money in small fruits. Twelve months
ago -Mr. Elder set out 55 strawberry
plants on about one square rod of Pa
louse land. From these plants Mr. El
der's family has picked this season 100
boxes of splendid berries, and still there
is more to be gathered, as there is at
present enough fruit on the vines to fill
several boxes. It has 'been figured out
by Mr. Elder that at the usual price of
15 cents a box an acre of berries would
produce in cash J2400. The Palouse, and
especially the country surrounding Gar
field, is the home of the strawberry and
the cherry, from which more money can
be realized from ten acres of ground
than from wheat at $1 a bushel from the
best quarter section of land in Eastern
Washington.
Paving for Chehalls.
CHEHALIS, Wash., July 14. (Special.)
It is likely that in the near future that
portion of Boistfort street which con
nects Market street and Chehalls avenue
will he paved. The city is about ready
to begin work on Market street, which is
to be paved with vitrified brick. Improve
ments that are to cost over $80,000 are con
templated. These improvements cover
most of the main traveled streets of the
city. The Hassam Paving Company have
offered to do the paving for 2 per square
yard. Including sidewalks, drains, etc., and
to keep it in good order for five years.
Their product is similar to concrete, only
not so smooth. It is laid under very
heavy pressure, and Is a patented
process. The only reason why there is
any hesitancy In signing up the con
tract is because of the high price of
crushed rock prevailing at this time. The
contractors will likely lower their bid
if they can get the rock cheaper. It is
thought that this will be, done, as the
County Commissioners are working on
a scheme whereby they can hadle the
product more economically.
STOCKING COLUMBIA RIVER
YOUNG SALMQX BY MILLIONS
PLANTED LAST SPRING.
Report of Work Done by State
Hatcheries in Providing for
Fishing Industry.
ASTORIA, Or., July 14. Special.) The
present season at the Oregon state
hatcheries on the Columbia River and
Its tributaries has been a fairly success
ful one, although the failures of .many
salmon to get above Celllo last Fall cur
tailed the output on the Ontario and
Wallowa plants materially, and of the
5.000.000 fry turned out from the former
hatchery, the eggs for about 4,000,000
were secured from the Government
plants.
The number of fry planted from the
Oregon hatcheries into the Columbia
River tributaries this year was 11,733,264.
Slightly over 13.000.000 eggs were placed
in the troughs at those plants, but a loss
of about 2,000,000 was sustained at the
McKenzie River hatchery through im
proper handling. The season at the
plants on the N Oregon coast streams has
been the most successful in their his
tory and a total of over 19.000,000 ' were
turned out last Spring.
No figures are at hand regarding the
number of fry released from the Wash
ington state hatcheries in the Columbia
River district, but the number of eggs on
hand at each of the plants on December 31
was as follows: Kalama, 2,300,000: Chinook,
1.500,000; Wind River, 1.373,000"; total,
5.173,000. Counting for the usual per
centage of loss, it is safe to estimate
that 5.000,000 fry were hatched and
saved, thus making a total of nearly
17,000.000 young salmon that were planted
In the waters of the Columbia River and
its tributaries from the Oregon and
Washington state hatcheries during the
Spring of 1907.
The output from each of the Oregon
state hatcheries during the present sea
son, showing the number and variety of
salmon hatched and planted, is as fol
lows: Columbla River
Balmon River hatchery....
McKenzie, River hatchery .
Wallowa River hatchery .
Ontario salmon hatchery .
Total
Coast Stream
Tillamook hatchery station
Yaquina hatchery ,
Sluelaw River hatchery .....
TJmpqua River hatchery . ,
South Coos River hatchery ,
Coqullle River hatchery ...
Total
POWER FROM NORTH SAXTIAM
Plan to Develop Electric Energy by
Constructing Canals.
ALBANY, Or., July 14. (Special.)
J. G. Kelley, of Portland, yesterday
filed notices with the County Recorder
here of appropriations of waterpower
on the North Santiam for the construc
tion of future canals to develop elec
tric energy. Kelley plans to appro
priate 12,000 cubic Inches of water
from the Marlon fork of the North
Santiam River at the mouth of Puzzle
Creek and build a canal running north,
westerly four and one-half miles. He
has also given notice of his intention
to appropriate 8000 cubic Inches of
water from Parmelia Creek at the
point where It enters Grizzly Creek, In
township 11 south, range 7 east, and
build a canal running southwesterly
three miles In length.
. Aberedeen to Fill .TideflaU.
ABERDEEN, Wash., -July 14. (Spe
cial.) Former Mayor Ltndstrom, during
his term of office advocated a scheme of
3
dredging the harbor and filling the
streets in the tide flats. F. A. Keasal
is In the city with a scheme to fill the
streets on another plan. He proposes to
organize a company with a capital stock
of 150,O0O. the purpose of which will be
to establish a hydraulic plant to tafce
the earth from the high hills within the
city limits and fill the flats. The coun
cil will consider the proposition at its
next meeting.
The cost of maintaining Aberdeen's
streets under the planking system has
been enormous, and there Is absolutely
no permanency to them. The property
owners, tired of the continual drain upon
their resources by reason of the system
of taking care of the streets, are thor
oughly aroused to the scheme of making
permanent improvements on the streets,
and something will likely be done the
present Summer in the way of starting
a reform movement In this matter.
WRECKED BY EXPLOSION
Leak in Tank of Gasoline Launch
Dolly Caused Trouble.
On the return trip yesterday from an
outing on the river, Nate Smith and Miss
Maggie Bush had a narrow escape from
death. They were aboard the gasoline
launch Dolly, owned by Mr. Smith, when
leakage, from the gasoline tank accu
mulated under the boat's flooring ignited
and an explosion occurred. The accident
STEAMER INTELLIGENCE.
Due to Arrive.
Name. Fram Date.
Alesla Hongkong. . . .In port
Breakwater Coos Bay In port
Redondo Puget Sound. In port
Columbia San Fran In port
Alliance Coos Bay ...July 15
Roanoke Los An?eles. . July 16
Costa Rica ... San Francisco July 17
Geo. W. Elder. .San Pedro . July 22
Nicomedia Hongkong. ...July 27
Numantla Hongkong. ... Atig. 18
Arabia Hongkong- Sept. 17
Scheduled to Depart.
Name. For rate.
Breakwater. .. Coos Bay .. .July 15
Columbia San Fran.... July 15
Redondo Puget Sound. July 15
Johan Poulsen. San Fran. .. . July IS
Roanoke Los Angeles. . July IS
Costa Rica .. .San Francisco July 20
Alesia Hongkong. .. .July 27
Nicomedia Hongkong... Aug. 6
Numantla Hongkong... Aug. IS
Arabia Hongkong. .. .Sept. 25
happened about 7 o'clock when the launch
was opposite Swan Island and the little
craft was so badly disabled that further
progress was Impossible.
W. H. Varney, of the United States en
gineer's department, happened to be near
the scene of the explosion In a rowboat
and hastened to the rescue. Mr. Smith
had gone overboard before the rowboat
reached the side of the launch and had
sustained severe injuries. He was nearly
exhausted when taken from the water.
Miss Bush was uninjured and had re
mained in the burning launch. The
victims of the accident were taken aboard
the rowboat and brought back to the
city.
' The launch was beached and the fire
extinguished, not, however, before con
siderable damage was done to her ma
chinery and fittings.
PROVISION FOR DOCKING.
Vessels Must Be Docked and Cleaned
at Least Every Six Months.
Under a provision in a time charter
party of a steamer that Bhe should be
docked and cleaned "whenever char
terers and master think necessary, but
at least once in every six months," dur
ing which time the charter hire was to
be suspended, the charterer is entitled
to have her so docked at the expiration
of six months from the last prior dock
ing, although that was previous to the
charter, and regardless of her actual
condition; it being shown that there
was a general custom to Interpret such
provision' aa making the six months
begin to run from the time of the last
docking. Irrespective of the time when
the charter went into effect. Munson
S. S. Line vs. Miramar S. S. Company,
Ltd., District Court, Southern District
of New York; 150 Federal Reporter, 437.
Steamer Carries Coal North.
It is announced that with the ad
vent of cooler weather the steamer
Breakwater will enter into the coal-
Chlnooks. Sllversldea. Total.
783.422 312,214 1.O03.R3H)
4,117.653 4,117,6.-3
52,1W) 500,135 J.02H.355
5.493.K50 5,403,650
10.920,915 .812.349 11,733,21
31I.70O
l.uin.sns
6"S.fH9
4.8h5.tx
4.014.HO
2.840.000
2.2SS.O0O
l.om.nno
1,030,486
I.57O.0O0
9.579,51 18
1.W9.435
4.ftS5.90
4.014. 4' H
2.840.000
14.3S1.457 4.948.488 19.829.643
carrying trade between Coos Bay and
this port. At present there is rather
light freight offering northbound, and
the owners expect to make up the de
ficiency by hauling coaL. Southbound
freight is said to be perfectly satls-
L factory, and It may be that later on
dairy proaucts win enter largely into
offerings at the Coos Bay ports, for the
reason that butter and cheese making
Is becoming more extensively engaged
In than formerly.
Lumber Schooner Chartered.
The American schooner Virginia,
owned by the Loop Lumber Company
of San Francisco, has been chartered
by William T. Carroll to load lumber
on arrival for Port Los Angeles. She
Is expected to make steamer time on
her southward trip In case the pre
vailing northwest winds hold. The
Virginia is one of the best appointed
schooners on the Coast.
Stage of Water in Willamette.
District Forecaster Beals reports
that the river will fall at the rate of
two-tenths a foot today and at the rate
of about three-tenths of a foot a day
Tuesday and Wednesday.
Arrivals and Departures.
ASTORIA. July 14. Condition of the bar
at 5 P. M. smooth, wln4 northwest, weather
clear. Arrived down at 6 A. M. and sailed
at 11:30 A. M.. steamer Aurelia for San
Francisco. Arrived down at 10:30 A. M. and
sailed at 1 P. M., steamer 'Atlas for San
Francisco. Sailed at 2:30 P. M., schooner J.
H. Lunsmann for San Francisco.
San Francisco, July 14. Sailed at noon,
barge Washougal In tow tug Samson for
Portland.
San Francisco, July 14. Arrived steamer
Siberia from Hongkong via Honolulu; Brit
ish steamer Oceano (lavles). - from
Antwerp: schooner Gotama from Tillamook;
steamer Leu from Ugashak; steamer Ho
qulam from Hoqulam. Sailed German
steamer Theben for Seattle.
Tide at Astoria Today.
High. Low.
8:15 A. M 7.7 feet; 9:52 A. M 0.4 feet
4:22 P. M 7 7 feetjl0:18 p. M 2.9 feet
, Mllwaukle Country Club.
Eastern and California races. Take
Bellwood or Oregon City car, starting
.from First and Alder atrta.
Habitual constipation cured and the
bowels strengthened by the regular
use of Carter's Little Liver Pills in
small duses. Don't forget this.
IS PART OF LAW
EVERY FORM OF HUMAN LIFE
HAS FIXED VALUE.
Continued Defense of the Individual.
He Is Necessary to the Whole
Scheme of Creation.
PORTLAND, July 13. (To the Editor.-)
It Is interesting to read The Oregon
lan's defense of the individual. This is
a subject about which The Oregonian
will do well if it waxes enthusiastic. Just
now its attitude is largelly Judicial and
we need to feel that its pen is hot with
conviction.
This Question of the individual is the
crowning interrogation of human life.
We have waited so long, trusted so
blindly in old theories, so reluctantly
have been driven from passivity, so
vainly have sought to accept life on a
circumscribed plan, that now, when we
are fairly kicked into the open and com
pelled to be individuals In order to sur
vive at all, we still fatuously ask, "Am
I It, or Is the race It?"
C. E. S. Wood, in his letter of last
Tuesday, says: "It has passed into a
proverb that no man is necessary, and
I believe this to be true." To accept
this literally would be to connive at the
extinction of the race, and yet in a sense
It is true. A thousand men fall in battle;
another thousand nil the vacant ranks
and the strife goes on. But we have np
more moral right to say that the lives
so ended were unnecessary than we have
to say the life of a hopeless cripple Is so.
In either case the answer is not for us
to speak.
Men measured in the aggregate are
like blades of grass, they spring up in
the night after the mower has gone, so
that almose we may believe there has
been no cutting. Though man can do
wonderful things, once he Is man, he
cannot tell why or how he exists, nor
can he reconstruct himself as he would a
machine. Plainly, it is Impossible for
him to prove himself to be a machine.
yet he will not believe that he isn't and
tries all the time to convince others that
he Is. Where under the skies can one
find a more exhlleratlng paradox?
It is almost amusing, and would be so
did not the tragedy of It lurk so near.
to see how man spends the priceless
hours trying to learn the secrets of his
being and his ultimate destiny. And
yet here the tragedy stands uncloaked
and the comedy chorus has departed so
Inseparable from his being Is the desire to
know the laws of his existence, that It
Is unintelligent not to assume that his
being is necessary and Important. To
live and question lite, to arrive at this
plane after the interminably awsome dis
tance from the protoplasm, to look back
upon It all and then to say that no man
is necessary Is dangerously near to a
violation of law.
If there Is no primary cause, or as
Mr. Wood puts it. "no special Individual
Intelligence," and man Is simply the re
sult of necessity, and if. through the
avenue of the single mind we learn all
that we know about life, then .surely
every form of human life has value, and
is not without a germ of good. We
ought to hold carefully to the difference
Between the life, and its special man
ifestation under varying circumstances.
Is It for The Oregonian to say, or Mr.
Roosevelt, or me, that no man Is neces
sary? When only through our own con
sciousness can we feel the tides of being
beaten, shall we still adhere to such a
fallacy? Life is life, and somehow, dimly
we perceive that life is God, though un
able ' owing to the inadequacy of our
present development, and the Imperfec
tion of our speech, to make It clear. If
we could make It clear, then were we
not men, but Gods.
But do we look at life through too
small a lens? Isn't this. In fact. the
chief trouble? We not only are limited
in many ways by our surroundings, our
training, the caliber of our minds, but,
what is Infinitely worse because avoid
able we limit ourselves by our predju
dices, laezlness. Indifference, mean sub
servience to the flesh which men call
fear.
Why not accept the postulated possi
bilities of existence. Instead of onlv
mouthing them, as the majority of us
do? We take the principal facts of
material lifo on trust. Why not take
those of spiritual life at face value?
Scientists unite ln declaring that all
is order; that laws control the uni
verse, and that there is ceaseless
changt but no possibility of ultimate
loss. vfe accept evolution it is a
highrsoundihg word and hath smack
but we forget that is practically a
new teaching and that the philosophy
resulting from it Is capable of Infinite
unfoldment. The simple truth that the
term implies growth we often lose
sight of, and yet growth means all that
makes life worth while. If we could
not grow .' And we do not grow be
yond a given stature, physically. The
ocuust improves our eyes, or tries to
not nature. No man can improve upon
the hand but it Is idle to develon this
thought It is plain to average intel
ligence that we grow from within; that
the life that animates Is the growing
principle.
One trouble with us as Individuals
has been, and is, that we see how ln-
evitabry the laws of life affect others.
but we Just naturally can't and won't
apply the lesson to ourselves. All our
struggle and endeavor ought to take
us farther than the conclusion Mr.
Wood reaches when he says: "Place
any set of Individuals together on an
equality and in a state of freedom and
I think that you will develop the
thought, my safety and my self-inter
est is to treat- all these others Just as
I want these others to treat me. '
To my mind, this is unideal and
actually a kind of aesthetic selfishness.
1 doubt If ever good were done by
wishing to be charitable. It Is the
spontaneous desire to see good for the
sake of good which awakens the recog
nition of good In another. If on a
streetcar I am polite to a man who
gives me a seat, and his appearance Is
repellant to me, I am in reality not
polite at all. There is no gratitude
possible to me or to you until we
recognize the humanity In each other.
I recall that It Is "man's Inhumanity
to man" that "makes countless thou
sands mourn," far more than it la the
materialism of nature. We don't ex
pect much of nature, but we can't get
out of the habit of expecting some
thing of man. and mourning over it
VICTOR MANGANESE STEEL
BANK SAFE. -
NEVER BURGLARIZED
GLASS & PRTJDHOMME CO.,
AGTS., PORTLAND, ORE.
when our expectations are ruthlessly
slain.
Man Is meant for happiness, but he
travels -a long, hard road before he
finds it, and then it Is not so much a
find as a discovery of conditions. He
is divinely goaded with the desire to
know, to live, to express himself, and
he doc3 so in varying degree by means
of sorrow, travail, much Journeying
upward from the abyss of despair. But
all the time happiness travels with
him Incognito, and he gets Just a
glimpse of her now and tljen to fan
the flame cf his desire. There is in
deed a way whereby he shall win hap
piness, but he knows the way as man,
not as a race, and therefore, if for no
other reason, he Is necessary to the
whole scheme of creation.
There are blessed intervals in every
struggle where we may escape into a
garden in the cool of the day and walk,
even as someone did in the myth of
old where we may bathe our eyes in
beauty, slake the thirst of our longing
at an immortal fountain, where we.
the Imperishable being, may regird
ourselves for the "strife of the flesh
and the lusts thereof." until the years
of this earth life be spent and we
change to another.
VALERIA DeM. r- EIvSSY.
TRAVELERS' GUIIJE.
NV-X H I rl V ti rt I Will
3Sl FYfllK v IflN
AsJt B TRIPS
S12T' . S. S. Sookane. July 12. 18:
August 9. Queen. July IS.
NOME ROUTE.
S. E. ALASKA ROUTE.
Skagway, Sitka, Juneau and way porta
Sailing 9 P. M.
Coitaste City, via Sitka July 14. 2
City of Seattle July .0
H. S. S. Co.'s Humboldt July i2
SAN FRANCISCO ROUTE.
Sailing 9 A. M. From Seattle.
President July i0
Umatilla . . July 24
Sonoma July
Santa Rosa July 23
City Office, 249 Washington St.
Jamestown Exposition
Low Hates
August 8, 9, 10 ; September 11, 12, la
Chicago ana return, $71.50.
St. Louis and return, $67.50.
St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, Su
perior, Winnipeg and Pt. Arthur and
return, $60.
3 TRAINS DAILY 3
For tickets, sleeping-car reserva
tions and additional information, call
on or address H. Dickson, C. P. and
T. A., 122 Third St., Portland, Or.
Telephones Main 6S0, Home A 2286.
PORTLAND ANI PUGET SOUND ROUTE
S. S."Redondo"
Sailing from Couch-street dock, Portland,
for Seattle, Tacoma. Everett and Belllng
ham. July 15 at 6 P. M. -
FREIGHT
Connecting at Seattle for Nome. Golofnlnln.
St. Michael, Chena and Fairbanks with
steamers Pleiades, Hyades, Lyra, Mackinaw,
Ohio.
Schubach 4b Hamilton. General Asenta,
Seattle. Wash.
F. P. Baumgartner, Agent, Portland.
Couch-Street Dock.
Phones: Main 861; Home A 4161.
Ho! For Astoria
FAST STEAMER
TELEGRAPH
Round trips daily (except Thursdays)
7 A. M. Landing, Alder-Street
Dock. Phone Main 565.
' ANCHOR LINE STEAMSHIPS.
NEW YORK. LONDONDERRY. GLASGOW.
NEW YORK. GIBRALTAR AND NAPLES.
Superior Accommodation, fexcellent Cuisine.
The Comfort of Faesengera carefully Consid.
ered. Single or Round Trip Tickets Lsesued be
tween New York and Scotch. English, Irish,
and all principal Continental points at attrac
tive rales. Send for Book of Tours. For tick
etc or general Information apply to any local
agent of the Anchor Line or to
HENDERSON BROS.. Gen'l Agents, Chlosgo.
North Pacific S. S. Co's. Steamsship
Roanoke and Geo. W. Elder
Sail for Eureka, San Francisco and
Los Angeles direct every Thursday at
8 P. M. Ticket office 132 Third SL,
near Alder. Both phones, M. 1314.
EL Young, Agent,
CANADIAN PACIFIC
EMPRESS LINE OF THE ATLANTIC
QUEBEC TO LIVERPOOL.
Less Than Pour laye at Sett.
Empresses sail July 12. 26, August B. 2S.
September 8, 20. First cabin, 80 up; second
eabln, 146 up; third-class, 128.75.
Write for particulars.
r. K. JOHNSON, Pasa. Aft,
142 Third St.. Portland, Or.
SIR. CHAS. R. SPENCER
Washington-Street Dock. '
Dally, except Sunday, for The Dalles ard
way landings, at 7 A. M., returning 10 P.
M. Fast time, best service.
Phones: Mala 3184 1 Home. A. 11. S4.
BAN FRANCISCO PORTLAND 8. S. CO,
Only ocean steamers affording daylight
trip down Columbia River. .
From Alnsworth Dock. Portland, 9 A. M.
S. S. "Columbia." July 15, 25, Aug. 4. etc
8. S. "Costa Rica," July 20, SO, Aug. 8,
etc.
From Spear St., San Francisco, 11 A. M.
8. S. "Costa P'ca," July 15, 25, Aug. 4,
etc.
S. 8. "Columbia," July 20, SO, Aug. l.
etc.
JAS X. DEWSON, Agent,
248 Washington St. Phone Main 204.
WILLAMETTE RIVER ROUTE.
STEAMER POMONA for Salem, Monday.
Wednesday and Friday. 8:45 A. M.
STEAMER OREGON for Salem. Albany.
Oorvallls and way, leares Tuesday and
Saturday, G:45 A. M. Returning, leaves
Corvalll Wednesday and Sunday, 10:80.
For Oregon City. Steamer Altona leaves
dally and Sunday, 7:30 and 11:30 A. M.,
8:30 P. M. Leaves Oregon City 9:30 A.
M., 1:80 and fi:S0 P. M.
OREGON CITY TRANS. CO.
Columbia River Scenery
REGULATOR LINE STEAMERS.
Dally service between Portland and The
Dalles, except Sunday, leaving Portland ac
T A. M., arriving about 5 P. M., carrying
freight and passengers. Splendid accommo
dations for outfits and Uvestock.
Dock foot of Alder St., Portland; foot of
Court st., Ths Dalles. Phone Main 914.
Portland.