8 THE MORXIXG OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1907.
SUBSCRIPTION BATE.
INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
., Br Mail.)
DHy, Sunday Included, on year 18.00
Dally, Sunday Include'V lx month '4.8
Dally, Sunday Include, three montha. . 3.2S
Dally, Sunday Included, ona month To
Dally, without Sunday, ona year 00
Dally, without Sunday. .11 months.... S-2s
Dally, without Sunday, threa montha.. 1-T5
Dally, without Sunday, one month
Sunday, one year
Weekly, one yr (laiued Thursday) . .. . !-0
Sunday and Weekly, one year 00
Bx CARRIER.
Daily, Sunday Included, one year. 00
Dally, Sunday included, one month 73
HOW TO REMIT fiend postotflca money
order, express order or personal check on
your local bank. Stamps, coin or currenoy
are at the sender's risk, dive postotflca ad
dress In full. Including county and state.
POSTAOK BATES.
Entered at Portland. Oregon, Fostotfloa
as Second-Cui Matter.
10 to U Pacts 1 cent
16 to 23 Pages SI cents
80 to 41 Pases , 8 cents
6 to 80 Pages 4 cents
Foreign postage, double rates.
IMPORTANT The postal laws are strtot.
Newspapers on which postage la not fully
Prepaid are not forwarded to destination. '
EASTERN BUSIXESS OFFICE.
The 8. C. Becicwith, Special Agency New
Tork. rooms 48-60 Tribune building. Chi
cago, rooms 610-01'i Tribune building.
KEPT ON 6 ALE.
Chicago Auditorium Annex. Postotflca
Xews Co.. ITS Dearborn at.
St. Paul, Minn N". St. Marie. Commercial
Station.
Denver Hamilton Kendrtck. 906-91S
Seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store, 1214
Fifteenth street; H- P. Hansen, S- Rice.
Kansas City, Mo. Rlcksecker Cigar Co...
Ninth and Walnut; Sosland News Co.
' Minneapolis M. J. Cavanaugh, SO South
Third; Eagle News Co.. corner Tenth and
Eleventh; Yoma News Co.
Cleveland, O. James Fushaw. 307 Su
perior street.
Washington, D. C. Ebbltt House, Penn
sylvania avenue.
Philadelphia, Pa. Ryan's Theater Ticket
office; Penn News Co.
New York City L. Jones & 'Co.. Astor
House; Broadway Theater News Stand; Ar
thur Hotallng Wagons.
Atlantic City, N. J. Eli Taylor.
Ogden D. L. Boyle, W. G. Kind. Ill
Twenty-fifth street.
Omaha Barkalow' Bros., Union Station;
Mageath Stationery Co.
' lies Moines, la. Mose Jacob.
Sacramento, Cal. Sacramento News Co..
439 K street; Amos News Co.
Salt Lake Moon Book & Stationery Co.;
Rosenfeld & Hansen.
Los Angeles B. E. Amos, manager seven
treet wagons.
San Diego B. E. Amos.
Long Beach, Cal B. E. Amos.
Santa Barbara, Cal. John PrecheL
San Jose, Cal. St. James Hotel News
Stand.
El Pnao, Tex. Plaza Book and News
- Stand.
Fort Worth, Tex. F. Robinson.
Amarillo, Tex.T Bennett News Co.
San Francisco Foster & Crear; Ferry
News Stand; Hotel St. Francis News Stand;
L. Parent; N. Wheatley; Falrmount Hotel
News Stand; Amos News Co.; United News
Agents, 1114 Eddy street.
Oakland. Cal. W. H. Johnson. Fourteenth
and Franklin streets; N. Wheatley; Oak
land News Stand; Hale News Co.
tioldfield, Nev. Louie Pollln.
Eureka, C'al Call-Chronicle Agency.
Norfolk, Vs. Potts 4 Roeder; American
'News Co.
Pino Beach, Y W. A. Cotgrove.
PORTLAND. FRIDAY. ACti. t. 1907
I THE GREATEST 'MENACE.
The danger of our time, and of the
ioming time, In these United States, Is
the menace of plutocracy. It does not
so much consist in, or stand on, the
present accumulation of great fortunes
as on the means taken for their perpet
uation, through devices that create
trusts for holding vast estates intact,
and for preventing their distribution or
division among the natural heirs. In
former times, in our country, the es
tate, on the death of the person who
Jiad created it, was so divided. Now,
as a. rule, the testator so orders it that
the estate is to remain intact, to be
used for further accumulation. The
Immediate members of the family are
to be taken care of, in some sort, out
of the profits, but the estate itself is
erected Into a trust, to be wielded for
Its own further aggrandizement and
for perpetration of the power of the
family that controls it.
This is lawful, as our laws stand; but
it destroys equality, establishes plu
tocracy, and Is rapidly becoming sub
versive of the conditions necessary to
maintenance of our democratic or re
publican system. Here in Portland the
wills of the most wealthy are found to
have "been so framed as to prevent di
vision among heirs, and to hold estates
together, for further and endless accu
mulation. These vast estates, on pres
ent holdings covering large part of the
city, and extending to other cities es
tates of immense value already what
will be their value when Portland shall
have a population of a million or even
a half rnillion Inhabitants? For these
estates are not to be divided nor even
their Income, but are to roll up with
out end.
Herein is the real menace greatest of
rail menaces to our system of demo
cratic society and republican govern
ment. It is getting attenton far and
wide. We find the Montgomery (Ala.)
iiAdverUser saying: "If an Immense ac
cumulation, like that of Rockefeller,
for example, were divided at death into
eeveral portions, the division would act
as a check on the menace of vast
.(wealth. But suppose the great wealth
of Rockefeller should be left at his
ideath to one man, and that man with a
talent for piling up money like he him
self possesses. It Is difficult to think of
what It might be at the expiration of
another lifetime. The larger a fortune
becomes the faster it Increases, as a
'general proposition, and the Rockefel
ler 'billion of today may be several bil
lions at the end of another lifetime, if
managed as he has managed it."
In every state thereare enormous
fortunes, less than Rockefeller's, it is
.true, but on a proportionate scale,
which it is the aim of the founders and
iof their descendants to keep intact. "It
Is idle," therefore, says the paper quot
ed above, "to contend that In this
.country there is no danger of pluto
cratic government." One more quo
tation: '
We are a Republic, or are supposed to be,
out if the time Is coming when we are to
i be governed by a plutocracy, we believe we
should prefer a King or an Emperor. They
&ave some regard for the well-being of
their subjects, but the plutocrat loves the
people only for what he can make out of
them. There ba been more than one In
stance in the past where the accumulation
of wealth in the hands of a few, and the
excesses and oppressions proceeding from
-that condition, has resulted in the downfall
of Government, and It may be that America
is destined to supply another example.
Thoee who rail against wealth are usually
looked on as demagogues, but the country
Is not safe from plutocracy. .
There Is one way to meet the dan
ger; perhaps to avert it. That way is
through regulation by law, to compel
the distribution of property, or Income
from property, after the death of the
proprietor. Taxes on inheritances and
incomes are well enough, as far ag they
go; but they never can be thorough
enough. Vast estates, to be held intact
and for endless accumulation, are the
greatest- of all existing or possible
menaces to free opportunity and gov
ernment through equal citizenship.
TO MAKE SHIPS SAFER.
A writer in the New York Herald,
moved by the sinking of the steamer
Columbia, .calls for a change in the
steamboat laws which shall "compel all
vessels carrying passengers to be pro
vided with sufficient reserve buoyancy,
to be secured by the use of longitudinal
bulkheads, so placed as to Insure the
vessel's floating, no matter how se
verely damaged." There is no mechan
ical difficulty, he says, in construction
of vessels of this class; but of course
they will cost more. This, however,
should be no objection, where life is at
stake. Besides, there would be com
pensation In greater security, If such
security could thus be obtained.
This writer, Mr. B. S. Osbon, has pre
sented his suggestion to the Supervis
ing Inspector-General of Steam Vessels
of the United States, who has promised
to give the subject Immediate and most
careful consideration. How the longi
tudinal bulkheads are to be placed Mr.
Osbon does not explain. Many vessels
are so provided already. The great
Atlantic liners are built, or most of
them, with double longitudinal bulk
heads, running nearly from end to end.
Not long since a steamer on the Eng
lish coast was cut or broken into two
nearly equal parts, which were sep
arately towed ashore. Of course if the
Columbia had been so built, there would
have been no loss of life.
No doubt Mr. Schwerin, manager of
the Pacific Coast 'Harriman steamers,
was correct in his statement that no
vessel ever yet: was built which could
not be sunk by collision; but to say
that no vessel could be built which
probably would not be sunk by collision
would be a different matter. If all
steamers were built with a view to at
tainment of utmost possible safety, and
kept under careful and thorough in
spection, the danger,, undoubtedly,
would be extremely small, though of
course never negligible.
LESS AUTO SPEED, FEWER INQUESTS.
Owing to the fact that the citizens of
Portland are spry on their feet, the
death list from automobile accidents in
this city is not large. There is a hazy
belief current in some circles that once
in the long ago there was an ordinance
regulating the speed at which these
vehicles were to be driven while on the
principal streets. Like many other in
convenient regulations, this one seems
to have been forgotten, and the auto
mobiles rush through our principal
streets at railroad speed. Of course,
the census of fatal accidents due to
reckless automobile driving shows that
the greatest number of deaths occurs
among those who are driving the ma
cines. This, however, does not com
fort the pedestrian who loses a leg or
an arm, nor the relatives of one who
Jogs down to old Charon's ferry along
with the chaffeur.
Good luck Instead of good Judgment
deprived the Multnomah County Cor
oner of a job Wednesday, when a large
automobile, coming down Washington
street at express speed, was, with the
aid of a telegraph pole, converted into
a catapult, from which the pessengers
were hurled with a force that left sore
reminders of the occurrence on various
parts of their anatomy. By one of
those inexplalnabie vagaries of fate, no
one 'was killed not even the innocent
bystander who usually figures in such
affairs. Despite the fact that the auto
mobile has riot, as yet, seriously rer
duced the population- of Portland, it
continues to leave a trail of destruction
throughout the world. Until a few
months ago the daily papers teemed
with accounts of fatal automobile acci
dents. Now they are so frequent that
they are no longer mentioned except in
papers printed near the scenes or unless
the victim happens to be quite promi
nent. While it is possible that the much
boasted freedom of our country gives
every reckless auto fiend the right to
ride into the hereafter at a sixty-mile
gait, the survivors, who are expected
to look after the obsequies, should have
something to say In the matter. This
"something" will eventually take the
form of legislation, which will demand
that ponderous, automobiles weighing
several thousand pounds, and running
fifty and sixty miles per hour, shall be
kept out of the hands of drivers whose
Judgment and skill Is of a nature to
make a baby carriage unsafe in their
hands. A locomotive driver, whose ma
chine is confined to a given track,
from which it cannot wander at will,
must have years of experience as an
assistant, and must undergo a rigid ex
amination as to eyesight and other
physical qualifications before he Is
given charge of an engine.
At the worst, the damage which an
Incompetent or reckless locomotive en
gineer can do is limited to the imme
diate vicinity of the rails on which his
machine is running, while from the
reckless driver of an automobile, who
can follow his calling without any
qualifications, escape is often impossi
ble. Some qualification .besides the
ability to frighten timid pedestrians
should be demanded of reckless chauf
feurs in this city. An attempt to
regulate the incompetents and reckless
will hardly meet with any serious ob
jection from those who are competent
and do not attempt to break world's
records in crowded streets.
VALCE OF RIFLE PRACTICE.
In a nation that depends upon a vol
unteer army for its defense, it is very
important that the citizen soldiery be
fairly skillful in the use of the rifle.
Though we had almost reached the con
clusion that the day of the rifle had
passed and that the battles of future
wars would be fought with cannon or
machine guns, the. recent conflict be
tween Russia and Japan demonstrated
that the rifle is still the weapon of an
offensive campaign. The efficiency of
the weapon depends upon the skill of
the man behind it. It is well, therefore,
that the members "of the National
Guard have had special training in Tifle
shooting. It will also be well for this
Nation, in case of war, If a considerable
number of the young men' not now
members of the National Guard shall
be capable marksmen.
Whether a man learns the uee of fire
arms by hunting pheasantB and deer or
by practicing with a 32-calfber target
rifle, he is much more 'valuable to hlB
country when his services are needed
upon the field of battle. It is well
known that practice with a target rifle
gives skill in the use of the larger
weapons used at greater distances and
for the purpose of exterminating an en
emy. This being true, it may some
time be found that while the target
rifle has been the cause of many deaths
among careless boys, yet its use has
given young men a training that will
save a much larger number of Uvea
by winning battles for American ar
mies. May the day be far off when the
skill of American marksmen shall again
be tried in battle, but if occasion should
arise for the use of force between this
and another nation, may the conflict
not be deferred because of inefficiency
of American fighters.
ABUNDANT OCEAJf TONNAGE.
To bewail the decadence of the Am
erican merchant marine and to insist
that foreign trade suffers by reason of
inadequate over-sea transportation fa
cilities, seem to be regarded by most
of our foreign consuls as a sacred duty.
So many of them have acquired the
habit of injecting this kind of non
sense into their reports, that it is re
freshing to learn of men in the consu
lar service who can look at the mat
ter from a common-sense standpoint.
In this latter class belongs Consul
General Anderson, who is stationed at
Rio de Janeiro. He says that the ves
sels plying between American ports
and South America are not fast nor
well equipped passenger steamers, but
in the following language he quite
effectually sats at rest the theory that
there is ever an insufficient amount of
tonnage for the trade: , . . .
. So long as the freight business of the world
is done upon the present narrow margin of
profit there la not likely to be any demand for
actual freight tonnage between the two coun
trlea which will not be met in a ehort time
In some way. When there is a demand for
shipping tonnage from New York to Rio de
Janeiro' that demand will be met at once
by tramp steamers if not by the so-called reg
ular lines. This la a reasonable Inference
from the ocean freight situation of the world,
and It is the actual experience of trade. The
time will be ahoi and. rare when there are not
enough ships to take freight from New York
to Brazilian porta.
The condition of transportation fa
cilities, as herein outlined by Consul
Anderson, is well understood by every
man in the trade. It is unnecessary
even for shippers to search for steam
ers plying to South America, for
freight solicitors are busy all the time
seeking consignments . and the New
York shipping papers contain long
lists of vessels .on berth for South Am
erican ports. As an illustration, there
were twenty-one sailings advertised
from New . York for South American
ports, between July 25 and August 2S,
an average of two steamers every
three days. After this candid admis
sion of a condition that has been care
fully evaded or glossed over by most
of t5ur foreign consuls, Mr. Anderson
does what he can to square himself
by venturing the opinion that we
could sell more goods to South Ameri
ca if we had better ship connections.
He complains that while only seventy
four vessels arrived at Rio de Janeiro
from American ports in 1906, there were
172 vessels sailing from Rio de Janeiro
for the United States.
The inference, he apparently seeks to
convey is that we are purchasing more
goods from South America than we are
selling, and that this condition could
be remedied ii we had better passenger
and mail service .between the two
ports. On this point the consul is in
error. Steamships from South Ameri
ca not infrequently come into New
York at certain seasons of the year
with hardly enough cargo aboard for
ballast. They go to New York because
It is not far out of their way on the
homeward voyage to Europe. Arriving
at New York they are reasonably sure
of a cargo to some distant part of the
world, or, failing to secure it, they can
always pick up a Trans-Atlantic cargo
and thus make a little money while
proceeding to a European port to load.
It has not been proved that our South
American trade suffers through lack
of fast, modern steamers. The Aus
trian, French, German and Italians
all have fast passenger lines to South
America, but none of these countries
does as much business there as is done
by the Americans. If a fast passenger
service is a necessity, however, why
not get It the same way we have se
cured the freight service that is, by
giving the work to the line that is in
readiness to make the best bargain?
There is a poetic twang to the state
ment that trade follows the flag, but
as a matter of fact, the flag of the
tramp steamer follows trade and fol
lows it so closely that there is no spot
on earth today, where the American
can sell goods in any ' quantity, and
not have them delivered as cheaply
as can any of his competitors.
XEW YORK SOCIETY IMPROVING.
It is refreshing, indeed, in these de
generate days of wickedness and
wealth, to listen to the psalm of hope
from the optimist who tells us that the
world is growing better. With th
Coreys and the Thaws showing the
trail of the serpent in the East, "Pat
Bones" planting bombs in the Mountain
division, and Schmitz and his clan rob
bing the afflicted on the shores of the
Pacific, there are times when it re
quires some stretch of the Imagination
to prevent us thinking that the optimist
should "copper his bet." But occa
sionally out of the gloom, shining
bright and clear like a grain of truth
in a Tom Laweon copper mining cir
cular, appears corroborative evidence
that the optimist is not always a
dreamer. .
Evidence that the world is growing
better is disclosed in the details of the
latest monkey dinner given in New
York. It Is not so very many years
ago that Mr. Harry Lehr inaugurated
this new form of diversion. At the
Lehr dinner the simian guest of honor
followed the example of his entertain
ers with such a degree of intelligence
that he became uproariously drunk
and scampered over the table and oth
erwise disclosed .a temperament and In
telligence In keeping with that of his
entertainers. Soon after the , Lehr
monkey dinner, Mr.' James Hazen Hyde,
son of a distinguished and respectable
father, also entertained in honor of a
primordial citizen of the Congo forests.
On that occasion the chimpanzee re
mained sober, although his tail-less
friends did not. Now comes Mr. O. H.
P. Belmont with experience corrobor
ative of the optimistic theory that the
world is growing better.
Mr. Belmont a few days ago gave a
monkey dinner at Newport. It was
fully, as elaborate an affair as those of
Mr. Lehr- and Mr. Hyde, and enough
money was lavished on it to save a
hundred lives on a hot day in the New
York tenement district. But this Bel
mont monkey dinner was no such dis
graceful affair as its predecessors.
Not only was wine denied the guest of
honor, but even the entertainers did
not get disgracefully drunk, and
throughout the dinner were able, to act
fully as intelligently amd decently as
the monkey. It is quite clear from the
progress being made in this direction
that the world la at least growing no
worse. There are strong hopes that
we may yet reaeh a place of eulture,
refinement and decency, where our
yellow rioh can ' find their fellow men
fully ai entertaining as monkeys.
This, of course, would necessitate their
going outside - the Lehr-Hyde-Belmont
circle, but even that would not be an
unpardonable sin.
A most beautiful pamphlet, setting
forth some of the attractions of the
coming State Fair at Salem, has been
prepared by the Board of managers. It
is splendidly illustrated, and contains
the list of premiums offered and the
rules governing the awards; also infor
mation as to transportation arrange
ments and directions for exhibitors.
Premiums to the amount of $10,000 will
be paid on livestock and on agricul
tural and manufactured products. It Is
evident that improvement of the State
Fair is keeping pace with the march of
prosperity on other llne.s throughout
Oregon. The fair will open September
16 and close September 21. The new
attractions will certainly bring great
crowds, and the social and "reunion"
features will no doubt, even more than
heretofore, have leading place among
the enjoyments of the time. There is
ample room for campers, and pure and
abundant water, for which there are no
charges.
''I am amazed that such a condition
should be allowed to exist is Portland,"
said Mr. Louis Hill, on whose rail
road shoulders weighs heavily the
mantle of his illustrious sire. The par
ticular cause for amazement was the
unsatisfactory terminal facilities in the
North End. In order that Mr. Hil, Jr.,
will not think that Portland alone of
fers cause for amazement In terminal
facilities, he is respectfully referred to
the following from the Tacoma News:
There is not a town or hamlet on the en
tire line of the Northern Pacific Railroad
from St. Paul to Tacoma that has such a
disgrace for a depot as the one here. There
ehould not he a -single concession granted
to the Northern Pacific Railway until It
starts its depot. The "film flam" artists
that have been "handing It" to us for years
are still at their old game, and they should
be brought up with a sudden turn.
Sheriff Beatie, of Clackamas County,
expresses a fervent desire to close the
Milwaukle gambling club, but seems to
be In doubt about the evidence. "I
have made a determined effort," says
he, "to get evidence to prove a case
in the courts, but so far have been un
able to do so." If there is no other
way for securing the evidence, the
Sheriff might pocket his scruples and
invest in a stack of whites with which
to copper the ace. If the man who is
pulling the cards out of the little tin
box wins'the bet, it is gambling. If the
Sheriff should win, it would be neces
sary for him to make another "deter
mined effort" to get more evidence.
Since the Legislature is to elect to
the Senate the man who may get the
plurality of the popular vote, even
though he may be a Democrat and the
Legislature Republican, or vice versa,
why shouldn't the electoral colleges of
the several states cast their votes for
and elect to the Presidency the man
who may get a plurality of the votes of
the people of the' United States, whether
the candidate may be a member of one
party or another? Often the candidate
for the Presidency has been elected,
when the popular vote was for another
candidate. Perhaps Oregon will take
the lead in the new reform. It's a sa
cred principle, you know.
The people of the United States do
not consider the Western Federation,
of which Haywood, Mover and Petti
bone are officials, a legitimate labor or
ganization. It has just been cast out
of Minnesota, where it was attempting
the tactics that have ruined it In Idaho
and Colorado. The organization may
be maintained, indeed, but emplbyers
will not recognize it and state authori
ties defy it. Were it a legitimate labor
organization", these things could not be.
For use in construction work, the
builders of the Tillamook road shipped
a second-hand locomotive to the city
at that end of the proposed line. ' They
were particular to state that it was to
be used for construction purposes only,
lest the people might immediately
frame a petition to the Railroad Com
mission for better equipment. As it is,
perhaps there will be no appeals to the
Commission until the road is finished.
Farmers, railroad builders and other
employers of labor know that there is
one sifre remedy for the scarcity of la
bor, but they are not likely to resort to
It. By voting in a Democratic admin
istration the employers could soon get
all the workers they want at their own
price.
A wild mob, trying to break into the
entrance of a prizefight arena in San
Francisco, with police driving them
back with clubs, is another manifesta
tion of the. normal condition of a cer
tain populous class. Lovers of civic
order almost despair of San Francisco.
Uncle Sam is shipping a lot of books
to Panama for libraries in the men's
ciubrooms. And it is certain he em
ployed no literary prudes to cut
out "Huckleberry Finn," that made
Mark Twain so popular in England.
The Seattle assessment roll for 1907
shows an increase in valuations over
last year of more than $23,000,000. This
increase brings the figure up to within
about $20,000,000 of Portland's assessed
valuation. "
In the shocking details of . Laura
Matthew's life and her taking off, as
well as in a similar local tragedy, once
more is the lesson taught, the wages of
sin is death.
It is to be hoped Old Man Bennett
will see to it that there be no butter
milk in the vicinity when Bill Taft
hits up Rabbitvllle.
The United States has played in big
luck lately by escaping war with
Japan, California and North Carolina.
To be starter of a horse race in Seat
tle is fully as dangerous as umpiring
in the Pacific Coast League.
July earnings of railroads nine per
cent greater than in 1906. Roosevelt Is
Just mining the country.
Ex-Senator Mulkey lsnt going to sit
still and have the toga handed to him
again on a silver salver.
Oregon needed one hot day in order
to be made mindful of our temperate
Summer climate.
eecretary Taft will be In Portland
September 6. And Portland won't for
get the date.
The City Hall advertises for a cus
todian. We recommend Dr Harry
Lane, .'."'
It is Knox's turn bow to ge after a
Carnegie hero medal.
CITY GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION
It May Be Adapted to Places With Less
Than 100,000 People.
Washington (D.C.) Post.
The plan of government adopted by the
city of Galveston. Texas, when visited
by an appalling calamity was - not in
tended as a permanent system. It was
an emergency expedient devised to sim
plify and expedite the regeneration of
the stricken city. But it still stands and
Is likely to remain in Galveston, and one
or two other Texas cities have adopted
it. It is a far call from Texas to Iowa,
from Galveston to Des Moines, but the
inhabitants of the latter city have voted
to follow Galveston. This right has been
extended to the cities of Iowa by the
State Legislature, and If the experiment
shall be carried out it will undoubtedly
excite much Interest in other localities.
The published description of the scheme
shows that It contemplates the elimina
tion of all ward lines and of the existing
aldermanic board. Five commissioners
chosen by the vote of the entire com
munity are to administer its affairs: but
franchises' are not to be granted except
after direct approval by the voters, to
whom the question must be referred.
Any of the commissioners may be re
moved from office before the expiration
of his term if a majority of duly quail
fled citizens cast their ballots against
him. Among the most conspicuous of
failures in governmental affairs In the
United States may be set down the gov
erning of municipalities. Not one of our
large cities has been spared the disgrace
and financial loss Incident to being held
up for years and recklessly robbed by
rings. Republican Philadelphia , has
matched Democratic New York in this
infamy. At times the governments of
Chicago and St. Louis have been instru
mentalities for robbing the taxpayers,
but that la not the present situation.
The commission plan may be found well
adapted to small cities like the Iowa
capital, whose population is less than
100,000, but it would probably fail in a
very large city.
MVSIC AT FORESTRY BUILDING.
Proteat Asnlnat Discontinuance of
Weekly Concert by the City Band.
PORTLAND. Aug. 1. (To the Ed
itor.) On behalf of fully one-half the
residents of the West Side, let me pro
test against discontluing the concerts
scheduled for once a week at the park
surrounding the Forestry building.
I can not fix the blame. The first
and only concert last month drew a
large crowd. Why thie discrimination?
A trip to the . Forestry building in
volves a delightful ride and avoids the
tiresome climb to the City Park. It
is the coolest place In town. It Is
within walking distance of the homes
of several thousand worklngmen and
their families who can not afford to go
away for the. Summer. Are these not
entitled to the small consideration of
one concert a week during August?
I 'write this in the hope that the
Park Commission will see its full duty
to the city, and do It. J. L.
Too Kxflnalve a Definition.
Charleston News and Courier.
The Nashville American says: "A
Democrat is a man who sweats when
it is hot, who drinks when he is Invited,
an i who cusses when things don't go
to suit him." One dislikes to cavil at
so terse and clean-cut a definition, but
if applied rigidly, it will exclude our
most noble leaders. Colonel Bryan
drinks not, neither does h cuss. Colo
nel Graves sweats not (he perspires)
and runs a Prohibition newspaper.
Senator Tillman drinks' little and advo
cates whisky shops In which men can
not be invited to drink, and, besides,
he cusses whether things go to suit him
or not. Ex-Senator armack is a walk
ing repudiation of the definition. Per
haps Grover Cleveland, Colonel Wat
terson and Senator Daniel are Demo
crats. "Getting; Togelher" In Ioiva.
Providence (R. 1.) Journal.
Iowa has a new religious cult that
is said to have no jual In the United
States. One of its principal weird fea
tures is that the members of the sect
get what Is described as "celestial guid
ance in their love affairs.." This Is the
way- the "guidance" works, according
to reliable press reports: In the midst
oi one exciting meeting a gentleman
named Brewer popped up and shouted:
"Oh, Lord, lead me to Mrs. Clyde Miller,
whom the spirit tells me to marry."
"Oh. glory'." ejaculated the Widow
Miller, also popping up from her seat.
"My heart has left my body and It tells
me to become the wife of John Brew
er." Forthwith a license was procured
and the couple were married with neat
ness and dispatch.
Two Ways On the Tariff.
Hartford Times.
There are two ways of staving off
tariff reform inthe United States. One
is Senator Foraker's way, which is to
declare frankly that he does not be
lieve the tariff ough' to be touched and
that people who support him must do
so with the understanding that he will
oppose any tariff legislation. The oth
er way is that of the Republicans who
say that they are In favor of tariff
revision after the next Presidential
election or at some other time whMi
they generally fail to specify. On the
whole, we think the Ohio . Senator's
way the better one.
Tax on Church Property t
LENTS, Or.. July 30. To the Ed
itor.) An article In last Tuesday's Ore
gonian on "Troubles and Ecclesiastics"
brings out the question. Why not tax
all church property? Is there any real
reason for not doing so? Tax all. prop
erty where the title does not rest in
the state or the National Government.
Editorial comment along this line, and if
possible an expression from other calm,
broad-minded students of affairs, would
be of great interest to many of us.
S. E. PRENTISS.
Rhode Ialand View of Hugrhea.
Providence Journal.
The adjournment of the Legislature
with the Hughes promises amply re
deemed, not by reason of a sudden
conversion of the old-time leaders, but
through the forceful personality of the
Governor himself, renders him, as must
be apparent at Oyster Bay and else
where a more striking figure than ever
before in National politics. To put the
situation in a phrase, he has "made
good."
The Universal Opinion.
Grant's Pass Observer.
The trial of Haywood at Boise, Idaho,
ended on Saturday night with a verdict
of acquittal by the Jury. That settles
the matter so far as the law Is con
cerned, and Haywood goes forth a free
man. But the great bulk of the Ameri
can people did not find anything in the
evidence submitted to change their be
lief In the substantial truth of Orch
ard's confession. '
Why Such Democratic t'nlty T
The Dalles Optimist.
Has anybody noticed any of the Demo
cratic papers or any members of the
Democratic party finding fault with the
direct primaries law? Is it not a little
singular that singly, individually, en
masse and en bloc they should be sup
porting this law, which, to use Davey's
expression, "the Republican party gave
to the stater It is to laugh.
Benton County a Pride.
Albany Democrat.
John Brown, of Monroe, Benton county,
has IT children. He is 46, Mrs. Brown
41. Mr. Brown thinks Oregon the most
productive country on globe. .
BY LILIAN TINGLE.
THE weather,, such as we have had
during the past week, the average
woman, left- to herself, would prob
ably subsist entirely on salads and Ice
cream; but for a Sunday dinner, where
"the man of the house" demands the
savory meats his soul loveth there must
be a somewhat more elaborate menu.
To my mind the best roast for this oc
casion Is Spring lamb (which is plentiful
and good just now) with mint sauce and
new vegetables. Veal is rather scarce
this week, and sweetbreads are not easily
obtained.
Poultry, on the other hand, is rather
more plentiful. There are good broilers
ranging In price from 25c to $1; ducks
from 50c to $1;' and delicious looking
squabs are 3 for $1. For a luncheon dish,
lambs' kidneys, broiled or saute, are par
ticularly good; and, luckily for those
that appreciate them, they cost only 25c
per dozen in Portland. I have had to
pay three times as much In cities where
they were esteemed as a delicacy: and in
other places I have had them free for the
asking. '
In the fish markets, the bass seems
especially good this week. Halibut and
rock cod were fine, and I saw nice fresh
hening. Fresh herring. rolled and
baked with vinegar and spices, and eaten
cold with a crisp salad, makes a nice hot
weather luncheon or Sunday supper. The
small Puget Sound smelt now in the mar
ket are good, packed sardine fashion in
a dish and similarly treated. There are
plenty of clams and crawfish. The first
fresh mackerel Is In this week and costs
15c per pound. Shad Is almost gone and
there is no shad-roe except of the cold
storage kind.
Celery Is better and more plentiful than
last week, costing 10c to 15c per bunch.
Tomatoes are particularly good; three
pounds for 25c seems the average price,
but some of. the choicer kinds cost more.
I saw some good cauliflower, but most
of it is poor at this time. There are
good vegetable marrows (beloved of the'
English) to be had. and Summer squashes
are plentiful. A pile of the latter, plump
crinkled vegetables, not far from a dish
of nice fresh-looking shrimps, suggests
that delicious combination known as
"stuffed squash a la Creole."
Early pumpkins are here, ready for
preserving or for pies. They cost about
30c each at present. New sweet pota
toes are also in the market. Cucumbers
are plentiful: and there are tiny green
ones ready for pickling. Green corn is
still good. Green corn saute with green
peppers is worth going far to taste. Pep
pers are 15c per pound.
Melons take precedence among the
fruits this week. Oregon canteloupes cost
from 10c to 25c each. Watermelons come
about 2c per pound. One has a certain
sympathy with the darky, who declined
a proffered fork, asserting that he pre
ferred to eat his melon "with his face"
so that he could "a'sorb it through every
poah." ,
I saw the very last of the pie-cherries
at 10c per pound. Apricots are rather
high in price this year. Peaches are
coming in at 50c per basket. Apples and
plums are fairly plentiful. Huckleberries
are good: but the mild blackberries are
nearly over and the other berries are get
ting scarce. Not so the flies, however.
In one instance I had to "shoo": vigorous
ly before I could be sure whether the
crate I was examining really contained
blackberries and then I saw they were
rasps!. The moral Is fairly obvious.
"PARAMOUNT" AND "IMMEDIATE."
A Gentleman Who la Puraued by Hla
Kloquent Past,
New York World, Dem.
In 1900 Mr. Bryan dominated the Demo
cratic National Convention at Kansas
City. By his direction the convention re
affirmed the Chicago platform of 1S96 and
demanded the free and unlimited coinage
of silver at 16 to 1, but took the precau
tion to declare imperialism to be "the
paramount issue."
The efforts of Democrats to keep Mr.
Bryan's free-silver views in the back
ground during the'campalgn failed signal
ly. As a result Mr. Bryan was worse
beaten than In 198.
On his return from Europe last August
Mr. Bryan In Madison Square Garden
proclaimed his belief in Government own
ership of railroads and has since been
ardently preaching the Socialistic doc
trine. For obvious reasons of prudence he
now concedes that "Government owner
ship is not an immediate issue."
But does Mr. Bryan Imagine that if he
should be the Democratic candidate for
President next year his opponents would
let the ease rest there? No matter what
political conventions may say in their
platforms, Mr. Bryan is pursued by his
eloquent past. Once in nomination he
would soon discover It is not true that
"there is no dfslre anywhere to make
Government ownership an issue In 190?."
In spite of all explanations and sub
terfuges he could no more help being a
Government-ownership candidate In 1908
than he could help being a free-silver
candidate in lfton.
Genuine Pnnnma. Too. Probably.
Roseburg Spokesman.
It is not generally known, but it is a
fact that Mrs. Sallie A. Long, of Ton-
APPRECIATING THE PROTECTION OF A GOOD FENCE
IN THE MAGAZINE
SECTION OF THE
SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
MERRY DAYS AT
THE PUBLIC BATHS
Full page of illustrations in
colors of scenes at the big free
swimming house in the Willam
ette River, mainly boys in
action.
PILLARS OF HERCULES,
COLUMBIA RIVER
Full-page picture in colors of
one of the noted scenes in
Oregon.
THE SHEARING OP
THE WILD WOLF
O. Henry tells how it became
necessary for Jeff Peters to
draw a diagram of his con
science. TAKES UP CAUSE
OF THE PIGEONS
Homer Davenport with pic
ture and pen makes a plea for
'"fashionable" pigeons which
must endure constant discom
fort. LITTLE-KNOWN
LUMBER MILLIONAIRES
Dexter Marshall writes of
Weyerhaeuser, who "pays more
attention to his credit than his
clothes," and tells why he is a
man of few words.
j
UNIQUE PLAN TO SAVE
FRENCH BABIES
Philanthropists and the City
of Paris join to prevent the
killing .of children born in dis
honor. ROBLEY EVANS, FIGHTER
AND DIPLOMAT
Excellent sketch and striking
portraits of (he most noted and
picturesque figure in the Ameri
can Navy.
BIG REAL ESTATE
BOOM IN EGYPT
Frank 0. Carpenter describes
Alexandria, which is growing
like a weed and getting rich in
business with a country where
farm lands sell at $500 to 11000
an acre.
NEW AERIAL FLEET
FOR OUR ARMY
John Elfreth Watkins tells of
giant war balloons that Uncle
Sam is now building.
ORDER FROM YOUR
NEWS DEALER TODAY.
calla, made the first straw hat ever made
in this part of the country if not In the
state. She plaited the straw and sewed
it into a hat. In those early days such
articles were not kept for sale In the
country.
"United Matea Ruled by 78 Men."
Kansas City Times.
In a speech at Independence, Kan.,
United States Senator La Follette said
that this country Is now practically
ruled by 76 men, one of whom Is
Chauncey Depew.
Apron and Runaway Horaes.
Hartford (Conn.l Times.
Mre. John Lynch, of Stamford, Conn.,
stopped a runaway by waving her
apron at the horses, standing resolute
ly in the middle of the road until they
reached her.
Ft. Paul Dispatch. "