Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, January 03, 1908, Image 8

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Morning Oregonian., January 03, 1908, Page 8, Image 8

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Newspaper Page TextTHE MORNING OREGONIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3. 1908. 8 - SUBSCRIPTION RATES. INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. By Mall.) ally, Sunday Included. one year 8 X? Dally. Sunday Included, six month.... 4-25 Dally, Sunday included, three months.. 2 ZS Dally. Sunday Included, one month 75 Daily, without Sunday, one year J-JO Dally, without Sunday, six montha. ... Dally, without Sunday, three montha.. 1.75 bally, without Sunday, one month.... -60 Sunday, one year ,lk tVsekly, one year (Issued Thursday)... 1 Sunday and weekly, one year 00 BY CARRIER. Dally. Sunday included, one year Dally, Sunday included, one month.... t -io HOW TO REMIT Send pootofllce money order, expresa order or personal your local bank, stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. Give postoBlce ad dress in luU. including- county and state. POSTAGE RATES. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postofflce as second-Class Matter. 10 to 14 Pages...- J IS to 28 Page BO to 44 Pages J 44 to 60 Page c,nM Foreign postage, double rates. IMPORTANT The postal laws are ""Jet. Newspapers on which P' w.,no'. prepaid are not forwarded to destination. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The 8. C. Beckwith fcpecial Agency New Torn, rooms 48-50 Tribune building. Chi cago, rooms 810-512 Tribune building. KEPT ON SALE. Chicago Auditorium Annex; PostoOlca News Co.. 178 dearborn street. .,, St. Paul, Minn. N. St. Marl. Commercial Station. Colorado Springs, Colo. Bell, H. H. Denver Hamilton and Kendrlck. O'-'J Seventeenth street: Pratt Book Store. 1214 Fifteenth street; H. P. Hansen. M. Rw. Geo. Carson. Kansas City, Mo. Rlcksecker Cigar Co Ninth and Walnut; Toms, News Co. Minneapolis M. J. Cavanaugh, 60 South Third. ., Cleveland, O. James Pushaw, SOT su perior street. Washington, D. C Ebbltt House. Penn sylvania avenue. . .uf Philadelphia. Pa. Ryan's Theater Ticket Office; Penn News Co. New York City U Jones A Co.. Astor. House; Broadway Theater News stand; Ar thur Hotaltng Wagons; Empire News Stano. Ogden D. L. Boyle; Lowe Bros., 114 Twenty-fifth street. Omaha Barkalow Broa. Union Station: Uageath stationery Co. Dee Moines, la. Mose Jacobs. Sacramento. Cel. Sacramento New CO.. 430 K streot; Amos News Co. Halt Lake Moon Book A stationery Co.; Rosenfeld A Hansen; IS. W. Jewett. P. O corner. I.n, Angeles B. E. Amos, manager ten street wagons. Pasadena. Cal. Amos News Co. San Diego B. E. Amos. Long Beach, Cal. B. E. Amos. San Jose, Cal. St. James Hotel News Eland. Dallas, Tex. Southwestern News Agent, 844 Main street; also two street wagons. Amarlllo, Tex. Tlmmons A Pope. . baa Francisco Foster A Orear: Ferry News Stand; Hotel St. Francis News Stand. L. Parent; N. Wheatley; Falrmount Hotel News Stand; Amos News Co.; United News ? Agents, 14 ft Eddy street; B. B. Amos, man l ager three wagons. ' Oakland, Cal. W. H. Johnson. Fourteenth ' and Franklin streets; N. Wheatley; Oakland : News Stand; B. E. Amos, manager nve 1 wagons - - Uoidneld, Nev. Louie Follln; C. E. ' Hunter. Eureka, Cal. Call-Chronicle Agency; Eu ; reka News Co. PORTLAND. FRIDAY. JANUARY S. 1908. WRECKING A RAILROAD. A Federal judge holding court in Mr. Ryan's . private car at 2 o'clock In the morning on the way from Dan ville to Richmond, enveloped In a host of Ryan and Harriman lawyers, presents a suggestive and edifying spectacle. If the Harriman and Ryan crowd had not got their receiver for the miserable Seaboard Railroad appointed with this situation in their favor, it would have been surprising indeed. There is no record that the stockholders of the road were repre sented in this strange judicial pro ceeding, and very likely It would do them no good if they had been. The whole affair seems to have been care fully cut and dried, and this session of the court, held in transit, looks like a maneuver to carry the plan through without their interruption. The next step will be to throw the road Into bankruptcy, sell the prop- jerty of the shareholders to the Har- riman crowd for a quarter of its ' value, use. the proceeds to pay off flc- titious debts, and leave the Investors to howl to the moon for their money. Us 1st eine alte Geschichte, as the too satirical Heine would say. 'Tis an old, old story, and one that has been told so often that it is a little sicken ing. The receivership for the Seaboard Railroad is the culminating move In a game of high finance wMch Mr. Ryan and his gang began some five years ago. The road was at that time un der the management of a Southern business man of inflexible Integrity who had a hereditary interest in its welfare. The shares were owned then, as now, by people in Virginia - and Baltimore who had sought them as an investment. By well-known tricks of his thieving trade Mr. Ryan .got a hold on the property which he used to beat down the price of its shares, destroy its business and Anally wreck it. The game was played with his customary skill and somewhat more than his customary defiance of law and honor. In alliance with him were Harriman and the plundering j: Standard Oil interests which are Just i now assailing high heaven with their ' shrieks of injured innocence on ac count of Judge Landls' fine. What a pity they could not have spirited Judge Landis away in one of their sumptuous private cars while he was deliberating upon his decision. Per haps then it would all have turned out so differently. This new act of high-handed piracy is one of the most infamous in the long series of Ryan and Standard Oil infamies. For cold-blooded villainy it exceeds anything In the scandalous - history of the New York street rail t. roads. Doubtless when the tale is '.'finished, when the robbery of the j shareholders has been consummated, then Ryan, Harriman and their pals f will issue another appeal to the public ,v for more confidence ir them and their methods. Doubtless their organs in i New York will begin another cam- palgn of slander against the President 7;- to cover their Infamy and smother the ?. scent of their foulness. They know t well how to play the trick. t Nobody expects this crowd to ab- stain from robbery so long as there is (. anything or anybody to rob; but one would Imagine that the courts, after all that has been said and done, would cease to lend them the cloak of le gallty' for their thefts. . What can a judge be thinking of who permits himself to be spirited away at ; o'clock In the morning by a gang of corporation lawyers intent upon wrecking a railroad? This same judge lately enjoined the State of Virginia from enforcing its laws osten . lbly to prevent the confiscation of 'corporation property; will he be as alert to prevent the confiscation if the property of the shareholders In the harri-sd and beleaguered Seaboard Railway? IT IS HARMLESS BLUSTER. Repeated and continuous state ments come that Japan is preparing to assert and to maintain her mastery over the Pacific Ocean, and that her people regard the United States as their principal rival. This kind of thing Is well enough, all in a peace ful way, you know; but when the Jap anese talk of guns and drums and villainous gunpowder, in- connection with It, why, then, belike there may be a different thought about It. Japan has her Jingo party. It keeps up a lot of rhodomontade. It is for home consumption, mostly. In our country we should say It was stuff for Buncombe County. Behind It Is much Ignorance; and yet there Is lntellij gence enough In Japan to preserve her from the last danger of making fool of herself and invoking her fate. Japan has resources for a defensive position, but not for an aggressive ca reer. With China her Influence may be considerable, and over Corea and Manchuria It will be great. Yet any excess may forfeit It. Japan has not the physical or material resources necessary for an aggressive career. She was really at the last gasp when fortune gave her peace with Russia. It Is preposterous to Imagine that she will seek war with the United States; for the first consequence would be re newal of the purpose and effort of Russia to absorb Corea and Man churia. The United- States would meet Japan at sea and Russia would meet her on land. Her resources wouldn't last a year. ' But we want to let the Island em pire of the Orient alone. It has Its own place In the world and Its own work to do. Nor shall we mind a lit tle harmless swagger on the part of the Japanese. Let the bully boy, who has just found out that he is alive. have room to bustle In. He feels good over It, and who can begrudge him? ONE HTNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS OLD. Death,' when it comes to the very aged, is merely the coming of a mes senger long delayed. Its arrival causes, or should cause, neither sor row nor regret. The person who lives on and on, bereft by the years of sight and hearing; the friends and compan ions of whose youth, middle life and even ordinary old age, have all passed beyond call; whose round of days is made up of eating without the zest of appetite, sleeping without being re freshed and moving about with the help of others, may be said in all kindness and sympathy to linger su perfluous upon the stage. Reverence due to age is mingled with pity for the man or woman who simply folds his or her limp hands and waits the tardy summons of Nature. It is thus that those who have for years heard with emotions of reverence and tenderness that Mrs. Mary Ramsey Wood a cen tenarian still lived at her home in Washington County alert and bright 'for her age," but blind and deaf and infirm of body learned with thank fulness that she died New Year's day. Life at last, after long tarrying with this feeble, outworn body, stole gently away without even the frying formal ity of a last "good night" but in the dawn of the new year "in some hap pier clime bade her good morning." The work of "Grandma Wood had long been done. The record of the years shows that it was well done ac cording to the measure of her strength and opportunity. Prodigal time gave her one hundred and twenty years of his store. Being enough and more than enough, who shall grieve that his largess was withdrawn? A GREAT MISTAKE. Reports from Washington con"rm the rumor that Congress will do noth ing at this session toward establishing postal savings banks and a parcels post. In this matter It seems to be making the blunder so often made be fore of preferring the interest of a small and noisy class to that of the country at large. The express trust has egged on the country storekeepers to oppose -these immensely beneficial measures, and together they .have frightened Congress into inaction. The parcels post and the postal sav ings banks must wait until after the Presidential election, if not forever. Of course a two-fold fear stifles the flaming zeal of our legislators for the public good. Were the express com panies offended, campaign contribu tions would be more or less endan gered. Were the country merchants offended a certain number of votes might be sacrificed. But in this con nectlon there are two considerations which cannot be wholly suppressed One of them is that campaign contri butions cannot Insure party success without popular approval. The air is swarming with signs that the Amerl can voter hangs to his party by a frightfully slender thread. The de feat or indefinite postponement of a measure so much desired by the peo ple as the postal savings banks, for example, will inevitably change thou sands of votes. It will tend to con firm the complaint, now so often heard, that the Republican party fa. vors the special interests Instead of the common people. In periods when party enthusiasm Is strong leaders can often afford to trifle with popular wishes; but in times like this such a course is suicidal and the error cannot be retrieved by amassing of campaign contributions, however generous. - We must not forget, either, the growing disposition of the people to vote for those who favor their meas urea and against those who oppose them. Congress, by its Inaction, ad mits that the country merchants will probably cast their votes according to their interests, without regard to party ties. Will not the farmers do the same? Will not the multitude who desire postal savings banks do the same? Very likely the politicians count upon the inability of the farm ers and their sympathizers xto act as compactly as the country merchants can, but in all likelihood they are making a mistake. Things have al tered greatly in this particular within a few years. To a Congressman who has failed to support the parcels post the farmers are only too likely to say, "Your action in Congress has been not for us, but for the express trust and the country merchants. Now let them re-elect you if they can. We shall vote for somebody that will fa vor our interests." It seems almost certain that the policy of inaction which has para lyzed Congress is a fatal error. There are mahy things which the country eagerly desires o see done. The knowledge that their legislators are simply dallying with the public inter est to pass away the time until the election is over will please only a few pe;ople, while it will offend thousands. The .country as a. whole no longer sets partisan success above plain economic advantage. The party which receives the votes, of the intelligent electors must earn them by valuable service. POPULATION OF" WASHINGTON. Mr. Sam Nichols, Secretary of State for Washington, has again placed in jeopardy his reputation for economy, political acumen and diplomacy. In the annual "Booster Book," which is issued from his office, appear among other statistics figures giving the es timated population of the state by cit ies and counties. Advance sheets for the 1908 issue have been received, and there is trouble ahead for Sam. Ac cording to his estimates, the popula tion of the entire state is 1,158.998 and only about one-fourth of the number is credited to Seattle, the modest estimate for -that city being 240,000. This was apparently the "directory , census" figure. If Sam had followed that system throughout the state,, he would have saved consid erable money that was wasted in se curing figures elsewhere, and In addi tion would have had the satisfaction of knowing that he lived in a state with a population running from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 people. On this, particular point, Mr. Nich ols should be censured for wasting state funds to secure information which the directory people or the lo cal push clubs could have given him on demand. The Jolt which his repu tation for diplomacy will receive will be even more severe. As an example, we find Pullman, Wash., credited with 3000, and Colfax, its nearest neighbor, given 3600 population. This will be hilariously pleasing to Statesman Mar tin Maloney, who runs the hotel and Is trying to convert Colffcx into a Democratic municipality, but- how about Perry Lawrence, the Whitman County Republican -warhorse from Pullman? The answer will be forth coming as soon as Perry can whisper in Sam's ear. Then "keep your eye on" Pasco" when her citizens learn that her population is placed at 1200, compared with 1500 for that of Ken newlck. When Sam goes east of the mountains" to replace some of- the fallen props In his political fence, what excuse can he offer to the citi zens of Cheney (pop. 1500) for the appearance In the, "Booster Book" of Sprague with 1700 population? Or, coming down along the North ern Pacific, where the "southwest combine" has a strangle hold on state politics, what will the free and en lightened voters of Chehalls (pop. 6000) say when they read: Centralia (pop. 6000)? Then there Is Winloclt (pop. 1200), lying close to Castle Rock (pop. 1400). Naturally a wall will sweep down from Spokane (pop. 80,000) when the citizens of the in land burg take note that it is Tacoma (pop. 90,000). And yet, laying aside these little differences of local opinion, it may be that Secretary Nichols is entitled to praise. Seattle ought to be satisfied. and It Is extremely doubtful if search warrants and microscopes could re veal the presence in the Evergreen State of more than 1,158,998 popula tion. Even at that, carping critics will hint that the figures were attained by the system mentioned by a rhym- ster as "counting noses twice, and even numbering rats and mice." BILLIONS FROM THE CONSUMER. The Department of Agriculture has Issued the final figures on the crops for 1907, and they show quite clearly that the farmers of the country this year have made more millions than ever before. The value of the wheat crop alone was more than $550,000. 000. Corn leads all other products with a valuation of $1,340,000,000 while oats, barley, potatoes, rice and other necessities bring the total value of farm products up to $3,408,000,000 which is approximately $500,000,000 more than the value of the output last year. It is, of course, gratifying to note the wholesale prosperity that has settled over the farming commu nity, but it is through superficial no tice of these figures that we have been led to believe that there are invinci ble safeguards against financial trou ble in this country. Unfortunately for those who are not farmers, the greater part of this added $500,000,000 in value must be paid by our own consumers, who also buy an overwhelming proportion of all the products we grow. Wheat is one of our largest exports, and yet the for eigners this year will pay us for wheat and flour little, if any, more than $150,000,000, leaving a balance of $400,000,000 to be collected from the American consumer. Our exports of corn are comparatively small, and pork products, which might be termed corn in a condensed state, are also consumed at home in quantities sev eral times as large as those which are exported. And so on through the list. The big crops and high prices have benefited thousands of farmers and the added burden has fallen on mil Hons of ' consumers. A shortage in the wheat crop in foreign countries is responsible for the high prices in this country, but,, having forced the price up, the foreigner only buys about one-fourth of our crop, and our wn consumers must pay the increased price for the remaining three-fourths. It Is in these years of high prices for farm products that the unfortu nate consumer can appreciate to the fullest extent the beneficent workings of our tariff system. If we were working under a reciprocal policy which would enable our consumers ot take advantage-of the rare bargains in clothing and other necessities of life that are cheap in foreign coun tries and high in this country, they would be in -a better position to stand the burden of high prices for wheat, corn, pork, etc. The foreigner not only gets our farm products at the same prices we pay, less the freight. but he can buy hundreds of American manufactured' articles for much less money than our protected "trusts" de mand from the American consumer. A revision of the tariff would have lit tle If any effect on the price of farm products, but it would enable the con sumers of the country to save millions, on other necessaries of life, thus eas ing the burden of high-priced farm products. Incidentally it would pre vent the wholesale looting of - the American people by the Carnegles, Havemeyers and other beneficiaries of the present reprehensible system. Mrs. Cooke, wife of the recreant clergyman who eloped from Hamp- stead, L. I., with a young girl of his flock last Spring, takes a rather un usual view ofTfer own position. "My husband's crime is not against me," she is (reported to have said, "but against the girl, the church and God." In the usual accounting in such a case the deserted wife has suffered some wrong. The irresistible conclusion is that a wife who views the matter as doe3 Mrs. Cooke considers herself for tunate In being rid of an incubus without effort on her part. A case of surprising ignorance re-, garding the right of suffrage and the rightful exercise of it appears at Seat tle. At the latest election there the soldiers at Fort Lawton were permit ted to vote. It is supposed their votes elected the present Mayor, Moore, who, upon the count, had fifteen ma jority. Friends of the Mayor have been counting on a big vote for him at the next election, which will be held . In March prox. But now the City Attor ney Is reported to -have made the dis covery that the soldiers at the mili tary post have no right to vote, nor ever had. But, he says, "they may vote in a National election" we sup pose he means for electors of Presi dent and Vice-President. In fact. they have no right to vote in any elec tion, unless at the place where they lived before enlistment. The laws of each'sta"te control the suffrage, subject only to the restriction provided by the fifteenth amendment. We think the laws of the State of Washington do not allow to soldiers of the United States the right to vote, when they may happen to be in garrison in that state: , The Bank of England rate was low ered from 7 per cent to 6 per cent yes terday, this action being-the strongest evidence that has yet appeared to con firm the improvement in the financial situation. The rate was advanced to the abnormal figure for the purpose of checking gold exports, but It now seems quite clear that even the record-breaking quantities in which the yellow met,al came to this country were insufficient to disarrange finances in the Old World to any appreciable extent, and the return of confidence on this side of the ocean appeared before the danger point was reached in "England. The reduction in the bank rate came at an opportune time. as it served to offset the temporary weakness caused by the news of the Seaboard" line's difficulties. This country is rapidly getting into a posi tion where all of the ranting and confidence-destroying talk that can be in dulged in will not stay the return of prosperity. Count Bonl de Castellane and his cousin. Prince Hello de Sagan, two 'birds of .a feather," engaged in a street brawl in Paris yesterday, in the course of which they landed in the gutter, bruised and bleeding. The gutter was, of course, the most appro priate place for them in the absence of any convenient opening to a sewer, but they were rescued by the police and It is announced that a duel will be fought. There is still hope, If the. ru mor of the duel is not unfounded, for there might be possibility of their killing each other. If the affair has such a pleasing termination the two gutter snipes should die happy in the knowledge that at last they had done something worth while for their country. Later accounts of the Japanese riot at Vancouver state that the firemen who were stabbed had, previous to the encounter, offered to pay the Japanese for 'the damage which they had in flicted on the building. This may be used at the trial as an extenuating circumstance for the Japanese. It was such an unusual proceeding that the brown men were perhaps shocked into a state ""of temporary insanity. On the whole, however, the situation may be best as it is, for had the fire men merely broken the window and fled, it would have necessitated the application of diplomatic splints and arnica to the wounded pride of swag gering Japan. The "unwritten law" of today was written ten centuries before the Chris tian era by a man known in the liter ary and religious world as Solomon. In the latter part of the sixth chapter of Proverbs he said: Men do not despise a thief If he steal to satisfy his soul when he la hungry; but if he be found he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. ' But who committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he that doeth. it de stroyeth his own eouL . A wound and dishonor shall be get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For Jealousy is the rage of a man; there fore he will not spare in the day of ven geance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content though thou glvest many gifts. The Assessor has found $233,000, 000 worth of taxable property in Multnomah " County. He could win the lasting gratitude of a large num ber of taxpayers if he would find buyers for the property at the figure at which he has assessed much of the real estate. The figures, however, go well with the directory census, and give every man, woman and child in the . city directory census something more than $1000 each. Shades of the mighty Earp family. Dan Quinn, the old cattleman, not to mention Mr. Bat Masterson et al.. Colorado has closed up her gambling games and even refused to permit a New Year's day prizefight to be pulled off. Here is- an opening for some twentieth century Mother Shipton to get In and predict the end of the world, with a good prospect for find ing some people who would believe it. A prominent Broadway restaurant in New York has introduced the prac tice of permitting women to smoke in its dining-rooms. As New York women have for years been permitted to get drunk in public restaurants, the additional freedom is not so great a concession to vice as might at first b9 suspected. At this distance it would seem that Thomas F. Ryan has not increased his popularity by financing the Seaboard Air Line. No one has yet suggested that a new City Jail and a. garbage crema tory could be combined on one site. Governor Hughes' views on reform ing New York's banking laws may be applied also to Oregon. The new twentydollar pieces won't "stack up." They ' never make that mistake with "chips." s CAN BRYAN CARRY NEW YORK? He Can,, if Any Reactionary Shall Be Nominated Against Him. New York Press, Rep. Our judgment of the public's temper regarding the progressive movement begun by Mr. Roosevelt and the reac tionary attitude of those elements that are bitterly opposed, quite impartially, to Mr. Roosevelt and to Mr. Bryan alike, is that there is not the slightest doubt that next year the Commoner could carry New York against a Knox, a Fairbanks or a Cortelyou. He could A .kl. 4 . 1 . ....... . ! ! - 1110, ij. wc uilueiDiauu buj liiiiis " all about the sentiments of the people of New York and of the United States, because they know that he represents their views and their purposes vastly better than any of the other" three whom we Iraye mentioned. The voters of the country do not, by any manner of means, indicate that they believe Bryan has the capacity to do for them the things they are determined to have done before they relinquish their pres ent mission of making political revolu tions. But they' know that Bryan at least, is in sympathy with them, and nothing could convince them that a Knox, a Fairbanks or a Cortelyou would dream of fulfilling the resolve of the people or of serving their in terests before the special interests. And the American voters, without the slightest hesitation, will choose the man who is for them, though he may lack the gifts to perform their pro gramme, over any candidate who is known or merely suspected to be against the fulfillment of their will. Nothing could be more foolish for the Republican party and more stupid for anybody than to Ignore this vivid truth that Bryan will carry New York and the country against any repre sentative of the reactionaries, whoever he may be. On the other hand, a Re publican committed by both word and deed to the progressive programme of the American people and of a proved capacity to get actual results, the right results, that they are resolved to ob tain, will beat Mr. Bryan in New York and in the Nation just as surely as the sun will rise and set on election day. And in considering such a man the minds of the voters so naturally ex clude all others today that it is super fluous to give a further description of him than the mere mention of the name of Charles Evans Hughes, Gov ernor of New York. IOWA'S OUT-DATED SENATOR Allison's Been There Long, and Wants to Star Longer. Harper's Weekly. A man who has been a Senator for nearly 40 years, or who can be if he be only re-elected once more, would bo a poor sort of a man, as politicians go, if ne aidn t even want to Keep on. The delight of the ghost on seeing onitg substance's tombstone, "Forty years in tne united States Senate," may be im agined, but no ghost has ever enjoyed the chance to feel it. William B. Alli son wants to be the man, and some Republican aspirants of Iowa, Cum mins, perhaps, want him to take a well earned rest in his very old days. They are willing to do his work for him. They don t know him. He never asked any body to do his job for him, and he is Just as squarely built and Just as stocky as ever. He can still walk oft briskly from his house on Vermont avenue to a dinner party or a committee meeting. He still knows more about appropriation bills than all the Senate put together, plus the House and its speaker. He harks back a long time. Her married a daughter of Senator Grimes, who outraged Ben Butler and pleased Justitla by voting against the conviction of Andrew John son, knowing full well that Ben Butler could turn him out of public life that is the way virtue was rewarded In recon struction days, but - that Justitla could only smile at him and make him self- satisfied. Back in 1S70 he Joined Garfield In thinking that; the country ought to begin to work toward free trade, but stand-patting became more profitable, and he is too ancient to go back to his old stand with Cummins. He is on his way to go on so, but what Is that? Englishmen and Germans keep on going as long as that, and Americans can, also, in private life. It's only when they are useful to the country ana to colleges mat they are taken out of the harness In the midst of their journey. Besides, Iowans outrht to remember and to appreciate the boon that Allison has been, to Washing ton society for generations. vvnen- "bud" gets out of French or German talk, she can bet the diplomat a pair of gloves that he can't get a direct answer from "old Allison" to any question he may ask. The Jndlclous George Washington. New York Trlbunte. There are those who see awful portents in the signs of the times, tq whom the world, and perhaps especially this Nation, seems going along the paths of covetous ness, luxury, profligacy and dissipation to Irretrievable ruin, and who bitterly la ment the passing away of the good ojd davs'of soberness, industry ana tnriit. Yet 129 years ago today, in the time of the primitive and sturdy virtues of our ancestors, so Judicious an observer as George Washington wrote to his friend Benjamin Harrison: If I was called upon to draw a picture of the time and of men, from what I have seen and heard and In part known, I should in. one word eav that idleness.- dissipation and ex travagance seems to have laid hold of most of them; that speculation, peculation ana an Insatiable thirst for riches seems to have got the better of every other consideration and almost every order of men. I need not repeat to you that I am alarmed and wish to see my countrymen roused. George Washington was'the richest man of America, in his day. His estate when he died was the greatest in America. He left some record also as a tax-dodger. Better not apotheosize even George Wash ington though he was a pretty good man for his day. When Prices) Were "High." Buffalo Commercial. The Rochester Democrat and Chroni cle notes that 45 years ago today "sur prise was - expressed that high prices for good poultry were maintained. In view of its abundance. Turkeys sold for 9 to 10 cents, chickens at 8 cents per pound, geese 5 shillings each, and ducks 50 cents per pair." Those were days in the very darkest period of the Civil war, ana they called those "high" prices. Autolst Gets) Surprise of His) Life. Trenton (N. J.) Dispatch. Dr. J. S. Halsey, whose motor car killed a big rooster belonging to a farmer living near Vineland, N. J., was just pulling out his money to pay for the bird when the farmer's wife came out and said: "I was Just looking for my husband to kill that rooster. Call tomorrow and have some potpie." Where He Practices Law. Harney County News. Judge Lionel R. Webster, now serving as County Judge, of Multnomah County, is much talked of as the possible ap pointee for United States District At torney to' succeed Mr. Bristol. Judge Webster has many friends in Harney County who wish him success. Walking; the Floor with Crying- Baby. Chicago Dispatch. Judge Tuthill, of Chicago, decided that it is as much the duty of a father as a mother to walk the floor with a crying baby and warm the in fant's milk bottle at night. OREGON REPUBLICANS. - Bat There la No Republican Party In Oregon. Dalles Optimist. There has been a discussion going on in various papers of the state for some time on the question, "Is there a Republican party In Oregon ?'" and the Pendleton Tri bune in showing that there is such a party here goes on to enumerate rhe of fice holders of the state and shows that the Republicans elect something like 90 per- cent of them. But The Optimist begs to take Issue with the Tribune, and we say most em phatically that there Is no Republican 'party in this state, but there are about 70,000 Republican voters residing in Ore gon, ' and by exercising their franchise they usually elect the most of the offi cials. But the present meaning of ' the word "party" is something beyond a mass of voters, no matter how numerous they may be or how loyal they may be to their beliefs; and they may belong to one of the great parties of the Nation, and vote for tliem. But all of that does not prove that we have such a party In Oregon. There can be no party without leaders. There can be no party without articles of faith, usually called a platform. There can be no party without an organization, and if there Is an organization of Repub licans in this state, that is a state organi zation, we would be pleased to have It pointed out to us. When the Republicans of this state go into a campaign they do not go into it with any concert of action. They do not know what the party stands for on state questions, they do not know who to rely upon for leadership, there Is no one in authority to Issue printed matter to ex plain to the voters what the issues are, and every fellow Is fighting for the man or men he chooses. In his own way, re gardless of what the standlHg of his choice may be. No, there is no Republican party In tne state of Oregon, and never will be as long as we have the present laws in force. Mr. Geer very well knows this but he wants an office. He wants to be Con gressman, Governor, Senator or any old thing that has got a good salary hitched to It. He Is not particular whether the people want him to be a candidate or not, and probably if we had a party and a party organization we might say to (Mr. Geer that we are tired of annual, peren nial and eternal candidates. But Mr. Geer knows there is no organization, and he knows that the rag-tag and bobtail element which is dominating the political atmosphere of Oregoif-at present like to be told that they are "It," and that they are a part and parcel of the great Re publican party, while as a matter at fact they are doing all they can to bury the party which they have already killed. And we say once more, without fear of contradiction, - "There is no Republican party In Oregon." WHERE THERE IS ROOM. ' Here la a Table Pull of Great Informa tion. London Chronicle. Another volume (the thirtv-third num ber) of the Statistical Abstract, issuod by tne coara or Trade, and Just published, contains a wealth of detail concerning the populations, trade, Industries, ship ping, means of communication, etc, of most foreign countries. As a mere sample of Its contents, the following figures, showing the relative density of population of various countries per square mile, may be quoted. The figures are based on the last census taken In each case, that of the United Kingdom, for example, being In 1901 and that of Germany in 1905; the area In square miles Is given for each country to afford some opportunity for comparison: Area TJens'y sq. sq. miles, mfie. J2,fl73 750.4 11.370 6S8.7 12.S90 40D.4 521,371 341.6 147.476 316.9 110.65O 213.5 208.47O 290.4 115.802 225.8 15.46!l 214-3 204.321 190.7 2.0ri2.4IM) 51.3 3.571,41)2 21.4 Population. B.7S4.405 6. 602,548 5.104,137 41.4.1S.721 Effvnt oroDer Belgium Holland U. Kingdom . Japan H. 7:12,3X8 S2.475.2.r3 Italy Germany 60.641.278 Austria 26.150.708 Switzerland ... 3.315,443 France 38.1)61.1145 Russia- (Eu.) ..105.3116,634 United States . . 76,303,387 The United States area Includes Alaska and Hawaii. The JaDanese fieiires based on the civil registers, no census of population having been yet taken in that country. In addition, estimates have been made or tne population of some of the coun tries in 1906, from which some idea may be obtained of recent increases. That tor tne united Kingdom is given at 43 659,000, United States 84.164.000. the Oer. man Empire 61,102,000, Japan 48,304,000 and i-Tance w,2uu,iim. Senator Bourne's Taste In Cigars. Washington, D. C. Cor. Omaha Bee. Senator Jonathan Bourne, who gave the tamous o,uw,uuu conspiracy dinner, is connoisseur In cigars and cigarettes. He buys the best brands of both that enn he found, and in addition has aevernl IrmHa C of a private make that are furnished on his personal order.' He has them of all shapes, sizes and degrees of strength. In the upper left-hand pocket of his vest he always carries half a dozen long, slender cigars of the very finest grade of Havana tobacco. They are as mild and soothing as an afternoon siesta. The other pocket is loaded with heavy, dark cigars of the brand that delights "Uncle Joe" Cannon, whose standing order Is "Let me have 'em as strong as you've got 'em." Then, in his gold and silver cigarette case Senator Bourne carries the cutest little cigars that look as though they were made for "mollycoddles." They are exactly two and a half inches in length, with both ends smoothed down to a nice point, and make just about two good stiff puffs. In the other compartment of the case the Senator carries- a mild brand of cigarettes, each one bearing his mono gram. Senator Bourne Is' very liberal with his choice cigars and hands them out on every occasion. Naturally he Is popular. Many a constituent has stood patiently for ten or more minutes, feeling sure that the inevitable cigar would be proffered in the end, and that it would repay him for his wasted time. Print the Letter and the Reply. The Dalles Optimist. Our delegates In Congress say that only those who have stood by the party can hope for office in Oregon: Just what that means we have written Mr. Bourne to find out. How Jonathan has stood by the party, close to the' party, close enough to run a knife Into Its gizzard, we all know. But now he la the very apostle of loyalty! Honor to a Brave Man. Irrlgon Irrigator. Every Oregonlan, and every man who believes that merit should be rewarded, hopes that the movement to advance Colonel Jackson to the rank of Brigadier General will be successful. This would be but tardy justice to a brave, noble and patriotic man, to whom Oregon and the country owe more than can ever be repaid. Salem Statesman's Annual. The New Year number of one of the oldest papers in Oregon consists of 32 pages in four sections, three of which are printed on book paper and are full of illustrations of people and places in and about the Capital City. The subject-matter is well written, and typographically the issue is a work of art. And It's From Kentucky. Lexington (Ky.) Herald. The old query, "What Is whisky?" is going the rounds again. It is to be hoped somebody will find out before everything goes prohibition. ' BOOI6 Literature pays of you go high enough. Grover Cleveland and the late John Hay frequently got $1000 for 1000-word articles. Barrle's "Little Minister'-' has paid him at the rate of $1 for each of its 120.000 words. Among poets much larger rates have prevailed. Tennyson's "The Thros tle" cost Its publisher $10 a word, and Kipling got $1000 for a short poem on the Russo-Japanese War. see' An East Side business man bought a book for one of his sons as a Christinas present, and the son performed the same kindly office for "Dad," but neither knew the books chosen. - Each donor secretly thought that he had caught the other's literary taste. Christmas morninar dawned, and when the coverings of both books were unwrapped It was iliscoverrd that father and son had each bought Fir Gilbert Parker's new -novel, "The Weavers." . see Professor Theodore Aufrecht, of Bonn, who died recently, has left a library, which Is especially rich In works on Sanskrit and Indlc philology. A rough catalogue of perhaps 2300 numbers has been issued, and may be had or Professor Hermann Jacobl, 59 - Niebuhr-strasse, Bonn. In his new satire, "The Abounding American," T. W. H. Crosland says of the American In London: "All you see of him is a somewhat undersized, loosely built human biped, with a fat Jowl, straight hair, a nobby suit, a little round white or brown felt hat and a guide book." The poor English, who were dis covered by Mr. Crosland to have been overrun, by the unspeakable Scot, now find themselves the victims of a still more unspeakable American Invasion: "No class of society knows whose turn will come next." Passing to this coun try, Mr. Crosland makes these aecusa-tlons-'against us: "(1) We are ruled by millionaires; (2) the yellow cress: (31 no other nation exports its finVst women; (4) having stolen a beautiful language, we distort it by bad spelling; (5) of -1 Presidents, three have been murdered: (6) President Koosevelt Is handicapped by a spectacular gang of undesirable citi zens' : (7) no function is complete with out a reporter and a photographer; (S) diet Is reducing us to primordial proto plasms: (9 noise is rated above every thing except dollars: (10) sport is made a business; (11) Americans sink their in dividuality into hog and by-products." Mr. Morgan is summed up as "the purse- proud money-snatcher" : Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Carnegie as "the charity-proud." the colleges of the one being a by-word and a mockery In America, just as the "free libraries" of the other are a by word and a nuisance in England. A change has been made in the title of Ellen Glasgow's new novel which will he issued January 15. "?'he Beaten Road" was its preliminary name, but in order to avoid confusion with A. E. W. Mason's latest story, "The Broken Road," it will be known Instead as "The Ancient Law." This is the era of political novels, and a novel that is at once a story and a keen discussion of contemporary public affairs may be expected In "God Save the Commonwealth," by Gamaliel Brad ford, Jr. The article on "Bernard Quaritch and Others" In the current number of the Pall Mall Magazine, might provide inspiration for some forthcoming romance of old bookshops and old booksellers. Quaritch was a German, and he came to England and served under Bohn, after an sp prentlceship In his native country. When he decided to set up for himself, Bohn said: "I like your impudence; I'd have you know that I'm the first bookseller in England." "Yes, but I'm going to be the first bookseller In Europe," said Quaritch, and he fulfilled his prophecy. He started with practically no capital, but soon became "the boldest wolf in the pack." He let nothing go by him, and no sum seemed too large for him to dis burse. He spent $55,000 at one sale, and priced one of his Mazarine Bibles at $20,000. The story of his publishing for FltzGerald the- first edition of the Ru baiyat is to the effect that the book at , first had a poor sale. FltzGerald brought the remainder of his stock of - copies to Quaritch, who put them into his outside box at a penny a copy. It Is said that Rossetti found one copy, read It to a select com pany of Swinbifrne and- their friends, and in this way a day or two served to disperse a couple of hundred unconsid ered trifles that are now worth almost their weight in gold. Michael Williams has sailed from New York for Bermuda on the steamship Ber mudlan. Before he sailed he told his friends that he was going to Bermuda to join Upton Sinclair, author of "The Jun gle," who has been there a little more than a week, and that between them they hoped to formulate plans for the estab lishment of a new Helicon Hall colony to succeed the one blotted out last Spring by the fire destroying the house occupied by the colony in Englewood, N. J. Mr. Williams was accompanied by Mrs. Wil liams and their three children, all of whom lived at the Englewood Helicon Hall before the fire occurred. Mr. Sin clair sailed from New York on the same steamer that bereaved these shores of "Mr. Williams. In summing up, thj events of the Au tumn publishing season in London, a critic says that the most Important books next, of course, to "Queen Vic toria's Letters" have been Conrad's "The Secret Agent," Edmund Gosse's autobiographical volume, and Arthur Symons' critical work on Blake. . . Miss Birnie Philip, legatee of Whistler, has several hundred letters of the artist which she. Is preparing to publish. She will be glad to have the use of any fur ther letters. Her address Is care of Wat kin Williams, Steel & Hart. 54 New Broad street, London, England. . If children are eager to testify In Miss .Alcott's favor, their elders are yet more eager to praise Mrs. Florence Hobart Perln's "The Optimist's Good Morning." the little day book lately published. Nearly 40 clergymen, representing the more Important denominations, have sent her letters of cordial approval. A retired wine merchant, Richard Bad ger, has just died, leaving in his will $15000 to the Shakespeare Memorial Com mittee for the erection of a memorial to the poet in London. . Since the publication of his "Officers' Manual," Captain Moss - has scored equally well with his new book on "The Santiago Campaign." Diaappolnted In Bryan. New York Times.' William Jennings Bryan. prides him self on the fact that-he can completely differentiate his religious and Young Men's Christian Association addresses from his political speeches. The public had Identified Mr. Bryan with politics so long, however, that frequently members of his audience find only disappointment It was thus with a farmer from Maryland who came into Washington to hear the Nebraskan speak. Afterward the far mer met him and said: "Mr. Bryan, I came In 20 miles to hear you talk. I heard you was goin to speak on The Price of Peas," and you never said a word about the price of anything. The address delivered was "The Prince of Peace "