8
TTIK MORNING OKEGONIAX, TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1908.
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PORTLAND. TUESDAY. JAN. 1. IMS.
PROHIBITION AND THE COLOR LINE.
It Is remarked by the Chicago Rec
ord-Herald as a strange thing that
prohibition of the liquor traffic, first
through local option and then through
more general legislation, should have
made so great progress as It has made
in the South during the last two years
without obtaining at an earlier time
more general notice In the North,
Except In a few leading cities the
South is practically "dry." Not till
quite recently, however, did the fact
obtain attention as a social phenom
enon of the first importance. It is
because the South Is not well under
stood by the people of the more popu
lous Northern States.
The South is still essentially rural.
It has few large cities, and no very
large ones. St. Louis and Baltimore
are large cities, but are half North
ern. Louisville and Kansas City, In
the nest smaller class, have much the
same character. The rural districts
of the South, that comprise the
greater part of Us population, have
much the same status as the rural
districts of Iowa and Illinois. But
there is a further reason, namely, the
presence In the South of a large negro
population.
Southern newspapers, which in for
mer times would not hear to the de
mands of prohibition, now acquiesce
In them, as they plainly say, because
of the necessity of keeping liquors
away from the negro population.
Southern newspaper men, in conver
sation, freely give this reason. Sena
tor Johnston, of Alabama, In a lec
ture delivered a few evenings since at
Boston, said that it was to check
crime among the negroes that many
Southern States, Including his own,
had voted the saloon out of existence.
Restriction of the sale of liquors, as
well as restriction of the suffrage. Is
part of the negro problem.
We shall see whether the cynical
statement that the law was made
wholly for the blacks, but that the
whites will evade it, will prove true.
It is ominous that the Georgia law is
cunningly drawn, so as to enforce a
tax of $600 on private clubs, without
forbidding them to serve liquors. It
is probable this will become the gen
eral rule or practice throughout the
states where there is a large negro
population.
AREA AND NTMBERS.
No doubt the United States, includ
ing tho Insular possessions, will have
by 1910 a population of 100,000,000.
The New Tork World thinks it may
be above 400,000,000, one hundred
years later; which would not be more
incredible than has been the growth
of England from 4.000.000 in Eliza
beth's time to 40.000,000 now. Yet
the comparison will hardly hold good.
England's position, and her excep
tional resources of coal and Iron, give
her advantages, as a maritime, rrtanu
facturlng and commercial nation, far
in excess of her proportions as to
area. Our situation is every way dif
ferent; and the calculations as to pro
portional population will not hold.
Our people will hardly wish they
might.
Conjectures are also offered as to
tne luttiro growth or the City of N 7
Ynrk. in comparison with London.
The parallel here becomes more prob
able. The state census gave the city
in 1905 a population of 4,014,304. In
1910 it will be 4,500,000. The predic
tion that before the end of the next
decade the metropolitan area of New
York, including the cities near by in
New Jersey, will contain a population
of 8, 500. 000. does not seem extrava
sunt. The metropolitan district of
London, of equal area, almost certain
ly will not approach this figure. Tak
lng indeed an area of 500 square
miles from a center in either city, the
metropolitan population . of New York
now carl be little less, if any less, than
that of London, within similar bounds.
But neither In bigness of country
nor in myriads of population, nor in
magnitude of cities, do the strength
and happiness of a nation consist.
There are other qualities and other
needs. China holds the greatest mul
titudes on the earth, but conditions of
existence there will scarcely seem de
sirable to our people. But they are
just what they must be, among such
multitudes. Yet the area of the Chi
nese Empire much exceeds that of the
United States. We have less than
100,000,000 and China more than
400,000,0000 of people. These last
figures have been disputed by
economists and - statisticians of the
United States and Europe; but ac
cording to the statement made
by the Chinese government, for
apportionment of the indemnity to the
powers after the Boxer war, the enu
meration showed a total of 407,253,-
029. -
BORROWING FROM DEPOSITORS.
There Is scarcely an exception
to
the rule that bank failures are caused
by the loaning of funds .to directors or
officers of the bank or their Immediate
relatives. Personal interest induces
the making of excessive and . unsafe.
loans. The Oregon, banking law per
mits loans to officials of .the bank
upon a majority vote of the directors.
but, if such a loan be made in an un
safe or excessive manner, the directors
voting for the same are held person
ally responsible for any loss the bank
or the depositors may sustain in con
sequence thereof. While this is a
measure of precaution, it does not go
far enough. When directors begin to
vote loans to themselves there is
nearly always a division of the graft,
and, when the crash comes, the direc
tors are found to be financially unable
to meet the loss.
There is no reason why officers of a
bank should be permitted to borrow
the funds of the depositors. They
are trustees, In a moral sense, at least,
and should not be permitted in any
circumstances to loan to themselves.
If they must borrow, let them go to
other banks. This they can easily do
if their credit Is good, and, if it Isn't
good, they certainly should not be per
mitted to borrow from their own de
positors. The banker who has no
selfish Interest to promote will take
good care of his depositors' money.
CO CRTS AND CRIMINALS.
Literary artisans must begin to seek
some other means besides murder to
enliven their scenes. In Oregon at
least it has become far too humdrum
for such a use. According to the sta
tistics, human life here is only about
one-thirty-seventh as safe as it is in
Germany. Our homicides last year
numbered 66, which Is at the rate of
about 112 to the million. The rate in
Germany is three to the million. If
we valued human life as highly as
the subjects of the Kaiser, only one
person would have been slain in this
state last year, or at most two. If the
degree of security of human life meas
ures the advancement of a community
In civilization, it must be conceded
that we have yet a long way to travel
before we overtake the Germans. The
United States as a whole enjoys the
proud renown of an annual murder
list which exceeds that of any other
country in the world except Russia's.
It is well to be first in something
even in homicide, if the prize for that
is the best we can win; but is it not
almost time for us to resign to the
Ashantees this distinction which we
have enjoyed so lonij.? Is it desirable
that America should continue to be
known throughout the world as the
land of free murder? Can we not
find some more worthy title to fame?
Some day the descendants of this
generation will look back and wonder
why their ancestors could have en
dured to live In conditions where hu
man life was scarcely more secure
than in primitive savagery; and they
will curiously inquire into tire causes
which made murder so safe that It
was the first resort in every trifling
brawl and every petty lovers' quar
rel. They will discover many causes,
but it may be assumed safely enough
that the principal one will be. that
strange alliance which now exists be
tween our courts and our criminal
classes. It is not an open and avowed
alliance, of course; the courts are not
even conscious that it exists. The aid
which they extend to crime so
promptly and effectually is not recog
nized by themselves as aid. They
move to the defense of murder and
the destruction of ordered society un
der the specious forms of liberty and
legality. Their nihilistic work Is done
under sacred names and behind the
bulwark of venerated traditions. While
they undermine the social order they
delude themselves with the fancy that
they are protecting it. While they
encourage crime they imagine that
they are safeguarding innocence. The
courts are ready, seemingly eager, to
discharge criminal prsoners, upon the
most flimsy pretexts. Nothing ap
pears to be too trivial, no casuistry
too subtle, no technical ingenuity, too
far-fetched, to serve as a reason for
turning loose a murderer upon society.
The duty of government to protect
life and property through the courts
seems almost to have been abandoned.
and our tribunals have given them
selves up to an orgy of scholastic cas
uistry which practically insures the
immunity of criminals. What is the
cause of it? Why do our judges de
light In "Unrealities to the neglect of
the true interest of society. Why are
their brains possessed by unsubstan
tial trains of logical quibbles while
the considerations which move practi
cal men to action are ignored? We
must seek the reason for the strange
phenomenon in the way our lawyers
are educated. The bench is recruited
from the bar, and the propensity of
the Judiciary to substitute airy ab
stractions for realities is acquired In
those schools where lawyers obtain
their professional training.
These schools deal wholly in unreal
lties. Their curricula are composed
of books and lectures which deal with
thin speculation and pendulous chains
of syllogisms long drawn out, deduc
ing far-off conclusions from remote
precedents without the slightest refer
ence to practical life. Law schools
know no more of modern science than
they would if Newton and Kelvin had
never lived. Ethics is an unknown
world to them. Sociology has never
been conceived so far as they are con
cerned, and if they hear anything at
all of economics it is that strange and
grotesque caricature of the science
which was worked out long ago by
minds as arid as those of the writers
of law books. They study Latin in
those schools instead of English, with
the queer result that no lawyer can
compose a lucid sentence In his
mother tongue, at least not in a legal
document. Just as their expression is
vague, pompous, wordy, labyrinthine,
so is their thought. It shuns actuali
ties, delights In far-away verbosities
and evasions, draws its premises from
a world of shadows and reaches con
clusions without reference to their re
sults in practice. m :
FOREIGN TRADE AND FACILITIES.
Incomplete returns for the month
of December, added to the official fig
ures for the preceding eleven months,
have enabled Chief Austin, of the Fed
eral Bureau of Statistics, to estimate
the value of our foreign trade for 1907
at $3,600,000,000,of which $2,000,000,
000 was exports. In these figures are
Included the commerce of the "non
contiguous" territories which are un
der the American flag, but are as yet
prevented by the trusts from enjoying
the privileges of domestic trade with
the United States. These are colossal
figures, especially when it is consid
ered that the November and Decem
ber business suffered considerably by
reason of the strained financial situa
tion. Despite the fact that all previ
ous records in foreign trade were
broken by nearly $500,000,000, there
has been such a wholesale dissemina
tion of misinformation regarding our
foreign trade that the figures are not
entirely satisfactory to some who have
been misled. In this class appears
the Chicago Record-Herald with the
following comment:
It is gratifying to know that w have
gained ground In "every grand division of
the world." in Mr. Austin's words. But
there Is little doubt t;iat we are still far
from occupying our proper rank as an ex
porter, owing; to the poor facilities on which
we rely In trading with South America and
the Orient. Our resources, productive energy
and skill. Inventiveness and efficiency en
title us to a greater share of the foreign
trade of the world than we enjoy.
The facilities of the United States
for trading with South America are
limited only by the amount of busi
ness which can be worked up by our
merchants. For .the past five years
the commercial organizations of Great
Britain have been making violent pro
test to the British government because
American shippers, chartering British
vessels, were given lower freight rates
to South American ports than could
be secured by British shippers. In
the current number of the New Tork
Journal of Commerce there are sail
ing notices for twenty-six steamers to
leave New Tork alone for South
American ports in January, and to
most of these notices is attached the
statement; that additional steamers
will be laid on berth if freight Is of
fering. This does not indicate that
the facilities are very "poor"; . nor
does the fact that for the fiscal year
ending June 30, our gain in the South
American trade was the greatest on
record.
As to the Oriental trade, it is in
creasing more rapidly than ever, and
British, German, Norwegian, Japanese
and even Austrian steamships are
competing for the work of carrying it
to such an extent that rates of freight
are lower than they are on any other
similar route in the world. If our
people were permitted to buy ships
at as low prices as are paid by the
foreigners now engaged In the trade,
we might carry more of this business
under the' American flag, but we could
not by this method increase our trade
m the slIghtest degree. We fear the
Record-Herald has attached too seri
ous a meaning to the Humphrey-Gal-linger
ship subsidy talk.
PROFITABLE INVESTMENT IN ROADS.
In proportion to the population and
the amount of improved property, it
Is hardly probable that any other
county In the state makes a more fa
vorable showing on road work than
that , which is presented by Clatsop
County In an Astoria letter printed in
yesterday's Oregonian. What has
been accomplished in Clatsop County
Is all the more noteworthy when the
unfavorable natural conditions for
roadbuildlng are considered. Lying
so close to the ocean, the dense for
ests retain moisture for a long time,
and thus maintain a continued flow in
hundreds of small streams which
never run dry, even in midsummer.
This necessitates considerable bridge
work and renders much more diffi
cult permanent Improvement where
bridges are not required. .Then there
are thousands of acres of wonderfully
rich land in the Immediate vicinity of
Astoria, along the Walluski, Young's
Skipanon, Lewis and Clark and other
small rivers through which roadbuild
lng Is very expensive on account of
the marshy nature of the land.
Until the past few years develop
ment of these rich lands has been re
tarded through inability of farmers to
reach the market with their products.
Now that permanent roadbuilding on
scientific principles has been under
taken and Is being pushed to the limit
of funds available, the output of dairy,
small farming products and livestock
from Clatsop County will show aston
ishing increases. Last year the coun
ty spent $25,000. which was raised by
a special levy of 16 mills on the vari
ous road districts In the county. This
was supplemented by $30,000 which
was appropriated from the general
fund. As a result of this Investment,
districts which previously were inac
cessible from Astoria have been af
forded good facilities for reaching
markets, and many others where the
work in the past had been of a tem
porary nature now have fine roads
that can be used at all seasons of the
year.
While Clatsop County will in the
near future enjoy additional railroad
facilities through the completion of
the Harriman road and the possible
extension of the Hill road, the topog
raphy of the country is such that the
agricultural development of the county
to the fullest extent will always be de
pendent on good roads. That thi3
fact is understood by the officials is
shown by their announced intention
to handle a greater amount of road
work this year than last. Not only
will the highways be improved Into
the newly developing agricultural dis
tricts, but a project is under way for
completing the remaining three miles
of the Elk Creek road, an improve
ment which would open up for pleasure-seekers
one of the finest beaches
in the world. The number of seaside
visitors is increasing by, thousands
every year, and completion of a good
road to Elk Creek would join Cannon
Beach with Clatsop-. Beach, and mu
tual benefits would result.
Clatsop County people as a rule
have responded liberally on all proj
ects for public good, but they have
never placed their money in any form
of investment where the returns are
as certain as they are from their road
building enterprises.
Japan is calling home by hundreds,
from British Columbia, her men who
are soldiers "on call" of the imperial
army. While this is probably a feint
of war a spectacular stunt, dear to
the heart of the crafty, mystery-loving
Oriental It is perhaps sufficiently
suggestive to call the attention of Con
gress to the unprotected condition of
our Pacific Coast. While it Is not
likely that war is threatened, the
emergency of war Is always a possible
count in an indictment of nation
against nation. The possibility in this
instance takes shadow of probability
from the Important place that Japan
thinks she holds in the world's affairs.
Prudence is always commendable;
fright, cowardly. To guard against
the latter in a case of this kind, the
virtue that is assessed as "the better
part of valor" should be consulted.
The folly of snapping bare fingers de
fiantly in the face of an armed foe has
too often been proved to require fur
ther Illustration.
Fifteen steam schooners are report
ed tied up In Oakland Creek for lack
of business, and as a result lumber
freights have suffered a heavy slump.
On the Coast there has been a decline
of nearly $5 per thousand from the
high point reached. This is more than
16 cents per hundred pounds, and
would, seem to indicate that the 10
cent advance in rail rates was not
the only factor In causing the decline
in the demand for lumber. But the
decline In lumber trade is not the only
reason for retirement of these schoon
ers. The old law of supply and de
mand Is at work, for, despite the num
ber of craft now laid up, there are
more of them in active service than
ever before. The decline in business
If there has been a decline has
been less proportionately than the In
crease in tonnage.
The difference between the neglect
ed orchard that was the heritage of
no market" from pioneer times and
that of the carefully cultivated, dili
gently sprayed orchard of the present
is seen In the improvement of orchard
conditions in Clackamas County
within the past five years. Moss-
grown, gnarly trees and. their small,
wormy fruits have been supplanted by
clean, well-pruned trees of vigorous
growth, and apples perfect in develop
ment and free from blight and worms,
The fruit lands of Clackamas are as
productive and as well located as any
in the state. Without doubt their
products will soon become as famous
as those of the orchards of Hood
River, Rogue River Valley and the
old pioneer counties of the Willamette
Valley.
A decidedly effective move against
the cause of prohibition is reported
from Salem, 'Where the better element
in the liquor business has united in a
protest against licensing a saloon that
has acquired a reputation for viola
tion of the law and for disorderly con
duct. The liquor dealers have also
signed an agreement not to sell liquor
to minors or Intoxicated individuals.
The inauguration of a policy of this,
kind a dozen years ago would have
done mote to stay the sweep of prohl--
bition than all of the money that
could be subscribed by the liquor in
terests, i Recognition of the fact that
their own actions have brought disas
ter to their business is a sign of wis
dom that has been missing from most
of the moves made by the liquor In
terests.
What the Supreme Court declares
to be the law is the taw. In the last
resort the Supreme Court, giving the
laws such .construction as it chooses,
is the ruler of the country. Lincoln
complained of It, in the Dred Scott
case, but said that the only way was
submission to the authority; which,
however, did not shut oft the right of
debate. The Supreme Court of the
United States now decides that lands
may be taken up under contract to
sell them; or, what comes to the same
thing, that it is not illegal to sell be
fore final proofs. This practice, how
ever, has been the basis of nearly all
land frauds. But it isn't illegal, nor,
of course, immoral. Our system of
government Is truly wonderful. 1
There are complaints that the
quarry at Kelly's Butte, where the
men are obliged to break stone for the
county roads. Is a den of horrors. Al
most every place is a den of horrors
to men who are obliged to work for
penal offenses. These gentlemen are
not fond of work, or they wouldn t
be there. Since stone-breaking at
Kelly's Butte is so distressing an em
ployment, why not avoid it by living
a decent and honorable life?
The two boys who put a nut on the
rail of the Southern Pacific near the
State Fair grounds Saturday, thereby
endangering the lives of trainmen and
passengers, should be vigorously
spanked by their parents. A good
application of the thick end of a shin
gle now may save a term in the Re
form School or Penitentiary later.
Perhaps a little less feasting and
jollification wherever the fleet enters
port would keep the men in better
condition for work if something unex
pected should 'happen. Having a
good time is all right if it doesn't go'
to the extent of merging into a bad
time.
This anti-t'reating movement should
be popular among those leading citi
zens who expect to be candidates for
office. It is worthy of note that in
the last state campaign most of the
winners were men who are not addict
ed to the treating habit.
The New York Independent has an
article, in its latest issue on "Men We
Are Watching'." Newspapers in Ore
gon have had several articles of late
on men we ought to have watched
but didn't.
Williamson gets another trial; but
there Is no way, apparently, for Puter
to ascertain whether that eighteen
months in jail was time wasted, or
not.
"Ladies" are now allowed to smoke
in prominent New York' restaurants.
If that kind are tolerated at all In the
restaurants, why not let them smoke?
Those California bank-wreckers will
plead guilty, for they know they are
guilty and will be found guilty. This
is in California, mind.
PORTLAND AND THE JAP SPIES
la New York They Dea't Take the
Mayor's Discovery Seriously.
New York Tribune,
The National Guard of Portland, Or
must have encountered-some difficulty
recently In securing members. At any
rate, the' organization has resorted to
desperate measures, apparently" for the
purpose of arousing Portland youth to
tine patriotic frenzy and to target
practice in the Armory. It invited the
Mayor of the town to give the boys a
talk, which the Mayor did with a most
fearful flourishing of bogies. After a
few introductory remarks the lights
were turned down, the town band
moaned some ominous minor disson
ances, the stage hands softly started up
the thunder machine and the orator told
tale black with treacheries ana
perils. Agents of the Japanese govern
ment ' had procured accurate maps oi
Portland; the tiniest wiggles of every
lane leading into the town, every bump
and rut, every barbed wire fence and
henhouse In the environs, the water
main routes and other like details of
local geography had been duly noted
and charted by sly. emissaries from
Tokio. The orator confessed he had
not discovered the presence of the al
leged spies until their work was fin
ished; he never actually saw a little
brown barbarian measuring off with
a micrometer the precise distance from
'SI" Hawkins' hitching post to the
red light in the first drugstore down
the turnpike. But evidences which he
did not care to disclose too fully war
ranted immediate communication with
Washington. Ere this, the National
Guard of Portland must have received
at least a dozen new applications for
membership.
These "revelations" may well have
aroused the martial spirit of the Ore-
gonlans, as we assume they were in
tended to do; but aren't they a little
rough on our good friends across the
Pacific? The Mayor's charges Impute
to the Japanese a degree of impracti
cability which we are loath to believe is
exhibited by such a clever folk, even in
the most careless moments. There are
several good maps of Portland which
may be ordered through any bookseller.
The municipal departments of the city
doubtless Issue fairly complete reports
about gaa and water main and every
-thing else that might Interest either a
friend or a fo of the community.
These reports are accessible to the
public; and If they are not clear to any
reader the latter is free to seek en
llg-httjnment, in view of all this, the
motive of the great enterprise our
friend the Mayor unveils is somewhat
obfuscated. If Portland were encom
passed by a vast network of mighty
fortifications it would be easy to
understand how some stray student
short of cash might practice car
tography in the hope ot selling his
drawings and notes to some gullible
official. But even a Yokohama coolie
would know enough to waste no time
sketching that interesting but lnno
cent city. The Mayor- of Portland
goes out of his way to be uncompll
mentary. But then perhaps the 2s' a
tlonal Guard is trying to arouse inter
est and raise funds for a luxurious
new armory.
JACKPOT KNOW1T BY ITS SEAL"
Easter Oregon Lawyer Said to Wear
Air of Injured Innocence. -
PENDLETON, Or., Jan. 6. (To the
Editor.) In a recent issue of The Ore
L gonian, the belief was expressed that
I might be able to define a "jackpot."
As the case is a bad one I shall do
my best, but fail to understand why The
Oregonian deemed it necessary to apply
to a lawyer or come to Eastern Oregon
for Information which It might have
secured nearer home. Had this been
political "pot," it would not have been
necessary to call upon Eastern Oregon.
The lawyers of Eastern Oregon, I admit.
possess special knowledge on many sub
jects, but the "jackpot" is not one of
them. That knowledge, I am informed,
is confined to the newspaper fraternity,
and it has been intimated Portland news
papers never profess ignorance on any
subject except on one where they know
more than they care to disclose.
The only promoter of the "jackpot" in
dustry I have ever known in this part
of the state was an editor who lived at
Echo. He was a rood advertiser nd
Induced many representative citizens of
Portland to visit the sagebrush city where
he entertained them on the contents of
a "Jackpot They invested liberally in
Jackpot stock and returned home
sadder, if not wiser, men. By making a
thorough search in some of Portland's
great vaults a few shares of this stock
might be found. It will be known by the
seal, a jackpot."
The Echo editor built a-corral, hired
dogs, horses and small boys, rounded up
jackraDBits ana stewed them for market.
The pots in which the cooking was done
were canea jacKpots. But the bus!
ness eventually proved unprofitable and
It is said that a man can no longer find
one or tnese pots in Umatilla County.
JAMBS A. FEE.
Another Living; Skeleton Dead.
Providence (R. I.) Dispatch in New
York World.
Orrln H. Perry, 65 years old. for 16
years the living skeleton In Barnum &
Bailey's and the Forepaugh circuses,
died suddenly of fatty degeneration o
the heart in a lonely hut at Riverside,
near this city. Perry's stage name was
Eugene Feralto, and he had been
showman all his life. He was six feet
one inch tall and weighed 80 pounds,
In his younger days he lifted heavy
weights with his teeth. For 12 yearo
he was with the Forepaugh circu
and was a big attraction in their side
shows.
Society and Business.
Hometown (Pa) Banner.
We are glad to learn that Mrs. Willets
is able to be out again. It is nearly two
months since she - kicked at the cat and
broke her kneecap against the door.
Society has missed her very much.
Mr. Amos Dowel, the popular grocer,
predicts a rise in New Orleans molasses
this Winter, but says he shall continue
to sell at the same old price, neverthe
less. We wish there were more patriots
like him in Hometown.
But Shell Stick to the Old Bean.
New York Times.
Is it worth while to remind Miss De
mocracy that this is leap year, and that
she Is at liberty to disregard the solici
tations of her veteran and illomened
suitor, and make advances to a more
promising mate?
A Toast to the Men.
(Dedicated to the Women.)
Detroit Free Press.
Here's to the men. Since Adam's time
They've always been the same;
Whenever anything goes wrong.
The woman is to blame. ,
From early mom to late at night.
The men fault-finders are;
They blame us if they oversleep.
Or 'if they miss a car.
They blame us if. beneath the bed.
Their collar buttons roll;
They blame us If the fire is out
Or if there is no coal. -They
blame- us if they cut themselves
i- While shaving, and they swear
That we're to blame it they decide
To ao upon a tear.
Here's to the men. the perfect men!
Wh- never are ot fault;
They blame us if they chance to get
The pepper for the salt. ,
They blame us If their business fails,-
Or back , losing horse;
And when it rains on holidays
The fault is ours, of course.
They blame us when they fall In love,
And when they married get;
Likewise they blame us when they're sick
And when they fall in debt.
For everything that crisscross goes
They say we are to blame;
But. after all. here's to the men.
We love them Just the samaf
WHY RAILROADS KILL PEOPLE
Defective Discipline, and Not Faulty
Equipment, Mainly the Cause.
New York Times.
-It is a reproach that persons should
be killed by scores and hundreds, for
causes so preventable as defective dis
cipline. Yet this Is the greatest single
cause of railway disasters in the United
States. The recently published report
of the Interstate Commerce Commission
groups the 10 worst accidents for ti.e
last year, and not one of them is due
to mechanical failure of apparatus.
Only in one wa apparatus even Indi
rectly responsible. Three cases remain
unexplained, and In all the rest there
was preventable blame on some part
of the railway staff. The reasons as
signed by the Commission are, for ex
amples: "confusion of orders," "disre
gard of rules," "neglect of whistle
signals," "failure to deliver orders,"
'engineman's neglect of orders," and
so on. New York and New Jersey and
the District of Columbia are about the
most open to reproach in this connec
tion, which Is the more remarkable be
cause they might have been looked for
rather on the newer, single-track roads
of Western States. In fact, the danger
Is greatest Just where it should be the
least.
Of the 410 passengers killed last year
291 perished in the above 10- cases,
where act of God or mere misadventure
cannot be pleaded. Yet so far as we
know, nobody has suffered anything
more than inconvenience. They manage
these things better even in .Canada.
They make accidents fewer In the Do
minion, for no. other reason apparent
ly than that they make it more dis
agreeable for those who, with or with
out excuse, are connected with such
regrettable incidents. When a Michi
gan Central train exploded dynamite in
Canada the Judge declared that the
negligence of the railway in not spe
cially Instructing the employes regard
ing such freight made his blood run
cold. Under such a charge the Jury
saw its way to a conviction, under
mch a fine of $25,000 was Imposed.
The same Judge in another case re
fused even to consider the employe's
plea that he was overworked. He said
he would take measures to punish the
company for overworking its staff, but
he would punish the staff for allowing
Itself to be overworked, at the cost of
human life. In a third case, the same
Judge took similar exemplary meas
ures. These cases raise the question
whether the Judges cannot discipline
railway staffs, If general managers
cannot, and whether the riding public
at large cannot promote such a result
by less humbly acquiescing In miscar
riages of juetlce.
MANY NEW MEN IN CONGRESS.
Old Leader Are Gone, But There Are
Yet Some Well-known Veteran.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Sixtieth Congress contains the
largest membership in the history of that
body and has an unusually large injec
tion of new men. The Senate, whicti win
soon contain 92 members, is larger than
the House was for some years after the
beginning of constitutional government.
and it has lost many of its original char
acteristlcs. The Senators are no longer
ambassadors from the States," no
loneer are men whose names are on
every tongue. It would take an unusual
ly-well informed man some time to name
one-third of the membership. The old
leaders have almost entirely passed
away. The veterans are now Allison
Aldrich, Hale, Frye, Cullom, Teller and
Daniel, the two latter being Democrats.
All the rest have taken their seats since
1890, and only 20 all told have served more
than ten years.
In the House the veterans are Cannon
Bingham. Payne and Dalzell, while
Keifer is back from Ohio' after a long
absence. It is a rare distinction for
man to serve 20 years consecutively in
the House, and in the last two years
death and other causes have removed
number of the veterans, while there are
more than 100 absolutely new men. It
would be a hard task for any one to
name 50 men who now have seats, and
perhaps the average person could not
mention a score. In these days there is
less chance for personal distinction than
formerly. The work Is largely done in
committees and the forenslo debates are
seldom exciting.
The "One-Dre" Season.
Chicago Evening Post.
It is curious to note the influenoe of
fashion upon the spread of so essentially
an unfashionable thing as the recent cur
rency stringency.
It was a "rich man's panic"; there
fore. It is now a sign of richness to be
poor. Many a household which 1s abun
dantly able to keep Its style of living on
an exact level with the standard of last
Winter is lopping off familiar luxuries.
simply because the great social leaders
have found it expedient to do so. They
call It a "one-dress" season on Fifth
avenue, and Fifth avenue's imitators
are preparing to make a "hard-times
party" as chic a form of entertainment
as it was in Richmond during the Civil
War.
By and large the phenomenon is a ben
efleial feature of the situation. We have
learned that the pace must be eased oft
a bit, and we can yield to the inevltabl
far more easily if It is officially recog
nized as the fashionable thing to do.
I a Father at Eighty-Seven.
New York Dispatch In Phlladelpftl
North American.
At the age of 87, Jean Henri Thiry,
of Long Island City, has Just becom
the father of .his sixth child, a girl
This is the fourth child Mr. Thlry has
had by his second wife, whom he mar.
rled In 1898. "A man who isn't his own
physician at 40," said Mr. Thiry,
either a fool or a corpse." He himsel
uses botb" tobacco and liquor, but not
to excess. Mr. Thlry was born in Bel
gium, and came to this country In
1859. He Is an authority on educa
tional matters, and founded in this
country the system of public-schools
savings banks, which now have de
posits aggregating $15,000,000.
v Eogeu Register.
The Glfstrap Brothers made a welcome
change In New Year editions in the form
of a 48-page handbook, containing a com
prehensive review of Eugene and Lane
County and the resources of the region.
Its least merit is its hardiness.
Later Particular. ,
Chicago Tribune.
Alexander the Great was explaining
to the reporters how the story orig
inated that he had wept because there
were no more worlds for him to con
quer. "That ridiculous yarn," he said, "was
started by a reactionary who happened
to see me wiping a cinder out of my
eye. But I've separated him from his
Job in the Treasury Department, all
right, all right!"
Feeling satisfied that he could leave
the verdict to impartial history, he dis
missed the reporters with a wave of tne
imperial hand.
King- Oscar' Fancy Name.
"London Spectator.
It is interesting to remember that
the name Oscar was bestowed by Na
poleon on Bemadotte's son the first
King Oscar to whom he stood god
father, not for any . Swedish associa
tions, but because it was the name
of a heroic character in Macpherson's
"Ossian," a work which Napoleon con
tinually studied.
SILHOUETTES
BY ARTHUR A GREENE.
Now that the Thaw case ha been re
sumed, the women will resume reading
the newspaper.
Almost the only crimes that a man may
commit with impunity in Oregon are
murder, bank wrecking and larceny of
Government land.
To be impressed with a lady's stays is
the surest evidence of bad form.
One of the crying needs of this town 19
9 o'clock curfew ordinance for round
ers over 70.
e
All the fun Is gone out ot life when we
find out the answer.
The man who signs himself "Doctor"
on a hotel register usually practices' di
vinity or horse.
e
When one Is no longer young the best
and at once the saddest memories he may
cherish are kisses of children and tears
of mothers.
Those who set themselves on pedestals
while they are alive stand a poor show
of having statues built in their honor
when they are dead.
.
Labor Trouble.
The following "edifying ruminations
were beaten out on an appreciative type
writer by a worried editorial writer who
was trying to get up a screed on the
overcrowding of tenements while a bore
sat by add Insisted on talking in a loud
tone of voice:
'New York tenement-house problem!
Tough proposition, old Miss Double-Key-
ooara. .especially ao wnen some runni-r
for a hot-air factory sits 'round and
keeps talking about things that are ot
no Interest to anyone but himself. I
can't very well get up and throw him out
so the next best thing I can do is to
hammer this out and make him believe
I'm working like the devil
I've been working on this for 15 minutes
with him talking a blue streak to me and
endeavoring to get .me to answer. If I
only had a dynamite bomb I'd be tempted
to put It under his chair and see
If that wouldn't make him. go away. The
success ot some people In making dam
nuisances of themselves is so pronounced
that It's a wonder to me they escape
violent death as long as they do. . .
At this moment he 1 making a move as
though he intends to go. If he fails
me now I shall certainly be driven to
desperate measures. He has his
hand on the doorknob he goes Oh
h 11! He's back with another question.
I must commit murder. I won't submit
to this torture. He sits down
again! ! 1 !?"
e e e
Prudery Is the caricature of Innocence;
modesty its likeness.
e e
Those who pluck the roses of Platonic
friendship are often pricked by the
thorns of love.
e . e
The length and breadth of the Second
District Congressional fight seem to be T.
T. Geer and W. R. Ellis.
. . Virtue' Query.
Why don't they build a monument
To the family man who has been sent
Down to town on a marketing bee
And remembers every order that went
Along with him to the grocery?
The teacher should first learn and the
preacher should first practice. For too
many do not.
see
Romance.
A swain
In vain
Did sigh
And try
To gain a lady's hand.
Rival won.
Contest dona,
Follows a wedding grand.
Loser cried,
Victor hied
On honeymoon
- But laughs too soon.
Swain accurst
Heart aburst
With sorrow drear
And almost died.
In a year
Garlands sere
Love departs.
Trouble starts.
Then remorse.
Quick divorce;
Swain makes Jest,
Laughs last -And
best.
Pete the Barber, Monologist.
Chicago Evening Journal.
Velcome, Mr. Chones. My, vot a heafy
growt you hat diss dime. You ain'd turn
ing dera ouid, I hope me. Vot? Sure 1
vill gif you a goot haircut.
I am not mat mlt you, Mr. Chones.
Vitzkers is v'tzkers, und dose who can
stant for dem iss entootled to my sym
pathetics. Dit you notlss efer dot men
mlt luxurious vitzkers iss to baltness ln
clinationed? Yess, dot Iss so. Id ap
pearances dot der beard pulls strength
from der scalp avay. Consequentness,
der hair gets loose in der socket, und
sheds idseluf. Better I shafe you? No?
Veil, sit a llddle higher tn der chair up
vile I shave your temples.
Mlcropes iss anodded ding vich you
must guarding against. Dey tint lodg
ings in der hair of der vitzkers und wass
hart to remofal. I haf seen some men
mit vitzkers so full mlt micropes as a
streedcar strap. Belief me oxcuse me.
Mr. Chones, I wass afrait I haf spoiled
your vitzkers by shafting too far your
cheek down. -I wass so interested In vot
you voss spikklng dot I notissed der ac
cidend nod. Nefer mint, I vill shafe you
und nod chartch you. Yess, yess, you
look hantsomer much more now. Tank
you, Mr. Chones. Came again soon.
Here's the Titrable.
Chicago News.
I do not like the color of his eyes;
His features all.- I think, need readjusting.
The way he cuts his hair I quite despise;
It's most disgusting.
His frown I think is sinister; his smile
Is by degrees my peace of mind destroying.
His usual expression stirs my bile;
It's most annoying.
His language I consider Is too choice;
It savors to my mind ot affectation.
I, somehow, when I chance to bear bis voice.
Feel indignation.
His sense of humor I don't say Is dim.
But on my nerves his anecdotes are grating, .
And any sort of a Don mot from him
Is irritating.
1 can't say I admire his taste in drei-
Ooiiventlonal, no doubt, but that's no mat-t
ter.
He thinks that I am surly, too, I guess,
I never flatter.
He may be Just one of the nicest chaps;
' You say it all depends on how you strike
him.
I felt I wanted to. But then, perhaps,
1 do not like him.