Morning Oregonian., January 27, 1908, Page 6, Image 6

THE MORNING OREGOMAX, MONDAY, JANUARY " 27, 1908.
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PORTLAND. MONDAY, JANUARY 87. 1908.
, A TO IE TO VOTE "NO."
On the ballot in June there will be
about twenty initiative measures or
referendum, bills to be scrutinized and
voted on by the electorate; perhaps
even a greater number. It is a
nuisance of the first magnitude. Not
one voter in ten will study the sev
eral propositions, and a majority will
not look at them at all. It affords a
system, under which every person is
Invited to become a legislator, and
not a few are flattered by a prospect
of getting attention for schemes
which the great majority of the peo
nf. have thought worth any
. .-i . iTiii'in at all.
' P'i:i t.:ost of the propositions
tno!H who may vote will mark their
ballots in a haphazard way, without
knowledge of the subject presented
merely making a guess at it. By
such methods we are sure to get
statutes that can serve no good pur
pose; and by referendum some stat
utes may be rejected which ought
never to have been attacked.
Use of the system leads to abuses
never anticipated by most of those
who voted for adoption of it. It in
vites any small group of persons, un
, der a crotchety leader or whimsical
promoter, to propose the enactment
into laws of any fads and fancies of
their own shallow dreaming; and
tfuch are not slow In coming forward.
They hope to be able, through the
Inattention or mistake of the people
lo obtain in this way enactments that
never could obtain consideration be
fore any deliberative body; and since
the constitution may be changed as
easily as any other law may be en
acted, they expect to upset soon the
whole line of constitutional limita
tions under which the state has been
conducted during Is entire existence.
Some eight or ten of these attacks on
the constitution have been set in ar
ray already for the June election. Do
you want to compel your neighbor to
Sunday observance? Or do you want
a new regulation for grand Juries?
Or a chance to put out of office before
the expiration of his term a man you
don't like? Or to abolish the old sys
tem of representation In lawmaking
bodies, and make a new one? Or to
destroy the present perfectly equita
ble system .of assessment and taxation
and substitute for it partial and un
equal taxation on a merely fanciful
theory? If you want to do any of
these things or others (for this is only
a partial list of those now pending),
why Just fall in with these proposals
to amend the constitution, and have
it offered on the ballot, hoping that
through the inattention, carelessness
or ignorance of the voters lt may be
sneaked through.
If as to Initiative statute you want
a county divided, or a new county
formed, or a county seat changed,
bother all the voters of the state with
it. Does Astoria want a particular
lish bill? Bother all the voters with
it. Does The Dalles want an oppos
ing bill? Bother all the voters with
that, too. The voters probably vtill
adopt both measures, and add cfmfu
sion to confusion. Does a small body
of our misguided people, for one no
tion or another, wish to stop an ap
propriation for the State University?
Call the referendum. A political row
in Multnomah, between the County
Court and the Sheriff, over the cus
t.rSy and feeding of prisoners in the
County Jail, occurs. Call the refer
endum for the entire state.
Observe in passing and never for
get lt. that every Initiative bill for a
statute, or proposal for change of the
constitution, is he product of some
Kpecial Interest, or cratiky notion, and
that there is no chance, as In a legis
lative body, to examine, debate, or
amend it. Anybody, moreover, will
sign the Initiative petition for any
body else. It is the easiest way to
et rid of the bores, who, seldom hav
ing any business of their own, want
to take direction of the business of
the state-. Tho referendum petition is
signed tho same way. livery ticket
that goes into the ballot-box will be
as long as a circus poster.
Perhaps the people of Oregon will
conclude this ought to stop some
where, and that the present year is
a good time to put the mark upon
every proposition on the ballot oppo
site the word "No." Then you will
know what your vote means. If you
out the mark opposite"Yes," you will
not know, except that you are vot
ing against all the past experience of
the human race, and deciding thereby
that all this experience and all the
wisdom of our ancestors, and all we
have inherited, may be and indeed is
to be suspended by the meditations of
a gifted gentleman at Oregon City,
who, in his hours of leisure, consents
to deliver to us the true principles of
statesmanship and government.
But we live ' and learn. Perhaps
this gentleman Is our final prophet.
But Oregon, misled, through
strange circumstances, will correct
herself. So abused had she been, by
her politicians of the Mitchell school
during forty years, that she deemed
herself forced to the adoption of the
raw, crude and half-baked expedients
she now is troubled with. But she
will rid herself of them. In time; and
this whether under one party or an
other. The Democratic party, now
favoring all these vagaries, through
Its politicians, does lt in order that lt
may disrupt and overcome the Re
publican party. But Just so soon as
the Democratic party may be landed
in power should that occur, and It is
not improbable it will gradually
lead a movement back to the old
landmarks; not Indeed In detail, but
as to first principles. Because, as to
first principles, there is mierhtv little
In the science -erf government that is
new. Initiative and referendum deal
only with the fads and caprices of
the passing day. One day Oregon
will tire of all this, and call a consti
tutional convention.
Do you say your representative
government, your deliberative body
of the representatives of the people,
cannot be depended on? That your
Legislature will not execute your will?
Then you are incapable of represent
ative government, or of any govern
ment, except that of the man on
horseback. This newspaper has bet
ter hopes of representative govern-
ment, and pins its faith to them; for
if representative government gov
ernment through assemblies elected
at short intervals by the people is to
be abandoned, the man on horseback,
representing the whole people.
through the plebiscite like that of
Napoleon or Augustus will come In
sight long before this country is as
old as those which have furnished the
examples. A country must have peace
and justice. To a democracy such a
condition is Indispensable. Property
must have fair treatment. For prop
erty must exist. Property, indeed,
tends to monopoly; and this must be
checked. But property must, not be
destroyed or wasted, by fooiish ex
periments and unequal taxation.
There is a middle course, which al
ways is the way of safety. But Ore
gon, through abuse of the system de
fined or expressed by the new jargon,
tends to extreme courses. There
must be change not of principles,
but of details and it Is a false as
sumption that to Innovate Is to re
form. Right- now is a mighty good
time to stop, by voting "No," and
to wait a while.
HARRDIAX MERGER PROBLEM.
Attorney-General Bonaparte has
begun suit to break the control of the
Union Pacific over the Southern Pa
cific and other affiliated roads. The
manner in which Mr. Marriman has
favored San Francisco, a Southern
Pacific port, at the expense of Port
land, a Union Pacific port, and the
general policy of neglect regarding
development or transportation facili
ties in Oregon, has resulted in any
thing but a friendly feeling toward
the accused railroad king. For the
reasons stated, and others, any pun
ishment which might be inflicted on
Mr. Harriman would hardly call forth
any. expressions of sympathy in Ore
gon. But in the prosecution now un
der way there are problems involved
which render the judicial result a
matter of extreme doubt, and the ul
timate effect, should the verdict be
against the railroads, still more
doubtful. ,
For a precedent in the matter we
have the celebrated Northern Securi
ties case. The holding scheme, which
placed common control of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific under
one management, was annulled by
the courts on the ground that the
roads involved were "parallel and
competing," and accordingly subject
to operation in restraint of trade.
And yet every shipper in the territory
served by the two roads knows that
the dissolution of the . merger made
no difference in the competition. The
court apparently had the. power to
compel the annulment of the merger.
but could not stipulate that the
stock should be sold to persons other
than those who were favorable to Mr.
Hill. Quite naturally, the objection
able holdings were-not transferred to
unfriendly hands, ana the mereer
stands dissolved with no beneficial ef
fect resulting.
But the Union Pacific, running
from Kansas City and Omaha to Og
den, is not, in the strictest sense, a
parallel and competing" road with
the Southern Pacific, - which runs
from New Orleans by way of New
Mexico to the Pacific Coast, and
thence to Ogden by way of Sacra
mento, although by their connec
tions they undoubtedly tap considera
ble mutual territory. The Union Pa
cific, terminating at Ogden, desired
through connection to the Pacific
Coast. This could be secured only
by paralleling, at enormous expense,
the line of the Central Pacific, or by
buying, leasing or otherwise securing
control of the Central Pacific. The
needed connection was owned by the
Southern Pacific, and was unobtain
able separate from the main part ,of
the system. Mr. -Harriman accord
ingly secured control of the entire
Southern Pacific system, and thus
completed a transportation monopoly
throughout a large portion of the
West.
On the same grounds that were
used as a basis for annulment of the
Northern Securities the divorce of the
Southern Pacific from the Union Pa
cific may be ordered, but lt is diffi
cult to understand how the actual ef
fect on service or rates will be at
variance with that which followed the
defeat of the Northern Securities
merger. Persons friendly to Mr. Har
riman will take over the stocks which
thle courts may decide to be unlaw
ful for him to hold. There will bo
separate sets of officials, and perhaps
a semblance of competition, but lt
will not affect rates nor service.
There is no question about the ne
cessity for finding a remedy for such
evils as have grown out of this elim
ination of all competition in the Wes
but it is not at all clear that such
remedy lies in the forced transfer to
Paul of stock held by Peter, so long
as they are on equally friendly terms
with a "system" which will dominate
rates and service over the respective
properties. Better results might at
tend the -enactment and strict en
forcement of laws governing rates
and service, not only from terminal
points, but all along the lines.
ELECTION OF SENATORS.
Change in the constitutional
method of election of United States
Senators Is one of the absolute needs
of our system of government. The
election should bo placed by the Con
stitution directly In the hands of the
people of each of the states, without
intervention of the legislature there
of. But this can be accomplished
only by change of the National Con
stitution. It Is well enough for the
people of each of the states to take
a vote on candidates; for this may
be a guide, to the Legislature; but the
power of election Is In the Legislature
Itself, and there will remain till the
National Constitution shall be
changed.
The states have the constitutional
power, to call for the change; that
is, two-thirds of them, acting through
their Legislatures, may do so. A
dozen already have taken action.
Among the latest is the State of Wis
consin. Oregon adopted some time
ago a resolution to this effect, and
will renew it at any session, if neces
sary.
It is believed that by next year the
necessary two-thirds of the states will
be secured. The Senate itself has al
ways refused to take action, but will
be compelled to do so when the call
comes from the Legislatures of two
thirds of the states. Then a conven
tion must be called; and though the
demand for change in the manner of
electing Senators will be the moving
force, amendments on other subjects
may be and doubtless will be pro
posed. No new convention would ad
journ without an amendment to con
fer on Congress the power to levy in
come and Inheritance taxes, and to
make more specific and plain the
power of Congress to regulate inter
state commerce.
To both the old political parties In
their National conventions this year
the proposition will be put up for a
declaration In favor of the election of
Senators by direct vote of the people,
taking the matter wholly out of the
hands of the Legislatures. This Is
the way, and the only way, to settle
the question. Till the constitutional
method shall be changed, no expedi
ent to get around lt will be enforce
able. Party spirit will be against it,
and members of the Legislature will
stand upon their constitutional obli
gations; certainly will, when a Dem
ocratic Legislature Is asked to elect a
Republican to the Senate, or a Re
publican Legislature is asked to elect
a Democrat to the Senate. It Is child
ish to think otherwise.
A' MODEL DEPARTMENT.
The prevalence of red tape methods
and the seeming Impossibility of
keeping departmental patronage at
Washington out of the. hands of poli
ticians who use it as an asset results
in great annual waste of money. For
tunately for the people who foot the
bills, not all branches of the Gov
ernment service are ensnared In tftis
maze of red tape. Standing out clear
aid distinct In this respect is the
Weather Bureau. This highly Im
portant branch of the Agricultural
Department has never been the home
of theorists and faddists, and year in
and year out it is returning to the
people a service of value Inestimably
greater than the cost of maintenance,
for it not only saves property of enor
mous value,' but it is also the means
of saving life.
In the annual report of Chief Willis
L. Moore, it is noted that during the
year ending June 30, 1907, not one
severe storm entered the United
States without timely warning being
given to -the people in the localities
where the storm appeared. The in
fallibility of these warnings is so well
understood that they are strictly ob
served wherever they are posted. If
the predicted storm is exceptionally
severe, ships remain at anchor and all
branches of industry which would be
affected by storms have ample time
to prepare for Its coming. The work
of the Weather Bureau in connection
with floods in the Ohio and Missis
sippi Rivers and others parts of the
country resulted In the saving of an
immense ahiount of property. Out
here on the Pacific Coast we have
had within the past few years numer
ous demonstrations of the value of
the service in reporting shipping in
distress off the mouth of the Colum
bia.
On more than one occasion heavy
property loss and possible loss of life
have been averted by prompt reports
from the North Head station, the
warnings reaching Astoria in time to
admit of tugs being sent to the rescue.
The accuracy of the Weather Bureau
reports is much greater now than
ever before, and while Chief Moore
modestly refrains from any mention
of this fact, it can easily be under
stood how it is made possible by the
continued scientific research of the
men In the service. The use of the
aeroplane at the Mount Weather, Va,
observatory last October enabled thp
bureau to break a world's record for
high flights, meteorological instru
ments attached to the kites being car
ried to a height of 23,111 feet above
sea level.
These observations of upper-air
conditions were continued for three
months, and added much to the limit
ed knowledge of upper-air conditions
which have such great effect on the
weather. The Weather Bureau has
got well past the . "guesswork" stage,
and its .reputation for reliability is
steadily Increasing. There Is need of
one or two more stations out here on
the Pacific Coast, and the work would
be much nearer perfect if a coast ca
ble were laid to take the place of the
land lines along the Oregon an
Washington coasts. At the present
time the land "service is much ham
pered by reason of the lines being
down during storms, when the infor
mation they should carry is most
needed. The service as a whole
throughout the country, however, is
admirable, and reflects great credit on
Chief Moe and his able lieutenants
scattered from the Atlantic to the
Pacific and from the Great Lakes to
the Gulf.
The Washington Railroad Commis
sion, at an expense of several thou
sand dollars, has determined that tne
average rate per ton-mile by the
Northern Pacific from grain hauled
within the state was 1.0676 cents,
while the rate per ton-mile on inter
state lumber 'shipments Was .4711
cent. These figures would Indicate
that the grain rate was too high or
the lumber rate too low. Lumber be
ing a low-price product in compari
son with wheat, is perhaps entitled to
a lower rate, but it will be difficult to
get many wheatgrowers to believe
lumber entitled to a rate less than
one-half that charged for grain. The
ultimtae result of these investigations
regarding rates will undoubtedly be
a wholesale readjustment on other
commodities than grain and lumber,
in which there will be advances
where the rate is too low and reduc
tions where it is too high. The. prob
lem is not easy to solve, and will un
doubtedly supply plenty of work for
the lawyers for a long time. -
Several hundred- farmers, who -left
Eastern Oregon and the Walla Walla
and Palouse districts to engage in
wheatgrowing In the new provinces of
British Columbia will be Interested in
the following Ottawa dispatch printed
in yesterday's Oregonian:
The Dominion government has decided to
loan a sum of approximately $4,000,000 to
the farmers of the new provinces of Al
berta and Saskatchewan whose crops were
a failure, to purchase seed grain.
With everything favorable in the
new districts mentioned, good crops
of wheat can be grown, but when the
season Is unfavorable, as lt was last
year, the resulting failure Is so much
worse than any failure of which the
Oregon or Washington farmer has
ever heard that it means government
aid or starvation. Another year like
the one Just closed will see the de
parture for America of a few thou
sand settlers who have been drifting
north in search of cheap land.
The City Council, apparently hav
ing in view the vast amount of
money that will soon be rolling in for
the heavy taxation of $200,000,000
worth of property, or, more accurate
ly, property taxed at that valuation,
last Saturday voted an advance of $10
per month to several engineers and a
$25 per month advance to the City
Physician. This move is particularly
appropriate at this time, when so
many ' small taxpayers have been
thrown out of "employment or have
been obliged to accept wage reduc
tions of from 10 per cent to 25 per
cent. On the whole, however, per
haps the taxpayers should feel grate
ful to the economical Council. The
liberal advance might have been
made effective throughout 'the city
payroll.
The male Vanderbilt who Is to give
away his sister at her forthcoming
marriage to a foreign Count must ap
pear at . the ceremony in knee
breeches. If an examination of the
coffin of the late "Cornell" Vanderbilt
or his sire, who ran the ferry, should
be made at some time in the future
and a disarrangement of the bones be
noticed, it will not be due to struggles
from ante-mortem interment. They
will have simply turned over in their
graves some years after the funeral.
Governor Chamberlain, Dick Mon
tague and Milt Miller tell a waiting
world that Wm. Jennin's Is complete
ly vindicated by events for the prin
ciples for which he contended in 1896
and in 1900. For free coinage of sil
ver? That was the only issue or
question in those days. But one
can't tell. Perhaps Jefferson Davis
was completely vindicated at Appo
mattox. "Oulda," the English novelist who
delighted in picturing this world and
its queer people as being Infinitely
worse than we are, died in poverty at
Florence, Italy, last Saturday. Her
books had a wide sale on both sides
of the ocean, but if they ever contrib
uted In the slightest degree to mak
ing better men and women of the
readers. It Is somewhat mystifying
how the miracle was accomplished.
Our country Is peaceful, not aggres
sive. It doesn't want war. It must
arm, therefore, and maintain Its arm
aments and increase Its armaments.
especially Its armaments at sea. We
shall avert attack by preparation to
meet it.
Coming simultaneously with the
Attorney-General's order to begin suit
against the Harriman raijroad trust,
Vice-President Mohler's Interview
would have served better his employ
er's purpose if lt hadn't been pub
lished.
Jack London turning up safe and
sound just when everybody thought
him and his freak craft lost did not
forget to mention his new novel. Cer
tain celebrities need no salaried press
agent.
A Cleveland poultryman has a hen
that refuses to lay unless she gets a
chew of tobacco. The anti-cigarette
league should be thankful that she
does not smoke cigarettes.
Criticism of alleged weakness of
our battleships by Mr. Dickie, design
er of the Oregon, would have more
force if he had' withheld the fact that
he had been snubbed.
Detroit has a minister who recently
raved: "There Is a hell; there must
be a hell!" How does he know?
Was he ever convicted for land
fraud?
A Western paper is afraid that
Taft will fall down and that Hughes
will be elected. Not If Taft happens
to fall on- Hughes. w
Mr. Cortelyou'a candidacy Is limited
to himself and. the philanthropic,, un
selfish satellites who revolve around J.
Pierpont Morgan.
Umatilla farmers demand a reason
able freight rate on wheat. An open
river will secure it for all time.
If In the case of George C. BrowneTl
It was beer talking and not the man,
no wonder they say talk's cheap.
Is Japan calling home all its Con
suls and Vine-Consuls to tell what
they know?
HIS
PARTY.
And a Look
at the General
Political
Sit nation.
New Tork World find. Pern.)
Some of Mr. Bryan's friends cherish
the delusion that-the Republican Na
tion Convention may nominate a re
aotlonery candidate and that this
would, make the election of even Mr.
Bryan possible. The Chicago Conven
tion will do nothing of the kind. If
the reactionary elements In the Re
publican party succeed In preventing;
Secretary Taft's nomination, they will
aret Theodore Roosevelt. Let there be
no misunderstanding about that.
No matter how many official state
ments Mr. Roosevelt may Issue de
clining a third term, he will setae the
Republican nomination himself rather
thnn permit it to s:o to any man who
does not represent the Roosevert
policies and who Is not In sympathy
with the Roosevelt Administration.
That is the situation which the Demo
cratic party must face, and there Is noth
ing to be gained toy imagining in the Re
publican party a state of affairs tliat is
not going to exist
Hardly a dozen Democrats in Congress
are unqualifiedly In favor of Mr. Bryan's
nomination. The party leaders know lt
arid it is the duty of the Southern Demo
crats to Impress this most important fact
firmly upon Mr. Bryan's mind when he
goes to Washington. We say the South
ern Democrats because they represent
about all the character, intelligence and
principle that mow remain in the party
as n Is officially constituted.
After twelve years of Mr. Bryan's lead
ershlp the Democrats of the North have
all but ceased to elect members of Con
gress. There are only two anti-Republican
United States Senators north of the
line of the Missouri Compromise, There
are eighteen Northern states from which
there is not a single Democratic Repre
sentative in Congress. Outside of the
South and New York City there are only
thirty-six Democrats in the two houses
of Congress.
Even in the South, where Democracy
still Has its stronghold, Populism holds
the balance of power 1n many states. The
party Is divided into hostile factions.
Loosely drawn primary laws have made
it possible for Populists to vote at Demo
cratic primaries, nominate Democratic
candidates and frame Democratic plat
forms, it is Southern Populism, not
Southern Democracy, which Is clamoring
for Mr. Bryan's nomination, whi'.e real
Democrats shrink into silence lest they
imperil their political future.
The World cannot agree with those
timid Southern fatalists who have come
to think that Democratic harmony can
ne restored only hy another overwhelm
ing defeat under Mr. Bryan's leadership.
This Is a counsel of despair. The Demo
cratic party cannot afford another such
disaster. Least of all can the South af
ford it. and If the South again sacrifices
the Democratic party the South is likely
to pay a heavy penalty for Its subservi
ence to Populism and its recreancy to
Democratic principles.
For twelve years now the National
Government has been under the domina
tion of a Republican majority, drunk with
power and arrogance riding rougn-shod
over the minority. If Mr. Bryan's nom
ination Is permitted there will be greater
Republican majorities in the future ma
jorities more drijnken and still more ar
rogant. Under the leadership of a Re
publican President less complacent than
Mr. Roosevelt one of these majorities
some day will begin to enforce tbe Con
stitution of the United States by reduc
ing the representation of every Southern
state in which the negro has been dis
franchised. There will be no militant Democratic
party left in the North to help the South
fight her battles, and the South will be
left to the fate which her own leaders
have invited. , s
It is folly to say that this cannot hap
pen. This very thing was provided for
In the Republican National platform of
1904. It will be providea for in other Re
publican platforms, and the day will come
when the Republicans in Congress will
make the reduction of Southern repre
sentation a strict party measure unless
there is a Democratic opposition there
which they respect or fear, nls ques
tion is of far greater Importance to the
South than Mr. Bryan's ambition or any
body else's ambition, and Just so far as
Southern leaders discourage the rehabili
tation of the Democratic party in the
North, Just so far are they inviting the
deluge.
There is no state that Bryan lost In
1896 which he could carry in 1908. There
is no electoral vote that he lost in 1900
which he could win back next November.
The Democratic party cannot afford to
nominate Mr. Bryan and the World can
not understand why he should desire the
nomination. Certainly another defeat will
add no mew laurels to the wreath he
already wears. X
Mr. Bryan in his conference with the
party leaders at Washington will be face
to face with one of the greatest oppor
tunities of his-vwhole political career.
Hecan help unite the Democratic party.
He can help send it into the campaign
harmonious, enthusiastic and hopeful. He
can make himself a true leader, a great
leader, and by sacrificing personal
ambition to Democratic welfare he can
win for himself a loftier place In public
confidence than he has yet held.
Is Mr. Bryan big enough, broad enough,
unselfish enough to do it? Here is his
opportunity. Here is the opportunity of
the Democratic party. Here, . perhaps,
rests the Issue of Democratic lifo or
death. - -
In the Field to Stay.
Brooklyn Eagle, Ind.-Dem.
There Is in this country one Democrat
who is of the opinion that Mr. Bryan
could carry the State of New Tork as a
candidate for the Presidency next Novem
ber. Indeed, it is more than a mere
opinion. It is confidence. And, like a
definition of a second marriage, it is a
triumph of hope over experience. It
would be misleading to add that it is
shared by Mr. Bryan himself. He is the
Democrat who thinks so.
There is no Democrat, nor is there any
Republican who thinks that, without the
electoral votes of the Empire state, the
Denver nominee will have a chance of
winning. Even Mr. Bryan himself en
tertains no such delusion. He knows that
with the loss of this commonwealth will
come the loss of the Presidency once
more. Probably this explains his opti
mism, sincere or otherwise, with refer
ence to New York.
He has no alternative. ' He must In
clude lt in his calculations. He must
either give expression to his confidence
of winning it or admit that his nomina
tion would be equivalent to defeat. If
there are any Democrats who agree with
him, the wish is father to the thought.
They are living In a fool's paradise. And
what Is worse, they are likely to remain
there until after election, seeing that all
indications point to the triumph of their
Idol at Denver.
There is, it appears, no truth In the
statement that Mr. Bryan had written
a letter declaring his Intention to clear
the track for other candidates In case a
canvass disclosed the fact that a third
of the delegates opposed him. Such a
letter, purporting to have been sent to
Willis J. Abbott, was never written. The
rumor, and the disclaimers following It,
serve no more than the purpose of ad
vertising Mr. Bryan's attitude as unalter
able. He is in the field to stay.
Hart With Another Woman's Hatpin.
Hartford (Conn.) Dispatch.
Miss Jennie Neeley, in stooping on a
train near Stamford, Conn., to pick up
a handkerchief in the aisle, was seriously
Injured by a pin in the hat of another
woman on the opposite side, who stooped
at the name moment to recover the handkerchief.
BRYAN AND
DIRECT ELECTION OF" SENATORS
Typical Resolutions. Adopted by Wis
consin and Many Other States.
Following are the preamble and reso
tions of the Legislature of Wisconsin, -on
amendment of the Constitution of the
United States so as to provide for elec
tion of Senators by a direct vote of the
people:
Whereas. It is the sense of this Legisla
ture of the State of Wisconsin that the pub
lic welfare demands that the United States
Senators should be elected by direct vote
of the people; and
Whereas, The House of Representatives of
the Congress of the United States has on
four separate occasions passed by a two
thirds vote a resolution proposing; an amend
ment to the Constitution providing for
the election of United States Senators by
direct vote of the people: and.
Whereas. The United States Senate has
refused to consider or vote upon said reso
lution, thereby denying to the people of the
several states a chance to secure this im
peratively needed change in the method of
electing Senators: and.
Whereas, Such opportunity to amend the
Constitution of the United States may be
obtained by united action of the Leglela
tures of the several states under and pur
suant to the provisions of Article V of the
Constitution . of the United States, calling
for a convention to propose such amend
ment; now. therefore.
Be lt resolved, by the Senate and Assem
bly of the State of Wisconsin. That, under
thevauthority of Article V of the Constitu
tion of the United States, application Is
hereby made to Congress to forthwith call
a Constitutional Convention for the purpose
of submitting to the states for ratifica
tion an amendment to the Federal Constitu
tion providing for the election of United
States Senators by direct vote of the peo
ple: and further.
Be lt resolved. That the Legislatures of
all other states of the United States now
In session, or when next convened, be, and
they are, respectfully requested to Join la
this application by the adoption of this or
an eaulvaient resolution: and be lt further
Resolved. That the Secretary of State be
and he Is. hereby directed to transmit au
thenticated copies of this resolution and
application, to the President of the United
States, to the Senate and House of Repre
sentatlves of the United States, and to the
several members of said bodies represent
ing this state therein, and also to transmit
copies hereof to the Legislatures of all
other states of the United States.
WHERE IS ANYBODY "ATf
Some of the Troubles of a Great 'a
tlonal Party.
Atlanta Constitution.
Without a doubt tho Democratic party
Is unfortunate in some of the burdens
lt has to carry. Redolent with radical
ism. Senator Jeff Davis, of Arkansas,
looms in the spotlight as one of these.
Old Atlas was never so pestered.
Mr. Davis' latest ebullition before
New Tork audience, In which, he talks
of Insanity stalking abroad in the marts
of commerce and calls aloud for the ab
solute . destruction of aggregations of
capital, is scarcely calculated to appeal
to that progressive conservatism, that
high sense of equal justice, upon which
Democracy must base Its hopes.
In one breath .Mr. Davis lauds William
Jennings Bryan as the foremost of Dem
ocrats, in the next he lays at his door
advocacy of the policies of destruction
at which even the conscientious Social
ist must stand aghast.
Neither the Democracy nor Mr. Bryan
has ever demanded the absolute destruc
tlon of aggregations of capital. They
have sought and they will continue to in
sist upon laws which will prevent op-
presslon of the people by these private
interests, and hey propose to see to it
that these laws are obeyed.
Mr. Davis cries aloud for annihilation.
In .that he is not only un-Democratic,
Dut in seeking to saddle his own ex
tremism upon Mr. Bryan he Is weight
ing Democracy and its candidate down
with a load 'which it never has proposed
to carry ana win not now.
Chicago View of Sqnday Saloons.
Chicago Record-Herald.
It is absurd, for example, to confuse
the question of Sunday closing with anti
quated blue laws. For Sunday closing
cannot De rationally treated as an inva
sion of some principle of personal Hbertv
that is upheld by the general sentiment
or mankind. It Is primarily a question
of the adequate regulation of the saloons
In the interest of public order, and, of all
the extremists we have, those are the
wildest who fight saloon regulation on
the theory that the saloon business is
just like any other business. Our experi
ence of life and the laws of all the states
teach the contrary. Nothing is more cer
tain than that the saloon has been the
subject of special regulations in the past
ana tnat it win be the subject of such
regulations In the future.
Gets a Pension on Her Name.
Pittsburg Dispatch in New Tork Sun.
"Place her on the pension list for life'
was the order given by Andrew Carnegie
here to the Carnegie Relief Fund trus
tees. The recipient of his bounty Is one
Margaret Morrison Carnegie, an aged
woman living In a little town in Indiana.
Mr. Carnegie received a letter from a
woman in the wilds of Indiana asking
for some consideration. She made no
claims or pretense save that her name
was the same as that of Mr. Carnegie's
mother. Mr. Carnegie on finding that
the woman was really a Mrs. Margaret
Morrison Carnegie and that she was in
needy circumstances, ordered that
weekly pension be paid to her during
tne rest of ner life.
Proud Father Just Eighty-One.
Meriden, Conn.. Dispatch in Washington
(D. C.) Post.
Francis A. Wilcox. 81 years old, a
farmer, and a leading citizen of Berlin,
has become the father of an 11-pound
boy. Mr. Wilcox has been married
twice. He lived with his first wife 56
years, when she . died. This marriage
was childless. Two years ago Mr. W il
cox was wedded to Miss Frances Green
of New Britain, the daughter of a school
mate of his first wife. Mr. Wilcox la
distributing cigars and candy throughout
the village.
Wildcat Cangrht With Lasso.
Canyon City Eagle.
John Hopper, who is an employe at the
Overholt ranch on Indian Creek, cap
tured a wildcat recently with a lasso.
The animal did not take very kindly to
its manner of being captured, and put up
quite a fight for a short time.
A FEW SQUIBS.
"All publishers in the country have turned
my song down!" "Cheer up. Think what a
laugh you've got on the fellow you stole the
music from." Cleveland Leader.
First Mother (reading letter from son at
college) Henry's letters always send me to
the dictionary.
Second Mother (resignedly) That's noth
ing; Jack's always. send me to the bank.
Fuck.
"I like to hear your wife talk." remarked
the visitor. "She has such liauid tones, as
it were." "You bet she has," rejoined the
husband. "Her talk simply drowns every
other sound." Chicago Daily News.
'The money a man amasses." remarked the
philosopher. "Is not the measure of his value
to the community." "No." remarked Mr.
Dustin Stex. "It's the measure of the com
munity's value to him." Washington Star.
Georgia Citizen Cunnel Bluecork says when
the South went "dry" lt took his breath
away.
Alabama Citizen It did, sah; and Cunnel
Bluecork had been priding himself on that
breath for the past 20 years. Judge.
Mrs. Vlck-Senn's eyes flashed. "Johnny
doesn't get that weak chin of his from my
side of the housel' she exclaimed. "No my
dear," meekly responded her husband
"Johnny has my chin, but be Inherits his
mother's tireless capacity fpr keeping It In
motion." Chicago Tribune.
"Mrs. StHson," said Mrs. Oldcaetle, "what
ever her other shortcomings may be, does
not lack aplomb." "Well," replied her
hostess an she removed her $:i0.00o dog collar
because it had become uncomfortably tight,
"I don't see why she shouldn'. Her father
was a plumber." Chicago Record-Herald.
"Dora, would yon be willing to marry a
young man who has to make his own way In
the worid and who has nothing but his love
for you to recommend hlra?" "Certainly Ger
ald, if I cared enough for him. but at present
I don't know of any such young man. Frosty
weather, lan't it?" Chicago Tribune.
ONE THING AND ANOTHER
HOW one does hate the "informer"?
Judas Iscairiot is possibly the rst of
record that got his pay in full. He stoo4
out for the coin. Since then many havt
followed in his steps for greater or less
reward. Every time I hear of a case I
am reminded of the story of Mr. Moody
and the cowboy.
The great evangelist was preaching on
Judas and the betrayal of Christ. A
cowboy, pretty well boozed tip. ambled
Into the hall and secured a seat in tlio
front row of the gallery. The words of
the speaker interested him and as Mr.
Moody paused toward the climax the man
arose, one hand on the balcony rail an-i
a finger pointed toward the revivalist and
said:
"Miz ter Moo dy. is all that facts?"
"Yes, my friend, they are plain facts."
"Mlz-ter Moo dy, 4s all that in hiz
try?"
"Yes. my friend, both sacred and pro
fane history tell that Judas Iscariot be
trayed his Master for a miserable 30
pieces of silver."
"Well th' !"
Let the "hallelujahs" rise! There is
one less worry for the hen-pecked man on
wash day. A Prineville man has invented
and patented a device that does away
with the clothespole.
The wages of sin seldom suffer a re
duction. A wedding ceremony without a hitch in
lt Is unique.
The rooster's comb is mighty red.
The days are growing long;
The pigs squeal early to be fed.
The lark pipes up his song.
The frogs are croaking in the slough
They're always up to date;
And nothing will be overdue
This Spring of nineteen-eight.
The youth who thinks he can beat a
bank would do well to read the liitle
tablet by the teller's window saying the
Institution belongs to the American
Bankers Association and to remember the
Plnkertons "never sleep."
"Butter getting ready to drop." writes
the commercial man. The strength of
some of lt should hold lt up.
W. J. C.
HONORABLE JAPS AS INVADERS
They Continue Senil-SsvaKe Campaign
of Blood in Corea.
Chicago Post.
The Japanese as Invaders are no laugh
ing matter. Their present brutal methods
in Corea; as sketched by F. A. McKenzie.
an English resident of sufficient stand
ing to find place In the London Contem
porary Review, cannot but make us have
greater sympathy with the Californlan
wish to shut our doors in their faces.
Mr. McKenzie tells us that the Japanese
immigration Into the Hermit Kingdom
has been drawn almost entirely from the
coolie class, the roughest and lowest por
tion of the population, for the simple rea
son that the better citizens refuse to
leave Nippon. The same condition, by
the way, largely governs the character of
the Japs now pouring Into this country
In practically undiminished volume. Com
ing to Corea, in the first period .of inva
sion, by shiploads every day, the coolies
"soon spread over the land, robbing, mur
dering and outraging. Corean property,
land, farm produce, fishing rights, etc.,
were stolen wholesale by Japanese coo
lies, and the Coreans themselves were
beaten and abused."
These outrages, according to Mr. Mc
Kenzie, were unchecked by the Corean
courts, which did not dare to interfere.
Every Japanese soldier thus became a
summary court of Justice meting out to
the unfortunate Corean what punishment
he pleased. 1
"The- favorite form of punishment was
to knock a man down by a heavy blow in
the stomach with the butt-end of a rifle,
and then Jump on his body, hold him
down with one foot, keep him taut by
grabbing his top-knot, and kick him,
punch him, and hammer him with the
butt-end of a rifle at pleasure. Of course
the man treated in this fashion often '
crept away afterward and died in agony."
A tour through Vi district where a hand
ful of Corean revolutionists have been
making a last futile stand against the
conqueror also convinced the English .
resident thatthe Japanese army is by no
means living up to the civilized standards
which It showed so remarkably in the
war with Russia.
"On every side I heard stories of women
outraged, wounded, bayonetted, and of
non-combatants and children shot. In
one small area I passed through the for
mer settlements of about 20,OiX people,
made homeless, all their food supplies
gone, and now waiting on the bare hill
sides to perish from hunger and cold in
the coming Winter."
Such relapses into semi-savagery cannot
soften us toward the yellow-skinned sub
jects of the Mikado. Indeed, we are be
ginning to believe that our National atti
tude toward Japan finds prudent expres
sion in the presence of 16 battleships off
our Pacific Coast and in the Administra
tion's effort to maintain an efficient,
if skeletonized, army throughout our en
tire dominion.
Not Profoundly Impressed.
Chicago Tribune.
Mrs. Upsome "So you took a tour
through Switzerland, did you? What did
you think of the Matterhorn?"
Mr. Pneurlch To tell you the truth, I
didn't try it. I don't think much of
these forelgri beverages, anyhow." '
His Honor Touched.
Philadelphia Ledger.
Ruef. the grafter, looked solemn.
"Schmltz." he said, "this Is a blow."
"What are you talking about?"
"I confessed that I was guilty. The
court says I am Innocent. See what a
liar that makes me?"
A LONG WATT.
London Tit-Bits.
At exactly fifteen minutes to eight
His step was heard at the garden gate.
And then, with heart that was light and
gay.
Hs laughed to himself in a Jubilant way;
And rang the bell for the maiden trim
Who'd promised to go to the play with him;
And told the servant, with joyous air.
To say there were fifteen minutes to spars.
And then for fifteen minutes hs sat
In the parlor dim, and held his bat.
And waited and sighed for the maiden trim
Who'd promised to go to the play with him.
Until, as the clock overhead struck eight.
He muttered: "Great Scott! It la getting
late!"
And took a turn on the parlor floor.
And waited for fifteen minutes more;
And rrunted loud In a dubious way.
And thought of thoss seats in the front
narauet:
And midnight came, and the break of day.
That day, and ths next, and th next one
too.
Hs sat and waited the long hours through.
Then time flew on, and-'the years sped by.
And still he sat with expectant eye
And lengthened beard, for tbe maiden trim
Who'd promised to go to the play with him;
UntU one night, as with palsied hand
He sat in the chair, for he couldn't stand.
And drummed in an aimless way. she cams
And entered ths room with her withered
rrame.
The moon's bright rays touched the silvered
hair
Of her who had fifteen minutes to spare.
f. v.
And then, in tones that he strained to hear,
the spoke, and she said. "Are you ready,
dear?"
1