TIIE MORNING OREGOXIAX, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY S6, 1908.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
(By Mall.)
Imllr, Sunday Included, one year $8 00
iJnlly. fcunday Included, six months... 4-25
Dally. Sunday Included, three months.. 2.23
Lally. Sunday Included, one month. .
Dally, without Sunday, one year 6-00
Dally, without Sunday, tlx months 8-23
Daily without Sunday, three months.. 1-73
Daily, without 6unday. one mouth..... JJ
Sunday, one year 2-30
Wf-kly. one year (Issued Thursday)... J-SSO
Sunday and weekly, cne year
BY CARRUEB.
Dally. BundaT Included, one year "JO
Dally. Bundav Included, one month "
HOW TO KfcMir Send postoffice money
rder, express order or personal check on
your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency
are at the sender's risk. Give postofflce ad
dress In full. Including county and stats.
POSTAGE RATES.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postofflce
as Second-Class Matter.
10 to 14 Paaes 1 cenl
1 to 28 Pases 2 cents
JO to 44 Pages 8 cents
s6 to CO Pages cents
Foreign postage, double rates.
IMPORTANT The postal laws are strict.
Newspapers on which postage Is not fully
Prepaid are not forwarded to destination.
EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE.
The S'. C. Reckwith Special Agency New
Tork. rooms 4H-00 Tribune building. Chi
cago, rooms 310-512 Tribune building.
KEPT OX SALE.
Chicago. Auflitcrlum. Annex; Postofflce
Neus Co.. 178 Dearborn street; Empire
JCews Stand.
Paul, .Minn. N. St. Marie, Commercial
Station.
Colorado Springs, Colo. Bell. H. H.
Denver. Hamilton and Kendrlck. Uo8-12
Seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store. 1214
Fifteenth street; H. P. Hansen. S. Kice.
George Car.on.
Kansas City, Mo. Ricksecker Cigar Co.,
Nlnih end Walnut; Yoma News Co.
.Minneapolis M. J. ' Cavanaugh. 50 South
Third.
Cincinnati, O. Yoma News Co.
Cleveland. O. James Puahaw. 307 Su
perior Mrecr.
Washington, I). C. Kbbitt House. Penn
sylvania avenue; Columbia News Co.
Pittsburg. Pa. Fort Pitt News Co.
I'hilixielphia. Pa. Ryan's Theater Ticket
Office; Pcnn News Co.; Kemble, A. P., 3To5
Lancaster avenue.
New York City. D. Jones Co.. Aator
Houae: Broadway Theater News Stand; Ar
thur Hotallr.g Wagons; -Empire News Stand;
Ogden. D. 1.. Boyle; Lowe Bros.. Ill
Tv piity-tifth street.
Omaha. Rnrkalow Bros.. Union Station:
Miigcath Stationery Co.; Kemp & Arenson.
Ies .Moines, In. Mose Jacobs.
l-'rettno, Cal. Tcurist News Co.
Sacramento, Cal. Sacramento News Co..
4:i K. street; Amos New Co.
Salt Luke. Moon Book & Stationery Co.:
Hosonfeld Hansen: ti. W Jewell. P. O.
corner; Stnlpeck Bros.
I. ing Beach, Cal. B. K. Amos.
I'Hhadcnu, Cal. Amos News Co.
Nan Diego. B. E. Amos.
Sin Joee. Kmerson W.
Houston, Tex. International News Agency.
Dallae, Tex. Southwestern News Agent,
844 Main street; also two street wagons.
Ft. Worth, Tex. Southwestern N. and A.
Agency.
Amarilln, Tex. Timmons & Pope.
Nan FrunciM'O. Forstor & Orear: Ferry
News stand; Hotel St. Francis News Stand;
Parent; N. Wheatley; Fairmount Hotel
News Stand; Amos News Co.; United News
Agency, ll'.i Eddy street; B. K. Amos, man
tiger three waieons; Worlds N. S.. 2023 A.
Sutter street.
Oakland. Cal. W. 11. JVhnson. Fourteenth
and Franklin streets: N. Wheatley; Oakland
News Stand; It. E. Amos, manager five
wagon.; Wellincham. E. G.
(.olillleld. Nev. Louie Follln.
Eureka. Cal. Call-Chronicle Agency; Eu
reka News Co.
PORTLAND. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26, 190S.
TAXATION, ONCE MORE.
Now of course the people of Oregon
know, or are supposed to know,
vcri'thing. "The?.' knows it instinctive."
They have been informed that all ex
perience and all history, and all the
Kst-ons of experience and history,
have now no .significance or applica
tion. Some believe it. The new
method, which is to supersede the old,
is to be enforced through initiative
end referendum, through the primary
law and Statement No. 1, and through
other forms of innovation and super
Hedure. The Constitution of the
United States must "go." So must the
constitution, of Oregon. The whims
of politicoes of the time are to be
the supreme law. An entirely new
principle of taxation is offered. The
old constitutional system, which re
quired ell taxation to be equal and
uniform, and the old statutes long ago
enacted and enforced on this princi
ple, are good no longer. There is
new light on all these things; but
when that light Is darkness, how
great is that darkness!
On this business of taxation the new
light has been trying to shine upon
the benighted State of Ohio. But the
peopLe of that state are too blind to
see the new star. They discredit
the magicians who have announced it.
Whimsies and fads and fancies, uch
as those now presented in the initi
ative hill in Oregon, for rejection of
the old system of equal taxation and
substitution of a new one, have been
put up to the Legislature of Ohio. It
will be objected, of course, that that
body is not representative. For just
so soon as men are elected to the
Legislature and begin to study the sub
jects with which they are to deal, they
pause, hesitate and cease to be repre
sentative. Thus we find representa
tive government a failure: and initi
ative and referendum and Statement
No. 1, and wild and weird notions
about taxation, and of making and un
doing constitutions and laws by direct
vote of the electors without opportu
nity of debate or amendment and
the endless list of various and multi
farious loose ideas, all and several,
that are floating In the unbalanced
mind, come forward as new revela
tions of the gospel of political, social
and economic truth. But somehow
such states as Ohio and Kentucky
can't see it. Our URens and Wag
nons do not prevail there.
A short time' ago a tax commission
appointed in Ohio In pursuance to law,
after a study of the subject for fifteen
months, made a report to the Gov
ernor of the state, Who laid the report
before the Legislature. A summary
of that report is printed on this page.
It runs violently opposite to the prin
ciples in the initiative bill offered for
amendment of the constitution of Ore
gon, which virtually proposes to throw
all burdens upon land and to exempt
property in other forms. The report
shows that Ohio is moving to get away
from the principal evils which we are
now asked to enact into law in Oregon.
The Ohio report Is a' protest against
the burden' Imposed on real property,
and against exemption of personal
and Intangible property. The initia
tive propositon in Oregon would re
verse this rule. It would virtually,
exempt personal and Intangible prop
erty, including manufacturing plants
and corporation assets, and throw an
even greater burden than now on real
property against the injustice of
which, already excessive In Ohio, the
tax commission of that state strongly
protests.
Ohio Is now proceeding to amend
ment of her constitution to meet the
requirements of this report. Her Leg
islature a short time ago adopted a
resolution to this effect. The present
Initiative movement in. Oregon is In
exactly the opposite direction. Ken
tucky, which, many years ago, bor-
rowed the Ohio system. Is now also
changing It, by constitutional amend
ment, so as to obtain more Just taxa
tion of the kinds of property which
the proposed amendment In Oregon
would exempt.
In most ways the constitution of
Oregon was very good. But It satisfies
no class of doctrinaires of the modern
time.
Have we anything to learn from the
experience of older and greater states?
Here are Ohio and Kentuoky, amend
ing their fundamental law, to get rtd
of evils of long standing, which Ore
gon now is asked to enact into her fun
damental law. Oregon, probably, will
decline to do It. For this effort is
made precisely In the wrong direction.
It looks to Increased taxation of real
property, held without improvement,
and forgets everything else. But this
evil can be corrected, and Is being cor
rected rapidly, under the laws of Ore
gon as they stand. Observe that the
vast Increase of taxable property
throughout the state, returned by the
Assessors during the last three or four
years, comes mainly- from the unim
proved . lands and franchises which
hitherto had been taxed hardly at all.
The laws are good enough as they
stand. If there can be a better rule
of taxation than equal taxation, no
state has yet adopted It.
SEATTLE REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
Mention was made in these columns
a few days ago that the Seattle real
estate transfers for February 4 had
reached the astounding total of $35,
052.181.85. This information was gath
ered from the Seattle Daily Bulletin,
which, being the "city official paper,"
was, of course, a reliable authority.
Day after day these enormqus figures
appeared in the Bulletin, and will, of
course, be included in the total for the
month of February and. for the year
1908. A Seattle friend, noting The
Oregonian's astonishment that trans
fers of such magnitude should be
made without the details appearing
under glaring headlines on the first
page of the daily newspapers, sends us
the details of the enormous transac
tions In Seattle real estate. They are
thus explained by the records:
532.608 Land The St. Paul, Minneapolis
& Manitoba Railway Company to the Great
Northern Railway Company, a line of rail
way beginning at a point in St. Paul, Minn.,
and extending thence northwesterly by way
of Anoka, St. Cioud, Barnesvllle and Crooks
ton to a point on the international boundary
line between the United States and the Do
minion of Canada near St. Vincent in said
state; together with other railways in Minne
sota, North Dakota. Dominion of Canada,
etc., (metes and' bounds- description) October
11. lflOT J35.000.000.
It will, of course, ipuzzle the disin
terested stranger to Seattle methods to
understand what a "bookkeeping
transfer" of railroad property in Min
nesota, North Dakota, the Dominion
of Canada and intermediate points
has to do with Seattle real estate
transfers. It will occasion no sur
prise, however, to those who are in
touch with the Seattle spirit. There
Is a rumor afloat that the Graaid
Trunk Pacific has been absorbed by
the Canadian Pacific. The transfer
will undoubtedly involve even more
millions than were named in the
transfer of the subsidiary properties of
the Great Northern, and, as the Cana
dian Pacific has interests in the State
of Washington, the consideration
named in the deal will, without doubt,
be included in the Seattle real estate
transfers.
If this should fail to keep the trans
fers at a sufficiently high figure, the
Trans-Siberian Railroad might be
drawn on. It cost a right smart sum
and the transaction appearing In "Se
attle real estate transfers'" would bo
fully as appropriate as that which has
already swollen the totals to such mag
nificent figures.
A MOMENTOUS DECISION.
The decision of the Supreme Court
of the United States in the case of Mul
ler against the State of Oregon mark3
an epoch in American civilization. It
definitely removes woman from the.
category of beasts of burden whose la
bor may be exploited by her industrial
masters without restraint and estab
lishes her status as a mother of citi
zens with immunities of motherhood
which the law must respect. This de
cision has been awaited with anxious
forebodings by enlightened think
ers. They are aware how apt the Su
preme Court is to be swayed by con
siderations of arid formalism rather
than by far-sighted considerations of
social justice. They knew, too, that
the highest court in New Tork in a
similar case had recently held that
the property- right of women In the
power to trade their labor to employ
ers was superior to the interest of the
state in their physical and moral
health. When, therefore, this pivotal
case went up from Oregon to the high
est tribunal in the country, every man
whose feelings set the permanent wel
fare of the human race above the
temporary profits of the insatiate
trusts awaited the result in suspense,
with fear outweighing hope.
Much depended upon the turn which
the reasoning of the court might take.
Nineteen states had enacted laws lim
iting the hours of women's labor.
Massachusetts took the lead in 1874;
other states followed in slow proces
sion for a generation. If the Oregon
law .should turn out to be "unconstitu
tional," the whole mass of this hu
manitarian legislation would be anni
hilated at a stroke, and there could
be little doubt that the state child-labor
laws would share its fate. If the
right of women to sell their services
is above the welfare of the Nation, so
also is the right of parents to sell the
services of their children. The future
of the race and nation is of no conse
quence in comparison with the imme
diate success of the dollar chaser.
Friends of humanity have dreaded the
day when these child-labor laws
should come at last before the Su
preme Court, but now they will look
forward to It with more confidence.
Their confidence will be temperate
and . chastened with doubt, however,
for as The Outlook discreetly suggests
the Supreme Court takes now one side
of the subject, now the other. First
comes a decision founded on the for
lorn doctrlnairism of Herbert Spencer,
which negates every principle of hu
manity and forsakes mercy altogether;
then follows another like this In the
Oregon case, which boldly lays down
rules of justice so enlightened and true
that one is almost convinced that the
justices of our highest court have for
once taken a peep into their Bibles
and abjured Herbert Spencer and all
his works. The New York decision,
of which we spoke a moment ago, de
clared that the law could not deprive
a woman of the right to make any
contract she chose for the sale of her
labor. With flagrant hypocrisy the
judges argued that this right was more
precious to women than their own
health, the. welfare of their children
and the Integrity of their homes. The
unlimited right of laboring people to
sell their labor Is a delicate euphemism
for the unlimited right of their em
ployers to make them slave day and
night without regard to their health or
morality. .The New York court took
that view of women which Is charac
teristic of the Bowery tough and the
European peasant. The decision il
lustrates the cast of opinions which
Tammany politicians may be expect
ed to hold when they become judges.
On the other hand, the Supreme
Court of the United States expresses
the view of women whlcH Is held not
only by advanced humanitarian think
ers, but by the poets,.the prophets and
the sages of all the world. "As healthy
mothers are essential to vigorous off
spring," the court declares, "the phys
ical well-being of woman becomes an
object of public interest and care."
Are not healthy fathers also essential
to vigorous offspring? Stockbreeders
know that the sire's health is as im
portant. as the dam's, and the courts
will learn it after a while, perhaps; we
must not expect them to move too
fast. When our Supreme Court uses
the language we are about to quote.
there Is no reason for despair. "The
sexes differ In structure of body, in
the functions to be performed by each,
in the amount of physical strength, in
the capacity for long-continued labor.
. . This difference Justifies a dif
ference In legislation and upholds that
which is designed to compe'nsate her
for some of the burdens that rest upon
her." Such is the gospel of the in
spired prophets.
If she be small, slight natured, miserable.
How shall men grow? .
Tennyson asked this question sixty
years tego, and today our highest'eourt
answers by saying that they cannot
grow with dwarfed mothers. "Woman
is ' not undeveloped man," the poet
goes on to say, "but, diverse. Could
we make her as the man, sw.eet love
were slain."
Yet in the long yeans must they Uker grow.
The man be more of woman, she of man;
And so these- twain upon the skirts of time
Sit side by side full-summed In all their
powers.
Then comes the statelier Eden back to men.
Then reign the world' great bridals chaste
and calm;
Then springs the crowning race of humankind.
Milton said that woman and man
both showed the image of their glori
ous Maker, but they were not equal.
Man was formed for, valor and con
templation. For softness she and sweet attractive grace;
He for God only, she for God In him.
Neither men nor women, according
to Milton, were formed for the sole
purpose of selling their labor power to
the trusts.
RAILROAD LAND FRAUD.
Fraud has always marked the rail
road land grants in Oregon. The land
was obtained by fraud and the parts
sold have been disposed of by fraudu
lent violation of the terms of the
grants. More than 2,000,000 acres are
held by the Southern Pacific in diso
bedience of those terms.
The Oregon & California Railroad
repudiated the conditions attached to
the grants for protection of the public
interest, from the very first. The land
was given to the railroad in trust, to
aid construction of its lines and to
be disposed of as the Government
would have sold it to settlers. But
the railroad assumed absolute owner
ship and has refused to sell the lands
as the terms require namely, at a
price not exceeding 2.50 an acre, In
quantities of not more than 160 acres
to each purchaser, and to actual set
tlers only.
Details of this unlawful grab have
heen exposed for the first time, com
pletely and consecutively, by B. D.
Townsend, special attorney for the De
partment of Justice. "The provisions
of the grants restricting the manner
of sales," says Mr. Townsend in his
report, "have never been respected.
The lands have been sold to any per
son, whether settler or speculator, in
as large quantities as possible, and at
the highest prices possible. In mak
ing sales, the railroad has always ob
served the law of supply and demand,
and has never obeyed the law of Con
gress."
The very purpose for which Con
gress inserted the restrictions in the
grants to prevent speculation in the
land by the railroad and others in
large quantities, and creation of a
great estate, the railroad has thwarted
by ignoring the restrictions and assert
ing absolute ownership of the land.
And now a vast proprietorship is in
the hands of Harriman, which he an
nounces he will keep.
The people of Oregon long have
needed the information contained in
the report of Mr. Townsend. The
railroad has sold only 15 per cent of
the land that has passed out of Its
hands In compliance with the granting
acts. It now holds In violation of
those acts, refusing to sell, 2,080,306.44
acres, or 72 per cent of what It has
received from the Government, It
has sold only 4 per cent in compli
ance with the law-
The report shows that the land pat
ented to the railroad amounts to
2,894,215.26 acres, and that the rail
road has filed selections for 300,000
acres more; that the railroad has sold
610,215.40 acres and contracted to
sell 203,693.42 acres additional, a total
of 813,808.82; that It has sold in com
pliance with the acts of Congress as
to $2.50 an acre price limit and 160
acre quantity limit to each purchaser
127,418.57 acres; that It has sold
within the acreage limit of 160 acres
to each purchaser, but exceeding the
$2.50 an acre price, only 170,561.63,
and has sold in excess of the 160-acre
limit 615,928.62 acres. Of the last
named total, 363,991.50 were pur
chased by thirty-eight Individuals, in
quantities exceeding 2000 by each pur
chaser, in the last ten years, since the
demand for timber land has been active.-
In the total of conveyances, only
1947 sales have complied with the
$2.50-an-acre and 160-acre llmtts.'and
3376 sales have violated those restric
tions. These totals do not take into ac
count sales in which several deeds were
made to one purchaser. Were this
done, the number of sales obeying the
law would be somewhat smaller than
1947. Between the years 1890 and
1902 the railroad sold 400,000 acres to
timber men and speculators In quanti
ties exceeding 1000 acres to each pur
chaser. Late In 1902 the railroad
adopted the policy of refusing to sell,
and in September, 1907, Mr. Harri
man in a speech at Oakland, Cal., an
nounced that this policy would be per
manent. In 1891 the railroad ceased giving
warranty deeds and thereafter used
the quitclaim form, thereby freeing it
self from liability should title be
menaced, as now seems likely to oc
cur In cases of transfers in violation
of the granting acts.
In the sales so far made. Inclusive
of deeds given and contracts to con
vey title yet pending, the average pur
chase price per acre has been $5.42,
realizing approximately $4,500,000. If
the terms of the granting 'acts had
been observed, the railroad would have
received for all the land not more than
$8,000,000. But it now asserts abso
lute ownership, of the remaining lands,
amounting to 2,080,306 acres and as
sessed for taxes in 1906 at $18,000,000.
Up to the present year the railroad
has paid $1,000,000 in taxes on the
land. Up to 1891 the total taxes paid
was but $75,000. More than one-half
the $1,000,000 has been paid since
1902. In that year the railroad re
fused to sell any more land. Then As
sessors began marking up the land
like other holdings. "In other
words," says the report, "the greater
portion of the taxes paid by the rail
road company down to the present
time have been incurred by it as a
direct result of its own violation of
the law. . It Is difficult to see how any
equities can be predicated upon these
facts." The total taxes paid by the
railroad do not average more than 40
cents an acre.
Here, then, are facts that the people
and the Government long have want
ed. They reveal a long train of fraud
reaching back thirty-five years. This
fraud should be terminated. The
railroad should be forced to release
the lands still in its clutches, either by
forfeiture or by order to sell them in
obedience to the conditions of the
grants. Early adoption of Senator
Fulton's resolution in the House is
hoped for and then Immediate pro
ceedings in the courts.
The Morning Astorian has Issued an
exceptionally handsome edition devot
ed to exploitation of the resources of
the city by the sea and surrounding
territory. The paper is illustrated
with numerous half-tone engravings
showing the various industries which
contribute to the wealth of Clatsop
County. That the prestige of the en
terprising city at the mouth of the
river no longer rests on salmon and
sawlogs is shown by some remarkable
pictures of orchards, dairy ranches
and small farming enterprises. The
pictures are accompanied with com
prehensive data which cannot fail to
attract the attention of the homeseek
er and small investor, and for. this
purpose the efforts of the Astorian
will undoubtedly prove successful.
There are thousands of acres of won
derfully rich land in Clatsop County,
and artificial Irrigation is unnecessary.
For this reason alone it offers induce
ments of unusual value to intending
settlers. The Astorian and its gener
ous supporters in the advertising col
umns are entitled to much credit for
the effort.
"From Wisconsin to Nebraska, over
Into Colorado, back to Wiscon .sin,
down again to Wyoming and Colorado.
It was no use. He moved about from
Denver to Iowa, back to Colorado, on
to California, the Hawaiian Islands,
and Oregon and back." No, gentle
reader, this is not an extract from the
autobiography of a tramp In search of
work which he hoped he would not
find. It is the personal narrative of
a great man In search of what he and
his biographer, Llckum Stuffins,
termed "liberty." While other men
stuck to their posts and hewed out
fortunes by persistent effort, this great
man, following the ranks of brake-beam-riders,
went up and down the
earth in search of liberty, which, ac
cording to his Interpretation, was to
make every one . else think as he
thought. Of course they could not all
do as he did, or we would today be a
Nation of tramps and Idlers, but even
this shows that we are all wrong and
he alone is right. Now this great man
says, and possibly thinks, he is a. can
didate for Senator from Oregon.
There are two saloons at Second and
Couch and now the license committee
of the Council proposes to establish
another on a third corner. There is
still one corner on which there is to be
no saloon, at least not now, but of
course time will tell. Yet two saoons
ought to te enough, even if it is a fac
tory district. Many young women, em
ployed there, pass this corner every
day. A large number of them joined
in a protest to the Council to deny a
license to the third saloon. Doesn't
the Council think the protest of these,
decent and deserving young women
ought to be heeded? The public is
likely to think so, and perhaps will
have prohibition down there some day
if moderation In granting saloon li
censes is not practiced now.
The Supreme Court of the United
States has taken a hand In the "sell-iivg-whisky-to-lndians"
industry, and
decided that the laws of the United
States take precedence over those of
any state. Prior to this decision laws
in a number of states in which Indian
reservations were located have held
that Indians on allotted lands were cit
izens and as such could not have their
rights abridged. The Supreme Court
decision takes the ground that an In
dian is an Indian, and, as the unfavor
able effects of firewater on his consti
tution are proverbial, he will not be
allowed to Indulge.
Matrimony seems to be a criminal
offense in the eyes of the Portland
School Directors, but It is very doubt
ful whether they can legally discharge
a teacher for getting married so long
as her work Is well done. If the law
permits action so flatly contrary to
sound policy, it ought to be changed.
In the interest of morality and the
general welfare, matrimony should be
encouraged, not penalized. On gen
eral principles a married woman will
be a better teacher than a spinster,
and the same rule applies to men also.
For concrete Illustration it may be
said that Republicans who object to
Statement No. 1 do not like the alter
native it may present of the selection
of Mr. TTRen for Senator as against
Mr. Chamberlain.
Of course it is entirely accidental
that Uncle Sam's protest against
Japan's usurpation of Manchuria is
held back until Bob Evans gets within
hailing distance.
The woman was and Is an adven
turess, plying her trade. She was
rightly convicted. But it does not ex
cuse Mayor Lane.
If this fine Summer weather con
tinues very long we shall be witness
ing a rush to the beaches.
TAXATION IN OHIO.
Snbsance of the Report of the Tax
Commission, January, 1908.
The members of the commission .have
been deeply Impressed by the Inequalities.
and' injustice revealed by the operation of
the existing tax laws of Ohio. It is im
possible to account for the patience with
which these evils have been borne except
upon the theory that the complexity of
our methods of taxation has favored the
concealment of their results. A more gen
eral discussion of the subject, however.
which has been going on with Increasing
insistence for Rpveral rears, and which '
resulted finally In. the present movement
for a modern and equitable system of
taxation, has brought to lisht certain
conspicuous wrongs that are no longer
either denied or defeated.
The first and most important of these
is that the general property tax bears un
justly upon the owners of real estate,
whether farm lands or city homes, and
permits with Increasing advantage the
escape from taxation of all forms of per
sonal property, and particularly of that
class of personal property from the taxing
authorities. 1
Of all the consequences of the a;en
ral property tax, the moat deplor
able is that which produces an ever
Increaslns; burden upon real property
and an ever-diminishing? share on per
sonal property In the support of the
Government which frlves an equal pro
tection to both.
In 1870 real estate paid fi0.7 per cent of
all taxes, and personal property 39.3. while
In 1907 real estate paid 57.7 per cent of
air taxes, and personal property but 32.3.
The escape from taxation of fully 90
per cent of all intangible property, which
Is undoubtedly going on In Ohio today.
Increases by exactly its share the burden
upon the owners of other property, and
particularly the owners of real estate,
which, under no circumstances, can al
together avoid taxation.
We recommend an amendment of the
Constitution . of Ohio revising the gen
eral property tax now required, and giv
ing to the Lesisldt'.tre a freer hand to
deal with 6uch subjects as franchises,
stocks, bonds, cash, mortgages and other
Intangible property.
AN 'OPEN LETTER TO W. S. U'REN
Here's a Chance for the Lawmaker to
Debate Statement No. 1.
PORTLAND, Or., Feb. 25. Mr. W. S.
U'Ren, Oregon City, Or. Sir: You
have, within the last few days Issued
challenges to Hon. Stephen A. Lowell,
of Pendleton, Hon. George H. Williams,
of Portland, and others, to meet you
In debate on the, primary law of this
state and the so-called Statement No.
1. Both the above gentlemen have
declined your challenge.
You- take the ground that the law or
laws in question are right, just and
proper for the people of Oregon. As
you claim the authorship of these
laws, and as you seem to be anxious
to impress on the Oregon public your
desire to have them prevail at the
coming state election in June, I ac
cept your challenge to debate the
question, I taking the ground tlfat the
law or laws in question are unjust, in
equitable 'and unconstitutional.
You are posing as the great law
giver of the State of Oregon, and In
the county where you have resided
for a number of years you are pre-,
sumed by politicians to have a strong
influence.
In 1896 you were elected from
Clackamas County on the Populist
trcket for Representative by a vote
of 2528. In 1893-you were a candidate
on the Fuslqn ticket for State Senator
from the. same county, and was de
feated by George C. Brownell, a Re
publican. Your vote was 170G, show
ing that you were not so popular in
1818 as you wore in 1896 by 822 votes.
I maintain that the people are com
pletely disgusted with your vagaries,
and I propose to show that your so
called Statement No. 1 is about the
greatest humbug that was ever foisted
upon an unsuspecting people, and it is
my great ambition to enter into this
debate with you in order to show up
this humbug to the people of this com
monwealth, and I am sure the people
of this state are anxious to hear you
defend these creations.
I accept your challenge and will
make the necessary arrangements to
carry out your wishes.
Let me hear your answer at your
earliest convenience. Respectfully.
J. D. STEVENS.
1746 East Twenty-third street. Port
land, Or.
UNTIL NEXT JUNE, AND THEN.
Mrs. Abigail Scott Dunlnlr Criticizes
Anti-Suffragists' Manifesto.
PORTLAND, Feb. 25. (To the Editor.)
I am glad, Indeed, to see by today's
Oregonlan that Mrs. Ralph Wilbur's long
delayed and painfully labored manifesto
against equal rights for Oregon mothers
has at last given out its feeble wall. The
expected Infant had been so long In com
ing that we began to fear It had "died
a-bornin .
The Oregon State Equal Suffrage Asso
ciation has not yet released to the news
papers its "Open Letter to Voters," which
has been filed in the office of the gentle
manly Secretary -of State for nearly a
month, ready at any time for Inspection
by Mrs. Wilbur's senehmen. Nor. are we
now ready to release it preferring to per
mit the present legal voters of the stato
to manage their own affairs, as they used
to do, untrammelcd before Mrs. ..llbur
took up her abode among us, to dictate
terms to them, and who knows as little
of the peeds. duties, alms, responsibili
ties and handicaps of - Oregon's falthfiil
mothers as she knows of the amenities
of courtesy and civility that lead wiser
women to mind their own business.
No reply will be offered to the childish
manifesto of this notoriety-seeking
woman. We note the absence, this year,
of the names of the prominent taxpaying
women of Portland whom Mrs. Wilbur
used to parade as her "backers" in the
Issuance of her stereotyped manifesto.
The very leading businesa men, repre
senting all political parties of Oregon,
have, of their own accord, espoused the
cause of Oregon motherhood In the Inter
est of liberty, rlghteousnes, chivalry, jus
tice and patriotism. They will speak for
themselves In our 'behalf next June Mrs.
Wilbur's dictum to the contrary, notwith
standing. ABIGAIL SCOTT DUNI WAY,
Mother of Men and President of Oregon
State Equal Suffrage Association.
The Democratic Mule.
Hill3boro 'Argils.
Senator Bourne has .issued an ap
peal to Republican voters to support
Statement No. 1 candidates, and Ful
ton is opposing the statement. If The
fight' keeps up in the party, there Is a
possibility that the Democratic mule
will be found eating hay in the
elephant's stall, after the election. Let
us have harmony.
Public . Ownership of Boats Fails.
Boston Transcript.
. Block Island is trying to bond her
self for $200,000 to ward off the men
ace of impatient creditors, .who other
wise may levy on the town. She fell
into this difficulty through public
ownership of a steamboat . line.
The Difference.
Philadelphia Bulletin.
In the days of old,
When kinghta were bold.
Their weapons seldom-rusted;
When they got through
A small set-to
Two suits of mail were busted.
In days of new
A small set-to
Brings little harm to fighters;.
when up they wind
We merely find
pair ot wrecked typewriters.
WHAT THE SOUTHERN' PAPERS SAY
Variety of Views on Crowlsg Political
Sentiment of Dixie Land.
Charleston (S. C.) News and Courier. Dem.
If the politicians of Soutn Carolina must
have a Bryan delegation, let them have it,
but they must elect It with their eyes
open. Election of United States Senators
toy popular vote would Invite the candi
dacy of independents in every Southern
state and demolish the political solidarity
of the Southern white party. .
Should Repudiate Mr. Cannon.
Dflllas (Texas) News. Dem.
The Cannon view as to the duty and
prerogative of a presiding officer is a
view that the people of this country can
not repudiate too quickly or too emphat
ically; and even those generously indulged
"Infants" and "Interests" that he has so
heroically protected appear to be afraid
that his nomination by the party. If such
a thing were possible, might defeat the
party at the polls.
Miss Democracy Gets Advice.
Nashville (Tcnn.) American. Dcm.
It Is true the party Is In a bad way, hut
It will not improve its situation by throw
ing tip its hat every time Roosevelt uses
his big Btick. It has more to gain by
standing up for the constitution and equal
and exact justice to all men. Sans culot
tism, socialism and other dangerous isms
will never bring victory to its banner,
and of these Roosevelt is now the chief
exponent.
'Wants- Leader to Beat Mr. Bryan.
Charlotte (N. C.) Observer, Dem.
What is the difficulty? Have we no men
In whom the people have confidence? We
have Gray and Harmon and Johnson and
Woodrow Wilson. They are Democrats
and of Presidential size. What is our dif
ficulty? The answer is not hard to give:
We need a leader, a powerful voice raised
cry for the opposition to Bryan, no man
about whom the forces of opposition can
assemble. The possible leaders seem to
be frightened by the seemingly Inevitable.
We need a leader, a powerful voice raiser
in protest, a powerful personality thrown
into the light. We need a man who Is not
afraid of political death. If Cleveland
were on the morning side of f.0 again there
would be a fight that would shake the
world.
Tearful Appeal for Democratic Unity.
Florida Times-Union, Dem.
Mr. Bryan Indicts the Roosevelt admin
istration and condemns the effects of
those policies which he claims as his own.
How can wo suppose that the same poli
cies will produce contrary effects wnen
administered by President Bryan? Shall
we Judge the tree by its fruit or the fruit
by the tree? Why should any man believe
that the policies are so fair and so deserv
ing of our love and support If these be
the fruits, the effects and the promises
of their growth? What Is a name? If
Roosevelt and Bryan be right, why not
admit that socialism has long shown us
the path of wisdom and that both of the
great American parties should now be
merged In the one source of wisdom to
which both have so nearly approached?
One plunge, gentlemen, and all la over.
Long live chaos!
"If We Don't Watch Oat."
Florida Times-Union, Dcm.
Mr. Bryan possesses power despite his
denial and he has dictated to us; let him
beware that his theories do not lead him
astray. He opposes Imperialism, but he
opened the gates to It when he secured
the ratification of the treaty with Spain.
He must see now that his financial
theories are Impracticable and dangerous.
He claims Jefferson as his model, but
he must know that his democracy is not
that of the fathers. He should tremble
when he sees that Roosevelt, professing
the same theories, scorns law and pro
poses to wipe out the state, to change
the constitution by legislation or con
struction and would substitute a benefi
cent man for an Impersonal law. Mr.
Bryan is a master of words; let him be
careful that he does not deceive him
self with them.
THE FUTURE OK ROOSEVELT.
He Has Decided Not to Be Senator
From New York.
From Walter Wellman's Washington
letter in Chicago Record-Herald.
What will President Roosevelt do
after his present term expires, a little
more tha na year hence? This is a
question which many have asked, and
which no one is able to 'answer. The
President himself cannot answer it,
for the- simple reason that he does not
know. But there is one point as to
his future as to which he has finally
and definitely made up his mind. He
will not accept a seat in the United
States Senate. Within the past 48
hours the President has told personal
friends of his decision as to this.
There has been a great deal of talk
of the President going to the Senate
as the successor of Senator Thomas
C. Piatt, of New York, who will step
down and out the 4th of March, 1909.
For a long time the President himself
looked upon this with favor. Without
at any time reaching a conclusion, the
idea appealed to him. and he talked it
over with his friends, some of whom
advised him to go to the Senate, and
some of whom are radically opposed
to the suggestion. Until quite rc
eently it has been strongly believed
by those in the confidence of Mr.
Roosevelt that when the time came, fur
a decision on this score If If ever did
pome the President would consent to
wear the toga and sit in the "Amer
ican House of Lords. Upless Mr.
Roosevelt again changes his mind this
may now be regarded as out of the
question.
The determining factor In this deci
sion Is found In the peculiar duties of a
Senator. The Senate Is an executive
council. It must give "advice and con
sent" to the Prcsldont in all treaties
and appointments. If Mr. Roosevelt
were to become a member of the Sen
ate the day he retires from the White
House his duties as a member of that
body would be peculiarly delicate. If,
for Instance, Mr. Taft wore to become
President the same day, the ex
Presldent, as- Senator, would find It
necessary either to champion the Ad
ministration and acts of his successor
or to criticise them from time to tlino,
because with Mr. Roosevelt there is
no middle ground. Either would be
embarrassing. The same is true if
Mr. Bryan or another Democrat should
enter the White House that eventful
day in March next. Senator Roosevelt
would find it difficult to defend the
policies of the new President If he
attacked them he would lay himself
open to all sorts of criticism.
Sseehenyls Reward Police Offlclnl.
New York World.
Police Lieutenant William Kennel, who
has stood guard at the door of every
Mayor since Mr. Strong, Is one of the
"chostiest" bluocoats In New York just
now. The cause was a handsome present
which arrived at the City Hall accom
panied by a card bearing the inscription,
"With best remembrances. Count and
Countess Szechenyi." The present, in a
semi-circulax morocco case, consisted of
a handsome set of amethyst dress waist
coat buttons, shirt buttons and cuff links.
There are 13 pieces. Before he was free
to accept the gift Lieutenant Kennel had
to get permission from General Bingham.
The gift from Count and Countess
Szechenyi was in recognition of Kennel's
services in getting them into City Clerk
Scully's office witnout publicity on the
day they went to the City Hall to get a
marriage license.
Chicago's "13" Club Disbands.
Indianapolis News.
. A thirteen club was disbanded in Chi
cago by 113 members breaking mirrors,
spilling salt, raising umbrellas and walk
ing under ladders.
SILHOUETTES
BY ARTHUR A. GREENE.
THEJ reason why many automobillsts
are in bad odor with the authorities
is the scent of the gasoline.
The one who bears animosities, con
fesses his own defeat.
It usually requires about six months
for the statute of limitations to run
against a love affair.
The average woman Is reconciled to
death for she thinks as an angel she
will be able to display her lingerie.
Deep down in her heart almost every
woman cherlehes an ambition to be an
artist's model.
The only time a woman refuses to tell
a bit of scandal is when It Involves her
self. The following advertisement has been
running for some time in a local news
paper: "Wanted A governess of pure
French type" Some people are too
exacting for any use.
As It Was In the Benlnnlna;.
From out the somber quiet of a veld
Where nothing was,
A voice called omnlform creation
To spread a feast therein
And deck a bower fair.
Then called a man
And grav'ed upon his soul,
"I reign, thou servest.
And art not of thyself supreme."
The summoned puppet read no word
Nor of no doom took heed;
For nascent life was large upon his con
sciousness. He reared a tawdry throne,
And of' Ambition's draught drank all,
Then hurled the chalice far and shrieked:
"I am the King."
The Summoqer called seas to rise
And when the day was done
Remained alone the ooze of perished
things.
It Is Now and Ever Shall Be.
Cycles and centuries and years
What are they? But a day.
To him who In the hollow of his hand
Doth hold our fortunes.
Dynasties, powers and regimes arise
And for their passing hour of glory are
the cal'ed.
Then to their death they rush
And leave behind
Naught but rude scrawls upon the gate ot
Time.
Solitude Is the happy cloister of the
world-weary.
s
Heaven Is not reached at a single
bound. It ts attained by means of a long
winding staircase after the elevator has
stopped running.
The philosopher is always ready to
view calmly the misfortunes of his
friends.
When a woman Is uncertain of her
self she flirts. With a man the rule
is reversed.
If the eyes are the-windows of the
soul It should require but little spying
to discover that most of us are untidy
housekeepers.
Youth is an invitation to a masque
ball which we must all, perforce, ac
cept. Wj mingle with the dancers un
til our fancy fixes upon a domino and
a pair of tripping feet and with them
we tread a measure. Wearying of the
dance, we go into the moonlight of
the garden to "sit it out." We un
mask and, presto, for tis the ball is
over and youth is dead.
Kiddle Me This.
What Is this thing that we call
hope? Tritely we say that it springs
eternal In the human, breast, but this
truism Is no solution. Who can diag
nose the method of its springing?
What one among you can riddle that?
It is the unanswered wherefore..
In every breast a lamp is trimmtd
and burning. Sometimes it flickers
low, but it rarely or never fails. It
seems a part of the day's work that
we should- be disappointed and dis
illusioned. Perfect happiness does not
come to mortals. Not one among the
many millions who have gone before
learned the secret of it.
Hopes and plans and aspirations
fall. Cloud-scaling dreams of empire
and ambitions lofty as mountaintops
come out ot the past-gibleitt)g spec-tt-i-.s.
There is no recompense in all the
world for the loss of our illusions and
failure and death seem everyone's only
certain portion'.
In and through it all, however, the
beacon of Hope, sometimes 'flaring
into a. great flame, sometimes dying
down to a dimming ember, ig always
there, a fire of good omen lighted on
life's highway. It may be the spark
of Divinity. It may be an Ignis
fatuus, dancing before us through the
wilderness of time. What one can say?
Who knows the wliyfore? Riddle me
this and tell me if you can.
Hero worship is the most aggravated
form of paganism.
I have never been able to become
enthusiastic over holding gloved hands.
Although blood may be thicket- than
water it is seldom equal to the task of
floating a loan.
l
U'Ren's candidacy for United States
Senator is the best political joke per
petrated in Oregon since Otto Prag
ran for the City Council.
Glory and also hozanna! Our Mayor
is not guilty. And so the sanctity of
our well-meaning if slightly Impulsive
burgomaster is preserved to be virtue's
beacon for the gruidance of his people.
Plaint of a Popular Poet.
Exchange.
Had I been born in other days
I think 1 should have been a bard.
And scribbled songs in Beauty's praise
And written epics by the yard.
But as It is 1 simply wake
A very dilettante lyre.
And mincing little verses make
For languid maidens to admire.
The strains of love are not for me.
Nor yet the roaring rants of war,
The line? 1 weave so daimtiy
A 11 quaintly esoteric are;
And though I don't exactly know
What my melodious maundering means
It smehow never fails to "ko"
With all the high-class magazines.
i