THE MORXIXG OREGONIAN, FRIPAY, FEBRUARY 28, I90S.
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PORTLAND, FRIDAY, FEB. 28, 1908.
END THE BCAXDAL.
As the time for electing delegates to
the National Republican convention
approaches there Is becoming mani
fest an almost preternatural activity
In the nondescript remnant which is
called the "Southern Republican
party." This curious "party" exists
In its full beauty and perfection in
ten states. Beginning: with Virginia it
circles down the Atlantic coast
through North, and South Carolina to
Florida; thence around the Gulf by
way of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas to Arkansas,
which is perhaps the most benighted
of all and the least accessible to pro
gressive ideas. These were all slave
states. . In all of them the negro popu
lation is large and in every one since
the days of reconstruction the Demo
cratic party has included the great
body of the whites, while the negroes
have gone by the name Republican.
The few white Republicans may. be
roughly grouped into Federal offtce
' holders and those who hope to hold
Federal office.
In none of these - states "are the
negroes permitted to vote at either
local or national elections. The col
ored race has been disfranchised by
clever "educational" tests, by grand
father clauses, and the like, from Vir
ginia clear round to Arkansas. But
by a singular anomaly these disfran
chised negroes, with their not very re
spectable white allies, are still per
mitted full representation in the Re
publican National conventions. Thus,
while they add nothing to the voting
strength of the party, they possess a
voice in its counsels which is exceed
ingly important. The Republican
party in the South cannot carry a sin
gle state. No political dreamer is so
wild and impractical as to cherish the
faintest hope that It will; and yet the
delegates from that abased and power
less section of the party may In cer
tain probable contingencies control the
National convention and dictate the
selection of a Presidential candidate.
Why this dangerous anomaly is tol
erated is a question which admits but
a dubious answer. For one thing, it
has been of gradual creation. Imme
diately after the war the negroes were
all powerful In the South and the
colored delegates represented an ac
tual voting population. As their
power gradually waned before the en
croachments of the whites it would
have1 been entirely logical for the
Northern Republicans to exclude their
delegates from the National conven
tion. Perhaps some survival of war
time sentiment postponed this action.
Perhaps it was hoped that a Supreme
Court decision might restore the fran
chise to the negroes and it seemed wis
est not to offend them by premature
measures of a radical cast. But it is
safe to say that the most powerful
reason for tolerating in the National
convention these delegates who repre
sent no votes has all along been their
; consummate venality. They always
have been and always will be for sale
to the highest bidder. Hence their ex
traordinary value to politicians rep
resenting the predatory interests.
In his memoirs John Sherman
openly charges that General Alger
bribed his pledged negro delegates to
desert him at the convention of 1888
and thus lost him the Presidential
nomination. The New York World
acutely comments that Mr. Sherman
omits to explain how he got the'se
delegates to pledge themselves in the
first place. Again it is freely charged
that Mark Hanna bought the negro
delegates for McKinley in 1896 by
enormous bribes, and the charge has
never been very vigorously disputed.
Now comes the accusation that those
evil geniuses who pass by the common
name of Standard Oil are buying up
the negro delegations from the South
to use them for the discomfiture of
Mr. Taft in the coming Republican
convention. ' Certainly somebody is
buying them up. In each of the states
named above from which come dele
gates but no votes there is a strong
anti-Roosevelt movement- which seems
likely to produce divided or contesting
delegations. Mr. Roosevelt suggests
that the crowd out of office is thifs
seeking revenge on the Administra
tion; but his explanation is too charit
able. The wretched creatures have no
money of their own to finance a polit
ical revolt. Somebody is advancing
funds to them. If it" is not the
Standard Oil pirates, who Is it? Who
has a stronger motive than they to
blight the future of' the Roosevelt
policies? .
These Southern delegates, who rep
resent nothing but their own venality
and the predatory greed of their pur
chasers, may possibly control the Re
publican convention, name the next
Presidential candidate of the party,
and thus determine the course of our
National policy for many years to
come. This is too much power for
them to possess. They are entitled to
it neither by the votes they represent
nor by their character. It is the plain
duty of the Northern delegates to dis
franchise them in the convention.
This duty they owe to their party and
also to the Nation, for the people will
not tolerate a sale of the Presidency.
In former, years it might have been
accomplished, but not now. It Is time
for the decent majority in the Repub
lican party to take the bull by the
horns and end this scandal of the
negro delegations once for all. By do
ing so they have nothing to lose and
everything to gain. -
A PECULIAR ELECTORAL SYSTEM.
The subject of suffrage is the cause
of new agitation in Prussia. Discon
tent with the system Is an old story;
for liberal ideas there make slow
progress, if any at all. In -other states
of the German Empire there is a very
fair and liberal system, but Prussia
still holds, the suffrage within very
limited restrictions. Practically- the
suffrage in Prussia Is based on prop
erty regulations. The electors are ar
ranged in three classes, according to
the respective amount of taxes paid
by each arranged in such manner
that each category pays one-third of
the whole amount of direct taxes
levied on the whole. A vast mass of
population that pays no taxes has no
suffrage at all.
Under this peculiar system the first
category consists of all electors who
pay the highest taxes to the amount
of one-third of the whole; the second,
of those paying the next highest down
to the limits of the second third; the
third of all lowest taxed, who, to
gether, complete the last class. This
la a genuine plutocracy. It is designed
to give the fewwho control large
wealth a power in the state greatly in
excess of their numbers.
Against such a system, agitation Is
but natural; but It is never permitted
to reach the menace of revolutionary
proceeding. All popular protests and
demonstrations are fruitless, therefore.
The police and the army are beyond
the reach of popular appeal, and do
the work of suppression whenever or
ders are given.
Not only Is Prussia much the great
est of the states of the German
Empire, but exceeds In population as
well as in area all the rest of them
combined. Of the 897 deputies In the
Reichstag, or commons of the Empire,
Prussia has 236, but a smaller pro
portion In the Bundesrath, which rep
resents the individual states. This
concession to state representation was
a necessity of the union. In Bavaria,
the next state of the Empire, the suf
frage Is on a very liberal basis, yet
not so much so as with us; -and the
same is true in most or all the rest
of the German states. .
But though there seems no hope for
any advance towards liberalism in
Prussia, it is certain that agitation for
it will be constantly renewed. The
demand is universal suffrage and a
secret ballot; but the government in
sists that such policy would be dan
gerous In the highest degree to the
peace and stability of the state, and
would open Germany to the attack of
nations that surround her. Such, In
deed, probably would be the conse
quence; and the people prefer home
despotism to foreign domination. Else
the conditions would be changed right
soon.
JAPAN'S STRAINED FINANCES.
The economic condition of Japan
has for a long time been such as to
cause no surprise on the Pacific Coast
at the reports, now coming from Ber
lin and London, regarding the money
stringency compelling; Japanese bank
ers to draw heavily on their European
reserves, The declaration ; of peace
with Russia left the victorious power
in a badly impoverished condition.
She had poured out blood and treasure
with a lavish hand, and the spoils of
war that fell to her lot were not of a
nature easily convertible into cash.
But the war left Japan drunk with the
wine of victory the sudden blossom
ing out into a world power seemed to
make her light-headed. The party In
power- was unwilling towait for time
to aid in repairing the damage that
had been sustained, but heavy burdens
were immediately placed on the peo
ple, already groaning under the weight
of their taxes.
It was not only deemed necessary
that the navy should be strengthened
with many new warships, but on sea
and shore the people indulged in a
riot of expansion not at all warranted
by the condition of their finances. The
Japanese government provided a ship
subsidy so generous In its provisions
that the world was ransacked to se
cure ships to be enrolled under the
Japanese flag. Quite naturally. In
such circumstances, they secured the
craft which were too old or expensive
to operate successfully under. the Ger
man or British flags, with the result
that not even the generous subsidy has
enabled them to show a profit for the
companies operating them. For the
ships built at home, the subsidy paid
was still larger, but even these vessels
In the hands of the Japanese are far
from proving -successful. It requires
Just as much coal to generate a given
amount of horse-power on a Japanese
steamer as It does on one of any other
nation.
The Yankees rot the East have
learned no new trloks by which they
can carry more freight to the ton
space than can be carried by other
steamers, and as navigators they are
easily outclassed by almost every other
nation represented on the rhlgh seas.
In short, Japan, In spite of her cheap
labor and her big subsidies, has made
a flat failure of the business into
which she has dumped the largest por
tion of the millions which have been
raised by excessive taxation and by
borrowing. Naturally a government
that would make such mistakes as
Japan has- made in this business might
be expected to waste money in other
lines. Extravagance has been shown
all the way down the line from ex
cessive ship subsidies to $40 tips by
Japanese Ambassadors to American
bellboys.
The subjects of the Mikado have,
since the close of the war, been pour
ing into the United States, Mexico,
British Columbia, Hawaii and other
parts of the world. Their expenses
for passage money, and in getting set
tled in their new home, have been
such that they are not yet in position
to send much money back to that
country, and Japan is also deprived of
their labor and taxes at home. Ex
port trade with other countries has
declined on account of stringency in
other lands, and the, purchasing power
of the people at home has been cur
tailed for the reasons stated. There
are a great many reasons why Japan
should dismiss from her mind all
thoughts of war but by far the most
potent is the decided scarcity of the
necessary "sinews." The balances
which Japan Is now said to be draw
ing from Berlin, London and Paris,
are needed so much worse for other
purposes that there is not much like
lihood of their being used for war,
even were they of sufficient propor
tions which they are not.
THE SINGLE TAX HUMBUG.
The economic doctrine of which Mr.
Wagnon speaks so slightingly in his
letter published today is not peculiar"
to The Oregonlan. It Is accepted by
all capable writers on the subject; in
particular, if it were worth while, we
should advise him to read . what
Sellgman, our greatest economist, has
to say about "unearned Increment."
He will discover that The Oregonian
is by no means singular in Its opinions,
even in that one about the rise in the
value of horses which excites . our con
tributor's ghastly mirth.'
Every farmer knows that a year
ago horses of the class in question
were worth twice as much as they
were eight years ago. They also know
that the Increment in value was due
not to any change in the horses but
to the prosperity and economic efforts
of society as a whole. " "That Is, the
rise In value was strictly -an unearned
increment. Within the last few weeks
the value of horses has fallen off
notably. Is It because the animals
cannot do as much work as they could
a year ago? Not at all. It is because
the course of our economic evolution
has produced a "decrement" of value
precisely as It previously produced an
Increment. It is the stupendous folly
of the single taxers to suppose that
this process is confined to land values,
whereas It Is incident to all values.
Happily they refute themselves
whenever they set out to argue. Just
as Mr. Wagnon does when he cites the
fact that city real'estate does not now
pay Its proper share of taxes. What is
there in his wonderful- amendment
that would cause It to pay its proper
share? Nothing whatever. City real
estate would be undervalued if his
amendment should pass, quite as much
as now, and the outcome of the whole
business would be that the ' farmer
would have to pay a still larger pro
portion;. for Mr. Wagnon's proposed
exemption of the plutocratic manufac
turers and the money sharks would of
course, make the farmer's burden all
the heavier. There is as present at least
a pretense of taxing these worthies
and the sane thing to do is to make
the pretense real Instead of exempting
them altogether. To say that they can
not be taxed fairly is to acknowledge
Ignorance of common economic facts.
They can be taxed upon the full value
of their possessions. There are ways
to do It and Mr. Wagnon would De
better employed in studying those
ways than in trying to foist so errone
ous a scheme upon the people of
Oregon.
In states like Wisconsin where gen
uine tax reform has been pushed the
corporations pay pretty nearly the full
expense of the state government and
land is taxed only for local purposes.
Why can we not do something like this
in Oregon? Then the farmer would
experience real relief from his burdens
which we agree with Mr. Wagnon,
are now excessive and unfair. But to
relieve him by imposing the whola ex
pense of the state upon his shoulders
is a reform which we hope he has In
telligence enough to reject with the
contempt it deserves.
HARRTMAN'S OTHER SUITS.
With the admission of Mr. Fish that
it would require at least three years
to put an end to Union, Pacific domi
nation of the Illinois : Central, the
Harrlman-Fish fight may be consid
ered a closed incident. The defeated
party, however, in capitulating with
poor grace, asserfs that whon Mr.
Harriman is compelled to tell the In
terstate Commerce Commission about
the transactions of himself and other
Union Pacific directors in selling to
the road stock in other railroads, Mr.
Fish's action regarding the Illinois
Central will be Justified. There may
be sinister revelations regarding the
Harriman methods of acquiring rail
road property before . the Interstate
Commerce Commission gets through
with Mr. Harriman, but the point
raised by Mr. Fish when he endeav
ored to prevent Mr. Harriman from
voting Union Pacific holdings in Illi
nois Central was that he had no right
to own the stock, the allegation being
that it was held in violation of the
Sherman act.
This contention the court failed to
sustain, the evidence Introduced show
ing conclusively that the Illinois Cen
tral was not a competing line with the
Union Pacific, but, on the contrary,
was necessary in completion of a
through system in which' the earning
powers of both roads might be In
creased. The right of the Union Pa
cific to buy this stock, or any other
stock, -p. as granted by the charter un
der which the Union Pacific was oper
ating. But the main point involved
in the recent decision compelling Mr.
Harriman to answer questions put to
him by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission was not as to control of, one
railroad by another, or suppression of
competition by purchase of rival lines.
It was. In effect, to determine whether
or not Mr. Harriman had misused the
funds of the Union Pacific In the man
ner in which he secured holdings of
stock in other roads. . (
By his refusal to tell the Commis
sion what he had paid for these stocks
and what personal Interest he had In
the transaction, Mr. Harriman left in
doubt the question as to whether or
not he was playing - fair with- the
stockholders, of the Union Pacific,
whose money he had been using. In
compelling the presentation of details,
Judge Hough; who decided that the
Commission was entitled to know the
part Mr. Harriman personally played
in the deals, held that ,the powers
granted the Union Pacific by a state
corporation law did not give him the
right to do as .he pleased with the
finances of the roaVi, which, being en
gaged In interstate commerce, was
subject to Federal regulation. The
principle involved in the fight between
Mr. Harriman and Mr. Fish was ma
terially different from that with which
Mr. Harriman and the Interstate
Commerce Commission have grappled.
The regulation of railroads should
not be confined to the United States.
In yesterday's news columns of The
Oregonian appeared the following:
Yuma, Axil., Feb. 26. Conductor L. r.
Cook, of the Rio Grande. Yaqui & Pacific
Railroad, arrived In Yuma today. He reports
that Yaquis killed three Mexican members of
his train crew but' spared himself and the
engineer because they were Americans.
While the Rio Grande, Yaqui &
Pacific is not an interstate line, and
may not' be subject to the regulations
of the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion, It seems to be an International
affair, and as such should be com
pelled to protect its passengers from
the dangers of riding on a road that
Is short-handed because the crews are
so frequently murdered by the Yaquis.
This latest Incident is believed to be
the first concession made by the
murderous redskfns to the United
States. In their previous exploits, they
showed a disposition to kill everyone
who was not a, Yaqui. .
A poultry show is being held at
The Dalles under the auspices of The
Dalles Poultry Association and news
reports of the affair state that hun
dreds of fowls- - are on exhibition.
Whether it is. fresh 'eggs, "fryers" or
"something to fricassee,"- Oregon has
always been woefully short on prod
ucts of the poultry yard, and any
thing which . will encourage Interest
In this neglected industry is worthy
of the highest commendation. Not In
frequently in the past the farmers of
Oregon, have witnessed periods when
there was little or no difference In
the price of a dozen eggs and that of
a bushel of wheat. The best results
from Oregon farms will not be secured
until we are producing, a sufficient
amount of eggs and poultry to make
It unnecessary to Import anything
from other parts of the country. The
poultry business Is one of the most
Important features of diversified
farming.
Prohibition scored about even with
its opponents in yesterday's news dis
patches. The Supreme Court of Mis
souri rendered a decision declaring
unconstitutional the new law prohibit
ing the sale of liquor within five
miles of any state educational insti
tution having 1,500 students. The
Lower House in the Ohio Legislature
passed the county local option bill by
a vote of 79 to 7. As the bill has al
ready passed the Senate, It will soon
become a law. Other news on the
topic of growing interest was the ac
tion of the Chicago maltsters in noti
fying the Board of Trade that no firm
which directly or Indirectly assists the
Prohibition party can consistently do
business with the malsters. The in
terest shown in the liquor issue will
soon overshadow that in tariff re
form. Something is being accom
plished In the way of prohibition and
nothing in aid of tariff reform..
Official announcement from Paris
that a loan of $500,000 had been made
to Abdul Aziz for use in defense of
his throne will hardly prove cheering
to Muley Hafid. The loan was made
Jointly . by France, Germany and
Spain, and as Muley Is not in a posi
tion to defy all of these powers at
once, he will probably go way back
Into the woods and resume his game
of holding ' up people for ransom.
With such a weight of political power
as is vested in the three countries
mentioned, It would seem that Abdul
Aziz might succeed in maintaining
peace In Morocco for a few weeks at
least. It is by no means certain, how
ever, that either Muley Hafid or
Ralsuli will quietly submit to the
domination of a man with such mod
ern ideas as Abdul Aziz has displayed.
The honorable allies from the land
of Nippon are callng our attention to
the friendliness displayed in checking
immigration from Japan to our shores.
Statistics show that during January
but 971 Japanese entered the United
States, compared with 5275 for the
same month last year. The reasons
for this sudden checking in the flow of
objectionable immigration might have
been misunderstood had we considered
only the figures on Japanese. But
when official statistics disclose the fact
that but 1729 Hungarians entered In
January,' compared with 10,035 in
January, 1907, it would seem that
other reasons than a desire to keep
peace with this country were responsi
ble for the decline in the movement.
As yet we have not placed the ban on
Hungarian labor.
Whatever Roosevelt's purpose may
have been in sending the fleet to the
Pacific, It is clearly apparent that he
has quieted the fears of a large num
ber of people who thought Japan was
about to declare war and wipe us off
the map. The half-scared people are
no longer in evidence.
It is announced that the Sixteenth
Republican Congressional convention
of Ohio indorsed Taft and Roosevelt.
We can understand the Taft part, but
what Is Roosevelt running for? Ohio
has no voice in the New York Senator
ship. To no other states do President
Roosevelt's views on river improve
ment apply with such force as to Ore
gon and Washington.
Now that we've got the roses plant
ed, let's clean up every front and back
yard in town before they begin to
blossom.
According ti his latest interview.
Senator Bourne's favorite candidate
for colleague is Statement No. 1.
At the hour of going to press, W. C
Bristol was still United States Attorney
for the District of Oregon.
Is it possible there is another con
spiracy on foot to blacken the reputa
tion of Mayor Lane?
The promised rejoinder from Mr.
Heney Is now due.
JfOT FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT.
Warnlag Voices Sonnded From : the
State of Washington.
North Yakima Republic
Essentially, the Oregon primary law,
which has In four 6r five years demoral
ized the Republican party in that state,
is the same as the one which has begun
to destroy the Republican party of Wash
ington. Nothing is more sad to con
template than the delusion which the
Tacoma News and some other papers
have, that this law is destined to pre
serve the political parties. It is true
that the claim cannot be set up in this
state as in Oregon, that a Republican ;
majority in the Legislature may be
bound to send to' the United States
Senate.a Democrat who received more
votes at the preceding election than his
Republican competitor; and it may be
true, as the News says, that the Ore
gon law "does not contemplate parti
sanship to any considerable extent."
Nevertheless, both laws alike make run
ning for office a mere personal matter
with the candidate; they change the
nature of the contest for. the office alto
gether, and put the candidate upon the
ticket pledged to no party or policy
and responsible to no organization. He
goes upon the ticket a personal or fac
tional nominee, and as a rule he goes
there by a minority vote possibly by
the votes of his opponents instead of
by those of his friends under condi
tions which leave every partisan free
to vote against him at the election.
Here are the fundamental defects of
the system In both states,, and they, are
so deep-seated that we think they are
a part of it and cannot be eradicated.
It is absurd to say, as the Tacoma
News says, that provisions are made
In our laws to preserve the parties. Pro
visions are made for' conventions and
party committees, but they amount
to nothing. Every candidate for a
nomination runs on his own platform.
If the convention is held before the
primary and a platform Is promulgated
and we doubt If anybody will take
the trouble to hold conventions at any
time the platform ' does not bind the
candidates. Any candidate may file his
declaration as a member of the party
whose convention has been held, and
he may make tils campaign on princi
ples diametrically opposed to those
adopted by the convention, or on Is
sues concerning which the convention
was silent, and still become . the party's
nominee. He may become the nominee
even though the majority of the party
Indorses the convention's declarations,
for he does not' have to nave a major
ity of the votes of his party. He merely
has to have more votes than anybody
else, and these votes may be given to him
by members of the opposing party whoaa
reason for voting for him is not that they
think Mm the best qualified man for the
office he wants, but that they consider
him the easiest man to beat at tflie elec
tion. If the convention be held after the
primary, every candidate is at liberty to
deny at that time that he is bound, and
will do so if he thinks that the most pop
ular course to take. He owes nothing to
the convention. -.
If we are to have satisfactory party
government we must have a system In
which the party's integrity can -be
maintained; in which candidates appeal
to the people as representatives of a well
defined organization standing for well
defined principles; in which the party is
responsible to the people both for its dec
larations and for the men whom it puts
forward to represent It, and In . which
these representatives are suoject to the
dlsipline of party.
It Is no argument at all for the di
rect . primary system, as its advocates
are fond of saying., that the old system
was not ideal. Whether it was better
or worse than any other may be sim
ply a matter of opinion. The point at
Issue is whether this system Is a good
one; whether It will result In clean poli
tics, in securing a fair expression of the
people, and whether It will give us good
government.
We have always maintained that it
will not. We maintain that It is a fraud,
inasmuch as it pretends to give tne peo
ple a power which some contend has been
usurped by the bosses, while as a matter
of fact it will take away from the people
the very power which it is designed to
give back to them.
We point to the experience of Oregon,
where as a reform measure it has been
an utter failure. The News tells us why
It thinks our forebodings are unnecessary,
but It ignores experience and Juggles with
facts. It reads into the law something
that Isn't there, and constructs a pretty
theory with no more substantial founda
tions than its fond hopes. ,
THIS IS PLAIN SPEECH.
If Yon Want a Democratic Senator,
Elect a Democratic Legislature.
Blue Mountain American.
.. If any candidate is so wanting in
Independence and integrity as to
pledge himself to Statement No. 1, he
should hot have the support of any
party, for he belongs to none.
If a legislator be elected as a Re
publican it is an insult to his intelli
gence even to ask him, let -alone try
to make him, vote for a Democrat for
United States Senator, and vice versa.
There are plenty of men In both par
ties whose Judgment and honesty are
above censure or doubt, and unless
they are of that class they are not fit
for any offloe, while with those quali
ties, Statement No. 1 is not only un
necessary, but an insult to the man.
Any Republican candidate who will
pledge himself to vote for a Demo
crat for United States Senator would
agree to anything In order to secure
votes enough to be elected to the of
fice to which he aspires.
Party cannot be abolished and if the
people of Oregon want a Republican to
represent them In the United States
Senate let them elect - men to the
Legislature whom they know will in
turn elect a man of the party of which
they are a part, but if it is a Demo
crat they want in the Senate, why not
go about it in the same way and elect
a Democratic Legislature?
S off rajr ethics.
"Gotham Weekly Gazette" Editorial in
New York Evening Mali.
First and last we are unalterably op
posed to woman suffrage. It Is imprac
ticable and useless.
But the argument advanced that
woman's place is by the cradle, the distaff
or the gas stove is specious. 'Man's place,
by the same token. Is by the double entry,
the glove counter, the' ash can, the bil
liard table, the cash register. Voting does
not consume all of a man's time, as it
would not all of a woman's.
Our argument is that man should have
a single exclusive privilege left. Voting
doesn't do him a great sight of good, but
he thirties he is a great little guy, when,
armed with the ballot, 'ha makes a cross
somewhere. Leave him this boon, O
women.
If women want to exercise their in
fluence, let them counsel those who take
orders from them to vote for that sterl
ing citizen, William Howard Taft. of Cin
cinnati and Yale.
As Viewed by Unfriendly - Eyes.
Washington Star.
"Isn't your opponent a favorite son?"
asked one Ohio politician.
"No," answered the other. "He isn't a
favorite-son. He's more of a teacher's
pet whom the real fellows want to lick,"
IT MIGHT SOBER BRYAN.
Isus-alls Says It Has All Other Presi
dents Save Roosevelt.
Washington Post.
M. E. Ingalls, of Connecticut, president
of the "Big Four" railway, thinks that
Bryan will be nominated by the Demo
crats and that he has a good chance of
election.
There are few Democrats who voted
for Bryan in 1896 that will not vote for
him this year," said Mr. Ingalls at the
New Wlllard last night, "and in that elec
tion, it will be remembered, 10,000 votes
would have turned the election either
way. This year he will get the support
of many Democrats who opposed him in
1896 because of his free silver doctrines.
The radical element of the party is sure
to vote for htm. to a man. This is a rad
ical age. When Governor Pingree, of
Michigan, was alive he was looked upon
as an ultra-radical, yet if he lived today
he would be regarded almost as a con
servative. I did not support Bryan in
1S96 because he run on a free silver plat
form, but I voted for him in 1900. and if
he Is nominated this year I shall again
support him."
"As a railroad man how can you con
sistently favor the election of Bryan In
view of his declared advocacy of the Gov
ernment ownership of railroads?" Mr. In
galls was asked.
"Oh, Mr. Bryan has backed down on
that. If he was elected President of the
United States Bryan would be a muoh
more sober man than he appears to be at
this time. The White House will make
almost any man conservative. Roosevelt
Is the only man in history who has not
been sobered by the great office he occu
pies. I am thoroughly sincere when I say
that I believe Bryan will be elected. The
people in all parts of the country are'
ready for a change, and Bryan has a fol
lowing in every state."
"Would not Judge Gray or Judson Har
mon make a stronger candidate than
Bryan?" '
"Both Gray and Harmon are good Dem
ocrats. Either one of them would make
a good race, but they could not get the
support of the radical element, of the
party, I fear.''
"What about Governor Johnson, of Min
nesota?" "I don't know how strong Johnson would
be. He is not so well known as either
Harmon or Gray, and I do not believe he
would be as strong a candidate."
"If Bryan were to withdraw from the
race for the nomination Harmon would
undoubtedly get the Ohio delegation and,
I think, would have an excellent chance
of getting the nomination.- I do not th.nk
the factional fight among the Republicans
in Ohio will have any effect on the Repub
lican vote at election time. The Republic
ans are not like the Democrats. They do
all their fighting before they nominate
their candidates and at election time line
up harmoniously. The Democrats .wait un
til the election to do their scrapping.
"Am out of politics? I never was in
politics. Some of my friends brought about
my nomination for Mayor of Cincinnati,
and then the voters butchered me."
MORE SINGLE-TAX BUNCOMBE.
Mr. Wagnon Makes a Few Remarks
About , Unearned Increment.
PORTLAND, Or., Feb. 26. To the
Editor.) In your issue of February 25,
you had a 1200-word editorial under
the caption,!, "Wonderful Reform," in
which you have used up much of your
stock of Bophistry and in so doing you
have done violence to your economic
reputation, ' if not to your intellectual.
First, you acknowledge that the
farmer pays B0 per cent of the taxes,
then you say: "How under the shining
sun will he be better off when he has
to pay 100 per cent?" and "How will
it be when he has to pay the whole
of them?"
Do you think, or will you pretend to
say, that the farmer owns all the land
values in Oregon Do you not know
that all land In both city and country
would be taxed under' the proposed
amendment? Which you surely do.
Then how can you say that the farmer
will have to pay all the taxes? Mani
festly, you are trying to scare the
farmer into voting to protect the land
monopolist. When you say tnat the
farmer would have to pay the taxes
"of everybody else," what docs the man
think of the intelligence of the voter
who writes such stuff? Are you not
attempting to make the farmer think
that nothing will be taxed but farm
land? When you know that all land
will be taxed according to its value,
and that most of the land values are
in the City of Portland.
One block of land 200 feet square,
bounded by Washington, Alder, Third
and Fourth streets, is worth (the baTe
land), $3, 200,000, and that would buy
64,000 acres of farm land at $50 per
acre, and 64,000 acres would make a
strip of land one mile wide and 100
miles long.
Everything that Is bad carries along
with it the seed of its own destruction,
and likewise everything that is false
carries with It its own refutation. For
example, you say that a horse has an
unearned increment, and you say "that
a horse could be bought for $80 eight
years ago, and that same horse would
now sell for $150." This Is the llmrt
a 5-ryear-old horse eight years ago
would now be 13 years old, and a
horse 13 years old would not be worth
at any time over $30, as he would be
worn out, and again, a horse has to be
fed for the- eight years, and all his
years. So his value Is always fully
earned by his producer or owner.
OREGON TAX REFORM ASSOCIA
TION, Per H. D. WAGNON,
President.
San Francisco a Cause.
The occasional mention, nowadays, of
the San Francisco fire as one cause of the
recent exhaustion of the world's surplus
capital lends Interest to this summary
by Maclean &. Henderson, the English
Insurance experts. In their recent review
of 1907:
It Is worthy of record that the losses of
243 Insurance companies at San Francisco,
the greatest Are disaster In this world's
history, were eventually found to be $175,
508,530, by about 150,000 claimants, al
though this must be necessarily more or less
based upon guess work. Of this amount a
net loss of $173. 144, 938 was Incurred by 35
foreign companies, mostly British, admitted
to do business In California. This fire mors
than extinguished the entire underwriting
profits made by the American offices in 47
years.
A raw SQUIBS.
Landlord Washington onoe slept in that
bed you occupied last night. Guest That's
more than I could do. Judge.
Borrows I say, old man, I wish you
would help me out today. Busyman
Haven't time to do It myself, but I'll call
the porter. John, open the door and help
the gentleman out. Chicago Dally Mews.
The New Minister What- is your Idea of
the proper length of a sermon, Miss Dee-ring?
The Choir Singer Why, I think it
should be long enough to get people Inter
ested and short enough to keep them so
Puck.
Leslie M Shaw announces that "Fair
banks, Cannon. Knox, Hughes, or myself"
would do as a conservative Republican can
didate for President.- It is unkind of Mr.
Shaw thus to hold up to ridicule men who
hava never harmed him. Chicago Evening
Post.
"I suppose that there was a very cul
tured audience at the performance of one of
Sophofle's plays in New Tork." "I'm not so
sure of that." "What makes you dubious?"
"The fact that I heard several calls for the
author." Baltimore American.
The Stranger And who are the Murphys"
ancestors. Mr: M. Ancestors? What's that?
The Stranger I mean, who do the Murphys
spring from? Mr. M. The Murphys spring
from no one. They spring at thlm Punch.
Dumley Your ' friend, the editor, was
good enough to glance over my poem, so I
hastened to assura him that it was entirely
original. Ascum And what did he sayT
Dumley1 Hb said he knew that at once. He
didn't suppose I had ever seen it in print
anywhere. Philadelphia Press.
POTPOURRI
BY NANCY LEE.
' Renhea on the "Clgaree"
I seen in the paper today,
Where a Judge down New York way
Had made it a rule, by gum!
That smoking abroad and to hum
At enny place, or enny time.
By wimmen folks wasn't no crime..
6o I reckon it won't be for long
Till them swells they call the bong tong
Will strut down their fine thoroughfare
A puffin' up smoke in the air,
And givin' the. men fonts a slap,
Sayin'; "Hand me the makin's, old chap!"
So I calklate, at socials and teas.
At horse shows and their mattynees.
They'll smoke. with angel-like faces
While the " rich'll have monygramrf.ed
cases.
And the grandmas and old maidens neat
Will each roll their own cigareet.
Soon young uns all over the land
Will smoke their own special brand,
And Astoria "babies cry for it,"
Will go to the back scats and sit;
Instld we will read near and far. .
"Babies cry for our Milkette Segar."
"Never again," said Mrs. De Style,
"will I attend a Wagnerian ope. a. The'
music is so disgustingly loud that it Is
impossible to hear one's self talk."
NeveV feel hurt If you think that a;
woman on the streets Is making faces!
at you. She is merely adjust. .r veil. '
In the Carmack versus Carmack coso t
recently tried before the State Circuit;
Court, the Rttorney for Mrs. - Carmack
endeavored to show the jury that Mr. Car
mack had been guilty of the indiscretion
of flirting.
"Mr. Carmack, do you recall," asked
the opposing attorney, "that on such a
date you and Mrs. vCarniack stood to
gether on Third and Morrison streets, j
waiting for a car, when a flashily dressed
woman poked you in the ribs with her
umbrella?"
Here the court interrupted, asking what
was the purport of the question.
"I am desirous of convincing you that
the defendant was guilty of flirtation."
Up rose James Gleason, attorney for
Mrs. Carmack. "Flirtation," sneered Mr.
Gleason. "Flirtation! why, I'd call that
assault and battery."
Many a girl hesitates the first time
she sees her fiance in a bathing suit.
An unfortunate feature of the re
opening of the defunct banks is the
fact that any number of bluffers who
staved off creditors with alleged
bank accounts have had to dig up.
Mrs. Ikensteln Mine son, I vill whip
you If I catch you smoking dose cigar
ettes again. They are ruinations to
your healdth.
Mr. Ikenstcin Don't scold him, Re
becca. If we stunt his growth, he can
ride on de railroad trains all his life
for half prize.
' e
Across the street a restaurant, 'sa
loon and barber shop have opened side
by side. The Old Reporter remarked,
upon noticing the Juxtaposition, "Eat,
drink and be merciful."
The fashion papers ' announce that
there is to be a Wave of reform in the
dressing of women's hair. Doubtless
a new sort of Marcel wave..
A Portland girl, aged seven, was
reading aloud the following to her (
small brother, aged five. "Scientists
say that Bugelbaum was the most .
wicked dragon In the world."
"What are scientists?" asked the
lad.
"Oh," she answered hesitatingly, "oh,
just plain folks, grandma's one."
Mr. Newfather (wearily) It must
be time to get up.
His Wife Oh, did you hear the
clock strike 7?
Mr. Newfather- No, but the baby has
fallen asleep.
ROOSEVLT AND CANDIDATE KSOX
The President Commends Twe Recent
Speeches.
The Knox publicity bureau sends the
following under date of Washington:
"Senator Knox, you have made the two
best speeches that have been made in re
cent years. I want to congratulate you on
them."
In these words President Roosevelt paid
the tribute of his commendation to the
addresses made by Senator Knox of Penn
sylvania, at Kalamazoo, Mich., and at
Pittsburg. The first was delivered on
February 11, and was on "The Pnple.
the Railroads and the National Author
ity," dealing with the Government's pol
icy of railroad regulation. The second
was delivered before the Pittsburg Cham
ber of Commerce on the following night,
and the subject was "The Future of Com
merce." It advocated the improvement
by the Government upon a large scale of
the harbors and inland waterways of th3
country.
Senator Knox recently called at the
White House with Judge James S. Young,,
of Pittsburg. They were waiting In the,
cabinet-room, which was filled with vis
itors, when the President opened the door
connecting with his private office and saw
the Senator. He greeted him with tho
words quoted above.
"You mean they are the greatest
speeches since your last one," modestly
replied Senator Knox to the President's
complimentary reference.
"Oh, no, I do not make any such excep
tion," said the President.
The conversation between the President
and the Senator was heard by every per
son in the room, among whom was a del
egation from Kentucky, and it created
something of a sensation. Whon these
visitors cams away they were talking
about it and commenting upon the em
phatic terms of approval which the Presi
dent applied to Senator Knox's utterances
The Young Widow.
Robert Josaelyn.
She is modest, but not bashful;
Free and easy, but not bold ;
Like an apple ripe and mellow-
Not too young, and not too old ;
Half inviting, half repulsive.
Now advancing, and now shy;
There is mischief In her dimple,
There is danger in her eye.
She has studied human nature;
She Is schooled in all her arts;
She has taken her diploma
As the mistress of all hearts;
She can tell the very, moment
When to sigh and when to smile;
O. a maid is sometimes charming;
But the widow all the while!
Are you sad.? how very serious
Will her handsome face become;
Are you anrry? she is wretched.
Lonely, friendless, tearful, dumb;
Are you mirthful? how her laughter.
Silver Bounding, will ring out;
She can lure, and catch, and play you.
As the angler does the trout.
You old bachelors of forty,
Who hsve grown so bold and wise.
Young Americans rtf twenty.
With the lovelocks In your eyes,
You may practice all your lessons,
, Taught by Cupid since the fall.
But I know a' little widow
Who could win and fool you all.