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PORTLAND. FRIDAY. MAY 29. 1908.
BALLOT LAWMAKING.
In Its last Issue the New York In
dependent briefly reviews the situation
which confronts the people of Oregon
under the direct legislation move
ment, and, without attempting; to pass
Judgment upon the initiative and ref
erendum principle, calls attention to
the Importance of the experiment here
being put to a test. After remarking
mat direct legislation is iiKeiy to prove
of high educative value, the Independ
ent says that if the scheme shall suc
ceed "it will certainly be the beginning
of momentous political changes in the
United States." While it is gratifying
to some persons to know that they
are attracting attention all over the
country and that perhaps they are
marking the beginning of a new epoch
In governmental history, yet there are
many others who are more impressed
with the seriousness of the task before
them and who have no time to gratify
their vanity. We shall get along bet
ter In the end if we think less upon
the spectacle we are presenting before
the world and more upon the work
Immediately before us. As a state we
are a sort of high-wire performer, and
If we let our thoughts drift for a mo
ment to the vast audience watching
us with breathless wonder, we are
quite likely to take a fall that will
bring us sympathy instead of applause,
contempt instead of admiration. The
Independent says that "so remarkable
a body of propositions proceeding
from and addressed to a democratic
electorate has never before been seen
in America." It is almost the lan
guage of the circus poster describing
the feats of the mid-air contortionist.
Let us watch our own movements
keep our own balance and let the
World of onlookers take care of them
selves. We have before us four constitu
tional amendments proposed by the
last Legislature. One increases the
compensation of members of the Leg
islature from $3 to $10 a. day, a meas
ure for which there was no popular
demand and from which no good can
be expected. Another proposes an
amendment permitting the location of
state institutions away from the cap
ital, a measure which will tend to per
petuation and extension of the old evil
of trading on the location of institu
tions drawing appropriations from the
public treasury. -A third is designed
to Increase the number of Supreme
Judges from three to five and to per
mit Circuit Judges to be vested with
probate jurisdiction, while the fourth
changes the time of the general elec
tion from June to November.
Four acts of the Legislature are be
foro the people by exercise of the ref
erendum. The first gives Sheriffs ex
clusive right to the custody of prison
ers, with the privilege of boarding
them, a measure of slight Importance
from any viewpoint. The second at
tempts to re-establish the pernicious
free-pass system an act of which the
legislature should be ashamed. An
oihertnakes an appropriation of $100,
000 for the construction of armories
i:i different parts of the state. This
net has much to commend it, and
might be above criticism if It did not
serve s a precedent for demands for
Innumerable subsequent appropria
tions. The university appropriation
bill Is the fourth measure before the
people as the result of legislative en
actment. Public opinion generally
commands it.
Eleven measures proposed under
the initiative present the most difficult
problems for the people to solve. The
first of these, the equal suffrage
amendment. Is easily understood and
will be voted upon intelligently. It is
worth while to remark that, if
once - adopted, this amendment can
never be repealed, hence the necessity
for care in voting upon it. .Two bills
are presented by opposing interests
with a view to regulating the taking of
salmon in the Columbia, neither of the
bills being drawn with a yiew to( fair
and reasonable regulation, bus each
attempting to serve a selfish interest.
Even more vicious than the free-pass
law is the proposed amendment giving
cities and towns the right to regulate
certain evils free from the control of
the criminal laws of the state. It is
a measure in the interest of "open
towns," and will be defeated by an
overwhelming majority. Calling it a
."home rule" amendment will deceive
very few people.
The single-tax amendment is going
down to defeat with the disapproval of
the votes of two classes of people
those who are afraid of it because It is
difficult to understand and those who
do understand it and realize the injus
tice of its provisions. The recall
amendment is a legislative contortion
as dangerous as H is unnecessary. The
same may be said of the proportional
representation amendment, which is
not definite and complete In its pro
visions and leaves too much to the un
certainties of subsequent legislation.
The act instructing members of the
Legislature to vote for the candidate
for United States Senator who receives
the highest number of the people's
votes at the general election will be
supported by those citizens who be
lieve that a member of one party
should be compelled to vote for the
candidates of another party, and It
will be opposed by all others. The
corrupt practices act has a commend
able purpose,' but It contains some
provisions which seem unnecessar
ily strict. The manner In which the
Initiative and referendum power has
been abused arouses a suspicion that
the corrupt practices act would be a
ready means in the hands of dishon
est persons to take advantage of those
who willingly yield to Its requirements.
The amendment requiring that all in
dictments shall be found by a grand
Jury and depriving District Attorneys
of the power to file informations aims
At an imaginary evil. Prompt prose
cution of criminals requires that the
present power of District Attorneys in
this respect be continued, and the pro
posed amendment should be defeated.
There -would be no objection to an
act requiring that a grand Jury be
called at least once a year, or even
twice a year. The act creating the
county of Hood River from territory
now included in Wasco County is a
measure which should never have
been submitted to a vote of the people
at large. Voters In distant parts of
the state have no interest in it, can
not understand the Issues involved, do
not know whether the measure is a
wise one or not, and must vote blindly
if at all. . -
IX THE NAME OF THE PROPHET, FIG Si
Now a question arises between Mr.
Chamberlain and Mr. ITRen. The
question is, which of these statesmen
has been the more devoted to, and
now is the more devoted to, Statement
No. 1. Also, whether Mr. Cake or Mr.
Chamberlain, the one or the other, is
the sounder and abler advocate of the
Holy Statement.
Each of these brethren reminds the
spectator of the Mohammedan pedlar,
vending his goods on the streets of the
Holy City, crying out with every step,
"In the name of the prophet, figs!"
When our politics degenerate to rub
bish of this description, there can be
no wonder that the plain people, whose
rule of action In politics has been high
principle, .directed by common sense,
confess themselves tired and disgusted.
Never before was the possible little
ness of politics so manifest. It is fit,
of -course, that this littleness should
manifest itself through little men.
Washington, Hamilton and Jeffer
son, Jackson, Lincoln and Roosevelt,
have been superseded. , Their ideas,
purposes and principles belong to an
exploded and antiquated fashion. The
Holy Statement, invented in Oregon, Is
now all in all. But who is its archon?
Who its high priest? ITRen or Cham
berlain? Or Bourne, perchance, with
Cake as his vicar? The Holy State
ment, It seems, Is a Jealous god, whose
first command is. "Thou shalt have no
other gods' before me." And his
priests, it seems, each and all, are de
termined as the Turk to bear "no
brother near the throne.
NAVIGATING TUB AIR,
Successful aerial navigation is slow
ly but surely coming. The ; contest
with the forces -of the air has been
steady ana unremlttent since Mont
golfier sent up his first balloon, al
though the progress made In the past
ten years far exceeds that of all the
preceding years In which experiments
have been conducted. In yesterday's
news columns in The Oregonlan ap
peared the following:
Ghent. May 27. Henry Farnum. the Brit
ish aeronaut, today made two flights of 1600
meter in his aeroplane. This Is the great
eat distance yet accomplished In a straight
Una
Columbus, t May ST. Cromwell
Dixon, the boy aeronaut, made a successful
flight today at the State Fair grounds In his
new airship. The wind was very strong, but
EHxon seemed to have perfecr- control of his
machine, sending it In every direction for
an hour.
Twenty years . ago news of such
demonstrations of the possibilities of
aerial navigation would have created
a sensation; but combinations of
modern science, skill, inventive genius
and personal daring have been rapidly
leading us up to the grand climax of
successful aerial navigation, and we
are no longer surprised at the accu
mulating evidence tending to show
that the conquest of the air is rapidly
getting beyond the experimental stage.
There are plenty of men In Portland
who are not aged patriarchs but who
can easily remember when the an
nouncement of Iron ships was received
with Incredulity. Iron was so much
heavier than water that it seemed ri
diculous to believe that a craft con
structed wholly of metal could be
made to float on the water, and actu
ally carry cargoes. Until quite re
cently there has been a prevailing sen
timent of distrust about the ability of
Inventors to keep afloat In the air a
vehicle or machine which must neces
sarily be much heavier than the air in
which it is supposed to be handled.
The Wright brothers, with their
aeroplane experiments, have repeat
edly demonstrated that the feat is not
an impossibility, and defects disclosed
by their experiments have been of a.
nature that in no way tended to
weaken their confidence in ultimate
success. There was enormous loss of
life during the period in which the
practically unsinkable steel steamship
was developing from the cranky iron
tanks which superseded the wooden
ship because they lasted longer and
were nearly,as economical in first cost
as the wooden ship. But collision
bulkheads, double bottoms and a vast
array of electrical appliances to facili
tate handling vessels in peril have
made life on a modern liner at sea as
safe as ashore. ,
Continued experiments and the ap
plication of ever-appearing new appli
ances will yet do for the aeronauts
what has been done for the navigators
of the high seas. Modern science has
made the once awe-inspiring predic
tion of Mother Shipton appear as
commonplace as a prediction of Dem
ocratic success in Alabama, and. In
view of present developments, it would
be venturesome to regard lightly the
possibilities for aerial navigation in
the near future. Man has drawn
forth some great secrets from Nature's
storehouse, each new discovery prov
ing more wonderful than Its predeces
sor, and all seeming so natural and in
a measure commonplace, once their
part in the great system of economics
Is understood. It is foolish to assume
that the Bupply has been exhausted
and that Inventive genius has no more
material on which to work.
THE ROSS SENTENCE.
The state lost nothing through the
operations of Banker Ross; but he Is
tcj be punished by a term iji prison and
a heavy fine, nevertheless. He should
be. So should all his accomplices. If
it shall transpire that the state's
school money was placed In the vaults
of the Title Guarantee & Trust Com
pany as Ahe result of a political or
other deal, through which there was
to be a "rake-off" for the conspira
tors, there sTiould be other prosecu
tions and other convictions. In other
words, let us have all the facts about
the relations of State Treasurer Steel
and his friend Ross. The State Treas--
urer has never satisfactorily explained,
or explained at all. the history of the
remarkable transaction, or series of
transactions, by which he was led to
pour nearly four hundred thousand
dollars into the "bank" of his friend
and ally a greater sum than was
placed by him in all the other banks
of the state combined. There is some
thing more than a suspicion there is
a practical certainty that it was all
done as the result of a bargain be
tween Ross and Steel. Very well.
The duty of the District Attorney is
plain.
Ross has been convicted on a spe
cific charge of unlawful conversion of
the public school funds. But in the
public mind he has been found guilty
on the broader and even more damn
ing charge of wrongful misuse as a
banker of other people's money. Ross
had no conception of the sacred ob
ligations of his trust, or, if he had,
he had no conscience and no scruples
about the continuous and systematic
betrayal of that trust. The function
of a depositor in his bank was to be
the unsuspecting investor in his pri
vate schemes. Ross used other peo
ples money as his own. The way of
the transgressor is hard. '
MAKING A GREATER PORT.
The work of the Port of Portland is
reflected in a channel to the sea of
fully six feet greater depth than was
in evidence when that corporation be
gan operations. This Increased depth
has been the means of attracting
larger vessels, with an attendant low
ering of freight rates.
The Port of. Portland also built a
drydock which has been the means
of attracting to the port a great deal
of shipping that otherwise would -have
been diverted to other ports. The
success already attained by the organ
ization Is a guarantee that, with the
enlarged powers which will be given It
by the bill which cornea before the
people next Monday, the Port will be
in a position to handle to the best pos
sible advantage the greatly Increased
fleet of ships that will come to Port
land with completion of the North
Bank Railroad.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JAIL.
, It is a curious thing to observe how
closely Congress resembles an aborted
organ in the human body: It is like
the vermiform appendix, for example,
which once, long ago, performed a
useful office in digestion but is now
become nothing better than a danger
ous incumbrance. One could not say,
of course, that there Is no use for Con
gress. There is a great deal that it
might do if it would. The trouble is
that it won't or can't. Perhaps iner
tia and Impotence rule over it in about
equal measure.
The neglect - of Congress extends
even to the municipal affairs of the
District of Columbia. This unhappy
place has no government except the
National Legislature. Its inhabitants
live in abject pupilage, without politi
cal rights and deprived of the power
to do anything for themselves, no mat
ter how much they may be despised
and neglected. The results seem to be
deplorable in every department of
their municipal lifebut worst of all
in their city prison.
This horrible place is known to the
public as the Jail of the District of Co
lumbia. The National Conference of
Charities listened the other day to a
description of it, and If half of what
they heard is true, it is a scandal and
shame to the country. To mention
only two or three of its charms, this
prison confines BOO convicts in about
1100 cells. They are unable to exer
cise by day, for the Jailyard is very
small, and at night they cannot have
separate beds. Of course the result is
vieiousness of the worst description.
Worse still, the miserable prisoners
are not permitted to work. "Abso
lutely without work" is the expression
in the account.
What Is the purpose of Congress in
subjecting human beings to such con
ditions? Does it expect to reform
them and make useful citizens of
them? If it does it will be disappoint
ed. Does it desire to kill them by dis
ease and vice? If it does, it will suc
ceed, But the probability is that
Congress cares nothing about this
business, any more than it cares about
its other duties. What can be done to
bring the somnolent body to life?
Veterans of the G. A. R. have been
detailed as usual to visit the public
schools of this district on the day pre
ceding Memorial day and give the pu
pils lessons in patriotism from the
standpoint of the old soldier who has
borne arms in defense of his country.
The occasion presents a grand oppor
tunity to interest if not to Instruct the
young, both boys and girls, which it
may be hoped will not be made tedious
and obscure today by dry platitudes.
Every veteran soldier who is entitled
to the name has some reminiscence of
life in hospital, camp or afield that.
told in simple, direct language, will
arouse the interest of his restless audi
tors. Theoretical patriotism in time
of peace is dry stuff. Practical patri
otism, embellished with experiences of
war time, claims instant attention. It
is a story that never grows old. Let
the veteran orators of the schools to
day forget to be garrulous, give the
children something real in the way of
incident, and quit when they are
through, if they would receive that
best and most genuine of all plaudits,
the cheers and stamping and hand
clapping of an audience composed of
eager, bright and attentive children.
Whatever criticism may be directed
against Evelyn Nesblt Thaw since the
pangs of poverty and the blandish
ments of Stanford'White dew her into
the primrose path, her frightful testl-
ony saved the life of Harry Thaw.
If that life -was worth anything to his
immediate family, they ought to aban
don the persecution of the young
woman. There has been nothing in
the testimony throughout this" iirty
case that would indicate that Evelyn
forced her way into Harry Thaw's life.
On the contrary, it has been proven
that Thaw was obliged to make a very
aggressive campaign before she con
sented to become his wife. The peo
ple who are directly responsible for
this tragedy, which seems without
end; are those who regard the petted
and spoiled young murderer without
attempting to Instill in his mind the
first principles of decent and correct
living. Wealth gave opportunity for
making a man out of Harry Thaw, but
poverty prevented the development of
traits which might have made a good
woman out of Evelyn Thaw. For such
reasons the unfortunate young woman
is entitled to better treatment than she
Is receiving from her husband's family.
The attempt, made upon the initi
ative of somebody whose name does
not appear, to have repealed the ordi
nance that requires lampblack, in
quantity sufficient to produce a soft
gray tint to be mixed in cement that
laid for sidewalks, proved unsuccess
ful. Dr. Victoria Hampton and twenty-eight
other physicians of this city
protested against the repeal, the plea
being made on behalf of the eyesight
of citizens. This, it was urged, is put
to unnecessary strain by the glare of
the sun upon the white cement pave
ment. One does not need to be a phy
sician or an oculist to know that the
soft gray tint of the sidewalks that
have been laid under this ordinance is
restful to the eyes, while the glare of
the sun upon clear white cement walks
is trying. Why, therefore, should it
be necessary to argue this simple mat
ter? Why, except perhaps that the
introduction of lampblack requires a
little extra attention and effort on the
part of contractors? When servants
turn to masters, they are very apt to
become arrogant. ;
That District Attorney Manning has
made good in his office every one
knows. This Is the secret of the ap
proval he receives from the multitude
who iiave been served by his efforts to
straighten out the affairs of the sus
pended hanks and to get them their
money. It is the secret of his Indorse
ment by the Municipal Reform Asso
ciation, and by citizens generally who
have seen the laws fairly enforced and
the evils that had become notorious
abated and suppressed. We have
heard much during recent years about
the needlessness of partisanship in all
affairs of a local nature. On this basis
the claim in behalf of .Mr. Manning is
simply that he has done his duty as a
public official, and therefore merits re
election. A woman who is being followed on
the street by an impudent fellow out
for prey must not look back to see
whether her pursuer is gaining upon
her. Otherwise she will presumably
ba guilty of luring the fellow on. Such
at least is the presumption upon which
a man who admitted that he was fol
lowing a young woman on the street
one evening recently escaped a well
deserved sentence of rockbreaking for
the city. One would think that the
presumption of innocence in such a
case as this would be with the fright
ened young woman who appealed for
protection to the police.
Far be it from us to impeach either
the intelligence or the grammar of
Judge Thomas A. McBrlde; so we
merely rise for information. The
Judge has written a most instructive
and illuminating letter in behalf of the
Lower Columbia River fishermen,
wherein we find the following: "A
salmon only comes into the river to
spawn and die. He eats nothing from
the- time he reaches the water until
he dies." We may be wrorfg, but it
strikes us that there is something
queer about that "he."
Before we indulge in any great lam
entation over the fact that the cold
weather is interfering with the devel
opment of the -Caroline Testout buds,
it would be well to consult the news
columns of The Oregonlan, which yes
terday announced a heavy snow storm
in Montana and tornadoes in Okla
homa and Kansas. Weather news from
other parts of the country tends to
prove that Oregon climate and weather
are fairly satisfactory.
With all due deference to the high
position which Dr. Jordan holds in the
scientific world, it might be remarked
that If his knowledge of salmon is on
a parity with his knowledge of the
Behrlng Sea sealing controversy, both
parties to the salmon war might as
well be on their guard lest a gold brick
be handed them.
Senator Bourne says only Statement
No. 1 candidates for the Legislature
should be elected. Mr. Cake says only
Republicans snould be elected. If Mr.
Bourne and Mr. Cake are going to
work in harmony in the United States
Senate, they ought to begin now.
It is quite obvious that the great
Methodist Church is prayerfully will
ing that the colored brother go off and
organize a little church of his own.
Why not? He could fix it there so all
would be bishops.
Mr. Nelson will try again for a rec
ord automobile run between Vallejo,
Cal., and Portland "when the roads
are better." From which we conclude
that the scheme Is indefinitely post
poned. Undoubtedly the depositors of the
late Title Guarantee At Trust Company
will be willing to Join in a petition to
the Governor that that 800-year Jail
sentence be reduced to life.
SEES OLD SOITH SPIRIT HERE. j
Blame Lark of Education for Himmrr
- Inar University Appropriation.
EUGENE, Or.. May 27. (To the Edi
tor.) Since The Oregonlan has recently
published articles on the upbuilding of
Oregon, it seems that a few additional
facts should be mentioned on the eve of
the election the issues of which mean
so much to the state.
Our resources are very great. Our
climate, fine and healthful, soil fertile,
markets good, with the, best natural con
ditions to be found anywhere for raising
certain kinds of fine fruits and building
beautiful homes. -
Enterprising and progressive people are
coming in large numbers to help uej
build up the country', and in the natural
order of progress wealth- will rapidly in
crease. .
Let us give new settlers the "glad
hand" and welcome them with words of
hope and cheer true words which all
can speak. Let us encourage the schools
and colleges they are 'all needed, and
now most of all, the university. With
the brightest prospects and rapidly In
creasing wealth and population, how
amazing to think of the Governor's veto
and the opposition in some quarters of
the Grange to the university appropria
tion. We should be charitable to these
men, as their childhood traditions In
many cases inclined them more to econ
omy than education.
In the Southern States, aristocratic
people were highly educfted before the
Civil War. while education of the com
mon people was neglected, and it was
even a crime to teach a black man to
read and write. This spirit had to be
subdued before the South could prosper,
and the portion of it transplanted to
Oregon must be swept sway. Anything
standing In the way of the march of
progress, whether It be Governor. Grange,
C. H. Walker, or anyone else, must stand
aside. How absurd and ridiculous Is the
plea of poverty that we are not well
able to support a state university! If
we had no university, their arguments
might be more forcible, but with the
splendid Institution already established
asking only, reasonable support, mere
should be no question.
In view of our great and rapidly-In
creasing wealth, the sum asked for la
very small. A man paying tax on $1000
would be a very poor patriot Indeed if
he refused to vote 2 or 3 cents additional
to support an established Institution like
ours and doing good work. The men op
posing seemed to be unaware of the fact
that the eyes of the world are watching
them. They did not realize that they
were a long way behind in the march of
progress. The men ana women coming
to Oreeon. and others intending to come,
are bright. Intelligent and progressive.
They cannot understand sucn puiiui
economy. Our Governor, was very wise
in making a public speech recently In
Eugene. He made no attempt to Jus
tify that veto, which was against the
best interests of the state.
Let us give a rousing vote of support
to the university. Let us look on the
bright side and talk of the beauty and
wonderful possibilities in store for the
people of Oregon. We will yet see de
velopment and wealth in this favored
land, beyond the brightest dreams of our
pioneer mothers and fathers.
JONATHAN JOHNSON.
CHOICE FOR IT. S. VICE-PRESIDENT.
Guesses "t the Probable Republican and
Democratic Nominee.
Providence, R. I., Tribune.
As Vice-President of the United States
he (Governor Guild) would enjoy com
parative freedom from the strain to which
he has been subjected in the office which
he now holds and would have ample op
portunity to recuperate. In the somewhat
peculiar circumstances, the opinion may
be ventured that Governor Guild is an
ideal candidate.
New York Man la Preferred.
Nashville, Tenn., Banner. (Dem.)
The Democratic party, if it hopes to
win, cannot well Ignore the east. The
great state of New York, with its 39
electoral votes, is a factor that must be
considered. It is not easy to figure out
a possible Democratic victory without it,
and the logic of the situation from the
practical politics point of view calls for
a candidate for Vice-President who would
be strong in the Empire State.
Democrats Like Worfleld, of Maryland.
Kansas City Star, Ind.
Ex-Governor Warfleld of Maryland is
the one active candidate for the Demo
cratic nomination for Vice-President. To
say the least, the great office of Vice
President, fraught with large fixed re
sponsibilities and with potential possibili
ties, should not go to any man who
thinks he is too big for it, for such a
man is too small for it.
Choice Made at Washing-ton, D. C.
Boston Advertiser, Rep.
It is probable that the choice of the
Vice-Presidential nominee for the Repub
licans will be settled at Washington, D.
C, rather than at Chicago. To a certain
extent it is assumed that the President
and Secretary of War will decide upon the
second place on the ticket if, as now
seems likely, Mr. Taft is to be nomin
ated on the first ballot. But the move
ment toward Governor Guild, however it
results, must be flattering to all Massa
chusetts men, because the Btate is hon
ored in the honor paid to Its governor.
. Gnlld, Murphy or Fairbanks. '
Boston Transcript (Ind.).
Franklin Murphy, former Governor of
New Jersey and a national committee
man, has been indorsed by that state
for Vice-President and while not of real
Presidential size, should the exigency
arise to occasion his promotion, may still
be very seriously considered. It is now
clear that the 82 votes of Massachusetts,
under the lead - of Senators Lodge and
Crane, wfll be cast for Governor Guild.
Assurance of support, from many parts of
the country, which the Governor has per
sonally received, he may now properly
ask to have made good. The presenta
tion speech will doubtless be made by
Governor Long.
The suggestion that Mr. Fairbanks may
be put on the Taft ticket at Chicago
points to a return to the precedents Of
earlier days.
Noisy Present and (inlet Past.
London Tit Bits.
Pierre Lotl. who has ransacked most
parts of the globe In search of impres
sions, and whose sketches of Eastern
life are among the most delightful
things in modern literature, has lately
visited Egypt and found disillusion
ment In the - land of the Pharaohs.
He .tried hard to project himself into
the tranquil immemorial past, but the
noises of the present kept breaking in
upon his meditations.
THE JiriEPHAST.,
The mulephant move forward.
And backward. Justr the same.
But cannot make much progress
As he Is stiff and lame:
The beast looks sly and vicious, -
Knows many -wicked tricks
The elephant grabs with ht trunk.
The mule he bites and kicks. ,
The mule makes strenuous efforts
To walk to Chamber Lane.
He brays In disappointment
And shakes bis tail and mane;
The elephant is reaching
For every piece of Cake.
But lore for "Statement Xumber One"
Makes him a fraud and fake.
t
Shall this Impos'or lure ,
And bunco oar state.
Then leave her at the mercy
Of Democratic fate?
Beware of monstrous mongrell
That shuns all party ties.
Which stands for nothing bat' the spoils.
Whose speech a pack of lies.
A. M. J.
F0RAKER AXD THE 'EGRO.
The Ohia Senator Pralaea for Hla Sys
tem and Hla Leadership. -
PORTLAND, May 24. (To the Ed
itor.) The fact that the negroes of the
country generally are supporting Mr.
Foraker and that they are not going to
vote for Mr. Taft certainly does not
agree with you. Y.ou suffer Indigestion
every tune you think of it. Your latest,
"Mr. Forak-r's System." the leading ed
itorial In Friday morning's issue, in
which you declare. "With all his bril
liancy and unquestioned aoility, Mr.
Foraker has never been able to win the
unflinching loyalty of anybody but the
negroes, so that his successive elections
are never without contest." Is a high
tribute to us. Assuming this portion of
your article to be a fact, allow tne to
assure you that the negroes are proud
of him and glad that they have the
privilege of keeping so fearless and
brilliant a leader, a credit to the State
of Ohio. In the United States Senate.
You know, then, that we know that
the Republican party and the United
States Senate do not like Mr. Foraker
because he Is our friend. When we
think of his retirement to private life
we consider largely that he was the
advocate of the negroes in the halls of
the American Congress when "they had
no one to speak for them. The truth of
the matter ia that the Republican party
does not feel by the negro as it did
some years ago. - It is deserting him.
The time has come when the negro
must look to his friends, whether Re
publican. Democrat, Populist, or what
not. Now that's the system. We
needed Mr. Foraker In the discharge
of these soldiers. There were two sides
to the matter. In the earl- days of the
settlement of this state, when the
Northerners and anti-slavery apostles
were in the minority, Judge Williams
wrote a letter which, when printed,
covered one whole side of the Oregon
Statesman; In the state convention he
led the forces fighting to keep slavery
out of Oregon; after the admlsston of
this state into the Union, General Lane
accused Judge Williams of being an
Abolitionist in disguise. It was this
sentiment that kept Judge AVilltams
from being the first United States Sen
ator from this state. Not like Ben Till
man, George H. Williams was our
friend. les. he was a Democrat. We
are putting away that old feeling that
all Democrats are bad and all Repub
licans good. There were and are some
mighty good Democrats. We must sup
port our friends that's the "system."
The negro's system Is a system of fidel
ity. He is loyal to his friends and is go
ing to be more so In the future. He has
reached the place In his development
when he can distinguish the difference
between a word and a deed. You
taught him. The Republican party si
lently affirms that which has been said
and done against him. He turns hi
back on the party because the party
turns its back on him. He won't sup
port men who preach one thing and
practice another. Put yourself in the
other fellow's place for a while; you
will see a new light a new era the
necessity for "Mr. Foraker's Svstem."
HOWARD SPROULL.
The only comment that need be made
on this interesting letter Is that it be
trays throughout the purpose of this
man and the particular negro element
represented by him, to follow and sup
port Foraker in his great scheme'of re
venge and retaliation on the Repub
lican party for its expected nomination
of Secretary Taft as its Presidential
nominee. The Foraker leadership will,
unless its direction Is changed, carry
the negroes Into the Democratic party.
which doesn't want them, despises
them, denies them the suffrage in the
South, and would reduce them again,
if ,lt could, to the position of a subject
race. This is to be the fruit of the
loyalty to its friends of which this cor
respondent boastlngly writes. But
what kind of loyalty is it to the
friend and sponsor for the negro
through all his recent history the Re
publican party? As this particular
negro has forgotten his loyalty to the
Republican party, so no doubt will he
turn against Foraker when that virtu
ous statesman is superseded In his af
fections by some more skillful and ef
ficlent demagogue. Will that time come
when Foraker buries the hatchet and
makes a bargain by which he (Foraker)
is to keep his job as Senator, and in
return is to deliver the negro vote to
Taft?
Senators With- Long Memories.
Washington (D. C.) Herald.
Several of the United States Senators
are noted for their remarkable memory.
Frequently during the course of debate on
details of the acts are mentioned. Usual'
ly the Senator quoting passages, refers to
the record, but there are some who not
only can quote correctly the dates, but
also much of the subject matter of
measures of bygone days. Senator Knox
has a wonderfully retentive memory, not
only for legislation, but -for poetry and
stories. Senator Bacon Is away up on
memory, especially on legal points, and
Senator Money has not only a great mem
ory, but has been a profound reader. He
is one of the older Senators who never
refers to the Record when making a
speech, trusting to bis memory entirely,
which always proves correct. He hasn't
many more years to serve. He will be
succeeded by John Sharp Williams, who,
while not as good as Senator Money on
memory, is much better in voice and can
bs heard much better by the official re
porters. He Is little, but loud. Senator Teller
remembers a thing or two. and Senator
Depew is there, when it comes to remem
bering stories.
American Fire Losses a Dlagrnec.
Philadelphia Record. -One
conflagration destroying $4,000,
000 or $5,000,000 worth of property
makes a great display in the newspa
pers, and yet fire losses aggregating
that every week occur in this country
year after year. Last year the fire
losses were not quite $4,000,000 a week,
the year round, but for the past five
years the average loss has been $5,000.
000 every" week, a total for five years
of $1,500,000,000. That owners of prop
erty were partially indemnified by In
surance does not affect the fact that
the country as a whole suffers this
enormous and preventable waste. Most
of our building Is a gamble between
the owner and the insurance company.
The enormous fire losses amount to a
National disgrace, for other countries
do not experience any such waste.
Her Day of Tariff Revision.
Puck.
There was a pink and blue smell, and
listening, she heard a cool noise in the
garden, while before her eyes came the
delicate perfume of orchids. Daintily
she pulled the petals from n cauliflow
er and fed them to the silken-furred
teakettle which coiled cozlly In her
lap. The kettle gave a short yelp of
delight, and, looking up, she beheld
the man coming toward her.
He was lazily puffing at a fragrant
Icicle. Then he saw her. and, drawing
near, he gently stroked her. fair bent
head with a pick-ax.
"How natural it all seems," she
breathed.
Taking off her face, he looked at It
tenderly, and answered:
"Yes. It Is the day of tariff re
vision. Whisky, Canary Bird and a Pigeon.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
The whisky at Altoona, Pa., is of
such a quality that Policeman John
Bookberger mistook a canary bird for
a pigeon and opened fire on him.
Initiative and Referendum
Measures '
For the Information of voters there will
he 'published on this pace from day to day
brlef summaries of the Initiative and ref
erendum measures to be submitted to the
people at the June election, together with
a short statement or the arguments tor and
arainst each. The particular measure here
discussed is to be voted on only by a part of
Multnomah County. '
NUMBER 20.
PORT OF PORTLAND BILL
"The proposed amendment enlarging
the powers of the Port of, Portland
comes before the people under the in
itiative next. Monday. This measure
applies only to that portion of Mult
nomah County affected by the original
Port of Portland bill, and no property
outside of Multnomah County Is sub
ject to taxation in conection with the
measure. By this measure, the corpor
ate powers of the Port of Portland are
enlarged so as "to authorize and em
power said Port of Portland to estab
lish and maintain an efficient towage
and pilotage service on the Columbia
River bar and upon the Columbia and
Willamette Rivers between the corpor
ate limits of the Port of Portland and
the Bea." To carry into effect the pro
visions of the act, the Port of Portland
is authorized to Issue .bonds to an
amount not to exceed $500,000. and to
levy special taxes not exceeding in the
aggregate one-twentieth of 1 per cent.
With the funds so raised, the Port of
Portland Is empowered to purchase or
lease tugboats and steam or sail pilot
boats necessary In the maintenance of an
efficient towage and pilotage service
between Portland and the sea. Under
I the law as proposed,' the charges for
towage and pilotage will be fixed by
the Port of Portland Commissioners,
and the Commissioners are also empow
ered to fix the pilotage rates on steam
vessels entering the river. The primary
intention of the measure is to enable
the commercial Interests of Portland to
have full charge of the towage and '
pilotage services for ships entering the
Columbia River. The advocates of the- -bill
contend that under the proposed
method of handling shipping on the
bar. it will be possible to remove some
of the handicaps which we now suffer
in- the way of excessive pilot charges
as compared with those " of Pugst
Sound.
With the pilotage and towage serv
ice In direct charge of the people who
are most vitally Interested in making
Portland an attractive port for ships,
it Is believed that the present com
plaints over poor service will be
stopped and eventually the Improve
ment will result in lower freight rates
out of Portland and other points along
the river. As yet, no opposition to the
measure has developed in Portland, al
though it Is said to be unfavorably re
ceived at Astoria. In effect, it is ex
pected to carry out the work which had
been planned for the Port of Columbia
bill, which was declared unconstitu
tional. The principal objection raised
against the Port of Columbia bill was
on account of Clatsop and Columbia
Counties being Included in the district,
against the wishes of the Clatsop
County people. Columbia County being
favorable to the measure. Both Clat
sop and Columbia Counties are exempt
from taxation under the present bill.
The bond issue which is provided for
the purposes of carrying out the pro
visions of the new bill shall bear not
to exceed 6 per cent interest, and one- -tenth
of the bonds shall be retired each
year. All funds derived from the spe
cial tax levied to carry out the work
of the Commission, shall go into a spe
cial fund, to be known as the "bonded,
indebtedness fund," and this fund shall
not be transferred to other funds so
long as there are outstanding any
bonds of the Port of Portland.
Voters who are favorable to the
measure should vote YES.
SENATORS BY PO PILAR ELECTION
How the Political Faker Denies the
Constitution.
Washington Post.
The clamor for the election of Unit
ed States Senators by popular vote
grew out of the charge that certain
multimillionaires of the far West had
purchased seats in the Senate for so
many thousands per of the Legislatures
of certain of the new states of that
region.
It was argued that the people could
not be bought however corrupt their
representatives in the State Legisla
ture and that if the populace were al
lowed to name the Senators by direct
vote the Senate would become a thor
oughly immaculate body of sages and
patriots. The scheme has not been In
corporated in the Constitution, but
through the subterfuge of a party
nomination and a party primary, the
Constitution has been practically nulli
fied in the states where candidates for
Senator are named by blanket primary.
Well, the thing, in practical operation
la eomewhat disappointing. All the
lawyers since Sir Edward Coke could
not devise a scheme by which a Sena
torshlp could be bought with more fa
cility than by giving the selection to
the people rather than leaving it with
the Legislature. Take a great state,
and what chance would a poor man
have against a rich man with money in
both pockets?
Headquarters must be established.
Clerks must be employed. Documents
must be printed. Advertising must be
resorted to. The telegraph and the
telephone must be utilised. Large ex
penditures must be made for postage.
Railroad fares, hotel bills, salaries, and
expenses of henchmen must be pro
vided for.
All these things have happened in
state primaries for United States Sen
ator, whereas under the Constitution as
it is and as it should be enforced In -the
srlirit as well as the letter the
poor man can go to the state capital
and show himself to the representatives
of the people, thus forcing the rich
man, if the thing becomes a matter of
purchase, to buy it outright Instead of
by indirection.
All free government was made to
protect minorities. This principle is
exquisitely exemplified In the creation
of the United States Senate by the
fathers and the mode and manner of
the election of Senators prescribed in
the Constitution.
Every time a political faker lays his
hands on the Constitution he defilee it.
Files Mortgage en 81000 Dog.
St. Louis Republic.
A novel instrument was filed in the
office of Recorder of Deeds Joy. when
Mrs. Brock Storts. of 4929 Penrose street,
gave a mortgage on her English toy span
iel, Ashton Apollo, to secure her note for
$75. due in one year at 6 per cent. The
mortgage was in favor of Julia C. Klein,
who lent Mrs. Storts the money.
"The money was borrowed." Mrs. Storts
said, "to apply on the purchase price of
another spaniel which will arrive from
England."
Ashton Apollo Is valued at $1000 by his
owner. He captured first prizes at the
last dog show given In St. Louis, as well
as the dog show given in East St. Louis
a few weeks ago. Ashton Apollo's pedi
gree would cover several sheets of paper.
i