Morning Oregonian., June 26, 1908, Page 8, Image 8

THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, .TUNE 26, 1DOS.
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I-OKTU1X1), FRIDAY. JUNE 26. 1908.
TOl IT NEVEI1 END?
- The Iowa Republicans, who have
Just held their state convention, chose
Jlr. W. S. Hart for temporary chair
man. Naturally Mr. Hart made a
speech when he assumed the exalted
dignity of his position. As reported
In the papers, his speech consists of a
series of words strung together with
out much regard to grammar or sense.
One's first thought in reading it Is
that Mr. Hart was repeating, parrot
like, some standpat formulas which he
had committed to memory more or
less defectively and which he did not
understand. One's second thought
confirms the first. Still, out of the
confusion of his schoolboy rhetoric it
is possible to extract a number of the
stale old impostures of Dingleyism
stated in the stale old phrases of the
standpatters. He modifies their im
potence a little by some reluctant con
cessions to the revisionists, but clearly
Mr. Hart Is joined to the tin god of
protectionism until death pries him
loose.
When the tariff comes to be revised,
he says, it will be done with a pre
sumption in favor of the DIngley rates
because they have caused "a high tide
o! prosperity and progress for years."
If the Dingley tariff caused the pros
perity which we enjoyed up to last
Fall, it also caused the adversity
which we have enjoyed since. Like
other fetiches, the tariff tries to claim
credit for all the good In the world
and lay the blame for the evil upon
something else, but people are not to
be fooled forever by such a scurvy
trick. The fact is that the tariff has
no more to do with the tide of pros
perity than with the tide of the ocean.
What It does accomplish is to sweep
the fruits of a prosperity which it
neither helps nor hinders Into the
hands of a few privileged plutocrats
and leave the rest of the population
wondering why they have to work so
hard and get so little for it. But, In
spite of standpat Imposture, they are
beginning to understand.
We must have protection enough,
declares Mr. Hart, "to Insure to the
American laborer the highest wages
In the world and to the American
farmer the best market in the world."
Did one evr hear lovelier pounding
on the old brass kettle? Has any
body ever heard of any laborer In any
trade, art or craft whose wages have
been raised by the tariff? Do not our
protected tariff barons cut wages
down to the lowest figure they possibly
can without regard to the duties on
their goods? What manufacturer ever
made the Dingley tariff a reason for
raising wages? What one ever hesi
tated to cut wages because he was pro
tected by a duty? Our privileged
tariff barons buy their labor, as they
do their raw material. In the cheapest
market; but.it is a terrible crime when
the rest of us ask for the right to buy
our goods in the cheapest market.
This is a case where sauce for the gan
der is very far from being sauce for
the goose, and the consumer Is the
goose.
Originally the tariff was not im
posed to raise wages. It was imposed
because wages were already high. The
argument was that the manufacturer
must be protected by a tariff or he
could not pay the high wages which
prevailed. But when he had his tariff
securely fastened upon the country,
then he began to shout that it had
caused the high wages. Beautiful
logic, is !t not? The Egyptian legend
of alligators generating themselves in
the mud of the Nile is sane compared
with the idea of the tariff causing its
own cause. The whole domain of
theology has nothing to offer more in
sulting to the reason. Does not every
workingman in the country know per
fectly well that if his wages are high
it is because there are more jobs than
there are competent men bidding for
them? And if there are more men
than jobs, will not wages be cut down
though the tariff wall be as high as
Haman's gibbet? Workingmen's votes
cannot be won by talking to them as
If they were half-witted. It Is time
politicians began to revise those parts
of their speeches which are designed
to capture "labor and the farmers."
Even sillier than his twaddle. to "la
bor" is Mr. Hart's sop to the farmers.
The tariff gives them high prices, for
sooth. How much has the tariff to do
with the price of Hood River apples?
If the tariff fixed the price of apples
the wormy trees of Clackamas County
ought to be as profitable as the care
fully nurtured orchards of Hood
River. Are they? The farmer gets
high prices by producing an excellent
article, to begin with. But that is
only part of the story. He has to
overcome the wiles of the middleman.
He has to advertise. In short, he has
to fight his way with persevering in
telligence and dauntless courage. The
tariff does not help him an atom. If
the Dingley tariff makes high prices
for the farmers, why are they forming
unions all over the country to make
high prices for themselves? Weary,
dreary, foolish old Impostures. How
long, oh Lord, how long, will the poli
ticians continue to assault our ears
with them?
- Perhaps the miscarriages of justice
of which complaint is so frequently
made might be less frequent if the
best people of a community would re
gard serving on the jury more In the
light of a duty than as something to
be avoided wherever possible. The
responsible business man who loses
a case in court on account of the char
acter of the jury Is loud in his protest
against the kind of men that are in
the jury-box. Any attempt, however,
to get the same business man on a
Jury usually ends In failure. This
aversion to serving on a jury was
strikingly shown in the recent third
trial of Walton. A special effort was
made to get good,, reliable business
men on the jury, and nut of twenty
five names submitted it was possible
to get but one man. " That man has
large business interests which require
his attention, but he would not forget
that he also owed a duty to society,
and accordingly served through the
three-day trial from which two dozen
of his fellow business men had been
excused.
O. SANCTA SIMPLICITAS!
Caught in the sticky fly paper of
Statement No. 1, Mr. A. H. Eaton, of
Lane County, who was elected to the
Legislature on "Hie statement," ac
knowledges his plight, but admits he
can't get loose; so he will not flap and
buzz in the effort, but simply will
"stick." Perhaps this is wise. At all
events, it is for him to decide. He
offers this, in ex(Ianation and excul
pation: I worked for Mr, Fulton in the primaries'
and for Mr. Cake In the general election. The
people of Oregon preferred Mr. Chamberlain
to my choice, and I shall vote to ratify their
selection when the time comes in the legis
lature. The eminent gentleman evidently
has not carefully examined his own
mind. He says "the peope of Oregon
preferred Mr. Chamberlain to his
choice." Did they? No; for his
choice was Mr. Fulton; who, however,
was beaten in the primary by Demo
cratic votes cast for Mr. Cake, and
then these same voters turned to
Chamberlain and beat Cake, the next
move in the bunco game. It was aid
ed by Mr. Chamberlain's pose a a
Vnon-partisan." Yet it was a trans
parent bunco game from the begin
ning, absolutely sure to result the way
It did.
It In just as well, perhaps, that the
people of Oregon, by initiative and
referendum, have taken the power of
legislation, and of representative ac
tion, out of the hands of persons so
gullible as Mr. Eaton. But has Mr.
Eaton his "choice" for Senator? No.
He has allowed the strap-game artists
to bunco him out of it, and he con
fesses that he is helpless. O, saneta
slmplicitas! But why should It be
necessary for some people to have a
lesson in every bunco game going?
IT MAKES THINGS PLAIN.
It does terribly hurt the Bryan De
mocracy to be reminded of the cour
age and sagacious conduct of Grover
Cleveland, and; to hear the tributes
paid by the country to his high quail
ties. The principal Democratic paper
of Oregon, Bryan and silver to the
core, and fierce In its feeling against
the President who opened a way
through a riotous Chicago mob,
against the remonstrance of Governor
Altgeld, for the mails and commerce
of the United States, says of Mr.
Cleveland:
He was a solid rather than a bright man,
and depended chiefly, as in fact the Presi
dents since have done, on J. Pierpont Mor
gan for his financial policy. . . . Mr.
Cleveland had eound political ideas on most
subjects, and meant to Berve the people well,
and in general did so, but his sympathies
with the common people were academic and
abstract, rather than warm-blooded and
active. . . . History will not write him
down as a great man. but as one who filled
a great ofilce according to his highest con
ception of duty.
He hadn't the Bryan-Altgeld con
ception, indeed; hence his Inestimable
service to his country', and his last
ing fame.
Nothing could so clearly illustrate
the present political situation, and the
attitude of parties towards each other
and towards main questions, as what
now appears in the press of the
country concerning the late President
Cleveland.
SURPLUS OF SHIPS.
Sentiment favorable to a ship sub
sidy has always been easy to create in
the interior states, remote from salt
water. Almost any kind of an appeal
in the name of the old flag has suc
ceeded in securing from the commer
cial organizations of interior cities
resolutions favoring a ship subsidy.
The promotion of ship subsidy senti
ment under such circumstances in lo
calities where the actual working of
the business is unfamiliar is not a
difficult matter, .and there is a tend
ency to excuse, on the grounds of ig
norance, those who indorse the graft.
But out here on the Pacific, where
there is always more shipping than
there is business for it, we cannot re
gard the problem from other than a
strictly business standpoint. Every
man on the Pacific Coast who has oc
casion to charter a ship to engage in
the foreign trade knows that he can
obtain all of the tonnage that can be
utilized at rates so low that there is
not the slightest possibility of trade
being hampered in any way by either
high rates or scarcity of tonnage.
In the face of such conditions Mr.
J. H. Bloedel, of Belllngham, in a
speech before the National Lumber
Manufacturers' Association at Minne
apolis, Indulged in the customary wall
over the decadence of the American
merchant marine. "To utilize the
Panama Canal and the waterways we
must have ships," said Mr. Bloedel,
and, continuing, he asserted: "A
reasonable ship subsidy bill for ships
in the foreign trade, together with
less drastic coasting laws, wilf produce
them. There is either .too much pro
tection or not enough; open the door
or subsidize the. ships. Japan, which
has grown in tonnage from a few
junks in 1890 to near second place
among shipping nations, can tell us
how."
.The natural inference of Middle
Westerners who listened to rtr. Bloe
del's talk would be that we were poor
ly supplied with ships, otherwise there
would be no reason for asserting that
"we must have ships." And yet there
has never been a period In the history
of the Pacific Coast lumber trade
when ocean freights are so low as at
the present time, and even at the beg
garly rates at which the vessels are
offering to carry freight to any and all
parts of the world there is such a
great surplus of tonnage that both
steam and sail vessels are leaving the
Pacific Coast in ballast to search for
cargoes elsewhere. Mr. Bloedel, him
self a lumber shipper, should have
been familiar with these conditions,
and he was in an excellent position to
explain to the less-informed people of
the Middle West that there is no lack
of shipping facilities at any Pacific
Coast ports.
It is unnecessary for us to appeal to
Japan for information regarding the
best method of upbuilding our mer
chant marine, for It is generally
known that the merchant marine of
Japan, like that of England, Germany,
Norway and other progressive mari
time nations has been built up by the
liberal government policy which per
mits the citizens to buy ships where
they are the cheapest, and, instead of
denying them new registry under the
flag of the owner's country, as is the
policy of the United States, the ships
are welcomed. It is regrettable that
a Pacific Coast man should have over
looked an opportunity to set the East
ern lumber manufacturers right on the
ship subsidy question.
THE ETEKNAIj 'EMININE.
That woman is a puzzling creature
has already been remarked by sundry
sages, but we desire to repeat it for
the sake of emphasis. Though an an
gel of mercy, at least In fiction, she
does things sometimes which would
mar the reputation of Beelzebub or
Moloch. Perhaps she does not know
how wicked they are, but if she does
,not know she ought to learn. Con
sider her bonnet, for example. Be
hold the dead birds upon it. Behold
the plumes plucked from sea . fowls
slain upon the nest and their' young
left to perish. Reconcile these relics
of death and slaughter with her an
gelic character if you can. .
Women for the adornment of their
headgear have annihilated the Florida
seafowl," the heron, the ibis, and all
the others. Such birds probably do
more than all ' Other scavengers to
gether to avert disease from the world
by devouring offal. But what Is the
health of the nations compared with
the elegance of a woman's bonnet?
The slaughter has been carried on
ruthlessly and with abhorrent cruelty
for years in the face of exposure and
protest until now the bird life of Flor
ida Is virtually extinct. The birds are
killed by the agents of a mammoth
corporation which furnishes plumes
and corpses to the milliners to be
fastened upon bonnets and the bon
nets are then worn upon heads which
are commonly supposed to teem with
beautiful and gentle emotions. Sup
pose the next dead bird you see
perched funereally above a woman's
head could tell the story of its own
slaughter and the death of Its un
fledged nestlings from cold and hun
ger. Would not the tale enhance the
elegance of the woman's attire?
The professional plume-hunters are
exterminating the bird life of the
world, and the women of the world
are aiding and abetting the crime. If
no plumes were worn on bonnets none
would be sought by the hunters. Why
cannot the fair sex resf content with
ostrich feathers and roosters' tails to
beautify their heads?
NEW PHASE OF OFFICIAXDOM.
Here is something new under the
sun at least new under the sun while
it shines on the State of Oregon. A
board of Normal School visitors has
been sent to investigate the condition
of the several normal schools of the
state and to report what they ob
served. The visitors watched the
work of the instructors and then made
a written report of the capability and
efficiency of each Instructor, giving one
credit for having "excellent ability,"
another for having "knowledge of the
subject but lack, of method In present
ing it," while of a third it is said that
"he has little to do and does that
poorly." The purpose of this infor
mation is to enable the Board of Re
gents to act advisedly in electing in
structors for the normal schools for
the ensuing year, and, presumably, the
report will be of value in this regard. ,
If the board of visitors has been cor
rect in its judgment as to the qualifi
cations of the forty or fifty instruct
ors employed in state normal schools
their report should result in the em
ployment of a more efficient corps of
teachers for next year.
But this new idea in ascertaining
and declaring the fitness of men and
women for the positions they hold in
public employment is not likely to
meet unanimous approval. What, for
instance, will be thought of this re
port by the normal school Instructor
who has been classed as "methods
poor, obsolete; Instruction lacks thor
oughness"? This gentleman, or lady,
is not likely to approve of- the inno
vation, nor will his or her friends and
relatives. Moreover, there, are many
people in the state in the employ of
the public in various capacities who
will look with disfavor upon the new
scheme, even though It does not di
rectly affect them. Where Is this
thing going to stop? If the plan of
investigating and reporting upon nor
mal school instructors works well, will
it be extended to all lines of public
employment? Shall we have a board of
visitors of county offices who will go
prowling about County Courthouses in
the thirty-three counties of the state?
Is it In the programme to have a re
port which will say that the clerk of
county is "thirty days behind in
writing up his court journal," that
the Recorder of county is "care
less in keeping safely the deeds In
trusted to him," that the Treasurer of
'county '"gets interest on county
funds," that the Assessor of
county "believes water powers carrf
be assessed and wants to encourage
railroad building by making low as
sessments"? Are reports of this kind
the legitimate outcome of the plan'of
sending a board df visitors to inspect
the work of normal schools? If o,
then It is a safe guess that there is
some, opposition coming. .
The more one thinks about it the
more evident it becomes that this new
idea is un-American. What right has
a board of visitors to come snooping
around an office for a few days and
go away and report that the Incum
bent "has little to do and does that
poorly"? There is nothing In the Con
stitution of the United States or of the
State of Oregon that authorizes such
a proceeding. It is a fundamental
principle of our Government that a
public office is a public trust, and
when the people have elected a man
to office, directly or indirectly, it is
conclusively presumed that they are
willing to trust him to perform the du
ties properly without any officious vis
itor prying Into methods or manners.
And yet this scheme, may not be
without Its merits. After all, a board
of visitors is part of officialdom. While
this board of normal school visitors
seems to have done its work impar
tially and with utmost sincerity, may
it not be possible that when a board
of county visitors shall be created It
will realize the moral -obligations of
official courtesy? Is there not a tacit
understanding that all public em
ployes should "stand in"? Then would
it not be an advantage to public offi
cials to have such a board, by means
of which certificates of good character
and ability could be obtained and
through which could be secured such
reports as "overworked; needs an ad
ditional stenographer"? There are
two sides to every question, even 1
thouirh everv msn's choice of sides !
may be influenced by his point of
view.
A Mukden cable reports that evi
dence has beven obtained from official
sources of the operation of a system
by which Japanese commerce in Man
churia has secured general exemption
from inland taxes. China, which was
bulldozed into giving up these con
cessions, has been keeping the matter
a secret for fear of reprisals from the
other countries which have continued
to pay the taxes. This is thoroughly
iji keeping with the entire Japanese
policy in Manchuria. The "open door"
of -which we have heard so much has
swung for Japanese trade, and wher
ever it was possible to do so- without
causing trouble it has been slammed
in the face of other nations which en
deavored to do business in Manchuria,
So many of these tricks of a tricky na
tion are coming to light that there is
something more than a possibility that
the rest of the world may yet unite on
a trade policy in the Far East that
will leave Japan in the same position,
in which that country now seeks to
place the rest of the world.
Murder -and torture must be serious
offenses in Russia, and the govern
ment apparently endeavors to "make
the punishment fit the crime." Sen
tences were handed down at St.. Pe
tersburg yesterday for the murderers
who took part in the Jewish massacre
at Bialystok in 1905, when eleven
Christians and seventy-three Jews
were killed, and -more than 100
wounded. Fifteen of the accused were
acquitted, thirteen others received
from six months to one year impris
onment, and one lone murderer was
given the fearful penalty of three
years in prison. There is a possibility
that these sentences were made severe
because the patriotic Russians failed
to kill as many Jews as were included
in the list of wounded.
According to the Baker City Herald,
that section of Oregon "is knee-deep
in history" and some of It is soon to be
celebrated. "The basis of fact for the
celebration," saysthe jubilant Herald,
"will be taken from Tennyson's beau
tiful story of Astoria." No doubt on
that happy occasion 'the Baker City
schoolgirls will recite choice extracts
from Washington Irving's beautiful
poems "Maud" and "The Princess,"
while the boys will act a scene from
Joaquin Miller's beautiful play enti
tled "Hamlet." Some of us can ap
preciate literature even if we know
nothing about it.
There is a strike on in. an East Side
shipyard because the proprietor will
pay no higher wage scale for work on
the Port of Portland boats than for
other wrork. These shipwrights must
have" been watching other men who
obtain their""spending money from the
Portland taxpayers and do not seem to
think it necessary to return the same
equivalent of labor that they would
give to a private employer. In other
words, the municipality is regarded as
a legitimate object for graft.
Harvest has commenced in soie of
the early districts of the Inland Em
pire, the barley crop btng first on the
list, with Winter wheat far enough
along to be ready to cut in some sec
tions very early in July. Reports on
the condition and probable out-turn
are conflicting, but conservative esti
mates indicate a crop of approximate
ly EO. 000, 000 bushels of wheat, which
is a falling off of but 15 per cent from
the record yield of last year.
Yale has made J. PC Morgan a doc
tor of laws for his heroic efforts to
check the panic. This is about the
same as if a bad boy who had set
fire to the house should be given a
Bible for pumping a pail of water to
pour on the flames. What a splendid
moral force our higher institutions of
learning sometimes exercise.
A Roosevelt Democrat or Republi
can is a Taft Democrat or Republican.
For Taft Is Roosevelt's candidate. Now
since Governor Chamberlain was for
Roosevelt, why shouldn't he be also
for Taft? It is a question passing
round among "Statement No. 1 Re
publicans" who have been elected to
the Legislature. -C
The swimming baths having been
taken over by the city government,
suppose the weather clerk tries his
hand at producing conditions that will
cause the first naked youngster to
shout the welcome cry: "Come in boys,
the water's fine!"
Chicago reports an excess of tem
perature for 190S of 5G degrees. Chi
cago had to do something handsome
in the nature of a record-breaker for
the late convention, but it was rather
overdoing it to pile up that excess all
In one week.
Secretary Loeb is at pains to explain
that young Roosevelt is merely going
to work for the steel trust on his per
sonal merits as a common laborer. His
father will be out of a job after March
4, .1909, and hay must be made while
the sun shines. t
Next month our neighbor, the City
of Vancouver, will entertain the press
associations of Oregon, Washington
and Alaska. Which is but the curtain-raiser
of publicity for which the
North Bank road is responsible.
It may be said of an accident at Se
attle where a man was killed by a
lump of Ice falling on his head that It
gave reality to a punster's ancient re
mark that he died of hard drink.
If the present City Council desires
to win popularity, let it pass an ordi
nance to prevent rapacious dealers
from selling water-soaked, carbonless,
fir under the name of firewood.
The City Council, at the Inspiration
of the liquor dealers, votes to keep the
Conrad give in business. One more
step In the great saloon movement to
reform itself from the inside.
The Denver platform, we are told,
will "declare for strict railway regula
tion." What's the matter with the
great Bryan plan of Government own
ership? Wood trust or no wood trust, Port
land householders are certain to be
forced to pay more for fuel thi3 Win
ter than it Is worth.
Gallstones is a very troublesome
complaint. No one has ever heard
that they ever worried Mr. Bryan.
LOUISIANA REJECTS PROHIBITION
State That Contain Large Cities Mast
Work Local Option.
New York Evening Mail.
The Southern advocates of prohibi
tion have no reason to be discouraged
by their defeat, .this week, in the
Louisiana Legislature, where a bill to
submit state-wide prohibition to a
popular vote was defeated. 58 to 47.
Since our recent notices of the progress
of the movement, Louisiana has turned
over her largest parish, Calcasieu, to
the "dry" column, and a majority of
her parishes are now without saloons,
ytia is the case in several other Southern
states not yet entirely won trora tne
"wets."
And it must be noted that no large
city is included within the boundaries
of states that have adopted prohibition.
Atlanta. Ga., big as it seems at a
distance, had less than 100,000 popula
tion in 1!)0D; Portland, Me., Is half as
big, and so is Kansas City, Kan. Mo
bile, Ala., has barely 30,000 people.
Lowell and Cambridge, in Massachu
setts, are larger than Atlanta, and so
are Albany and Scranton and Los
Angeles and Portland, Or., not to men
tion Paterson and New Haven and
Syracuse. Yonkers is as big a town as
the dry Portland and Kansas City.
But ew Orleans, in Louisiana, is a
different proposition. It has 300,300
inhabitants, and is the twelfth city of
the country. Its people are cosmopoli
tan, its habits metropolitan. To force
prohibition upon it would be a danger
ous experiment, because the law would
be likely to be Ignored, with resulting
demoralization in the city itself and in
other parishes and states.
The movement against Intoxicants
has advanced, however, there as else
where. The same house ' that def eated
a proposition to abolish saloons adopt
ed an act that is likely to close many
of them and lessen the evils of the
rest. The license tax is to be doubled,
and games, music and other entertain
ments are to be prohibited in saloons.
If Inebriety is still to be permitted, in
Louisiana, it is to be made as unat
tractive as possible.
The prohibition leaders declare that
they will try again two years hence to
extend their law over all Louisiana.
They may succeed; but we are inclined
to think that their wiser course will be
to conquer the country parishes and
permit New Orleans to work out Its
own salvation under high license and
rigid regulation.
IS THE SOUTH DEMOCRATIC f
But If It Isn't. What . Fart of the
Country isf
New York World, Iem.
In an editorial "How the South
Views Judge Taft" the Atlanta Consti
tution says:
And while the Constitution and the
Southern States, speaking by and large,
maintain a political allKnment antagonistic
to Judge Taft, we risk few contradictions in
stating; that the dominant element In this
section will view his nomination as the
wisest and most acceptable choice that
could have been made by the party so far
as the interests of the South and the Na
tion are concerned.
The affiliations of the Constitution and
the Southern States are too well known to
require elaboration. But should the Demo
cratic party fail of success at the polls next
November, we believe observant Southerners
will regard the accession of Judge Taft to
the Presidency with confident complacency.
For years the South, In spite of a
theoretical reverence . for Jeffersonian
principles and a theoretical detestation
of centralization, has been a hot-bed
of Rooseveltlsm. Nobody need be
astonished at the Constitution's Intima
tion that this affectionate regard for
Theodore Roosevelt will be trans
ferred to Mr. Roosevelt's successor.
Is the South really Democratic? " To
be sure it votes the Derhocratic ticket,
but does it retain much of its former
interest lnthe welfare of the Demo
cratic party and the preservation of
true Democratic principles?
A negative answer might explain
the South's attitude toward Mr. Bryan
and its languid Indifference to all
practical proposals looking toward the
rehabilitation of the Democratic party.
Railroad Use of Iron and Steel.
From the Iron Trade Review.
Our recent editorial headed "Rail
road Facilities or Railroad Buying" has
brought some queries to this office
relative to the proportion of our iron
and steel output which Is normally con
sumed by the railroads. Years ago, say
up to the past ten years. It was the
common estimate that the railroads
consumed, in one way or another,
about half the Iron and steel output of
the country. What has been their pro
portion in the past two years, the
greatest In the Iron trade's history,
with a pig iron production, respective
ly, of 25,307,191 and 25,781,361 tons?
The totals show that of 19,400,000
gross tons of rolled iron and steel the
railroads take about 7,500,003 tons, or a
trifle under 89 per cent, that of some
7.300,000 gross tons of Iron and steel
castings they take a trifle under 20
per cent, and that of the grand total
of all rolled and cast iron and steel,
26,700,00') gross tons, they take 8,903,
000 tons, or exactly one-third.
There Is no question that ten or fif
teen years ago the proportion was more
than one-half, possibly reaching two
thirds. Indeed, ' we are advised that
just recently an official of a prominent
steel company made the statement to a
representative gathering of iron and
steel manufacturers that "the railroads
of the country consume about 60 per
cent of the iron and steel products."
That statement was absolutely incor
rect, but it shows hdw the old Impres
sion has survived through changes in
the channels of consumption of which
Iron and steel manufacturers ought to
have kept closer track. The change is
due largely to the growth of general
demand for the lighter products. Alto
gether, It would appear that the im
portance of railroad buying, as fore
shadowing the future of the iron and
steel trade, is being overestimated in
current thought.
An Alert Bridegroom.
Washington Star.
"Alert?" said Senator Hopkins of a
colleague the other day. "Why, he is
as alert and clever as the Aurora
bridegroom.
"You know how bridegrooms, setting
off on the honeymoon, forget their
brides and buy tickets only for them
selves? Well, that is what this bride
groom did In Aurora, and when his
wife said to him, 'Why, you only
bought one ticket, dear!' he answered
readily: "By Jove! I never thought of
myself.' "
A FEW SQCtBS.
Patience I hear your sister's been fret
ting married again and gone to house
keeping? Patrice Tee, she has. And how
does she like her new flat? Yonkers
Statesman.
"What a distlng-ulshed-looklng man Lord
Muttlnchoppe is. I wonder if he Is over
here looking for an American wife?" "Why,
of courpe not! mdn't you know he Is very
wealthy ?' Judge.
"How did your husband get out s the
building after he had located the gas leak?"
asked the reporter. "As nearly as he could
remember It afterward," said the woman,
"tie went out through the roof." Chicago
Tribune.
"An; Weary, wot Is it you wants de most
In all dis wide, wide world?" "A square
meal. Dippy." "An" wot Is it you wants de
least?" "De Vice-Presidency, Dippy."
Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
"It's so ridiculous," said Cholly. "to say
that 'clothes make. the man. Indeed?"
remarked M16S Wise. "Yaas. Tou see. if a
fellow like me didn't have such lots of
clothes be wouldn't need a man." Phila
delphia Press.
Tom t don't think I'll marry Miss Hold
ing after all. Jack But I thought you were
quite fond of her? Tom Well. I used to be,
but I'm getting tired of hearing her say
"no" every time I propose to her. Chicago
Dally News
Comment on the Republican Convention
Newspapers of Both Political Parties Speak Favorably of Mr. Taft's
Nomination, and the Platform.
His Nomination Means Election.
St. Louis (Mo.) Times.
The nomination of Mr. Taft would
seem to mean election. The Secretary
of War springs into the arena admira
bly equipped for a winning contest.
Mr. Taft Stronger Than Mr. Bryan.
New York Telegraph.
Taft is a strong man. Whom can the
Democrats nominate who will stand any
show of beating him? Not Bryan, cer
tainly. Mr. Taft, a Second Choice.
Buffalo (N. Y.) News.
Let it be admitted first and last that
the choice of William H. Taft for Pres
ident was the second choice of the Re
publican majority of the American peo
ple. The first choice yesterday, the day
before and for a thousand days before
was Theodore Roosevelt-
Xff Doubt of Ills Capacity.
Baltimore News, Ind.
The more the public knows of Mr.
Taft the better it likes him. Over
shadowed as he has been by the re
markable achievements and popularity
of President Roosevelt, there has been
no doubt of his capacity worthily to fill
the great office to which he aspires.
Mr. Taft Is So Man's Man.
Indianapolis Star, Rep.
People who know Mr. Taft smile over
the idea that he is any man's man.
That he is In harmony with the princi
ples and policies for which President
Roosevelt stands is. of course, a fact,
but this is because he is himself en
lightened and progressive and not be
cause he is simply following a leader.
"Just Send for Mr. Taft."
Philadelphia Public Ledger, Ind.
In Cuba, in Panama, In Japan. It has
been necessary only to "send for Taft."
Misunderstandings are cleared up and
difficulties vanish before this gracious
personality, this calm, clear, disentang
ling mind. His intellectual integrity
and disinterestedness have been as un
mistakable as his quiet strength, his
unswerving sense of Justice, his abso
lute honesty.
Mr. Taft the Strongest Candidate.
New Orleans Times-Democrat, Dem.
Next to Mr. Roosevelt himself. Sec
retary Taft Is probably the strongest
candidate whom the Republicans could
have nominated, but it can hardly be
denied that he owes his strength, as he
undoubted owes his nomination, to
the President's popularity rather t-han
hisown, and to the Impression, indus
triously fostered by Mr. Roosevelt him
self, that he will carry out the Roose
velt policies.
Has Never Disappointed Expectancy.
Philadelphia Press, Rep.
In alt our history only two or three
Presidents have come to the Presidential
chair with a preparation as complete or
a mastery as visible of the problems of
the Presidency, the fruit of experience,
action and achievement. Mr. Taft's nom
ination follows the proved deeds of a
life spent in the public service, where he
has never failed in a task, and has never
disappointed expectancy, high as his own
record has made the expectation of men.
Holds Confidence of American People.
Boston Herald, Ind. -Dem.
Mr. Taft in ability, integrity and in
every phase of his character, measures
up to the high standard of American
Presidents. He has been tried in re
sponsible places and at no time has
been found wanting. He holds, as he
deserves to hold, the confidence of the
American people. There is no oppor
tunity to challenge his past perform
ance or to doubt the success of any fu
ture performance that may be required
of him.
Praises Republicans for Choice.
Washington (D. C.) Herald. Ind.
A man of clean personal life, of dem
onstrated capacity for doing things, and
a full-blooded American, Mr. Taft's
worthiness to carry the standard of his
party in the coming quadrennial cam
paign is not to be disputed in any quarter-
To the extent that in
choosing for its leadership a broad
minded man of character, capacity and
achievements the Republican party safe
guards the future, it is entitled to all
praise and commendation.
Taft the Man of the Hour.
New York Times, Dem.
Quite aside from his relation to the
President, Mr. Taft is the man of the
hour because he has high qualifications.
In respect to brains and character, which
are fundamentals of fitness, he Is emi
nent. The country knows him well, and
he knows the country thoroughly. Mr.
Taft has long had the run of the execu
tive field, where his services have been
most intelligent and valuable, and before
that he sat tipon the bench. Judicial
experience and the judicial habit of mind
are first rate qualities in a President.
Tlme-Trlcd and Task-Tested.
New York Globe, Rep.
The Republican party Is to present ns
its candkiate a man better equipped bar
none than anyone it has ever ottered for
this high office. Judge, administrator, ne
gotiator, expert on foreign as well as do
mestic affairs, intimately acquainted with
practically every department of the Gov
ernment, and equally efficient whether
the problem to be solved Is executive, leg
islative or judicial it seems as If a kindly
Providence had been specially preparing
this man, although he knew It not, for
the exalted functions he is to exercise. No
experiment, but time-tried and task-tested,
Is William Howard Taft.
With Mr. Bryan as Rival, Mr. Taft Wins
New York World, Dem.
William H. Taft Is the next President
of the United States provided the Demo
cratic National, Convention nominates
Wrilllam J. Bryan. It Is an office for
which Air. Taft has conspicuous qualifica
tions. iut, best of all. his nomination
means the end of Roosevelt and Roose
veltlsm. It means the end of the Roose
velt reign of terror and the restoration of
the Presidency to Its historical dignity
under the Constitution. Even Andrew
Johnson, In his periods of sobriety, had
more innate respect for the offlca Itself,
for its traditions and for appearances
than Mr. Roosevelt has shown. Never be
fore was there such a lawless Presionnt.
Never before was the Presidency so delib
erately lowered to- gratify a love for
studied and sensational theatrlcallsm.
Ideal and Aeeeptab.c Candidate.
Baltimore Sun, Ind. Dem.
From Mr. Roosevelt's point of view Mr.
Taft must be regarded as the ideal nom
inee. Prom the point of view of all Re
publicans who are in accord with Mr.
Roosevelt's alms and purposes and ad
mire and applaud his achievements, Mr.
Taft mtist be regarded as an acceptable
candidate for the Presidency. . . . All
that the American people know of Mr.
Taft. the man, Is to his credit. He Is big
of brain as well as of body, an honest,
wholesome, likable American, who has all
the qualities which inspire respect and
confidence as between man and man.
. . . When Mr. Taft's activities in pub
lic life are considered it will be seen that
he has had varied .experiences, that he
has had opportunities for familiarizing
himself with some of the most important
concerns and, Interests of the National
Government
Mr. Taft, of "Very I.lttle Friction.
Buffalo (N. Y.) Express.
At all events Sir. Taft will make tho
kind of President who will pet alona;
with very little friction. People w'.io uo
not agree with him will still like him.
Will Vnlte the Moderate Radicals.
Providence (R. I.) Journr.l. Ind. Rep.
The point for present consjd.-ratinn Is
that Mr. Taft has an almost unprecedent
ed opportunity for uniting the moderato
radicals upon a programme of reform
without revolution.
Yea. a Second Mr. Roosevett.
Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, Dem.
Mr. Taft has been a most capable and
high-minded public servant. Should he
become President the Nation will have
no cause to regret that Mr. Roosevelt has
preferred Mr. Taft to himself.
Kills Position of Ideal Candidate.
Baltimore American, Rep.
Taft's superb vote is the finest possible
Indorsement of his fitness as tha leader
In this campaign. He fulfills every re
quirement of the ideal candidate. He Is a
platform in himself. His character Is
flawless, his record Is one long succession
of brilliant services.
Mr. Taft and His Heritage.
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal, Ind
Dem. Mr. Taft goes before the country as
the Republican nominee for the Presi
dency on a platform of well-written Re
publican Pharisaism the Pharisaism
which constitutes his party's chief claim
to being the party of "God and morality."
Doubts Mr. Taft's Ability to Win.
Pittsburg (Pa.) Post. Ind. Dem.
By arrogant executive dictation and cal
lous spurning of every decent political
method, by the lavish expenditure of an
cestral wealth. William H. Taft. of Ohio,
has been named as the Presidential can
didate by Republican appointees of the.
party's sole proprietor. It will astound
if the result be. his election.
A Bfft, Broad, Patriotic American.
Atlanta (Ga.) Constitution, Dem.
Viewed from tho standpoint of the op
position party, the nomination of such a
man can be but gratifying, for It carries
with it the certainty that even If th
Republicans are to win, the country will
have in the executive chair for four years
more a big, broad, patriotic American of
whom the whole Nation will have cause
to be proud.
Halls Taft as a Sane Moderate.
Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times.
Mr. Taft is deservedly popular with
the sound and sober men of all parties,
and while he may lose some of the more
radical of his own party he will attract
those from Democracy who will regard
him as a sane moderate between the ex
tremes of Bryanlsm and Rooseveltlsm
and the ultra-conservatism of the cor
porate Interests.
Mr. Taft as Good as Elected.
Philadelphia (Pa.) Enquirer, Rep.
Taken from the Federal bench
against his will, Mr. Taft has served in
many capacities and has always been
a wheelhorse of tha administration. In
abilities, In character, in temperament
and in achievement, he represents the
very bet of American manhood, and If
elected, as he almost certainly will be,
will be a righteous and sane ruler of
the Nation.
An Extension of Roosevelt Rule.
North American, Ind. Rep.
The National Republican platform la
not all that we wished for. It Is more
than we hoped' for. It is a substantial
pledge that the policies of the Roose
velt administration -shall be preserved,
perpetuated and extended. In every es
sential clause it serves notice that tho
party has broken from the domination of
the reactionaries and stands permanently
opposed to the predatory Interests and
their political servants.
Public Man of Ail-Round Competency.
New York Tribune.
Mr. Taft Is an administrator, negotiator
and pacificator who has proved his tact
and skill In many difficult fields, and his
all-round competency as a public man
equals. If it does not exceed, that of
such earlier noted exemplars of versatil
ity of statesmanship as Albert Gallatin,
James Madison and John Quincy Adams.
Mr. Taft is Just as admirably fitted to ba
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or a
leader In either branch of Congress as ha
Is to fulfill the duties of the Presidency.
Hearstlsm With Dolorous 'Whine.
New York Journal. Dem.
The Legislative functions of the Gov
ernment need no more fear their election
certificates, and courts and Governors
and Judges may resume the even tenor of
their ways for Taft, even though ha
should be elected, has not the courage,
tli backbone that the present one has.
This legatee Is nbt a lion, nor has hj
eaten of the heart of David. Wherefore
we rejoice, and upon an Instrument of a
thousand strings and upon the psaltery
and upon harps with musical sound we
shall play, a Nation shall play. And
heaven help us!
Plnnncd to' Meet Any Emergency.
Boston Globe, Dem.
While conceding that the Republi
cans have taken as their candidate a
man of high character, winning tem
perament and exemplary Industry, it
would be ungracious not to admit that
it would be futile to assail their in
geniously constructed platform. Tho
hand of a master workman Is seen in
the selection of every plank and in tho
arranging of them into a structure de
signed to bear the maximum strain of
party glorification and the maximum
weight of human credulity. Evidently
It was planned to meet any emergency.
Better Than Democratic Opponent.
Springfield Republican, Ind. Dem.
Mr. Taft'K candidacy, however, has now
bet r launched under circumstances which
have emphasized to an extreme decree
the debt he owes to President Hoosevolt
for his nomination and also the fact that
he Is accepted by the Republicans of th.
Western and Far Western states on tho
understanding that Rooseveltlsm will con
tinue to be the root principle of Federal
administration. .Mr. Taft's personal fit
ness for the Presidency is universally
conceded, and the fact constitutes the
strongest rea-son why many independent
voters ,wlll prefer him to his probablo
Democratic opponent. '
Taft, Accomplice of Prosperity.
New York Sun. Ind. Kep.
It Is a great relief, too, to find that
nothing has been put in the platform
which precludes the possibility of Mr.
Taft's election. He is not committer! by
it to any well-defined form of sacrilege
in respect of the Constitution or of the
--courts. We san see no reason why he
should not prove, following the natural
Inclination of the sort of man that he is.
the very accomplice of good feeling and
prosperity. "Jim" Sherman, the nomineo
for the Vice-Presidency, has been iden
tified long and profitably with those ele
ments of indecency and corruption which
have brought the Republican party in
this state to Its present deplorahle pass.
It can be said, at best, that the conven
tion made a stupid choice. It might have
taken OdeLLI