Morning Oregonian., June 30, 1908, Page 8, Image 8

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ItlRTLAXD, TUESDAY. JUNE 80, 1908.
CREED AND DEED.
Dr. S. C. Lapham's challenge to the
Christian Scientists is highly ingenious.
He asks them in his last Sunday
sermon to "prove their power by the
restoration of incurable cripples,"
among other things. On a certain pre
vious occasion an individual, less holy
ihan Dr. Lapham, but not more unreas
onable, wanted the Nazarene to prove
his power by turning stones into bread.
But Jesus declined. , Why, indeed,
should the adherents of any faith, old
or new, submit to every test their
enemies happen to fancy? Is any
thing gained by it? But as to the
"restoration of incurable cripples." Let
us meditate a moment upon the mean
ing of this singular proposition.
An incurable cripple is one that
cannot be cured. Here is where the
good doctor's ingenuity comes in. No
matter how many thousand cripples
Christian Science may restore, he is
always perfectly safe. The very fact
of their being cured would prove that
they were not incurable. Hence the
test forever defeats its own fulfillment.
It is like asking a man to make a
square circle or to move an immovable
body. Nobody but a theologian would
ever think of proposing a test so ab
surd, and the fact that Dr. Lapham did
propose it, apparently in all serious
ness, shows to what straits a prolonged
soaking In theology will reduce the
human Intellect.
But let us grant, for argument's
sake, that Christian Science cannot
quite keep all its promises in the way
of curing diseases. Does that prove
it to be "a fake and a pretense," as
Dr. Lapham roundly asserts? A re
ligion that does not keep all its prom
ises is a fake, then. Very well, so be
it. Let us apply the same .rule to Dr.
I-apham's faith. It is promised in the
New Testament that' he and his fellow
pilgrims shall heal the sick, make the
lame to walk and cast out devils. How
many sick people has Dr. Lapham ever
healed? By his own admission, the
Christian Scientists fulfill part of their
professions. They cure ailments which
are amenable to suggestion. But Dr.
Lapham cannot even do that. If the
fulfillment of promises is a fair test,
which comes nearer being a fake. Dr.
Lapham, who keeps none of his, or the
Christian Scientists, who keep part of
theirs? How many mountains has he
cast into the sea by prayer? If he had
faith "as a grain of mustard seed" he
could make Council Crest skip out
into the Willamette. Suppose Mrs.
Eddy should challenge him to do it?
The truth is that the adherents of
all faiths live in glass houses. Con
cerning material affairs, most sacred
books make promises which are not
fulfilled. In this respect Dr. Lap
ham's Bible-is Just as fallible as Mrs.
Eddy's "Science and Health," or per
haps a little worse. The theologians
are safe only when they confine their
assertions and promises to the other
world. Then, if they turn out false,
nobody knows it. Since all are in the
same boat, it would look much more
seemly if they would not throw mud
at one another, but experience teaches
that this Is too much to expect. Still
it is somewhat shocking to behold Dr.
Lapham aiming his missiles at the an
cient and respectable doctrine of the
Illusorlness of matter. It would be In
teresting to hear him prove that the
external world, "the fleeting show for
man's illusion given," is what it seems
to be. If he -can, he will succeed
where all others, ancient and modern,
pagan and Christian, have failed. Be
yond question the hypothesis concern
ing matter which Mrs. Eddy has
adopted is the only tenable one. Since
Kant there has not been a respectable
philosopher who held any other. It
would also be interesting to hear Dr.
Lapham explain why it degrades
prayer to use it as a "mental medi
cine.' He says it does, but he does not
tell why. What does he use prayer
for? To produce good or harm? If
he prays to produce good, or remedy
evil, then he, too, uses prayer as a
kind of medicine. The only difference
between Dr. Lapham's prayers and
Mrs. Eddy's seems to be that hers ac
complish results, while his do not.
After all. Dr. Lapham's unkindness to
the Eddyites may be merely the feign
ing of a kindred spirit, for if he means
what he says he is one of them. Read
and ponder this excerpt from his ser
mon, if you please: "Entity, or being,
cannot be conceived of aside from per
sonality." Then there are no real
beings except persons,- and matter,
which has no personality, does not
' exist? That is exactly what Mrs. Eddy
says. The simple fact Is that half the
time people who wrangle over meta
physical puzzles do not know which
side they are on. In the sermon we
are discussing Dr. Lapham begins as
a crude materialist and ends in ideal
istic monism. If he had preached an
hour longer very likely he would have
adopted half a dozen more contradic
tory philosophies. It will be a happy
time when the good people of the
earth cease railing at each other's
beliefs and Join hands in the war upon
evil.
With a decrease in receipts and an
increase. In expenditures, the Treasury
statement for the fiscal year ending to
day Is expected to show a difference
of approximately $144,000,000, as com
pared with that of the preceding year.
The largest Individual item In this to
tal Is an Increase in Panama canal ex
penditure from $37,000,000 last year
to $38,000,000 this year. The deficiency
in postal revenues has also Increased
about $6,000,000 since last year. Prac
tically three-fourths of the decrease
In revenues is traceable to smaller
customs receipts and Internal revenue
receipts are $19,000,000 smaller than
Car last year. In customs receipts.
nearly all of the shortage has taken
place since the panic of last Fail. Un
less there should be unusual business
complications following the Presiden
tial nominations and election, it is
probable that we are near the bottom
with this unfavorable showing, and re
ceipts will from now on show an im
provement. "
THE GREEDY' INSI RANTE TRUST.
Mr. Paul Bates is a Portland fire in
surance agent who thinks that the
most effective way to fight the vora
cious and conscienceless insurance
trust is to repeal the Oregon deposit
law. That might be a satisfactory
remedy, indeed. But there are two
opinions on that subject. There is,
however, no question at all that the
insurance "compact" operating in this
state does what it pleases whenever it
pleases with its victims here. For any
reason, or for no reason, it raises the
premiums, and the insured has no
recourse but to pay. Lately we have
seen this greedy trust advancing . its
rates 25 per cent without notice on
Portland business property because of
some differences, genuine or fancied,
between the insurance companies and
the local power company. The fire in
surance men said that property here
was suffering from peculiar and spe
cial hazard because of the method of
conveying electrical light and power
over the company's wires. Indeed?
How much hazard? If the fire insur
ance agents will tell us Just how much
loss has been suffered In Portland In
the past through faulty transmission
of electricity into our buildings, we
shall have a satisfactory guide for an
estimate as to how much loss we are
Kkely to suffer in the future. Will the
companies tell us how much they have
paid to their clients in Portland here
tofore through the fault or negligence
of the electric company?
Insurance companies operating in
Oregon constitute a thoroughly organ
ized and well-managed trust. They
have contrived to have placed on our
statute books such legislation as they
want and to fix such rates here as they
may see fit to Impose. The sum of the
profits made in this state Is determined
entirely by the measure of their av
arice. They have made many prom
ises for lower rates in Portland. How
many of them have been kept? Is it
not time that there be an organization
of the business community and the
property-owning public to devise ways
and means to create competition in fire
insurance or for proper control other
wise by efficient and intelligent laws?
TESTING OREGON'S TAX METHOD.
Let the attorneys in the Yamhill
County tax suit hurry the case along
so that the courts may pass upon It
and teach the people and their rep- j
resentatlves in the Legislature the j
status of our state tax laws. Few
questions of law are involved and
though these will require careful con
sideration, yet the principles of taxa
tion are so well known that It ought
not be difficult to arrive at a con
clusion. The constitution declares
that "the Legislature shall provide by
law for uniform and equal rate of
assessment and taxation, and shall
prescribe such regulations as shall
secure a Just valuation for taxation
of all property, both real and per
sonal." That is the fundamental law
by which the statutes governing the
apportionment of state taxes are to
be tested.
Prior to 1901 each county paid
state taxes in proportion to its as
sessed valuation. As a consequence
each county made its assessments as
low as possible, and In 1901i the val
uations In some counties were so rid
iculously low that business men and
citizens generally became ashamed of
the showing on the records as to the
wealth of the state. Moreover, the
competition In cutting valuations re
sulted in great injustice, for the coun
ty that would cut the most escaped
its just share of the tax burden. Cre
ation of a state board of equalization
did not help the condition of affairs.
It was evident that up to that time
the Legislature had not complied with
the requirement that a law for uni
form and equal rate of assessment
and taxation be provided. The assess
ment and taxation were notoriously
unequal in the several counties.
In order to remedy the evil and to
encourage the making of honest as
sessments, the Legislature of 1901
passed an act requiring each county
to pay a certain percentage of the
state tax, the ratio being determined
by computing the average assessed
valuation of the several counties for'
a period of five years previous. This
ratio has stood ever since and state
taxes have been paid accordingly un
til this year, when Yamhill County
refused to pay and brought suit a
few days ago to enjoin collection of
the tax. Under the new law assess
ments have been brought to some
thing like a fair representation of ac
tual values. Undoubtedly, as time has
passed, the wealth of the several
counties has changed relatively, so
that the ratio fixed in 1901 is not ex
actly equitable in 1908. Equality Is
something, however, that can be only
approximately attained, and it is not
necessarily an Impeachment of the
present law to say that it is not ab
solutely equal in its operations.
The question presented, however.'is
one of law for the courts. In prac
tice the new law has worked better
than the old, and yet that Is not say
ing that the new Is constitutional. If
the old law did not attain equality it
was very properly abandoned, if it
could not be Improved so as to work
equitably in practice. If the new
law does not provide for an equal
rate of assessment and taxation within
the meaning of the constitution, the
fact that it accomplishes a nearer ap
proach to equity than the old law
did Is an Incident In its favor, but
not by any means a conclusive argu
ment in Its favor. The law must be
tested by the requirements of the con
stitution and must stand or fall ac
cordingly. The fact that the law has
been in force for eight years and has
been observed by the counties of the
state is an Incident In its favor, but
not conclusive. For forty years the
people of this state acquiesced In a
law exempting household goods from
taxation, but that exemption was
contrary to the provisions of the con
stitution and the courts so declared
when the question was presented.
Mere acquiescence In a law which
violates the constitution - cannot give
it validity.
If our law governing the appor
tionment of state taxes is unconsti
tutional the sooner we know It the
better. The defect. If It is one, is
not very serious, for it does not go
to the right to collect taxes in the
first instance, but only to the propor
tion of state taxes which each county
should pay to the State Treasurer.
If the present law is found invalid
each county must still pay Its just
proportion and there will be no lack
of funds with which to pay state ex
penses. He who seeks equity must
do equity, and the county that seeks'
to set aside a tax because it is ex
cessive must pay what is Justly due.
A decision upsetting the present law
would cause considerable inconven
ience. .
CHECKING ECONOMIC WASTE.
A news dispatch in yesterday's Ore
gonian says that cherry picking has
been abandoned in some of the Lewis-ton-Clarkston
orchards on account of
the inability of the packing-houses to
handle the fruit. Herein we find an
economic waste of proportions difficult
to estimate. The first loss, of course,
falls on the grower, who is unable to
market his crop. Then there are the
picker, who is deprived of work, and
the packer, who is prevented by lack
of help, from working his plant up to
its capacity, which of course is neces
sary in order to secure the best profit.
Another, remote, perhaps, but to a de
gree interested sufferer from this econ
omic waste, is the Idle laborer in some
congested center where there is a
shortage of cherries to pick and pack
and a surplus of labor with which to
perform the work. If this idle labor
could be distributed where It Is actu
ally needed, it would relieve the con
gestion where it was found, and it
would create something out of nothing,
from the grower on down the line to
the employes of the packer.
It is gratifying to note that the De
partment of Commerce and Labor, in
connection with the Postmaster-General's
office, has undertaken solution
of this difficult problem which con
fronts the country every time there is
fruit to be gathered or a crop to be
harvested. Secretary Straus is endeav
oring to shift the ever present surplus
of labor from the congested centers,
where it clogs on arrival from Europe
or after the completion of temporary
employment, to the localities where it
is actually needed. Through the im
migration service the Secretary is
keeping advised of the available sup
ply of labor, and this knowledge Is
passed on to the farmers in various
parts of the country. With ample pos
tal facilities at his disposal, he is also
keeping labor advised as to the local
ities where employment will most
likely be found.
The movement Is new, but it gives
promise of success, and In the end may
be highly advantageous to the coun
try. Out of the number of idlers who
may be dragged out of the cities to
labor in the country, there is almost
certain to be a few to whom the ad
vantages of country life over that in
the tenements will appeal, and In such
cases there will be permanent advan
tage In the change.
NEEDED WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT
The meeting to be held tonight at
the Portland Commercial Club for the
purpose of considering waterway im
provements is most timely. The of
ficial announcement a few days ago
that the jetty had succeeded in scour
ing out a channel over the river en
trance of 26 feet at low tide gives pos
itive assurance that completion of the
present plans will result In at least
thirty feet of water at mean low tide.
The river channel between Portland
and Astoria has for a long time been
kept In condition for the free move
ment of vessels of 26-feet draft, and
it is now imperative that steps be
taken at once to improve it to meet
the requirements of a thirty-foot chan
nel on the bar. Early completion of
the North Bank road Into this city,
and the competition that will thus be
engendered between the new line and
the roads already In the field, will give
this city unrivalled facilities for reach
ing nearly every portion of the inland
empire.
We shall no longer be bothered with
the problem of getting the grain down
to tidewater at Portland, nor in send
ing merchandise and manufactured
goods into the. interior. It is, however,
of vital Importance to the future of
the port that facilities for handling
this traffic between Portland and the
sea, be provided immediately. What
the coming of these new facilities
means for Portland is reflected in the
Interest shown by the great steamship
lines which in the past have refused
to consider Portland as a port of call.
Within the past six weeks Portland
has been visited by personal repre
sentatives of four of the largest steam
ship lines on the Pacific. They were
sent here to look over the field, with a
view to establishing local agencies.
None of these lines is now making
Portland a port of call, and all of
them are desirous of doing so when
they shall be assured of port charges
and depth of water that will warrant
the ships being sent here.
One of these lines, which will be
seeking business at Portland as soon
as the North Bank line is completed,
is the Kosmos line, which accepts
freight for nearly every prominent
foreign port between- Puget Sound and
Liverpool, thus opening up for Port
land merchants a new field for trade
from which they are now barred by
lack of facilities. The "Chargeurs
Reunis," a French round-the-world
line, sent a representative here from
San Francisco a few weeks ago, and
the only obstacle he found in the way
of immediate establishment of a regu
lar service was excessive pilotage
charges and the fact that some of his
company's vessels had a draft in ex
cess of 27 feet. The Blue Funnel line,
operating out of Tacoma, with vessels
of 27 to 28 feet draft, annually han
dles a great many thousand tons of
Portland freight, but demands a 27
foot channel and reduced pilotage
rates before making Portland a regu
lar port of call. This line handles
freight for all Oriental ports, and also
through freight for Europe, and its
facilities are exceptionally valuable.
The American-Hawaiian. Steamship
line, which is delivering New York
freight at California ports within three
weeks of the date of shipment, is also
desirous of making Portland a regular
port of call as soon as definite as
surance can be given that pilotage and
other port charges will be no greater
than at competing ports. The rail
roads, by absorbing the pilotage, and
the Chamber of Commerce, by taking
care of ships' ballast, have succeeded
In placing Portland on even terms
with other ports in the straight grain
trade, bufwe are yet at a disadvantage
on the class of business handled by
the four great steamship lines men
tioned. In view of what Portland has ac
complished in the past, there is
nothing serious in this temporary han
dicap; but steps for its removal should
bo taken at once. Paramount to all
other branches of our water transpor
tation, is the great highway from Port
land to the sea. With that in condi
tion for handling the increased traffic
which will roll down from the inland
empire, there jvlll be no occasion for
worrying over interior transportation,
for freight will never again be hauled
over the lofty Cascade Mountains in
proportionate quantity with that which
has been noticeable in the past. There
should be no division of energies and
no scattering of fire in this plan for
waterway improvement; but the be-
ginning should be made where the
need is greatest, and, this accom
plished, other projects will follow as
naturally as the night follows day.
A meeting of Nehalem Valley farm
ers was held at Mist, Oregon, last week
for the purpose of arranging for the
establishment of a creamery at the Ne- j
halem town with the suggestive name.
There are few, if any more, favorable
locations for dairying than In the rich
Nehalem Valley, and with the estab
lishment of a creamery which would
obviate the necessity of shipping
cream to market, there would be rapid
development in the industry. The Ne
halem Is one of the richest regions in
the State of Oregon, and, although it
lies almost at the doors of Portland,
the lack of transportation facilities
has retarded its growth to such an ex
tent that Its rich valleys have hardly
been scratched over. Dairying, pro
moted by a creamery, will induce
small farming and the country will
soon grow in wealth and population,
so that it can no longer be neglected
by the transportation companies.
Under a new law passed last Win
ter by the Massachusetts Legislature,
a savings bank in one of the manufac
turing suburbs of Boston recently
opened a department of industrial in
surance and is now writing life poli
cies in sums of $500 or less for all ap
plicants at rates that are minus the
heavy agency expenses of private In
dustrial insurance companies. It is
Intended to help the poor to life In
surance at the least possible cost, but
others are not barred. Curiously, the
first applications came from men. of
wealth who are officers of large man
ufacturing concerns. They want to
encourage the experiment and give it
a good start. Several influential New
England papers are urging other sav
ings banks to open similar depart
ments which they commend.
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
Lane has given out a very encouraging
interview regarding the condition of
the railroad business. He states that
the earnings of the Lehigh Valley road
tor the first five months of 1908 were
greater than for any corresponding
period in the past five years, and that
other lines not dependent on steel, coal
and lumber industries for traffic are
doing very well. As the industries
mentioned are dependent on the buy
ing powers of the people, it is probable
that the harvest of a good crop, with
good prices prevailing, will be the sig
nal for a marked improvement In the
business of all the roads. Freight
rates cease to cause much trouble, so
long as there Is a good market and
good prices for the commodities to be
shipped.
Looking forward to the future of
Portland shall we say ten years or
twenty? it is interesting to note that
the twelfth tunnel under the Thames
at London was completed and opened
to the public a few days ago. The
first, which took eighteen years to dig
on account of ignorance of geological
formations encountered, was opened in
1843 and is still used by the East Lon
don Railway Company. Excepting one
used for gas and water, all the tunnels
are either footways or "tubes" for
underground railways.
All the fame Luther Burbank has
won by improving our vegetable foods
promises to be eclipsed by one Dwight
Wheeler, of Waterbury, Conn., who
claims to have evolved a pre-cooked
potato. By crossing the ordinary po
tato with two other plants, he grows
a spud that may oe eaten without
cooking. Incidentally, it grows on a
vine like a tomato and saves the work
of digging into the soil for the har
vest. Mr. Wheeler has been sparing
in details, but promises soon to have
the seed on the market.
Brother Lapham challenges the
Christian Scientists to prove their faith
by their works in setting a broken leg,
for example. Will Brother Lapham
give the Scientists a try at his leg
that is to say, one of his legs?
Portland's claim to being the fore
most grain port on the Pacific will, of
course, be disputed on Puget Sound.
But see those ships? The list of
charters printed yesterday was taken
from no city directory.
This is Mr. Taft's last day as Sec
retary of War. He retires with the re
grets of all who have been associated
with him and the good will of the en
tire public, etc., etc. But he will be
heard from elsewhere.
The Fourth of July celebration has
begun early in Portland this year.
There was one fatality Sunday. But
we must be permitted to enjoy our
selves like free Americans, who want
liberty or death.
Every detective In San Francisco is
hunting for the perpetrator of the lat
est dynamite outrage. That's all. Every
detective was hunting for the perpe
trator of the last previous dynamite
outrage.
Governor Cummins can't get Into
the Senate just now, and he may re
sign to engage in private law practice.
Now suppose our George shouldn't be
elected to the Senate but "Why borrow
trouble?
John W. Gates' method of distribut
ing money won in Wall street has
much to commend It; but, unfortu
nately, he can visit only one village
and can hold only one potlatch at a
time.
The Treasury deficit for the past
year is the largest in the history of the
Nation, but nobody is worrying. Isn't
this a billion dollar country, and then
some? But wait.
Looks to us as if it would be a wise
move to keep that baseball team in
definitely at Los Angeles.
MAKE OREGOX SOIL SURVEYS
Government Bureau Will Send Spe
cialist to Klamath Falls.
SALEM, Or.. June 29. (Special.)
Congressman W. C. Hawley today re
ceived the following letter from the
Chief of the Bureau of Soils, relative
to soil surveys, which Mr. Hawley has
been urgently requesting to. have un
dertaken: "On July 1 I am planning to send a
soil survey party to Klamath Falls.,
Or., for the purpose of making a de
tailed soli survey of the Klamath Falls
reclamation project. This work will
be in charge of A. T. Sweet, and in
case you find it convenient to visit
Klamath Falls this Summer. Mr. Sweet
will be glad to show you the methods
by which this work is carried on and
the results which can be achieved by
such a survey.
"I am also planning to survey a con
siderable portion of Coos County dur
ing the coming fiscal year, but it will
not be possible to take up this survey
before the Spring of 1909."
UNION" COUNTY TO BE DRY
Circuit Judge Orders Prohibition in
Effect July 1.
LA GRANDE. Or., June 29. On the
eve of July 1, when saloons of this county
were to go out under the local option
vote. Circuit Judge Crawford, has dealt
a death blow to the efforts of the saloons
and brewers of the city to secure a tem
porary injunction enjoining the County
Court from declaring the law In effect
July 1. The blow came this morning
when the court rendered a decision on
arguments taken on a complaint filed by
Julius Roesch some time ago, alleging
that the recent election was irregular.
The court holds the election regular and
that the will of the people must ha
obeyed. As a result of the decision, the
County Court later in the day declared
the law effective July 1. and tomorrow
is the last day for the saloons of Union
County. Excitement has been intense
while the matter was up in the air, and
today the anti-saloon forces are Jubilant.
The county will have its first dry Fourth
of July celebration in the history of the
state.
MAKE CUT IX NORMAL COURSE
President Would Eliminate Short
hand and Typewriting.
SALEM, Or., June 29. (Special.) At
a meeting held here this afternoon
the presidents of Oregon State Normal
Schools decided to recommend to the
Board of Regents the elimination of
shorthand and typewriting from the
course of study. This will remove
what has been one of the strongest
grounds for charging that the normals
are local institutions. The presidents
also recommend that entrance require
ments be strengthened so as to admit
only those who have completed the
ninth grade. The latter recommenda
tion has also been made by the Board
of Normal School Visitors. The Board
of Regents will met at the Capitol to
morrow for its annual session.
FIND DEAD BODY IX CAXAL
Evidence of Foul Murder Uncovered
at North Yakima.
NORTH YAKIMA. Wash., June 29.
(Special.) The body of Jim Slmo, an
Indian residing near Wapato, and who
has been missing since June 21, was
found in a badly decomposed condition,
With knife wounds in the head. In the
Irwin Canal this morning by a rancher
who, with other nearby residents, had
been using the water for drinking pur
poses. Coroner Frank states that the
wounds show that Simo was stabbed and
then thrown in the water for hiding.
Two Indians in whose company Simo lett
Yakima City are being sought. Simo
is supposed to have been the victim of a
drunken brawl.
Erfort to Block Road Falls.
HILLSBORO, Or., June 29. (Spe
cial.) The Oregon Electric was to
day sustained in its objection to a
permanent injunction asked by one
Bullitt, of Beaverton, and Bullitt must
now await tho decision of condemna
tion proceedings. The landowner lives
in the town of Beaverton, and has a
five-acre tract there. The company
tried to buy his right of way, but he
asked an exorbitant figure. The com
pany refused the proffer and brought
condemnation proceedings. Later the
land was entered and track laid
through the tract. Bullitt then asked
for the injunction. The court ruled
against the plaintiff, and the matter of
damages will now come before a Jury.
Charter Not Supreme, Says Judge.
HILLSBORO, Or., June 29. (Special.)
Judge T. A. McBride today held that
the city charter of Hillsboro, which
gives "exclusive" right to regulate the
sale of liquor, does not have supremacy
over the local option law, and, as a re
sult. South Hillsboro will now be pro
claimed dry by the County Court.
There are two saloons in this pre
cinct, and both must either move into
North Hillsboro, Just across the street,
or go out of business.
Contest Charges Not Specific.
HILLSBORO, Or.. June 29. (Spe
cial.) Circuit Judge McBride held a
special session of court here today and
took up the election contest case of E.
L. McCormick vs. J. W. Bailey, petition
for a. recount of the ballots cast for
County Clerk, McBride decided that
the charges of irregularities were not
sufficiently specific, and allowed the
petitioner another day in which to par
tlcularize.
Chehalis Library Trustees.
CHEHALIS, Wcsh., June 29. (Spe
cial.) Mayor West has appointed H. C.
Coffman, F. M. Power, J. K. Wills, Dan
W. Bush and Miss Maude Newland as
members of the board of trustees for
the new Carnegie library which has
been assured this city. It is hoped to
close matters so that the $10,000 build
ing may be erected this Fall.
Ezra Meeker at Chehalis.
CHEHALIS, Wash., June 29. (Spe
cial.) Ezra Meeker, the pioneer ar
rived with his oxteam today and will
deliver his lecture here tonight. Lewis
County abounds in historic incidents
and much interest is being aroused in
the welcome to the old pioneer.
"June Bug" Stands Tests.
HAMMONDSPORT. N, Y., June 29.
Two successful flights were made Satur
day by G. H. Curtis In further tests of
the aerodrome "June Bug" at the Aerial
Experiment Association grounds here. In
the first the navigator traveled with his
machine 400 yards in 24 seconds and on
the next attempt 540 yards in 33 sec
onds. The flights proved all that had
been expected, placing the machine un
der better control than ever.
Committed to Insane Asylum.
ASTORIA, Or., June 29. (Special.)
rranK uecKman was examined by the
County Board this afternoon and ordered
taken to the Insane Asylum at Salem.
The man is a native of Sweeden, 35 years
old and is violent at times, imagining
ne is being followed ty enemies and var
ious animals. He has been here but a
short time and claims to have two broth'
ers living at Kittson. Minn.
ADVISES REPEAL OF DEPOSIT LAW
Other Measures Also Proposed to Flnrht
the Fire Insurance Trust.
PORTLAND, Or.. June 29. (To the Ed
itor.) I have noticed during the past few
days various expressions of disap
proval on the part of the public to the
25 per' cent advance In fire insurance
rates on a large amount of business
property In the City of Portland, and
which action is due to the attitude of
the Board of Underwriters, whose
head offices are located In San Fran
cisco, with local office in Portland.
The subject is of considerable inter
est to me. as I notice that insurance
agents generally are secretly opposed
to this advance at this time, and are
seemingly clamoring for a repeal of
the Oregon deposit law. During the
Legislative session of 1905. when a
measure of this character was before
that body, I do' not remember hav
ing seen or heard of a local agent ap
pearing before any of the members in
support of the proposed legislation.
But on the contrary, I can remember
and name, if necessary, a large num
ber of representative agents who op
posed the repeal of the deposit law.
on the grounds of alleged Injury to
their business.
To go further into details, I would
explain that I advocated two separate
measures to be acted on by the Legis
lature of 1905, one of which was the
repeal of the deposit law and the sub
stitution of some other conditions
regulating the admission of fire Insur
ance companies which would safe
guard the insuring public so far as
related to their financial solvency.
And the other measure was for the
purpose of passing an anti-compact
measure, similar to one now in force
in the State of Washington.
Arting on my Initiative, the trustees
of the Portland Chamber of Commerce,
of which body Mr. Wheelwright was
president, passed a resolution, with
one dissenting vote (cast by an in
surance agent), approving of the pro
posed measures. Thereafter. Mr.
Wheelwright did everything within his
power to Influence the Legislature to
favorable action. Failure was due
mainly to the fact that the opposition
was very strong and the failure to
send to Salem a committee repre
sentative of the large insurers to ap
pear before the Legislative committee
having charge of these measures.
Furthermore, an amended bill was
pigeon-holed for some three weeks in
a committee unfavorable to the meas
ures, and when it was finally placed
in the hands of another committee and
the House reached a vote, we lost out
by about six votes. At the time this
vote was reached, the measure was
regarded as a Multnomah bill, and
members from other counties appeared
to be laboring under strong feeling
against the members from Multnomah
County, on account of decided opposi
tion from the latter on various rail
road measures, introduced by the rep
resentatives of other counties.
The passage of a repeal of the Ore
gon deposit law, as proposed, will be
decidedly in the interest of the public,
and I am strongly in favor of same,
even though those higher in authority
may differ with me and seek as they
have in times past to dissuade me
from supporting such legislation.
A deposit law is not a popular meas
ure, as is evidenced by the fact that
there were at the time the above
measures were before the Legislature,
only four other states in the Union
requiring a deposit of fire insurance
companies, and in those states, with
one exception, the deposit requirement
was less than under the Oregon law.
On the other hand, a deposit law in
force as long as the Oregon law has
been, is a "cinch" for those in control
of the Board .of Underwriters to per
petuate almost any act that they may
wish to inaugurate within the State
of Oregon.
While the repeal of this measure
will not accomplish everything that
the public may wish, It will be a step
in the right direction, and make it less
easy to carry out measures similar to
the one now proposed besides adding
a large number of desirable companies
to those now admitted, providing the
laws regulating admission are so
change as to guarantee the financial
solvency of all companies to the
public.
In this connection, I would ask,
if the importance of this subject at
this time is not such as to Justify the
creation of the office of insurance
commissioner?
If the insuring public desires relief,
the only way to combat with a perfect
organization is to have an organized
opposition, as relief measures will
never be secured, if left to the Indi
vidual action of a few Individuals or
corporations who believe that they
have been imposed upon.
PAUL C. BATES.
GKOVER CLEVELAND.
An Estimate of the Man From a Demo
cratic Source.
New York World.
However high the esteem in which Mr.
Cleveland was held during the later
years of his life, it is doubtful if the
country ever fully appreciated the debt
of gratitude it owed him for maintaining
the gold standard after the panic of 1893.
To understand what a tremendous service
he performed it is necessary to realize
what the consequences would have been
had the Nation had a weak or' faltering
President during that crisis. Only a man
with supreme courage and supreme con
viction could have faced the storm that
swept down upon Mr. Cleveland. Only a
man with the elements of true greatness
could have weathered It.
One of the commonplace charges of Mr.
Cleveland's opponents among those of his
own political faith is that he wrecked his
party. It would be more nearly correct
to say that the party wrecked Itself. Mr.
Cleveland remained true to the financial
principles of Jefferson and Jackson. It
was the Democratic party that went
astray. It sold its birthright for Popu
listic pottage, and it has dwindled in
prestige. It has dwindled in influence, it
has dwindled in power, ever since it
abandoned the only President it has elect
ed since the Civil War. It will continue
to eat the dry husks of defeat until it
returns to the fundamental principles
of Democracy, with which it twice tri
umphed under the leadership of Grover
Cleveland.
Chances Dr. Davis With Deception.
PORTLAND. June 29. (To the Edi
tor.) No doubt those who pledged
themselves to Statement No. 1 knew at
the time what they were doing and
what the pledge meant. They were
also familiar with Governor Chamber
lain's political views and his popular
ity with the people of the state, and
that his election was reported as
probable, or at least possible. He has
twice been elected Governor, both
times as a Democrat. How could any
one be deceived regarding his politics?
It seems like child's play for Dr. L. M.
Davis, or any other voter of the state,
to come up now and say that he was
deceived or misled by GoverndV Cham
berlain's campaign speeches as to his pol
itics. Dr. Davis was elected to the Legis
lature solely because of his pledge to
Statement No. 1. Now he says in sub
stance that he will not vote for the
people's choice for United States Sena
tor in accordance with his pledge
given before election. If this ie not
deception, I would like to know what
It Is. D. MILLER.
THE STATE PRESS
What! The Recall for George f
Brownsville Times.
If "Our George" persists in being Gov
ernor and Senator too, we might work
the recall on him. There ought surely to
be some use for this "famous or in
famous" measure.
Depend on the Democrats.
Portland Advocate.
No matter what mistakes the Republi
can party might make, it is a certainty
that the blunder of the Democrats would
so over-shadow them that the errors of
the Republicans would be overlooked.
Wisdom In Selection; Sherman.
Baker City Herald.
There can be. no doubt that the. Na
tional Convention used splendid judgment
In the selection of John S. Sherman as
Taft's running mate for the coming cam
paign. Rotsevelt and his near following
wanted Cummins or Dolllver of Iowa, but
old Uncle Joe Cannon and a few of the
party men wanted Sherman, and the old
fellows won. This strengthens the ticket
in two ways. Cannon and his crowd will
feel that they had a hand In naming the
National ticket and therefore will work
probably more loyally than they would
otherwise have done, and Sherman's per
sonal strength, his business standing and
business Judgment will materially aid the
ticket among the business people of the
country.
Tart as an Administrator.
Catholic Sentinel.
The nomination of Taft gives the as
surance that the progressives are still in
control of the Republican party. No one
will expect him. In case of his election,
to continue the present cyclonic methods
of the present distinguished occupant of
the throne, but also no one will expect
him to hand his party over to the class
of men that controller! it, say, in Mark
Hanna's time.
Taft's ability as an administrator is
generally recognized. Particularly, his
success In resolving the difficult problems
incident to our new colonial possessions
is Instanced In his favor. That our
colonial Administration would be satis
factory and our foreign relations pleasant
with the War Secretary at the head of
the Nation no one seems to question.
"A Representative Government."
Tillamook Headlight.
This is supposed to be a representa
tive Government, until the new era of
another Populist wave struck Oregon
in Statement No. 1-Ism. It Is no longer
poor, bleeding Kansas, for it is now
poor, bleeding Oregon. Just to show
what a misrepresentation there is, we
will but mention one instance. Tilla
mook, yamhill and Washington Coun
ties have a joint State Senator. All
three counties gave the Republican
candidate for United States Senator a
plurality vote, yet Senator-elect W.
N. Barret, of Hillsboro, a Republican,
is so pledged that he is going to vote
for a Democrat. Whenever Mr. Bar
ret does this it will be a base mis
representation of representative gov
ernment, for he was elected to repre
sent the three counties, but in this
Instance the minority and not the ma
jority rules. Mr. Barret must fully
see the mistake he made when he
changed front after he received the
nomination, and is fully cognizant that
if he commits another blunder by mis
representing his constituents when it
comes to voting for a United States
Senator, he, along with other state
legislators, will be digging their own
political graves.
About a Bin- Newspaper.
Albany Democrat.
The Salem Journal declares that The
Oregonian is an historical fixture, an
incubus on the state and its develop
ment, misrepresenting matters as it
pleases, destroying public men at will.
That those who are not its truculent
slaves (this eminent critic supposes
the word truculent means truckling)
are never safe from attack and mis
representation; that it can represent
any man as a lunatic or a scoundrel
and never retract a word of its
calumny.
Thl3 is pretty severe. If true, it
would make The Oregonian out a
paper whose publication would deserve
to be stopped at once. We all get mad.
at The Oregonian sometimes, and with?
reason, but, nevertheless, it is one of:
the best newspapers in the United;
States, and altogether one of the most
reliable. It makes mistakes, but no
more than most newspapers, and prob
ably never misrepresents as viciously:
as a good many other papers. It has!
always been an Oregon booster, not an:
Incubus, and as a newspaper is a etrik-l
ing one in its individuality and lack of
the sensationalism of the day.
This is referred to merely as a part
of the current comment of the day.'
The Oregonian generally defends itself
when it needs to do so.
As to Mr. Cake and Ills Several Can
didacies. The Dalles Optimist.
The editor of the Optimist is an old
friend of Mr. H. M. Cake, and thinks
that gentleman one of the finest men
in the state. And we have none but
the very best wishes for him; none.
However, there Is a vast difference
between friendship and loyalty to a
friend and loyalty to a candidate, and
the Optimist is going to say some very
plain things about Mr. Cake, but in all
good part, and for the benefit of Mr.
Cake, Mr. Cake's pocketbook, and the
Republicans, as well as all the people
of Oregon.
Mr. Cake is not Senatorial timber.
The people of the state, as a whole,
look upon Mr. Cake as a man who, un
der the direct primaries law. has twice
forced himself upon the Republican,
party as a Senatorial candidate by the
sole weight and influence of his pock
etbook, and not by the wishes or at
the instigation .of any members of the
party or any of the representative men
of the stale. True, lie was not
the nominee two years ago; but he ran
against Bourne and others, and spent a
lot of money, and caused the defeat of
Judge Lowell and was the main instru
ment In forcing Jonathan Bourne
upon us.
There are hundreds of men in Ore
gon who have just as much claim on
the party, and far more claim on tla
state, than Mr. Cake. He is not. never
has been, one of our leaders. He may
be a great statesman, as great as he
thinks he is. but the people do not be
lieve so for the reason that he has
never been In a position to show or use
his talents.
Two years ago he defeated Lowell
and caused the election of Bourne: this
year he defeated Fulton, the best Sen
ator Oregon ever had, and forced
Chamberlain upon us. and we think it
about time to say plain things about
Mr. Cake, and tell him frankly that if
he breaks Into this Senatorial fight
again that the newspapers of the state,
regardless of his money, will sit down
on him so hard that he will lose every
particle of influence he has.
We are constrained to make these
remarks at this time for the reason
that we hear "a Cake party" is being
organized, or such a party Is claimed
to exist, and we want emphatically to
state that the Republicans do not
want (will not tolerate) any such maj
chine, a machine founded on H. M. Cake,
W. M. Cake and their combined pocket'
books.
This is plain language, and we would
rather some other paper had used It,
but as this seems to be the only papel .
in the state that dares to call a spad
a spade, it is probably better for us td
spit it out and have the agony ovel