Morning Oregonian., July 10, 1908, Page 10, Image 10

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THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 190S.
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PORTLAND, HiXDAV, JVL.Y 10. 1908.
THE MAS AND THE DOLLAR.
"We intend to place the Man above
the Dollar." It is a fine sentiment.
But nobody can tell -what it means.
In the final definition, however, it can
only mean that the man who pos
sesses property Is to yield to the man
who has none. '
Sentimentally, "the man above the
dollar" Is 'line. It fits the case of the
poor fellows who work In the rock
quarry at Kelly's Butte. The dollar
there is above the man. Oppression
is there, with all its centralized
power. There is money behind this
oppression; the dollar is the agent of
this oppression the dollar above the
man.
The Dollar above the Man Is as
good a sentiment as Liberty, Equality
and Fraternity, which was given to
the world by the great French nation
in 1789. But it was soon found that
the true equivalent of Liberty, Equal
ity and Fraternity was Infantry, Ar
tillery and Cavalry. France has paid
for it by humiliations extraordinary.
She isn't talking now about Liberty,
Equality and Fraternity. It may not
cost us so much to quit our talk about
the Man above the Dollar. For one
of these phrases is as dangerous as
the other. But we trust to a reserve
of good sense among our people. The
dollar is nothing but an expression of
property. Property is unequally di
vided. It always was; it always will
be. It is the very nature of property
to be unequal. But property must
have recognition by government and
protection by law. The phrase "The
Man above the Dollar" is virtual de
nial of it.
But possession of property does
give power, or a kind of power; and
most of our laws and largest part of
the business of our courts are em
ployed with defense and protection of
the rights of person and property of
the weak against the strong. Indi
vidual rights, personal rights, are al
ways first. No man's property can
stand a moment in law against an
other man's personal rights. The dol
lar is not above the man.
If one desires to realize how far the
man is above the dollar, let him look
in on any court where personal rights
are on trial against property rights;
where a poor man, who can make any
show of Justice, has a case against a
rich man, who appears to have op
pressed him. Men of property in
stinctively avoid trials of this descrip
tion. Realizing that the man has
every advantage over the dollar, they
keep out of court whenever they can.
They "settle," and make sacrifices in
doing it, rather than go to any jury.
In our system it is impossible for the
dollar to be above the man.
Yet of course men wish to protect
their property from spoliation. There
are times when they even have to
make resistance to labor organiza
tions. Strikes occur; and the strik
ers, if rage runs high, wish to destroy
the employer's property and business.
Are they to do it, without restraint?
Here we get at once Into the middle
of the dispute over the injunction.
Yet the injunction must not be used
oppressively. Still, it must be used.
How far, and under what conditions,
is subject of debate. The demand
that it shall not be used at all, in
cases involving labor disputes, will not
be deemed by the country just or rea
sonable; and, no matter what politi
cal party may be in the ascendant, it
will not prevail.
If any one thinks the dollar is now
above the man, let him try to engage
labor in employments not included in
the union organizations. You can get
carpenters, doubtless, and bricklay
ers, and plumbers, In Portland, if you
will pay their scale; and if you want
your work done and feel you can't
wait, you will pay it. Very well. But
if you want men to work in the sub
urbs or in the country; if you have
land to be cultivated, or harvests that
must be garnered, or cattle to be
cared for, or fences to be set, or fruits
that must be gathered and marketed
in season, then you will find the man
above the dollar; the output of your
land will hardly sultiee to induce him
to work; if you employ him you will
get little or nothing out of him; he
insists on his eight-hour day and will
not exert himself during his eight
hours. Besides, he doesn't want any
of these "outside Jobs"; they don't
suit him; he wants to work in town,
near the poor man's club, the beer
joint. Can one wonder at the prog
ress, throughout the rural districts
and country towns, of prohibition,
through local option? The employer
wants the Man to earn his Dollar. He
would like to have pay for his own
labor, investment and effort; some
profit, even a little, out of his product.
But In vain he appeals, cap in hand,
before the Man. If you wish to know
how fur the Man is above the Dollar,
just look in on the gardens and or
chards and harvest fields of Oregon
and Washington, this blessed day!
Yet there is a field in which greed
and wealth and gain must be curbed;
and President Roosevelt is a pioneer
in it. Special privilege Is the source
'of evils which can be abated only by
destruction of special privilege. The
great sources of these abuses are
franchises, public grants, transporta
tion rebates, and protective tariff.
These abuses. In one form or another.
have existed since the foundation of
.the Government, and under all par
ties. The present administration, un
der President Roosevelt, has done
more than all other administrations
and all other instruments together, to
focalize public attention on these
abuses and to bring the force of law
Into operation against them. It Is the
work of the righteous Man against
the unrighteous Dollar. The country
la thoroughly penetrated with the
spirit of this movement, and will con
tinue it. It is the property specially
of no party. The abuse Is not to be
abated by appeal to catch-phrases,
for the purposes of an election, but
by an awakening and growth of the
public conscience In the whole citi
zenry. Already the awakening, has
been so great that there will be few
abuses of these descriptions hereafter.
Franchises will no more be obtained
so easily as those were gotten In Port
land some years ago; the days of land
grabbers are over, and so are the days
of railroad rebates; and even the pro
tective tariff is to be shorn of its con
spicuous features of plunder. But
these things are not the work of polit
ical parties. They come about through
movement of the public mind that- is
independent of all parties and above
them. All twaddle about the Man and
the Dollar, in relation to them, is stuff
for the ears of the groundlings.
CANDIDATE AND PLATFORM.
Bryan is the candidate. He may be
elected. But there is much doubt,
even in his own party. He has much
to contend with. He has the judg
ment and steadiness of the American
people to contend with. It will be for
him a hard trial. He does not repre
sent the earnest and settled purpose
of the American people, He floats
about In the eddy; does not run with
the stream.
What does he represent? The re
actionary spirit of a past, defeated
again and again, against the general
current of our National life; the ac
cidental and superficial, in the course
of our history; the untried Ideas of
protesters and obstructionists; the
vague longings of those who think
they want something, but don't know
what they want, nor how to formulate
their desire.
Everything his party has contended
for these fifty years is now abandoned.
Of the old contention of state author
ity against National purpose and
power, now no more. The Democratic
party exists only because there must
be an opposition party. It drifts in
the eddies and side currents of Na
tional movement; at times may seem
to arrest, confuse or interrupt the
course of the stream. But opposition
is good. It forces the mind that con
trols the general movement to re-examine
its positions, and to modify,
more or less, its general course. This
opposition has no policy of its own.
It 'cannot be constructive. But It has
its uses as a check upon the general
trend. It does a great thing some
times, as when It nominated and
elected Cleveland. But In such cases
the event turns its own designs
against itself. Cleveland was no rep
resentative of his party. They who
elected him deceived themselves in
him. Bryan, since the Civil War, Is
the one representative of the party.
Before the Civil War its representa
tives were men of the slave propa
ganda. Its platform varies little now from
that of its opponents. It has been
whipped so often when it asserted it
self that now it is content simply with
opposition. There always will be a
large body of citizens who desire
change of parties In government. The
Democratic party is now merely an
opposition party. In the days when
he was aggressive, and the desires of
his party were put into its platforms,
Bryan could not win what he wanted.
He has rrow abandoned the purposes
on which he made his former efforts,
and falls back on attempts to split
hairs and offend nobody. How differ
ent the impulsive and aggressive plat
form of 1896 from this studied, cau
tious and carefully balanced platform,
the work of phrase-makers! In 1896
the spirit of the platform was active,
eager, insilient, passionate. The pres
ent performance by contrast is tame,
humble, even apologetic. It has no
part of the vim and vigor and verjuice
of the Bryan platforms of former
years. The party now Is In need of
what politicians call "an Mssue." It
may, indeed, win without one. But
that would be no victory.
But it is hardly reasonable to ex
pect a party that has been beaten
fifty years to stand Its ground, for as
sertion and defense of Its old princi
ples; especially since the single victory
it has won during this long period
was the severest defeat it ever en
countered. Yet The Oregonian does
not now attempt to predict the result
this year. It only knows that the
Democratic party of the old days is
dead!
THE DEXVKR TARIFF PLANK.
There is little fault to be found
with the tariff plank adopted by the
committee on resolutions of the Na
tional Democratic Convention. It fa
vors revision by an Immediate reduc
tion of import duties. This every dis
interested person must admit to be a
reasonable aspiration. Most of "the
Dingley rates are too high. They
ought to be reduced, and the sooner
it is done the sooner the agony" will
be over. Very likely any reduction
no matter how slight or how carefully
guarded, will produce something of a
disturbance, just as a good dose of
quinine raises a patient's temperature.
Still, for all that, quinine is an excel
lent medicine and so Is tariff reduc
tion. But the plank goes farther and de
mands that articles which compete
with trust products shall go upon the
free list. This also would seem rea
sonable, were it not Impracticable.
How is decision to be made as to what
are trust products and what not?
Such law might, however, hasten the
dissolution of certain trusts. The
platform also would lower the duties
on goods which our manufacturers
sell cheaper abroad than they do at
home. One can hardly Imagine that
it would cause them much distress to
give Americans the same prices as
they do foreigners. We seem to have
some title to the concession, since the
American taxpayer supports the mili
tia and courts by which the manufac
turers are protected in time of trouble.
The foreigner does nothing to protect
them, and yet when a cut Is made in
prices It goes to him.
Perhaps the most Interesting part
of the plank Is the demand for free
trade In forest products, because the
duties on them "put a premium on
the destruction of our forests." This
Is unquestionably true. The Dingley
tariff has much to answer for on the
score of forest destruction and all the
evils that flow' from it. The duties on
lumber, pulp wood and other forest
products are utterly indefensible.
They are so short-sighted as to
be almost criminal. Their effect
has been to hasten the defores
tation of almost the entire coun
try east of the Mississippi. Their
repeal would save little there, because
little Is left. Still there is something.
Forests remain scattered here and
there from Maine to Georgia, though
they Arc disappearing rapidly. The re
peal of , the Dingley duties would
check their destruction 'by admitting
Canadian products, but that would
not be enough. Rigorous forestry
laws are also needed to promote the
growth of young timber. ,
STRONG WHEAT MARKET.
Of almost equal importance with
the size of the wheat crop Is the price
at which the great American staple
can be marketed. Last year the Pa
cific Northwest experienced the bene
fits of that happy combination, a big
crop and high prices. This year the
crop will be much smaller than, a
year ago, but, fortunately for ' the
growers, there is very little prospect
for low prices. The market through
out the season ' has shown surprising
strength, and the occasional weakness
that has appeared at times during the
past six months has always been so
quickly dispelled that It resulted in
very little loss to the holders of wheat.
Not,, in ten years has the statistical
position of the cereal, exhibited so
much strength is this country as at
the present time, and this strength is
reflected in prices tar above the aver
age for the opening of a new season.
The September option In Chicago
yesterday touched 90 cents and De
cember sold above 91 cents per
bushel. These prices have" been
reached without any extraordinary
crop-damage reports, or apparently
any other bullish feature of import
ance, except the strength of the for
eign market and the rapidly shrinking
reserves in this country. The Ameri
can visible last Monday showed a de
crease of 1,542,000 bushels, and had
dropped to a total of 13,827,000 bush
els, a figure touched on a correspond
ing ' date but once" in the past ten
yearsT" This depletion in the Ameri
can stocks was due to tlfe free selling
that was induced by the high prices in
Europe, and for the year ending June
80 the exports from this country were
36,000,000 bushels greater than for
the year ending June 30, 1907.
These exports of more than 200,
000,000 bushels were made from a
crop that was fully 100,000,000 bush
els smaller than its predecessor, al
though a carry-over from the precedr
ing year undoubtedly contributed to
the amount. As matters now stand, a
new American crop is coming on the
market at a time when there are but
scanty stocks of old wheat remaining
and t'ae Argentine shipments are very
much reduced. The extent to which
Europe Is dependent on this country
and the Argentine for supplies is
shown in world's shipments for the
past year. The total fom all of the
exporting countries was 455,088,000
bushels, a decrease of more than 22,
000,000 bushels from the preceding
season. The Argentine, ' with an' in
crease of 16,000,000 bushels, and the
United States, with an Increase of 36,
000,000 bushels, were the only coun
tries in the , list that showed an in
crease. For the season now opening the
outlook is favorable for a much larger
American crop than last year. The
crop of the Argentine is, of course,
still an unknown quantity, as harvest
does not begin until December. Of
the other foreign countries there is
very little that would point to cheap
wheat. Russia, usually a dominant
factor in the European grain trade,,
does not promise any greater yield
than last year; India is bad, and Eng
land, France and Roumania worse
than last year, with the slight Im
provement in Germany insufficient to
have much effect on the market.
As has previously been safd, the
crop of the Pacific Northwest will fall
far short of the bumper crop of last
year, but If present prices are main
tained, as now seems probable, the
amount of money placed in circula
tion by the crop will be far above the
average of many years preceding
1907.
ON THE I "LOOT) TIDE.
Notwithstanding the most unfavora
ble climatic conditions, and the per
plexities and uncertainties of a Presi
dential campaign, there seems to be a
steady improvement in the industrial
situation throughout the country. One
of the most encouraging signs noted is
the gradual resumption of activity, in
the railroad business. A Chicago spe
cial in Wednesday's Oregonian reports
that, in the two weeks ending June 24,
there was a decrease of 36,720 in the
number of idle cars In the country.
The latest: report of the American
Railway Association, dated June 2 4,
shows the total of idle cars on that
date as 312,847, compared with 413,
338 on April 29, when the maximum
was reached. As a business barom
eter the railroad situation approaches
nearer to infallibility than any other
factor in our Industrial life. Practi
cally all of the commercial. Industrial
and financial interests of the country
are so closely interwoven with those
of the railroads that the latter have
become one of the most important
nerve centers of our economic system,
and nearly all other lines of industry
rally or decline in sympathy" with
railroad prosperity or adversity.
It is expecting too much to hope for
an immediate return to the remarkable
conditions which were in' evidence a
year ago, but there are so many signs
of improvement that it now seems cer
tain that we shall enter on the new
crop year in much better shape than
seemed possible six months ago. The
railroads are not the only Institutions
that point unmistakably to the return
of good times, for the evidences are
plentiful on - every hand. Banks
throughout the country are well sup
plied with money for all legitimate
purposes. The plethora of funds has
become so great in the East that near
ly all of the trust companies and large
banks have reduced the rates of inter
est. This is a remarkable proceeding
at this season of the year, when there
Is always a heavy drain on the city
banks for funds with which to" move
the crops. It will have the effect of
releasing a considerable amount of
money that will now seek Investment
in enterprises where the returns are
more satisfactory than from the small
Interest rate paid on a glutted money
only have the great financiers
of the country emerged from their
storm cellars, but the smaller ones are
also recovering from their fright. A
Pendleton man a few days ago cashed
in 125,000 In money orders which he
had held since the panic began last
Fall, and a small fire in Port
land disclosed the fact that a
laboring .man had 3800 on de
posit in a, tin can under the raf
ters of the building. These minor in
cidents show the universal hoarding
practice. There is on every hand so
much evidence of the return of pros
perity and of the soundness and under
lying strength of our economic system
that these hoards, large and small,
whether in the safety deposit vaults, in
Government money orders or in tin
cans and teapots, are again coming
into sight and being placed where they
will not only bring returns to the pos
sessors, but will have a far-reaching
effect on the general business situa
tion. Low-water mark in American
prosperity has been passed, and we are
again moving up on the flood tide.
The recommendation of Colonel
Roessler that the big dredge Chinook
be repaired and placed in service on.
the bar at the entrance of the river
will meet with general approval. The
jetty Is doing most .satisfactory work,
and with its completion there will be
a wonderful improvement in the depth
of water. It has been effectually
demonstrated, however, in all ports
throughout the world that occasional
dredging is a necessity in all bar har
bors, and the Columbia is. no excep
tion. The battering of the seas where
the big volume of water frdm the
river meets the ocean-has a tendency
to harden the sand at the bottom to
such an extent that a dredge is needed
to stir it up so that the current can
get a chance to sweep it away. Either
the Chinook, or a smaller and "more
suitable dredge should be permanently
stationed at Astoria, and when not in
use there could .be used at Grays Har
bor, Coos Bay or other ports which
might require its services.
Here is the Denver deliverance on
injunctions, reduced by jackplane,
spokeshave and sandpaper to smooth
ness and tenuity. ' To wit:
Questions of Judicial practice have arisen,
especially In connection with industrial dis
putes. We deem that parties to all Judicial
proceeding should be treated with rigid im
partiality, and that Injunctions should not
be Issued in any cases in whloh Injunctions
would not issue if no industrial dispute were
Involved.
It 'was as far as the convention had
courage to go. But it is practically
without force" or meaning, since, as
H. R. Fuller, representing the broth
erhood of railroad employes, pointed
out to the committee yesterday, no
law can be enacted which would give
a judge the basis of a decision as to
whether or not the writ would apply
in any given case,; In other ' words,
whether a labor dispute did or did
not exist, was or was not involved.
The Oregonian has not been pained
to observe that the views of Mr. Fred
V. Holman, who was National com
mitteeman, have not accorded fully
with those of the delegation, which is
wholly Bryan. Mr. Holman's attach
ment to the "conservative" element
of the party brought out some mighty
good stuff for The Oregonian about
Judge Parker, and threw strong side
lights on several features of the
Brian convention, not noticed by oth
ers. "The delegation," it seems, has
stood at the phone, taking directions
from Lincoln, Neb. Mr. Holman had
broader views of his duties and privi
leges as a Democrat.
The Dalles is to have a new $60,000
hotel, a long-needed improvement.
There is an ever-increasing number of
tourists who leave the westbound
trains at The Dalles for the purpose
of making the daylight trip down the
Columbia River. Travel of this class
has been much hampered in the past
by the poor hotel accommodations at
The Dalles, and, with that objection
removed, there will be an increase in
this class of business as well as in
general travel, which for some years
has made great efforts to avoid an
over-night visit to the Wasco County
metropolis.
If John Hays Hammond's object in
running for Vice-President was to get
advertising, he succeeded. But that's
all he got. What is he going to do
with his unique reputation of being a
Vice-Presidential candidate who never
got a vote or had the prospect of any?
A great deal of special informa-
tion was imparted to the Almighty by
the opening prayer at Denver yester
day, delivered bj Rabbi Samuel Koch,
of Seattle. As a unique production
the prayer is worth reading.
It will not be possible to maintain
a political party on dissatisfaction
with inequality -of fortunes. So long
as civilization exists one man will
have more, or less, property than
some other.
During the heated term it is just as
well to let the fire horses go a bit
slower than the usual jump. Better
a little more damage than the loss of
one of the handsome. Intelligent
creatures.
Somebody has figured that John
D.'s fortune, if he lived to be 150,
would amount to twenty-six billions,
which is a little less than the price of
a cooling drink in one kind of a heat
ed term.
Seattle is losing some of dts nerve,
when It admits it is too small for a
"400" and will have a "50." But,' de
pend upon it, the gilded codfish will
be full size.
The Bryanites seem to have out
yelped the Rooseveltites by a hand
some -margin, but a band of coyotes
could have beaten both at the game.
The old, mossgrown, bone-spavined
Mormon issue is much of a joke in
Idaho, but is a good enough dead
horse to ride on in Denver.
Other blind men besides Senator
Gore have created a tumult. There
was Samson, who, once upon a . time,
brought down the house. .
It Is strange that ex-Governor
Douglas should refuse the big pub
licity that his candidacy would carry.
The people may, too, think a little
about the- Man and ,the Platform
when November comes.
We ought to be thankful that no
body is pressing a crown of thorns
on our brow this year.
"There Is nothing ominous in the
date of the local carmen's picnic,
July 23.
Douglas would fit the foot of the
ticket, and bear the label, too. :
PRESIDENTS RICH AND POOR.
Some Saved Money la Office and Some
Lost.
Washington Correspondence cf the
Brooklyn Eagle.
It Is said that Grover Cleveland diefi
a comparatively poor man, like most of
our Presidents. He was a poor man
when he became President the first
time. He made some money through
real estate investments in the neigh
borhood of Washington. With the. sav
ings from his salary he bought Oak
View, which he occupied for a while
as a Summer home, and other sub
urban property. '.Then came a boom In
land values, and he sold out at con
siderable profit. His purchases gave
fashionable Importance to the locali
ties where they were made, and this
alone made prices run up.
Mr. Taft is admittedly a poor man.
He has absolutely nothing more than
his salary. But for the aid of his half
brother, Charles P., he would have been
unable to make the canvass for the
nomination. Mr. Bryan was a poor
young lawyer at the time he made his
famous speech In Chicago in 1S96,
which won for him a Presidential
nomination. Since then he has been
making money fast, and is now credit
ed with being worth $500,000. From
the Commoner and his lectures he Is
reputed to receive in the neighborhood
of $100,000 a year. His candidacies for
the Presidency have been very profit
able to him, probably more so than
even his election would be.
Mr. Roosevelt will leave the White
House in comparatively easy circum
stances and will add to the money he
now has by magazine contributions
and the writing of books. Just what
he is worth is not known, but it Is
believed to be between $100,000 and
$200,000.
William McKinley left an estate worth
between $400,000 and $500,003. By
careful management under the direc
tion of George B. Cortelyou Its. value
was materially Increased so that Mrs.
McKinley was more than well off in
worldly goods.
Benjamin Harrison saved money
while In the White House, but was not
a . wealthy man at the time of his
death. When elected to the Presidency
he was worth probably not more. than
$25,000.' He lived simply -while in the
White House and saved more than
$100,003 during his four years occu
pancy. Chester A. Arthur was worth $200,
000 when he died, that amount being
divided between his son and daugh
ter; but it is probable that he was
worth about as much when he entered
the White House. He was the most
lavish of our Presidents in his expendi
tures, not " hesitating to spend from
$2000, to $5000 on a single dinner, and
it is not .Ikely that he saved much
during his term. His predecessor, Gar
field, died poor. Mrs. Garfield, however,
was magnificently provided for by the
Nation, $30:-,000 being raised for her,
while her pension of $5000 a year made
It a certainty that she should never
want.
Hayes was accused of parsimony dur
ing his term of office, because he of
fered no wine to 'his guests at state
dinners; but the charge was wholly
unjust. Inasmuch as he was as liberal
as other Presidents In entertaining. He
gave one "spread" at a reception that
cost him $6000. Nowadays, as is well
known, nothing- whatever to eat or
drink is provided at White House re
ceptions, not so much as a cup of tea
or a sandwich being furnished. The
plan, while it seems inhospitable, has
the advantage of giving no encourage
ment to deadbeats and other objection
able persons who would otherwise pre
sent themselves merely for the pur
pose of filling themselves with edibles
and drinkables free of charge. Mr.
Hayes, who spent the last years of his
life in what he called "delightful re
tirement," left his family well off.
Grant, during his first term, got only
$25,000 a year, but at the beginning of
his second term the pay of the Presi
dent was raised to $50,000, and he had
some chance to save a little out of his
salary. , Nobody seems to know how
much he was worth when he left the
White House.
Andrew Johnson left a modest for
tune, Invested chiefly in a farm, a
mill and a country store in Knoxville
and Greenville, Tenn. When he died,
it will be remembered, he was a Sen
ator of the United States, having been
elected to that body half a dozen years
after his retirement from the Presi
dency. Lincoln was a poor man when he
jolped the silent majority. Buchanan
was well off, and Van Buren died rich.
In fact, Van Buren was so wealthy
that he did not bother to draw his sal
ary while he was in the White House,
but allowed it to accumulate, paying all
his expenses out of his own private
purse, and drew $100,000 in a lump at
the end of the four years of his term.
Polk, Fillmore and Pierce were all
rich men and left considerable proper
ties when they died. Andrew Jackson
was Impoverished during the last years
of his life by assuming the debts of
his son, Andrew Jackson, Jr. At all
events, his fortune was much reduced,
though in his will he managed to
leave at least one slave to each mem
ber of his family, 'including his infant
grandchildren. In most portraits of
him Old Hickory appears leaning on a
cane, and he is said to have designated
the place where the present Treasury
building should be located by thrust
ing his walking stick into the ground.
John Quincy Adams died a rich man.
He owned much property In Boston, as
well as a good deal of real estate in
Washington, including houses and
stores on Pennsylvania avenue and F
street. His will, which Is preserved' in
the records of the District of Columbia,
is of great length, and is notable
otherwise in more than one respect. It
makes no mention whatever of the
Deity or of a future state a remark
able omission in those days and it
mentions the name of the testator as
John Quincy Adams, doctor of laws.
The title conferred by Harvard gave
him great pride. Like Jackson, he was
very fond of his collection of walking
sticks, and gave careful directions as
to how they were to be distributed.
William Henry Harrison left only a
moderate estate. He was a man of
very Bimple ways, and while President
he used to go to market and buy his
own provisions quite often.
James Monroe died Door. His will,
probated in Washington, is remarkably
brief, containing only 160 words. It
leaves $5000 to each of his daughters,
Maria and Elizabeth, and his books to
his son-in-law He was in debt when
he left the White House, and, going
to New York to practife his profession
of law, lie made rather a failure of It
financially.
James Madison was pretty well off at
the time of his death, but the money he
left to Dolly Madison was dissipated by
a worthless relative. Congress paid
her $20,000 for her husband's papers,
and this amount, which was all she
had to bequeath, she willed to her son
and daughter.
Thomas Jefferson, after leaving the
White House, lived for 17 years at
Montlcelio, where he tried to be a
farmer. The business was not profit
able, and, partly by reason of the
money drain caused by an exuberant
and never-failing hospitality, the au
thor of the Declaration of Independence
was reduced, in his old age, to straits.
He was relieved to some- extent by the
purchase of his library, for which Con
gress paid him. .
: When he died. George Washington
was one of the richest men in America,
being worth at least $500,000.
INDEPENDENTS FORWARD MARCH !
Wltn Latter In KleM, Mr. Bryan Will
Be Beaten Worn Than Before.
Brooklyn Eagle, Ind-Dem.,
There Is no law, political or other
wise, to prevent the Independence
party from holding a convention in
Chicago, no matter how oppressive the
July weather may be there. Nor Is
there any statute. Federal or state, dic
tating that Mr. Hearst shall run for the
office of President this year. More
over, he has said that he will never
again be a candidate for office, which
declaration was undoubtedly prompt
ed by experiences he has had, some not
altogether fortunate. At the' same time,
he is entitled to the acknowledgment
that he would poll more votes than any
other man to whom the Independence
party could entrust its standard. If,
therefore, he wants that the best possi
ble showing shall be made at the polls
be will waive his personal preferences
and carry the flag. Of course he will
not expect to carry a state, but he will
certainly upset some calculations. One
of tho members of his executive com
mittee says:
"Why, Bryan hasn't a ghost of a
chance to be elected President this
year with the Independence party in
the field. The only possible chance the
Democrats have of making a good
showing is by nominating Mr. Hearst,
If such a thing were conceivable. We
i no not tnink such a move is possible.
There is no doubt in my mind that
3ryan will be the candidate, and he
will bo worse beaten than he was be
fore." A million votes Is what the Inde
pendence party expects to poll. This
may not be wider than a church door
nor deeper than a well, but it will
serve. It will be more than enough to
make Mr. Bryan wonder why he
sought for a third nomination. And it
may be enoush to retire him from
active service as a continuous-performance
candidate. Mr. Hearst might do
worse. Indeed, it is difficult to im
agine how he could do better. The
ditch awaiting the Nebraskan is more
than big enough to hold him. but It will
be all the bigger with a million votes
subtracted principally from the Demo
cratic total. Let the good work go on.
A Word or Two.
Western Oregon (Cottage' Grove).
The Salem Journal, Mr. Hofer's pa
per, is fussln' around about The Ore
gonlan and its methods, with reference"
to politics. Among other - names it
calls The Oregonian an "historical fea
ture," "Incubus on the state and its
development," "destroyer . of public
men," etc. Well! Mayhap we are
"sayln' it as oughtn't t' say it," but It
would appear to us that if ever there
was an "incubus" of a general char
acter in the fair newspaper field of
Oregon, It's the Salem Journal. It Is
not meant by this that' The Oregonian
is always perfect. In fact It certainly
deserves criticism sometimes. But
when a paper sets out to tell the people
or Oregon that The Oregonian is an
incubus oi the state and its develop
ment, it insults the Intelligence of the
great masses of Oregonian readers, and
tnrows the lie back Into its own col
umns. The Oregonian has made mis
takes. This paper believes that The
Oregonian Is big. enough to admit it
but for every mistake The Oregonian
has made, detrimental to the state, it
has driven handsful of twenty-penny
spikes in the strong-box of thrift, de
velopment and state progress. It's al
ways the little mongrel that barks
loudest at the mastiff. If every pa
per in Oregon would do as much for
Oregon as The Oregonian has and is
doing, each would be so blooming busy
doing things that they would not have
time to holler "wolf."
Revenue In Chicago's Wheel Tax.
Chicago Evening Post.
Strict enforcement of the wheel tax,
which will bring Into the city from
$600,000 to $700,000 a year to be used
for the improvement of street paving.
win De tne course or the city from now
on, since the Supreme Court has up
held the law passed by the Legislature
at Lhe request of the local administra
tion. Within the next 10 years, it is
believed, the revenue from this meas
ure will result In giving Chicago the
best street In the country, whereas it
now is accused of having some of the
poorest.
First Aid to "Marse" Watterson.
Louisville Post, Ind.-Dem.
The hunt for the negro vote is, ac
cording to the .Watterson fuglemen, to
be Mr. Watterson's chief work during
the Bryan campaign. If the campaign
committee will request it, tire Evening
Post will contribute the series of lurid
editorials and Washington telegrams
published in the Courier-Journal on the
occasion of the Booker Washington
dinner, that the whole world may see
how the Democratic brother loves his
brother in black.
What Will They Do NextT
Blue Mountain American.
Now it remains to be seen if the Ore
gon men claiming to be Republicans will
support the National ticket or find some
"fool fad" as an excuse to vote for the
other ticket. Of course all true blue Re
publicans will not only vote for Taft and
Sherman but will be found working for
the success of the ticket but, we are
sorry to say, there seems to be a very
large number of Oregon voters claiming
to be Republicans who take 'special de
light in voting for Democrats.
A Tip to Jim Sherman.
Toledo News-Bee.
If James Schoolcraft Sherman has any
friends it is up to them to labor with
him to cut off those Wall street lamb
chop side-whiskers and change his name
to Jim before the proletariat gets good
and sore at him.
Safety and Sanity Not at St. Louis.
Providence (R. I.) Bulletin, Ind.-Rep.
The twin graces, Safety and Sanity,
born at St. Louis, 1904, seem to have so
languished in the intervening period
as hardly to be able to attend the Den
ver convention. v
It's Now Vp to the People.
Buffalo (N. Y.) Courier.
President Roosevelt has nominated Mr.
Taft. The election, however, rests with
the people. Of that right Imperial pro
gression has not yet divested them.
Small Percentage of Interest.
Kansas City Star, Ind.
Wall Street, apparently, has aban
doned all hope of having a Presidential
candidate pn any ticket, this year for
whom it can give more than 2 cheers.
Taffa Cabinet.
Atchison Globe.
The Republicans tare so sure of win
ning in the Presidential election next
Fall that they are already forming
Taft's Cabinet. The following slate has
been fixed ud, and you will notice that
but two of them now hold first-place
posltiqns in President Roosevelt's Cabi
net: Theodore R. Burton, Ohio, Secretary
of State. .- , "
George Von L. Meyer, Massachusetts,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Charles E. Magoon, Nebraska, Secre
tary of War.
Frank B. Kellogg, Minnesota, Attorney-General.
Frank H. Hitchcock, Massachusetts,
Postmaster-General.-
William Loeb, New York, Secretary
of the Navy. '
Wade Ellis, Ohio, Secretary of the
Interior.
James Wilson, Iowa, Secretary of
Agriculture. . '
- Charles W. Fulton, Oregon, Secretary
of Commerce and Labor. - - -
WHO CARES IF HORSES BURN t
Humane Society Will Try to Have Bet
ter Protection Hereafter.
PORTLAND, Or., July - 8. (To the
Editor.) In view of the late and fre
quent destruction . by fire of many val
uable horses confined, I may say im
prisoned, in shacks of stablea of wooden
construction, the attention f the Hu
mane Society has been calUrt to the
criminal negligence of persons having
horses In charge in not providing either
flre-proof stables, or means of speedily
removing the animals from burning
buildings.
The burning to death of 61 horses in
the late fire at Fifth and Ankeny Is but
a repetition of many previous like oc
currences. Some years since, 45 horses
were burned to death in stables on
Seventh and GUsan, and later, several
more were destroyed during the fire
near the bridge on East Morrison street
and still later several valuable horses
lost their lives in a stable at Fifth and
Burnside, and four more at the late fire
near Sellwood.
The Humane Society has heretofore
called the attention of the public
through the Press of the necessity for
better protection of the brute creatures
confined In stables where in case of fire
escape was doubtful, if not Impossible,
on account of the alleyways and floors
being completely occupied and blocked
by the many vehicles there stored at
night.
This was the case at Fifth and An
keny, where the number of horses oc
cupied stalls on the south side of the
stable, with but one exit on Fifth street
and evidently none were rescued from
this exit. The writer found the unfor
tunate horses dead In their stalls.
The loss of senseless material prop
erty Is to be deplored, but witness the
horrible scene accompanying the lata
disaster wherein 61 valuable horses im
prisoned beyond help were consumed. '
Does it not appeal to one's sense of just
Ice and protection in relation to these
faithful toiling creatures without which
man could scarcely exist. In view of
these facts, the Humane Society has
been Importuned by letters and per
sonal requests to take immediate ac
tion to secure a City ordinance em
powering inspection of stables, where
by the lives of horses may be in a
measure protected from like disasters
in the future.
The work of the Humane Society has
been before the citizens of Portland
during the past 36 years and existed
under many adverse circumstances, the
principal one being the lack of finan
cial support to better carry on the
work. Yet all reported cases of cruelty
have been and are promptly investi
gated, and the lives - of huWdreds of
dumb creatures are thus made more en
durable. One of the late achievements of the
Humane Society may be seen daily
demonstrated in the cooling waters for
man and beast flowing from the many
fountains now installed in our city.
The Oregon Humane Society is engaged
In practical work, but it regrets to
state, receives but meagre support as
compared with other charitable institu
tions, which have asked and received
material assistance through state ap
propriation. We respectfully ask your assistance
in carrying on the work.
W. T. SHANAHAN, Cor. Secretary.
English Phrases Japaned.
Tokyo International Review."
We are Informed that R. Koyama, who
has fired at late LI Hung Chang a spe
cial message from China to Japan to con
clude the peace upon the Japan-China
war 1894-95, and who has sentenced as
life imprisonment, is now released on
tlcket-of-leave.
In Japan, lady teachers are constantly
wanting, as the majority of the graduates
of the girls' higher normal schools leave
off the studies before the terms expire
and also as the early matromony compel!
them to forsake the studies.
A mysterious fire broke out at the Ko
saka copper mine, which damaged 100
houses. At the same time the firemen by
accident destroyed the lack of reservoir
which washed away 30 persons.
That long-waited for sporting season
was opened and numberless smart
hunters ere already after poor snipe, In
neighborhood of River Tone and some so
called secret regions.
A forest man with the name of Yendo
living in Kawall village, Mlmasaka pro
vince, found a monster spider with the
trunk of more than one toot in diameter
and on full extent 30 feet square. He was
much scared and resulted a fever.
Democracy Is Bryan and More Defeat,
New York Sun.
Many of the Democrats opposed to
Mr. Bryan as well as many Democrats
who are committed to him are still
under the spell of disaster. Democracy
means Bryan and another licking. They
are used to it; and then they are con
vinced that Taft will be a good Presi
dent. Mr. Bryan's Quick-Sand Popularity.
' Baltimore News, ind.'"""'
Mr. Bryan's friends in the East pro
claim that he is wonderfully strong In
the West, while his friends In the West
assert that for various reasons Mr.
Bryan will not do much out that way,
but that other sections of the country
are crazy about him.
IN THE MAGAZINE
SECTION OF THE
SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
CAMP SCENE ON THE
CLACKAMAS RIVER
Full-page picture in colors, at
once timely, truthful and artistic.
CARDINAL MANNING, ' ' ONE "
OF THE BEST OF MEN"
Noble Christian career recalled
by the centenary of his birth next
Wednesday.
THE MYSTERY OF
THE TRUST-BUILDER
Second of the- adventures" of
Carlton Clarke, solver of crimes.
It is a story strong with vital in
terest. TITLES OF NOBILITY
OWNED BY AMERICANS
Not rich girls who married
them, but rich Yankees who ac
quired them by charity or direct
purchase. -. '
COMMANDERS OF ILLUS
TRIOUS FIGHTING STOCK
Our battleships " and regiments
in charge of men who represent
old - tin warriors famous - for
brave soldiery.
"A HARD CAMPAIGN, ESPE
CIALLY ON CHECKBOOKS"
So says the Hotel Clerk, who in
dulges in satire directed at both
parties. " ' . ' '
ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR
NEWSDEALER