Morning Oregonian., July 13, 1908, Page 6, Image 6

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THE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JULY 13,:
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PORTLAND, MONDAY, JULY 13. 1808.
MB. TAFT'S SABKAAIOKK DECISION.
There is an old and barbarous prin
ciple of the common law which holds
that a man who hires out to work at
a dangerous job assumes the risks of
his employment. If he is injured he
cannot come back upon his employer
for damages. Of course this princi
ple took away every inducement for
the owner of machinery to safeguard
his workmen. It costs nothing to re
place dead men. while to protect saws
and shafts Is expensive. In order to
curtail the slaughter which this prin
ciple of the common law encourages
several states of the Union, among
them Ohio, have enacted statutes
which make it a penal offense to leave
dangerous machinery unguarded or
switches unblocked.
These statutes were sometimes
heeded, sometimes not. It is only of
late years that corporations in this
country have felt obliged to obey a
law which displeases them. Ohio was
one of the states where it was not
obeyed, and in the yards of a certain
railroad company which defied the
law by leaving its switches unblocked
a workman was caught in the trap
and injured. He sued the company
for damages, and his case, dragging
its voluminous folds from one court to
another, finally came before Mr. Taft,
who was then a Federal judge.
For the railroad the ingenious ar
gument was advanced that its disobe
dience to the statute was one of the
risks of the workman's Job; that un
der the common-law rule he had as
sumed this among the other risks and
was therefore entitled to no damages.
Strange as it may appear, this mon
strous doctrine has been adopted in
numerous courts and followed in a
multitude of cases. There is an espe
cially hideous instance of a young girl
in Buffalo who lost her arm in a ma
chine which the state law required
her employer to shield. He neglected
to do so, and the Federal court held
that the 'poor girl had made an im
plied contract to take upon herself
the risk of his lawbreaklng. So she
got no damages and spent the rest of
her life in the poorhouse.
But Mr. Taft reasoned otherwise.
He said in his decision that the law
which required the railroad to block
its switches was made for the public
good and that no workman could
waive Its provisions by contract. The
employer's disobedience to the law
was not one of the risks which he
could assume, and he was therefore
entitled to damages. Many judges
have followed Mr. Taft's reasoning in
this famous "Narramore case." Some
have dissented from it, like the New
York Judge mentioned above.
But those who believe that Mr. Taft
is wedded to, the interests of the plu
tocrats and has no sympathy for the
wrongs of the humble should study
this case. It Is one of the noblest
monuments in existence of the tri
umph of justice over precedent, of
good logic over bad. Nobody can
read Mr. Taft's decision without feel
ing that he is a humane man who sees
the right too clearly to be perverted
by legal sophistry and who has the
courage to do what he knows to be
Just.
WHY NOT ELECT THEM ON MERIT?
Wouldn't it be refreshing, as well
as astonishing, to see a campaign for
organization of the Legislature con
ducted upon some plane higher than
personal ambition and factional differ
ences. Since when have we seen a
President of the Senate or Speaker of
the House elected for any other rea
son than that he wanted the place or
that he would serve the interests of
one faction or another, or would ex
change committee appointments for
votes for his own success? Has any
presiding officer been selected because
he stood for certain or any principles
of legislation? What candidate for
these important positions has ever
publicly declared his idea of a wise
legislative programme and made that
an issue in his campaign for election?
And yet legislation is almost the whole
purpose of a legislative session.
A man who is fitted for leadership
in the Legislature should be able to
map out a legislative policy desired to
promote the welfare of the state. His
Ideas upon appropriations, banking
laws, water laws, educational institu
tions, franchises, taxation and numer
ous other subjects, would be of Inter
est to the people in general and should
be considered in determining the sup
port he receives in his race for elec
tion to the place of special power. In
the exercise of his right to appoint
committees, the presiding officer ex
erts an extraordinary influence in de
termining the course of legislation. In
the past, however, the effect of the
exercise of this power has been con
sidered little, if at all, in organizing
the Legislature. If successful candi
dates for Speaker and President have
considered the views of members
upon important questions of legisla
tion before appointing them upon
committees, that fact has not been
made known. On the contrary, it has
frequently been generally understood
that, in order to secure the votes of
members, candidates for presiding of
fices have promised committee ap
pointments in return! '
Perhaps the plan of organizing the
Legislature in behalf of a definite pol
icy would not work well in practice,
but it would be interesting to see it
tried. One can only surmise what
would be the effect if a candidate
should announce that, if elected Presi
dent of the Senate, he would appoint
committees favoring loose banking
laws, opposing child labor laws and
antagonizing legislation upon the sub
ject of water-power rights. Of course
a presiding officer would not have the
absolute power to carry out his pro
gramme. The House over which he
presided might not agree with him in
ail particulars. But it would be inter
esting to see presiding officers chosen
because of the poMcifs they advocate
or stand for, rather than because of
the trades and deals they can effect.
- PROFESSOR I. W. PRATT.
Professor Irving W. Pratt's life was
one of long usefulness. His service to
the youth of Portland lasted through
one generation and part of another.
It was an example of patient devotion
to duty, steadfast purpose, exemplary
living and kindness, and of apprecia
tion by the public. Few men impress
their good qualities on the community
so deeply or for so long a period. Pro
fessor Pratt reared a family of useful
citizens, who prove the merit of his
effort and example. Such a life means
much to any community. It holds up
the flagging ideas of .economical liv
ing, a sensible citizenship, faithful
public service at moderate compensa
tion, successful famHy rearing, indus
try, and a long list of other virtues.
Thousands of young folk and men
and women of the older generation
have respected and loved Professor
Pratt since they first knew him, in
his school or in his class-room, or in
other schools, when he visited them.
Their parents have also held him In
high esteem. When a man, In pass
ing out, is revered like Professor
Pratt, it means that he has lived an
uncommonly good life. It outshines
the fame and glory of potentates, be
cause it is more useful for right living.
The world grows better all the time
because the examples of right-living
men prove that it pays to be honest,
truthful, sober-minded, kind and in
dustrious. Were there more such men
the world's Improvement would go
faster. But their number rs increas
ing all the time. And there are more
of them in Portland because of Pro
fessor Pratt.
" IX THE GOOD OLD SUMMER TIME.
These warm days swell the revenues
of the Ice Trust and make us buy
water for the grassy lawn. They cause
the milk to grow sour and they double
our laundry bills. They bring the
mosquitoes to sting the piazza idlers
andthe flies to switch the tails of the
cows. They make some folks thirst
for that which the law prohibits in
twenty-one counties. They give us a
cold before morning, under our only
covering, the bed sheet.
But, after all, now is the most Joy
ous season just before the harvest,
when we are full of expectatibn for
the crop. The crop hardly ever goes
beyond our expectations, and if it
should fall under them, surely this is
the most pleasing time. "The ants
are a people not strong" sings the
Psalmist, "yet they prepate their meat
in the Summer." Therefore this is
the period of all periods to prepare
our Winter meat. "Since you sang all
Summer," said the stern ant to the
mendicant grasshopper In Winter,
"you may dance all Winter." Such
comfort should all Summer idlers get
next Winter.
The hotel-keepers down at the beach
and up in the mountains are striving
hard these days. So are the farmers,
just beginning the harvest. Soon the
squirrels will be laying in their hazel
nuts. The trees are stiffening their
trunks and branches for Winter
blasts. The Mazamas will soon be con
quering snowy heights again for tales
for Winter. The good old Summer
time is a slow comer and a quick goer.
It warms the Willamette river for
swimming and lets mortals lie on the
bosom of nature. Antaeus was the
mightiest of giants so long as he could
touch Mother Nature. Only the Sum
mer breeze can carry the canned
music afar. And, best of all, the Sum
mer poets are an extinct breed. They
all died last Spring on rainy Easter
Day, we think tt was.
The cherries and the raspberries
are with us best of all fruits. Three
weeks ago we thought the strawberry
king, but that was before the cherries
came. Last Autumn we thought the
apple the finest fruit, but now we
think nothing can beat the cherries.
Summer is the Eden season of the
year. Only clothes make the days
stuffy and sweaty. You know Adam
and Eve didn't wear clothes. These
are the nights when fireflies play, and
when the engaged couple can stay
out till midnight without taking cold.
Fond parents do not think midnight
so late in Summer as in Winter.
So, after all, the gains of Summer
far outweigh the losses. Only the um
brella man will tell you different.
Everything comes to him who waits.
We have been waiting nearly a year
for this Joyous Summer.
TOM PI.ATT ON STATEMENT NO. L
Few persons in Oregon like Tom
Piatt's politics, or Tom Piatt either,
but they may be interested in his com
ment on Statement No. 1, printed in
yesterday's Oregonian:
It Is very poor politics. Here is the vita!
error of such a scheme. A minority party
has no contest because the outlook Is hope
less. This candidate lends on the ballot
with a united party behind him. He has
made no enemies, because the hopelessness
of his quest has aroused no ambitions. In
the majority party, two. three or four big
men enter the race. Bitterness is aroused,
charges are bandied about, the victory of
one man angers the followers of his oppo
nents. In an effort to get even, they vote
for the minority nominee.
Now I do not say that is what happened
in Oregon, because I do not know. But I
do say that the flarco I have outlined la
what would be likely to occur in the
average state where either party had a
fair sized majority of the votes.
We can have non-partisan Mayors, but
we cannot have non-partisan Congressmen,
non-partisan United States Senators or non
partisan Presidents. Government requires
a party, so that responsibility tor blame
can be fixed, if necessary.
Without knowing what happened
in Oregon, Tom Piatt, as a sharp poli
tician, outlined what would be likely
to occur in the average state where
either party had a fair-sized majority
of the votes. It happened Just that
way in Oregon. In the Republican
primaries Democrats probably threw
enough votes for Cake to nominate
him. In the election, many Fulton
men voted for Chamberlain in order
to "get even." The result was Cham
berlain's election "by the people."
Thus, factional rivalries give the
people a Democratic Senator a peo
ple supposed to be Republican Dy
SO, 000 plurality and to want Repub
lican policies carried out by the Na
tion's political government. A Presi
dential election is coming on. The
people of Oregon the majority of
them supposedly Republican may
want Taft elected. But will that ele
ment of Republicans want Taft elect
ed, who are pledged to support Cham
berlain for Senator? If so, why? Un
less they depend on Taft simply to
veto the work- of Chamberlain and
other Democrats.
There is no stable equilibrium in
Statement No. 1. Too many Repub
licans are opposed to it. Too many
want a Republican United States Sen
ator. Too many regard non-partisanship
as humbug. It affords too much
field for political fraud and scheming.
Under these circumstances politics
will be chaotic, whichever party may
seem ascendant. Perhaps that is what
the people of Oregon want. If so, well
and good. Only the people should
have their eyes open and know what
they are getting. '
HOME ROUND KESMMENDATIONS.
The recommendations made by Colo
nel Roessler in his annual report on
River and Harbor work in this dis
trict, will, if accepted by the Govern
ment, make the Columbia River one
of the finest seaports on earth. As
completion of the jetty at the entrance
of the river has already been provided
for under a continuing contract, the
most Important recommendation for
the bar proper is the appropriation for
a good dredge with which the work
of the jetty can be reinforced. The
recommendation that the sum of
$200,000 annually be set aside for
maintenance and improvement of the
channel between Portland and the sea
Is a long overdue recognition of a
Government obligation which for
many years has been Imposed on the
people of Portland. The Port of Port
land has, for the past fifteen years,
been spending money on this channel
with such good results that there has
been an increase of "more than five
feet in the average depth of . water
between this city and the sea.
Coincident with this increased depth
of water there was a reduction In
ocean freight rates, due to elimina
tion of lighterage and other delays
which were so frequent and expensive
before the' Port of Portland took up
the work of improving the river. As
the price of grain at the Interior
markets is the Liverpool price, less the
coBt of freight and the handling
charges, quite naturally evry pro
ducer of a bushel of grain has profited
by the expenditure made by the Port
of Portland in deepening this chan
nel to the sea. The fact that Port
land has also received from the in
vestment good returns In the shape of
increased business and rapid growth
and development of our industries is
Insufficient Justification for continua
tion of the present unfair policy. It
is the province of the Government to
Improve the waterways of the country
so that the Interchange of commerce
can be facilitated and rendered more
economical. In originally taking up
the work which, from the beginning,
should have been carried on by the
Government, Portland did not in the
slightest degree recede from the con
tention and belief that the city was
assuming a burden which rightfully
should be carried by all Interested.
The interested parties in the order
of their prominence and the interests
at stake were the Government, the
producers of Oregon, Washington,
Idaho and portions of Mon
tana, and the people of Portland.
The Government would do nothing,
and for many years, about the best
that could be got from all that vast
region drained by the Columbia was
a mild degree of moral support. This
attitude, of course, forced Portland
to shoulder the entire burden, and it
has been carried by this city for years.
Now that Colonel Roessler has rec
ommended that the Government take
up the work and maintain the chan
nel as It has been maintained" and im
proved by the Port of Portland, it Is
the duty of all people in the Columbia
Basin to use their Influence to have
Colonel Roessler's recommendations
approved by the Government.
A vast new territory is now being
opened up by the North Bank Rail
road, and it is highly essential for the
producers that their products reach
the high seas at the lowest possible
cost. The advantages of the deep
water harbors on Puget Sound are
nullified by the tremendous grades
which must be climbed before inland
empire products can reach the .ship.
We now have ample facilities for
bringing practically all the products
of the three states to Portland by a
water-level route, and the channel
from the terminus of this route to the
sea, must be kept in condition to ac
commodate the same class of ocean
carriers as are available on Puget
Sound.
MAKING GOOD ROADS.
Nearly all the principal cities of
Oregon are now undertaking perma
nent street improvement, and several
rural districts have already macadam
ized their highways. This desirable
work is practicable in prosperous
cities and thickly settled farming re
gions where the property-owners can
bear the expense. In small towns
and thinly inhabited communities the
people feel that they cannot bear the
burden of permanent road work. But
If those who cannot afford paved
streets or crushed-rock roads will ob
serve the methods pursued in con
structing permanent highways, they
will learn something that will be of
use in the building of even a dirt road.
The first essential of a paved street or
a crushed-rock road is a grade high
fn the center and low on the sides, so
that the water will run off. Then the
ditches must be on an even slant so
that water from the road will find its
way into the creeks and not stand in
large puddles to soak the foundation
of the highway. Without drainage
even a pavement would break down.
Drive along almost any country
road and you will see that the matter
of drainage is entirely ignored. In the
beginning a grade was thrown up, but,
after two or three years of wear a
shoulder formed on each side of the
tread-way and the center of the road
became lower than the sides. As a
consequence water stood in the mid
dle of the road as well as in the
ditches, and the highway became soft.
The more the roads were traveled the
deeper the ruts became and the softer
the surface. The shoulders at the
sides became higher and held an in
creasing quantity of water. In an ef
fort to remedy the trouble the worst
"chuck-holes" were filled up, but new
ones quickly formed. The only ef
fective remedy, that of scraping the
soil and graveLfrbm the sides of the
road into the center, was not attempt
ed. This is apparent from a view of
almost any road in Oregon. The ex
ceptions merely prove the rule.
Paved " streets and rock-surfaced
roads are highly desirable, but, where
the matter of expense makes this form
of improvement impracticable, the
next best thing is to grade up the
roads every Summer and Fall so that
they will shed water readily when the
rainy season begins. If work of this
kind be prosecuted every year it will
not be a large undertaking, but if
neglected the roads 3oon get in a de
plorable condition. Where there are
no rocks the split-log drag will keep
the center of the road full, and many
miles of road can. be cared for with
very little work. But whatever the
character of soil upon which the road
must be built, drainage is the first es
sential. With this properly attended
to, even a dirt road will be good if not
subjected to the abuse of heavy travel
in Winter. Many a mile' of street and
highway in Oregon would be prac
tically as good as pavement if kept
high in the center, as all pavements
are constructed.
Mr. Bryan, in the interest of econ
omy, has offered, in event of his elec
tion to the Presidency, to share the
White House with Mr. Kern, the
Vice-Presidential candidate. The of
fer displays commendable thoughtful
ness, and opens up great possibilities
for more economy along similar lines.
The historic mansion which shelters
the President is a roomy edifice. By
placing a few cots In the attic and
having the servants "double up," it
might be possible to take in several
members of the Cabinet. The reform
might even go further than the White
House. There is, in a number of the
department buildings, room to sling a
hammock, or place a cot or folding
bed, and it might be possible to effect
quite a saving for the Government by
hiring Vice-Presidents, Cabinet offi
cers and heads of departments at a
smaller salary, "and found," which,
of course, includes many perquisites
which now make life at Washington
unattractive for the man of limited
income.
With the Lusitanla increasing her
speed and rivals of the owners of the
record-breaker preparing to install
turbines in their new flyers, the tur
bine engine would seem to have
Clinched its hold on popular favor as
a high-speed producer. Foreign en
gineers however, will not have a
monopoly of the turbine engine, for
the United States Government has re
cently installed a Curtis turbine, an
American Invention, in the scout
cruiser Salem, and it demonstrated Its
efficiency to such an extent that the
cruiser showed a speed of 26.88 miles
per hour. The Japanese government
has purchased two of these American
turbines and will Install them in
immense battleships now building. De
velopment of the old valve engines
extended over a period of more than
a century, but the turbine has come
so fast that there is but little more
than half a dozen years between the
experimental and finished stage of its
career.
The steamer Ohio, after bumping
around in the ice of Behring Sea for
more than a month, has at last
reached Nome with her 500 passen
gers, safe and sound. Nome advices
received in Seattle are that there is
great indignation among the passen
gers over the seamanship of Captain
Conradi. The passengers feel so bad
over the delay that they are said to
have dubbed the careful master:
"Noah of the Ark." It is questionable
whether there is anything In such an
appellation that is very uncompli
mentary, or in any way reflecting on
the master's ability as a navigator. It
will be remembered that Captain
Noah successfully weathered one of
the greatest storms of which the
Weather Bureau has any record, and,
after it was over, brought his ship,
cargo and passengers safely into the
first port at hand. Perhaps Captain
Conradi deserves a medal instead of
indignant censure.
An electric line from Clatskanle to
Jewell is the latest proposed plan for
reaching the rich Nehalem Valley.
Free right-of-way and stock subscrip
tions to the amount of $50,000 are
asked by the promoters. With the
Oregon Electric and the Harriman
system advancing on the Tillamook
Nehalem country by way of Hillsboro,
an independent electric line and the
Hill system running surveys from the
seaside end of the neglected area, and
the Clatskanle project intended to
strike into the middle of the field, it
would seem that one of the richest re
gions of Oregon is about to draw
something other than a blank. It
would hardly be over-straining the
truth to say that there' Is enough nat
ural wealth in the territory concerned
tc support all the lines projected.
The Democrats held a night session
in order to avoid nominating Bryan
on Friday. But time flew and they
stopped the clock a few moments be
fore midnight, thus making the record
show, that the nomination occurred
before midnight Thursday. But all
these proceedings merely serve to em
phasize the fact that Bryan was nom
inated on Friday, an incident which
few would have noticed if the Demo
cratic convention had not tried so
hard to conceal it. Fate seems to be
against the peerless leader, even forc
ing his nomination on Friday.
Mr. Gearln campaigned for Cham
berlain and, after the election, denied
that he is a non-partisan His speech
in the Democratic National Conven
tion confirms his denial. But how
about Chamberlain?
Democrats will hold a ratification
meeting next Wednesday evening in
the Plaza. Of course they will invite
the Statement No. 1 Republican Leg
islators to sit on the platform.
It really does seem strange that the
fruit of a Republican Statement One
Legislator's attempt to learn whether
Chamberlain is a Democrat or a Re
publican is a libel suit.
Did Mr. Bryan think the American
people would be more willing to have
him for President if he would promise
to get out of the White House after
the first term?
Mr. Bryan promises that, if elected,
he will not be a candidate again. Why
doesn't he promise that. If defeated
the third time, he will not be a candi
date again?
The Salem woman who stood oft a
railroad construction gang with a six
shooter ought to have taken some
deadly weapon, such as a hat-pin.
GOOD WORK DOXB BT "CHINOOK"
Put Her Back to Work at Entrance of
the Columbia.
PORTLAND. Or.. July 10. (To the
Editor.) In saying good-bye and good
luck to Colonel Roessler, I am pleased
to note that he has again taken official
noticeof the good results of the dredg
ing done at the mouth of the Columbia
River by the Chinook, the United States
Government dredger, and recommends
that she be repaired for temporary
dredging. I cannot give you the dates,
but a few years ago, a board of United
States Engineers examined the condi
tions at the entrance of the river, and
they requested that those interested,
especially the bar pilots, should appear
before them, and no bar pilots ap
peared, possibly for the reason that
they can always tell other people what
ought to be done, but when the Engi
neer officers ask them to tell to them
their opinions, they get into the fcas'le
or the bunkers or out of the way.
Others took the initiative of suggesting
a dredger for seagoing purposes.
The present Chief of Engineers. Gen
eral Marshall (then Colonel) was the
chairman of the board, and listened to
the suggestions and later on the Gov
ernment sent the Chinook to do the
dredging at the entrance of the Co
lumbia. She was then entirely un
suited for thlswork, being too deep
and too long and other things wrong,
but in the year she was worked ac
complished more in deepening the river
entrance than all the jetties had ever
done; and she made a depth of 24 feet
at low water, which has only been In
creased by two feet since she was laid
off, some two or three years ago, and
the Jetty is now beginning to show Its
proper effect so that the improvement
seems to be permanent.
, On a bar, I am Informed by the peo
ple who know, that there are fre
quently lumps which will orm, and
these by a very little care in dredging
or breaking off, or care that they do
not accumulate, can be destroyed, and
by the breaking up of the sands on this
bar, the tide will carry away much
more of the sands than can be done by
jetties only, and the dredger can assist
the jetty most materially. I was In a
most minimum minority as regards the
dredger, and certainly the Chinook did
not then seem suitable; but I believe
the results have proved that the
dredger can be used, and I also believe
that, notwithstanding her then unsat
isfactory condition, the Chinook or some
other better dredge can make within a
year a better depth than 80 feet at
dead low water. If we cannot get a
better one. then try the Chinook. It is
not necessary to run her as a Govern
ment warship, with a crew of 70 men
or so, but put her to work as a dredger,
and if run as a commercial concern
might do It, on economical plans, I am
very sure she will accomplish good
work. Having taken a great deal of
Interest in the deepening of the mouth
of the Columbia, perhaps you will pub
lish this, with the idea that it will
strengthen the suggestion of a dredger
in addition to the good work done by
the jetty. GEORGE TAYLOR.
POET WI CUTER HEARD FROM
Vancouver (Wish,) Man Makes a
Startling Hit at Denver.
Denver Special to Chicago Record-Herald.
- John Wuchter, of Vancouver, Wash.,
has broken loose. No one knows just
who Mr. Wuchter is, but he is trying
to tell everybody through the medium of
an assortment of "literature," which has
been dumped upon the unoffending
Thomas Taggart, chairman of the Na
tional committee.
"Acting as umpire between military and
political action." Is what Mr. Wuchter
says he is. This is part of the illumin
ative letter to Mr. Taggart which ac
companies the assortment of pamphlets
and bits of printed paper sent in by -Mr.
Wuchter:
"If you succeed in landing your idol in
the National contest there is no doubt the
military evangelists will turn their power
and Influence in the election of Secretary
Taft- Your leader's military record can
be challenged, and his executive ability
slandered. Plus the moving of a man of
many words, illustrated without any
words."
In a "P. S." Mr. Wuchter declares fhat
"Senators Patterson and Spooner should
read 'Peck's Bad Boy.' "
AH this, as some one says, fn "Alice in
Wonderlond," is plainly In the English
language, but what does it mean?
Another of Mr. Wuchter's literary sins
is this, contained in a pamphlet:
Mary had a little lamb.
It had a tender Meat,
But growed to be the toughest ram
The boarders ever eat.
Wow, Mr. Wuchter, wow!
Certainly Send It In, Mr. Miller.
Albany Democrat.
The Oregonian reports that Hon. M.
A. Miller has had a speech ready,
whioh it was his intention to deliver in
the seconding of the nomination of
Bryan, but another Oregonian -was se
lected for the purpose. It is in order
for The Oregonian to secure it and pub
lish it anyway. After the Chicago
convention it published a speech which
Hon. George H. Williams had prepared
ready to be delivered, but was not.
Mr. Williams was simply introduced
and bowed to the audience, keeping his
speech In his pocket, which was after
wards attached to an Oregonian lino-'
type and appeared in the morning in
cold type. Why not Miller's, also? -
Oregon's Good Year.
Hillsboro Argus.
Times ought to be good In Oregon
this Fall, especially in the Willamette
Valley, where all kinds of business is
prosperous. Much money is .being In
vested in the East, and despite the
hugaboo of "a Presidential year," busi
ness will be as good this Fall as it was
last year. Oregon is enjoying an era
of prosperity that will continue until
it reaches the high mark of great de
velopment. As a state, she has just
begun to expand. Lucky la the free
holder and business man In the Wil
lamette Valley.
Higher Yet After November.
Rainier Review.
Duringhe past month the Weyer
haeuser syndicate sold logs at $7, last
Monday they raised to $7.59. next Mon
day they will charge $8. This is cer
tainly a good - indication of what the
very near future will be in this im
mediate vicinity. There are now about
15,000,000 feet of logs in the big boom
on the other side of the Columbia, and
the large number of rafts that are con
stantly going up the river certainly
show a big improvement in the lumber
conditions.
The Title Market as Now Scheduled.
New York Morning Telegraph.
The Financial News, leading market
authority in London, quotes the follow
ing. prices for titles:
Peerages, $250,000.
. Baronetages, 835,000.'
Knighthoods. 815,000 to $25,000.
Of course, it must be understood that
these prices are for men only. Ameri
can women have paid much higher
prices, and though the titles have been
older than the birthday article, most of
them have been damaged.
Yankeeland Gets a New Cocktail.
Boston Dispatch.
A chemical cocktail, one ingredient
of which is camphor, with a flavor re
sembling a mint julep, has been pro
duced in Taunton, Mass. Its effect is
said to be deadly.
Deer Fights and Kills asoo Bulldog.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
In a fight in River View Park, Pitts
burg, Pa., between a deer and a bull
dog, valued at $500, the deer won eas
ily, killing the dog.
GREAT BENEFIT OF PANAMA CANAL I
What That Immense Project Means to
Pacific Northwest.
PORTLAND, Or., July 13. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian's recent mention
of the various factors which tend to make
Portland's supremacy . as sure as fate,
you omitted one which I think Is worthy
of cataloguing, and which I think Is
more potential than any of those you
named. I refer to the consequence that
will arise with the completion of the Pan
ama canal. This event, if pushed with
the present celerity, is not more than five
years distant. When that is accomplished
tramp steamers carrying 10.000 or 12,000
tons or fraight will debark from Boston,
New York. Philadelphia, Baltimore and
New Orleans, making voyages of not in
excess of 20 to 25 days to deliver their
cargoes at our wharves here. All our
merchants are aware that average
freights are not delivered from Chicago
here in less than SO days, and that the
cost is not less than $30 per ton. When
we see the aforesaid tramp steamers glad
to obtain freight at $3.50 to $4 per ton
from here to China with more miles to
traverse than from the Atlantic seaboard
through the canal to here, it will be read
ily observed that the railroads cannot
hope to compete and will not try, as ,lt
will be found, including toll through the
canal, the steamer rates will not exceed
$5 per ton.
The consequence will be that the mer
chandise required for the country in a
dividing line somewhere from 1000 to 1200
miles eastward of the Pacific Coast will
be delivered by the railroads almost
wholly from the West. This, of course,
means that Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Puget Sound, as well as Portland, will
enjoy this preferment, but the ocean
frontal which Portland dominates is so
much greater than that of her rivals that
it is transcendently superior to any of
them.
As for Puget Sound in a compass of
300 miles, Olympla, Tacoma, Seattle.
Everett, Belllngham and Port Townsend
will each have their, respective spheres
of influence and dilute the commercial
activity which would otherwise tend to
make a great metropolis at a given point
over there. While Portland with at least
E00 or 600 miles of unchallenged domain
on the ocean front, is surely that "fat
duck sitting on the pearly edge of pros
perity" which Alonzo Leland so phophet
Ically characterized over 50 years ago.
It seems incontrovertible that this fu
ture is almost at our doors; if so the
activities that must shortly be called Into
play will make of Portland an imperial
city far beyond the dream of the most
enthusiastic.
The one thing to fear and constantly
to guard against is the sinister influence
of the railroad combination, which will
if possible attempt to delay our delivery
from their thralldom, by inducing the
general Government to make a sea level
instead of a lock canal. This they nearly
succeeded in doing a year ago, flndlnsj
not quite a majority of the engineer
corps favorable to it. This would entail
a delay of 20 years which Is what the
railroad interests desire and if not jeal
ously watched they will try It on anew.
CHAS. P. CHURCH.
HOW LONG SHOULD BED-SHEET BEt
Oklahoma Legislature Says Nine Feet,
but Perhaps That's Not Right.
ST. JOHN, Or., July 10. (To the Ed
itor.) inclosed clipping was taken
from a textile-trade paper and is meant
undoubtedly seriously! Is it possible
that paternalism has gone so far with
our youngest sister that a law had to
be passed prescribing the length of
bed-sheets in hotels, rooming-houses.
etc.? or was It enacted through in
itiative proceedings, the people not be
ing willing any longer to roll up in a
blanket for a night's rest, as It was th
custom In the good old Indian-Territorial
times?
You are able to answer questions on
a large variety of subjects, and perhaps
know more in regard to the history of
this new "bed-sheet law!"
R. KOERNER.
The clipping follows:
Tulsa, Okla. The Tulsa Pocket Sheet
Manufacturing Co., with a capital of S25,
000, and Dr. Carswell chiefly Interested,
has been organized to manufacture bed
sheets which will comply with the new
nine-foot law. which provides that pro
prietors of hotels, rooming-houses, etc., must
furnish their patrons with bed sheets three
yards in length. Machinery will be In
stalled in the building at once, and it is
hoped that manufacturing wilt be under
way by the middle of this month. The
company looks forward to the establish
ment of a large sheeting mill here, to make
goods from raw cotton at hand, and It is
proposed to establish a wholesale house
in Tulna for the sale of articles to jobbers
ana wnoiesaiera
It is the understanding of The Ore
gonian that this law was passed by the
Oklahoma Legislature in response to a
general ' demand for nine-foot bed
sheets and plenty of them. What's the
use having a bed-sheet at all unless it
shall be of the right length, breadth
and thickness? That's the way It looks
to people generally. But this is not an
expert opinion. We call on Brother
Brougher for another of his scholarly
dissertations on bed-sheets. We need
light.
Thanks Oregonian for Fight Won.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene.
Or., July 12. (To the Editor.) I wish
personally and also on behalf of the
alumni committee of the university to
thank The oregonian for the loyal sup
port which it gave the university bill
during the campaign just passed. As the
results showed, the bill was in need of
the very best efforts of all its friends.,
Had it not been for the newspapers of
the state the bill would undoubtedly have
failed. But the battle has now been won,
and we feel very confident here at the
university that the future is most promis
ing. . It will be the effort of the univer
sity to make good, and so to Justify the
faith and friendship of its supporters in
its hour of need.
I assure ypu that every student and
alumnus of the university, as well as
every member of the faculty, joins with
me in expressions of appreciation of the
work which The Oregonian has done for
higher education In Oregon.
A R. TIFFANY,
Secretary Alumni Association.
Proud Rooster Hatches Nine Chicks.
New York Press.
A bantam rooster owned by Phillip
Stackpole. of RIverhead, Long Island,
N, Y., after three weeks' attention to
duty, succeeded in hatching a brood of
nine chickens.
MOUNT HOOD.
Harry Murphy In June Pacific Monthly.
Serene thou rolgnest, grand and lone.
Monarch of an unbreathed zone!
A monument art thou sublime.
Cpreared by God to mock at timel
There, upon thy vestal sncw
Where dying -suns In glory glow
There, upon thy treeless steep
Wnere angry clouds in battle sweep.
Ts majesty that shames the show
Which Insect man has wrought below.
Time, that strikes to dust man's deeds.
Is but a lapsing day which speeds
Its fleeting course and leaves no traca
Or track up'on .thy sculptured face.
The love-lorn sun on thee his beams
Bestows when first from ccuch of dreams
He wakes. Thou llnger'st last at night
In purple radiance to his sight.
But wooing vain! The heart is cold
That snows of countless Winters fold.
Or. heedless. Hood! dost muss of days
When breast now bleak knew passion's
blazer
Of days when sprang at thy behest
Thy earthquake lover from his rest.
And ye together ruin hurled
In scoriae tides on new-born world?
EFFECT OF THE TAMHILL DECISION
Probably W ill Restore the Old Abuse of
County Undervaluation.
St Helens Mist.
Judge Galloway, in the case brought by
Yamhill County, has decided that tis
present method of assessing a county's
proportion of -tate taxes upon the basin
of expenditures for a certain period is
Illegal. If the case is carried to the Su
preme Court, as we assume it will be,
and there sustained, we will be com
pelled to revert, for a time at least, to
the old and grossly abused system of .
assessment for state purposes upon the
basis of a fixed ratio on the property
valuation of the county. That means,
of course, that each county will try to
get the better of the other by making Its
assessment as low as possible, and the
Assessors will, in order to hold their Jobs,
be compelled to violate '.heir oath of of
fice. At least this is the system that has
prevailed in the past and there is no
reason to doubt that we will revert to It
if Judge Galloway's decision is sustained.
Of late years there has been some at
tempt to comply with the law and assess
property at its full cash value, and this
is the only method by which anything
like an equal assessment can be obtained.
Besides giving a nearer approach to Jus
tice, it makes a much better showing for
the state, as Increased assessment nat
urally results In a decrease in percentage
of taxation. Columbia County, under the
old system, would have been compelled
to bear an Increased state tax of $21,000
this year.
It appears that nearly everything now
adays Is "unconstitutional." In fact, the
constitution of the State of Oregon Is all
shot to pieces and is so badly riddled that
it can hardly be considered to be in ex
istence. Things are In such a horrible
muddle generally that something mieht
be gained and nothing could possibly be
lost by a constitutional convention. Years
ago the great objection to a new consti
tution was that the convention might
stray too far away from the old land
marks established by the founders of the
state: but no such danger exists now. .as
the old landmarks are obliterated and
every succeeding election Is sure to see a
new plank, lath or fence rail inserted
into the body of the constitution, until it
evokes the wonder if not the admiration
or mankind.
PROPER USE FOR TAINTED MONEY
Newport Gets 93000 In Licenses Puzzle!
Is How to Spend It.
Newport Mail.
By the receipts of two saloon li
censes last week the City of Newport
finds herself with an .extra $2000 on
hand for needed Improvements. There
are. of course, a good many ways in
which this money might profitably bo
spent. We might buy new uniforms
and glittering gold stars for our police
force, or we might bulid a new Jail
for the comfort and convenience of
such of our offenders as refuse to pat
ronize the old esibllshment (some peo
ple are dreadfulry fussy) or we might
invest the money in red automobiles
for the members of the Council.
But what's the matter with putting
it Into streets and sidewalks? Of
course, we who are used to it do not
mind falling Into ten-foot holes once
In a while or wading through a toot
of mud or busting a gallus trying to
save ourselves from plunging over a
50-foot embankment. But we are
growing and have ambition. And some
of the Summer people are pernickety
enough to resent running the risk of
broken legs and necks through having
to stumble along in the dark over such
a man-trap as the walk leading out to
Olssonvllle where one unaccustomed
to the holes and Jump-offs Is liable to
tako a wild plunge into space any
night.
If we are going to call ourselves a
city, we'd better brush the mud off our
clothes and begin to wear stand-up
collars around our municipal neck get
a little dandified. In fact. Really. It
won't hurt much after we get used to
it. Why not be game and spend that
two thousand for new city attire?
Terrible Battle With an Intruder.
Weeton Leader.
Word comes from the foothills of
the Blue Mountains that a daring mid
night marauder met with his Just dues
a few nights ago. The farm house of
Sam R. Caplinger was the scene of a
desperate struggle. The stove was up
set, chairs were broken, paper torn
from the wall and gore galore stained
the floor and organ a sanguinary crim
son. Mr. Caplinger, who is a disciple
of Major Ozone, and believes in plenty
of fresh air, sleeps with his window
raised and door open. About 2:30 A. M.
the occupants of the house were awak
ened by a strange noise in the house
hold. Startled, yet courageous, Mr. Cap
Ilnger called out, "Who is there?" No
response. Another challenge was met
with a sinister, ominous silence. He
then arose from his bed and began a.
terrible battle with the intruder, de
stroying about half his furniture. The'
result was so fatal and the cause of
death so apparent that no inquest wasi
deemed necessary. The dead robber;
proved to be Mr. Pork Q. Pine, who has
resided for years in the Blue Moun
tains, and is familiar to many of the
old residents.
Prince's Apples from Noah's Ark.
New York World.
In 'England the fashion to give not
costly but odd and generally unique wed-'
ding presents is growing. In this con
nection it may be ventured that Prince
George of Greece holds one of the most
curious of wedding gifts. It Is In the
commonplace form of an inkstand, but
the Inkstand is of- exceptional interest to
the archaeological eye. It was contrived
out of a petrified apple that was found on.
the coast of Hastings, in England. Tfiere
is a legendary warrant for the assertion
that this particular apple fell but of the
ark, whose skipper, on the same author
ity, was the first Viking. Prince George
is of Viking descent. The apple, though
presented in Paris, was not the apple of
Paris, but of peace. The Princess Marie,
came Into the poetical presentation ad
dress by a reference, also legendary,
to the Greek origin of the Bonapartes,
who are supposed to descend from Kalo
meros, a daughter of Comnenius, last Em
peror of Constantinople, and heir of
David of Byzantium, who found refuge
in Corsica.
Crane Lifts an 18-Ton Oak Tree.
New York Herald.
Sixty feet in height, a giant oak tree
was successfully moved and transplanted
by a locomotive crane at the plant of
the Crocker-Wheeler Company, Ampere,
N. J In the presence of several guests.
The crane has a capacity of 20 . tons,
while the tree, with Its ball of earth
bed weighed 18 tons.
After the earth had been loosened from
the tree, it was lifted out of the ground
and carried through the air about M0
feet to its new position, near the brick
and stone postofflce being built on the
company's property. The height of the
lift was 26 feet. To clear the ground the
tree was raised four feet more than the
depth of its roots, as the ground had
been filled to this high level.
Loud Call for Shad Fishermen.
ELK CITY, Or., July 10. (To the
Editor.) Although shad were never
planted, either in the Yaquina or Big
Elk Rivers, those streams are now full
of them; but the natives have not yet
got on to the hang of catching them.
At Elk City, the Junction of the two
rivers, they are so numerous as to be
killed with oars while boating. The
country is a mass of verdancy; crops in
fine condition. The "Land of Nod" is
waking up. . Send some of your Port
land fishermen down here to show us
how to fish for shad, for we are up In
the air. j j parkeE.